Lineup

36 | GOLF

The Ryder Cup

In a rain-soaked competition that nonetheless lived up to the hype, the U.S. stormed back on Monday only to fall heartbreakingly short of victory

By Alan Shipnuck

40 | BASEBALL

Playoff Pitching

The key to postseason success is powerful starters such as the Rays' David Price

By Tom Verducci

• And relievers like Aroldis Chapman

By Albert Chen

48 | PRO FOOTBALL

Green Bay Packers

Brett who? The ultimate football town has fallen hard for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the new face of the franchise and repository of high hopes

By Damon Hack

54 | COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Oregon Ducks

With its high-scoring, hyperfast offense, the green machine took Stanford apart and made its case as a contender for the national title

By Austin Murphy

60 | BOOK EXCERPT

Mickey Mantle

Off the field, the most famous face on the most famous team—adored by fans, writers and even opponents—was both innocent and insatiable

By Jane Leavy

SPLIT COVERS

Readers throughout the Midwest received the football cover. With the pink logos, SI joins in promoting breast cancer awareness.

Departments

4 Leading Off

12 Letters

14 Scorecard

An SI writer's acting debut, in Secretariat

23 Just My Type

Josh Cribbs on kick returns, Ochocinco

by Dan Patrick

24 Faces in the Crowd

26 Inside ...

• The NFL

Antonio Gates romps

• Fantasy Football

Bye week bonanza

• College Football

TCU to the Big East?

• NASCAR

JJ's biggest threat

72 The Vault

Wide Right II, 1992

76 Point After

Tyler Summitt, born and bred to coach

by Phil Taylor

Please Recycle This Magazine Remove Inserts or Samples Before Recycling

ON THE COVER Photographs by Al Tielemans (Price); John Biever (Packers)

SEVEN PHOTOS