March 22, 2010 | Volume 112, Issue 13

The former White House operative has a plan to make the sports world spin round

Who's Hot

WHO IS THE TOUGHEST DEFENDER IN THE NBA?

Won

6

Emmitt Smith

No matter the foe, Merlin Olsen played like he lived—the right way

A Green Bay man who sold his blood for $15 a pint to cover his season-ticket costs was inducted into the Packers Fan Hall of Fame last week.

March Madness brings out the best—but more often the worst—in hoops tie-ins

Disparity continues to bedevil baseball—damn Yankees—but realignment isn't the answer

The Interview

CRYSTAL KIBBY

Manny Pacquiao dominated yet again, but a showdown with Mayweather is all anyone really wants to see

To measure the play of checking forwards, coaches use the plus-minus rating. In second-year wing Wayne Simmonds (below), a powerful skater who was +20 at week's end, and heady...

A flurry of deadline deals has sparked the Coyotes, who are on the verge of their first postseason in eight years

Strasburg and Heyward are the new household names, but they aren't the only stars on the rise

Quarterback Terrelle Pryor (below) gave Ohio State fans a scare when he recently revealed that the doctor who performed surgery to repair a torn posterior cruciate ligament in...

With the season suspension of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, the Pac-10 champ Ducks drop back to the pack

After his breakthrough 2009 season, it might feel like slugger Kendry Morales was an overnight success. But for the best hitter to come out of Cuba in a generation, the road to Anaheim was...

I couldn't tell you how to figure out a player's Ultimate Zone Rating any more than I could hit a Felix Hernandez fastball, but I do know this—the Mariners are fun to watch again. Since the Bill...

Forward Josh Smith of the surging Hawks is the latest player to realize that often the key to doing more is doing less

Want to become a legend on campus? Brighten your pro prospects? Get a better coaching job? The Big Dance provides the perfect chance to leave a lasting impression (for better or worse)

K-State's Jacob Pullen knows that only a championship will help his team gain ground on a certain in-state rival

Fans from College Park to Caracas will be rooting for Maryland point guard Greivis Vasquez

Despite a tender foot and a late start, Lewis Jackson gave up a medical redshirt to help Purdue win it all this season

After two knee surgeries, center Kelley Cain is healthy and eager to ensure that the Lady Vols avoid an early exit

UTEP's Tony Barbee and Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt appear to be on the outs—but for different reasons

When Richmond takes the court, school officials will be putting on a full-court press to gather alumni donations

Cal guard Patrick Christopher knows he has one more chance to impress NBA scouts, and he intends to make the most of it

New Mexico's fortunes have been on the upswing since Steve Alford took over as coach. Are the Lobos—like their beloved, rehabbed arena—on the verge of a shining moment?

Flight Home

Power struggle: The top two conferences—the Big 12 and the Big East—stand tall on the season's last night. And with its superior low-post game, Kansas edges West Virginia

Connecticut's fourth undefeated season isn't enough for coach Geno Auriemma. No, he won't be satisfied until his Huskies deliver 40 minutes of mistake-free basketball

What's the toughest job in broadcasting? Announcing rout after rout after rout ...

No team has come within 11 points of beating the Huskies this season, but here are four upset-minded teams with a chance to prove there's no such thing as a sure thing

Led by Arnie Ferrin Jr. and Wat Misaka, the 1943--44 Utes peaked at just the right time and became the unlikeliest of champions

Every SI Story ... Every SI Photo ... Ever SI.COM/VAULT

Air Coverage

Hanley Ramirez Fantasy Baseball

SI's fearless NFL expert opines on all the latest news, buzz and inside information. This is just a taste of what you'll get online.

Anthony Robles can do it. Do what? Whatever you might think someone with only one leg can't do. Ride a bike? He learned when he was five, with no more tumbles than you probably had. Run the mile?...

MY BAG

Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino and Seve Ballesteros all won majors in their 20s. You could argue that they were golf geniuses, and that's true, but what's more important is...

A long-tenured Houston pro has a suggestion on where Tiger should land

TOP 100 TEACHERS POLL

He swings from his heels, hits it a mile and displays the same flair as the man he idolized while growing up in Spain, and at 27 Alvaro Quiros is showing that he has the game to be a force on the...

Ernie Els cruised to victory at Doral, but his biggest triumphs come as he confronts his son's challenge