Told you, it just didn't make sense for any other model to be on the cover. Kate is only model who's selling out out of the bunch and men love her ... i.e she'll sell covers.

AND THANK GOD SI broke the beach cover thing they do every year. It was getting old.

Amazing cover, stunning location, and Kate is hot. Go big boobs

^ I wanted to e-mail all my male co-workers on the cover but maybe I shouldn't spread it till Tuesday?

That's Pheno's call. Lemme see if I can wake her up.

She doesn't care, go go. Send to your hearts content.

So much for the letterman show HAHA.

Ya kate! looking stellar and really bringing WOMAN back.

I am tired of these stick girls

Not going to lie, I'm really disappointed with the cover. For one, I think it looks awful. For two, I don't like Kate. Three, even if I did, it's kind of a shitty move to give the cover to the same girl two years in a row.

Plenty of other girls would have worked. Anyone who is interested in the magazine and reads that issue would know the names of other girls. So I'm not impressed they went with Kate again just because she's a hot name at the moment.

I was sure that the only way another model would make it on the cover would be if it was more that one girl on the cover. No way were they gonna pass out on Kate. I've been saying since last year she might get the cover again. The cover itself it meh, but whatever. The covers have been not-so-good for a last couple of years. I really liked Petra's cover.

At this point it's not who they like the most, the bottom line is they need to sell magazines. And currently out of the group of girls they have, Kate is trending the highest and has the most national attention. Nobody wants to admit it, but she's a helluva lot more known and as much as everyone protested they hated last years cover it was one of the top selling SI editions so clearly the buyers liked it even if the fashionistas didn't it. This isn't a fashion magazine, it's a men's magazine and Kate sells to men better then the current crop of girls they have do.

^ AMEN!

She doesn't care, go go. Send to your hearts content.

At this point it's not who they like the most, the bottom line is they need to sell magazines. And currently out of the group of girls they have, Kate is trending the highest and has the most national attention. Nobody wants to admit it, but she's a helluva lot more known and as much as everyone protested they hated last years cover it was one of the top selling SI editions so clearly the buyers liked it even if the fashionistas didn't it. This isn't a fashion magazine, it's a men's magazine and Kate sells to men better then the current crop of girls they have do.

another precedent broken with the cover shot suit (bikini bottom, at least) being revealed previously.

from december 18:

Already got a DAYUM response from one buddie at the office Looks like Kate is already selling

So I'm going to bed now, I'll start scanning later when I get up.

I actually like last years cover better (don't hurt me! ) I love the wet hair, beach beauty look better than the antartica one...BUT I love kate, she is a gorgeous girl, with a voluptious body So I'm happy she got it

as much as everyone protested they hated last years cover it was one of the top selling SI editions

Congrats to Kate.

I guess she's now in the exclusive company of Christie, Paulina, Elle, Kathy and Tyra to have back to back SI covers. Hasn't been done in over 10 years!

Considering in her Vogue covers , HF editorials along with women friendly publications (Elle, Cosmopolitan) she's deffo making a mark

Rolling Stone next??? Hasn't been done by a model since Gisele I think

as much as everyone protested they hated last years cover it was one of the top selling SI editions

Really? Was this officially reported? If yes, can you provide a link? Not contradicting you or anything, I'm always just curious about how models sell products/covers.

With that said, I think it's never been about favoritism, they choose girls that would sell. They probably chose Beyconce to be on the cover a few years back because they didn't have any girl on the rooster who could do the trick.

Forbes had put something out early last year with the Style network, and they said she was the second highest cover in SI history. Kathy Ireland being #1 still.

I think you will find that these are different bottoms. The TMZ ones are multiple strings--up to 6 each side-- and these cover ones are only doubled.

another precedent broken with the cover shot suit (bikini bottom, at least) being revealed previously.

from december 18:

Someone I work with at work mentioned NIna might not have gotten the cover...because Yes, she tried to break out by doing a Carl Jr ad, BUT, she is an Aerie's girl. The person I worked with said..."She's cute...but like, my daughter (16 year old) shops there (aerie), it feels wrong..."

Kate is a STAR. I think that's the bottom line. I love Nina and would have been fine with her getting the cover but Kate is getting to a point of cultural relevance that only a few SI girls have ever gotten too.

I love this cover and her boobs look as fantastic as always.