April 29, 2013
What Matt Barkley and the Eagles’ Offseason Say About Chip Kelly’s Plans
The Philadelphia Eagles’ selection of USC quarterback Matt Barkley in the fourth round of this year’s draft appears, by any logical measure, to be a great value pick. At one time, Barkley was talked about as a high first-round pick, and there’s no doubting his precise footwork or his accuracy on short and intermediate passes. […]
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B.S. Report: Wesley Morris on Jason Collins
Bill calls Wesley Morris to discuss Jason Collins coming out as a gay athlete in a major American sports league. To listen to this podcast, download it on iTunes here or listen at the ESPN.com Podcenter.
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Just a Little Patience: Jackie Bradley Jr., Aaron Hicks, and the Unreasonable Expectations Put on MLB Prospects
In June 2010, I suggested for the first time that the Phillies should draft South Carolina center fielder Jackie Bradley when he became eligible in 2011. He was rated as a top-15 talent going into the season, coming off a season in which he was named MVP of the College World Series, but after suffering […]
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Be Happy for Jason Collins
You hear the news and for five minutes you’re nothing but happy. Jason Collins came out Monday on the cover of Sports Illustrated; one of the big four American sports leagues has an openly gay active player for the first time. He wrote a brave, thoughtful essay for the magazine describing, among other things, what […]
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Option No. 1: The Burden on Kevin Durant After Russell Westbrook’s Injury
Rarely have so many non-involved NBA people watched a playoff game out of sheer curiosity as was the case Saturday night, when the NBA world tuned in to see how the Thunder would function without Russell Westbrook. Things went well in many basic senses. Oklahoma City won, Kevin Durant didn’t pass out from a Luol […]
Read moreThis One Is for Jason Collins
From the Sports Illustrated cover story in which the NBA veteran comes out: “After our birthday I dashed to Target and bought DJ Quik’s album Quik Is the Name. I memorized every line. It was around this time that I began noticing subtle differences between Jarron and me. Our twinness was no longer synchronized. I […]
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NBA Playoffs Shootaround: Confidence Men
So much amazing is happening, and the Shootaround crew is here to help you keep track of it all. You’ll find takes on moments you might’ve missed from the previous night, along with ones you will remember forever. Warrior (All GIFs by @HeyBelinda) Chris Ryan: Maybe it’s just the fraying of my emotional meniscus or […]
Read moreVideo: Who Would Get the Best Table at the Club?
Jalen Rose, Bill Simmons, and David Jacoby debate who would get the best table at a New York City nightclub: President Obama, Michael Jordan, Jay-Z, or LeBron.
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Wrapping Up the NFL Draft Weekend
Days 2 and 3 of the NFL draft are an exercise in waiting for the players you’ve heard of to be drafted. Much respect to you if you’ve broken down tape on the small-school prospects who are coming off the board in the fifth round, but I think the majority of fans are spending those […]
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We Went There: The Lakers’ ‘Nightmare’ Finally Ends
It shouldn’t have been surprising that when it came to the end, this Lakers season would refuse to go quietly. There was a chance for dignity — even down 20 points and staring at the most thorough of playoff drubbings. Los Angeles’s starting backcourt yesterday afternoon consisted of Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris. If all […]
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We Went There: Nuggets-Warriors, Game 4
Phillip Thomas just wanted everyone to put on their damn T-shirts. This was Friday, about 5:30 p.m. in Oakland, on the north end of a still mostly empty Oracle Arena. The Warriors and Nuggets were still tied, 1-1. Steph Curry had not yet shot his way to the moon and back. Andrew Bogut had yet […]
Read moreAbout Last Weekend: The Lake Show Gets Canceled
In case you were busy on eBay trying to unload your Tim Tebow Jets jersey, here’s what you missed in sports last weekend: The San Antonio Spurs dispatched the Los Angeles Lakers, 103-82, to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. Lakers center Dwight Howard, who was ejected from the game after getting two technical fouls, […]
Read moreApril 26, 2013
The MLB Weekend Top 10: Fact or Fiction Edition
You all know me as a teller of truths, and I won’t let you down now: This is a weird weekend, and it was hard to find 10 truly compelling story lines. Instead, for this weekend only, I’ve picked out the top five story lines and mixed them in with five story lines of pure […]
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Great Moments in Detroit’s Playoff Streak
[Eds. note: The Red Wings clinched a playoff spot after this post was published.] It’s one of the most impressive streaks in recent NHL history: The Detroit Red Wings have gone to the playoffs in 21 straight seasons. In the 30-team era, it’s a huge (some would even say impossible) feat that speaks to the […]
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The Trenchie Awards: Getting to Know the NFL Draft’s Huge Crop of Linemen
For defenders of the NFL draft as must-see TV, last night was tough. A total of five skill-position players in the first round, including just one quarterback, is a pretty tough sell to the casual fan. There was one group, though, who couldn’t have enjoyed last night any more than they did. Just trust me […]
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CourtVision: Paul Pierce and Father Time
A couple of weeks ago I was listening to Grantland’s own Jonah Keri talk about some Reds pitcher who had “lost velocity” on his fastball. As he spoke, I wondered what the NBA equivalent of this would be. Baseball has radar guns that reliably identify a downturn in pitching ability; we don’t have that instrument […]
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Thunder Struck: Russell Westbrook’s Injury and What It Means for Oklahoma City
The first thought is one of genuine sadness, just as it has been with Derrick Rose, Danilo Gallinari, David Lee, Andrew Bynum, Rajon Rondo, Danny Granger, Kobe Bryant, and every other important player on a playoff team who has suffered a season-ending injury over the last calendar year. This is a truly unprecedented run of […]
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Hug Mansion: The First Round of the 2013 NFL Draft in Commissioner Hugs
This is the most important evaluation of the draft you will read. Eric Fisher (All GIFs by @HeyBelinda) Chris: This doesn’t feel like a no. 1 draft-pick hug to me. I may be a little distracted with the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen camerawork, but this seems a little low-key. Maybe Goodell was just getting […]
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NHL Grab Bag: OK, Fine. We’ll Revisit the Albert Commercial
Welcome to a weekly blog post of thoughts and observations from the past few days and/or decades of NHL hockey. The Three Stars of Comedy Recognizing the three moments or personalities from around the league that produced the most comedic fodder for fans this week. The third star: Eric Tangradi blocks all the shots OK, […]
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Roster Doctor: Fantasy News You Can Use
One of the core fantasy baseball philosophies I’ve developed over the years is to act early. Part of that is a function of the IDGAC approach to drafting: If you walk away with four or five closers, that probably means you have weaknesses elsewhere, and you’ll want to pursue deals to address those holes. But […]
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NBA Short-Attention-Span Power Rankings: Back Inside the Grindhouse
A survey of the players and teams making moves in last night’s playoff games. 1. Zach Randolph Zach is back! Fourteen career playoff double-doubles! Lost his headband a couple of times! Clearly the beneficiary of a night spent in a hyperbaric chamber where you pump in 8ball & MJG mixtapes instead of oxygen! Steve Nash […]
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Jalen’s Fab Five: Advice to Everyone Who Just Got Drafted
From time to time, our friend Jalen Rose will drop by to give us five quick takes on whatever’s causing a ruckus in the world of sports. Welcome to Jalen Rose’s Fab Five. This week, Jalen has some advice for the newly drafted NFL rookies. 1. Have Friends, Not Dependents You’re gonna realize that your […]
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B.S. Report: Jalen Rose and David Jacoby (Plus Video!)
In part 1 of 2, Bill tells Jalen and Jacoby his conspiracy theory of a Jay-Z and Lebron James business merger. Then they talk NBA Playoffs, and Kobe’s future. In part 2 of 2, Bill, Jalen and Jacoby talk NBA Playoffs, Kenyon Martin’s comeback, and whether Jay-Z, Obama, or Michael Jordan would get the best […]
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About Last Night: It’s Getting Drafty
In case you were out changing the world with the first-ever mass-produced backyard eagle coop (patent pending), here’s what you missed in sports on Thursday: On a day when men in the trenches were in demand, the Kansas City Chiefs selected OT Eric Fisher out of Central Michigan with the first overall pick in the […]
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