July 28, 2008 Table Of Contents
SI.com
SI Players: LIFE ON AND OFF THE FIELD
Will Work for What He Made in '86
Barry wants to play, and plenty of teams could use his bat. But no one calls
By Ben Reiter
Is Chrissie a performance enhancer?
Stricter testing at the Tour de France has meant more busts
What to watch and watch for
By Sarah Kwak
By Dan Patrick
Inside
The Packers face a tough call on what to do with Brett Favre, and a former G.M. who was in a similar fix feels their pain
By Peter King
The younger Busch has been nearly unbeatable, but a trio of drivers still looms large in the scramble for the Cup
Which players would a panel of G.M.'s and scouts pick to build a team around? The runaway leader: Hanley Ramirez
By Jon Heyman
The Shark and his bride captured the fancy, but Padraig Harrington took home his second straight claret jug
By Jim Gorant
OLYMPIC PREVIEW
Hoping to stage a dazzling, dissent-free spectacle, China has carefully planned—and tried to control—every aspect of the Beijing Games. Anyone looking to spoil the event will have to reckon with 1.3 billion proud Chinese
Action in the Games' 28 sports will stretch from this 2,800-acre complex, five miles north of Tiananmen Square, to the equestrian venue in Hong Kong, more than 1,200 miles to the south
By Rebecca Sun
Separated from the West by barriers of language and culture, China's Olympians are often viewed as sports automatons. But they're far from faceless, and they're not their nation's only jocks
In 2004 he became the only male track gold medalist in Chinese history. Now he merely has to live up to the expectations of 1.3 billion countrymen by defending his title on his home turf
By Tim Layden
By Susan Casey
America's new set of Olympians, nearly 600 strong, hails from 47 of the 50 states and includes identical twins, soldiers, teenagers, a cancer patient, a 58-year-old CEO and the daughter of a Super Bowl champion
After failing to win a major basketball competition in eight years, the U.S. has taken a new (and distinctly foreign) approach
The record holder and the world champion were set to duel for the Olympic 100 meters title. Then along came 6'5" Usain Bolt, previously a specialist in the 200, who blew past everyone
By Tim Layden
On top of a trio of debuting countries (the Marshall Islands, Montenegro and the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu), the Games will offer a range of other firsts
By Rebecca Sun
Who'll reach the winner's podium in all 302 events