September 12, 2011 Table Of Contents
LEADING OFF
Inside: THE WEEK IN SPORTS
JIM TROTTER'S: PICKS OF THE WEEK
Among the full slate of 16 games to kick off the 2011 season, these are three of the most compelling matchups.
By Jim Trotter
The Vick saga, Peyton's plight and the Pats' perils are among 2011's top story lines
By Peter King
One of the runners to watch in '11, Ryan Mathews could hold the key to a San Diego Super Bowl
By Jim Trotter
Northwestern entered the season without its Heisman-candidate quarterback. Not to worry. Athletic backup Kain Colter is ready
By Matt Gagne
STEWART MANDEL'S: EXTRA POINTS
After years of waiting in vain for the next big thing, U.S. fans were finally given something to cheer about at the Open
By S.L. Price
TEN YEARS
The games we watched played a substantial role in fostering a return to normalcy after 9/11. In the decade since the attack, with two wars still raging, sports still provide comfort—but they have also inspired, united and reminded
By Tim Layden
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Too early to play everybody's favorite parlor game, BCS 2012? Never. LSU has the eye of a January tiger. Oregon, good-bye. And Boise State? Fixing to make yet another mess of the championship calculus
Even with a megaconference taking shape in their midst, the BCS-busting Broncos might be the best bet out west to play for the title
BASEBALL
The Braves' three-headed relief monster—two parts lefty, one part Rookie of the Year front-runner, 100% filthy—has made life historically brutish and short for hitters. Now all the trio needs is a worthy nickname
By Ben Reiter
TRACK AND FIELD
In a dry (and fast) run for the 2012 Olympics, the world championships in South Korea produced a pair of stirring story lines: Usain's redemption and the USA's dominance
By Tim Layden
PRO BASKETBALL
No one loves the game more than the Mercury guard, a leading contender for WNBA MVP, but even she didn't understand what hoops meant to her until a string of harrowing events threatened to derail her career
TCU Coach GARY PATTERSON
Twenty-five years ago TCU coach Gary Patterson was a tumbleweed assistant clinging to a Division II job. No one expected he would rise to the top of his profession—not even the author, who lived with him then
By S.L. Price
POINT AFTER
Departments
What lockout? NBA stars' playground pyrotechnics are keeping the game alive
A third untimely death may spur the NHL to take another look at fighting's place in the game
A rare memorabilia collection recalls the glory of military football
For tech-savvy teams, the digital playbook will be a game changer
By Jim Trotter
Edited by Alexandra Fenwick
By Dan Patrick