December 26, 2016 Table Of Contents
INBOX
EDITORS' LETTER
By The Editors OF SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
MICHAEL PHELPS
ON AUG. 14, 2004, A 19-YEAR-OLD FROM BALTIMORE WON HIS FIRST OLYMPIC MEDAL, A GOLD IN THE 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY IN ATHENS; 4,382 DAYS LATER HE WON HIS 28TH AND LAST, ANOTHER GOLD, IN THE 4 × 100-METER MEDLEY RELAY IN RIO. WHAT HE LEARNED ABOUT HIMSELF OVER THAT TIME, HOWEVER, IS SOMETHING MUCH MORE PRECIOUS
By Tim Layden
CURTIS SAMUEL
FLEET, MULTI-SKILLED AND BROOKLYN-BORN, OHIO STATE H-BACK CURTIS SAMUEL IS OUTRACING EXPECTATIONS
By Pete Thamel
NFL COACHES
By Jack Dickey
The Lives They Led
THE YEAR MARKED THE PASSING OF THE GREATEST AND OTHER GREATS, FROM ARNOLD PALMER TO MR. HOCKEY TO COLLEGE BASKETBALL'S WINNINGEST COACH
By Mark Bechtel
POINT AFTER
By Lee Jenkins
Departments
The author looks back at the ridiculous, sublime and particularly furry sports happenings of 2016
By CHARLES P. PIERCE
The future of wearables
By Tom Taylor
The undefeateds, for now
By Larry Flynn
Edited by Alexandra Fenwick
By Larry Flynn
By Interview by Dan Patrick