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Maybe Michael Jordan knew it would be his last shot.

There are stories for every scar on Steve Yzerman's otherwise handsome mug, and they are not for the faint of heart. They tell of a man who, though comparatively slight by modern National Hockey League standards (five-11, 185 lb.), isn't afraid of the rough going.

This article was originally published in Maclean's magazine on 13 April 1998. For our regular encyclopedia article on Larry Walker, please click here.

In the select fraternity of race-car drivers - men who squeeze behind the wheel of the "tub" and turn a skeleton of thin carbon fibre into a howling, fuel-slurping, rubber-sizzling bullet - talk among the brethren sometimes turns to fear.

Mike Weir may be the latest Great Canadian Hope in men's golf, but he is not infallible. At the PGA Tour's Greater Vancouver Open in late August, the 27-year-old from Bright's Grove, Ont., had his high hopes dashed on the slick, undulating greens of Northview Golf Club in suburban Surrey.

After a nine-month run, the show of shows was finally coming to a close.

For a few suspenseful seconds last week, tens of millions of hearts beat a little faster across North America. Maintenance workers hovered in the doorways of executive offices to catch a glimpse of the television screen.

Wayne Gretzky has a long memory. The most prolific scorer in the history of hockey can recall the tiniest details of past games. His business life has been enhanced by his ability to remember names and faces, and he never forgets the kindness of friends.

Jean Boyle is used to being the best. An athlete as a youth in Ottawa's largely francophone east end, he won a black belt in judo by the age of 20. As an officer cadet at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont.

Braving the 42-degree heat of the infield at Michigan International Speedway, a crowd has gathered by the tailgate of a huge blue-and-white semitrailer in the garage area behind the pits.

Canadians have never needed banana peels as a cure for rare displays of over-confidence; ice works well enough. It was ice last week on the speed-skating oval and in Salt Lake City's figure-skating arena that momentarily flattened Canada's self-described "best ever" Winter Olympic team.

The scene was a public relations dream - except that Lemieux has no interest in public relations.

Tired and coming down with a cold, Elvis Stojko just wanted to collapse on the sofa in his Richmond Hill, Ont., apartment. But that was not in the cards.

He declined to testify in his own defence, and for months he dodged the media, first committing to - and then sidestepping - scheduled interviews like a running back avoiding tackles. Last week, O. J. Simpson finally sat down for a live TV interview.