October 13, 2008 Table Of Contents
SI.com
SI Players: LIFE ON AND OFF THE FIELD
Sports have always been recession-proof. Not this time
An MMA star's flop could KO an upstart league
The Sports-Politics Connection
By Joe Lemire
A new film simplifies Syracuse star Ernie Davis
By Adam Duerson
What to watch and watch for
By Sarah Kwak
By Dan Patrick
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
No conference is getting better play at quarterback than the Big 12, whose wide-open offenses are piling up yards and lighting up scoreboards
With eight of the top 20 in the passing-efficiency rankings, the Big 12 has the numbers to back up its QB dominance
By Joe Lemire
PRO FOOTBALL
With three four-win teams and the league's best 2--3 club, the NFC East is dominant once more. Does the division's brutal competitiveness take too much out of a team—or does it forge champions?
By Damon Hack
BASEBALL
A star-obsessed city that had lost its baseball sizzle is suddenly relevant again, thanks to Manny Ramirez—the new leading man who put the Dodgers one step closer to a possible made-for-Hollywood World Series matchup
By Tom Verducci
And They All Lived Happily Ever After
That was no one-way trade when Boston gave up its superstar for Jason Bay. The baggage-free leftfielder acquired from the Pirates is the anti-Manny in seemingly every way but one: He can rake too
By Lee Jenkins
NHL PREVIEW 2008--09
With hockey's dark art making a comeback, star players have to be protected. Call it insurance or self-defense, but clubs are muscling up with a new breed of tough guy
All the money in the world can't buy a Stanley Cup, so free agent Marian Hossa turned down upward of $80 million for one shot at a title with mighty Detroit. He can get the rich multiyear contract later
Thirty years after the last time two teams met in back-to-back finals, history is about to repeat itself. Same finalists as in 2007--08. Same result.
By Sarah Kwak
By Sarah Kwak
By Sarah Kwak
Inside
Michigan State has a real workhorse in Heisman candidate Javon Ringer. But is it riding its 5'9" senior back too hard?
By Mark Beech
Stewart Mandel's Three-Point Stance
It backfired on the Cardinals, but the Patriots think remaining on the road for a two-game swing is the right call
By Jim Trotter
The names of this week's suggested pickups likely weren't called at your fantasy draft
By David Sabino
Chase leader Jimmie Johnson avoided the crash at Talladega, but Little E's championship hopes went up in smoke