The 2016 College Football Playoff title game between Clemson and Alabama was partly billed as a battle between the SEC and the ACC. The Tide’s win led many to conclude that the “top to bottom” quality of the Southeastern Conference was superior. The perception of the respective conferences played into most experts’ pregame pick of…
“[The Redskins name] receives the most public attention due to the name itself being defined as derogatory or insulting in modern dictionaries,” says Wikipedia. Controversy over Washington, D.C.’s NFL team name has been building in recent years. The term hearkens not only to a noble people, but to a past where early American settlers took scalps and skins of indigenous…
From skateboarder Jason Lee to football’s Fred Williamson, Hollywood’s history is packed with excellent athletes who turned respectable acting careers. Jim Brown, Alex Karras, Wilt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the nearly-forgotten Paul Robeson did it. O.J. belongs on the list. Best-of lists about those guys have been done already. Besides, none of them are on active…
A lot was made of Eli Manning’s response to ESPN Radio host Michael Kay’s question, Are you in the same class as Tom Brady? Eli hemmed a bit, then admitted that, yes, he considers himself on that level. It is true that Brady’s statistics, quality wins, and titles outweigh Manning’s. The numbers come first in…
Was Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer disappointed with the Hokies’ 2012 season? Probably even more than the most rabid VT football fanatic.   But is Beamer ever worried about his job security? Every fall, the Hokies have high expectations that don’t pan out. Usually, coaches are judged harshly for falling short in too many consecutive campaigns. The…
The NFL lockout is over. Well, at least in practical terms. Barring the return of Jesus Christ, World War III, or an alien assault, the 2011 season will proceed uninterrupted. Men everywhere, and a few women, are sighing in relief. The sports fanatic churches have not been padlocked. All of the backslapping has smeared over…
“If competitive sports build character, it is character fit for a criminal,” said G.B. Leonard in 1972, disputing the theory that athletics embody moral principles. Leonard might have had football in mind when he penned those words. Football is a game of intelligence. But it’s a game of brutality, too. How can a person wrestle…