December 12, 2011 Table Of Contents
LEADING OFF
GOLF PLUS
How big was Tiger's victory at the Chevron? Can Luke Donald hang on to No. 1? Who's most likely to become the top American? How do the major venues rate, and who will win the four championships?
Great majors, a new No. 1, LPGA dominance, an old school fight for the money title and the rediscovery of a vintage track too tough to die made 2011 a terrific year in golf
The game will long remember Europe's leading light, a pioneering woman and a television innovator
By Mick Rouse
EDITOR'S LETTER
Inside: THE WEEK IN SPORTS
A new coach and a roster full of transfers have made Sin City hoops exciting again
By Seth Davis
Cardinals rookie Patrick Peterson has been bringing back punts for touchdowns at a torrid pace—and making it look easy. If only someone would just kick the ball to him again
By Jim Trotter
Denials to the contrary, the Lions' Ndamukong Suh has a problem. And so do his teammates
By Damon Hack
By Peter King
It's been nearly a decade since the Red Sox' new manager has been inside a big league dugout—but that's not why he's such a refreshing hire
By Joe Sheehan
The NBA's 149-day lockout sent dozens of players to all corners of the globe. For some, it was an extended vacation. For others, a holiday from hell
By Mark Bechtel
The month of December means it's that time of the year: time to recognize the best in college football for 2011. The top of the list? One unstoppable dual-threat quarterback from Baylor
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR / SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR: Mike Krzyzewski / SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR: Pat Summitt
The two winningest coaches in Division I college basketball history (907 for him, 1,075 for her) have more in common than just extraordinary success. For reaching far beyond their campuses and refusing to be defined by their genders, SI honors them together
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR, 1981
The megawatt smile is still there, and perhaps shines even brighter for the wisdom and perspective he's gained the hard way
By Lee Jenkins
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR, 1976
A couple of recent divorces have dusted up the Girl Next Door, but as always she will never sit back and accept defeat
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR, 1982
A man can gather plenty of insight on the road from boy wonder to senior statesman for the sport he loves
PRO FOOTBALL
The Patriots' defense, built from spare parts, castoffs and converted receivers, ranks dead last in the NFL, and yet New England is once again cruising to the playoffs. The real test is yet to come
By Ben Reiter
SPECIAL REPORT
In a first-ever comprehensive survey of football's long-term effects on an entire NFL roster, SI polled the former members of the 1986 Bengals, whose physical and psychological conditions a quarter century later range from near complete normalcy to near total disability. But no matter their current hardships, the vast majority say they have no regrets
By Peter King
Former linebacker Emanuel King weighs his own daily pain against his son's dream of reaching the NFL
By Matt Gagne
Quarterback Boomer Esiason maintains a full media workload and still has plenty left for fun and games
By Peter King
Bobby Kemp, once a punishing safety, committed suicide at age 38. Was it football, or lifelong depression?
By Matt Gagne
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
For a weekend of football that would not change the national-title picture, the author ventured to the only place where every game still counts
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
In the west Arkansas town of Magazine, one sure way for boys from the immigrant Hmong community to assimilate is to put on helmets, cleats and shoulder pads
By CHARLES P. PIERCE
BASEBALL
In 136 major league seasons, there's never been a more dizzyingly dramatic day than Sept. 28, 2011. The Red Sox and the Braves may disagree, but for everyone else it's a date that will live in ecstasy
By Lee Jenkins
PRO HOCKEY
With the club slumping and captain Alex Ovechkin seemingly checked out, the Capitals dumped their coach. Now one of the NHL's superstars isn't just struggling to rediscover his game, but he's also trying to shed an ugly label
The NHL's coaching carousel began to go 'round in earnest last week, with three jobs turning over in a four-day stretch. Besides the departure of Bruce Boudreau and the arrival of Dale Hunter in Washington, D.C., here's the lowdown on what went wrong and what to expect from here on in
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
The world's first teenage recruiting guru spreads the word on prospects through Twitter, Skype, Facebook and message boards, and college coaches (not to mention fans) have learned to pay attention
By Jim Gorant
WALTER IOOSS JR.
THE EDUCATION OF WALTER IOOSS JR.
The intrepid SI photographer spent the last 50 years shooting the biggest games, the greatest athletes and the most beautiful swimsuit models. Some guys just can't catch a break
By Walter Iooss Jr.
POINT AFTER
By Phil Taylor
Departments
As evidenced by the Heat and the Eagles, it's time for athletes to get hip to the hubris of the Dream Team tag
The family of track legend Sydney Maree is protesting his imprisonment in South Africa
Trading punches for pride with the Emerald Isle's nomadic Travellers
By Tim Layden
Edited by Alexandra Fenwick
For Stanford's star QB, upper arms are a cardinal concern
By Ben Freed
By Dan Patrick