March 21, 2005 Table Of Contents
CATCHING UP WITH
DECEMBER 2, 1968
By Bill Syken
AIR AND SPACE
By Steve Rushin
SCORECARD
By Mark Bechtel
SI Players
Illinois Guards Dee Brown/Deron Williams
By Dee Brown
[Based on a survey of 227 NBA players]
How hoops star Erica Taylor and her boxer hubby Jermain make it work
Big-time base stealer Carl Crawford gets ready for the rigors of a 162-game season
The Questions with Kelvin Cato/Magic Center
By Kelvin Cato
Royals Pitcher Kyle Snyder
2005 NCAA Tournament Preview
To advance on the Road to St. Louis, teams will have to execute in the frenetic last five minutes of games. The secrets to success lie within
Mirroring the intensity of their coach, the upstart Lady Bears are the team that no one wants to face in March
2005 NCAA Tournament
A quick look at the trends, teams and names to keep an eye on as the Big Dance begins
By Seth Davis
By Grant Wahl
PRO BASKETBALL
The Incredible Lightness of Being Gilbert
His routines are eccentric, his workouts defy logic and his jokes inspire teammates to choke him. So how is it that Gilbert Arenas is the driving force of the resurgent Wizards?
Baaseball
Is it something in the water? The Atlanta Braves have shown an uncanny ability to revive waning careers. The latest: Brian Jordan and Raul Mondesi
By Albert Chen
TRACK AND FIELD
Finally living up to his vast potential, tough-as-nails Dathan Ritzenhein could be the first American in 23 years to win a medal at the world cross-country meet
By Tim Layden
Inside
The Week In Sports
Inside Baseball
With their offense depleted, the Astros are depending more than ever on the healthy return of Andy Pettitte
By Albert Chen
Inside The NBA
Critics still call him soft and say his game has regressed, but Yao Ming is quietly making strides as a center
By Ian Thomson
By Ian Thomson
THE 76ERS' STRUGGLES
By Ian Thomson
ATLANTA'S JOSH SMITH
By Ian Thomson
By Ian Thomson
LIFE OF REILLY
By Rick Reilly
Departments
Even Better Than the Real Thing
RealPro Wrestling, a new made-for-TV competition, brings showbiz flair to the serious side of the sport
By Bill Syken
Every day's a snow day at Stratton Mountain School, where skiers and boarders rip the slopes after they hit the books
By Kelley King
A new history of baseball--that most European of games--traces the sport back centuries before Doubleday
In hearings scheduled to begin this week, a congressional committee attempts to discover how far the stain of steroids has spread over baseball
Torn ligaments and Tommy John surgery--they're not just for big leaguers anymore
Coaches and players have found that there's big money in scalping tickets
By Tim Layden
Plagued by wildness and injuries as a pitcher, 25-year-old Rick Ankiel is trying to make the Cardinals as an outfielder. How's he doing? SI's Ankielometer tells all.
Now that he's skiing's world champ, Bode Miller may skip the Olympics
By Bill Scheft
The big-wave surfer, 41, has his own film company and is married to volleyball star Gabrielle Reece
What to watch and watch for
By Nancy Ramsey
Breaking news, scores, schedules and fresh, original Web-only stories and columns 24/7