This Week in SI

This Week in SI

Terry Schmitt/UPI/Landov; Al Bello/Getty Images; David Goldman/AP; John Biever, Damian Strohmeyer/SI

There's plenty to ponder in the run-up to New Orleans, where two brothers will face off on opposite sidelines, two quarterbacks will seize the spotlight, and one living legend will play his final NFL game. One thing we know for sure is that the Ravens vs. Niners will be quite a game. SI's NFL writers give you 10 things that they think for a game full of compelling story lines. (Check out SI's web version of the magazine.)

Bettman/Corbis(2); Mark Kauffman, Rich Clarkson, Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Baseball lost two of its finest representatives on the same day: A Hall-of-Famer, a St. Louis legend, "Baseball's Perfect Knight," Stan Musial was one of baseball's most beloved figures and one of the game's greatest players. Fiery, pint-sized and progressive, Earl Weaver was a Baltimore icon and an ejection artist. Musial spent his entire career in St. Louis, playing with brilliance and boundless good will for 22 seasons before retiring in 1963. Richard Hoffer recounts Musial's glory and legacy while Tom Verducci discusses why Earl Weaver will be missed. (Check out SI's web version of the magazine.)

Ben Margot/AP

Michael Bamberger laments the lack of "beautiful swings" in golf these days, but how is it affecting the game? Just because there are fewer "country-club" swings doesn't mean that the quality of play is going down. Looking at the swings of players like Dustin Johnson and Scott Stallings, the homemade swing may in fact be a developing trend in golf. (Check out SI's web version of the magazine.)

George Burns/Oprah Winfrey Network via Getty Images; Todd Rosenberg/SI

John Locke once offered the pearl of wisdom: "'Tis in vain to find fault with those arts of deceiving wherein men find pleasure to be deceived." So what just happened? Between the confession of Lance Armstrong and the revealing of Manti Teo's non-existent late girlfriend, last week's dueling revelations told us something about the stories we listen to as well as the ones we need to hear. S.L. Price delves into a bizarre and scandalous week that centered around two stories that needed the truth. (Check out SI's web version of the magazine.)

David Callow/SI

While you shiver through winter, mate, fans at the Australian Open chill in the best way: They booze, sunbathe, nap, wave flags and watch a nice bit of tennis. L. Jon Wertheim takes you down under yo bask in some 100-degree heat, mingle among the locals, and relax in an all-too distant world. (Check out SI's web version of the magazine.)

Jed Jacobsohn/SI

Dana White is a bellman turned businessman who took over the UFC 10 years ago. He still pulls no punches on any topic, from fighters' hearts to women in the cage. White wants to talk and he wants to discuss the future of his brand and the future of fighting. The brash but entertaining owner sits down with Jon Wertheim to talk about fighting, business and being a fan. (Check out SI's web version of the magazine.)

Todd Rosenberg/SI

Aaron Craft is the nation's most creative defender. He knows his opponents' moves better than they know their own. Playing against Craft is fascinating, infuriating, and not pleasant enough to be exhilarating. His coach calls him a poster child for basketball in a football state. Did we mention he has a 3.9 GPA? Alexander Wolff writes about the man who forces turnovers, gets the grades, and infuses pride into the Buckeye basketball program. (Check out SI's web version of the magazine.)