Legendary Yankee shortstop Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto died Tuesday at 89. I’ve never been a huge baseball fan, and Rizzuto’s playing days ended well before I was born, but as an announcer and pitchman, he was an absolute fixture of my childhood. (Obligatory Celebrity Dead Pool: If famous people’s deaths come in threes, who completes the… Continue reading Fiero Francis Rizzuto, RIP
Category: Sports
Cult Update on ESPN
No, this isn’t about the theological component of NASCAR (though the popularity of auto racing is perhaps best explained by sophisticated brainwashing techniques)– it’s much more important: A story on ESPN.com about the Williams-Amherst rivalry: Although the unusual history of the two schools inspired the rivalry, the annual success of both programs certainly has turned… Continue reading Cult Update on ESPN
Not Your Mother’s Title IX Argument
Because it seems to be a good day for psoting about totally non-controversial political topics that I will undoubtedly not have time to follow up on, here’s an article from Inside Higher Ed that takes a dim view of current arguments about Title IX: Right now, the situation is getting us nowhere. Ultimately, all we… Continue reading Not Your Mother’s Title IX Argument
Why Basketball is Better Than Golf
While on vacation in Michigan, I played a round of golf, which I do a few times a year. I shot reasonably well, when you consider that it was my first round of the year, and it was pouring rain. I even birdied one hole, by chipping in from about thirty feet off the green,… Continue reading Why Basketball is Better Than Golf
The World of Wide Sports
Ethan Zuckerman offers a recap of the latest developments in sumo: The May basho at Ryogoku Kokugikan ended yesterday with a clash between two profoundly talented rikishi. One was Asashoryu, who has been the sole Yokozuna – grand champion – of the sport since Takanohana retired in 2003. The other was Hakuho, who held an… Continue reading The World of Wide Sports
Jackie Robinson: Most Important American?
Yesterday, on my way in to work, I was listening to ESPN radio and Mike Greenberg made a bold assertion (paraphrased slightly): Jackie Robinson is one of the ten most important Americans of the twentieth century. Not just sports figures, Americans. Contrary sort that I am, my first thought was “I don’t think I believe… Continue reading Jackie Robinson: Most Important American?
Cheerleading for Title IX
You might think that the most interesting thing in this morning’s New York Times was the photo essay about the Large Hadron Collider, but you’d be wrong. The most interesting article is this story about cheerleading. Why is that, you ask? Because it’s written about my home town: Thirty girls signed up for the cheerleading… Continue reading Cheerleading for Title IX
Baseball Writers Are Morons
I am not a baseball fan– I suck at the game, and it’s boring as hell on tv– but I can’t help noticing occasional bits of baseball news. such as, for example, yesterday’s announcement of the Hall of Fame voting, which prompts the post title. Eight writers did not vote for Cal Ripken to get… Continue reading Baseball Writers Are Morons
American Sports Round-Up
A busy sporting weekend for Chateau Steelypips: First, there were two NFL wild card games on Saturday, as a sort of appetizer for the real action on Sunday. The Colts borrowed a defense from somewhere, and despite Peyton Manning deciding to play like his little brother for the first half or so, Indianapolis moved on… Continue reading American Sports Round-Up
Weekend Sports Round-Up
There were several sporting events worth commenting on this weekend, none of which I saw in their entirety. Hence, the combo recap post. Maryland-BC The Terps got beat by Boston College in a game that I didn’t realize was on TV until Kate told me about it about midway through the second half. I’m still… Continue reading Weekend Sports Round-Up