March 12, 2012 Table Of Contents
LEADING OFF
GOLF PLUS
Rory McIlroy, the charismatic 22-year-old with the swing to die for, took over as world No. 1 by winning the Honda Classic, but a dazzling finish by Tiger Woods sent the message that a new battle is about to begin
By Damon Hack
Used to be that Orlando was the destination of choice for touring pros, but these days more of them can be found at the fabulous players' clubs of Palm Beach
Donald Trump asked me to put the teeth back into the Blue Monster. Here's how I plan to do it
By Gil Hanse
THE MAIL
Inside: THE WEEK IN SPORTS
With veteran pieces on offense, Stanford is well-armed to go on without you-know-who
High-scoring Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson has reined in his go-for-broke style and become a surprise Norris contender
PIERRE MCGUIRE'S IN THE CREASE
World champ Jordyn Wieber hasn't solidified her status as the favorite in London
BOUNTY CULTURE
For three years, the NFL says, members of the Saints defense maintained an illicit bounty program, administered by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, that paid cash rewards for hits that injured opponents. Expect the league's punishment to be swift and severe
By Peter King
THE CONSCIENCE OF THE LOCKER ROOM
While players square off against one another on Sundays, they're also brothers and partners—which is why rewards for injuring opponents violate the game's code
By Jim Trotter
Roger Goodell's tenure has been marked by a growing vigilance regarding safety on the field. A time line of his six-year struggle to tamp down violence
The hardest part of changing the culture of professional football may be transforming the way the players themselves think and talk about the game
By Tim Layden
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
The system developed by Dick Bennett two decades ago has his son Tony's Virginia team on the brink of its first NCAA tournament bid in five years
By Luke Winn
PRO BASKETBALL
To win in the NBA, you need a stud with a recognizable first name like Kobe or LeBron, right? Not if you're the Pacers, who are getting it done with Danny, Roy, David, Paul, Tyler, George and Darren
By Ian Thomsen
SPECIAL REPORT
The former Mets and Phillies hero turned out to be the centerfielder who couldn't shoot straight
RHIANNON HULL
POINT AFTER
By Phil Taylor
Departments
Savvy planning—and some crazy luck—has NASCAR heating up again
A second wild card will stoke fan interest but also make it harder for the best team to prevail
By Ben Reiter
The league offers a crash course to players who want to tackle music
A hotshot coach's canning reminds us: Life can be short, especially in sports
By Adam Duerson
Edited by Alexandra Fenwick
A concert features a tenor's take on Mike Piazza and other sports notes
By Dan Greene
By Dan Patrick
