Have you heard? ESPN The Magazine’s “The Body Issue” will feature nude or “semi nude” photographs of various athletes. (What is semi-nude, anyway? Is it the same as being semi-clothed? Like a glass half empty/half full kind of thing?)

According to USA Today, James Blake and Serena Williams will represent for tennis. (*UPDATE* -  James Blake is not on the ESPN press release list of naked athletes – so consider the photo below as a bonus.)

Eh. Been there, seen that:

I should come clean and admit that I have a major bone to pick with ESPN The Magazine. It published one of the single most ridiculous tennis articles ever written. Here’s how it started:

“If I guaranteed you that the 2008 Wimbledon men’s final would be the best tennis match of the past 20 years, would you watch it?

Amazingly, many sports fans would say no. Maybe they’d flick over to NBC a few times to “monitor the action.” Maybe they’d swing by for the fifth set. Maybe they’d watch a few games and get bored, then allow themselves to be sucked in by Under Siege or a Tila Tequila marathon. But I don’t have a single friend who’d watch four hours of tennis on a Sunday morning and, I’m guessing, neither do you.“

Note that this article was written before Wimbledon. We all know what happened two weeks later. HA!

So here’s The Body Issue, GTT Edition for you.

(Note: this is an all-male edition. I figure there are enough naked/semi-naked lady photos on the internet. I’m sure you know where to find them. . .)

An entire Naked Tennis Player Magazine could be devoted to the Spanish Armada:

Here’s Marat Safin doing the “semi-nude” thing:

“You’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all!” Yeah, right, Marat.

And here’s a classic for all you Pat Rafter fans:

Are you still curious about that *other* Body Issue?Here’s some info from the ESPN presser:

ESPN The Magazine’s inaugural “Body Issue,” on newsstands Friday, Oct. 9, will feature nearly 80 athletes from a variety of sports in a celebration and exploration of the athletic form. The issue honors athletes of diverse shapes, sizes, genders and races within the boundaries of taste and frontiers of creativity upon which ESPN The Magazine and ESPN have built their reputations. It is a testament to the work the athletes do, the effort they exert and the price they sometimes pay in reliance on their most important asset – their bodies.

Features in the Body Issue explore the athletic form, inside and out – literally. Body Issue editorial topics include: the largest genetic test of current and former athletes to examine their genetic mapping, athletes’ use of sexuality to promote themselves, a first-hand look at an athlete’s ACL surgery, insuring the athletic body and what video game companies know about the athletic body and the process they go through to create the video game representation of star athletes.

And here is the list:

·          Adam Nelson / TRACK & FIELD / SHOT PUT
·          Adrian Peterson / NFL / VIKINGS
·          Alex Solis / JOCKEY
·          Bryan Clay / TRACK & FIELD / DECATHLETE
·          Byamba / SUMO
·          Carl Edwards / NASCAR
·          Casey Hampton / NFL / STEELERS
·          Cheryl Haworth / WOMEN’S WEIGHTLIFTER
·          Claire Bevilacqua / SURFER
·          D.C. United: Chris Pontius, Bryan Namoff, Clyde Simms, Jaime Moreno, Santino Quaranta, Ben Olsen / SOCCER / MLS
·          Dwight Howard / NBA / MAGIC
·          Edmonton Oilers: Sheldon Souray, Ethan Moreau, Andrew Cogliano / NHL
·          Gina Carano / MMA
·          Ivan Rodriguez / MLB / RANGERS
·          Jenn Stuczynski / TRACK & FIELD / POLE VAULT
·          Johnny Weir / ICE SKATER
·          Ken Schrader / NASCAR
·          Kevin Robinson / BMX
·          Kristi Leskinen / FREESTYLE SKIER
·          Laird Hamilton / SURFER
·          Lolo Jones / TRACK & FIELD / HURDLER
·          LPGA: Sandra Gal, Anna Grzebien, Christina Kim / GOLF
·          Malliciah Goodman / COLLEGE FOOTBALL / CLEMSON
·          Manny Pacquiao / BOXER
·          Mark Martin / NASCAR
·          Metal Mulisha: Todd Potter, Colin Morrison, Ronnie Faisst, Brian Deegan, Beau Manley, Nixey Danielson / MOTOCROSS
·          Michelle Carter / TRACK & FIELD / SHOT PUT
·          Natasha Kai / USA SOCCER
·          Nelson Cruz / MLB / RANGERS
·          Oguchi Onyewu / USA SOCCER
·          Patrick Kerney / NFL / SEAHAWKS
·          Poker: Daniel Negreanu, Scotty Nguyen, Jennifer Harman, Phil Hellmuth
·          Randy Couture / MMA
·          Ryan Guettler / BMX
·          Ryan Lochte / SWIMMER
·          Sarah Reinertsen / TRIATHLETE
·          Scott Jurek / ULTRAMARATHONER
·          Serena Williams / TENNIS
·          Shane Proctor / BULL RIDER
·          Steph Davis / ROCK CLIMBER / BASE JUMPER
·          Stephane Robidas / NHL /  STARS
·          Susan Francia / ROWER
·          Torry Holt / NFL / JAGUARS
·          USA Softball: Natasha Watley, Cat Osterman, Jessica Mendoza, Lauren Lappin
·          Zdeno Chara / NHL / BRUINS

For some preview images, click here.