I N   E V E R Y   I S S U E 26 Editor's Letter 30 SMOKE Front Mike Ditka: coach, restaurateur, cigar lover; Steve Schirripa: all American goomba; how to buy a minor league ballclub; your own (digital) wine steward; timeshare yachts; and the year's most "boneheaded" museum exhibit. Plus, a special SMOKE Sports Issue bonus: the ultimate road trip guide to the sports' Halls of Fame, from Toronto to St. Augustine, with stops in Cooperstown, Canton, Springfield, and an all-star itinerary encompassing the shrines of all our greatest professional sports. 42 SMOKE Slant As he grudgingly acknowledges the onset of middle age, com­mitment-phobic columnist Rick Shaw takes stock in his life up till now and decides to end a long tradition of not deciding. However, he soon discovers that an obsession with commitment is a good way to have oneself committed. 46 SMOKE Drink Move over, Scotch - the latest trendy sipping whiskey is coming right from the U.S.A - specifically, Bourbon County, Kentucky. The Walkers explore the rising popularity of single-barrel bourbons with a tour of some of the oldest distilleries, and the dedicated people who are taking their venerable brands into the 21st Century. 50 SMOKE Undercover The movie Gladiator didn't simply revive the swords-and-chariots film genre in the U.S., it also inspired history buffs in modern-day Rome to revive the art of gladiatorial combat. An American writer abroad donned a tunic and chain mail to experience Gladiator School firsthand. 78 SMOKE Cigar Review Leaves falling and changing color, evening walks in the crisp breeze, the kids finally back at school - fall can be a romantic season, so why not continue your love affair with fine cigars? 32 premium smokes rated and reviewed ought to be just the ticket to stock up the humidor before Daylight Savings Time. 106 Blowin' SMOKE Does any team, regardless of its popularity, have the right to declare itself "America's Team?" If the team is the Dallas Cowboys, and the question is being posed to die-hard Redskins fan Bert Sugar, this answer is a resounding, Texas-sized "Hell, no!" Return to previous page... CURRENT ISSUE ARCHIVES SUBSCRIBE REVIEWS CIGAR FORUM SEARCH CONTEST SHOPPING HTML Copyright © 2002 by Keys Technologies and SMOKE Magazine. All rights reserved.