The March 27 Issue Of ESPN The Magazine Is on Sale Today; Everybody Loves Chris - The Hornets' Chris Paul on the Cover of ESPN The Magazine; Exclusive Excerpt - the Night Barry Bonds Went to the Dark Side; Plus - The Magazine's NCAA Tournament Preview

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2006--ESPN The Magazine:

BARRY BONDS:

Great Wasn't Good Enough. He was a sure fire Hall of Famer. But Barry Bonds couldn't stand being in the shadow of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. An adaptation from the forthcoming biography, Love Me, Hate Me: Barry Bonds and the Making of an Antihero, by Jeff Pearlman reveals a jealous and frustrated Barry Bonds telling friends he was going on the juice.

In the winter following the 1998 season, Bonds brought his family on vacation to Orlando, where he could also visit his long time buddy, Ken Griffey Jr. Over dinner at Griffey's house, Bonds reveals his plan to take steroids.

"You know what," he said. "I had a helluva season last year, and nobody gave a crap. Nobody. As much as I've complained about McGwire and Canseco and all of the bull with steroids, I'm tired of fighting it. I turn 35 this year. I've got three or four good seasons left, and I wanna get paid. I'm just gonna start using some hard-core stuff, and hopefully it won't hurt my body. Then I'll get out of the game and be done with it."

STYLE AND SUBSTANCE:

Fresh Look. Chris Paul and some fellow ballers score big style points and prove that when it comes to the NBA dress code, one size does not fit all. As told to The Magazine's Jerry Bembry.

The Best Show in Sneakers. Everyone blamed Allen Iverson for the threads lockdown. But truth be told, the guy who really got David Stern's attention - and raised the bar for creativity - was Damon Jones. The Magazine's contributor Scoop Jackson reports.

2006 NCAA TOURNEY PREVIEW:

With Honors. Seniors may no longer rule the school, but Duke's Shelden Williams and the rest of the Class of 2006 are ready to go out with a bang. The Magazine's Tom Friend reports.

2 Good 2 Be 4Gotten. Thanks for the memories. For these nine men and four women, March's Senior Dance is one last change to shine before the college spotlight fades. The Magazine's staff reports.

Final Exam. Cappie Pondexter was never long on patience, but the Rutgers star has shown her teammates that some things - like an NCAA championship - might be worth the wait. The Magazine's Elena Bergeron reports.

Senior Moments. Walton's Bruins? Jordan's Tar Heels? Get The Magazine's yearbook as 64 of the greatest NCAA Tournament teams - as chosen by ESPN Classic - face off in the biggest Big Dance of all.

OTHER FEATURES:

Why My Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot. You've heard what life's like in the studio for Mike and Mike. But not much changes when Greeny goes home. (Just ask his wife.) Mike Greenberg offers his unique take on marriage, fatherhood, sportscasting and being a Jets fan in his new book, Why My Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot: The Life and Times of a Sportscaster Dad.

Saving Face. It's been a long time since Sabres fans have gazed at their goal crease and seen anything other than Brett Hull's skate. Now, in Ryan Miller, they're finally looking at a winner. The Magazine contributor Eddie Matz reports.

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