December 5, 2005 issue

Pro Football
Class of '96: Ten seasons later, members of the most bountiful draft of wideouts in history are among the NFL's best playmakers and biggest newsmakers

Inside the NFL: Under Control: Despite lising their quarterback, the Jaguars have the depth and the favorable schedule to keep them in the playoff hunt

Dr. Z's Forecast: Paul Zimmerman's weekly NFL forecast

High School Hoops
Talk of the Town: As the season opens, the nation's most intriguing team is in North College Hill, Ohio, where two players who came from out of state have been embraced by the locals. And why not? O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker are budding superstars

Who'll Be the Best in Each State?: Si.com contributor Doug Huff picks the top teams in all 50 states and the District of Columbia

Preseason Top 20: SI ranks the top 20 high school basketball players

Speedskating
Blade Runner: Three years after he took up speedskating, Olympic hopeful Chad Hedrick is the hottest thing on ice

Art
A Perfect Fit: Artist Brian Jungen makes Native American tribal masks -- and a statement -- out of Air Jordan sneakers

SI Adventure
Second Wave: After winning six world championships, surfing icon Kelly Slater retired at age 26. At last month's Nova Schin Festival the rejuvenated 33-year-old claimed his seventh title, capping an unlikely comeback

College Football
Horns of Plenty: Texas is one victory from a shot at its first national title in 36 years thanks to great talent and Mack Brown, who became a better coach when he realized there was more to life than winning a football game

Up For Grabs: Four BCS Berths: USC, Penn State, West Virginia and most likely Notre Dame have BCS bids -- and the $14 million payday that goes with them -- wrapped up

Pro Basketball
Detroit Loves Larry: When New York coach Larry Brown returns to The Palace to take on his former team, he'll be met by flourishing players who bear him no ill will. The same can't be said (yet) of his Knicks

Inside the NBA: Staying Power: A house call from Doc and a commitment to the rebuilding process have the Celtics' Paul Pierce off to his best start ever

Ian Thomsan's Fast Break: The way things are going in Sacramento, coach Rick Adelman might not make it through the season

Pro Hockey
Scoring on the Rebound: A trade helped Dany Heatley put a tragic crash and two injuries behind him. Now he's leading the first-place Ottawa Senators and playing on the NHL's most exciting line

Scorecard
Feeling Flush: Call it Even-More-Money Ball. This hot stove season, rivers of revenue from fresh sources are changing the business of baseball

Bass Fishing
Kickin' Some Bass!: Mike Iaconelli has been accused of "thuggin' up" bass fishing, but ESPN is betting (and praying) he can hook the Pimp My Ride crowd ... if some mullet-headed good ol' boy doesn't gut him first

Steve Rushin
Time to Circle The Bandwagons: Cincinnati fans are ridiculed for climbing back on the Bengals' bandwagon, as if nothing were more distasteful than watching the team now that it's watchable.

Rick Reilly
Just Call Him Knute Rockhead: One high school football coach in Texas is not a big stickler on the "high school" part. On Oct. 28 he dumped his 2-5 team and suited up college-age men instead.