MICHAEL PHELPS

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 Michael Phelps Is the Hottest Thing in a Swimsuit, and He's on the Cover of ESPN The Magazine

February 2004 (Newstream) --

COVER STORY:

Ripple Effect. Michael Phelps just lapped the field at the Nationals and may win enough gold in Athens to make us forget Mark Spitz. And he's all of 18. ESPN The Magazine's Eric Adelson asks the bigger question, though: can he make us care about swimming again?

OTHER FEATURES:

All Out. They come at you. All 20 of them. They pressure the ball from end to end, attack the hole, and shoot treys from downtown Des Moines. They're Division 3 Grinnell College, and, ESPN.com's Eric Neel writes, opponents better be ready for a different brand of basketball.

Comfort Zone. He was celebrated as the next coming, and then dismissed as the latest disappointment. But through all that, Toronto's Vince Carter never doubted his own self worth. By The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

ALSO INSIDE:

• Serial Winner. Chris Drury has won everywhere he's been, but he won't be happy until the Sabres get to feel some of that winning as well. By The Magazine's Lindsay Berra.
• Right At Home. Homegrown Minnesotan Joe Mauer has a legend to rival Paul Bunyan. The Twins hope that the slugging catcher's rep isn't just another tall tale. By Ed McGregor.
• Bear Tracks. Mountain bike gladiator Darren Berrecloth has seismically altered the horizons of his sport. By The Magazine's Tim Struby.
• In The Crosshairs: Adewale Ogunleye. The Dolphins' sack artist made QBs pay all season. Now he wants to be paid.
• Outtakes. Dan Patrick gets the dish from the Nuggets' Andre Miller.
• Bill Simmons "The Sports Guy." The Sports Guy is frightened he may have inadvertently sounded like a Yankees fan.

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