A handful of sports icons have offered little to nothing of their real selves to the public, allowing fans to attach values and characteristics that, as Shaun Assael and Peter Keating write, often say more about us than our heroes. Assael and Keating explore a similar blank slate in the new issue of ESPN the Magazine, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison. While some athletes – Jordan, Tiger – keep it vanilla as a way of maximizing potential sponsorship dollars, it’s more methodical for Harrison, who grew up in a nasty stretch of North Philly. The writers detail a series of reported incidents of violence by Harrison and his neighborhood entourage, roughing up a picture of a man Indianapolis fans prefer to see as a noble, selfless champion. It’s a quick, compelling read, and may lead to more than a few fans shelving their no. 88 jerseys for good.