Record 125 international players on NBA opening-night rosters.
The Demise of Globalization Is Greatly Exaggerated
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Category Archives: Sports
Sentence to Ponder—NBA Tip Off Edition
“Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed on a three-year, $186 million contract extension, his agent, Alex Saratsis, told ESPN on Monday.”
Giannis seems like a different cat. In lots of good ways. Most unique of all, he’s content living in Milwaukee*. Close to his family. Treats people well. The money will not dampen his competitive drive. Maybe the word is “grounded”. Good on him for not forcing a trade to a big market.
Did Saratsis get 5% or $9.3m? How much will be left after taxes. Will Giannis be able to afford his own Greek island?
*No doubt Dame Lillard makes it much more livable.
Manifesting Olympic Glory
Just when I was starting to think any chance I had of participating in the Olympics may have passed, the International Olympic Committee adds flag football (and cricket)*.
Ask anybody in Louisville, KY, and they will tell you that I was a flag football legend back in the day. With a little practice in the front yard, I’m sure I can find the same form as when I took a double reverse to the house (and kept running well past the endzone).
I will have to enlist the GalPal to shoot some vids of my front yard workouts to get the attention of the U.S. Olympic suits in Colorado Springs. Holler if you want to help as a hapless defensive player trying unsuccessfully to grab my flags as I make you miss like legions of defensive players before you.
*Pickleballers to the IOC, “What are we, chopped liver?”
Molly Seidel—Tough As Nails Millennial
If I had a dollar for every time one of my Baby Boomer peers bashed Millenials as lazy and soft I could afford to retire. In Monaco.
Don’t read this profile of Molly Seidel if you want to continue to wallow in uninformed, negative assumptions about an entire generation of young adults.
For me, Seidel’s story stitches together almost everything I’ve learned about mental health and subjective well-being from my Millennial writers over the last two decades. Put differently, her story is about much, much more than professional running.
Seidel, the second American and eighth overall in yesterday’s Chicago Marathon, qualified for the Paris Olympics next summer. More importantly, she had fun and felt great about her performance.
2:00:35
A decade ago, I would’ve bet everything I own that I would not live long enough to witness a sub two hour marathon. Now, Kelvin Kiptum has me worried that my days are numbered. Very numbered.
How far could you run in 2:00:35? If I trained seriously and had a good day, I’d be 11.2 miles behind Kiptum.
Unbridled Joy
I’m usually proud to be an American, but my identity isn’t tied too closely to my U.S. citizenship. Simply put, I don’t put as much emphasis on political boundaries as most people.
Which is why watching the preeminent event in the preeminent sport always leaves me befuddled, wondering whom to root for.
This year I was pulling for the homeboys because after Friday morning’s ass whupping, they were serious underdoggies. Often though, I pull for the Euros because they want it SO much more. Their collective identity is so damn compelling that I just get caught up in it. The U.S. side talks the “team” talk, but never walk it anything like the Euros. For proof, track down the vids shot from inside the Euros’ team bus after yesterday’s victory. THAT’s how you celebrate.
The event’s intensity has me thinking about attending the next Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York in 24 months. Even more so, I want to attend the 2027 edition in Limerick, Ireland. Who wants to join me? My plan is to hide my passport, have a few beers, dress up like one of the Euro fans, and get RIGHT in the middle of it. The only problem is I will probably be outed once I speak or sing.
Oh yes, there’s lots of singing. And yes, you’re right, that probably means no one will volunteer to join me.
Seventh Time In A Row
On home soil. It was over by lunch on Friday. May need to spot the U.S. side a few points.
Wish I Had Written This
My Personal Best
What The Hell ESPN?
Our sensitivity to mental health challenges is a two step forward one step backward process.
ESPN’s interview of Aryna Sabalenka after she lost the women’s final match was a huge, high profile step backwards. She dominated the opening set and melted down in the second and third. Immediately afterwards, she was understandably distraught at the magnitude of her collapse. Never mind though, the ESPN analyst kept asking increasingly pointed questions while pressing the microphone to her lips. She laughed incredibly uncomfortably and struggled to put a coherent sentence together while intermittently turning away and putting her face in her hands in an attempt to hide. And yet, the analyst pressed forward with more questions. It was grossly inappropriate and entirely unnecessary. Just go to Coco for shitssake.
Today there’s footage of Sabalenka repeatedly smashing her racquet into the locker room floor minutes after the on-air interview. Unclear whether she was lashing out at her play or the analyst’s utter cluelessness.
Do better ESPN. A lot better.
Pressing Pause 