Leading Off

Paralympic Paragon

Before donning her prosthetics, Jessica Long of Middle River, Md., toweled off on Sunday after finishing second in a heat of the 100-meter butterfly S8 at the Paralympic Games in Beijing. Nine hours later she won the final (inset) in 1:11.96, then earned a second gold on Monday in the 100 free. Long was scheduled to compete in a Phelpsian seven events over nine days.

Final Charge

Serena Williams took off in red-hot pursuit of a shot during the U.S. Open final on Sunday in Flushing Meadow. With a 6--4, 7--5 victory over Jelena Jankovic, Williams—who didn't lose a set during the tournament—seized her third Open title (inset), her ninth Grand Slam and the No. 1 world ranking (page 56).

Brady Out

Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel (16), who had attempted all of 39 passes in his first three NFL seasons combined, threw a 51-yard, third-and-11 strike to Randy Moss (not pictured) from his one-yard line to help New England beat the Chiefs, 17--10, on Sunday in Foxborough, Mass. Pressed into duty when the reigning league MVP Tom Brady left the game in the first quarter with a serious injury to his left knee (inset), Cassel completed 13 of 18 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown in the teams' season opener.