In this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated, the weekly sports magazine previews Super Bowl XLVI. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is on the cover and you can see what else is in the print and tablet issues.
Super Bowl XLVI, Rematch of Super Bowl XLII: Patriots Vs. Giants
A Legend Dies in the Midst of Controversy – Joe Paterno: 1926 – 2012.
Sports Illustrated’s Joe Posnanski Sat With Paterno During His Final DaysSeton Hall Forward Herb Pope Has Cheated Death Twice and Now Has His Eye on March Madness and the NBA Draft
Same Old Clippers? Not Anymore, L.A. Is Up for Grabs
Winnipeg May Be a Small Market, but Its Hockey Love Has the Feel of a Big City
(NEW YORK – Jan. 25, 2012) – Following their triumph in the AFC Championship Game, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots appear on the cover of this week’s Jan. 30, 2012, issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands today. This is the 27th time the Patriots have appeared on the cover. They last appeared on the Jan 9, 2012 issue.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: ONE MORE FOR MYRA – DAMON HACK (@SI_DamonHack)
During the off-season, Patriots owner Robert Kraft lost his wife, Myra, to cancer. She was an extended mother to the players and her loss deeply affected the entire franchise. After the Patriots defeated the Baltimore Ravens to win the AFC championship, in thrilling fashion, Kraft spent some time by himself, choked up by emotions from both the win and for not being able to share the victory with his “sweetheart.” The players felt the emotion as well (page 38):
- Said WR Deion Branch: “Mr. Kraft has done a great job keeping himself together. I can’t even fathom how the guy is feeling right now, for us to have an opportunity to play for another Super Bowl without his better half. It’s special, but at the same time it’s bittersweet.”
- Said LB Brandon Spikes: “I told Mr. Kraft I was going to leave it all on the field for Myra. I personally wanted to come out and get that game for her and for him. I told him not to worry about a thing.”
On the Tablet: AFC Championship Game photo slideshow.
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN – PETER KING (@SI_PeterKing)
The NFC Championship Game had the feel of old school football, defense, defense and more defense. The New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers battled through four quarters and into overtime. The game ended with a winning overtime field goal from Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes, eerily similar to his game winning in the ’07 NFC Championship Game. As the Giants press on, much of the credit for their playoff run can be given to the strong bond between head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning (page 33):
Coughlin notes, “Eli’s just so….so….reliable. Totally reliable. Trustworthy. Smart. Tremendously hardworking. Consistent as the day is long. What I love about him is, I know what he’s doing 365 days a year. He’s doing something that will help us win football games.”
On the Tablet: NFC Championship Game photo slideshow and Peter King video on his final NFL thoughts as we head toward Super Bowl XLVI.
JOE PATERNO (1926 – 2012) – TIM LAYDEN (@SITimLayden)
He was the winningest coach in major college football, an advocate for doing things the right way in intercollegiate athletics and an iconic American sports figure—until an error in judgment clouded his legacy. Joe Paterno died on Sunday Jan 23 after battling lung cancer for some time. He arrived at Penn State in 1950 and leaves behind a school and community that he helped build. During his 62 years there, not only the football team but also, the university became a national power. His legacy has been scarred over the final months of his life because of the scandal of former friend and Penn State defensive coordinator Gerry Sandusky. As senior writer Tim Layden writes, “Now his legacy is in history’s hands” (page 56).
Senior writer Joe Posnanski spent time with Paterno during his final weeks of life, talking about his time as a young boy in Brooklyn, his days in the Army and his legacy at Penn State, the glory and the dark days that marked the end of his time with the University he helped build. Posnanski says it hurt Joe that the program he had spent his life building was in trouble. Paterno told Posnanski (page 58):
- “I made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I thought people could see that I tried my best to do the right things. I tried to do the right thing with Sandusky too.”
- “It doesn’t matter what people think of me, I’ve lived my life. I just hope the truth comes out. And I hope the victims find peace.”
On the Tablet: Podcast with Sports Illustrated senior writer Tim Layden and senior editor Richard Deitsch.
THE BLESSED LIVES OF HERB POPE – PABLO TORRE (@SIPabloTorre)
Seton Hall senior forward Herb Pope is leading the school’s resurgent men’s basketball team toward its first NCAA tournament in six years and he has a strong chance of being picked in the NBA draft. But his greatest accomplishment is he has twice escaped death, once as a senior at Aliquippa High in Pennsylvania where he was shot five times coming home from a party and again in April ’10 when Pope collapsed in Walsh Gymnasium at Seton Hall University after his heart stopped because of a blocked artery. Each time Pope was rushed to the hospital and each time, doctors saved his life in the emergency room (page 52).
Pope had pondered leaving for the NBA draft following his sophomore year but after his second near death experience, he stayed at Seton Hall. This season, his game and his draft status have improved. Says Pope, “You know how some people say they love their school? Well, Seton Hall saved my life.”
FINALLY IT’S HIP TO BE A CLIP- LEE JENKINS (@SI_LeeJenkins)
For the first time since 1979, when then commissioner Larry O’Brien stripped the Clippers of three of their best players because of free-agent compensation, the Lakers’ little brothers are finally relevant in Los Angeles, thanks to current commissioner David Stern. Since the controversial acquisition of Chris Paul, the Clippers are the hot ticket in town with local television ratings up 150% and prices of tickets on the secondary market up 50% to 75%, all because players and fans now have a reason to believe in their team (page 44).
Clippers point guard Chauncey Billups says: “I was skeptical of all this, but you look at the facility, the coach, the guys on the team, they’re serious. They don’t want to be the same old Clippers anymore.”
On the Tablet: Photo slide show of the 1970s Los Angeles Clippers.
EVERYBODY HATES LOVES WINNIPEG – MARK BECHTEL (@SI_MarkBechtel)
When the Winnipeg Jets left in town in 1995, there was a gaping hole within their community. Fans longed to have a franchise back in their relatively small city, and when it was announced this past May that the Atlanta Thrashers were moving to Winnipeg, season tickets were sold out in 17 minutes. Hockey is back, and the fans and players couldn’t be happier (page 48).
Says Jets star forward Evander Kane, “What I learned in Atlanta is that football is Number 1, when your sport is the Number 1 thing going, it’s fun to be a part of.”
On the Tablet: Clip from HBO Canada Series Less Than Kind and video of “One Great City” performed by The Weakerthans.
NHL PLAYERS POLL
Which goalie could drop the pads and skate a shift if needed? (page 15)
- Mike Smith, Coyotes….19%
- Martin Brodeur, Devils….17%
- Pekka Rinne, Predators….9%
- Carey Price, Canadiens….8%
- Ray Emery, Blackhawks….5%
[Based on 189 NHL players who responded to SI’s survey]
FAST FACTS: Smith can clearly do it all: He is the only netminder in history to have a shutout, score a goal and receive a fighting major in the same game….Brodeur is one of only two NHL goalies to have scored a goal in the regular season and in the playoffs.
SCORECARD: IN THE GAME, SWINGING AWAY – MICHAEL BAMBERGER
This past weekend, President Bill Clinton hosted the Humana Challenge (formerly Bob Hope Classic) for the first time. Like other PGA Tour events, this tournament has a cause dedicated to lowering cholesterol and raising metabolism. Clinton made some calls to get some of the big names in the celebrity world out to the event including Phil Mickelson, Morgan Freeman, Arnold Palmer and Julius Erving. Clinton hopes that this tournament, which he is set to host until 2019, will help the players, and the celebrity amateurs who play, get word out of their own charitable works (page 11).
On the Tablet: Bill Clinton breaks down his swing.
POINT AFTER: GOATS NEED LOVE TOO – PHIL TAYLOR (@SI_PhilTaylor)
After dramatic endings to both championship games Sunday, the world of social media was flooded with snarky comments aimed two players unknown to most until last weekend, Billy Cundiff and Kyle Williams, who will live in football infamy. The only positive for these two players is that the immense hate directed their way is balanced by love and support of others (page 64).
Taylor writes, “It would be foolish, of course to say that Cundiff or Williams alone cost his team a trip to the Super Bowl. Every victory or defeat is made up of a latticework of plays, inextricably bound together. But it’s the last mistake, the one for which there is no time to atone, that we end up remembering.”
THIS WEEK ON THE TABLETS
- Top sports video’s of the week.
- A look back at David Tryee’s miracle ball on helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII and the radio call from Marv Albert.
INSIDE THE WEEK IN SPORTS
- NBA (page 23): Green Investing – The aging Celtics’ early season struggles aren’t just a fluke. It’s time to break up the big three and plan for the future. (@ChrisMannixSI)
- College Football (page 24): The Lock of the Irish – Top quarterback recruit Gunner Kiel’s decision to sign with Notre Dame has solidified the Irish’s most glaring hole and provided coach Brian Kelly with the QB he needs to succeed. (@LarsAndersonSI)
- MMA (page 31): From Cage to Screen – The former face of women’s MMA, Gina Carano, drops the gloves and steps into the Hollywood spotlight, starring in Haywire, directed by the award-winning Steven Soderbergh. (@lorettahuntmma)
o On the Tablets: Three scenes from the movie Haywire.
- Tennis (page 28): Will, Not Skill – The first week of the Australian Open has shown that tennis is not only about skill and physical attributes, but also mental toughness. (@Jon_Wertheim)
THIS WEEK’S FACES IN THE CROWD (page 17)
- Prescott Ling (Oxford, Mich./Oxford High) – Wrestling
- Alex Lauretano (Morris, Conn./Louisiana-Monroe) – Water Skiing
- Thomas Awad (East Norwich, N.Y./Chaminade High) – Track and Field
- Nora Gilbertson (Lake Elmo, Minn./Stillwater Area High) – Nordic Skiing
- Tanner McDaniel (Kalaheo, Hawaii/Homeschooled 7th Grader) – Bodyboarding
- Jordan Cooperrider (Palm Harbor, Fla./Palm Harbor Middle School) – Racquetball
To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces. Follow on Twitter @SI_Faces.
That’s it.
