April 23, 2012
About Last Weekend: The Art of Perfection
In case you were out living a life of leisure, here’s what you missed in sports over the weekend. On Saturday, Philip Humber tossed baseball’s 21st perfect game in a 4-0 White Sox win over the Mariners. After the game, the ghost of Ford Frick rose from the dead and placed an asterisk next to […]
Read moreApril 20, 2012
The Knicks’ Defense Is Good. How’d That Happen?
Take a deep breath as I tell you this: The New York Knicks have one of the best defenses in the NBA. They rank fifth in defensive efficiency — which is a measure of points allowed per 100 possessions — giving up just 97.6 points. They are at the top of the list, along with […]
Read moreGrantland Network Podcast: The Basketball Jones
On today’s show, The Basketball Jones discuss the controversy surrounding Dwight Howard’s season-ending injury, the polarizing return of Amar’e in New York, the difficulty in picking All-NBA teams, and the best stories, quotes, and moments from the 2011–12 season. All that, plus Leigh’s “Tweet of the Weak,” some pun-gun fun, NBA song parodies and much, […]
Read morePepe, the Destroyer
On Saturday, Real Madrid will play Barcelona in El Clasico. The prize, ostensibly, is the Spanish Primera Division title. (If Madrid wins, they go seven points clear of Barca; lose and their lead shrinks to one.) Jose Mourinho will gesticulate. Pep Guardiola will walk around the technical area in a suit woven by actual angels. […]
Read moreBo Ryan’s Stubborn Streak, Duke’s Terrible Month, and the UCLA Resurrection
I bet you thought college basketball was over when Kentucky cut down the nets and pretended to enjoy “One Shining Moment,” didn’t you? Well, you were almost right. For about a month and a half after the title game, undecided high school recruits make their final visits, weigh the pros and cons of each school, […]
Read moreCelebrating the Backups
When the Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith went down after a collision with the Chicago Blackhawks’ Andrew Shaw, it appeared Phoenix’s playoff hopes would fall with him. Smith has been such a large part of the Coyotes’ success this season (although, to be fair, Phoenix’s defensive system has been equally vital to Smith’s improvement, so […]
Read moreIn Defense of Indefensible Contracts
The Reds recently gave Joey Votto 225 million reasons to stay in Ohio. Of course, the general consensus of this deal, and the Brandon Phillips one that followed, was that the Reds would one day regret it. Votto might have MVP credentials, but he plays a position that’s easy to fill, and there will come […]
Read moreWe Spend 10 Minutes With Chase Headley
The San Diego Padres own the worst record in baseball and might be looking at a long rebuilding process, as the team tries to parlay its impressive farm system into future success. This doesn’t seem to bother Chase Headley one bit. The team’s starting third baseman and no. 3 hitter owns a diverse skill set: […]
Read moreAbout Last Night: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
In case you were out living a life of leisure, here’s what you missed in sports on Thursday. Notes kept by Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long during his investigation show that former head coach Bobby Petrino’s relationship with his assistant began with a kiss over lunch last fall. “Hi, I’m Bobby Petrino,” the coach said […]
Read more