THE MAIL
Reading Tom Verducci's story on Orioles slugger Chris Davis (The Swing) gave me hope because the instruction on how to rebuild a swing made it seem so simple—front foot rising, foot hitting the ground and contact. Unfortunately, putting this information into practice didn't help me one bit on the golf course.
Don Rindfuss, Jamesville, N.Y.
Where Will They Be?
I absolutely loved your 2013 Little League World Series photo essay (LEADING OFF). As a fan of your Where Are They Now? issue, it would be great to see a follow-up on these kids and their career paths in 10 years.
Charlie Newell, Greenwood, Maine
I was quite disappointed to see that your Little League gallery didn't include any players from Canada.
Joel Koskie, Toronto
Great Scot
While golfer Matt Fitzpatrick is the first Englishman since 1911 to win the U.S. Amateur (SCORECARD), he is not the first Brit. That distinction belongs to Scotland's Richie Ramsay, who won in 2006.
Darrell Robertson, Pittsford, N.Y.
Hearing It from the Left
In defense of us lefthanders (SCORECARD), I must point out that we are often "more flexible in just about everything" out of necessity, not because we aren't true lefties. When I was young, things such as lefthanded scissors, school desks or even golf clubs were either rare or very expensive. More often than not, lefties are forced to adapt to a righthanded world whereas righties can just be who they are.
Sam P. Clarke North Garden, Va.
Super Mario
Kudos to Grant Wahl for his exceptional piece on Italian striker Mario Balotelli (Molto, Molto Mario). It's a shame Balotelli, who is amazingly talented and is adored by fans and players alike, has had to endure such intense media scrutiny. Given the circumstances, I think he has handled himself well under pressure, especially since he is young (23) and has had such a meteoric rise to superstardom.
Uchenna John Emenike, Tallahassee
When I saw Balotelli on your cover, appearing to stand on water, I thought, Great. Another athlete with a Messiah complex. His hubris was confirmed after I read the article. Balotelli has a life-sized statue of himself and wears a hat with the word king on it. He is the epitome of the overpaid and overhyped athlete.
Luke Chastain, San Antonio
Depicting Balotelli as if he were on the crucifix is very disrespectful.
Daniel Gillenwater
Overland Park, Kans.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
What's next for Tim Tebow?
Andre Valiquette I think he'll go the entire season without being signed, at which point he'll finally consider playing a position other than quarterback.
Katherine Fleck Osman The obvious choice if he stays in the NFL would be the Jaguars. No idea if Jacksonville's owner [Shahid Khan] has a problem with Tebow. The team is horrible, but Florida fans would buy tickets to see him.
Keith Grace He'll be the next ESPN or Fox Sports college football talking head, for sure. Maybe even write a faith-based book on self-improvement with a foreword from Urban Meyer.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
49ers owner Jed York's response to Ray Lewis's claim that the Super Bowl XLVII blackout was no accident:
@ProFootballTalk There is no conspiracy. I pulled the plug.
(@JedYork)
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JEFFERY A. SALTER FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (COVER)
FOR AUG. 26, 2013
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DAVID BERGMAN FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (TEBOW)
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FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS