While the online presence of the venerable Sports Illustrated “has the same DNA as the magazine, the content is almost entirely original,” said B.J. Schecter, executive editor of SI.com. All sections of the site are open to freelance pitches, as long as they stay away from the generic “I want to cover the Jets and the NBA” style.

The best way to get into the editors’ good books? Getting a scoop and having special access help, but the site is also looking for human interest stories and specific angles that “go beyond the action on the field.”

Get all the details in How To Pitch: SI.com. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

In case you haven’t heard: Deadspin unleashed the scoop of 2013 (so far) last night by revealing an elaborate hoax involving Manti Te’o, star Notre Dame linebacker. Deadspin’s well-reported account showed that Te’o's “girlfriend” that died of cancer never existed, and either Te’o, his family, and his friend were all involved in scamming the media, or Te’o was the victim of an insanely complex and malicious practical joke by someone he didn’t know.

The facts are still being uncovered, but this much is clear: Deadspin has a huge hit on its hands. As of now, Deadspin’s post has been viewed over 2.7 million times, and in being the first to break the story, Deadspin out-reported a slew of media heavyweights that didn’t bother investigating Te’o's claims.

Here are just a few of the major media entities that Deadspin beat:

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Welcome back to another edition of FishbowlNY’s weekly Cover Battle. This time around Psychology Today takes on Sports Illustrated. PT went with a cover that daringly explores the taboo subject of Lone Ranger sex play. In this romping roleplay, yelling “Hi-yo Silver! Away!” takes on a whole new meaning and no one ever — ever — wants to be Tonto.

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When Terry McDonell announced in October that he was stepping aside as editor of the Time Inc. Sports Group, the plan was for him to stay on as an advisor to the company. According to the New York Post, that plan has changed. McDonell is now set to leave the company altogether at the end of the year.

McDonell’s announcement means that Time Inc. will start 2013 without two of its biggest names. Earlier this month, John Huey said he was leaving the publishing powerhouse as well.

What’s next for McDonell? He plans on launching his own consulting company, where he will create “publishing, video and film joint ventures across multiple platforms,” according to the Post.

Time Inc. editor-in-chief John Huey announced today a couple of promotions. Paul Fichtenbaum has been named editor of the Time Inc. Sports Group. He succeeds Terry McDonell, who remains with the company as a senior advisor. In addition, Chris Stone has been appointed managing editor at Sports Illustrated. He is the ninth person to hold that position in SI history.

“Sports Illustrated was the prism through which I viewed the sports world growing up and I’ve had the good fortune of participating in its evolution over the last two decades,” Stone said. “We tell stories—muscular, entertaining, differentiated stories and journalism-and we’re going to keep telling them, using all of our platforms to tell them in the most ambitious and accessible ways possible.”

Stone joined Sports Illustrated in 1992 and he ascended the ranks to become assistant managing editor in 2009. He also oversaw the Swimsuit franchise evolution into a multiplatform global juggernaut and notably was senior editor for baseball when SI uncovered Alex Rodriguez’s positive steroid tests which has been one of the decade’s most transcendent stories.

In Fichtenbaum’s new role, he’ll be responsible for the editorial oversight of the Group’s portfolio consisting of the Sports Illustrated, Golf and SIKids franchises.

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Pablo S. Torre is leaving Sports Illustrated for a spot with its rival, ESPN The Magazine. Torre had been with SI since 2007. At ESPN he will be a senior writer and contribute to the magazine as well as ESPN.com.

Torre has won multiple awards for his work, including accolades from the Boxing Writers Association of America and the annual Best American Sports Writing anthology.

“Pablo has a nose for big stories that matter and that resonate with readers,” said Chad Millman, editor-in-chief of ESPN The Magazine. “We’re excited for him to join the incredible roster of talent writing online and in the pages of the magazine.”

Torre starts at ESPN October 10.

Matt Bean has been named the new managing editor of Sports Illustrated’s website, SI.com. Bean comes to SI from Rodale, where he has been since 2004; most recently as vice president, digital product development. Bean will succeed Paul Fichtenbaum, who was named editorial director of Time Inc.’s Sports Group.

“Matt is a dynamic editor who brings a deep respect for the Sports Illustrated brand,” Fichtenbaum said. “He understands how to create and distribute content across the entire digital spectrum. His knowledge in Web, mobile, tablet, gaming and social platforms will be a vital resource as we expand our digital footprint.”

Bean joins SI.com on September 4.

Pete Thamel is leaving The New York Times for Sports Illustrated. Thamel has been with the Times for nine years covering national college football and basketball. He was also nominated for a Pulitzer by the Times in 2006.

The Big Lead reports that Thamel will cover college basketball and football for SI as well.

Sports Illustrated has launched “Sports Illustrated: Live from London,” a free iPad app. The app will be updated constantly throughout the games with videos, stories and of course, fantastic pictures from the SI team.

Additionally, Live from London will pull tweets from SI’s editors and a section that allows users to keep track of all the many, many gold medals the U.S. will win.

The “Olympic preview” edition of the app is available now.

The layoffs and cuts at Sports Illustrated are expected to be completed today. According to Adweek, 16 staffers will be leaving the magazine, 13 of them taking the voluntary buyout option that was offered weeks ago and three of them layoffs.

All told, about eight percent of 210-person staff at the Sports Group will be gone, as the 13 who took buyouts will exit over the next nine months.

The cuts will impact SI, SI Kids and Golf.