Royals fans need look back only a week for evidence of SI cover (shh!)

Granted, Sports Illustrated ain't what it used to be. And its so-called cover jinx probably never merited all the buzz it generated over the years. But if there is one, Royals fans should note that it reared its ugly head again this week.

While most of the country gets an SI cover featuring Mo'Ne Davis, the 13-year-old girl setting the Little League World Series on fire, and others get Kobe Bryant, those of us in the Heartland get Billy Butler and the Royals.

Sports Illustrated sent this cover to parts of the country.

It's a beautiful cover and is well timed, considering the Royals have won 22 of their last 27 games and have sat atop the AL Central for more than a week now.

It's also the first time the Royals have been on a regional SI cover since James Shields in spring training last year.

And it's only a week after Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller graced an SI regional cover.

Miller suffered a season-ending shoulder injury Monday.

Hey, it's probably nothing. After all, Shields survived last year and the Royals produced their first winning season in a decade.

Just don't ask Miller about it.