Archive for August, 2009
Fair or Foul? In Baseball, the Call Isn’t Always That Simple
Foul balls seem to be a simple concept in baseball, but their intricacies can confuse even the most seasoned fan. Here’s some common—and less common—hitting situations and whether the resulting ball is ruled fair or foul
The NBA Salary Cap and You: An Overview, Part I
The NBA is somewhere has a soft salary cap, which basically amounts to no cap, since so many exceptions to passing the cap exist. In fact, the NBA cap is so irrelevant that it’s a historical rarity for a team to be under it.
An Advertising Guy’s Next 10 Best Sports Commercials
Polamalu vs. LT, Peyton Manning selling Mastercard, and Yao Ming up next to a midget. Sports commercials are some of the best advertising on TV, and here are a few of the top picks—made by someone with a background in advertising.
Plaxico Burress, Donte’ Stallworth, and Michael Vick: Three Convictions Explained
We’ve seen Plaxico Burress, Michael Vick, and Donte’ Stallworth all get jail sentences. There’s been a lot of talk about what’s fair and what’s not—only Stallworth’s crime resulted in a death, and it carried the lightest punishment—and digger a little further into the laws broken shed light on why the sentences seem so uneven.
NBA Split Personalities: When Players Play Two Positions at the Same Time
In NBA basketball it’s not unusual for a player to play multiple positions throughout their career. Players are moved and made to adjust to where their team needs their talent most. But occasionally, as seen with the Dallas Mavericks, a player is asked to play two different positions at the same time.
Allen Iverson and the Virtue of Selfishness
Allen Iverson is a one-of-a-kind player in NBA history. His time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, and Detroit Pistons have given him a reputation as a selfish player. But as a free agent in 2009, his “selfishness” suddenly doesn’t seem so shocking.
Coaching as a Metaphor for Fatherhood
My little boy turns six months old today. It’s been the wildest—and best—ride of my life. He’s got his mom’s blue eyes and my hair that won’t lie down, and when I get home from work he beams like he’s won the lottery. In the pursuit of being a good father I’ve read a lot about parenting styles, and everyone compares fatherhood to something else. Personally, I think coaching is the the most appropriate metaphor for fatherhood.
Peeking Under the Helmet: The Best (and Worst) Hair in the NFL
NFL preseason games have finally started, but before the regular season starts, there are still some very important topics that need to be covered. Like deciding who in the NFL has the best, and worst, hair. I recruited my wife to help me pick through all the best ‘dos in the NFL and find the ten best.
Sports Book Review: Moneyball, by Michael Lewis
A review of Moneyball, the book by Michael Lewis, which is also slated to soon become a movie starring Brad Pitt and Demetri Martin. Short version? It’s Stat Lust in book binding.
Anything For the King: The Cleveland Cavaliers Offseason Moves in Spider Graphs
The Cleveland Cavaliers brought in Shaquille O’Neal and Anthony Parker this offseason to help LeBron James, letting the world know they won’t settle for less than an NBA championship this year. But what effect does that make statistically on their starting five—and is it enough to win a ring for the King?
