March 23, 2009 Table Of Contents

A free throw's very freedom can seem like psychological imprisonment—especially during the NCAA tournament, when laying it all on the line takes on outsized importance, and the charity stripe is often anything but charitable

By Alexander Wolff

Settling the Score

Over the years the foul line has been the scene of memorable performances—and others best forgotten

By Pablo S. Torre

THE BRACKETS

By Tim Layden

Heaven Sent

No player in the nation does as much for her team as Louisville forward Angel McCoughtry, who has driven everyone from teammates to administrators to make the program a force

By Kelli Anderson

FIVE MINUTE GUIDE

By Mark Beech

BASEBALL

Where's the Love?

The baseball world has concluded that the Nationals' Adam Dunn doesn't really like the game. But if that's the case, then how come he plays hurt and hits so many homers?

By Ben Reiter

PRO BASKETBALL

Another Sunny Day in Lamar's L.A.

Kobe may be the star of the show, but the beating heart of the Lakers is the ebullient Lamar Odom, who has overcome turmoil and tragedy to salvage his reputation and find a basketball home

By Lee Jenkins

PRO FOOTBALL

Andre Smith Is a Riddle

Alabama's All-America tackle dominated the college ranks, but his ill-advised combine walkout and an unimpressive pro day workout have NFL scouts puzzling over what it all means

By Jim Trotter

MONEY IN SPORTS

How (and Why) Athletes Go Broke

Recession or no recession, many NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball players have a penchant for losing most or all of their money. It doesn't matter how much they make. And the ways they blow it are strikingly similar

By Pablo S. Torre