December 15, 2008 Table Of Contents
SI.com
SI Players: LIFE ON AND OFF THE FIELD
No Childish Player Left Behind
Signing troublemakers is an unscientific—and risky—business. But it won't stop
By Phil Taylor
A hoops-dreaming sportswriter tries to hang in the NBA D-League
By Chris Mannix
Recessionary times hit NASCAR
By Mark Beech
A former SI writer wittily explores the language
By J.D. Walsh
By Joe Lemire
What smart fans should do this week
The Australian actor stars in HBO's True Blood
As told to Sarah Kwak
By Dan Patrick
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Do-it-all quarterback Tim Tebow got help from improbable sources as Florida rallied to knock off No. 1 Alabama, taking the SEC championship and earning a shot at the national title
Led by a sublimely balanced attack, Oklahoma hit 60 again and roared into the BCS title game
By Albert Chen
PRO FOOTBALL
In a crazy year for NFL quarterbacks, no story is as unlikely as that of Kerry Collins, who seized his last chance and has coolly led the Titans to 12--1
By Tim Layden
Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco are flouting conventional wisdom on rookie quarterbacks
By Peter King
PRO BASKETBALL
Clippers guard Baron Davis is using the NBA as a platform to work as a social activist, movie producer and entrepreneur. Anybody got a problem with that?
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
He lost part of his leg in a near-fatal accident and learned he has cancer, but Northern State's Don Meyer is courtside again in Aberdeen, S.D., doing what he loves best and poised to set the NCAA men's record for wins
By Grant Wahl
GONE GLOBAL
Imagine Mark Cuban with three times as many teams and five times as much money. He'd still be a piker compared with the Russian zillionaires who offer a life of luxury to lure world-class athletes and are bankrolling a new national sports machine
Inside
Long boxing's most glittering—and marketable—star, Oscar De La Hoya cashes out against Manny Pacquiao
By Chris Mannix
Highly paid Jason Spezza's offensive skills are worth the price, but Ottawa gets shortchanged by his inconsistency
Pierre McGuire's In the Crease
Even after the Colts' sixth straight victory, it's a toss-up as to whether they'll be a serious threat in January
By Jim Trotter
By Peter King
No longer intent on just scoring, Gonzaga is dialing in on D—and better equipped for a deep run in March
By Luke Winn
By Seth Davis
Point After
Gift Idea for the Meddling Parent