--PAUL HAMM If he returned his medal, he'd be as honest as a golfer.
--NO. 1 It has to be Vijay.
--GRATEFUL DEAD BOX SETS Give me Led Zeppelin.
--SON BILL'S TOUR CARD Odds are against it, but I'm hopeful.
X
August 29, 2004
Sports Illustrated Bonus Section: SI Adventure
The author's quest to visit every continent by kayak has given him a sea-level look at the bond between humans and the ocean
Oft-battered and oft-broke motocrosser Chuck Carothers unleashed a monster jump at the X Games to establish himself as his sport's rising star
In a high-altitude feud, two Sherpas snipe about who's the fastest up Everest
THE MONTH AHEAD
In a harrowing do-it-yourself book, Aron Ralston recounts the tale of his desperate self-amputation
An intrepid trekker plans to cross 4,000 miles of Asia to re-create a great escape
Sports Illustrated Bonus Section: Golf Plus
Their numbers growing as fast as their rate of success, Australian golfers are taking a backseat to no one
As if on cue, Stewart Cink picks the perfect moment for a peak performance
Voting hours at si.com: 7 p.m. EDT Sunday to 3 p.m. EDT Monday
Catching Up With ...
OCTOBER 8, 1956
Air and Space
2004 Olympics
Youth was served at the birthplace of the Games as 22-year-old Justin Gatlin prevailed in one of the swiftest 100-meter dashes in history
Ancient Olympia Stadium played host to an Olympic event for the first time in 1,610 years
Paul Hamm's dreams of Olympic gold didn't include a miraculous comeback--or a judging error that took some luster off his medal
The U.S. men's hoops team has never been a bigger underdog
Feisty Carly Patterson won gold in the overall (without dispute!) by outpointing the Russian diva who had edged her in the worlds
In dominating the field en route to a third straight gold medal, the U.S. softball team left no doubt that it's the greatest of all time
A more festive atmosphere enveloped the athletes village in Week 2
Born in Cuba, living in London and suddenly a citizen of Sudan, triple jumper Yamilé Aldama is the ultimate nation-hopping Olympian
Americans have yet to discover the appeal of team handball
In a roller-coaster week for U.S. swimmers, Michael Phelps won eight medals, but his finest stroke may have been an act of kindness
A dramatic early move paid off handsomely for U.S. rowers
With a semifinal win over Germany, the U.S. women's soccer team overcame internal turmoil and gave its retiring stars a shot at gold
Despite a sore back, Tyler Hamilton led the U.S. to a cycling jackpot
Disappointed after falling just short of a gold medal in women's wrestling, Sara McMann found perspective in a far greater loss
Jostling across a no-man's-land from the athletes brings out the media's journalistic blood lust as well as their anthropological traits
BASEBALL
He's been called the most talented player in baseball, but Vladimir Guerrero doesn't want to talk about that. He'd much rather tell you about his large family and his mom's home cooking
The Angels have the rings and the Rangers have the bats, but the balanced A's have the edge
Tennis
In 1974 Jimmy Connors ignited a tennis boom with his wicked metal racket, his storybook romance, his vulgar antics and his renegade behavior. Thirty years later he still thumbs his nose at the game's establishment
Inside
The Week in Sports
Inside Baseball
Minnesota has soared behind dominating starter Johan Santana
L.A.'s Bullpen Woes
Inside The NFL
Pittsburgh is getting its money's worth from Ben Roethlisberger
Inside College Football
Wisconsin's fortunes will rest with seasoned tailback Anthony Davis
The Life of Reilly
Departments
You've heard about the salary cap, but what about the sullied cap? Players love the grungy look, but to execs and umps it's just another wardrobe malfunction
Taskmaster Robert Lansdorp is known only by his brilliant tennis brats
The 19-year-old gold-medal-winning figure skater is covering the Athens Olympics as a reporter for New York City's WCBS-TV.
WHAT TO WATCH AND WATCH FOR BY JULIA MORRILL
--ALI G Extremely funny. I love him.
--BRITNEY SPEARS' WEDDING I'd rather go to Tiger's.
--REPUBLICAN CONVENTION I'm almost apolitical. My barber keeps me filled in.
--SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH The mudslinging disappoints me.
--CURTIS STRANGE He's on a beach somewhere, content.
--OAKLAND HILLS One of my alltime top five courses.