Where have you gone Kathy Ireland . . .
I used to be able to tell you when the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue was going to hit my mailbox. It was on my calendar, much like St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, you name it. It was always something to look forward to. This annual issue was coveted. Those days are gone.
**Disclaimer** Let me preface this by saying, I love women. Particularly incredibly beautiful women wearing next to nothing - or in the case of the SI swimsuit issue - usually nothing.
Unfortunately, SI's most read issue has become just another chic magazine. This year's issue had more perfume samples and clothing ads than Vogue or some other fashion magazine. What's worse is that the models are now the ridiculously thin, spaced out types that frequent those types of magazines.
SI models used to be the things of legend. They were household names - Christie Brinkley, Elle Macpherson, Kathy Ireland, Paulina Porizkova. Real women, with a certain % of body fat that obscured their rib cages. They had personalities, and even celebrity husbands. I mean would anyone have taken Ron Greschner
seriously if he wasn't married to Carol Alt? (Who, by the way, is now dating Alexei Yashin. Hot women with tiny Russian hockey players. That's a whole blog in itself.)
Also, the swimsuit issue is now devoid of anything but swimsuits, except for a few painted women. Another huge mistake. (Please re-read the disclaimer above). What made the swimsuit issue great back in the day is that it left you wanting more. So much so, that you really looked forward to the Letters to Editor section in the issue a few weeks later because it would undoubtedly satisfy some poor sap in Iowa's appetite for one more shot of that year's new superstar.
And, God forbid, the old school issues still had sports articles! Now, its just cover to cover swimsuits (except for the perfume and Perry Ellis ads). No sports. It makes you numb after a while. (Please re-read the disclaimer above)
I suppose we should have seen this coming when SI started including photospreads of famous people or couples. Once you go that route, you've pretty much killed a good thing. Its sort of like NFL Week on Wheel of Fortune. Does anyone really care if Warrick Dunn solves the puzzle?
And Beyonce on the cover? Come on. She's hot, she's got an amazing body, but this SI. Save it for Rolling Stone or People. Not on my sports magazine.
There was absolutely no reason for SI to try and become mainstream with this issue. After all, it WAS mainstream. Every sports magazine tried to copy the SI swimsuit issue. I even remeber thinking that Sport Magazine's issue was Penthouse to SI's Playboy. It was always just a little more racey and the models were just a bit more slutty. It never really worked though. (Please re-read the disclaimer above).
Life - and my swimsuit issue - were just fine with a few 80's style string bikinis sandwiched between college basketball and the Winter Olympics.
