LEADING OFF
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AT&T PARK, AUG. 10 Mid-Summer Days' Dreams Ballparks are always beautiful, even if the teams that call them home—or the venues themselves—aren't things of beauty. To wit: The Giants are in last place, the Mets are headed for their fifth-straight losing season, and the A's are desperately trying to escape their outmoded stadium, O.co Coliseum. But SI photographers Brad Mangin (in San Francisco and Oakland) and Suzy Allman (Queens), shooting with the AT&T Nokia Lumia 1020, found striking prisms through which to view the game: kids running the bases at Citi Field (far left, top), a panoramic view of O.co (far left, middle) from the cheap seats, multiple exposures of the Mets' Zack Wheeler (far left, bottom) and an on-deck look at the Giants' Buster Posey that bends the imagination.
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CITI FIELD, AUG. 8[See caption above]
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O.CO COLISEUM, JULY 31[See caption above]
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CITI FIELD, AUG. 8[See caption above]
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PHOTOGRAPH BY BRETT DUKE/THE TIMES-PICAYUNE/LANDOV
The First Hit Is Out of The Way What was on the mind of Chiefs wideout Devon Wylie after this play? Stars, probably, but he also had to be wishing it were still 2012. The Saints had one of the worst defenses in NFL history last year—no team allowed more yards. But in the preseason opener for both teams last Friday, rookie safety Kenny Vaccaro suggested that New Orleans intends to be a harder-hitting unit this season. So far, so good: The Saints won 17--13, and K.C.'s offense gained just 215 yards.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB MARTIN FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Back Where He Belongs Not that there was really any doubt, but Usain Bolt is once again the undisputed fastest human. The Jamaican star lost his world championships title two years ago when he committed a false start in the 100-meter final; he regained it on Sunday with a win at this year's worlds in Moscow. Hampered by nagging leg injuries and dodging puddles left by a thunderstorm just before the gun went off, Bolt ran the 100 in 9.77 seconds. Justin Gatlin (near left), who finished second, might disagree, but for Bolt that's a glacial pace. It's his slowest 100 time in a major-meet final.