WHO'S Hot/WHO'S Not

WHO'S Hot

Bradys

What do you give a guy who has three Super Bowl rings? How about $60 million over six years, the contract Tom Brady signed with the Patriots. Then there's Brewers leadoff man Brady Clark batting a surprising .339 (seventh in NL) for surprising Milwaukee (15-15, in second place in the Central).

Justine Henin-Hardenne

After winning the German Open, the former No. 1 is 20-1 since returning from a knee injury in March. The hard-hitting Belgian baseliner has been untouchable on clay, making her the favorite for the French Open, beginning May 23.

Arizona

(But it's a dry heat.) The Suns roar into second round of the playoffs behind newly minted NBA MVP Steve Nash. The Diamondbacks, with new slugger Troy Glaus, are tight on heels of first-place Dodgers, and how about Mesa's Mountain View High? It cracked SI's list of Top 25 high school sports programs (page 57).

Rick Nash

Youngest member of Team Canada (he's 20) is looking like nation's next big thing at the hockey world championships in Austria with tournament-leading eight goals. This after Blue Jackets winger had 46 points in 44 games to help HC Davos win Swiss league title.

WHO'S Not

Matsuis

The Japanese imports aren't exactly on cruise control these days. Yankees outfielder Hideki (right) was 8 for his last 51 and without a homer in a month. Mets second baseman Kazuo was 3 for 25 and hearing calls that he be benched. As Hideki told New York's Daily News, "I need to start hitting the ball hard.

No. 7

Not so lucky for the NBA. Its two Game 7's last Saturday (the 7th of May) devolved into unwatchable blowouts. At Churchill Downs number 7 Flower Alley, the pick of some insiders, finished ninth in the Derby (page 44), roughly seven lengths back.

Houston

The Rockets and Tracy McGrady (right) exited the playoffs early, and the Astros, losers of six straight and batting just .246, are already eight games back. Said manager Phil Garner after a 16-0 loss to the Braves on Sunday, "I'm hoping this is the worst it gets."

NHL Hockey

Labor front in a nutshell: The two sides meet. The two sides talk. The two sides report no progress. The two sides take a few days off. Maybe the lack of urgency is because, at a time when the Stanley Cup chase should be at high speed, no one notices its absence. Despite rosters thick with NHL stars, no U.S. network is televising the worlds--even though it was offered for free.

COLOR PHOTO

PETER READ MILLER (TOM BRADY)

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CHUCK SOLOMON (MATSUI)

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GREG NELSON (MCGRADY)

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KEVIN FRAYER/AP (NASH)