Rick Reilly
Water Boy: Call him Aqualung. Michael Phelps swims for the same reason Paris Hilton shops. He was born to it.

Steve Rushin
Ten the Hard Way: A spectator's decathlon in Athens entails sweltering subways, sobbing swimmers and a Ping without a Pong

Scorecard
Hats Out of Hell: You've heard about the salary cap, but what about the sullied cap? Players love the grungy look, but to execs and umps it's just another wardrobe malfunction

Golf
The Week: Back in Cink: As if on cue, Stewart Cink picks the perfect moment for a peak performance

Aussies Rule: Their numbers growing as fast as their rate of success, Australian golfers are taking a backseat to no one

Tennis
Jimbo: In 1974 Jimmy Connors ignited a tennis boom with his wicked metal racket, his storybook romance, his vulgar antics and his renegade behavior. Thirty years later he still thumbs his nose at the game's establishment

SI Adventure
A Watery World: The author's quest to visit every continent by kayak has given him a sea-level look at the bond between humans and the ocean

Great Leap Forward: Oft-battered and oft-broke motocrosser Chuck Carothers unleashed a monster jump at the X Games to establish himself as his sport's rising star

Zone Pressed: Jostling across a no-man's-land from the athletes brings out the media's journalistic blood lust as well as their anthropological traits

Revenge of the Pepper Pot: Feisty Carly Patterson won gold in the overall (without dispute!) by outpointing the Russian diva who had edged her in the worlds

On Top of the World: In dominating the field en route to a third straight gold medal, the U.S. softball team left no doubt that it's the greatest of all time

Fast Company: Youth was served at the birthplace of the Games as 22-year-old Justin Gatlin prevailed in one of the swiftest 100-meter dashes in history

Going Out With a Bang: With a semifinal win over Germany, the U.S. women's soccer team overcame internal turmoil and gave its retiring stars a shot at gold

Flag Jumper: Born in Cuba, living in London and suddenly a citizen of Sudan, triple jumper Yamilé Aldama is the ultimate nation-hopping Olympian

How the Fallen Was Mighty: Paul Hamm's dreams of Olympic gold didn't include a miraculous comeback -- or a judging error that took some luster off his medal

Baseball
Inside Baseball: A Sudden Ace: Minnesota has soared behind dominating starter Johan Santana

Verducci's View: Selig's tough call on the Expos

The Quiet Warrior: He's been called the most talented player in baseball, but Vladimir Guerrero doesn't to talk about that. He'd much rather tell you about his large family and his mom's home cooking

How Will the West Be Won?: The Angels have the rings and the Rangers have the bats, but the balanced A's have the edge

College Football
Inside College Football: Battle Tested: Wisconsin's fortunes will rest with seasoned tailback Anthony Davis