Lineup

FEATURES

NFL

32 From the Ashes

These stars overcame indignity and injury to become compelling stories

By Austin Murphy

BOOK EXCERPT

38 The Off Season

Brett Favre's rookie year with Atlanta, the NFL's most dysfunctional team

By Jeff Pearlman

MLB

44 1991 World Series

All those who played in or wrote about this Fall Classic will remember it forever

By Steve Rushin

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

50 Art Briles

While he idles in the background, his high-scoring offense is in the spotlight

By Pete Thamel

NBA PREVIEW

56 Russell Westbrook

The point guard has gone all in on his commitment to the new-look Thunder

By Lee Jenkins

64 Kevin Love

How the Cavs' forward shut down the greatest scorer on the planet

By Lee Jenkins

70 Scouting Reports

From the mouths of scouts and SI's experts: a team-by-team breakdown

• SI's Top 100

A ranking of the NBA's top stars—updated, reexamined and annotated

118 Viewers' Guide

The most entertaining teams, in order, and the best games to watch

By Ben Golliver

DEPARTMENTS

6 SI Now

8 Inbox

10 Leading Off

16 Editor's Letter

19 Scorecard

26 Faces in The Crowd

28 Just My Type

Dan Patrick: The secret behind Derek Carr's big numbers

120 Words with ...

Dwyane Wade: Why the Windy City native always knew he'd become a Bull

ON THE COVER:

Photo Illustration by STEPHEN SKALOCKY

Photograph by ROBERT BECK

Background by GREG NELSON