Playboy October 2000

COVER STORY Conference USA, a college newcomer, boasts serious strength in men's basketball, as well as nine other NCAA sports. Join cover model and cheerleader Lauren Michelle Hill (shot by Arny Freytag) as PLAYBOY salutes the league's other asset: its gorgeous women. Taken with Lauren's denim? The ad with ordering information is on page 74. Our Rabbit has his pen out. FEATURES 78 CASUALTY IN THE WAR ON DRUGS Billions are spent on border patrols and helicopters. City streets have become war zones. In New York a man got ambushed by undercover cops. He was innocent. Now he's dead. BY JIM DWYER 90 ELEVEN THINGS YOU DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SPINAL TAP Brace yourself, fans, for "one of England's loudest bands." That's right, the Tap is back—and this time they're for real. Or are they? BY CHIP ROWE 104 IT'S ALL HYPE Hip-hop's signature video director has created an axis between rappers and the fashion world. 121 PLAYBOY'S PIGSKIN PREVIEW If you attribute Nebraska's success solely to Tom Osborne, it's time to change your fight song. The Huskers top a chart that reveals surprising parity between the big conferences. BY GARY COLE 127 TOON IN! Winners of PLAYBOY'S first ever multimedia Comix and Animation Contest amazed and aroused our celebrity judges. 130 20Q MICHAEL JOHNSON At the age of 33, the king of the 200 and the 400 aims for Olympic gold. He also wants to reform American track and field. A talk with a very fast man. BY KEN STEPHENS 133 DAVE'S GARAGE: ROUND 2 Go topless in Toyota's new MR2 Spyder, then get behind the wheel of the Lexus IS300, Chrysler PT Cruiser and a hangar full of other new speedsters. BY DAVID STEVENS 146 DIGGIN' THE BUDDHA The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis strikes a chord with the Dalai Lama. FICTION 94 THE COLLECTION TREATMENT This flophouse makes the Heartbreak Hotel look like the Ritz. The winning entry from our 15th annual College Fiction Contest. BY YAEL SCHONFELD INTERVIEW 67 BOB COSTAS The man who will bring us the Olympics may be a cross between Vin Scully and Howard Cosell. Opinionated? Let's just say he lampoons sports talk radio and the vaunted gymnastics coverage and explains why it's dumb to thank God for a TD. BY DIANE K. SHAH PICTORIALS 82 OF HEAT AND HEDONISM At Jamaica's latest club, guests live out their steamiest fantasies. 106 PLAYMATE: ARTS AND CROFT Athlete and church choir member Nichole Van Croft throws some heavenly curves. 136 GIRLS OF CONFERENCE USA The college newcomer is top-rated with our photographers. NOTES AND NEWS 15 WORLD OF PLAYBOY ESPN scores a Mansion knockout; Bill Maher tapes. 18 HEF'S FIGHT CLUB Heavyweights Mia St. John, Laila Butterbean and Darya. 20 ALOHA BRANDE James Woods, Jon Lovitz and Stephen Doll"; American Beauty's Thora Birch came up roses. 57 THE PLAYBOY FORUM Weird marriage rights; indigents and their lousy lawyers; DNA tests. 179 PLAYMATE NEWS Rebekka on E; Heidi at the altar; Rachel at sea. DEPARTMENTS 5 PLAYBILL 25 DEAR PLAYBOY 29 AFTER HOURS 42 WIRED 44 LIVING ONLINE 47 ADRENALINE 48 MEN 51 MANTRACK 55 THE PLAYBOY ADVISOR 118 PARTY JOKES 168 WHERE AND HOW TO BUY 183 ON THE SCENE 184 GRAPEVINE 186 POTPOURRI LIFESTYLE 92 CRAZY HAND JIVE Tiny digital assistants are big. Here's a roundup of the best. BY BETH TOMKIW 98 CAMPUS FASHION The outdoors look is in, with new fabrics and urban versatility. BY JOSEPH DE ACETIS REVIEWS 36 MUSIC Joe Ely's Tex-Mex stew; Chuck D's new enemy; King Crimson. 38 MOVIES Felicity mad for mambo; Vanessa Paradis on the bridge. 41 VIDEO Shakespeare goes to video; gonzo porn. 45 BOOKS Candace Bushnell and four blondes; Slick Willy and Elvis; sluggers and muggers.