The day that sports changed forever

When I first saw that Nick Taylor (no, not the one from Duran Duran) had sunk a 72-foot-putt on the fourth sudden-death hole to capture the Canadian Open, I didn’t think of how miraculous a sports feat this was.  I Continue reading The day that sports changed forever

NBA First Round Playoff Ponderings: Kicks, Cup Checks, Barbs, Charges, Nurses, Nuggets and Old Man Strength

The Toronto Raptors have fired Nick Nurse, which immediately ranks as one of the most inexplicable coach-cannings in recent memory.  Four years ago, under Nurse, the Raptors won an NBA championship, becoming the first (and remaining the only) Canadian team Continue reading NBA First Round Playoff Ponderings: Kicks, Cup Checks, Barbs, Charges, Nurses, Nuggets and Old Man Strength

Book Review: Got Your Number by Mike Greenberg

Mike Greenberg has co-written another book.  Most of us know Greenberg as long time SportsCenter anchor and avid (and as you’ll soon find out, opinionated) sports fan.  He has recently branched out and written his fifth book, this one called Continue reading Book Review: Got Your Number by Mike Greenberg

Book Review: The Stats Game by Aidan & Maxwell Resnick

The Stats Game, written by Aidan & Maxwell Resnick, begins as if written by two angry old men, which is ironic considering the authors are far from it.  In fact, the whiz kids are still teenagers.  It doesn’t take long, Continue reading Book Review: The Stats Game by Aidan & Maxwell Resnick

I miss…

I miss hearing about the drama between Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid and seeing how the Philadelphia 76ers would have either overachieved or underachieved in this year’s NBA Playoffs. I miss seeing what could have been between LeBron James and Continue reading I miss…

Brushes with Sports Greatness, Vol. 9: Arthur Ashe biographer Dr. Raymond Arsenault

Professional biographers are an odd lot. When I write a post about someone other than me (which is rare), I obsess about it for a few days, churn out some concoction that consists of anywhere between 600-1000 words and then Continue reading Brushes with Sports Greatness, Vol. 9: Arthur Ashe biographer Dr. Raymond Arsenault

A bothersome tennis fan in king football’s court: A tale of misplaced priorities and tested patience

Let’s speak hypothetically for a moment. Let’s pretend this event that’s about to unfold didn’t actually happen.  I mean, because it didn’t.  It couldn’t possibly have. Let’s pretend for one second that on college football’s opening Saturday that a theoretical Continue reading A bothersome tennis fan in king football’s court: A tale of misplaced priorities and tested patience

Psychology and tennis: Old man Federer does it again

You lean over slightly, toe close to the baseline.  You bounce the ball down onto the court; it bounces back up into your hand.  You look up, across the net, staring your opponent in the eye.  He stares right back. Continue reading Psychology and tennis: Old man Federer does it again

Book Review: This Is Your Brain On Sports by L. Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers

This Is Your Brain On Sports is like no other sports book you’ve ever read. Generally speaking, most sports books are biographies about legends or drawn-out depictions of a specific game, season or event.  Brain On Sports is none of Continue reading Book Review: This Is Your Brain On Sports by L. Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers

NBA sells out uniformly

Is nothing sacred? As sports fans, we like to sit in the stands or in front of our television sets and believe everything we’re watching is real, that the players we adore are giving it their all and the franchises Continue reading NBA sells out uniformly