March 3 - March 9, 2014
The NHL’s Top-Secret Trade Request Application
Sources say this form is all a player needs to get out of town
Wedded Blitz! Fear Your Inner Bridezilla
As our intrepid reporter dives into another month of the ‘New York Times’ ‘Vows’ section, she ponders her own metamorphosis
The Duracell GM Generation?
Today’s baseball general managers seem to be enjoying unprecedented job security. But is it a real trend, or a fluke? And if it is real, what’s causing it?
In Giannis We Trust
He’s 19 years old and famously “still growing,” but Milwaukee Bucks rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo is already seen as a savior — in different ways — by the Bucks, by his Greek countrymen, and by the Internet
Titus’s Top 12 NCAA Power Rankings
If North Carolina shows up to the Big Dance with a chip on its shoulder, watch out
Roster Doctor: Fantasy Baseball Preview
Forget about cheat sheets and draft kits and customizable rankings. To assemble a successful team, you need to understand only one thing: value.
There and Back Again: The Philippines
It started with a three-word pitch. It ended with Larry Bird, cockfights, TV appearances, and the near-death-by-children of one of our humble correspondents.
Drive-By Truckers Carry On
Through lineup changes, internal strife, and the strain of aging, Southern rock’s torchbearers rage on
Alan Thicke, the Most Interesting Man in the Sports World
The man who played Dr. Jason Seaver on ‘Growing Pains’ is also the man who helped the Kings land Wayne Gretzky and who played 3-on-3 with Michael Jordan and Kenny Rogers
The Money Pit
Who wins, who loses, and who’s gonna get rich thanks to an unexpected bump to the NFL salary cap
The Marc Gasol All-Stars
With the midseason NBA stuff behind us, let’s break down the most watchable players in the league
The Canadian College Basketball Dynasty You’ve Never Heard Of
If a team wins nine out of 11 national championships in Canada, does it make any noise? Meet the Carleton University Ravens.
February 24 - March 2, 2014
Welcome to Indiana Basketball
Noah Vonleh, Hoosier ball, and the impossible innocence of college sports
Bridging the Analytics Gap
Even though we're just about a decade into the statistical awakening in sports, there are still nonbelievers who need help seeing the light
Titus’s Top 12 NCAA Power Rankings
Finally, Syracuse has dropped and we have a new no. 1 in Florida. And the Gators’ coach, Billy Donovan, deserves serious national coach of the year consideration.
Will WWE Force Its Fans to Hate-Watch ‘WrestleMania XXX’?
A look at WWE’s options heading into a potential Randy Orton–Batista main event at the year’s biggest wrestling event
The Breakout Brigade
Some of these players have already tasted MLB success. Others have barely gotten a cup of coffee. But they’re all poised to emerge as serious difference-makers in 2014.
It Might Blow Up, and It Will Go Pop
Rap is more susceptible to the influence of other genres — country, dance, pop, rock — than ever before. Is that a bad thing?
Meet the Dela-weird 87ers
From the other Antetokounmpo brother to a 5-foot-6 Baltimore legend nicknamed the “Crime Stopper,” the Philadelphia 76ers’ D-League franchise has fielded one of the most eclectic teams in pro basketball this season. But when will they start winning?
The Year of Living Less Dangerously
Major League Baseball is rarely ahead of the curve, but with a growing spotlight on catcher concussions, the league is working hard to enhance safety. Restricting home plate collisions is merely the latest step.
The Post-Deadline NBA
Here are five unanswered questions in the wake of the ho-hum trading season. Plus, 10 things to like or not like.
Schoolboy Q’s Hunger Pains
The rising L.A. MC wants the same success as his running mate, Kendrick Lamar. But is he willing to play the rap game to get it?
The Amazing Pace
The D-League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers play faster and shoot more 3-pointers than just about any team in professional basketball history. Can their turbocharged style work in the NBA?
From Sochi to Lillehammer, and Back Again
How so much and so little changes about the way we experience the Olympic Games
February 17 - February 23, 2014
The Polaroid Prince
Understanding Hubertus von Hohenlohe: Mexican skier, Olympic bon vivant, and the most interesting Most Interesting Man in the World
The Trade Deadline Diary
Zach Lowe and Bill Simmons swap emails as the buyers and sellers in the NBA make their moves
Wrestle Like It’s 1985
‘Elimination Chamber’ is shaping up to be one of the best pay-per-views in ages, and WWE created it by going old-school
Miracle Off Ice
The U.S. faces Canada in the Sochi men’s hockey semifinals Friday. How did it grow into a hockey power?
Welcome to the NFL’s SATs
The stopwatches, team doctors, and GMs are descending on Indianapolis in an attempt to make sense out of the scouting combine
Titus’s Top 12 NCAA Power Rankings
A columnist admits he loves this season’s Duke Blue Devils (and a little part of him dies)
Life After Dunk City
Brett Comer, Chase Fieler, and the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles were the biggest story in sports for one week last March. Now, they’re just another mid-major program, trying to earn a bid to this year’s NCAA tournament.
Introducing the 2014 Oscars Preview!
Chris Connelly and Wesley Morris break down all the Academy Awards’ major races. First up: Best Supporting Actor.