si Page 658 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

The Swing Machine
From SI's Tony Gwynn tribute issue here's Richard Hoffer's 1995 profile, "The Swing Machine":...

The Spurs Were The Most Dominant NBA Finals Team Ever
With a 104-87 blowout in Game 5 last night, the Spurs became the most dominant NBA finals winners ever. ...

In Defense Of Pitbull
Spectacle begets spectacle, and the 2014 World Cup kicked off with a doozy, via a live performance of the song we'll hear thousands of times before it's all through: "We Are One (Ole Ola)," Pitbull's official FIFA anthem, costarring Jennifer Lopez and Brazilian pop star Claudia Leitté....

This Photo Says Everything About Messi
Five Bosnia and Herzegovina defenders (two on the ground after having collided with one another in pursuit) and a keeper, all helpless, and not another Argentina shirt in sight. Put this photo in a museum:...

Heat Fan Explains Loss To San Antonio TV Reporter: "Shit Happens"
Amidst the thousands of Spurs fans celebrating on the streets of San Antonio tonight, a reporter from CBS affiliate KENS decided instead to interview a Heat fan. He didn't have much to say....

Woman Walking On Staples Center Ice Eats It On Live TV
It happens every year: in the wake of a Stanley Cup victory, some friend or family member strolls across the ice like it's concrete, and eats it. Here's a woman walking behind KNBC's Mario Solis during a live shot, who does exactly that....

This Is The Perfect Sports Photo
I don't know what else could have possibly gone right in this shot. You get van Persie sprawled out watching his work troll past Casillas, Casillas with nothing to do about it, the mid-ground littered with disbelieving Spanish defenders, and mess of traveling orange shirts all over the stands. It's ...

The Best Photos Of Robin Van Persie's Amazing Flying Header Goal
Robin van Persie pulled the Netherlands even with Spain at 1-1 just before the half with this preposterous flying header on an equally preposterous ball from Daley Blind. Here are the best photos (that we're allowed to use) from the AP and Getty. ...

Robin van Persie's Rainbow Header Equalizes For Holland
The Netherlands tied things up with Spain just before halftime thanks to this terrific pass to and perfectly-placed header from Robin van Persie. ...

Does It Make A Difference If NBA Players Miss Their First Shot?
During the playoffs, broadcasters love to pull out fact-like objects based on incredibly small samples. Before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, for example, announcers pointed out that, in the playoffs, Roy Hibbert had shot significantly better after making his first field-goal attempt. The ...

Watch How MLB's Crazy Tracking System Saw Yasiel Puig's Diving Catch
When MLB Advanced Media showed off its new fielding-tracking system at Sloan, it looked pretty great. But now that we're seeing it in action, this is just fantastic. Here are the numbers on Yasiel Puig's diving catch at Citi Field last month. ...

Milwaukee Marathon Accused Of Avoiding Black Neighborhoods
Chris Ponteri, the owner of a small Wisconsin race management company, is—or at least was—interested in creating a spring marathon in Milwaukee next April. His proposed route meanders along the lake, through the city, and among some of its parks....

Pouty Bill Simmons Wishes Somebody Would Let Him Talk
Bill Simmons is, still, an NBA panelist for ESPN. You wouldn't know it from tonight's postgame on the WWL, though, as it took them more than seven minutes to finally get around to letting him talk. He didn't seem too happy about it, either....

Remember: Brazil Will Get A Shitload Of Fergie Time If It's Losing
Brazil are tied 1-1 in the second half against Croatia, and there is real danger of the home side dropping points. We ran down all the many ways that Brazil will have an advantage playing at home earlier today—culturally, by strength of schedule, and beyond—but given the situation, thought it was...

Brazil's Early Own Goal Scares Shit Out Of Betting Market
The bet trend on Croatia, as the match has progressed, is above. Check out that sad gray betting spike right before Neymar's equalizer....

Do NBA Teams With Whiter Fan Bases Have Whiter Rosters?
In the NBA of yesterday, an owner could be explicit about structuring his roster around the race of the players. "No team should be all white and no team should be all black, either," Cavs owner and legendary boob Ted Stepien told a reporter in 1980. And why not? "Blacks don't buy many tickets," he ...


How Big Is Brazil's Home-Field Advantage At The World Cup?
Santos da casa não fazem milagres. At home, saints do not perform miracles. —Brazilian proverb...

Everyone Named Their Kid After Maradona During The 1986 World Cup
Diego Maradona in 1986 was essentially an archangel, razing down everything but Argentina on the way to winning the World Cup. This sparked any number of legacies, from a merchandising empire based chiefly on t-shirts with his and Che Guerva's face on them, to, it seems, thousands and thousands of k...