What is it about an athlete’s body that inspires such awe? Even when they’re perfectly still, they exhibit grace and power that makes us want to bow down and worship them as demigods–they’re like living Greek statues. And when we see them naked, well, then, let’s just say we get really excited for the Olympics.

Though we love lad mags and fashion rags, it doesn’t take an advanced degree to notice that they tend to showcase a limited range of body types (big breasted, hourglass shaped ladies for the former; super skinny types for the latter). If you happen to appreciate, say, the rippling muscles

Are you ready for ESPN Magazine’s Body Issue? Wait, let us rephrase that: are you ready for a magazine full of naked athletes showing off their rippling bodies while coyly hiding their naughty bits? We thought so. (ESPN)

ESPN’s much ballyhooed Body Issue hits newsstands this Friday—and as part of its relentless PR juggernaut, four of the six covers and a preview gallery have already appeared online. As promised, the issue features both male and female athletes—though from the looks of things the ladies are decidedly more nude