Sports Illustrated October 2022

IF HE’D had a mind to, Mark Spitz could have celebrated on a far grander scale. He could have whooped it up with coaches, teammates and his legion of fans who now were everywhere in Munich. But he wasn’t a party animal, and even on this night of epochal triumph, he wouldn’t become one. Nine days of pressure—actually, four years of pressure—had been lifted from his shoulders, leaving him relieved and happy but with emotions in check. For him, the cobbled-together, late-night dinner at Käfer-Schänke would be celebration enough. He had ended his athletic career in glory. Shortly after 9 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 4, 1972, in the final swimming event at the Munich Olympics, the 400-meter medley relay, Spitz entered the water for the last time. Swimming the butterfly leg,…

READ FIELD OF PLAY By Michael Zagaris Like many photographers who covered the golden era of sports, Michael Zagaris took advantage of lax security to garner some incredible access. As a Bay Area teenager full of, as he says, “a little ambition and a load of bulls---,” he’d forge press credentials and talk his way onto the field at Kezar Stadium, then the home of the 49ers, charming suspicious cops by asking whether he could photograph them for a completely made-up book project called Sunday Gladiators. Unlike many photographers who covered the golden era of sports, Zagaris is still going at it. He’s been San Francisco’s team photographer for nearly 50 years, and his career is chronicled in the breathtaking Field of Play. Reading the book is to study the evolution of…

THERE IS some optimism within the college football coaching industry that the next silly season cycle may be less tumultuous than last year’s, when Florida and LSU fired their coaches and sitting coaches at powerhouses Oklahoma and Notre Dame uprooted. But, as we know, just because churn isn’t expected doesn’t mean it won’t happen. So—for now—here’s what we’re hearing about numerous spots that could be in play by season’s end. AUBURN: The only certainty for the Tigers is uncertainty, and there already have been multiple canaries in the coal mine this offseason. Defensive coordinator Derek Mason took a pay cut after one year to join Oklahoma State’s staff. Then, head coach Bryan Harsin (above) survived a booster coup back in February. Hanging over all of this is athletic director Allen Greene’s…

AS MORE and more states legalize sports gambling (welcome, Massachusetts!), California remains the largest holdout. How fierce is the fight to determine the future of sportsbooks in the state, where two initiatives (one backed by Native American casinos, the other by app-based companies) are on the ballot? Through the end of June (the most recent data available), the two sides had already raised $256.4 million, making it the most expensive ballot initiative since figures have been kept. The previous record was a 2020 initiative dealing with app-based drivers, which raised a mere $224.3 million.…

NYCKOLES HARBOR Birthplace: Washington, D.C. Date of Birth: July 5, 2005 Sport: Football School: Archbishop Carroll High Overall Recruiting Ranking: No. 9 IN HIS first year competing in youth football, Nyckoles Harbor collapsed on the field. Harbor was too fast, and his asthma couldn’t keep up with him. He scored a touchdown, but instead of celebrating he tried to calm his breath. His lungs huffed for air, and he felt dizzy. Everyone gathered around him. At 8 years old, it freaked him out. To help build endurance he gave track a try. Now, ahead of his senior year, the defensive end says he no longer has asthma. Running track helped Harbor manage his breathing, control his speed and assert it to his advantage. The 6' 6", 245-pound edge rusher, who also lines up at receiver and tight end,…