Lineup

Departments

6 SI Digital

8 Leading Off

14 Inbox

16 Scorecard

22 Faces in The Crowd

23 Just My Type

Dan Patrick: Mark Cuban wants the world to gamble

60 Point After

Wendel Clark: From one Leafs top pick to another

MLB PLAYOFF PREVIEW

24 THE CUBS

The question is not whether Chicago will finally win the World Series. It's how could they not?

By Tom Verducci

• WHO CAN TRIP UP THE CUBS?

Features

NFL

32 Slot Cornerbacks

A new hybrid position is a key to the modern D

By Tim Rohan

IN MEMORY

38 Jose Fernandez

Measuring the impact of the Miami ace's death

By S.L. Price

BOOK EXCERPT

44 At Any Cost

The price the soccer star has paid for her success

By Carli Lloyd

PREVIEW

PREVIEW

NHL - 2016 - 2017

50 The Big Bang

A frenzied 23 minutes in June changed the outlook of this season—and the lives of some big stars

By Alex Prewitt

• CAN TAYLOR HALL RETURN THE DEVILS TO GLORY?

• EASTERN AND WESTERN SCOUTING REPORTS

NEWS UPDATE

When the Cubs last won the World Series, now long-defunct weekly Sporting Life put key players on the cover of its Oct. 24, 1908, issue. It was the perfect inspiration for our cover predicting that a month from now, Chicago fans will party like it's 1908.

ON THE COVER

Jamie Squire/Getty Images (18); Robbie Rogers/MLB Photos/Getty Images (Chapman)

Sporting Life cover: Courtesy of LA84 Foundation