When Pirates manager Clint Hurdle passed on a managing offer from the New York Mets during the offseason to become Pittsburgh’s new skipper, many reporters and baseball fans alike were quick to point out that he had his work cut out for him. They were right. Everyone knew about the Pirates’ stretch of 18 consecutive losing seasons, but the […]

Tim McKeown, ESPN columnist, provided some insight on the world of social media two years ago. In 2011, his words still ring true: “If you are open and honest, occasionally funny and usually available, you can use the media to become a star.” For Phoenix Coyotes forward Paul Bissonnette – better known as “Biznasty” on […]

Coaches’ books have become quite a popular phenomenon recently, but few of them have any real news value. That’s not the case with former Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach’s recently-released book, Swing Your Sword, which goes into substantial detail about the controversial saga that saw him fired over allegations he mistreated a player. That […]

The NBA history books are rife with individual athletes who have lingered on in the hearts of fans who adored them long into retirement, but few stand apart as definitive representations of their generation like Rasheed Wallace. It’s a seemingly irrelevant grey day in early 2004 and the bitter winds whipping through East Rutherford make it […]

For years, the Florida Marlins have struggled with attendance despite consistently fielding a quality product. That’s about to end next season with the opening of the Marlins’ new, 37,000-seat, retractable roof stadium located on the historic Orange Bowl site in Little Havana. The Marlins’ attendance is near the bottom of the league every year regardless […]

For the first time in three years, Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard will have the option of watching the MLB All-Star Game from the comfort of his own living room. Instead of representing his club in the Midsummer Classic he will, as any professional would, take the opportunity to rest up and prepare for the second half of the […]

The salary cap era has added a new dimension to roster management in the NHL and, as a result, fans and journalists have never been as eager to crunch numbers as they are today. Over the course of the past half decade, general managers have discovered clever ways to circumvent the predetermined limit and ease cap hits […]

Sometimes receiving a little less attention than your peers pays off in the end. In the case of Logan Couture, not having to shimmer the Calder Trophy every other day over the course of the summer could very well end up helping him in the long-run. A trusty young center for the new-look San Jose Sharks, the […]

Say what you want about adolescence, at least it’s memorable. At least the idols and icons you admired back then, during the unnerving transition years of youth, still hold a significant place in your heart today. I’m not necessarily saying that our heroes of yesterday remain the people we look up to in adulthood – […]

Thirteen years before Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Neil Walker was born, an event occurred nearly 2,000 miles away from his eventual hometown that would forever change his life. “I obviously owe a lot to Roberto Clemente,” he recalls. Yes, that Roberto Clemente. The Hall of Famer member that spent 18 seasons with the Pirates, winning […]