Sports Illustrated Covers

Eli · Post by **Eli** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:57 pm

Am I remembering incorrectly - When Alan Page won the MVP award, didn't he make the cover of SI? I recall a photo - probably taken while he was on the sideline, from the chest up - where I think he had his helmet with white facemask pushed back, and his hands cupped around his mouth yelling.

Also, what's the deal with this cover photo? I'm not sure who the guy is on the right - 5-something - maybe Wally Hilgenberg. But where is his right arm? Looks like he might have been pasted into the photo, but I can't see that for a cover shot.

John · Post by **John** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:11 pm

I'm not even sure who the fellow on the right is... but I note the guy back/left who drove the play to the center, allowing the Judge to make the tackle. It happened over and over for years.

I really liked Pat Williams comment (after signing his new contract) that he wanted to continue playing with Kevin... Page was great, no doubt about that, but having Eller on the end didn't hurt.

WichitaKSViking · Post by **WichitaKSViking** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:45 am

Ok I see four Vikings in this pic... Besides the guys right arm on the far right, were is the guy in the middles head??

PurpleMustReign · Post by **PurpleMustReign** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:17 am

WichitaKSViking wrote:Ok I see four Vikings in this pic... Besides the guys right arm on the far right, were is the guy in the middles head??

That is one freaky picture!!

wang_chi7 · Post by **wang_chi7** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:28 am

I may be looking at it wrong, but it looks like the guy on the right's arm is there. Its Eller that is missing his left arm. I say this because there is no sleeve on that arm and it just looks like his arm ends just below the sleeve numbers. I think he was cropped in. Or something was cropped out around him for whatever reason.

Thats one messed up picture. Whats with the guy in the middle where you only see his arm and leg and nothing else?

viking_guy · Post by **viking_guy** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 4:33 pm

that is a weird photo.

PurpleMustReign · Post by **PurpleMustReign** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:15 pm

wang_chi7 wrote:I may be looking at it wrong, but it looks like the guy on the right's arm is there. Its Eller that is missing his left arm. I say this because there is no sleeve on that arm and it just looks like his arm ends just below the sleeve numbers. I think he was cropped in. Or something was cropped out around him for whatever reason.

Thats one messed up picture. Whats with the guy in the middle where you only see his arm and leg and nothing else?

Actually looking at it now, I can see Eller's arm, you can see it go behind the white guys head... Bt I don't see the other guys arm...

The guy in the middle just totally mystifies me. It looks like Alan Page has two bodies!

wang_chi7 · Post by **wang_chi7** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:33 pm

PurpleMustReign wrote:
Actually looking at it now, I can see Eller's arm, you can see it go behind the white guys head... Bt I don't see the other guys arm...

The guy in the middle just totally mystifies me. It looks like Alan Page has two bodies!

I think that arm belongs to the white guy and Eller's is the one missing. I think that because Eller's sleeve is nowhere to be seen. His arm looks to just disapper (or more like the other guy's arm goes into his shirt.) Either way, one guy is missing an arm. Its weird.

Correction: I just zoomed in on the picture by putting it into paint. Its a pretty high quality picture and is still clear when zoomed at 400%. Eller's arm can barely be seen but is behind the guy on the right (you can see his finger near that guy's ear. The bandaged up arm that is clearly seen belongs to the mystery man on the right. I still can't makeout the body behind Page that seems to be only sort of there.[/b]

Eli · Post by **Eli** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:42 pm

Pretty sure that's Gary Larsen, #77, in the middle with no head. I think what makes it look odd is that the photo was taken through a very long telephoto lens, so it's foreshortened. The NFL patch to the left of Page's head is on his own left shoulder, so Larsen's head should be behind Page's shoulder somewhere.

The missing arm of the linebacker still hasn't popped out at me. The white and cream colored bands immediately below his shoulder look like they must be the wrappings on his forearms, so it just doesn't make sense.

It's amazing how slender these guys were 35 years ago. Not a lot of big guts on anybody. Eller was 6'6", 250ish, Page even smaller. I recall Page taking up long distance running toward the end of his career and playing tackle for the Bears at 220 lbs !

BGM · Post by **BGM** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:43 pm

It is a rather unique angle and very weird, but everyone's appendages and heads are accounted for and it is not a crop job. Eller's arm is behind the other guy's arm because Eller's fingers are peeking out behind the guy's helmet. The guy's arm is up and over Eller's arm which is why you can't see either arm (Eler's arm is obscured by the other guy's right shoulder pad). The other LB's head is obscured by the Lions RBs helmet and Page's left shoulder pad (note the 50th Anniversary patch on Page's arm).

Very interesting picture!

BGM

Post by **Mothman** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:41 pm

BGM wrote:It is a rather unique angle and very weird, but everyone's appendages and heads are accounted for and it is not a crop job. Eller's arm is behind the other guy's arm because Eller's fingers are peeking out behind the guy's helmet. The guy's arm is up and over Eller's arm which is why you can't see either arm (Eler's arm is obscured by the other guy's right shoulder pad). The other LB's head is obscured by the Lions RBs helmet and Page's left shoulder pad (note the 50th Anniversary patch on Page's arm).

I have to disagree with you, Brian. I think it's a re-touched image with a player or two added. The intersection of Eller's arm with the player on the back right is the giveaway. The retouching in that area, from the 8 on Eller's arm to the shoulder of Player X, is all wrong.

Jim

PurpleMustReign · Post by **PurpleMustReign** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:48 pm

This is the funniest thing...

I"m sure when Eli posted this he had no idea we'd be trying to figure out whose body part belongs to who!!

It really looks like Gary Larsen is missing his head (if he is indeed the man in the middle). It just looks wrong or soemthing.