June 26, 2006 Table Of Contents
Inside Cover
SI Bonus Section: Golf Plus
The greens were lumpy, the fairways mere ribbons, and the scores ... oh, my! Yet everyone came away thinking that Winged Foot was fair
A European hasn't won the Open since 1970, but that almost changed at Winged Foot, where Colin Montgomerie, among others, made the case that it will happen--and soon
Thanks to its Father's Day finish, the U.S. Open is always a time of celebration for the men who have formed a special bond through golf
He didn't make it to the weekend, but simply by playing his way from Zambia to Winged Foot, Madalitso Muthiya was a big winner at the U.S. Open
The Open's over, but Phil may not be alone in feeling like an idiot
By Jim Gorant
Tiger Woods faces a future that's suddenly filled with uncertainty
Air and Space
By Steve Rushin
SI Players: Life On and Off the Field
IRL DRIVER
As told to Elizabeth Newman
Edited by Kostya Kennedy AND Gene Menez
BATTING ODOR
Edited by Kostya Kennedy
The Questions with Michael Young
Rangers Shortstop
Edited by Kostya Kennedy
Features
Heavy-handed officiating aside, the U.S.'s fortunes took a turn for the better against Italy, setting up a match that may affect the team for years
By Grant Wahl
On the verge of surpassing Tiger Woods as the game's dominant player, Phil Mickelson instead blew the U.S. Open with a 72nd-hole collapse--failing to measure up to his archrival
Meet Nick Swisher, the irrepressible young slugger for the streaking Oakland A's, who knows how good he is and is happy to talk to anyone about it
Stanley Cup Finals
With a rollicking crowd behind it, high-energy Carolina controlled Game 7, blunting Edmonton's comeback bid and delivering a hockey championship to Tobacco Road
NBA FINALS
The mad-as-hell Mavs, the superstar heat of Dwyane Wade and a fascinating coaching duel between masters old and new drove the best postseason in a decade toward climax
NBA DRAFT
Seven-foot Andrea Bargnani, a.k.a. the Next Dirk, is the best player ever to come out of Italy-and the best player in this year's NBA draft
By Ian Thomsen
Special Report
DUKE LACROSSE,the 46 white players, a black dancer and the reputation of the university are forever changed. But is the case solid? Was the coach made a scapegoat? Exclusive sources describe three months of fear, disbelief and confusion over what the future holds--in and out of court
By S.L. Price
The case has produceda steady drip of leaks, damage control and conflicting evidence
By Sarah Kwak
Inside
By Albert Chen
By Tom Verducci
Life of Reilly
By Rick Reilly
Departments
George Mason's Final Four run boosted its hoops program but might give the university itself a bigger lift
By Bill Syken
Jimmy Winkfield was America's top jockey, but bigots drove him abroad, where his ride got really wild
He's coming back to the NBA after striking a sweet deal with Charlotte, but has Michael Jordan, at 43, finally found his destiny?
By Ian Thomsen
A new book questions how well integration has served the modern black athlete
The three-time WNBA MVP and Houston Comets forward was named this month to the league's All-Decade Team.
By Adam Duerson
What to watch and watch for
By Chris Mannix