September 15, 2003 | Volume 99, Issue 11

Maybe later I'll deny I ever said this, but it's time to thank Barry Bonds.

Slammin' SammyTom Verducci's article on Sammy Sosa's resurgence (Sammy's Second Season, Aug. 25) gave me a clear picture of why Sosa will be a first ballot Hall of Famer. Sammy's joyous charge...

LETTERS•Please e-mail us at letters@si.timeinc.com or fax us at 212-467-4049. Letters should include the writer's full name, address and home telephone number and may be edited for clarity and space.

SEPTEMBER 27, 1976

For this issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (Lurid, Topless Tarts) I have anagrammatized Cheryl Tiegs (Sigh Erectly) and Secretariat (Race Artiste) and Kobe Bryant (Bonk, Betray) and New Orleans Saints...

Suspended Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett says he may sue the NFL to gain early admission. Can his lawyer help him crack the pros?

BoughtBy Cubs first baseman Randall Simon, Italian sausages for the 330 fans sitting in section 112—behind first base—at Milwaukee's Miller Park at last Saturday's Cubs-Brewers game. Simon was...

As former QB Drew Henson takes a turn in the big leagues, two SI writers weigh in

The former football and baseball star hosts ESPN's The New American Sportsman on Mondays.

10Shutout innings Toronto's Roy Halladay pitched in last Saturday's l-O win over the Tigers, making him the first pitcher to throw an extra-inning shutout since the Twins' Jack Morris beat the...

Bear with me, I'm still coming down from the NFL Kickoff Conceit. Tell me if I'm wrong: If your team needs help against the run, you can do worse than Aretha Franklin.

For the first 22 years of her life Veronica Kay was too busy to take in a football game. In addition to her career as a professional surfer, she's also a Roxy swimwear model and starred on the...

No, the well-red multitudes who descended upon the tiny Spanish village of Buñol (pop. 9,600) last month weren't reenacting Attack of the Killer Tomatoes/They were taking part in La Tomatina, an...

The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to discuss how teams are selected for BCS games.

WILY MO PEÑAReds outfielder, after failing twice to get down a bunt before tripling to help Cincinnati beat the Cardinals: "I was surprised by the bunt [sign]. I don't know how to bunt."

For early access to LIFE OF REILLY, AIR AND SPACE and Insider columns—plus premium photo galleries, bonus content from magazine writers and more—check out SI Exclusive, a new area of our website...

SEPT. 12-18

The Curse of Affleck, Soap Lathers NFL

Ariel Rittenhouse, SANTA CRUZ, CALIF.DivingAriel, a seventh-grader at Holy Cross School, won the one-meter event for her age group at the Junior Pan American Championships. She also won a silver...

To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/magazine.

Success? Tradition? Crazy fans? Delaware's BLUE HENS have 'em all

For more about sports in Delaware and the other 49 states, go to si.com/50.

For 47 years a charity football game has brought the state's north and south together

Delawareans weigh in on sports*

To see more photos of Dover International Speedway, read an SI story about football great Randy White and submit your favorite First State sports memory, go to...

The Bills picked up an ex-Patriot, then decked his old team in an opening week full of upset

Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback, each week at si.com/football.

Houston's revamped offensive line kept Miami's pass rushers at bay in the biggest upset of the week

Detroit's Charles Rogers lived up to his advance billing, scoring touchdowns on his first two catches and intimidating defenders

With his needs addressed, a relaxed and mature Daunte Culpepper got the Vikings off to a fast start

TRADING E-MAIL WITH...Injured Falcons quarterback Michael Vick

Don't expect the Rams to look much better this week, because their problems on offense run much deeper than Kurt Warner

Dr. Z's Inside Football, every week during the season at si.com/football.

Andy Roddick, the crown prince of the American game, finally assumed the throne with a commanding victory in the U.S. Open final

L. Jon Wertheim's Tennis Mailbag, every Monday at si.com/tennis.

Buff StufferUCLA's Brandon Chillar got Rocky Mountain high in Boulder last Saturday to block Colorado placekicker Mason Crosby's point-after attempt late in the fourth quarter. The play didn't...

With a thrilling comeback win over Florida, his former team, Brock Berlin has staked his claim as Miami's next marquee quarterback

Oklahoma's D stifled 'Bama but had its soft spots revealed

There's playoff fever in Philadelphia, where the combustible manager has his disgruntled Phils headed for a wild-card berth—or a colossal flameout

Tom Verducci's Insider, every Tuesday at si.com/baseball.

In the world of a 1950s California country club, the only black men on the golf course are toting bags, but the stakes for a young caddy with a gift for the game could not be higher

Baseball

Answered PrayersAfter suffering in the NL West cellar, the Padres see the first signs of a bright future in a new stadium

The most unlikely name among the National League batting leaders is Scott Podsednik, the Brewers' 27-year-old rookie centerfielder, who in nine years as a minor leaguer had a career average of...

CAUSING A HUFF

Wake-Up CallWake Forest served notice that it's no longer a pushover in the ACC with a shocking upset of N.C. State

Ohio State CB-WR Chris Gamble versus N.C. State WR Jerricho CotcheryThe 6'1", 200-pound Cotchery is quarterback Philip Rivers's favorite target and N.C. State's big-play threat. He has caught at...

Tim Layden's Insider plus a photo gallery, every week at si.com/football/ncaa.

Not just the third-most-common last name in the U.S., it's the surname with the most game in college football this season.

LUCK OF THE IRISH