The Lineup
BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
44 The Hits Kept Coming
The Yankees and the Red Sox took their cuts at conventional October wisdom by slugging it out in a classic ALCS
by Tom Verducci
PRO FOOTBALL
52 Twin Engines
Herman Edwards's bond with Chad Pennington has the Jets off to their best start ever
by Michael Silver
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
56 The Real Thing
Braylon Edwards is one of the nation's best wideouts and Michigan's indisputable leader
by Karl Taro Greenfeld
NBA PREVIEW
62 New Beast in the East
Shaquille O'Neal's arrival in Miami creates a seismic shift
by Jack McCallum
70 Throwbacks
• The Runner
Relentless Richard Hamilton is an old-style scoring force
by Ian Thomsen
• The Grinder
Onetime basketball vagabond Brian Cardinal is a wanted man
by L. Jon Wertheim
• The Playmaker
Can a flashy guard be a selfless leader? Yes, says Carlos Arroyo
by Chris Ballard
76 Straight Shooters
Stars from the glory days are riding herd in front offices
by Jack McCallum
86 Scouting Reports
SI ranks all 30 teams
Departments
4 Leading Off
10 Letters
13 Air and Space
Death, despair, downpours--just another October with the Red Sox by Steve Rushin
14 Scorecard
• Sports bloopers on campaign trail
• Race-fixing jockey rides again
• Remembering Ray Boone
26 Faces in the Crowd
31 Players
156 The Life of Reilly
Unless you want new dental work, don't ask me about poker on TV by Rick Reilly
Inside ...
150 College Football
• Seminoles' Sexton in firm control
• Turnaround at Texas A&M
152 The NFL
• Where is the Redskins' offense?
• Who is the Bears' quarterback?
Cover
PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL O'NEILL
COVER FLAP PHOTOS: John W. McDonough (Mavericks, Rockets, Spurs, Timberwolves), Manny Millan (Pistons)
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SI.com
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COLOR PHOTO
BOB ROSATO (JETS)
CLOSE TALKERS
Herman Edwards and Chad Pennington are all smiles, but can they beat the Patriots (page 52)?
COLOR PHOTO
JOHN BIEVER
Ben Wallace and Detroit are the pick again.