ESPN the Magazine Body Issue: Hope Solo Has Hard Acts to Follow

As you have no doubt heard by now, nude pictures of Hope Solo will soon be released to the general public.

If you didn't hear about that, I assure you it's quite true. Solo, renowned goalie of the U.S. women's national soccer team and preeminent sports hottie of the hour, is one of many athletes who will be featured nude in ESPN the Magazine's third "Body Issue," which will hit shelves on Friday.

Solo won't be totally nude, mind you. The point of the issue, per the USA Today, is to offer an "exploration and celebration of the athletic form." To do that, private parts need not be shown.

Nevertheless, Solo is joining a pretty exclusive club. ESPN the Magazine has only been doing the "Body Issue" for two years, but it has already developed quite the legacy.

In my estimation, there are three female athletes that are directly responsible for his legacy.

The first is tennis legend Serena Williams, who graced the cover of the inaugural edition of the "Body Issue" back in 2009. There were alternate covers that featured other athletes, but the one featuring Williams sold the most copies. Not exactly a surprise.

Also in the pages of the 2009 issue was MMA star Gina Carano and the photo featuring her definitely counts as one of the issue's more memorable images.

For the 2010 issue, ESPN the Magazine went in something of a different direction by inviting WNBA star Diana Taurasi to pose nude. Despite having roughly no status whatsoever as a sex symbol in the sports world, Taurasi played the part well.

And now it's Solo's turn. For all intents and purposes, she's been a sex symbol for quite a while, but her decision to bear it all is the biggest indication yet that she is willing to fully accept her sex symbol status.

It should be easy enough for her to pull it off. If her work on Dancing with the Stars is any indication, Solo knows how to come out of her shell when she needs to. She should be a worthy addition to the pantheon of female athletes who have bared it all for the sake of the athletic form.

If not, maybe Alicia Sacramone or Gretchen Bleiler will be able to salvage the issue.