This year's SI swimsuit edition cover model is ...

[Woody Long]

I've subscribed to SI since 1988, and I still get it, though I find less and less to read every month. By and large, the magazine nowadays lacks depth of coverage, the writing is good but not great, the photography is a little above average. By "lacks depth of coverage," I mean that you don't find the deep dives into the athletes and characters, there is little to no investigative journalism, and there's almost no coverage of anything outside of the NBA, NFL, College Football and a few MLB articles. With regard to the NBA/NFL/CFB/MLB coverage, nothing distinguishes SI's work from anywhere else these days, by and large.

 

[BTExpress]

With regard to the NBA/NFL/CFB/MLB coverage, nothing distinguishes SI's work from anywhere else these days, by and large.

That's likely true.

But who were their competitors in 1988? The previous ones (Sport, The Sporting News, Inside Sports) were gone or on fumes by then.

There might have been some great investigative reporting going on at some newspaper 2,000 miles away in 1988. But where would you go for easy access to it?

It was a lot easier for the Maple Leafs to make noise in the Original Six than in a crowd of 30.

 

[HanSenSE]

I get where @Woody Long is coming from. Where are those epics by Gary Smith or Frank Deford? In the 70s, when I first started reading it, Kenny Moore had some great stories too. Is there a new Dr. Z? My subscription lasped about 10 years ago and it seemed to think its major competition was ESPN: The Magazine, so half the issue was Scorecard along with some Dan Patrick interview. The only must-reads were Steve Rushin and Rick Reilley. Didn't miss it.

 

[Mr. X]

Will many people be prompted to buy the issue because of Martha Stewart? If so, how would demographically describe those people?

 

[DanOregon]

I received a "renewal offer" from SI about two years after my subscription lapsed. My final issue was the COVID empty stands cover - seemed about right.

Oh yeah - 20 year subscriber.

 

[BTExpress]

Martha is one of 28 women in the issue. Not much is going to move the needle as far as a single person.

A far cry from the 3 models and 8 photos during the "golden era" of SI.

 

[DanOregon]

Give me ONE cover model - or Kathy Ireland with someone else (I won't split hairs). I need to know whom I should be lusting after. Carol Alt, Cheryl Tiegs, Brinkley whomever....

 

[justgladtobehere]

Jeez, can't think of one or 6.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Jeez, can't think of one or 6.

Everyone is playing for second place behind Kathy Ireland. What a sight for ninth-grade eyes back in the day. Or now.

 

[SixToe]

Everyone is playing for second place behind Kathy Ireland. What a sight for ninth-grade eyes back in the day. Or now.

Amen.

 

[Batman]

Give me ONE cover model - or Kathy Ireland with someone else (I won't split hairs). I need to know whom I should be lusting after. Carol Alt, Cheryl Tiegs, Brinkley whomever....

Elle Macpherson was the GOAT in my late 80s/early 90s era. There's a picture from, I think, the 25th anniversary edition of her and Kathy Ireland in a pool together (Elle is on her back and Kathy on her stomach, both wearing two-pieces and laying in a few inches of water) that to this day is in the running for greatest photograph ever taken.

Underrated: Stacey Williams. She came along and might have snagged a couple of covers in that 1991-94 range, right after the Big Three of Elle, Kathy and Rachel Hunter had left the swimsuit issue behind, and before Tyra Banks took over as the It Girl a few years later. It was the swimsuit version of the Rockets winning two championships after Jordan left to play baseball.

 

[Slacker]

This shot of Kelly Emberg has stuck with me for decades ...

 

[SixToe]

1. Elle
1a. Kathy

 

[Slacker]

Give me ONE cover model - or Kathy Ireland with someone else (I won't split hairs).
I need to know whom I should be lusting after. Carol Alt, Cheryl Tiegs, Brinkley whomever....

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Carol Alt, SI swimsuit cover, 1982.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

I repeat, everyone else is playing for second place. (Though I was in 10th grade for this, not ninth, we apologize for the error)

 

[Slacker]

The Years in Review: every swimsuit cover through 2018 ...

https://www.si.com/sports-illustrat...025577bb90002511&pid=2018-danielle-herrington

Irina Shayk in 2011 was a total jaw-dropper cover.

 

[Slacker]

I repeat, everyone else is playing for second place. (Though I was in 10th grade for this, not ninth, we apologize for the error)

Hope you're sitting down, but Kathy Ireland doesn't make my Top 10 list. And especially this shot. Crazy eyes.

 

[ChrisLong]

Every year. You look at the cover model and think, "There could never be a more beautiful woman."
Then the next year, "Wow, she is even more beautiful than last year."
Then the next year .........


I have to admit, I had completely forgotten about Stacey Williams. I guess I lied back in the day when I said I would never forget her. Thanks for the memory, Batman.

And then, there came along Petra Nemcova. She was stranded for 18 hours clinging to a palm tree after a tsunami.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Hope you're sitting down, but Kathy Ireland doesn't make my Top 10 list. And especially this shot. Crazy eyes.

How about ****ing respecting those of us who maybe like the crazy eyes?

The eyes matching perfectly w/the water really make that for me. Well, among other things.