Inside This Week’s SI Design
Posted: May 24, 2013 Filed under: Baseball, Chris Hercik, Sports Illustrated Cover, Weekly Issue Leave a comment »
This week’s Sports Illustrated features a profile by Ben Reiter on the St. Louis Cardinals and how they are the most consistent franchise in baseball due to an organizational philosophy dedicated to measured and constant evolution. At the forefront of their sustained success is diverse and dominant starting pitching, made up this season by a rotation of Adam Wainwright, Shelby Miller, Jamie Garcia, Lance Lynn and Jake Westbrook—all of whom appear on SI’s cover. The cover is inspired by the iconic October 7, 1968, SI cover that featured Roger Maris, Tim McCarver, Bob Gibson, Mike Shannon and Lou Brock. Inside SI sat down with SI creative director Chris Hercik to discuss the cover and how the process of being inspired by an old cover unfolded.
Who came up with the idea to use the iconic 1968 cover to inspire this week’s cover?
Hercik: SI managing editor Chris Stone had the idea of recreating this iconic cover. He came to our team and described that baseball in St. Louis, with their passionate and loyal fans, is nearly the same now as it was in 1968. It is consistent and powerful. Basically if you’re a Cardinal’s fan…you know about this cover.
What do you like about the 1968 cover?
Hercik: What you don’t see is that the original cover folds out and reveals the entire starting lineup of that Cardinals team. And it also included their salaries. It’s hard to believe, but their total team salary was only $607,000. The highest paid athlete was $85,000…boy have times changed.
What do you like about this week’s cover? How is it different?
Hercik: We really tried to mimic the old cover as much as possible without the gatefold of course. What I love the most is that it’s simple and very powerful. The starting rotation looks very comfortable…their smiles are genuine and the chemistry is real.
How did the photographer go about recreating the cover?
Hercik: It was as simple as lining them up. But an interesting nugget is that we did leave the styling up to the players to decide. And that’s always nerve racking, as you never know what someone will show up wearing. Yet, they all arrived dressed very nice and looked really good. Most importantly, they seemed very comfortable together. I think that illustrates how much chemistry they do have as a starting rotation, which is chronicled in Ben Reiter’s excellent article.
This is the Cardinals 39th SI Cover. Does their rich history lend itself to being inspired by an old SI cover?
Hercik: When you look at the original cover and see the faces and names of all-time great players, you can’t help but be inspired. Their success spans many generations, which is a big reason why this franchise appeals to so many people. Reiter’s article also touches upon the organization’s consistent strive for “constant evolution”. Us at SI can relate to this philosophy since we have such a rich history but are always looking for innovative ways to evolve our brand.
Tell us about the decision to place an image of the 1968 cover inside the magazine on the Lineup page.
Hercik: At one point I had designed the actual cover with the 1968 one on it as well. But it was too obvious. I wanted the reader to be surprised. So I played around with various sizes and placements. Then Chris Stone recommended making it the main image on the Lineup page. Readers can flip two pages from the cover and see how this week’s cover was inspired. It was the perfect call.
St. Louis Cardinals Starting Rotation on the Cover of This Week’s Sports Illustrated
Posted: May 22, 2013 Filed under: Baseball, Ben Reiter, Sports Illustrated Cover, Weekly Issue, Weekly Press Release | Tags: Ben Reiter, MLB, st. louis cardinals Leave a comment »Cover Inspired by Iconic 1968 SI Cover
The St. Louis Cardinals are the most consistent franchise in baseball due to an organizational philosophy dedicated to measured and constant evolution, writes Ben Reiter in this week’s Sports Illustrated. At the forefront of their sustained success is diverse and dominant starting pitching, made up this season by a rotation of Adam Wainwright, Shelby Miller, Jamie Garcia, Lance Lynn and Jake Westbrook—all of whom appear on SI’s cover. The cover is inspired by the iconic October 7, 1968, SI cover that featured Roger Maris, Tim McCarver, Bob Gibson, Mike Shannon and Lou Brock.
“When we think of the Cardinals, we think of a distinct organizational culture: Anodyne, diligent, supportive, resolute,” says Reiter. “Mostly, we think of consistency. Their 11 championships have been well distributed. No son or daughter of St Louis born since 1902 has reached the age of 25 without having lived through at least one victory parade.” (PAGE 64)
At week’s end the Cardinals sit atop the National League with just nine players from their 2012 championship team. They are there, in large measure, because of a starting rotation that has been historically good. “The Cardinals have ended up with such a rotation by doing what they’ve always done, and what any team or corporation ought to do if it seeks success in the long term. Which is to ceaselessly, though judiciously, innovate,” says Reiter. (PAGE 64)
When the game had become power crazy, former longtime St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan worked with the team’s pitchers to mix in ground ball inducing two-seam fastballs since he believed most pitchers only stood a chance by keeping their deliveries down in the strike zone. Wainwright busted on the scene as a closer late in the Cardinals 2006 title run throwing the two-seamer, and continues to use it now as the rotation’s ace and leader.
However, when John Mozeliak was promoted to G.M., in 2007, Duncan began to lobby him to add power pitchers to the mix, especially since home runs were on the decline. “We decided to emphasize not just pitchers who were throwing hard, but guys we thought might throw harder in the future,” says Mozeliak. (PAGE 67) Within three years they drafted Lynn, Miller and also added Trevor Rosenthal and Carlos Martinez, each of whom throw around 100 mph from the bullpen and could be future starters—perhaps very soon since Garcia and Westbrook both recently were placed on the disabled list.
The Cardinals have evolved financially, too, as they made the difficult choice to not re-sign Albert Pujols before last season. “Losing an iconic player was not easy—it was jolting,” says Mozeliak. “From a very simplistic standpoint, [once we let him go] we knew we had resources to deploy elsewhere.” (PAGE 67) The flexibility led to extensions for Wainwright and Gold Glove catcher Yadier Molina.
“While an overriding ethos—the Cardinal way—has developed over the years, it is flexible enough to allow the team to capitalize on the game’s changing realities better than any other,” says Reiter (PAGE 65)
SI.com Week in Review
Posted: May 17, 2013 Filed under: Baseball, College Basketball, College Football, Golf, NBA, NFL, NHL, PGA, SI.com Leave a comment »
Didn’t have a chance to read and watch all of the great content on SI.com this week? Inside SI has you covered. Here’s a selection of some of the top Sports Illustrated stories and video productions from the past week.
Miscellaneous
SI released its 10th annual Fortunate 50, which ranks the 50 highest-earning professional athletes in the U.S.
Richard Deitsch reports on Dr. Jack Ramsey retiring as a broadcaster and asks if TV is ready for an openly gay analyst in his Media Circus column.
Nick Zaccardi introduces readers to the ‘Rumble on the Rails,’ a unique wrestling spectacle that took place in New York City this past week.
Chris Ballard writes that the Spurs are moving on because they were able to slow down Steph Curry.
Rob Mahoney examines the state of the Heat after two dominant series wins.
Chris Mannix goes inside his NBA Draft Big Board with the combine approaching. Here he discusses the upcoming draft (video).
Ben Golliver says the Grizz have Zack Randolph to thank for earning their first trip to the Western Conference finals.
Ian Thomsen says the NBA set a new precedent by keeping the Kings in Sacramento.
Stu Hackel discusses second round storylines and questions for all eight teams.
Sara Kwak says goaltending remains a concern for the Penguins.
Alan Muir thinks the Blue Jackets’ Bobrovsky is deserving of the Hart Trophy.
Brian Cazeneuve previewed the round two matchups (videos). Blackhawks vs. Red Wings. Kings vs. Sharks. Penguins vs. Senators. Bruins vs. Rangers.
Tom Verducci says after 766 tries, the Mets have a homegrown ace in Mat Harvey.
Jay Jaffe says Vernon Wells is proving to be a huge help for Yankees. Jaffe also provies the bests, worsts and more from the 2013 season so far.
Cliff Corcoran remembers some of the season’s most memorable moments so far.
Matt Harvey of the New York Mets breaks down his motion, and explains the key to his early success (video).
Ted Keith and Stephen Cannella take a look at the Yankees as their aging All-Stars begin to come off the DL and say if Mariano Rivera should start the 2013 All-Star game (video).
The Cardinals are the new No. 1 team in Joe Lemire’s weekly power rankings.
As the losses pile up, the Astros try to remain positive writes Michael Rosenberg.
Peter King writes on Manti Te’o’s new beginnings in San Diego and more in this weeks’ MMQB.
King talks about which holdouts, rookies and injured stars he’ll be watching as OTAs continue (video).
Don Banks takes a look at what new regimes can spark unexpected playoff turnarounds.
Chris Burke looks at the 10 players who had the worst offseason.
Cameron Morfit thinks Tiger’s win at the Players could signal a big summer at the major championships.
Gary Van Sickle says Sergio vs. Tiger is the latest in golf’s tradition of lame excuses.
Stewart Mandel looks at the top nonconference games and more in his mailbag.
Andy Staples anaylizes 10 years of committee decisions had the new playoff been in place.
Seth Davis on how Nike’s Villa 7 gives up-and-coming hoops assistants forum to shine.
Andy Glockner says with Andrew Wiggins in the fold, Kansas is now a Final Four contender.
Jimmy Connors discusses his memoir, “The Outsider,” in a podcast with Jon Wertheim. Here Connors talks about his relationship with Chris Evert and his thoughts on rivalry in today’s game (video).
Bruce Jenkins says that Serena Williams proved again that she has no rivals.
Grant Wahl says Howard believes in Moyes at Manchester United and provides a Robbie Rogers update in his Planet Futbol Column.
David Beckham will retire from soccer at the end of the season. Grant Wahl discusses his impact on soccer in the US and around the world (video). Wahl also writes on the topic here.
Avi Creditor looks at how Americans abroad finished their seasons.
After testing positive for testosterone, Chris Mannix says Lamont Peterson is trying to win fans back.
Floyd Mayweather talks to Jon Weritheim about what else, money.
Jeff Wagenheim writes on how the UFC goes after marijuana users but continues to overlook the use of TRT by fighters.
Carl Estes provides this week’s power rankings.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. Ranks No. 1 on 10th Annual Sports Illustrated Fortunate 50 List of Highest Earning Athletes in the U.S.
Posted: May 15, 2013 Filed under: Weekly Issue, NFL, Baseball, NBA, Tennis, Golf, PGA Leave a comment »
Galvanized by an unprecedented deal with Showtime that guarantees him at least $32 million per fight, boxing great Floyd (Money) Mayweather Jr. sits atop the 10th annual Sports Illustrated Fortunate 50, which ranks the 50 highest-earning professional athletes in the U.S. With $90 million in projected earnings for 2013, Mayweather tops the list for the second consecutive year. The complete list is available at si.com/Fortunate50 and is also featured in the May 20, 2013 edition of SI.
Tiger Woods, who was No. 1 on the Fortunate 50 every year from 2004-11, falls to his lowest ranking ever (No. 5, $40.8MM). LeBron James (No. 2, $56.5MM) is the first team-sport player to crack the top two since Shaquille O’Neal did it in 2004. James’s $39 million in endorsements were more than any other U.S. athlete in 2013. A historic $37 million signing bonus helped Drew Brees skyrocket to No. 3 on this year’s list. Brees didn’t crack the top 50 in 2012.
The SI Fortunate 50 Top Ten:
|
|
Name |
Sport |
Total |
Salary/Winnings |
Endorsements |
2012 Ranking |
|
1 |
Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Boxing |
$90,000,000 |
$90,000,000 |
$0 |
1 |
|
2 |
LeBron James | NBA |
$56,545,000 |
$17,545,000 |
$39,000,000 |
5 |
|
3 |
Drew Brees | NFL |
$47,800,000 |
$40,000,000 |
$7,800,000 |
NR |
|
4 |
Kobe Bryant | NBA |
$46,850,000 |
$27,850,000 |
$19,000,000 |
4 |
|
5 |
Tiger Woods | Golf |
$40,839,027 |
$7,839,027 |
$33,000,000 |
3 |
|
6 |
Phil Mickelson | Golf |
$39,528,630 |
$3,528,630 |
$36,000,000 |
2 |
|
7 |
Derrick Rose | NBA |
$33,403,000 |
$16,403,000 |
$17,000,000 |
19 |
|
8 |
Peyton Manning | NFL |
$31,000,000 |
$18,000,000 |
$13,000,000 |
7 |
|
9 |
Alex Rodriguez | MLB |
$29,900,000 |
$29,000,000 |
$900,000 |
6 |
|
10 |
Zack Greinke | MLB |
$29,020,000 |
$29,000,000 |
$20,000 |
NR |
The 2013 Fortunate 50 was compiled by Sports Illustrated special contributor Daniel Roberts, a writer-reporter for Fortune Magazine. The list consists solely of salary, winnings, bonuses and endorsements. Roberts consulted with players’ associations, tour records, online databases, agents and reports. Endorsement estimates came from a stable of marketing executives, agents, and other experts, including Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing.
For team sports, salaries are based on current or most recent seasons. NFL rankings are based on the season that ended in February. (Joe Flacco’s new deal, where he is set to earn $20.1 million next season, isn’t reflected.) The 2012 calendar year was used for auto racing and tennis. Golf earnings are from July 1, 2012 through April 21, 2013 (the RBC Heritage). Boxing purses are from August 2012 through May 2013, but include projected money from fights through September. Candidates for the Fortunate 50 must be U.S. citizens or play in a U.S.-based league.
Mayweather sat down with executive editor Jon Wertheim for a Q&A, featured in this week’s SI, before his victory over Robert Guerrero on May 4. He says, “Surround yourself with the right team. It takes brains to make the money.” When asked how his time in prison affected his view about money, Mayweather adds: “I got offers and huge deals when I was locked up, with CEOs writing me, wanting to do business with me, Fortune 500 companies wanting to do business with me. But my main focus was just coming home and being free. You can have all the money in the world, but if you’re not free, it’s like being poor, because you can’t do anything.”
The 2013 list features 25 baseball players, 13 basketball players, eight football players, two golfers, one boxer and one NASCAR driver. No female athletes were ranked in the U.S. list for the fifth consecutive year. There are 17 athletes on the 2013 list that were not there in 2012, including Johan Santana
(No. 13, $26.3MM), Dirk Nowitzki (No. 35, $21.3MM) and Miguel Cabrera (No. 36, $21.2MM), who joined the list due to a tweak in the rules that puts anyone on an American sports team on the Fortunate 50, whether or not they’re a U.S. citizen. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 49), Derek Jeter (No. 19) and Larry Fitzgerald (unranked) dropped out of the top 10 from last year.
The New York Yankees topped team sports with five representatives on the list. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies came next with four players each, followed by the Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, Miami Heat and LA Lakers with three. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the only NFL team to have more than one player on the list (Vincent Jackson, No. 15 and Carl Nicks, No. 21).
Soccer star David Beckham ($48.3MM) tops the SI International 20, which ranks the 20 highest-earning international athletes. Beckham unseats tennis champ Roger Federer (No. 2, $43.4MM), who ranked No. 1 the previous three years. Tennis star Maria Sharapova (No.9, $25.5MM) is the top-ranked female to crack either list. Fellow tennis player Li Na (No. 17, $17.3MM) is the only other ranked female.
The package continues online at SI.com/Fortunate50 with additional features on Drew Brees’s contract, NASCAR’s biggest earners, MLB players and their business ventures and the sea of change in endorsement contracts. BlackRock is the SI Fortunate 50 sponsor on SI.com.
Mets Ace Matt Harvey on the Cover of This Week’s Sports Illustrated
Posted: May 14, 2013 Filed under: Baseball, Sports Illustrated Cover, Tom Verducci, Weekly Issue, Weekly Press Release | Tags: Matt Harvey, MLB, New York Mets, tom verducci Leave a comment »
New York Mets ace Matt Harvey is the most fascinating young power arm in baseball, writes senior writer Tom Verducci in this week’s Sports Illustrated. Harvey, who appears on SI’s cover with the headline “The Dark Knight of Gotham”, has taken New York by storm thanks to four plus pitches and a chip on his shoulder from a draft slight six years ago. “In an era dominated by pitchers, Matt Harvey has the ferocity of stuff and of will to rise above all of them,” says Verducci. (PAGE 64)
Harvey’s blazing start—he is 4-0 with 62 strikeouts and a 1.44 ERA—brings up memories of Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden, homegrown power pitchers who helped the Mets to their only world championships. “I want to be that guy,” says Harvey, “when they know you’re starting against them, they go, ‘Oh, crap.’ ” (PAGE 66)
Verducci notes that Harvey was groomed to become a great power pitcher with disciplined mechanics by his father, Ed, who coached Matt in high school in Connecticut. Ed always told his son that if he maintains his mechanics, nobody’s better. “He saw me coach for a long time,” Ed says. I always tried to have a level of excellence with how I wanted my teams to play. Maybe he saw some of that.” (PAGE 66)
Harvey declined a $1 million offer to sign out of high school when he was picked later than expected by the Angels in the third round of the 2007 draft. He enrolled at North Carolina, where he initially struggled. He later reestablished his status as a top prospect, and the Mets chose him with the seventh overall pick of the 2010 draft. “What happened when I was 18 will be in the back of my mind,” Harvey says of the ’07 draft. “That was the biggest thing in my career.” (PAGE 68)
Now, Harvey’s signature pitch is a 97-mph fastball. Verducci notes that the rest of his repertoire includes “a roundhouse 1-to-7 curveball, a changeup that seems to float into the ether and, most recently, a tight, hard slider that reaches 92 (PAGE 65).” Verducci thinks Harvey’s best comparison may be with Roger Clemens. “His arm goes stock straight behind him as he shows the ball to second base while sitting on a bent back leg—just as the Rocket did.” (PAGE 65)
Like Clemens, Harvey wants to own the game. When pitching coach Dan Warthen told him that he could win 17 games if he threw 210 innings, Harvey said, “If I throw 210 I’m winning 20.” (PAGE 70)
