SI  Watch

Since the cancellation of Sports Illustrated for Women in 2002, general national coverage of women's sports depends once again on Sports Illustrated Magazine, historically known for ignoring women's sports.

Most issues of SI are simply not worth buying due to their lack of women's sports coverage. However, when SI is good, it is very very good, so WSPW provides this guide to help you decide when to head over to the newsstand to purchase a copy.

Issue of Feb. 14, 2005 (US Edition) Score= 7

Pats win another Super Bowl.

Cover: Eagles Jeremiah Trotter.. 5

Features: Lengthy faces-type article on the Dieners of Wisconsin, a family with athletic tradition. Short writeup on Sandora Irvin becoming the top shot blocker in NCAA womens basketball history for TCU. Itty bitty writeup on Lindsey Kildow in Inside Skiing.. Score= 6

Photos: Photos of the Diener daughters playing basketball. Two-col pic of Irvin in Inside College Basketball. 8.

Overall coverage of women's sports. Better than average. 6

Issue of Feb. 7, 2005 (US Edition) Score= 7

Super Bowl Preview. More useful, the Guide to the 25 Best Sports Bars in America

Cover: Tom Brady. 5

Features: Three pages on the Australian Open. Still trying to figure why the US Open wasn't covered. Super G skier Julia Manscuso has a small writeup in Inside Skiing. Score= 7

Photos: Serena exulting winning the Australian in Leading Off, and another full page shot of her in the tennis article. In scorecard, a nice piece on the tragic story of Alem Techale. This issue's obligitory shot of Maria Sharapova is located on Page 26. 8.

Overall coverage of women's sports. Better than average. 7

Issue of Jan. 31, 2005 (US Edition) Score= 7+

Football, NFL divisional playoffs, PGA Golf with Tiger Woods finally winning again.

Cover: Eagles Jeremiah Trotter.. 5

Features: Long article on Candice Wiggins, daughter of Padre Alan Wiggins. Eight pages on boxing movies, particularly Million Dollar Baby. Score= 6

Photos: If you can count Desperate Housewives Nicolette Sheridan as a sports figure after her infamous ad with Ty Owens, there's a 1-inch photo of her in Scorecard. Abundant images of Candace Wiggins and Hilary Swank. Obligatory two-col photo of Sharapova in Inside Tennis. 8.

Overall coverage of women's sports. Better than average. 6

Issue of Jan. 24, 2005 (US Edition) Score= 7

NFL divisional playoffs, PGA Golf with Tiger Woods finally winning again.

Cover: Patriots middle linebacker. 5

Features: US Figure Skating Championships, focusing on the women. Score= 7

Photos: Nice photo of Michelle Kwan willing the figure skating. Image of Michelle Wie with 1/4 page article about her almost making the cut at the Sony. 8.

Overall coverage of women's sports. Better than average. 6

Issue of Dec. 27 - Jan 3, 2005 (Double Issue) Score= 5

Sports in America, covered geographically..

Cover: Shaq as Atlas. 5

Features: Absolutely nothing on women. Score= 5

Photos: Double Leading Off manages to have no room for women. An inch-high shot of Anna Kournikova in an evening dress is the only photo. 5

Overall coverage of women's sports. 136 pages and no coverage of women's sports.. 5

Issue of Dec. 20, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 5+

Football, baseball and (lack of) hockey.

Cover: Picture of Colt's Peyton Manning. 5

Features: . 2/3 page on Mia Hamm's retirement, including photo of her with GARCIAPARRA on her jersey. There's a full page on Brandi Chastain courtesy of a Dodge ad, which balances out with a full page ad on the new Swimsuit Model reality show. Score= 5

Photos: The show of Mia's back is the only editorial shot. 6.

Overall coverage of women's sports. . 6, thanks to the Dodge ad.

Issue of Dec. 13, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 7

Football, specifically USC and the San Diego Chargers.

Cover: USC's Reggie Bush does a gymnastic touchdown. 5

Features: . Score= 5

Photos: Good shot of UCLA-Notre Dame NCAA women's soccer championship game. Interesting photo of the Iranian women's national golf championship. Marion Jones headshot in article on BALCO scandal.A quarter-page shot of Lindsey Kildow  & inset podium shot, in the ski championships. Thumbnail shot of Martina Hingis & her possible comeback. 8.

Overall coverage of women's sports. 1/3 page on Notre Dame winning NCAA women's soccer cup. 6

Issue of Dec. 6, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 6

Sportsman of the Year = Boston Red Sox. Double issue.

Cover: Photomosaic of Red Sox. 5

Features: . Score= 5

Photos: One of the Leading Off spreads is an overhead shot of the Longhorns - Vols basketball game. 7.

Overall coverage of women's sports. Some Letters responses from readers regarding the Nov. 15 Wertheim piece on women's sports. Someone also chipped in about the week after week inclusion of Paris Hilton photos. Other than the ncaa basketball shot, nothing. 6

Issue of Nov. 29, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 6

NBA's Ron Artest goes to town on a fan.

Cover: Video grab of Artest attacking idiot NBA fan. 5

Features: Nothing. Score= 5

Photos: One of the Leading Off spreads is a long shot of Annika Sorenstam on the green with close up inset. 7.

Sharapova Photo Ratio: 1/2 (50 %).

Overall coverage of women's sports. Other than the mention of Sharapova & the Annika shot, nothing. 6

Issue of Nov. 22, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 7

The NCAA basketball season preview, both men's and women's. The wildly inaccurate scouting reports are given for men only.

Cover: Picture of Tarheel's Rashad McCants (think SI jinx in progess). 5

Features: Seimone Augustus featured in SI's pick of LSU as preseason No. 1 SI preseason top-10 combined in 5-page article. Score= 7

Photos: Maria Sharapova gets a two-page spread in Leading Off. LSU Tiger Seimone Augustus gets two photos, including a full-page set-up action shot in the women's preview. Other women's basketball shots included in preview. 7.

Overall coverage of women's sports. Good quick reference of women's college basketball season. 7

Issue of Nov. 15, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 6

The SI Super Bowl picks, Pittsburgh Steelers featured for ending Patriots' win streak.

Cover: Steelers. No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: In Scorecard, the semiannual rant, bewailing why no one watches female sports, this one by L. Jon Wertheim. All reasons for the failure of women's leagues are covered, EXCEPT LACK OF MEDIA COVERAGE OF WOMEN'S SPORTS. How are people going to go to women's games if they don't even know they exist. How are people going to attach importance to women's sports, after SI cancels the women's edition, and only covers women's sports if Sharapova is involved. In Inside Track & Field is nearly a page of the women's side of the NYC Marathon.Score= 7

Photos: Postage stamp size shot of Serena in an evening dress in Scorecard. Pic of the women's half of NYC Marathon. 5.5.

Overall coverage of women's sports. Unless you need to read that column, skip this one. 5.5

Issue of Nov. 08, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 5+

This issue covers the Red Sox World Series win.

Cover: Studio pic of Red Sox with trophy pasted on a background of fans. No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: Nothing. Score= 5

Photos: They managed to slip in a photo of Mia Hamm in her college days in the Letters to the Editor. In Scorecard is a tiny pic of Chamique Holdsclaw & we find out why she disappeared halfway thru the WNBA season. In the schedule is a 1/2 inch pic of Sharapova. Non athletes paris Hilton and Mariah Carey get much bigger photos. 6+.

Overall coverage of women's sports. Unless you have to have the World Series, skip this issue. 5+

Issue of Nov. 01, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 6

This issue covers the first couple games of the World Series.

Cover: Baseball. No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: Nothing. Score= 5

Photos: In Scorecard is a tiny pic of Jenny Finch in an evening gown. 6, I guess

Overall coverage of women's sports. This issue is a good one to skip. 5+

Issue of Oct. 25, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 6

This 158-page tome covers the baseball league playoffs, college and pro football, with the last 100 pages for the NBA preview (already?) with capsules of each and every NBA team. However, I do believe the WNBA just had their Final last week, but that didn't attract the least attention of SI.

Cover: Picture of Shaq sinking in a swimming pool. No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: Nothing. Score= 5

Photos: In Scorecard is a tiny pic of Brandi Chastain in an evening gown & we find out the fate of her sports bra. 6, I guess

Overall coverage of women's sports. Unless you can use all those NBA predictions, you won't miss much by skippin this issue. 5+

Issue of Oct. 18, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 6

Covers baseball playoffs, college and pro football. Feature on 19th straight win by the Patriots.

Cover: No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: None. Department Inside the WNBA is one page. Score= 6

Photos: One of the Leading Off spreads is from the Sun-Storm WNBA playoff game. There's a cutout 1-col pic of Jenny Thompson in Scorecard. Not counting the decorative photos of players' trophy wives, that's it. 6

Overall coverage of women's sports. About par for the course. 6

Issue of Oct. 11, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 6

Covers baseball playoffs, college football and pro football. The feature article is about the eerily similar demises last season of cursed baseball teams Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox.

Cover: No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: None. Department Inside the WNBA is one page. Score= 6

Photos: One of the Leading Off spreads is an over-the-bucket shot of the Seattle-Sacramento WNBA playoff game with Lauren Jackson, Janelle Burse, DeMya Walker and Yolanda Griffith. Additional WNBA shots are in the department and a few other images are sprinkled here and there. 7

Overall coverage of women's sports. More than average, though women still don't get a whole lot of ink. 6

Issue of Oct. 04, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 1

Covers the start of NFL football season, with a NASCAR preview. With a 11-page (12 counting the TOC) piece on amateur horse polo in Philly.

Cover: No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: None. Score= 0

Photos: Thumbnail-size photo of Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez  1

Overall coverage of women's sports. Other than a 1/6 page sketch of Pascual and Suarez parked on the corner of "Inside Tennis," this issue is completely free and devoid of women's sports. 1

Issue of Sept. 27, 2004 (US Edition) Score= 5+

The Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary Issue.

Cover: Interesting photo illustration, of Michaelangelo's Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel redone with sports figures instead of religious figures. Instead of the Spark of Life being passed from God to Adam, He instead passes a baseball to Babe Ruth! But Brandi Chastain is in a panel of Women's Sports, so it can't be all that bad. In fact, I like it. 8

Features: The "Catching Up With" department features Chris Evert. In "Scorecard," a short column on the travails of Andrea Armstrong, a USF basketball player who converted to Islam and was kicked off the team for insisting on playing in a headscarf and out of uniform, as well as a memoriam for Rockford Peaches pitcher Rose Gacioch. In the feature "The Way They Were," FloJo and Martina Navratilova are included. In the feature "The Way They Are," women actually get the most ink, with Allyson Felix, Michelle Wie and a (predictably) full-page photo of Sharapova. Title IX is described at the seventeenth most important "Tipping Point." In the players of the year for the last 50 years, five were women: Peggy Fleming won 1968, Billie Jean King 1973, Mary Lou Retton 1984, Tonya Harding (what?) 1994, Mia Hamm 1999. Score= 7

Photos: Here and there are 1/6 page photos of women's athletics -- more than average. However, the sexism stays true to form with no less than 16 pages of swimsuit issue redux, including what is arguably toplessness, of a fishnet swimsuit. If only SI could put this effort into women's SPORTS. 1

Overall coverage of women's sports. From the cover to the insightful articles, Sports Illustrated proves it is indeed a tour de force in sports. Which makes it difficult to understand why SI seemingly goes out of its way to ignore women's sports. What sinks this issue is that 16-page swimsuit feature. If SI had chosen to spend some of those 16 pages of swimsuit "coverage" on women's athletics (and not like there's nothing going on -- besides the NCAA seasons in soccer and volleyball, we have the WNBA semifinals, LPGA and yes, women's beach volleyball) it would have been an epic issue.But it only gets a 5+

Issue of Sept. 20, 2004 (US Edition) Score= -1

Covers the start of NFL football season, with a NASCAR preview. With a 11-page (12 counting the TOC) piece on amateur horse polo in Philly.

Cover: No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: None. Score= 0

Photos: There were more accessory photos of women (ie cheerleaders) than women athletes. Zero-for-three in Leading Off. Three of seven in faces in crowd. One three-inch high, one-column shot of Kuznetsova for winning the US Open 1

Overall coverage of women's sports. Still trying to decide if this issue deliberately insults women athletes. For instance, Heather Mitts is quoted as saying AJ Feeley's emotional support helped her make the Olympic Team. Wimbledon winner Maria Sharapova is pictured in football pads, with a snide comment. The largest photo of women is a tie between the shot of Kuznetsova (Winner, US Open) and a self-congratulatory photo of Diana Eliazov and Maureen Cavanagh (Photo Editors, Sports Illustrated). The total column inches given to women is about 12  - about 1/3 of a page. This includes mugshots, Kobe's accuser, cheerleader, Playmates and hottie SI photo editors. Fantastic job, ladies. -1

Issue of Sept. 13, 2004 (US Edition) Score= .05

Covers the start of college football season, and a little baseball.

Cover: No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: None. Score= 0

Photos: A couple postage-stamp sized shots in the US Open coverage. 1

Overall coverage of women's sports. This issue is 99.5% men's sports. 0.05  

Issue of Sept. 6, 2004 (US Edition) Score = 6

This (double) issue previews the NFL season, and Olympic Game wrapup.

Cover: No imagery of female athletes. No women's athletics promised inside. 5

Features: Women's Olympic hoop gold (2 1/3 pages) and women's soccer (1 2/3 pg.). The rest of the issue is baseball coverage and the NFL preview with the usual unreliable football predictions. 7+

Photos: Greater than half of a photo collage in the Leading Off section is female athletes. But not much else. 5.001

Overall coverage of women's sports: Unless it was Olympic, it was ignored. 6

Issue of Aug 30, 2004 (US Edition) Score = 8+

The issue covered the second week of the Athens Olympic Games.

Cover: With all that happened in Athens, there was a lot of possibility in cover material: Michael Phelps' gold, Paul Hamm's gold (and subsequent controversy!), Carly Patterson's gold, beach volleyball gold, Justin Gatlin becoming the fastest man, etc. But they elected to go all out with women on the cover: a studio shot of the women' softball team (too bad there was no action shot good enough for a cover), and mugs of Patterson, Natalie Coughlin, Amanda Beard, Kim Rhode and Mariel Zagunis. 10

Features: The cover did not turn out to be a bait-and-switch, as SI has done all too often in the past. The features are necessarily shorter than normal, due to the sheer amount of Olympic coverage. The cover photo is redeemed with a three-page layout inside. Carly Patterson's gold yields a two page article, including a full-page photo. Sudanese triple jumper Yamile Aldama gets three pages on an interesting take on "flag jumping." And the US women's soccer team gets three pages for finally winning a world championship.8+

Photos: One of the three Leading Off spreads is an interesting overhead shot of weightlifter Cheryl Haworth in action. Add to that the liberal sprinkling of female sport pictures in the columns and departments, and you get an 8+

Overall coverage of women's sports: The Olympics is more than half women's coverage. But the rest of the issue balances out with the usual emphasis on men's sports. An absolutely unnecessary 10-page feature on Jimmy Connors ensures the status quo. The automatic 1-point bonus for women's cover photo gives this issue 8+