The finish to last Friday’s decisive NLDS game between the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals was truly historic. After blowing a massive lead, the Nats were a mere strike away from clinching victory. Five times that opportunity slipped through their fingers. But it wasn’t just an awful final inning that put them away. It was a season of ups and downs that set the scene for the ultimate collapse.

Paul Henderson’s epic series-clinching goal in the 1972 Summit Series has been debated as one of the greatest hockey moments in the history of the sport. Now, 40 years later, the debate on the series between Canada and the Soviets rages on, as does Henderson’s eligibility in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Mark Milner adds his voice – as a Canadian – to the discussion.

After years of toiling in Montreal, the Expos packed up and moved south to Washington to become the Nationals. While the heritage remains intact, this new bunch is nothing like the old, from the players to the management to the stadium. Even the dedication of the fans is refreshing, and it has all driven the team to what will likely be its second postseason berth in franchise history.

The NFL plans on going ahead and starting the season without its regular officials. Recent history suggests this is a bad idea, as the NBA started the 2009-10 preseason with replacements. But the league doesn’t seem to mind, as long as you keep watching.

The 1992 Dream Team is widely considered the best basketball team ever assembled, and they proved it by winning gold medals quite easily. In his new book, author Jack McCallum reveals some behind-the-scenes details about how the players interacted and clears up some of the myths that have surrounded them for the past two decades.

Perhaps more than any other major sport, the NBA television broadcast has changed drastically over the years. Gone are the likes of team variety and double- or triple-headers, in are star teams and ESPN logos. This hasn’t translated into a drastically larger audience, so is there something better to be done?

In the NBA era of “big threes,” Dwight Howard is becoming a big problem. The image-focused superstar has been nothing but trouble in Orlando lately, prompting many to call for his immediately dismissal. But is there anywhere that can accomodate his ego? After all, it’s the size of three regular NBA stars.

When Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller released “Those Guys Have All The Fun: Inside The World Of ESPN” their comprehensive, all-in-one history about the sports network, many paid attention. However, many felt they wasted their time – and money – on the 700-plus page read. The book does little to expand on an already-known past. Still, those who don’t know much about the network’s history may find something to enjoy in this one.

After a horrible 2011 campaign and a slow start to 2012, Toronto’s Colby Rasmus has come on strong and is one of the better producers on the Blue Jays. Hitting out of the two-hole, Rasmus is driving in runs and setting himself up for the big bats that follow. All of this coming from a guy who considered quitting baseball not too long ago.

“Rome 1960” by David Maraniss tells the story of the 1960 Summer Games and how they affected the world landscape in the middle of the Cold War. Relations between the United States and Soviet Union were fragile, and the decathalon became a turning point in the Games, when athletes from the U.S., Taiwan and the USSR all shared the same podium.