August 27, 2012 Table Of Contents
SI.com
LEADING OFF
THE MAIL
EDITOR'S LETTER
Inside: THE WEEK IN SPORTS
As running back production drops, the key is homing in on the great ones and lowering expectations for the rest
By David Sabino
Looking for an entry point as the European soccer season kicks off? Start with SI's USMNT All-Overseas XI
By Grant Wahl
THE CASE FOR ... FELIX HERNANDEZ
By Joe Sheehan
MIKE TROUT
Angels teammates, dazzled fans and shell-shocked pitchers already wonder where Mike Trout, all of 21, belongs in the discussion of the game's alltime greats. Front offices in baseball pose a more vexing question: How the hell did we miss this guy?
By Tom Verducci
PRO FOOTBALL
BLACK AND WHITE, AND GREEN ALL OVER
With referees locked out, inexperienced and unstudied replacements have turned the NFL preseason into a comedy of errors. But will anyone be laughing when the games start to count?
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Just a National Football Powerhouse
Eastern Christian Academy has no field, no home uniforms, no listed phone number. It isn't even a school, just a national football powerhouse
By Lee Jenkins
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
As Penn State coach Bill O'Brien begins a monumental rebuilding effort, he gave SI a behind-the-scenes look at how far his team has come—and how far it still has to go
By Andy Staples
PARALYMPICS 2012
The stories of Rob Jones and Oksana Masters are remarkable, and if they also prove inspirational, that's fine with them. But they have another narrative they prefer, the one that has brought them together to the brink of Paralympic rowing gold
POINT AFTER
Abbott and Costello Meet The Nats
By Phil Taylor
Departments
The lights go down on the tired acts of the NFL's prima donna wide receivers
By Steve Rushin
An anticipated new biography dutifully tells Joe Paterno's story—but that's not enough
By Mark Beech
Africa's first entry wins over the crowd in Williamsport
In an overdue decision, hallowed Augusta National opens its membership to women
Edited by Alexandra Fenwick
NFL training camps are open, which means one thing: pranks
By Matt Gagne
By Dan Patrick