Manchester City’s Samir Nasri gestures to Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson during their English League Cup semifinal, first leg soccer match at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. Liverpool won 1-0. (REUTERS/Phil Noble)
Soccer is annoying hb every shut up
Former NBA player Yao Ming lifts up a giant panda cub at Chengdu Research Base in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Yao came to the research base after attending the launch ceremony of Panda Valley protected area, where the first batch of giant pandas has been resettled from captivity for wildlife training. (REUTERS/China Daily)
GALLERY: Athletes and Pandas | Rare Photos of Yao Ming
SI VAULT: Yao has given NBA boost on two continents (2.10.03)
Super Bowl III was 43 years ago today. In this photo taken two days before the game, Jets quarterback Joe Namath sits poolside and answers questions from the press. Note 29-year-old Brent Musberger (black shirt, front left) listening intently. (Walter Iooss Jr./SI)
GALLERY: Rare Photos of Joe Namath | Super Bowl III: Classic Pics
SI VAULT: Namath backs up his talk as Jets beat Colts for title (1.20.69)
President Nixon compares hands with Louisiana Tech’s Terry Bradshaw in this April 1970 photo. The All-American quarterback, who was visiting the White House with his teammates, was drafted No. 1 overall in the 1970 NFL Draft. (Bettmann/CORBIS)
GALLERY: Athletes Visiting the White House
GALLERY: Rare Photos of Terry Bradshaw
Haha
Patrick Roy jumps to avoid a sliding Zarley Zalapski during Game 7 of the their 1992 first-round series. Montreal would go onto win the series, 4-3, but would lose in the next round to Boston. (David E. Klutho/SI)
Hops
This week’s Sports Illustrated previews the NFL playoffs and features four different covers. The games kickoff on Saturday when Cincinnati visits Houston at 4:30 p.m. (Al Tielemans/SI - Packers; Damian Strohmeyer/SI - Patriots, Steelers; Tom DiPace/SI - Saints)
CLICK HERE TO BUY PACKERS COVER
CLICK HERE TO BUY PATRIOTS COVER
Go pack
Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues is celebrating his 46th birthday today. The 5-foot-3 guard, who played for four teams during his 14-year career, is the shortest player in NBA history. In this 1985 photo, Bogues measures himself against his Wake Forest teammates. (Susan Weinik/SI)
LIDZ: Wake Forest’s 5-3 Bogues is dyna-mite (2.16.87)
NEWMAN: Bogues proves size doesn’t matter (4.12.93)
GALLERY: Best Basketball Players 6-Foot-5 And Under
Mini me
This week’s SI cover features the BCS Championship game between Alabama and LSU. In the photo, Tigers’ RB Michael Ford is swamped by a slew of Crimson Tide defenders, which was a recurring theme in Alabama’s 21-0 victory. (Richard Mackson/SI)
LSU
Matt Barkley is returning to USC next season, lifting the Trojans to No. 2 in SI’s early look at the Top 25 for 2012. Where does your favorite team rank? (John W. McDonough/SI)
STAPLES: My way-too-early look at the Top 25 for the 2012 college football season
SCHROEDER: The LSU-Alabama dud may finally bring about a change to the BCS
Ha
Bruins fans get a front-row seat for the first period brawl between Nathan Horton and Dale Weise during Saturday’s Stanley Cup rematch between Boston and Vancouver. The Canucks won a penalty-filled game, 4-3. (Elsa/Getty Images)
POWER RANKINGS: Find out where the Bruins and Canucks rank
GALLERY POLL: Weigh in with your vote on fighting in hockey
