LINEUP

Sports Illustrated

Inspiring

PERFORMERS

2012

PRO FOOTBALL

36 Eli Manning

Wins? He has lots. Star power? Not really, but the Giants' QB makes us rethink what we expect in a hero

BY S.L. PRICE

PRO BASKETBALL

48 Jeremy Lin

It's the problem with being a global celebrity: People everywhere want to claim you as their own

BY ALBERT CHEN

OLYMPICS

58 Year of the Women

Over two historic weeks in London, U.S. women dominated the medal stand and affirmed the enduring power of equal opportunity

BONUS

66 R.A. Dickey and Kayla Harrison

A Cy Young winner and an Olympic gold medalist are two bright spots in the dark history of sexual abuse

BY GARY SMITH

DEPARTMENTS

4 SI Digital

6 Leading Off

12 The Mail

17 Scorecard

A-Rod Agonistes

22 Faces in the Crowd

24 Just My Type

Kobe Bryant, point man

BY DAN PATRICK

26 Inside ...

BOXING

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NFL

80 Point After

A meaningful victory

BY JEFF OLSON

ON THE COVER: Photograph by Simon Bruty

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PHOTO

HEINZ KLUETMEIER (TOP)

A MANNING AMONG GIANTS Two Super Bowl wins go a long way toward debunking the notion that an elite quarterback must have a larger-than-life persona.

FOUR PHOTOS