Tag: Sports Illustrated

One Of A Kind

Written on November 8, 1999.

After courageously battling medical troubles more severe than the public knew, the incomparable Walter Payton lost his fight for life at age 45 I visited Walter Payton at his house in suburban Chicago a couple of weeks ago and watched as the 45-year-old man who was one of the greatest running backs in history slowly shuffled his way into the living room. He sat beneath a vibrant portrait of himself with a group of...

Every Parent’s Nightmare

Written on September 13, 1999.

Featured on Oprah The child molester has found a home in the world of youth sports, where as a coach he can gain the trust and loyalty of kids—and then prey on them Norman Watson still misses the game he loves most. He misses the dusty world of Little League baseball. He misses riding to the games on a motorcycle, and he misses managing and umpiring and the feeling that Little League gave him, the sense that in a life...

Troubling Questions

Written on July 7, 1997.

A SPECIAL REPORT BY DON YAEGER AND ALEXANDER WOLFF Which of the following statements is true? A) NCAA test-score standards for freshmen have never been stricter. B) Athletes are cheating to meet those standards as never before. C) Recruiters, high school coaches, middlemen, even proctors are helping them do so–and getting away with it. D) All of the above.