August 31, 2012
A Few Last-Minute NFL Bets on the Way Out of Town
At the end of July, I put together my much-beloved (at least by me) recap of the bets I’d plunked down in Vegas for the 2012 NFL season. I updated that list with three more small bets in my next column, but with a full month left in Vegas before I moved back East, I […]
Read moreWe Will Miss You Most During Press Conferences, Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick announced last night that he will be hanging up his spurs whenever he completes his run at the U.S. Open. The 30-year-old, once America’s great tennis hope, leaves the game with a U.S. Open trophy (2003), four other Grand Slam final appearances (including a legendary clash with his fremesis, Roger Federer, at Wimbledon […]
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Roster Doctor: Battling the Coors Field Syndrome
You learn a lot of weird and wonderful things when you move to Colorado. This is a craft beer paradise, but also somehow the fittest state in the nation. It’s a place where a light weekend activity involves bagging another 14er. And it’s a place where you can head to 20th and Blake with buddies, […]
Read moreAbout Last Night: Gamecocks Got Game
In case you were out living a life of leisure, here’s what you missed in sports on Thursday. In the first night of the college football season, Marcus Lattimore ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns as no. 9 South Carolina held off Vanderbilt 17-13. I’ve never done this before, but Terrence the Grantland Robot, […]
Read moreAugust 30, 2012
The Huddle: Can I Interest You in a Flak Jacket?
Never Trust a Body Armor Salesman Who Talks Like Gandalf As a Philadelphia Eagles fan, can I just briefly take a break from recording my solo album, The Anthology of American Foles Music, to say that very few things matter to me more than the safety, comfort, and protection of Michael Vick’s general ribsectional-chestal area […]
Read moreThe Trenches NFL Podcast: Robert Mays and Ephraim Salaam
In the debut of our The Trenches podcast, Grantland’s Robert Mays and 13-year NFL veteran Ephraim Salaam discuss the song and dance of the NFL’s preseason, the Dez Bryant rules, the consequences of training camp holdouts, and Vontae Davis’s move from Miami to Indianapolis (Hint: It’s a bit of a downgrade). Listen to this podcast […]
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Your Semi-Ignorant Guide to College Football: Week 1!
You think you’re more excited than me about the start of college football? You think?! Then tell me this, hotshot: Did you bring a football to church to get blessed by a priest? In that case, you are definitely more excited than me. I wouldn’t do that. Seriously, though, how great is this time of […]
Read moreB.S. Report: Cousin Sal, Part 2
In Part 2 of 2 of the annual football over/under pod with Cousin Sal, Bill and Sal give their take on win totals for the AFC. You can listen to these podcasts on iTunes or the ESPN.com PodCenter.
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From Goalball to Murderball: The Five Must-See Paralympic Events
The Paralympics have begun, and that means that there will be several hundred hours of sports being streamed live on the official Paralympic website. The likelihood is that most of these events will be unfamiliar to you, and there’s no way that you can watch them all, so to help you prioritize your viewing we’ve […]
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The End of Lance Armstrong and the Glorious Future of Cycling
Lance Armstrong was my gateway into the world of professional cycling. After watching a few World Cups and developing a love of international sports that take place in “non-prime-time,” “non-American” hours, cycling emerged as the most worthwhile. Plus, the good ol’ American boy in me always found it fulfilling to watch Lance Armstrong and his […]
Read moreThe Reds’ Embarrassment of Riches Problem
Todd Frazier has reached base in 22 straight games. He’s hitting .294/.354/.554, making him a top-25 hitter in his rookie season. In the past 30 days, only Buster Posey, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and teammate Ryan Ludwick have put up bigger numbers. In that same 30-day stretch, the Reds have gone 19-11, blazing to the […]
Read moreAn American in Auckland: Learning to Love the Haka With the All Blacks and Wallabies
You may remember Scott Stone as the man who went further and deeper into the hypothetical idea of Olympic tug-of-war than any man has ever ventured to go. Well, Scott’s back with a dispatch from down under, where he fell in love with the sport of rugby and the pre-game ritual of the haka. It’s […]
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The Designated Player: The Curious Case of Peter Wilt
I like to think that somewhere in deepest Wisconsin there’s an equivalent of the Bat Signal, but bearing the logo of the defunct Miami Fusion. It’s linked by Bluetooth to the Big Soccer message boards, and now and again, in cases of dire emergency, enough frenzied postings from MLS fans will send its beam arching […]
Read moreAbout Last Night: The Critic’s Corner
In case you were out living a life of leisure, here’s what you missed in sports on Wednesday. Good morning. In today’s installment of About Last Night, we’re lucky enough to have renowned sports comedy critic Fenwick Vaughnagan on hand to analyze and critique every one of Ryan’s jokes. Vaughnagan was born in Caerwys, Wales, […]
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