ESPN The Magazine Presents Its Third Annual Body Issue on Newsstands Today
Four Covers: Hope Solo, Gretchen Bleiler, Blake Griffin, Jose Reyes
Eventually, our bodies fail us all. Become less beautiful. What were once lithe and sinewy, pistons and fire, turn soft, slow and stubborn. It’s why athletes’ brilliant physical performances amaze us. We stare in wonder at the strength and beauty. ESPN The Magazine’s third annual Body Issue celebrates those athletes in their purest forms. Their bodies are reminders that without the breaking, the inexorable decline, perfection would be meaningless. They are why we watch. They are what we remember.
The Mag’s Body Issue, on newsstands Friday, October 7, features more than 30 athletes who span the world of sports including four cover athletes: Hope Solo, Gretchen Bleiler, Blake Griffin, and Jose Reyes. The much-anticipated issue is a celebration and exploration of the wide variety that is the athletic form demonstrated through creative photography, in-depth interviews and a variety of features including “Bodies We Want,” where The Mag once again celebrates the strength, grace and perfection of the athletic form featuring 22 of the sleekest physiques in 
sports.
Full List of 2011 “Bodies We Want” Athletes:
| Athlete | Sport |
| Alicia Sacramone | Gymnastics |
| Apolo Ohno | Speedskating |
| Belen Mozo | Golf |
| Blake Griffin | NBA |
| Gretchen Bleiler | Snowboarding |
| Helio Castroneves | Motorsports |
| Hope Solo | Soccer |
| Jeremy Campbell | Discus/Pentathlon |
| Jon Jones | MMA |
| Jose Reyes | MLB |
| Julie Chu | Ice Hockey |
| Louie Vito | Snowboarding |
| Kelly Kulick | Bowling |
| Natasha Hastings | Track & Field |
| Ryan Hall | Running |
| Ryan Kesler | NHL |
| Sergio Martinez | Boxing |
| Stephanie Gilmore | Surfing |
| Steven Jackson | NFL |
| Suzy Hotrod | Roller Derby |
| Sylvia Fowles | WNBA |
| Vera Zvonareva | Tennis |
Go to www.espn.com/bodyissue for photo gallery and video.
Also in the Body Issue, “Nude Awakening,” documents one brave reporter’s account of turning the tables while he interviews L.A. Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier and enforcer Kevin Westgarth, with nothing but a notepad and tape recorder in hand; and “Chasing The Miracle Cure,” a deeper dive into how athletes constantly push the edge of science for an advantage and are stem cell injections the new frontier?
The Body Issue:
The Body You Don’t Want
The scars covering driver John Force are a map of his brutal career. The 15-time NHRA Funny Car champ details one of his crash-filled voyages. As told to Ryan McGee
Pass Interference
Peyton Manning’s gift is his ability to control the game. But learning to let go might be the only way he’ll get back onto the field. By Seth Wickersham
Nobody Walks Alone
A bullet in the back left basketball star Mike Williams paralyzed from the waist down. The help of an old teammate is getting him back on his feet. By Brandon Sneed
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