We’d agree to disagree, which seems an agreeable position given the thesis of his recently published “Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness?” If there are 40 million ways to be black, as Toure argues, there have to be at least a couple to consider the Vick illustration. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I’m obliged to mention that Toure and I share a very talented editor at Free Press. I wouldn’t have read the book if he hadn’t directed my attention toward a review in last Sunday’s Times. But I wouldn’t be wasting your time, much less mine, if the book weren’t valid, uniquely American and spectacularly optimistic — not a quality one usually associates with the subject of race in America. - http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Kriegel-Boston-Red-Sox-Michael-Vick-Fab-Five-Serena-Williams-role-of-race-in-sports-092811
All of this (well, in condensed form—it all seems a lot briefer in my head) was running through my mind last night as I watched the Braves and Red Sox end their seasons in roughly the most aggravating fashion possible. I thought about all of the Braves and Sox fans I know, and while I don’t think they went through quite the same set of emotions, I thought I had a pretty good idea what they were feeling right then. A lot of them were that girl in the blue stocking cap who was just staring at the field in shock, not knowing what to think. Sports are supposed to be entertainment, right? Like television shows, or movies, or video games. But nobody has to suffer for me to enjoy watching Blade Runner. Nobody feels like their guts have been ripped out of them when I beat Portal 2. So why do we care about sports? Why are we so attracted to a form of entertainment that dispenses ecstasy and agony in equal measure? - http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15204
Teams averaged 4.28 runs per game this season, the lowest since 1992’s 4.12 and down from a Steroids Era peak of 5.14 in 2000. And the home run average was down to 0.94 each team per game, also the lowest in 19 years and a sharp drop from 1.17 in 2000. That was when Giambi was voted AL MVP—he later admitted he was among those who took steroids to bulk up. It wasn’t just home run hitters who had a tough time, according to STATS LLC. The major league batting average of .255 was the lowest since 1989. On the flip side, the 3.94 ERA was a level last seen in 1992. - http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-vanishingoffense
Tim Kurkjian, ESPN.com: “It is amazing that (the Cards) are in the playoffs with the bullpen issues they've had this year: They have 13 walk-off losses this year, tied with the Angels for the most in the major leagues. They've been through multiple closers, including Ryan Franklin, who was released after amassing too many blown saves. They usedEduardo Sanchez, then Fernando Salas, and now hard-throwing Jason Motte, who recently became the first pitcher since Ralph Beard in 1954 to allow four runs in an inning without allowing a hit. Manager Tony La Russa is one of the best at handling a bullpen, but it's tough to win in the postseason without a proven closer.” - http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/jeff-gordon/article_6f7de010-eb63-11e0-85c8-0019bb30f31a.html#ixzz1ZSQcMGb9
Oral Roberts University is mourning the loss of former baseball player Ryan Iannelli who died in a helicopter crash Wednesday. 1st Lt. Iannelli, a pilot in the Marines, died when the helicopter he was flying in crashed during combat operations in Afghanistan. "He was one of a kind," said ORU Head Coach Rob Walton, "Ryan will be sorely missed. He was one of us, and he was a big part of my life. He was making a difference, and he believed in the difference he was making. Our Thoughts and prayers are with his family." The Clarksboro N. J. native played baseball all four years while he was at ORU as an outfielder and a pinch runner. Iannelli graduated from ORU in 2006. - http://www.newson6.com/story/15590163/former-oru-baseball-player-dies-in-afghanistan-combat-mission
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