Good Reads

Twitter

2010-02-15T19:54:00.002-05:00

If anyone still checks this mostly defunct blog, I'm reviving it with twitter - http://twitter.com/GoodSportsReads.

Check it out.

Phil Sheridan

2008-08-10T19:54:00.001-04:00

says in China, news is none of your business.

You can have Michael Phelps

2008-08-06T16:09:00.000-04:00

I'm rooting for Eric Shanteau

Lopez Lomong

2008-08-06T14:34:00.001-04:00

A man who truly represents the American dream will carry the flag at the opening ceremonies.

Jenkins not swept up in the magic

2008-08-05T12:34:00.002-04:00

Nobody is better than Sally Jenkins when it comes to attacking an institution that needs attacking. She hammers away at the Olympics.

2008-06-10T10:22:00.001-04:00

The LA Times Bill Dwyre wonders if money going to Olympic preparation should be going to Chinese earthquake.

This is my kind of story

2008-06-09T19:52:00.002-04:00

There was no chance I wouldn't link to this story. I love road trips, travel stories, ballparks and ballpark food. The New York Times looks at the best and worst of ballpark food in all 30 Major League Stadiums.

From personal experience, I think Citizens Bank Park in Philly is the best overall ballpark food experience I've tried. It truly captures Philly Phood Phare - Cheesesteaks, crab fries etc.

My favorite ballpark food item though is still the Smoked Turkey leg from either Texas or Baltimore.

I'm back

2008-05-20T19:42:00.002-04:00

I've always planned to resume blogging here again regularly. But with my work blog taking a fair amount of time, my motivation has been somewhat lessened. Anyway I hope today marks the start of more regular posting here again.

Jon Lester's no-hitter seemed like a good topic to return on.

Joe Posnanski blogs about it.

I thought Paul Kenyon captured the spirit of the night well.

Gordon Edes is always good at uncovering little details that add to a story. His account of Lester's night is no exception.

Lance Armstrong is among Lester's fan.

Non no-hitter reads

I enjoy Curtis Granderson's blog

Bill Simmons' new blog is a reposting of his old blog, from the Boston Sports Guy days. I was a big fan of his in those days. I don't think his fastball has the same zip, but he's clearly still talented when he stays within his comfort zone. But from reading the following, I'm starting to wonder if his ESPN marriage is going to end badly.

I thought it would be fun to post some of my old columns from the "Boston Sports Guy" site (where I wrote columns from May '97 to June '01), if only because none of them have a home on the internet right now. This particular one was written right as I was starting to find a groove and my column was starting to resemble what it's like now, only if nobody was killing five of the best jokes or making me re-write them so they weren't as funny.

Shamila Kohestani,

2008-02-11T19:54:00.000-05:00

The New York Times has an excellent article on Shamila Kohestani, a member of the Afghanistan national soccer team, who is in high school in New Jersey.

Shaughnessy

2007-10-28T21:15:00.000-04:00

When Dan Shaughnessy isn't trying to be nasty. He's very good.

Couple of Bonds links

2007-08-08T13:46:00.000-04:00

National heavyweights weigh in on Bonds breaking the record:

Dan Wetzel
Gene Wojciehowski
Mitch Albom
Scott Ostler
Mike Lupica
Brian Meehan

Armstrong What ifs?

2007-08-02T19:38:00.000-04:00

ESPN's Shaun Assael wonders whether Lance Armstrong cheated and if he did whether it is forgivable because of his charity work.

2007-07-23T10:32:00.000-04:00

Mike Vaccaro says the public shouldn't convict Michael Vick until a jury does.

I was thinking this morning that if I was Tim Donaghy, I might be afraid for my life. Turns out I'm not the only one.

My browser won't let me open this NY Daily News story on Hank Aaron's bodyguard looking back, so consider this more of an idea than a recommendation. The topic interests me.

Fascinating

2007-07-20T15:52:00.000-04:00

In Japan, they believe blood types play a huge role in personality. The Boston Herald discusses it with the Red Sox Japanese players.

Couple of good ones

2007-07-18T17:03:00.000-04:00

Sally Jenkins on Barry Bonds chasing Hank Aaron.
This Phil Sheridan column is a little old, but good.

Healing Belfast

2007-07-17T14:08:00.000-04:00

ESPN's Tom Friend has an excellent story on basketball as a peace tool in Belfast.

A great series by Jerry Brewer

2007-07-13T19:48:00.000-04:00

More and more I feel like Jerry Brewer is emerging as one of the best in the country. He's finding good stories and writing them well.

His current series on an 11-year-old with cancer is powerful. one part is here. Another is here. There's links to the whole series in there.

Thought not to forget

2007-07-11T13:36:00.000-04:00

Need a Minneapolis Miller's scene. Probably in spring training with Rogers Hornsby.

Shwoing Ted standing in outfield practicing his swing during the game.

Nice piece on Whiteside

2007-06-16T17:28:00.000-04:00

Dan Shaughnessy does a nice job eulogizing former Globe scribe Larry Whiteside, who died yesterday.

Vaccaro on potential hypocrisy

2007-05-29T19:30:00.000-04:00

Mike Vaccaro wonders if Mets fans can avoid the hypocrisy or booing Bonds and cheering for Guillermo Mota.

Diamond girls

2007-05-28T18:07:00.000-04:00

Scott Cacciola, a good friend and sportswriter for the Memphis Commercial Appeal has a story on the Ole Miss Diamond girls that you can be sure he loved writing.

Gary Shelton takes it seriously

2007-05-27T10:19:00.001-04:00

A lot of writers like to write about how domestic violence is bad. And there's value to that. But Gary Shelton really looked at the topic in connection to Elijah Dukes and wrote an excellent column.

USA Today on Jon Lester

2007-05-14T11:20:00.000-04:00

USA Today has a good article on Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester's continued comeback from cancer.

Interested in supporting the Lester Project, which raises money for the Jimmy Fund and cancer research? Click here. You can buy one of the above bracelets.

Good column by Jerry Brewer

2007-05-08T19:02:00.000-04:00

Jerry Brewer is concerned we've become too numb to athletes and domestic violence.

Vaccaro on Hughes

2007-05-02T10:15:00.000-04:00

The New York Post's Mike Vaccaro does a nice job capturing the excitement then disappointment of Phil Hughes' night.

Three years

2007-04-30T10:28:00.000-04:00

Three years ago today I started this blog. I wasn't sure what it was going to be then but I decided I was going to be a blogger. I'd figure out that that meant later.

Anyway the posting here has slowed as my Daily Hampshire Gazette blog has gained momentum. Still I like this one and plan on continuing it for the forseeable future. So here's today's three-year anniversary links.

Sports Illustrated.com looks at Bobby Valentine's celebrity in Japan

The beginning scene in this New Yorker story on Virginia Tech is moving and painful.

Mike Vaccaro says Derek Jeter should take some responsibility.

Bill Plaschke wonders what happened to the ball from Kirk Gibson's home run.

Wetzel on the Patriots.

A sad for journalism

2007-04-23T19:40:00.000-04:00

David Halberstam was killed in a car crash today.

Plaschke

2007-04-23T01:32:00.000-04:00

To nobody's surprise, Plaschke is brilliant.

An underdog and a virtuoso

2007-04-09T17:27:00.000-04:00

Ian O'Connor did an amazing job getting back story on Zach Johnson .

Meanwhile this isn't a sports story but its an interesting read. The Washington Post convicned Joshua Bell, a violin virtuoso to play in a D.C. Metro Station appearing to be a street musician.

Dice-Blogging

2007-04-06T10:18:00.000-04:00

In start No. 1, Daisuke Matsuzaka justified the hype.
Dan Shaughnessy, not the easiest of critics, came away impressed.
So was Mike Vaccaro, and David Ortiz.
Tony Massaroti said Matsuzaka starts will be events now, while Michael Silverman said Matsuzaka lived up to the hype.
ESPN looks a the spectacle, while the Boston Herald looks at the media.
Fans got up early in Japan.

Two great Robinsons and Ken Burger

2007-04-05T20:10:00.000-04:00

If you don't have ESPN Insider, it's worth it just for Buster Olney's baseball blog. I mention this because several of my links are taken from it.

The NY Times has a good story Cincinnati Reds player, who is back after having a kidney transplant.

I like Ken Griffey Jr.'s idea of wearing 42 on April 15th in honor of the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson integrating baseball. The entire Dodger team will do the same thing. Several players on other teams are also panning on doing it including LaTroy Hawkins.
Hawkins, a student of Negro League history, didn't hesitate when asked if he wanted to participate.
"I don't feel worthy, actually," Hawkins said. "We owe him so much. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be playing this game."

Richard Justice writes about Eddie Robinson.

I don't know Charleston Post and Courier columnist Ken Burger personally, but we've emailed a few times. He's a good man and was a friend of Casey's. Joe Posnanski wrote a nice piece on him today as he battles prostate cancer. He's writing about his battle with cancer. This is the first column on it. Other columns (out of order) are here, here, here.

In another column Burger recommends Posnanski's book on Buck O'Neil.

A legend on a legend

2007-04-05T09:54:00.000-04:00

Jerry Izenberg looks at Eddie Robinson

The Japan perspective

2007-04-05T09:32:00.000-04:00

The Boston Globe ran a column from a Japanese columnist on Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Opening Day

2007-04-02T12:24:00.000-04:00

Howie Kendrick credits his grandmother for a great deal of his success.
The Detroit News has a good Jeremy Bonderman story.
Scott Kazimir thinks this year feels different in Tampa.
Felix Hernandez has the weight of a franchise on his shoulders at age 20.
The Washington Post looks at the evolving Eric Bedard.
The DMN has Ian Kinsler ready to break out.
Even the Royals are optimistic.

There's a fun Don Cherry story in the New York Times.

Alan Greenberg

2007-03-09T16:11:00.000-05:00

I didn't know Alan Greenberg, but a lot of my friends in this business knew him and held him in high regard.

I realize I should have posted sooner, but I've been traveling. Anyway here's a fine Jeff Jacoby piece on Greenberg.

Matsuzaka

2007-02-27T17:19:00.000-05:00

ESPN's Wright Thompson does a nice job looking at the cultural transition for the Red Sox and Daisuke Matsuzaka.

An encouraing story

2007-02-21T14:14:00.000-05:00

This is a good high school story that spans the nation.

If you liked Jason McElwain...

2007-02-21T00:37:00.000-05:00

You'll like Matty Kauffman.

A better, but sad, Duke lacrosse story

2007-02-14T16:32:00.000-05:00

The Indy Star and Philly Enquirer have good stories on former Duke lacrosse player Jimmy Regan.

The Man in the Middle

2007-02-12T11:13:00.000-05:00

Michael Wilbon on Jon Ameche.

I imagine this will stir up some controversy.

An amazing story on an unthinkable injustice

2007-01-25T14:00:00.000-05:00

Wright Thompson tells the sad story of Genarlow Wilson. Read it and if you're so moved sign the petition here.

Jordan returning?

2007-01-19T19:53:00.000-05:00

I love the Onion, but it won't appear here very often, but this Michael Jordan story is hilarious.

Football

2007-01-15T10:35:00.000-05:00

The New Orleans Times-Picayune looks at the Saints providing hope.

The Orange County Register's Mark Whicker criticizes the Chargers for criticizing the Patriots.

Plaschke shreds Marty Schottenheimer.

Steve Buckley on Tom Brady

Michael Felger has Rosevelt Colvin taunting the Chargers a bit.

Chris on Chris

2007-01-10T12:26:00.000-05:00

Chris Jones has a good Esquire piece on Chris Snow the former Glober wunderkind sports writer, who is now an executive with the Minnesota Wild.

Cooperstown

2007-01-10T09:07:00.000-05:00

Steve Buckley wonders if McGwire would have made Cooperstown if he never spoke before Congress. I wondered the same thing aloud a lot yesterday.

Michael Morrissey talks to Gwynn and Ripken about McGwire.

Bill Plaschke said he would have voted no for McGwire, but it wouldn't have been easy. (The LA Times doesn't let it's writers vote).

Shaughnessy says a message was sent.

Gerry Callahan looks at the hypocrisy of demonizing McGwire while Shawne Merriman faces little outrage.

Thomas Boswell actually writes about someone who did get in.

Urban's legends

2007-01-09T09:27:00.000-05:00

Naturally the Gainesville Sun has complete coverage.

Wetzel wants Florida vs. Boise.

Bob Ryan sheepishly says he thought Florida didn't belong before the game.

Bill Plaschke says this is an embarassment for the Big Ten.

Murray Chass is unhealthily obsessed with the Red Sox.

Hockey's best pugilists

2007-01-08T12:42:00.000-05:00

The Toronto Sun has a fun story on hockey's best fighters. Sadly there's no mention of Terry O'Reilly but I did like the Stan Jonathan inclusion.

"STAN JONATHAN
Boston's feisty little ball of hate was a superb puncher who routinely beat up guys who outweighed him by 30 pounds. Very quick with both fists, and great on the inside. "

LT's story

2007-01-08T12:26:00.000-05:00

The New York Times did a lot of leg work to write an interesting piece on LaDainian Tomlinson's roots.

A Soldier's Story

2007-01-04T17:24:00.000-05:00

Major Bill Edmonds writes as good a piece explaining American-Iraqui interactions as I've read.

Wetzel on Saban

2007-01-04T17:14:00.000-05:00

Dan Wetzel shreds Nick Saban.

Boise aftermath

2007-01-03T15:55:00.000-05:00

Salt Lake's Gordon Monson said Boise is picking up where Utah left off.

You can read the Idaho Statesman's coverage of the event here.

Paola Bovin on Boise State's place among the Cinderella's

John Canzano thinks the BCS works. I think he's wrong.

Bob Kravitz isn't celebrating Bob Knight's new place in history.

Rick Morrissey looks at the symbolism of the Superdome.

Jere Longman looks at the conflicting images of Jim Tressel.

Bob Knight, Duquesne

2006-12-29T14:50:00.000-05:00

John Feinstein has a good look at the two sides of Bob Knight.
Dan Shaughnessy looks at Duquesne players putting basketball in perspective as the upset Boston College.

Morrissey on cancer

2006-12-27T10:31:00.000-05:00

I'm not totally sure what to make of this Rick Morrissey column on his fight with cancer. Regardless I'm glad he's doing well.

Ortiz, Cooperstown and Iverson

2006-12-27T10:13:00.000-05:00

Not that you needed any reason to think David Ortiz is a good man, but here's another, in a good piece by Stan Grossfeld.

Dan Shaughnessy's Hall of Fame ballot.

The KC Star, America's most underrated newspaper, has a nice piece on Sammie Parker.

You don't often think of athletic fundraising at a service academy, but the football success at Navy has made it pretty easy to do.

Tom Knott thinks the Sixers might have gotten the better of the Iverson trade.

Not just fun and games

2006-12-24T11:11:00.000-05:00

Juliet Macur has a moving piece about athletes at West Point in war time.

I've had a busy travel stretch I'm hoping this marks the beginning of regular posting again.

Nice piece on Jon Lester

2006-12-04T18:50:00.000-05:00

The Lawrence Eagle Tribune's Rob Bradford has a ncie piece on Jon Lester as he battles cancer this off-season.

Izenberg VIII

2006-11-07T11:26:00.000-05:00

Before I started this blog, I used to print stories out all the time. I'd stuff them in an overstuffed folder on my overstuffed desk. On the 3-4 times a year I'd actually tidy up, I'd pull out that folder and flip through it marveling at the good writing. It was kind of my own "Good Reads" folder. Now I post those stories here, but from time to time I still find some worth printing. Sunday's Jerry Izenberg column, the last of his eight-part series looking back on his career just went to the printer now. He looks back on what its meant to be a sportswriter and why the job is important. It makes me want to do my job better.

Izenberg VI

2006-10-30T19:15:00.000-05:00

Jerry Izenberg looks back on chronicling dreams.

Wetzel on Auerbach

2006-10-30T16:11:00.000-05:00

Dan Wetzel looks at Red Auerbach as a pioneer in sports and civil rights.

2006-10-26T10:37:00.000-04:00

There are a few topics that if you write a good column about, it's almost guaranteed to get linked here: Satchel Paige, the Army-Navy football game, opening day and why the NCAA Tournament is special. If I read them, good chance I'll link them. Sean Casey is pretty close to making that list.

Bob Ryan has a good one today about "The Mayor."

It includes this great line:

"If Sean Casey gets a hit," muses Leyland, "his steal sign is if I jump up in the air and never come down, he goes."

Again not sports

2006-10-25T00:06:00.000-04:00

This story and this video from 60 Minutes about a modern day Anne Frank and the genocide in Darfur in Sudan is incredibly well done.

Not about sports but...

2006-10-23T08:05:00.000-04:00

Chris Rose of the New Orleans Times-Picayune wrote a powerful column about his own battle with depression after Katrina.

The latest installment of Jerry Izenberg's farewell

2006-10-16T20:51:00.000-04:00

Izenberg looks at Ali. It's really good.

Cory Lidle

2006-10-12T14:39:00.000-04:00

I've spent a good deal of time looking for a good Lidle story that's different for all of them. Alan Shwartz of Baseball America did excellent one.

I don't know if this is ridiculous or just amusing

2006-10-11T11:47:00.000-04:00

The White Sox, as part of a sponsorship agreement with the famous convenience store are starting their games at 7:11.

Remembering a great man

2006-10-07T23:50:00.000-04:00

"I don’t want people to be sad when I die. I’ve lived a full life. Be sad for the kids who die.”

He was just sitting there. When we walked into the Negro League Baseball Museum on an October Friday afternoon, Buck O'Neil was sitting in a little booth smiling. My friend, who was traveling with me turned to me. Is that Buck O'Neil.
It was. We walked over to talk and he seemed glad we did. He told a few stories and answered a few of our questions and lived up to his reputation as a class act, a gentleman and fun guy to talk to. I treasure the memory.

Buck O'Neil died Friday. Baseball will miss him a lot.

Below are some reflections on the man. I hope to add more on Sunday. Below that is his speech about the Negro Leagues that he gave at Cooperstown.

ESPN's Wright Thompson weighs in.

I'm sure the Kansas City Star's Joe Posnanski, who is writing a book about O'Neil, has known he'd be writing this column about O'Neil for years. He nailed it.

The KC Star has a great special section on O'Neil.

This is outstanding. I've been a lot of places, I've done a lot of things that I really liked doing. I hit the home run, I hit the grand slam home run, I hit for the cycle, I've hit a hole in one in golf. I've done a lot of things I like doing. Oh, man. I took along with the other president and I got to hug his wife Hillary, so I've done a lot of things I like doing, but I'd rather be right here right now representing these people that helped build a bridge across the chasm of prejudice, not just the ones like Charley Pride and me that lead across it. Yeah.

This is quite an honor for me. See, I played in the Negro leagues. Tell you what, the Negro leagues was nothing like Hollywood is trying to make it. The Negro leagues was the third- largest black business in this country. Yeah. First black insurance, white insurance. It was a ten cent policy, just enough to bury us, but the black insurances insured our crops, our homes. Yeah. Stock, they made millions.

Next, Madam C.J. Walker, cosmetology. You see that pretty hair over there, don't you see it? Mrs. Robinson. Tell you what, yeah, that's right. Madam C.J. Walker was doing that a hundred years ago and she made millions. To tell you the truth, Madam C.J. Walker was the first black woman millionaire in this country and to tell you, Madam C.J. Walker might have been the first woman millionaire in the country that earned it. They had other women millionaires but they inherited the money. Madam C.J. Walker earned it.

Next, Negro league baseball. All you needed was a bus, and we rode in some of the best buses money could buy. Yeah. And a couple of sets of uniforms. You could have 20 of the best athletes that ever lived, and that's who we are representing here today. It was outstanding.

And playing in the Negro leagues was a lot, which a lot of you don't know, see, when I first came to the Negro leagues, five percent of major league ball players were college men because the major leaguers wanted them right out of high school, put them in the minor league, bring them on in. But Negro leagues, 40 percent of Negro leagues, leaguers, were college men. The reason that was, we always spring trained in a black college town and that's who we played in spring training, the black colleges, so when school was out, they came and played baseball. When baseball season was over, they'd go back to teaching, the coaching or to classes. That was Negro league baseball. And I'm proud to have been a Negro league ball player. Yeah, yeah.

And I tell you what, they always said to me Buck, I know you hate people for what they did to you or what they did to your folks. I said no, man, I never learned to hate. I hate cancer. Cancer killed my mother. My wife died 10 years ago of cancer – I'm single, ladies. I hate AIDS. A good friend of mine died of AIDS three months ago. I hate AIDS. But I can't hate a human being because my God never made anything ugly. Now, you can be ugly if you want to, boy, but God didn't make you that way.

So I want you to light this valley up this afternoon. Martin [Luther King] said "Agape" is understanding, creative – a redemptive good will toward all men. Agape is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. And when you reach love on this level, you love all men, not because you like them, not because their ways appeal to you, but you love them because God loved them, and I love Jehovah my God with all my heart, with all my soul and I love every one of you as I love myself.

Now, I want you to do something for me. I'm going to get off this stage, I think I've done my six minutes. But I want you to do something for me. I want you to hold hands, whoever's next to you, hold a hand, come on, you Hall of Famers, all you people out there, hold hands.

Everybody hooked up? Everybody hooked up? Well then I tell you what, see, I know my brothers up here, my brothers over there, I see some black brothers of mine and sisters out there. I know they can sing. Can you white folks sing? I want you to sing after me:

(Singing began) The greatest thing, come on everybody, the greatest thing, in all of my life, is loving you. The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you. The greatest thing in all of my life is loving you. The greatest thing in all my life is loving you. (Singing ended)

Thank you folks, thank you folks, thank you folks, thank you folks, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Now, sit down. I could talk to you 10 minutes longer but I got to go to the bathroom.

A great Posnanski piece

2006-10-02T11:47:00.000-04:00

There are days when I devote time to updating this site and look for stories to add. Then there are times when I'm too busy to do that, but I find a story that needs to be here and I find time.
Joe Posnanski's column today is one of those.

Another bomb

2006-10-01T01:19:00.000-04:00

It's going to go this way for a while. Every few months or so, there's going to be a new name implicated as a steroids and/or HGH user. Most people will believe it. Dan LeBetard will defend the athlete etc. etc. etc. We'll likely never know in most cases if its true.

The names this time are big. The Los Angeles Times reports than Jason Grimsley implicated Roger Clemens and Miguel Tejada.

Pete Rose a hero?

2006-09-29T11:52:00.000-04:00

Cincy's Paul Daugherty criticizes voters for choosing Pete Rose as Cincy's hometown here.

Terrell Owens

2006-09-28T19:41:00.000-04:00

As you can imagine about 50 percent of America's columnist opined on Owens.

Bob Ford says nothing about Owens is ever ordinary. Dan Wetzel and Pat Forde agree.
Dan LeBetard is predictable and blames the media. Gregg Doyel goes the other way.

Mike Wilbon doesn't like Owens, but he believes him.
Jason Whitlock says the truth became a sideshow.

The Irving, Texas police are angry that Owens' spin control is putting them in a bad light, including this quote:
"The officers reacted because they were called to this location to do this job. Now they're being put under a microscope by some fancy little football person," Senior Cpl. Glenn White said. "Give me a break. Those officers are 10 times better than this man. ... We police officers don't go out to these calls and make stuff up."

Nobody came out of this whole thing looking worse than his publicist, who seemed ill-equiped to handle media, which is... well.. her job isn't it?
This quote from her proves her total ignorance on depression.
"Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive."

Jerry Izenberg

2006-09-25T23:52:00.000-04:00

One of the coolest things about doing this blog was finding sportswriters I didn't know about. I've read a lot more good writing because of it. I hope some of it has made my own writing better.

Anyway one of the guys I found was Jerry Izenberg of the Newark Star Ledger. I wish I had found him sooner. He's heading to retirement and is looking back.

Here's part I and part II.

It's really good.

Peter's back

2006-09-19T21:15:00.000-04:00

Peter Gammons is back in the saddle.

Quiet ESPN good.

2006-09-19T01:21:00.000-04:00

Gene Wojciechowski isn't loud. He's isn't on the sports reporters. He isn't on First and 10, Around the Horn or any other ESPN show where columnists become celebrities. He just writes good columns. Gene, Pat Forde, Wright Thompson. All not very publicized. All good.

I like this one a lot on the NCAA's fair dealings with a Clemson freshman football player.
This Forde column on receivers vs. running backs is good too.

9-11

2006-09-10T23:38:00.000-04:00

Three New York Area papers look at the five-year anniversary and the sports connections.

Kevin Kernan connects with the firefighters of House 10.

Lisa Olson gets the memories of NY athletes.

The Star-Ledger's Steve Politi tells a story most people haven't heard.

Los Angeles and lying Tigers

2006-09-07T09:47:00.000-04:00

The underrated Les Carpenter has a strong story on the NFL's obsession with returning to L.A.

Michael Rosenberg doesn't believe the Tigers really booted Dmitri Young for performance reason. I don't believe them either.

Walk off

2006-09-05T09:52:00.000-04:00

I liked this Nick Cafardo column on Carlos Pena

Andre's farewell

2006-09-04T10:53:00.000-04:00

Filip Bondy, Jay Greenberg, Bud Collins, Liz Clarke and Christopher Clarey all weigh in on Agassi's farewell.

Shaughnessy

2006-09-02T08:43:00.000-04:00

You don't see this side of Dan Shaughnessy often. He puts on his parent hat and writes a good column about Jon Lester being diagnosed with cancer.

I'm four months late

2006-08-14T00:04:00.000-04:00

Just found this story about Colorado freshman football player Marquez Herrod that ran in May.

More recently, but staying in Colorado, Jack Elway, John's kid, is playing QB in Colorado.

Good Plaschke column

2006-08-13T14:23:00.000-04:00

Plaschke has a nice story on Andrew Baumgartner.

In spite of myself...

2006-08-09T16:03:00.000-04:00

I want to hate this T.J. Simers column because I hate the concept of taking shots at other papers, but it made me laugh particularly given the source.

Steve Dillbeck has a good sense of humor about the whole thing too.

All columnists Tuesday

2006-08-08T11:50:00.000-04:00

Love 'em or hate 'em Dan Wetzel says college football is a better game when Notre Dame is good.

Kevin Sherrington says Texas is ready to move past Vince Young.

Bryan Burwell looks at Floyd Landis, who went from interesting to inspiring to disgraceful to laughable.

Bill Plaschke says USC is teetering on the verge of seeing its image plummet down with the other renegade winners.

Ian O'Connor looks at Tiger stalking Jack.

Tony Kornheiser is ready to go, sort of...

Missing Peter

2006-07-28T18:41:00.000-04:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but the trading deadline seems incomplete without Peter Gammons' analysis. Here's hoping he's back soon.

Tiger's jug

2006-07-24T19:18:00.000-04:00

Bob Ryan looks at Tiger's plan.

Leonard Shapiro has Tiger missing his dad.

Rich Hoffman has Tiger chasing history.

Floyd finale

2006-07-24T19:10:00.000-04:00

The Boston Globe, the New York Times and ESPN look at Floyd's Landis' Tour win.

NIce storytelling

2006-07-24T00:36:00.000-04:00

A sportswriter said he'd read a grocery list if Joe Posnanski wrote it. I don't know about that, but I liked his Sunday column on Dee Brown, a former can't miss kid trying to hold on.

Floyd's epic day

2006-07-21T10:53:00.000-04:00

ESPN, The Boston Globe and the New York Times look at Landis surge back into Tour de France contention.

More love for Jason

2006-07-21T10:08:00.000-04:00

Remember Jason McElwain, the autistic high school student from Rochester who scored 20 points in the last four minutes of a game a few months ago?

Well, he is receiving the sporting world's highest honor.

His own bobblehead

Buck, Barry, Floyd and the Snow brothers

2006-07-19T00:03:00.000-04:00

Buck O’Neil played in an independent league All Star game last night.

Floyd Landis is back in yellow.

Jon Saraceno expects that we're seeing the last of Bonds as the season draws to a close.

Recent kidnappings of Iraqi athletes hit home for Alan Abrahamson

Apparently having the last name Snow trumps experience when it comes to getting a front office job in the NHL. If you missed it because it's hockey, Garth Snow began Tuesday as the Islanders backup goalie. He ended it as their general manager.

This comes a few weeks after Boston Globe Red Sox beat writer Chris Snow took a job in the Wild's front office. The Newsday story included this great factoid:

"Ironically, despite his retirement, Snow's $750,000 annual salary will count against the club's cap in each of the next two seasons."

Another great Plaschke story

2006-07-16T18:00:00.000-04:00

I keep thinking I'm done blogging for the day and I keep finding stuff that I can't not include.

Plaschke looks at the great story of junior golfer MacKinzie Kline.

More Landis

2006-07-16T17:44:00.000-04:00

The Landis profiles are starting to come out as another American in contention has kept Tour de France interest from falling off all together.

The Baltimore Sun looks at Landis' Mennonite roots. His hometown Lancaster Intelligencier has a profile from last Monday then and another story talking to his former high school classmates.

UberFreelancer Bonnie de Simone looks at Landis.

Great Posnanski story

2006-07-16T17:21:00.000-04:00

Joe Posnanski writes about a deaf race car driver that's going to be on a NASCAR reality show. Even if you don't click here and vote for Greg Gunderson

Tour de Floyd?

2006-07-13T16:51:00.000-04:00

The Tour de France has another American in the lead with an interesting story of his own.

Two profiles

2006-07-11T16:11:00.000-04:00

The Globe used All-Star Monday for two strong stories on David Ortiz and Jonathan Papelbon.

Campioni!

2006-07-09T23:20:00.000-04:00

If I were more ambitious I'd figure out how to say "Thrill of victory" in Italian and "Agony of defeat" in French. But not today.

LA Times on Italy's win. NY Times.

Celebration in Boston.

Zidane's head butt is unexplainable.
Filip Bondy said Zidane's legacy has been destroyed.

Italy wins

2006-07-09T18:56:00.000-04:00

Here Italy playing a 1-5-1 celebration formation. Links and more photos Monday.

Zidane and SI's temporary commissioners.

2006-07-09T12:38:00.000-04:00

NY Times on Zidane's final game.

The Pioneer Press looks at the declining number of African-American players im Major League Baseball.

Sports Illustrated asked its experts to play Commissioner for a day in their respective sports. Some good ideas emerged.
Baseball
NBA
NHL
NFL (this one has the fewest good ideas)
College football
College hoops (pretty good except No. 8 and No. 10)

Mayo, ZIdane and more Chicago media foolishness

2006-07-06T11:01:00.000-04:00

Chicago sportswriters can't stop writing about sportswriters. I'm not familiar with the Chicago Sun Times' Joe Cowley, but he sure comes off like an Ozzie Guillen apologist ripping Kansas City's Joe Posnanski, who said Guillen was foolish for taking Mark Redman as his token Royal.

In it Cowley writes:
"But making it open season on White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to try to make a name for yourself is getting a little tired -- kind of like all the girls walking around with Chihuahuas in their arms and saying, "That's hot.'' "

Posnanski doesn't need to make a name for himself. He's far more respected and well known than Cowley. That crack from a guy making a weak Paris Hilton reference?

Of course the only target the Chicago media prefers to Guillen is each other. So Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune fires a shot back at Cowley.

The LA Daily News' Kevin Modesti is worried about the OJ Mayo era at USC.

David Steele protects your rite to make ill-informed decisions.

John Lopez on Zidane

There is much more historical significance in a South African prison soccer story than you’d think.

Is Major League Lacrosse rising?

Captain says farewell

2006-07-04T08:51:00.000-04:00

"I've had a wonderful career," Steve Yzerman said, pausing -- and then apologizing -- as his voice trembled with emotion. "And I really will miss it."

I must be getting old as my favorite athletes are almost all retired now. Agassi is going and now Steve Yzerman is officially gone. I'm not sure I've ever rooted for an athlete that didn't play for Boston more than Yzerman. Few poeple have ever played the game the right way while being a class act off the ice more than Stevie Y. Few players ever wear the 'C' as well as he did.

Mitch Albom, Michael Rosenberg, Joanne Gerstner and John Niyo look back at the captain.

Agassi adieu

2006-07-03T01:24:00.000-04:00

One of the sports most beloved and most successful players says goodbye to Wimbledon.