For centuries, when a new pope assumed the office, his coronation procession would be punctuated by the master of ceremonies halting him, burning flax, and shouting mournfully that thus passes the glory of the world. It was a reminder to the man that had just become the supreme pontiff that all of the pomp and […]
Read more "War Face"One day while discussing with my coworkers how we view sports, one colleague narrowed the discussion down to one succinct catechism: is sport a fight or a dance? Ends or Means? Victory or Beauty? Another colleague, who is one of the top fencers in America for his age group, refused to say Fight when I put the question […]
Read more "Fight Or Dance"Hopeless Football Romantic has been putting out their quality independent soccer magazine for over a year now, and they just released their fifth issue. It’s a pretty fantastic read from cover to cover, a perfect way to to fill the void now that the Copa America has finished and the pace of games from Euro 2016 […]
Read more "Hopeless Football Romantic #5"You know him when you see him. He’s in every romantic comedy: the baxter. He is the nice enough but terribly dull guy who is dumped at the end of the story for the passionate protagonist. Think of Walter in Sleepless in Seattle, whose greatest flaw is that he is steady and dependable; this is somehow damning […]
Read more "The Baxter"The numbers confirm what you already know: Americans are optimistic and believe the future is determined by one’s actions, not present situation. In the case of football in America, let’s hope that is true. After decades of fantastic growth, the US Men’s National Team has plateaued. After a successful start as 2013 Gold Cup champions and qualification […]
Read more "Confirming the Stereotype"Despite coming down with a case of full-blown adulthood (two kids, mortgage, buying white vinegar in the largest unit available, etc…), I’m still here. Not only am I still here, but I’ve also joined up with the UK-based soccer site Penalty Mag. They do some great stuff, and I’m particularly enjoying The Leicester Diaries as […]
Read more "Joining the Penalty Mag Team"My first year of teaching was the worst year of my life. I was sick in the morning as I drove up to work, and exhausted in the evening as I arrived home. Weekends were a precious, precious time, and, yet, I chose to spend one entire Saturday afternoon on YouTube watching sports fights. The […]
Read more "Diego Costa and the Jungian Thing"