October 20, 2014
World Series Preview: Five Keys to Victory for the Royals and Giants
On Tuesday night, the Giants and Royals will face off in Game 1 of the 2014 World Series. (That’s the matchup we all predicted this preseason, right?) As the even-year streakers in San Francisco prepare to battle the seemingly unbeatable breakouts in Kansas City, Grantland asked MLB scribes Ben Lindbergh and Jonah Keri to offer five reasons each side could claim the crown.
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NHL Weekend: All Is Rusty in Edmonton
A look back at the biggest games and emerging story lines of the NHL weekend.
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The 2014 Pigskin Pantheon: Week 8 College Football Awards
College football serves and is served by many gods, old and new. Here, week after week, we’ll build a temple to them, installing saints and erecting graven idols as we go. The temple is made of words and pictures from the Internet. Just go with it. Today: Your Week 8 College Football Awards.
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NFL Week 7 Winners and Losers: Peyton, Trick Punt Plays, and Endangered Panthers
It’s fitting that on the day Peyton Manning broke the career passing touchdown record, arguably the greatest quarterback ever played arguably the greatest game any quarterback could play.
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The Percy Harvin Saga: How Seattle Lost and the Jets Won
Seattle’s stunning trade of Percy Harvin to the Jets on Friday brought a sudden end to what will go down as an ill-fated dalliance. Seattle’s fling with Harvin, which cost them $18.3 million, ended with the speedy wide receiver having played just eight games for the Seahawks.
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Meet the Real Florida State: Your Weekly College Football Wrap
Before the season, FSU was billed as a juggernaut destined to mow down every opponent. Instead, the Noles have turned out to be scrappy comeback artists who relish walking a tightrope without a net. After six games of waiting for the real Florida State to show up, sky-high potential intact, Saturday night brought the moment of truth: This is the real Florida State. And in a season in which only three other undefeated teams are still standing in mid-October, that may be good enough.
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NBA Rookie Watch: All the Stars We’re Going to Know and Love This Year
Since before the NBA draft, we’ve known that this year’s rookie class wasn’t going to be like most others. There’s more talent than ever, bigger personalities, and more fun across the board. Once every month, we’ll have Rookie Watch, a wildly subjective rundown of the best this class has to offer. Here are your preseason rankings.
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Premier League Worry Index: You Should Really Get That Cough Checked Out, Arsenal
With Southampton delightfully overstaying their welcome near the top of the table, it’s time to ask: How alarmed should the rest of the Champions League contenders be?
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Week 7 Wrap-up: The Mighty Start Falling
What’s wrong with the Seahawks? How do you out-Charger the Chargers? All that and the D.C. QB carousel highlight the NFL weekend.
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Bill and Jalen’s 2014-15 NBA Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves
With Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Gorgui Dieng, and Ricky Rubio on the roster, it feels like most players on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ roster are unproven projects. It also feels like they won’t win many games.
Read moreOctober 17, 2014
The Grantland NFL Podcast: Jets-Patriots, Chris Borland, and Previewing Week 7
Today’s Grantland NFL Podcast breaks down New England’s Thursday-night win before getting to Chris Borland and the Week 7 preview.
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Shaq for Heisman!
Sick of the Heisman always going to a quarterback? Still baffled that Jason White beat out Larry Fitzgerald? Tired of small-sample watch lists? If you answered yes to any of these questions, have we got the Heisman candidate for you. His name is Shaq, and this is his weekend.
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Notre Dame’s Adolescent Defense and the Teachable Moment of Facing FSU
Circumstances have contrived this season to thrust Notre Dame’s young defenders into prominent spots on the depth chart ahead of schedule, and after four wins versus pushover competition and two close victories against Stanford and UNC, the fifth-ranked Irish are staring down the biggest obstacle between them and the first-ever college football playoff: second-ranked Florida State.
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To Give and to Receive: In Praise of Posey, Perez, and a Dominant Catchers’ World Series
One of them is among the most valuable players in baseball; another is among the most dazzling talents. But perhaps the most extraordinary and singular thing about the two catchers who will be starting in the World Series, Salvador Perez and Buster Posey, is that when we look at them, we want to see them.
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NHL Grab Bag: It’s Still Early
Welcome to a weekly grab bag of thoughts and observations from the past few days and/or decades of NHL hockey. This Week’s Three Stars of Comedy Recognizing the three NHL personalities from around the league who produced the most comedic fodder for fans. The third star: Barry Trotz might be the devil Careful with that […]
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Are Everton Facing a Lost Season?
Just because dreams of Champions League qualification are already dashed doesn’t mean the season itself has to be wasted. Between competing in Cup competitions and developing their talented youngsters, Everton have the opportunity to ensure this season becomes merely a blip and not a trend.
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Do It Again Next Year? How the 10 MLB Playoff Teams Will Fare in 2015
Congratulations, Giants and Royals fans: Your team has advanced to the World Series! Cherish this moment … because you might not even get to root for a playoff squad next year.
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NFL Week 7 Picks: It Can Only Go Up From Here
After a less than optimal Week 6 for the sharps, it’s time for order to be restored in the NFL.
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Bill and Jalen’s 2014-15 NBA Preview: Orlando Magic
After what Bill and Jalen think was a great draft, the Magic have an impressive young nucleus — but not enough to make the playoffs this year. Bill and Jalen aren’t sure Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton will be as good as they expect them to be in the NBA, but they are sure Jacque Vaughn won’t be the head coach for long.
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Is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s New-and-Improved Jump Shot for Real?
Charlotte Hornets swingman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has completely revamped his woeful jump shot. Is it enough to salvage his potential?
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The Curious Case of the Missing Pass Rush: Where Did All the Seahawks’ and Rams’ Sacks Go?
Sacks and pressure might seem like the work of stars doing what they do, but a pass rush is a collective — take one piece out and the whole thing suffers.
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MLB Overnight: The Giants Best the Cardinals in the NLCS to Keep Their Even-Year World Series Dreams Alive
The Giants are headed to the World Series after an improbable walkoff win in Game 5 of the NLCS.
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Bill and Jalen’s 2014-15 NBA Preview: Los Angeles Lakers
The return of Kobe Bryant and the addition of Jeremy Lin and Julius Randle will be fun for Lakers fans to watch, but it won’t be enough to put this team in the playoffs.
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