Sublime

One of Tom’s favorite stories about the time he spent with his friend and mentor John Wooden is about how Wooden would evaluate his players during a game. It had nothing to do with the eventual score of the game, or the individual statistics any single player put up. Coach Wooden would watch to see how each player made his cuts from position to

between Henderson and Worthy at the start of that play—and the distance between them at the point of interception—works out to a ratio of 1.618, the same digits of Leonardo da Vinci’s so-called “golden ratio” that inexplicably explains the mathematical construction of the universe?1 Do not act surprised. It would be more surprising if the ratio did

Unlike in Europe, the worst teams in the league are not relegated to a lower division—instead, the worst teams receive the right to select the best young players in the draft prior to the next season. This is supposed to keep the league balanced and strong. Every game should be as interesting as any other. But since there is no relegation, there’s

player

The art world may be decentered and global, but Manhattan is still the print media capital that supports more art critics than any other city.

a gentleman in powder blue Gucci running togs. He was sipping from a can of Miller Lite.

There was even a limited-edition series of Asheville Tourists white wine with Ted E. sketched onto the bottle. Gary had done a deal with a local grocery store chain and Nabisco to keep Ted’s suitcase stocked with cookies that he could hand out to the kids. It was all so very exciting. It was all so very nineties.

Another theory was: Americans need double-digit football scores and triple-digit basketball scores. Unless they can witness a series of acrobatic dunks, with the scoreboard digitally rising like the National Debt Clock, then Americans lose interest. We like things big, like American restaurants doling out super-size portions, even if they bring on

No UFC fan is shocked by the sight of a man knocked unconscious. Football, however, appeals to a swath of humanity many magnitudes larger. It attracts people who haven’t necessarily considered the ramifications of what they’re witnessing—people who think they’re relaxing at home on a Sunday afternoon, nonchalantly watching the same low-stakes