December 20, 2004 Table Of Contents
LETTERS
CATCHING UP WITH
FEBRUARY 25, 1957
AIR AND SPACE
By Steve Rushin
SCORECARD
By David Sabino
SI Players: Life On and Off the Field
By Peter King
SI Players
[Based on a survey of 354 players]
The NFL’s oldest lineman, Washington’s Ray Brown, uses Pilates to keep his body young
When it came to being bookish in 2004, TO, Favre and others showed some spine
The Questions with Christian Fauria
Patriots Tight End
SI Players’ Sarah Thurmond went to the table to find out
Pro Football
The Colts' Peyton Manning is on the verge of breaking a hallowed record by throwing for more touchdowns than one of his idols
By David Sabino
PRO BASKETBALL
The supersurprising Sonics are off to a torrid start--and doubters (this can't last!) are beginning to believe
College Basketball
A high-flying forward and new pilot, Joey Graham is the breakout star for unbeaten Oklahoma State--and twin brother Stephen is his trusty wingman
By Grant Wahl
Baseball
Is This Guy Worth $33 Million?
Any questions about the economic state of the game were answered at the winter meetings, where teams spent like crazy on pitching
By Tom Verducci
He was the nation's best high school pitcher, bound for the Florida Marlins and stardom. But Jeff Allison also had a drug addiction, and it nearly killed him
A powerful medicine for pain, OxyContin has quickly become a dangerous street drug
By Albert Chen
Inside
The Week In Sports
Inside The NFL
With Charlie Weis on his way to Notre Dame, Bill Belichick may be the guy to take over the Pats’ offense
By Peter King
DIRE STRAITS IN BIG D
By Peter King
Harrison’s Deal: What It Means
COLTS’ SALARY CAP
By Peter King
Inside the NBA
In a funk after a series of screwups, Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony has rediscovered his grin and his game
By Ian Thomsen
L.A.’S BOBBY SIMMONS
By Chris Mannix
By Ian Thomsen
Inside College Football
Everyone wanted to play for Steve Spurrier at Florida. Recruiting for South Carolina may not be as easy
By Kelley King
Inside College Basketball
With no inside game and a brutal nonconference schedule, a young Indiana team is taking its lumps early
By Seth Davis
LIFE OF REILLY
By Rick Reilly
Departments
While the union and owners grope toward a meaningful dialogue, fans, players and coaches face a holiday season without NHL hockey
Mia Hamm's legacy will include more than her substantial gift for scoring goals
By Grant Wahl
A new exhibit showcases a competitive culture
By Kevin Kerr
USC’s cool QB wins the Heisman by a surprisingly wide margin
By Bill Scheft
L. Jon Wertheim's Year in Tennis
What to watch and watch for
By Julia Morrill
By Yi-Wyn Yen