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)