August 25, 2014 Table Of Contents
INBOX
TENNIS
AS THE WORLD'S TOP PLAYER PREPARES TO DEFEND HER U.S. OPEN TITLE, THE TENNIS WORLD WONDERS IF HER WIMBLEDON MELTDOWN WAS A SIGN OF HER FINAL FADE. OR IS A LITTLE CONTROVERSY EXACTLY WHAT THIS FEROCIOUS COMPETITOR NEEDS TO KEEP GOING?
By S.L. Price
BASEBALL
Really. No franchise has gone longer without a postseason appearance, none have inspired more mockery and fewer fans. And yet here we are, on the cusp of September, and the Royals are drawing a line in the first-place sand
By Ben Reiter
SPECIAL REPORT
By Pete Thamel
Kobe Bryant
For even the most competitive athlete, the transition game is never easy. So what drives Kobe Bryant at age 36, as he comes off serious injury and prepares for his 19th NBA season—and all that lies beyond?
LONGFORM
He may not be the Grand Slam colossus he once was, but the Swiss master is definitely not slouching toward retirement
Until there's a metric for headfirst slides, the A's infielder will never have gaudy numbers. But a long career built on hustle and versatility has no end in sight
By Emma Span
The WNBA great's body is breaking down, but her basketball mind is beautiful—and well-suited for a gig as an NBA trailblazer
As told to Joan Niesen
POINT AFTER
By Steve Rushin
Departments
Mo'ne Davis has been many things at the Little League World Series. More than anything? A cool 13-year-old kid
By Albert Chen
Notre Dame's latest academic scandal makes clear that it is no longer the gold standard in college football
By Tim Layden
The Cavs might be too good for their own good
By Ted Keith
Alex Bernstein washed out of the NFL but reemerged as a tech mogul
Edited By Alexandra Fenwick
By Emily Kaplan
By Interview by Dan Patrick
The Case for ... Changing Baseball
By Joe Sheehan