 Classic SI photo by Carl Yarbrough |
Downhill Dynamo
Alpine ski racer Picabo Street was one of the dominant personalities in her sport for more than a decade. The charismatic schusser -- who once called skiing a "dance with death" -- twice rebounded from career-threatening injuries and won a gold medal in the Super-G at the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games.
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GREATEST ATHLETES |
Harmon Killebrew, Payette
Most homers by AL righthanded hitter (573); fifth alltime overall; 13 All-Star Games with Twins; 1969 AL MVP.
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Jerry Kramer, Sandpoint
Starred as tackle and kicker at Idaho; led power sweeps that helped Packers to five NFL titles including wins in first two Super Bowls; four-time All-Pro guard.
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Picabo Street, Sun Valley
Earned gold in Super G at 1998 Olympics, downhill silver in '94; only American to win World Cup downhill title ('96).
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FLASHBACK |
1996: Boss Cross
Out of the Spotlight Since '92, Former NFL and TV Star Irv Cross is tackling Sports Again as Athletic Director at Idaho State
You couldn't blame the folks at Idaho State for thinking the letter was a joke. The author wrote that he was interested in applying for the athletic director's job, and it was signed by Irv Cross -- the same Irv Cross who was a mainstay on CBS's popular The NFL Today after spending nine seasons as a defensive back in the NFL.
FULL STORY
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SI COVERS |
Painted memories
A picture is worth a thousand words, as artist Austin Briggs illustrated in this Oct. 22, 1962 cover piece. A former city slicker released in the wilderness of Idaho, Briggs returned with a lasting impression of the sport behind big-game hunting.
Click here to view a gallery of every hunting cover
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THE SI POLL |
Who do Idahoans root for? SI asked the Gem State residents to weigh in* on sports.
Favorite major league baseball team
Seattle Mariners | 24% |
New York Yankees | 8% |
Chicago Cubs | 8% |
Atlanta Braves | 8% |
Favorite NFL team
Denver Broncos | 14% |
Seattle Seahawks | 14% |
an Francisco 49ers | 10% |
Green Bay Packers | 10% |
Favorite NBA team
Utah Jazz | 21% |
Los Angeles Lakers | 13% |
No favorite | 38% |
Favorite NHL team
Colorado Avalanche | 12% |
No favorite | 54% |
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Favorite pro team
Seattle Mariners | 12% |
Denver Broncos | 9% |
Seattle Seahawks | 8% |
Greatest athlete who ever lived in or played for a team in your state
Jake Plummer | 14% |
Jerry Kramer | 14% |
Harmon Killebrew | 10% |
State's biggest rivalry
Boise State-Idaho | 51% |
Boise St.-Idaho St. | 15% |
State's biggest rival
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More a fan of college or pro sports?
Favorite sport to play
Favorite sports to watch on TV**
Football | 72% |
Winter Olympics | 51% |
Summer Olympics | 48% |
Baseball | 41% |
**Multiple responses allowed | |
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*Harris Interactive poll, conducted online, of 401 Idaho residents who identified themselves as sports fans. Margin of error +/- 5%.
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FAST FACTS |
Admission to statehood: July 3, 1890 (43rd state)
Area: 83,574 square miles
Bird: Mountain Blue Bird
Capital: Boise
Flower: Syringa
Nickname: Gem State
Population: 1,293,953
Pro sports teams: None
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Economy: Agriculture -- Cattle, potatoes, dairy products, wheat, sugar beets, barley. Industry -- food processing, lumber and wood products, machinery, chemical products, paper products, silver and other mining, tourism.
Major college programs: University of Idaho Vandals, Boise State University Broncos, Idaho State Bengals
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Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary |
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STATITUDES |
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1 U.S. stadium with a blue astroplay surface. Bronco Stadium, home to the Boise State University football team, is the only Division I facility that can boast this distinction.
4 Times an Idaho team has won the Humanitarian Bowl title during the seven-year history of the game. Boise State won the Humanitarian title 1999, 2000 and '02. Idaho beat Southern Mississippi 45-42 in 1998.
33 Months Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street spent recovering from a 1998 crash -- during which she tore knee ligaments and broke her left femur.
11 Seasons Idaho native Jake Plummer called Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., home -- four as a college player at Arizona State and seven years as quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals.
2,007 Passing yards amassed by Falcons' quarterback David Archer, who starred at Idaho's Soda Springs High, in 1986, his best professional season.
1,329 Rushing yards Caldwell, Idaho, native Ray McDonald covered in 1966, the year he led the NCAA in that category for the Idaho Vandals.
9 All-America honors earned by Corissa Yasen, an Idaho native, while competing at Purdue.
Yasen became the school's first female national champion by winning the heptathlon at the 1996 NCAA track and field championships.
143 Races won by jockey Laverne Fator in 1926. He was the nation's leading rider for two years and was inducted in the National Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame in 1955.
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ENEMY OF THE STATE |
Al Davis
Idahoans' favorite NFL team is the Broncos, so the Raiders' owner was a logical choice. As for the runners-up, Nutt coached football at Boise State and Tormey at Idaho. The most hated foes: the University of Idaho (15%) and Washington State (12%).
Al Davis | 13% |
Houston Nutt | 7% |
Chris Tormey | 6% |
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