Free Sport
Do You Throw Like A Girl?
The idea of “throwing like a girl” has long been used as an easy athletic insult, effectively thrown around everywhere from our little league fields to our stadium tailgating parking lots. (Olympia Sports did a nice commercial spot with this a couple of...Fans Buy The Red Sox?
You know it’s been a long year for Boston’s Boys of Summer when the highlight of the Red Sox season was trading three of their best players to the Los Angeles Dodgers in order to create salary flexibility. Wow. Seems like just yesteryear we were all...Ode To Replacement Refs: Call It Maybe Touchdown Celtics!
It’s funnier now that it’s over. Last night the NFL referees became the most popular officials in the history of organized sports, as they triumphantly returned to the gridiron for the nationally-televised Thursday night game between the Cleveland Browns...Rajon Rondo: Fashionista?
Yes. Apparently so. The Celtics opened their camp this past weekend. And while it’s nice to see the Green back at work on the hardwood, it was very interesting to learn of the off-court summer interest of their star point guard and future face of the franchise,...Meet Chris Kluwe: NFL Punter, Gay Rights Advocate, and Out Magazine Coverboy
The current cover of Out magazine features a photo of outspoken Minnesota Viking Chris Kluwe, along with the headline, “Chris Kluwe & The Art Of War: The NFL punter on gay marriage, demolishing stereotypes, and crafting the perfect insult.” Kluwe made...Patriots Football, Adult Videos, Homophobia, and Gay Rights: Spikes vs. Gronkowski
New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes caused more controversy with his Twitter account yesterday, tweeting “I’m homophobic just like I’m arachnophobic. I have nothing against homosexuals or spiders, but I’d still scream if I found one...How Born To Run Explains Age and Gender
More thoughts on Christopher McDougall’s excellent book Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen (see “Born To Run: How to Run – For Fun?” Free Sport, 9/11/12). Extreme running, it appears,...Mixing Sports and Politics with Ryan/Rice – Cleveland Browns Photo-Op
Those in power may not like it when athletes speak their minds about various political issues (marriage equality, labor disputes, or what have you). But they sure don’t mind using the influence of say, owning an NFL football team, to promote their own personal...Documentary Film Knuckleball! at MASS MoCA
Looking for an excuse to head to North Adams tonight? Want to treat yourself to a little baseball magic to help celebrate the Yankees getting swept out of the ALCS? Do you just plain miss Red Sox legend Tim Wakefield? Curious about Mets prospect R.A. Dickey? Or the...25th Annual Mt. Toby Trail Run
Craving a different kind of organized running experience? Then look no further than the Mount Toby Trail Run, which celebrates its silver anniversary this Sunday in our very own Pioneer Valley. “The Mt Toby Trail Run is a true trail race classic in Western...The Boulder's Human Wrestler Avatar Visits Santa's Village?
It’s not every day that an anime earth bender, voiced by a former professional wrestler, writes longingly of his childhood experience of visiting a family-owned amusement park, built to celebrate the theme of Christmastime, that is located in the Great Woods...It's A Shame About Ray
As you may have heard, Ray Allen has left the Boston Celtics, taken his talents to South Beach, and teamed up with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Pat Riley, and the rest of the hated Miami Heat. Which is a shame. For Ray. For the intrigued sports fan, the move...“Let's Go Celtics!” Fans Welcome Green Back to the Garden
With this weekend’s home opener, the Celtics return to the Garden for the first time since Game 6 of last summer’s Eastern Conference Finals, where LeBron James turned in the performance of his career, forcing a Game 7 back in Miami. (I have no memory of...“Sox Fan” (“Governor”) Mitt Romney Invested in Yankees?!
Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly dislike Mitt Romney any more than I already do, I find out that he once held investments in the YES Network, the broadcast arm of the New York “Evil Empire” Yankees! The New York Yankees? Are you kidding me?...Are Marquette Backcountry Skis the Solution for Undependable Winter Weather?
Bon hiver! Our first snow storm of the season is behind us. Winter is here! For now. Until it warms up again. This weekend. The warmer non-winter weather continuing to confuse forecasters and snow enthusiasts, until it all changes again, with winter returning just as...Football Player of the Week: 9-year-old Sam(antha) Gordon
A new sports star has taken the country by storm: Sam(antha) Gordon, the 9-year-old girl Pee Wee Football player from South Jordan, Utah, whose season highlights YouTube video garnered over 2 million views after it was uploaded by her father, Brent Gordon, this past...When Good Things Happen to Bad Owners: The $160 Million Miami Marlins Salary Dump
As the old saying goes, it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. Just ask Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. From an on-field perspective, the Toronto Blue Jays – Miami Marlins trade, which was approved earlier this week by Commissioner...Skateboarding and Feminist Revolution in Afghanistan
Is there a feminist revolution of skateboarders in Afghanistan? “Skateistan, a skate school in Kabul … draws in nearly 400 students a week,” Madeleine Davies writes for Jezebel. “Most thrilling of all is that 40% of these students are...Stern vs. The Spurs: The Sponsors Are Always Right
The fluid line between competition and entertainment just got a bit more blurred. NBA Commissioner David Stern hit the San Antonio Spurs with a fine of a quarter million dollars because their coach, Greg Popovich, arguably the third best coach in the history of the...Football, Guns, and Controversy
Are you ready for some football media gun violence controversy? Usually, halftime is the boring part of the three to four hours of football programming. The portion of the celebrated spectacle that you can skip, without fear of missing anything important. But not this...Hunting the Great North Woods
As orange hats are once again donned for trail running during deer season, thoughts turn to the Tall Timber Lodge, the best little sports lodge in the North Country. (Located in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, to be exact.) While home to less than nine hundred citizens,...Beyond “Because It's There”
“Because it’s there” has been the accepted motivation behind all manners of exploits, by all manners of outdoor adventurers, ever since George Mallory legendarily offered it decades ago, as an explanation for why he climbs mountains. Which is...Has Hunting Gone Hipster?
Hunting occupies that rare place in our cutlural lexicon whereby it exists as both recreational sport, and as a way to provide food for oneself, and one’s family. But has hunting become a wedge issue, an identity checkmark on the battlefield of partisan...Is Wozniacki's Serena Impression Racist?
What to make of the recent Wozniacki-Williams towel-stuffing tennis incident? In an exhibition match against Maria Sharapova in Brazil last week, Caroline Wozniacki mocked Serena Williams by stuffing her shirt and skirt with towels. It was not the first time Wozniacki...Victor Cruz to Visit Newtown Victim's Family
There are many aspects to being a professional football player which make that job far different than most other occupations. Routine physical punishment. Million dollar salaries. Constant media scrutiny. But I can’t imagine anything preparing an athlete for...Football Historians Agree: Tom Brady is Wicked Awesome
The first time New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft met Tom Brady, the young quarterback was walking down the stairs of the old Foxboro Stadium, with a pizza box stuffed under his arm. Kraft interrupted the skinny rookie before he could introduce himself. “I...Senior Citizen Ski Bums?
When they grow up, they want to be … ski bums? Apparently yes. Check out this short video, “Ski Bums Never Die,” which was produced by Sherpas Cinemas (whose upcoming documentary film “Into The Mind” I blogged about a few weeks ago), and...Meet Drew Bledsoe: Powder Skiing Extraordinaire
Looking for the perfect connecting thread between the upcoming NFL playoffs and the recent bounty of winter snowfall here in New England? How about this Backcountry Magazine article: “Out of Pocket: How skiing kept NFL legend Drew Bledsoe grounded.” Wait....Rape Charges Rain On Notre Dame's National Championship Appearance
There are many who will be happily rooting for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish against the Alabama Crimson Tide in tonight’s national championship college football game. Some are excited by the legendary football program’s return to prominence. Others are...Hall of Fame Voters Don't Dig the Long Ball
Cooperstown: 1. Steroid Era: 0. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, the best, if not most controversial of the steroid era players, faced their first go on the Hall of Fame ballot this year, and the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) voted – resoundingly...Ravens LB and Marriage Equality Advocate Stoops to Twitter Trash Talk
Before yesterday’s Patrtiots game against the Houston Texans, there were three reasons to appreciate the Baltimore Ravens, the team New England will host in next weekend’s AFC Championship game for the right to go to this year’s Superdome Super Bowl....Mount Abrams, Maine (and Mountain Rider's Alliance): The Way Skiing Should Be
If you’ve skiied in Maine before, you’ve likely seen small scale Mount Abram. It’s in Greenwood, just off State Route 26 on the drive up from Portland (or down from Grafton Notch), a few miles down the road from a certain ski resort in Bethel called...Situationist Philosopher Guy Debord and the Unbelievable True Story of Manti Te'o's Fake Dead Girlfriend
French Situationist philsopher Guy Debord penned his classic treatise, Society of the Spectacle, in 1967. It’s impossible to know today if, back then, he had somehow managed to foresee a basic truth to our twenty-first century American sports landscape. But...Bill Russell Would Like to Thank the Academy? George Stephanopoulos on Morgan Freeman
Yesterday, on the national holiday named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., President Barack Obama, our nation’s first black president, was inaugurated into his second term in office, taking the presidential oath on King’s own bible, no less. But before you...Super Bowl of Support for Gay Rights
As the media frenzy that is Super Bowl week descends on the Big Easy, at least one player will be using the forum to address something far more important than gridiron glory: gay rights and marriage equality. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendan Ayanbadejo (a longtime...Deciphering the NFL with “Bad Lip Reading”
It can be all too easy to get lost in the media hoopla surrounding the NFL, especially in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. Fortunately, this “Bad Lip Reading” video, which has already received over 28 million hits, finally deciphers what is really...Great CNN Interview with Super Bowl Champ and Gay Rights Activist Brendon Ayanbadejo
Super Bowl winning Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has long been a vocal supporter of marriage equality and gay rights. In his recent interview on CNN, posted below, he talks about masculinity in football, the importance of players like him allying with...Perfect Winter Storm Reading: The Cruelest Miles
Looking for the perfect book to read on a cold, snowy, winter evening? You can’t do much better than The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic. This is the amazing story of the first ever unofficial Iditarod dog sled...How Much of a Sports Tax Are You Paying?
Big time sports, be they professional teams or high-profile university programs, are big time business. But how much is the average citizen, whether a sports fan or not, paying to subsidize the commerce of our culture’s athletic obsession? Quite a bit, argues...Royce White: The Most Dangerous Man in the NBA
It’s not likely you’ve heard much about Royce White. And there’s good reason for that. He’s a mere rookie, currently playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the D [developmental] League team of the Houston Rockets. So far, his professional...Outside Magazine's Lindsey Vonn Cover: Skier or Sex Symbol?
The latest in the apparently endless litany of glossy magazine photos featuring world class female athletes stripped down to a bikini or not much better hit the stands this month, in the form of Outside’s Lindsey Vonn cover issue. Despite her cover shot’s...The Charitable Burden of Professional Athletes
Would you rather the star player on your favorite team be a perennial all-star and multiple time champion, but basically be an a-hole, or be a little less talented, a little less driven, but be a pretty decent person? This is the question I found myself wondering...This Saturday: Ski Through History on the Thunderbolt Trail
In 1938, a German ski team was dispatched to Western Massachusetts by Adolf Hitler to compete in the Eastern Downhill Championships, which were held that year on the slopes of Mount Greylock. Over seven thousand spectators lined the wooded ski trail called...From Parquet to Ice: Great Video of Mullins Center Crew
Ever wonder what the process of transforming a hockey/basketball arena from one surface (hardwood for hoops) to the other (ice for hockey) looks like? Check out this great Hampshire Gazette video, of the Mullins Center crew over at UMass. The Boston Garden’s...How Fast Can You Run? How Far Can You Throw? Do You Like Girls?
Virtual manna for sports stats junkies and football obsessives, the NFL Combine consists largely of rookie hopefuls running the 40-yard dash, bench pressing hundreds of pounds of weights, and taking the infamous Wonderlic Personnel Test, all so that scores can be...Northeast Meatheads Get National Ski Press Respect
After more than a decade making movies that celebrate the perfectly imperfect outdoor experience that is skiing here in the Northeast, the Meatheads have received some serious national respect, winning “a Powder [Magazine] Award for Best Powder Segment of the...Old Dog Defeats Young Pups in This Year's Iditarod
Mitch Seavey became the oldest musher ever to win the Iditarod – “The Last Great Race on Earth” (not including the the Yukon Quest, according to some) – when the 53-year-old crossed the finish line in Nome, Alaska ahead of the rest of the pack...Welker's Hat Was Made for Walking
It may be nice to stick it to Bill every once in a while, as newly-departed receiver and podiatristic comedian Wes Welker noted this past season. But that doesn’t make it any easier for Pats fans who, once again, are left wondering if the In Bill We Trust /...Whaleback Sinks Under Mountain of Debt
Another independently-owned New England ski resort is closing under a burden of debt. Whaleback Mountain, located right off Route 93 in New Hampshire, about ten minutes from Lebanon, will close indefinitely following its Motor Mayhem event this weekend. “Weighed...Meet the Boston Blades: 2013 (Clarkson) Cup Champs
A new chapter in the storied hockey rivalry between Boston and Montreal was written this past weekend when the Blades defeated two-time defending champion the Stars to win this year’s Clarkson Cup. Or did you think this was about the Bs, the Habs, and Lord...Spring Skiing at the B'East
It’s a good dilemma to have: for how long should a resort run its lifts when the snow coverage on its spirngtime slopes is more than sufficient? For nearby Berkshire East, the answer is through this weekend. Conditions yesterday were great, especially given the...Back On the Wagon With the Sox?
As of 4 PM Monday afternoon, I had officially watched more Red Sox baseball than I had all of last season. And as of this writing (a couple of hours before first pitch of Game #2), I can say I’m actually looking forward to the next game. Simply put, it feels...March Madness, The NCAA, and the Ugly Underbelly of Kevin Ware's Broken Leg
Looking to support the Louisville Cardinals hoops team in the weekend’s Final Four Tournament? You may want to slap down $24.99 to purchase a “Rise Up #5 On Court T-Shirt” (so named for Kevin Ware, the player who horrifically broke his leg during...Private Prison Company Withdraws Football Stadium Naming Rights
After weeks of protest from students and human rights activists (not to mention commentary from a certain comedian) the private prison company GEO Group has withdrawn its $6 million offer to purchase the naming righs of Florida Atlantic University’s football...Now That Sox Are Done Selling Out, Are They Done Selling Out?
Let’s hope so. Because so far this season, this team (and maybe the organization as well?) has done a great job of getting back to being a baseball team – one that promises to be a pleasure to watch throughout the long season. Last Wednesday night, the...Marathon Monday: The Last Great Sports Festival Event
Some time last week, I was going on about how great Marathon Monday is. Talking about this unique Boston (and state, but mostly Boston) holiday where Beantown takes on an almost Carnival-like atmosphere, as this event of such historic and sporting (two of the most...Wicked Awesome Sportsworld Responses to Marathon Bombings
One of the more heartening results of last week’s tragic bombings at the Boston Marathon has been the overwhelming support both in the Bay State and elsewhere, from everyday Joes and celebrities alike. There have been too many to note them all, but here’s...NHL Partners with Anti-Homophobic You Can Play Project
Earlier this month, the National Hockey League (NHL) took unprecedented historic strides on behalf of the athletic equality movement by announcing its partnership with the You Can Play Project, an organization dedicated to confronting and challenging homophobia in...Former Celtic Jason Collins Becomes First Openly Gay Professional Male Athlete
History has been made. Twelve-year NBA veteran Jason Collins has become the first openly gay male athlete to come out while still playing a major American sport. Regardless of what does, or doesn’t happen over the remainder of his career, he will now be forever...E-Edition
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