In case you haven't seen this week's Sports Illustrated, there is a story on 16-year-old Bryce Harper, lovingly referred to as "baseball's LeBron." The pitcher/catcher can throw 96 MPH, gun down runners trying to steal second from his knees, and has hit a home run a mind-boggling 570 feet. In other words, he's the greatest prospect who ever lived. Why else would SI put him on the cover?

Of course, SI doesn't have the best history with their covers. Forget about the curse, here are 10 covers the magazine wishes they could take a mulligan on.


Sebastian Telfair, March 2004
Yes he can? No he can't. In five seasons for three different teams, Telfair is averaging 10 points and five assists per game. What else should you expect from the cousin of Stephon Marbury?


Jon Peters, May 1989
Let's hope Peters enjoyed his week on the SI cover because it was all downhill from there. He blew out his arm shortly after the story came out, did next to nothing in college, and faded away like David Ortiz through the first two months of this season.

Tony Mandarich, April 1989
The Packers were so enamored with Mandarich, they chose him before Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and Deion Sanders in the 1989 NFL draft, only to cut him three years later. He later admitted to taking steroids during his years at Michigan State and dealt with an addiction to painkillers and alcohol during much of his NFL career.


Felipe Lopez, November 1994
Lopez appeared on the SI Cover before ever playing a game at St. John's. Though he had a solid college career, he never lived up to the enormous hype and averaged 5.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and one assist per game in four NBA seasons.


Sportsmen of the Year, December 1998
Can't really blame SI for this one, but it's kinda funny to see who we looked up just a decade ago.


Mike Peterson, August 1971
Peterson, a three-sport high school prodigy from rural Kansas, was described as "greatest athlete in the history of the Hay Capital of the World." Unfortunately for Peterson, the college recruiters must've missed this issue because he ended up at Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, where he played basketball and baseball. We're guessing he became a teacher shortly thereafter.


SI Experiments with LSD, October 1967
You gotta give it to the magazine. Fresh off the Summer of Love, the editors decided to experiment with a little acid and came up with his baby. We're pretty confident Bill Bradley doesn't have this hanging in his office.


Jeff Franceur, August 2005
Just four years ago, SI proclaimed Franceur "the Natural." His career has been decent, but there were a few others from the rookie crop who deserved some love (coughRyan HowardcoughPrince Fieldercough).


Gary Nicklaus, March 1985
Technically, the cover is correct because he was the next Nicklaus (as well as the current one), but that's all the magazine got right with this one. Gary was nowhere near as successful as his father and had to spend the rest of his life with the shame of having those shorts on an SI cover.


Johnny Bench, November 1975
Since we're not one of the 14 living Reds fans, we can be immature and make fun of this awkward man hug.

[all covers courtesy Sports Illustrated]