ESPN the Magazine Body Issue 2013: Most Gripping Photos From This Year's Edition

ESPN The Magazine's "Body Issue" doesn't hit newsstands until July 12, but the company's decision to release the photos three days before its release has been successful in driving up anticipation

Always one of the year's most sought-after issues, the "Body Issue" draws natural comparisons to Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit edition. While there are stark differences between the two publications—the most notable being one involves naked people, the other involving only mostly naked people—ESPN stands out for its commitment to the athlete.

Where Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit edition is filled with the same type of aspiring models you would see in a regular swimsuit magazine and only some athletes, ESPN's "Body Issue" is all about celebrating the athletic body. Men and women across all sports have posed for the publication, which had its inaugural release in 2009. 

This year's release features arguably the most eclectic group of athletes yet. They range from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, to women's golfer Carly Booth, to pregnant Olympic volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings and even to 77-year-old tennis legend Gary Player. When ESPN decided to come out with a "Body Issue," the developers undoubtedly were looking to represent every physical form found in an athlete.

This year might be the first time they've truly realized that goal. Here is a look at a few of the most gripping photos from this year's edition. 

Kaepernick Shows Off His Tattoos—And Good For Him

In a magazine where everyone is running and wearing as little as the day they were born, it's hard to find much symbolism. This is a celebration of the naked athlete. Little more, little less. It's done tastefully, mind you. But we're still looking at people in the buff, so the natural inclination is to only slightly turn your head, give three seconds of consideration to the picture and rapidly click the "next" button.

It's a short-attention-span parade in a culture that's full of clickable pictures, GIFs, Vines, Instagram videos and the like. 

So it was strange—at least to me—when I spent about five minutes staring at this particular picture of Kaepernick. Looking out at the ocean, the picture seems oddly contemplative in the same way boy band covers in the 1990s tried to be, or how empty television shows often try to give their character depth by having them stare longingly in an effort to atone for their latest mistake. 

It all stood the risk of being laughably cliche, right until you notice lighting prominence placed on Kaepernick's tattoos. It's easy to forget now—mainly because it was so stupid in the first place—but there was a time where Colin Kaepernick's tattoos were actually something people thought mattered. 

Of course, I'm referring to Sporting News' David Whitley's column comparing Kaepernick to a San Quentin prisoner because he's inked up. It was the type of vomitous bile you would have expected during a more close-minded time. Like, I dunno, the 1860s.

The column was rightfully panned at the time for being race-baiting, deplorable and every other bad thing you can possibly ascribe to someone writing on the Internet.

But it's also the type of column that could make a man—one who ostensibly wants to market himself—think twice about his decision to have visible tattoos. According to Kaepernick's interview in ESPN The Magazine, it doesn't look like he's regretting a thing. 

"Kissing my bicep kind of started from the whole tattoo controversy," Kaepernick said. "I'd kiss 'Faith' on my right bicep. That was my way of showing that I love my tattoos regardless of what anyone else thinks about them. They're more than just ink on my body; they are things I really believe in."

Good for him. Of the people who posed for this issue, he's the one I'm probably happiest for. More than anything, though, I'm just happy he didn't pose with, say, another team's hat or colors in the magazine. 

We wouldn't want any more stupid narratives clouding this kid's vision. 

Gary Player Is Naked at 77 Years Old—And Good for Him

Here's another picture that I spent far too much time wondering about. How heavy is that gigantic golf ball Player is holding? Is he meant to be standing like an elderly Greek god or was that the only way he could hold up the giant golf ball? Did they have a gigantic golf club to go along with the ball? If so, is there a picture of him swinging it in the archives?

Mainly, I'm concerned with the huge golf ball. That's admittedly because I want it for my office. And I want to see if it bounces. ESPN, if it bounces, I'll pay you $17.48 for it—practically a bargain. I'll pay $32.87 if there is a club to go with it. 

Player, though, is an interesting character. The 77-year-old South African golfer was one of the most active and decorated players of his era. He won nine major championships and won roughly eighty kajillion other tournaments worldwide. He's gone on to become a successful course designer and had a solid career on the senior circuit. 

It's interesting, then, that outside of hardcore golf circles Player is seen as a step down from the GOAT conversation. He has more major championships than Arnold Palmer; his nine titles are only behind Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Walter Hagan. 

That being said, I have it on good authority (which is no authority at all) that Player would win the Senior Tour's bikini contest if they had one. That has to count for something.

Courtney Force Isn't Afraid of Wind—And Good for Her

Courtney Force is exactly the type of athlete you would expect to see in a Body Issue. She's traditionally attractive. She excels in a fringe sport—one that could use an influx of notoriety. She's quite possibly the second-most famous person in her sport, behind only her father, the legendary John Force.

And Courtney Force's representation probably saw this as her opportunity to have a Danica Patrick moment, becoming both good at her craft and a marketable symbol. That's all well and good. Marketability is one of the biggest draws for athletes posing for something like this. The cliche "sex sells" doesn't exist because it's untrue.

Whatever. I'm more concerned about how fast the air machine had to be going in this picture. While it's unclear how the contraption was exactly set up—for all we know, there was an army of poor production assistants behind the scenes holding it up—but it looks like they're blowing a fan 150 mph in the picture. That's enough for me. 

In her other photos, Force was next to a motor, holding a gas can and sitting on a tire. Yep. We're definitely going with the gale force wind machine as her most jarring image. 

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