The Lineup
DEPARTMENTS ...
8 Leading Off
18 Letters
Word to Sooners: Fear the Duck
21 Air and Space
In praise of Athens' beer guts, big butts, mixed nuts by Steve Rushin
24 Scorecard
• Physical evidence in Kobe trial
• The Show: The Joey Games
• Olympic medals, per capita
• Cura√ßao, Little League champ
36 Faces in the Crowd
174 The Life of Reilly
What a gold medal is worth to winners--and losers by Rick Reilly
BASEBALL
54 It's the Braves Again
Look who's back in control of the NL East by Albert Chen
DOUBLE ISSUE
NFL PREVIEW 2004
60 Tough Guys
Every team wants them, and every coach cherishes them
66 Will the Smiles Last?
For tough-as-nails Donovan McNabb's sake, the Eagles must keep Terrell Owens happy
by Peter King
72 Good on a Bad Team
Tough-minded LaDainian Tomlinson doesn't get his props
by Michael Silver
78 Did I Really Say That?
Tough-talking Matt Hasselbeck is one of the game's top QBs
by Josh Elliott
85 Dr. Z's All-Tough Team
Just a bunch of guys who take
pride in doing the dirty work
by Paul Zimmerman
91 Scouting Reports
The lowdown on every team, plus power rankings, playoff picks and the Super Bowl score
2004 Olympics
40 Sticks and Groans
The 4√ó100 relay teams came up short, but the U.S. still landed on top of the medals heap
by Tim Layden
44 Dawn of an Era
Dawn Staley led the U.S. women to a third straight basketball gold
by Kelli Anderson
47 Third World
After the U.S. men's bronze in hoops, will changes be made?
by Jack McCallum
50 Golden Oldies
The U.S. women's soccer team showed pluck with a late rally
by Grant Wahl
52 The Race Just Started
China flexed its muscles in Athens and may dominate in '08
by S.L. Price
Plus • Andre Ward (page 43)
• International cagers (page 48)
• Cael Sanderson (page 49)
• Medalists' next moves (page 51)
COVER
PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB ROSATO
INSET PHOTO: JOHN BIEVER
COVER FLAP PHOTOS: DAVID E. KLUTHO (BRONCOS); DAMIAN STROHMEYER (EAGLES); SIMON BRUTY (SEAHAWKS); JOHN BIEVER (VIKINGS)
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COLOR PHOTO
DAVID BERGMAN
EAGLE EYE
Donovan McNabb has a new target (page 66).
COLOR PHOTO
KYODO/AP (TRACK)
Marion Jones and Lauryn Williams couldn't connect.