Last year, Chris Stone was sitting at a Starbucks in Manhattan. At the table behind him, there were two ESPN sales people.

Obviously, they had no idea that the managing editor for Sports Illustrated was within earshot.

“They were discussing strategy for a meeting,” Stone said. “I remember one of them was hammering home this point. He said, ‘You have to let them know, ‘ESPN is about what is going to happen next. Sports Illustrated is about what already happened.’”

Stone said with more than a bit of disgust. “I’m thinking to myself, ‘They’re still rolling out this lazy trope?’”

Yes, they are, and it isn’t just those sales people. Last month, in an interview with me, ESPN editor Chad Millman said virtually the same thing.

“We have two different approaches,” Millman said. “They often cover what just happened. We … Continue Reading

Sports Illustrated is out with its annual “Fortunate 50,” ranking the top earners in sports. Tiger Woods, a perennial No. 1 for seven years, fell to No. 5 this year. He’ll struggle to get by at nearly $41 million.

Not surprisingly, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. is No. 1 at $90 million, thanks to his new deal with Showtime. However, the most curious entry is Derrick Rose. He is seventh with $33 million in earnings.

That figure is likely to add more to the fallout for Rose, who is under considerable fire in Chicago and nationally for sitting out the season. If you are the Bulls and his main sponsor, adidas, you have to be very nervous about that investment until he proves he can play again.

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Here’s the release from SI:

Galvanized by an unprecedented deal with Showtime that … Continue Reading

This article should be required reading in every sports journalism class.

Jack McCallum always has been a favorite, and not just because he actually saw my birdie on 12 at Augusta National. His recent Sports Illustrated profile of Gregg Popovich was terrific.

Turns out there was more to the story.

McCallum faced quite a challenge since the San Antonio coach doesn’t like to talk about himself. He made it known to McCallum that he wouldn’t be doing any interviews.

McCallum and SI decided the story would be done with or without Popovich’s cooperation. At JackMcCallum.net, he gives an excellent behind-the-scenes about his reporting for the story, and how he eventually got some time with Popovich.

McCallum writes:

(Spurs PR man) Tom James was not thrilled that I was doing the story. On the one hand, he knows that Popovich deserves

… Continue Reading

As I vented earlier today about Don Cherry’s comments about women in the locker room being an issue from the 1980s, it pains me about the fallout from Jason Collins disclosing he is gay.

Sports Illustrated just dropped its package about the 12-year NBA veteran on its site. Collins also is on the cover of this week’s issue.

I know I am being incredibly naive, or perhaps overly optimistic, but it’s 2013. A person’s sexuality shouldn’t be a big deal. All that matters is whether an athlete can play, right?

Maybe Collins’ declaration will be a first step in that process. You know he hardly is the only gay male athlete.

The piece definitely is a coup for Sports Illustrated. SI.com has a behind-the-scenes account of how the story came together written by managing editor Chris Stone.

Stone writes:

The

… Continue Reading

Sports Illustrated closes its issue on Monday. So when the unthinkable happened, the magazine had to move quickly.

In a Q/A posted by SI, managing editor Chris Stone addresses the process on Monday afternoon.

With Monday being the weekly deadline for the magazine, how did the process go yesterday?

Stone: With the deadline rapidly approaching soon after the tragedy occurred, our team of editors and writers quickly worked together to provide our readers with coverage that is highly personal and emotional. And we had to change this week’s SI Cover at the last minute with a photo from the many that were coming in from the scene.

Why did you go with this cover?

Stone: After meeting with senior editors late Monday afternoon, we chose to run the cover photo because we felt it truly captured the horrific moment at … Continue Reading

Amid all the bad news about sports journalists losing their jobs, here’s the other side of the story: The big stars are making the big bucks.

Step up to the cash register, Peter King.

King agreed to a new deal to stay at Sports Illustrated. Even better, he will become editor of a his own NFL-centric site in the fall.

It helps to be in demand. According to Keith J. Kelly of the New York Post, King signed a three-year deal for in excess of $3 million.

Kelly reports:

SI would not confirm the dollar amount.

“I did consider five media options, including ESPN, but it came down to NBC or SI and loyalty to a place that has been so good to me since 1989 helped to make my decision to stay,” said King, reached on vacation in London.

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Sports Illustrated goes with the Games of Thrones angle for this cover of Roger Goodell. It’s nice look for the NFL commissioner, no?

Of course, Goodell placed No. 1 in SI’s ranking of the most powerful people in sports. The NFL rules.

Two through five could have been the heads of sports at the various networks. Their big money is the reason why Goodell placed first.

You also could make the case for ESPN president John Skipper being No. 1, given the impact his massive network has on all things sports.

Instead, Skipper places fourth; NBC Sports chairman Mark Lazarus is seventh; CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus is 13th; and Fox Sports co-president Eric Shanks is 15th.

Shanks’ profile figures to rise quickly once Fox Sports 1 gets up and running in August. His profile figures to get much bigger … Continue Reading

The other SI cover this week. Swimsuit models and MJ continue to sell magazines.

… Continue Reading