Lineup
SPECIAL REPORT
STEROIDS IN AMERICA
STOP BLAMING SPORTS
28 THE REAL DOPE
Athletes make the headlines, but performance enhancers are rampant
By Jack McCallum
38 THE GODFATHER
Former powerlifter Tony Fitton sabotaged an experiment and shaped the history of sports doping
By L. Jon Wertheim and David Epstein
44 THE FUTURE
Welcome to the era of the genetically engineered superathlete
By David Epstein
FEATURES
PRO BASKETBALL
48 L.A.'s Story
The Superstar wanted out. The Coach might have followed. But then the G.M.'s big move revived the Lakers
By Jack McCallum
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
52 Going Gaga for 'Gody
Notre Dame's deceptively agile strongman, Luke Harangody, could have the Irish dancing deep into March
By Luke Winn
PRO FOOTBALL
56 Top of His Game
After 16 seasons of giving the Packers all he could give, Brett Favre knew it was time to quit, and he left football the way he played it—raw, passionate and honest
By Alan Shipnuck
• The retirement that resonated in a war zone
By Peter King
Departments
6 Leading Off
12 From the Editor
14 Letters
16 Players
• Roger Federer's "decline"
• The Birdman's back in the NBA
• Review: ESPN's Black Magic
• First Person: Rashard Lewis
24 Faces in the Crowd
26 Just My Type by Dan Patrick
• Ricky Williams's Bible study
72 Point After
Want to avoid having to beg for coaching work when you retire? Just listen to Lenny by Chris Ballard
Inside ...
68 College Basketball
• Todd Bozeman wins a title
69 The NHL
• Avs' goalie flashes old MVP form
70 Baseball
• Impressive start for Tigers' teen
Cover
PHOTOGRAPH BY JONATHAN DANIEL/GETTY IMAGES
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EXTRA MUSTARD
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FANNATION
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DAN PATRICK
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Fantasy Baseball '08
JOHAN SANTANA
MATT HOLLIDAY
DAVID ORTIZ
CARL CRAWFORD
WANT TO WIN YOUR LEAGUE? IT STARTS HERE
This month SI.com has everything you need to get prepped for your 2008 fantasy baseball draft. Coverage includes:
• The latest player news
• Roster and trade help
• Position-by-position rankings
• Auction league and team-by-team fantasy analysis
• Insider columns and blogs
• Sleepers and breakout candidates
• Injury updates from Will Carroll
• David Sabino's spring training reports on key players to watch
• Gary Gramling's best and worst values
• Plus Baseball Prospectus sets up the season by ranking the top position players and pitchers and identifying the players on the rise, as well as whom to avoid, for the '08 season
COMPLETE FANTASY BASEBALL COVERAGE AT SI.COM/FANTASYBASEBALL
TRAFFIC REPORT
> MOST VIEWED
1. Brett Favre retires
2. Peter King on QB Derek Anderson re-signing with Browns
3. Don Banks on the NFL free-agent market
> OUR PICKS
1. NCAA Bubble Watch: Are Joe Crawford and Kentucky in?
2. Marty Burns on the NBA MVP race
3. Truth & Rumors
> Check 'em all out at SI.com/traffic.
EXTRA MUSTARD
Hot Clicks, Every Day
SI.com scours the Web to bring readers the best offbeat views on the world of sports. Last week's finds included Robot in Disguise, a blog that recalled Brett Favre's role in There's Something About Mary as part of a look at the most unintentionally hilarious and awkward athlete appearances in movies.
> See the latest Hot Clicks at SI.com/hotclicks.
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PHOTO
ROBERT BECK
IT'S MY BALL... and I'll play if I want to. After failing to escape from L.A. in the off-season, MVP candidate Kobe Bryant has taken charge of how the Lakers play—and, sometimes, when.
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HEINZ KLUETMEIER (SANTANA)
PHOTO
ROBERT BECK (ORTIZ)
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ROBERT BECK (HOLLIDAY)
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GREG FIUME/GETTY IMAGES (C. CRAWFORD)
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AL TIELEMANS (ANDERSON)
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DAVID E. KLUTHO (J. CRAWFORD)
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20TH CENTURY FOX FILM CORP./EVERETT COLLECTION (FAVRE AND DIAZ)
ILLUSTRATION