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Entries from December 2018

Basketball Bruins in Ruins

December 31st, 2018 · No Comments · Basketball, UCLA

Those of us who grew up with the UCLA basketball of John Wooden … and serial NCAA basketball championships … well, we were ruined for life. After 10 national titles in 12 seasons, including seven (!) consecutive through 1973, and an 88-game winning streak, unrealistic expectations became the norm. I distinctly remember listening to UCLA’s […]

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From Sports Illustrated to Delivering Amazon Packages

December 27th, 2018 · 1 Comment · Journalism, Sports Journalism

Interesting post-journalism story making the rounds. A veteran writer for Sports Illustrated, laid off last year, is earning $17 an hour delivering packages for Amazon. And now he has written about his career change for The Atlantic.

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Don’t Replace ‘Wild Horse’ with Harper and his $300 million price tag

December 21st, 2018 · No Comments · Baseball, Dodgers

Adios, Yasiel Puig, the man dubbed “Wild Horse” by Vin Scully. Sometimes you were great, sometimes you were awful … but at all times you commanded attention. (And a second “see ya” goes to Matt Kemp, who gave the Dodgers half a season of something clearly above average, before time and a creaky body reduced […]

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French and Some of Its Accents

December 19th, 2018 · 1 Comment · France

Most of us, we learn a bit of another language, and we somehow assume that the words are understood anywhere that primary language is spoken. In fact, every global language has numerous versions of what might be described as “proper” or “correct” language. Some of which might well be mocked by others who prefer their […]

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The Galaxy and MLS Have a Zlatan Problem/Blessing

December 18th, 2018 · 1 Comment · Football, Galaxy, soccer

Good news, for L.A. Galaxy fans. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has signed on for another season with the Major League Soccer club. Here is video, via the Galaxy, of him talking about it. The return of the hulking Swede with the pony-tail, a 500-goal scorer who will be 37 during the 2019 season, improves the club’s chances […]

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The Best NFL Team No One Cares About

December 13th, 2018 · 1 Comment · Chargers, Football, NFL, Rams

That would be the San Diego … uh, Los Angeles … Chargers. Are they good? Turns out, yes. Yes they are. The Chargers are 11-3 good, and only two teams in the NFL have a better record — the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams, each 11-2. The Chiefs are 11-3, as are […]

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Curry Joins NBA’s Flat Earth Society?

December 12th, 2018 · No Comments · Basketball, NBA

Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors standout, on Monday declared that no one has stepped on the moon, setting off a bit of agitation that one of the most prominent and successful players in the NBA would actually espouse that belief. Curry’s ridiculous notion is just this side of the bat-sh*t-crazy position Kyrie Irving of […]

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Rams Lose Their Focus and Their Game

December 9th, 2018 · No Comments · Football, Los Angeles Rams, NFL

That was ugly. Chicago Bears 15, Los Angeles Rams 6, and can anyone remember when, two weeks ago, seemingly rational NFL fans thought the Rams were headed for the Super Bowl? That was after the 54-51 touchdown-a-thon victory by the Rams over the Kansas City Chiefs in a collision of the league’s only 9-1 teams. […]

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U.S. Soccer Hires Berhalter, the Anti-Klinsmann

December 4th, 2018 · 1 Comment · Galaxy, Landon Donovan, soccer, Sports Journalism

That wasn’t such a chore, was it? A mere 421 days after the U.S. national team lost in Trinidad and failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup … and the Yanks have a coach! That would be Gregg Berhalter, recently head man of Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew. Not a glamor hire, certainly. Berhalter […]

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A Collision with Football Sidelines Violence

December 3rd, 2018 · No Comments · Football, Sports Journalism

We were watching an NFL game a week or so ago, when a running back was violently pushed out of bounds, stumbling several steps and into the motley clot of people who have permission to be on the edge of the action. When the play was over, a large person in street clothes had been […]

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