Lineup

FEATURES

PRO BASKETBALL

40 FriendlyFire
Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki are best buddies, but they won't stop battlinguntil one wins the NBA title
by Chris Ballard
• Jack McCallum's Playoff Picks

HOCKEY

48 Got His FeetWet
In his first trip to the postseason the Penguins' Sidney Crosby was roughed upbut delivered lessons of his own
by Michael Farber
• Pierre McGuire on Round 1

BASEBALL

52 Twin Peaks
Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins of the Rockies think alike, look alike and,even better, mash alike
by Kelli Anderson

PRO FOOTBALL

56 Old School
Wisconsin's Joe Thomas hits the books and brats as he awaits the draft
by Peter King

BOOK EXCERPT

This Team InventedFootball
Jim Thorpe (right), Pop Warner and the Carlisle Indians turned a ploddingcollege game into the thrilling sport it is today
by Sally Jenkins
page 60

Departments

6 Leading Off

12 From theEditor

14 Letters

16 Players
The Rutgers women's perspective
Paralympic swimmer honored
Farewell, Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Money can't buy NBA title
Pitchers' windup secrets
NBC brings in Don Cherry

34 Faces in theCrowd

82 Life ofReilly
The Duke lacrosse players have been exonerated. Now their former coach deservesa big apology
by Rick Reilly

Inside ...

78 Baseball
Five players ripe for a trade

79 Horse Racing
Flouting the old pre-Derby rules

80 NASCAR
Dale Jr. should run family firm

Cover
PHOTOGRAPH BY GREG NELSON

INSET PHOTOS:Corbis (Thorpe); Mike Derer/AP (Rutgers)

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NASCAR
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TRAFFIC REPORT

MOST VIEWED
1. Don Banks's NFL Mock Draft
2. Photos: NFL Draft Risks That Didn't Pay Off
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4. Pacman Jones Suspended
5. Photos: The Best First-Round Picks by Draft Slot

EDITORS' PICKS
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PHOTO

JOHN W. MCDONOUGH

 52COLORADO CLOUT Leftfielder Matt Holliday (left) and third baseman GarrettAtkins are the Rockies' top righthanded hitters.

PHOTO

CUMBERLAND COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, CARLISLE, PA. (THORPE)

PHOTO

STACEY BRANN/RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

16SUNNIER DAYS Rutgers basketball players, who were all smiles at a tournament inSt. Thomas in November, capped an emotional week by meeting with DonImus.

PHOTO

DAMIAN STROHMEYER (BRADY)

PHOTO

DAVID E. KLUTHO (LIDSTROM)

PHOTO

AL TIELEMANS (RUSSELL)

PHOTO

CLAY PATRICK MCBRIDE (HERNANDEZ)

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BOB ROSATO (NASH)

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SAM SHARPE (JOHNSON)

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BOB ROSATO (JONES)

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