LINEUP

DEPARTMENTS

4 Leading Off

10 Letters

15 Scorecard

Sidney Crosby shows hockey's best self

24 Faces in the Crowd

26 Just My Type

No MVP vanity plates for Justin Verlander

BY DAN PATRICK

30 Inside ...

College Football

Rebuilding at Arizona

The NFL

How to measure a QB

College Basketball

Robbie Hummel returns

92 Point After

A win, after a huge loss, in Stillwater

BY PHIL TAYLOR

FEATURES

44 | 2011--12 NBA PREVIEW

HERE COMES THE SEASON

An 11th-hour deal will yield a 66-game schedule starting on Christmas Day

By Lee Jenkins

SCOUTING REPORTS FOR EVERY DIVISION

FREE AGENCY: BIG NAMES ARE AT A PREMIUM

62 | COLLEGE FOOTBALL

LSU-ALABAMA

Like it or not, this rematch will be for all the marbles

By Lars Anderson

72 | PRO FOOTBALL

THE TEXANS

Arian Foster must carry Houston to the playoffs

By Damon Hack

78 | COLLEGE BASKETBALL

THE TREY AT 25

The three-point line has forever changed the game

By Kelli Anderson

SPECIAL REPORT

SPORTS AND GANGS

Kitam Hamm is a football star trying to survive in a gang-infested community

BY JEFF BENEDICT AND ARMEN KETEYIAN

P. 82

P. 72

"The Texans have spent two years leaning on Foster, who majored in philosophy at Tennessee, writes poetry on his rooftop and takes a bow after touchdowns, his Namaste to those watching.

—Damon Hack, on Houston running back Arian Foster

Please Recycle This Magazine Remove Inserts or Samples Before Recycling

ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER READ MILLER (GRIFFIN); DEANNE FITZMAURICE (HAMM)

PHOTO

GREG NELSON (JEFFERSON)

STILL NO. 1 LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson celebrated a touchdown in the Tigers' 41--17 win over Arkansas.

PHOTO

GREG NELSON (GRIFFIN)

PHOTO

DEANNE FITZMAURICE (HAMM)