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Leading Off

Navy Sealed

Steve Looney, aMidshipman midfielder, took a hard check from behind by Georgetown middie ToddCochran during a first-round game of the NCAA lacrosse tournament on Sunday inWashington, D.C. The hometown Hoyas won 9-7 to reach the quarterfinals for thefifth straight year.

• For moreLeading Off pictures, go to SI.com/photos.

Feat of Clay

After deliveringone of his full-tilt serves to France's Gael Monfils in the semifinals of theATP Masters Series Rome last Saturday, Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrated afive-set victory over the world's No. 1 player, Roger Federer, on Sunday(inset). Not only did Nadal defeat Federer for the fourth straight time, but healso extended his winning streak on clay to 53 matches, tying the Open-erarecord held by Guillermo Vilas.

Floyd Patterson1935-2006

Over two decadesas a professional boxer Floyd Patterson won an Olympic gold medal (at Helsinki,in 1952), earned the heavyweight championship (with a KO of Archie Moore, in'56), reclaimed the title from the man who had taken it from him (IngemarJohansson, in '60) and appeared eight times on the cover of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED(inset). He also suffered more than his fair share of humiliating defeats,including one from Muhammad Ali (far right) in '65. Although he had quick handsand a potent left hook, the undersized Patterson was a reluctant combatantlacking, in the words of manager Cus D'Amato, "the zest forviciousness." After suffering for eight years from Alzheimer's, Pattersondied last Thursday of prostate cancer (page 18).

PHOTO

Photograph by David Bergman

TWO PHOTOS

Photographs by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

PHOTO

Photograph by Neil Leifer

EIGHT PHOTOS

MARK KAUFFMAN; DAN WEINER; HY PESKIN (2); ROBERT WEAVER; BRIAN SEED; JOHN G. ZIMMERMAN; NEIL LEIFER