Lineup
DWYANE WADE
Sportsman of the Year 2006
The 24-year-old guard pulled the Heat out of a deep playoff hole, helped put the shine back on a tarnished league and lifted his mom out of her own personal hell
by S.L. Price
p. 50
FEATURES
PRO FOOTBALL
66 Silver Star
In just two months, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has gone from a buried backup to the NFL's best-rated passer
by Tim Layden
• The Giants' turmoil
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
76 Playoff, Please
Even before UCLA stunned USC, heightening the title-game debate, the BCS was as problematic as ever
by Phil Taylor
• SI's eight-team playoff
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
84 Court of Appeal
Arizona freshman Chase Budinger has chosen hoops over volleyball stardom
by Grant Wahl
SKIING
90 Back on the Edge
After his letdown at the Olympics, Bode Miller is fit, fast and focused on winning
by Tim Layden
HOCKEY
96 Best We've Ever Had
No U.S.-born forward can match the career of Stars center Mike Modano
by Michael Farber
Departments
8 Leading Off
16 Letters
21 From the Editor
23 Air and Space
Guffaw, chortle, giggle. It's an NFL pregame show
by Chris Ballard
24 Scorecard
Is Mark McGwire Hall-worthy?
35 Faces in the Crowd
37 Players
124 Life of Reilly
They'd rather shoot under 50% than shoot underhanded
by Rick Reilly
Inside...
112 The NBA
A headband flap ignites Chicago
115 The NFL
Assessing Jay Cutler's first start
120 College Basketball
UNC women try a little selfishness
122 The NHL
Toronto's cooler heads prevail
Cover
PHOTOGRAPH BY WALTER IOOSS JR.
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> > COLLEGE HOOPS
Now that 7-foot freshman Greg Oden (left) has recovered from wrist surgery, how far can No. 5 Ohio State rise in the rankings? And how big a difference will Oden make in the Dec. 23 showdown with Florida? At SI.com/collegebasketball, follow the season with Luke Winn's blogs and power rankings, Cory McCartney's new Fast Break column, Grant Wahl's Mailbag and Seth Davis's biweekly Hoop Thoughts.
> > PRO FOOTBALL
With four weeks left in the regular season, Dr. Z and swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker (above right) are neck-and-neck in their weekly pick of NFL games. Watch the She Says/Z Says video at SI.com to find out which teams they like in the Week 14 matchups. Also read Don Banks's wrap-up of the weekend's games, including the clash between Cowboys QB Tony Romo and Saints QB Drew Brees, at SI.com/nfl.
> > BASEBALL
The Red Sox have until Dec. 14 to sign Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka (right), and at week's end they were still dangling slugger Manny Ramirez as trade bait at the winter baseball meetings. Find out how things turn out for Boston and keep track of other Hot Stove League happenings at SI.com/baseball.
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PHOTO
DAMIAN STROHMEYER (ROMO)
66 LO-MO The NFL's brightest new star, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, didn't stumble when it mattered against the Giants on Sunday.
PHOTO
WALTER IOOSS JR. (WADE)
PHOTO
LISA BLUMENFELD/GETTY IMAGES (WALLACE)
112 BEN, DON'T BREAK After Ben Wallace gave up his fight to wear a headband, the Bulls took off.
PHOTO
MATTHEW EMMONS/US PRESSWIRE (ODEN)
PHOTO
MEL LEVINE (SHE/Z)
PHOTO
ROBERT BECK (MATSUZAKA)
