Lineup

FEATURES

SPORTS CRISES

41 Fed Up Yet?
Dogfighting. Gambling. Steroids. A nation turns its lonely eyes to ... who?
By Jack McCallum

TOUR DE FRANCE

46 False Positive
Good news: The doping era might be over. Bad news: Cycling may not recover
By Austin Murphy

BASEBALL

50 The Legend Lives
A's slugger Jack Cust has turned the myths about his home runs into reality
By Albert Chen

PRO FOOTBALL

56 Bill Walsh, 1931-2007
A brilliant innovator, the three-time Super Bowl champion with the 49ers also opened the door for a generation of NFL coaches
By Peter King

58 Game On!
As NFL camps from New England to San Diego cranked up and the heat bore down, the pressure was on the newcomers--rookies, free agents and coaches--to make an immediate impact on the field
By Peter King

• Profiles of seven new faces

PREVIEW

Fantasy 2007

With drafts fast approaching, SI ranks the top producers at every position. As for those players who prompt the greatest difference of opinion, including Titans second-year quarterback Vince Young, we consider both sides of the argument
P. 68

Departments

10 Leading Off

19 Letters

25 Players
• A soccer victory binds Iraq
• First Person: Jon Lester
• Remembering Skip Prosser
• The writer vs. the fighter
• A Jets safety turns thespian
• True tales of the similarly named

38 Faces in the Crowd

100 Life of Reilly
If it's Charlie Weis versus John Daly in Thong Challenge, this must be hell by Rick Reilly

Inside ...

94 Arena Football
• The day belongs to San Jose's D
• A record year in AFL attendance

96 NASCAR
• DEI's pockets get deeper
• A Brickyard win bodes well

98 Baseball
• The Braves land the biggest bat

Cover
PHOTOGRAPH BY THOMAS E. WITTE

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FEATURED COLUMNS

TOM VERDUCCI

> The Land of Make Believe
San Francisco forgives the shame that Barry Bonds brings to the home run record simply because he wears the uniform of the home team.
> Read more of this column at SI.com/verducci.

PETER KING

> A Message From the Top
When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell talks to players, he often mentions how it's a privilege to play in the league, not a right.
> Read more of this column at SI.com/king.

TRAFFIC REPORT

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3. Daily Hot Clicks

ANDREW PERLOFF'S BLOG

FanNation

The NFL's Breakout Players for 2007

> Unlike fellow sophomore QB Matt Leinart and Vince Young, strong-armed Jay Cutler is in position to win in '07.

> Weigh in with your thoughts or challenge Perloff to a Throwdown at fannation.com.
JAY CUTLER

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PHOTO

THOMAS E. WITTE (TUCKER)

58 JOINT VENTURE Browns offensive lineman Ryan Tucker, a veteran of 11 NFL seasons and multiple knee operations, loosened up in Berea, Ohio, last Saturday.

PHOTO

BOB ROSATO (YOUNG)

PHOTO

BRAD MANGIN (TEIXEIRA)

PHOTO

MEL LEVINE (KING)

PHOTO

JOELLE WIGGINS (BONDS)

PHOTO

CHUCK BURTON/AP (GOODELL)

PHOTO

BILL FRAKES (VICK)

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GREG NELSON (GARNETT)

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ROBERT BECK (CUTLER)

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ILLUSTRATION