April 7, 2008 Table Of Contents
SI Players: LIFE ON AND OFF THE FIELD
Leatherheads, George Clooney's film about the early NFL, was born at SI
Collectors are drooling over doomed parks
As told to Ben Reiter
Four teams. One title. A whole lotta little squares
What to watch and watch for
By Sarah Kwak
By Dan Patrick
NCAA TOURNAMENT
A quartet of powerhouse teams, each with a uniquely skilled star, is set for a showdown in San Antonio in the strongest Final Four ever
By Grant Wahl
Finally getting past the Elite Eight, offensive power Stanford shoots for its first title in 16 years
BASEBALL
New league, new coast, New York reminders everywhere for new Dodgers manager Joe Torre, ranging from a historic exhibition against—who else?—the Red Sox to a young nucleus that recalls the early days of the Yankees' dynasty he helped build
By Lee Jenkins
Can the following players sustain their extreme March performances? (Barry Zito sure hopes not)
By Jon Heyman
MLS PREVIEW
Are You Ready For Some F√∫tbol?
David Beckham gets the hype, but MLS's most valuable import may be Cuauhtémoc Blanco of Mexico, the fiery forward who's leading a new wave of attacking talent from south of the border
By Mark Bechtel
MLS opens a pipeline to the hemisphere's soccer hotbeds
By Mark Bechtel
GOLF
Overcoming segregation and bigotry, he opened the fairways for black golfers at Augusta. But 33 years later, even with the rise of Tiger Woods, racial tension can still rattle the game
By Damon Hack
2008 MASTERS PREVIEW
By Data by Sal Johnson
TAYLOR PHINNEY
The son of two of America's most decorated riders, 17-year-old Taylor Phinney has emerged as the next great U.S. prospect—and a source of inspiration to his father, who is battling Parkinson's
Inside
Pierre McGuire's In the Crease
By Chris Mannix
By Peter King