Leading Off: Pictures of the Week

Leading Off: Pictures of the Week

Nic Bothma/EPA

Mike Schlebach from South Africa surfs a simply monstrous wave at an offshore reef off Cape Town, South Africa. Surfers who can ride the Cape's biggest winter swells are eligible for the Rebel Sessions Awards, which recognize the best surfing over a season of big waves in Cape Town.

Peter Read Miller/SI

Referee Terry McAulay performs the coin toss before the start of last Thursday's Dallas-Denver exhibition opener for both teams at Cowboys Stadium. With this view, you can see the Cowboys' losing side of the coin; at least they won the game 24-23.

Bob Martin/SI

The Horse Guards Parade has hosted countless processionals and military ceremonies, even the occasional monarch beheading. In 2012 it will be the site of the London Olympics beach volleyball competition, and on Sunday the U.S. pair of Jennifer Kessy (foreground) and April Ross gave it a test drive in the Visa FIVB Beach Volleyball International, where they fell to Brazil in the final.

Juan Martin Misis/EPA

Around 2,500 cyclists stream through the streets of Segovia City in central Spain during the 18th edition of the 'Pedro Delgado' touring cyclist march. This event, in which former Spanish cyclists Pedro Delgado (the cyclist of the hour) and Miguel Indurain participate, commemorates the first time that Indurain won the Tour de France, in 1991.

Steven Bisig/US Presswire

Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki chases a home run ball hit by Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (not pictured) up the wall and almost into the stands during the sixth inning in Seattle. The home run proved to be the difference in the Red Sox's 5-4 victory.

Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

Defending champion Ioka Kazuto of Japan (right) smashes Juan Hernandez of Mexico during their WBC strawweight title match in Tokyo.

Gerald Kienast/EPA

Austrian Michael Kemeter has little room for error as he walks across the highest taut slackline in Austria. Battling blowing wind and snow at 3,770 meters altitude, the 23-year-old walks over the Palaviccini-channel on a two and a half centimeters wide and 45 meters long slackline.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Arizona Cardinals cornerback A.J. Jefferson (20) gets in the way of a pass intended for Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (85) in the first quarter of an NFL preseason game in Oakland.

Mark J. Rebilas/US Presswire

New York Mets third baseman David Wright deals with the Arizona heat by dousing himself with water before a game against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

Steven Paston/Action Images/ZUMAPRESS.com

England's Chris Adcock (left) and Scotland's Imogen Bankier appear to be disappointed but are really elated after winning their mixed doubles semifinal at the Badminton World Championships.

Jed Leicester/Action Images/ZUMAPRESS.com

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Aston Villa's Stephen Warnock as he flies through the air over Fulham's Damien Duff during a Premier League match at Craven Cottage.

Joe Rimkus Jr/Miami Herald/MCT/ZUMAPRESS.com

Florida Marlins' Logan Morrison appears to be playing a game of Twister wtih San Francisco Giants second baseman Orlando Cabrera. In reality, Morrison is tagged out after trying to stretch a single into a double at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

Patrick Semansky/AP

All the leg lunges performed in training camp are really paying off for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) as he tries to dump the ball before being pulled down by Washington Redskins cornerback Kevin Barnes during their preseason football game.

Paul Childs/Action Images/ZUMAPRESS.com

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy jumps back in surprise as he realizes his golf club has a snake on it. Not really. Actually, he's just grimacing in pain after injuring his wrist while hitting a tree root during a shot at the 93rd PGA Championship.

Brian Blanco/AP

The Legend of Sam Fuld, bottom center, continues as his Tampa Bay Rays teammates pile on him after he hit a triple, scoring Elliot Johnson, and scored himself on a throwing error by Kansas City Royals second baseman Johnny Giavotella to end the game and win 8-7.