LEADING OFF

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Photograph by Al Tielemans

This Is How You Do It, Sanchez There was no buttfumbling when Baltimore running back Bernard Pierce ran smack into the backside of one of his blockers, Marshal Yanda, during the Ravens' 28--13 win over the Patriots in the AFC title game. Pierce picked up the slack for Ray Rice, who was stifled by New England; the rookie had a team-high 52 yards on nine carries.

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Photograph by Michael Tureski/ICON SMI

Krejci Good Save, Man Rust? What rust? Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist robbed the Bruins' David Krejci with a sublime flash of his glove last Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. Lundqvist made 31 saves in the game—the teams' first after the 113-day lockout—but the B's won 3--1.

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Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr. (top) Manny Millan (left)

Earl Weaver 1930--2013 SI photographer Walter Iooss Jr. remembers the late Orioles manager (page 24): I loved Earl. I was in Minnesota in 1975, getting some portraits before a Twins game. He said, "What the f--- are you shooting?" I said, "I'm shooting your craggy face." He said, "What the f--- do you mean craggy?" [The result is at the top of the page. The picture at left is from 1977.] Then I told him I was supposed to shoot him in an argument. He said, "I can probably do that." I was positioned behind the plate, and in the second or third inning he came out and got into it with the home plate ump. The next day he said, "How was that?" I said, "It was pretty good. Not that good." So he said, "I don't like this guy at third tonight." Sure enough, in the first inning he comes out and has one of his screamers—hat turned sideways. They went at it good, and Earl got thrown out. As he walked back to the dugout, he just looked at me and smiled.

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Photograph by Manny Millan (left)

[See caption above]