December 15, 2008 | Volume 109, Issue 25

Signing troublemakers is an unscientific—and risky—business. But it won't stop

After a 23-year career in which he won at least 13 games in 20 consecutive seasons, Relying on pinpoint control (he walked 20 hitters in 33 starts in 1997), Maddux, 42, had one of the most...

317-pound Redskins lineman, after a nutritionist posted tips for healthy eating during the holidays:

One hour after Lane Kiffin was introduced as Tennessee's new football coach, "Lane Kiffin's wife" was the most-searched term on Google.

Recessionary times hit NASCAR

coming to races during hard times, NASCAR has turned to Crash himself. Last week Kevin Costner signed to make appearances—including music gigs—at NASCAR events next year. The star of and his...

Consecutive wins for the Cavaliers, all by at least 12 points, which ties an NBA record for the longest such streak.

A former SI writer wittily explores the language

has a deal with Reform Records for a contemporary Latin jazz album, The five-time All-Star studied classical guitar as a child and in 2003 put out his debut record, The "The past two years I've...

demise of the Houston Comets underscores the risks of the WNBA's six-year-old shift toward owners not affiliated with an NBA franchise. The Comets were one of seven independently owned teams,...

What smart fans should do this week

Playing just 35 miles from the nation's capital, Clayton has his teammates' jobs all figured out. "Flacco would be my vice president, Lewis would be my secretary of defense—obviously—and Mason,...

The Australian actor stars in HBO's

Williams, a sophomore forward at Bard, became the eighth woman in NCAA history to have a quadruple double; in a 75--28 win over New Rochelle at the Bard Tip-Off Tournament, she had 21 points, 13...

Do-it-all quarterback Tim Tebow got help from improbable sources as Florida rallied to knock off No. 1 Alabama, taking the SEC championship and earning a shot at the national title

BREAKING NEWS, REAL-TIME SCORES AND DAILY ANALYSIS.

Led by a sublimely balanced attack, Oklahoma hit 60 again and roared into the BCS title game

In a crazy year for NFL quarterbacks, no story is as unlikely as that of who seized his last chance and has coolly led the Titans to 12--1

BREAKING NEWS, REAL-TIME SCORES AND DAILY ANALYSIS.

Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco are flouting conventional wisdom on rookie quarterbacks

Clippers guard is using the NBA as a platform to work as a social activist, movie producer and entrepreneur. Anybody got a problem with that?

He lost part of his leg in a near-fatal accident and learned he has cancer, but Northern State's is courtside again in Aberdeen, S.D., doing what he loves best and poised to set the NCAA men's...

BREAKING NEWS, REAL-TIME SCORES AND DAILY ANALYSIS.

Imagine Mark Cuban with three times as many teams and five times as much money. He'd still be a piker compared with the Russian zillionaires who offer a life of luxury to lure world-class athletes...

Thanks in part to oligarchs, a Black Sea resort will be transformed for the 2014 Winter Olympics

Oscar De La Hoya took a humiliating (and possibly career-ending) beating from Manny Pacquiao • Is heavyweight Nikolay Valuev ducking the Klitschko brothers?

Long boxing's most glittering—and marketable—star, Oscar De La Hoya cashes out against Manny Pacquiao

and his brother, , between them hold three pieces of the heavyweight crown, but it will be a while before either gets a crack at the fourth. That's because WBA champion has shunned overtures...

Highly paid Jason Spezza's offensive skills are worth the price, but Ottawa gets shortchanged by his inconsistency

Stars agitator , who was banned for six games by the league last week for making lewd comments about his former girlfriends, should ask his agent, , to make a deal whereby Dallas lets him go to...

Even after the Colts' sixth straight victory, it's a toss-up as to whether they'll be a serious threat in January

There'll be a capacity crowd at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday for Steelers-Ravens—and in the trainers' rooms afterward too. The last time they met, in Week 4, Ravens linebacker ...

No longer intent on just scoring, Gonzaga is dialing in on D—and better equipped for a deep run in March

North Carolina guard deserves player of the year consideration. Lawson, who has 55 assists to just nine turnovers and has shot 54.5% from the arc, has been the MVP for the 8--0 Heels.

THE CHILD in the purple sneakers has just engaged in his first act of vocational engineering by choosing the job of "doodle bug"—or was it "poodle bed"?—for his toy bear. With his mouth full of...

A hoops-dreaming sportswriter tries to hang in the NBA D-League

the question of the winter after the 2005 season: Where exactly was Alex Rodriguez from, at least as far as the World Baseball Classic was concerned? Rodriguez, who was born in New York City,...