We’ve seen teams go from worst-to-first in a single year before, but never an entire city. The success of both the Indians and Cavaliers is unprecedented“You know, these guys ain’t so fuckin’ bad.” It’s one of the greatest lines in American cinema (or at least one of the more memorable lines from the American sports comedy genre of the late 20th century). In 1989’s Major League, a Cleveland construction worker played by a young Neil Flynn declares that the local team is a lot better than he expected they would be. It’s a sentiment many are starting to feel about the real Indians – and Cleveland sports as a whole – 27 years since Rick Vaughn, Willie Hayes, Jake Taylor and Pedro...
The fighter was a huge draw at his peak but taking on Dana White and Co is an incredibly difficult struggle for anyoneIs Georges St-Pierre a UFC fighter?For the first time since January 2004 the answer could be something other than “yes.” Related: UFC may be ‘half panic and half lunacy’ but buzz and cash keep fighters hooked | Andy Bull Continue reading...
Tony Romo is hailed for his brilliant football mind, but Dak Prescott is leading a cast in Dallas that can’t stop winningOne of the things the Dallas Cowboys have always loved about Tony Romo is his football mind. Three years ago he played a significant role in developing the team’s offense, doing far more than most quarterbacks by sitting in most of the coaches’ offensive installation meetings during that offseason. Few quarterbacks have the patience or the understanding to attend those endless meetings and help design the offense. In the Cowboys offices he is seen as a football genius – even if this brilliance doesn’t always appear in the waning moments of the most important games.But now that the broken...
The list of Major League Soccer’s most valuable player award winners is one of the most diverse in sports and this year’s two-horse race is no exceptionFirst a thought. Now that Landon Donovan has shaken off the proverbial dust from his Galaxy uniform and returned to action, the league should probably consider removing his name from the MVP award. After saying goodbye to the game in 2014, MLS respectfully renamed it in his honor, but now after his return it seems slightly odd for a trophy to be named after a player who, despite his great success in the past, is probably not better than the candidates who might receive it.Namesake notwithstanding, Major League Soccer’s MVP award is one of...
Like a man whistling loudly to keep ghosts from the door, baseball’s Chicago Cubs are making nonchalant noises about their World Series hoodooWrigley Field is not your standard modern American sports facility, even though little could be more American than having your stadium named after a manufacturer of chewing gum. It is America’s Wimbledon, its Lord’s. It is the second oldest of the major league ballparks. There is a pervasive sense of history and a deep yearning that goes back 108 years, to the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.Built on land originally occupied by a Catholic seminary and first named Weeghman Park after the original owner, the stadium was finally renamed in 1927, six years after...