December 8, 2008 Table Of Contents
SI.com
SI Players: LIFE ON AND OFF THE FIELD
Milorad Cavic is still coping with his one-hundredth-of-a-second loss
Oh, snap: British playground baller dekes NBA dude
By Eben Harrell
Cocky QB Benny Friedman was an innovator
By Joe Lemire
What smart fans should do this week
The Friday Night Lights star and British Columbia native is a hockey fanatic
As told to Sarah Kwak
By Dan Patrick
Sportsman of the Year
He turned a pool in Beijing into the center of the universe, captivating millions with his exhilarating achievements. Now he's using his fame to get more kids swimming safely and to promote his sport as more than a once-every-four-years event
SPORTSMEN OF THE YEAR 1954 - 2008
On the 40th anniversary of the first Special Olympics, SI presents its first Sportsman of the Year Legacy Award to the movement's founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who has used athletics to change the world for people with intellectual disabilities
Loretta Claiborne found an outlet in running and a voice speaking out for Special Olympics
No one sees the impact of Special Olympics quite the way that the athletes' No. 1 boosters do
The Farrelly brothers used their trademark humor for a unique look at Special Olympics
PRO FOOTBALL
Spread the news: The methodical Giants offense is powering through the NFL's toughest division thanks to an unwavering line that puts opponents on their backs and rules the locker room
By Tim Layden
Which offensive lines besides the Giants' are dominating in 2008? Senior writer Peter King ranks the rest of the best
By Peter King
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The 112th meeting between Oregon State and Oregon was one of a handful of showdowns last week in which heated rivals squared off with much more than bragging rights at stake
PRO BASKETBALL
Forget the clashes with coaches, the bad-boy labels and the stabbing—Boston's championship wiped all that away. But there's still something bothering the Celtics' Paul Pierce
By S.L. Price
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
One night in 1992, in a small town in Alabama, the North Jackson Chiefs won a game against seemingly insurmountable odds. Then came the crashes and the gunshots and one man's fateful choice
By Thomas Lake
BASEBALL
All eyes are on Mark Teixeira, a switch-hitting, slick-fielding, image-savvy superstar who—with an assist from überagent Scott Boras—has definitely arrived
By Lee Jenkins
BOXING
When Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao takes on Oscar De La Hoya, he'll be fighting for more than an eight-figure purse. He'll be representing countrymen who adore him—and trying to win their votes
HOCKEY
Quieter and less prolific than teammate Alexander Ovechkin, the Capitals' enigmatic Alexander Semin was the NHL's most overlooked talent—until he suddenly opened his mouth
Stanton Barrett
Stanton Barrett risks his life so he can risk his life
How do you finance a passion for stock car racing? As a movie and TV stuntman, of course
By Gary Smith
Inside
LaDainian Tomlinson has gotten lost in the Chargers' wayward offense—and wonders what it means for his future
By Jim Trotter
By Peter King
Which players will come through in the closing weeks? Count on a few unlikely producers over some big names
By David Sabino
Flaunting refined games, three big bangers have muscled their way into the early player of the year discussion
By Seth Davis
He's no Jason Kidd—and that's a good thing for the Nets, who have turned Devin Harris into an offensive force
By Chris Mannix
Point After
By Phil Taylor
Departments
Eunice Kennedy Shriver's Legacy