Wrestling has been a business driven by nostalgia for as long as I’ve known it, which is why I’ve typically been skeptical of older fans claiming the mid-to-late 1990s as a golden era for the form. Sure, Stone Cold and The Rock became cultural icons at a level that the current generation of wrestlers could hardly dream about, but even just a few minutes of the ugly, embarrassing old-timer’s matches that WWE has been putting on abroad over the past few years are enough to make young(er) fans wonder if there ever really was anything worthwhile about stars like Goldberg or DX.
Read moreAuthor: Lauren Theisen (page 1 of 2)
Sports Blogger
Illustration by Chris Thompson
If it wasn’t already clear by the first few weeks of isolation, it’s certainly obvious now: hanging out with your pals over webcam sucks shit compared to hanging out in person. A video chat featuring any more than five or six people invites chaos, with nobody sure when it’s their turn to monologue; body language is difficult if not impossible to read; quieter side conversations are non-existent; and even the act of getting up to grab a refill or use the bathroom feels awkward. It is simply unfeasible, no matter how badly we might want to try, to recreate the feeling of casually chatting in a bar or cafe over the internet.
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A very mundane Tigers-Indians game from 2015. Andrew Romine hit a home run.
In their scramble to fill the airwaves with content after the loss of their only valuable commodity—live games—ESPN and the other 24/7 sports channels have mostly opted to play the hits from the past few decades. The Worldwide Leader has tried to promote replays of iconic games like Cavs-Warriors Game 7, Texas-USC in the Rose Bowl, and Super Bowl XLII as true viewing events. NHL Network has shown marathons of Stanley Cup-clinching games. And as I write this, MLB Network is currently airing Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
Read moreThank you for your continued support of the Unnamed Temporary Sports Blog. We’ll see you tomorrow.
Art: Kelsey McKinney
There was likely a point in Brad Wanamaker’s career when he had given up on making it to the NBA. Undrafted after graduating from Pitt in 2011, Wanamaker spent most of the last decade all over Europe, playing in France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey before finally making his NBA debut for the Celtics on Oct. 16, 2018 at age 29.
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What a beautiful rare beast this is. The Battle of Alberta was not particularly close last night, as the Oilers won 8-3 to take their first game (of four so far) off the Flames this season. But it surpassed the other three in terms of sheer chaotic unforgettability thanks to a scrap between a pair of goalies with history on both sides of the rivalry.
What I’m trying to say is: GOALIE FIIIIIIGHT!!!!
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If you don’t like Phish, there is probably no point in trying to convince you of their greatness. Even if you haven’t really listened to their music (I bet you haven’t!) and just conceptualize their shows as one endless, boring riff echoing through a sea of sweaty stoners (they’re not!), you’re likely too set in your ways to listen with open ears. I know this because I’ve tried to make all the arguments and drop all the needles, but even though I don’t lack for friends and don’t fall short when it comes to passionate pleas, I’ve still gone alone to both Phish shows of my lifetime, and I exclusively enjoy their recordings with the isolation of headphones.
Read moreThank you for your continued support of Unnamed Temporary Sports Blog. We’ll be back to close it out tomorrow.
Bruins logo via Wikimedia Commons
Nobody actually scored in the second period of Bruins-Jets on Friday night, but that portion of Boston’s eventual 2-1 win was by no means a dull prelude for the Jake DeBrusk winner in the third. Neither team could put the puck in the back of the net, but they sure managed to put their fists in each other’s faces, treating the Manitoban crowd to a marquee fight card while the score stayed deadlocked at 1-1.
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The whole world is getting ready for the Big Game on Sunday! On what’s basically become an unofficial holiday, families and friends from all over will gather ‘round to watch two evenly matched competitors go at each other for 60 minutes, with only one team victorious when all is said and done.
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