Author Archives:
The rise of the hybrid athlete
At any given time, there are nine players on the baseball diamond, five on the basketball court and eleven on the football field. Each sport has designated positions for its players. In baseball, you have three outfielders, first through third base, a pitcher and a catcher. In basketball, you have your point and shooting guards, [...]
Is LeBron James too nice for his own good?
There’s an old Twilight Zone episode that goes a little something like this. A scientist constructs the perfect baseball player. He is so unhittable that not a single opponent can reach base against him. When other teams in the league find out that he’s actually a machine and not a man, they contest the rule [...]
Poker night at the synagogue: A study in unmenschlike activity
I played in a charity poker event last week, believe it or not, at the same temple where I had my Bar mitzvah so many years ago. Nothing like pocket tens and torahs to brighten up an evening. Before I took my seat, I wondered how the big man upstairs felt about a bunch of [...]
From First to Worst: Five NBA Hall of Famers who failed as GM
More often than not, the NBA superstar athlete is unable to translate the success he had on the floor onto either the sidelines or front office. There are exceptions to this rule, such as Pat Riley, Bill Russell, KC Jones or Rudy Tomjanovich, but for the most part, top-tier players have had difficulty leading their [...]
Dunk you very little, NBA
Watching the NBA’s Slam Dunk contest has always been a tradition for me. I haven’t missed a single one in over twenty years. The names of former champions, Erving, Jordan, Ceballos, Nance, Carter, Wilkins and Webb ring proudly like a who’s who of elevator men.
Leading a Tebow-less existence: The challenge that lay in front of Urban Meyer
I have a picture of my uncle of me when I was about 15 years old. I’m wearing a Gator shirt in the photograph. My uncle Rosco attended the University of Florida well before me and had given me the shirt as a gift. At that point, campus life in Gainesville was still years away. [...]
Tweeting for the Super Bowl
Since I couldn’t make it to either Miami or New Orleans for Super Bowl XLIV, I decided to hunker down in front of the laptop and Tweet the night away. I was curious to see a) who else was doing so and b) what they were writing about during the most watched television event in [...]
Random Chumpservations, Vol 8: Darrelle Revis, LeBron James and conflicted Green Bay Packer fans
Security Blanket How good is Darrelle Revis? I haven’t paid this much attention to an NFL cornerback since Deion Sanders was still in the league and I don’t think even Prime Time’s instincts were this good. Sanders was just a freakish athlete. Revis seems to have an uncanny knack, not only the ball, but for [...]
Random Chumpservations, Vol 7: Meryl Streep, Brett Favre, Prince and post office parking
Streep vs. Streep I’ve never been big on awards shows, particularly those of the Hollywood variety. I’ve just always felt they’re packed with stuffy, snobby, tuxedoed movie stars with whom I have absolutely nothing in common. Don’t get me wrong, I love movies. I just don’t need an awards ceremony to tell me what’s good [...]
The differences between me, you and Brett Favre: A top ten list
10 ) Us: Most of us look better in purple than we do in green and yellow. Brett: So does Brett, but when he changed colors, it upset an entire fan base. 9 ) Us: We all have moments of indecision. Brett: Favre’s are moments of national security. 8 ) Us: Most of us work [...]
