January 17, 2000 | Volume 92, Issue 2

The reason those jerks in the NFL are so adept at stupid gestures is that they no longer block or tackle.—DICK PERRY, Marcellus, N.Y.

Letters to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED should include the name, address and home telephone number of the writer. They may be mailed to The Editor, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, Time & Life Building, New York,...

May 9, 1977

Highlights

During last Saturday's telecast of the Bills-Titans game on ABC, oft-maligned analyst Joe Theismann had a career day in the booth. He was on target throughout but never more than when he insisted...

If you simply can't wait until Jan. 30 to watch Super Bowl ads, the Museum of Television & Radio (locations in Los Angeles and New York) has your fix. Through Feb. 13 it's running an exhibit...

However gripping, The film about Rubin (Hurricane) Carter's ordeal loses punch by fudging facts

Analyze This!A dose of real life might be the cure for John Rocker

For 80 million Dominican pesos (about $5 million), you too can live like Sammy Sosa—in a new four-story, 25,800-square-foot mansion built in a style its architect calls a fusion of Spanish...

A German scientist—and tennis fan—named a newly discovered species of sea snail Bufonaria borisbeckeri.

DICKEY SIMPKINSBulls center, on wearing a jersey that spelled his name SMIPKINS in a game against the Nets: "I thought I was a foreign player."

Your first reaction to the news that the Harlem Globetrotters are considering playing Purdue might be, Will Boilermakers coach Gene Keady's hair look better with a bucket of confetti thrown on it?...

For complete NFL postseason coverage, including the latest news, rosters, matchups and stats, plus Dr. Z's exclusive divisional playoff forecast, go to cnnsi.com/football.

The cover of the Senators' season-ticket sales brochure features a player who has yet to see a minute of NHL ice time this season. After demanding $5 million per year more than the $3.6 million...

The Titans and their ever-ready coach, Jeff Fisher, pulled off a play for the ages as the postseason kicked off in spectacular fashion

Playing as if he were still in his prime, Dan Marino led Miami over Seattle with a vintage fourth-quarter drive

Two Feet over the RimHarlem Globetrotter Michael (Wild Thing) Wilson is guilty of a little basket hanging against the New York Nationals in a game that the Globies, surprise, won (page 28).

Victory was sweet for a beleaguered but unified Redskins defense, which turned in its best performance of the season to lead Washington's wild-card romp over the Lions

Riding the arm of Jeff George and the legs of Robert Smith, the rejuvenated Vikings eliminated the listless Cowboys

Freshman Jason Gardner, who led Arizona to an upset of No. 1-ranked Stanford, is the latest in a long line of superb Wildcats playmakers

Tiger Woods kept his streak alive with a can-you-top-this playoff victory in Hawaii

A decade into the dead-puck era, Penguins star Jaromir Jagr is putting up such big numbers that he brings back memories of the go-go 1980s

Elevated by the outsized play of Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers are looking down on the rest of the NBA

THE NHL

End of the Line?Captain Keith Tkachuk's uncertain status is troubling the Coyotes

ADAM GRAVESRANGERS LWAt 31 he's one of the longest-tenured New York players (nine seasons), and with two Stanley Cup rings he's a respected leader who has helped nurture the Rangers' young talent....

One reason the surging Avalanche (20-17-5-1 through Sunday) is on top in the Northwest Division is the play of Chris Drury. He has been outstanding centering Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay, giving...

Faith and HopeShareef Abdur-Rahim is doubly devoted—to Islam and the Grizzlies

There are two reasons Bucks guard Ray Allen secured the final spot on the Olympic team over young stars such as Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter and Allen Iverson. The first is that USA Basketball puts...

Sparked last week by the return of Toni Kukoc, the Chicago Bulls had their first three-game winning streak of the season and their two largest scoring outbursts, 110 points against Washington and...

Detroit's Jerome Williams is wearing his father out with his hustling play

Pistol WhippedToday's top guns average almost 20 points fewer than Pete Maravich did. Why's that?

It used to be that averaging 35 points or more for a season was almost commonplace. In the 31 seasons from 1947-48 (the first season for which the NCAA lists individual statistics) through...

Losses by some high-profile teams caused tremors among our top seeds, but in the end they didn't prove earth-shattering. One significant move was made by Arizona, which shifted from the top spot...

Whatever can go right usually does for Notre Dame's Troy Murphy

Read a good movie lately? Well, get a box of Kleenex, your best date and some Orville Redenbacher's, and try this one.

•Five Straight for Tiger WoodsHe sure knows how to get a new season off to a rousing start.

Is your child the next Tiger? The parents who send their kids to the Leadbetter Academy are willing to pay a bundle to find out

David (Duval) Is Now GoliathBody Language

Phil Mickelson, who had won at least one tournament every year during his first six seasons on Tour, was conspicuous by his absence at the Mercedes Championships. If Mickelson, who turns 30 on...

What do these players have in common?

Will Tiger Woods extend his winning streak to five straight at the Mercedes Championships?

Five of the 18 most difficult holes on the LPGA tour last year were at Ibis Golf and Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., site of this week's season-opening Office Depot tournament. Here are the...

Tiger has never forgotten the first lesson I taught him as a child: Make sure to have fun