Leading Off

FIVE PHOTOS

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SMILEY N. POOL/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/AP (DOME); BILL BAPTIST FOR SI (HORN); ROBERT SCHEER/INDIANAPOLIS STAR (MANNINGS); BILL HABER/AP (BREES); BOB ROSATO FOR SI (SAINTS)

Ruin and Rebirth It was 10 years ago this Saturday that Hurricane Katrina barreled ashore in New Orleans, severely damaging and forever altering one of America's great cities. This week is a time for reflection—on the lives lost in the storm and in its aftermath, and also on the stories of hope, strength and kindness that revealed themselves as New Orleans rebuilt (page 52). It's a time too to recall the ways large and small that the sports community helped that recovery. [1] The storm-ravaged roof of the Superdome. [2, 3, 4] Over several years, athletes such as Joe Horn, the Manning brothers and Drew Brees pitched into the recovery effort. [5] On Sept. 25, 2006, a key benchmark in the city's revival: the first Saints game at the Superdome since the storm.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY VICTOR FRAILE FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Not So Fast, Justin Usain Bolt of Jamaica leaned in to take the 100-meter dash at the world championships in Beijing on Sunday in 9.79, nipping the U.S.'s Justin Gatlin (far left) by .01 of a second. Gatlin, who had won 10 races after serving a four-year suspension for doping, led with 20 meters to go, but overstrided. The 29-year-old Bolt, who had been battling a back injury, stayed upright, pushed his chest forward and claimed his ninth world title.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIK WILLIAMS CAL SPORT MEDIA

A Fine One to Talc Astros righthander Mike Fiers endured a powder outage after no-hitting the Dodgers last Friday in Houston. Acquired from the Brewers at the trade deadline, the 30-year-old Fiers, who had never pitched into the ninth inning as a starter during his five major league seasons, struck out Justin Turner with his 134th pitch for a 3--0 win. Fiers fanned 10 and walked three, retiring the last 21 batters he faced.

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TROY TAORMINA USA TODAY SPORTS

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