December 8, 2014 Table Of Contents
INBOX
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Melvin Gordon arrived in Madison hoping to become the next great Wisconsin back. After two years of frustration, midnight crunch sessions and an endless string of Snapchats, he's rushing toward a spot among college football's best ever
By Andy Staples
NFL SHORTIES
With scores of sub-six-footers tearing up the league, the NFL's bias against the vertically challenged is finally beginning to shrink—a little bit
JOSE ALTUVE
The NFL isn't the only place where big hits come in small packages. Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is among the majors' shortest players, but with his lightning reflexes and refined mechanics the AL batting champ doesn't produce like it
By Emma Span
COLLEGE SPORTS
In championing the rights of amateur athletes to control—and profit from—their names and images, former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon has become the face of the most important legal case in the history of collegiate sports
Will Ed O'Bannon's historic victory withstand not-so-instant replay?
NBA
Anthony Davis's rapid rise from overlooked high school junior to NBA phenom mirrors his teenage growth spurt. The Pelicans' do-it-all big man with lofty goals is off to a historic start this season—and he's only 21
By Lee Jenkins
POINT AFTER
Departments
Despite its concussion controversy and rash of off-field ills, the NFL casts a shadow that other leagues seem afraid to step out of
How do you pick a new coach?
Edited By Alexandra Fenwick
By Nelson Rice
By Interview by Dan Patrick
The Case for ... Serena Williams
The septuagenarian SMU coach breaks down the controversies and accomplishments that have colored his storied career
By Seth Davis