Curling before it was cool. Chicago, circa 1903.
(Chicago History Museum/Getty Images)
Curling before it was cool. Chicago, circa 1903.
(Chicago History Museum/Getty Images)
SPORTSREDEF PICKS
The Unlikely Sneaker Icon, Punting's Left Turn, Inside Benefica's Academy, The Best Worst Game Developer, River Dance...
Mike Vorkunov, curator January 12, 2018
QUOTABLES!
quote of the day
I do want to know the whys in life. I do want to know why we're here, where we're going; trying to find that deeper purpose. To live it, through sports in a very authentic way, makes so much sense to me."
Tom Brady, Patriots QB
sports
rant n' rave
rantnrave://

Loved JENNY VRENTAS' story on left-footed punters in NEW ENGLAND. Never knew I wanted a story on punters. Football is a hard-to-understand sport. It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback but few fans really get how the game is played. On the whole, it seems we're OK with that. We trade a shallow knowledge pool for the entertainment. Media coverage is focused more on personality and storylines than Xs and Os. A sport that's all about details is usually discussed with a 30,000 foot view. When a reporter digs into the minutiae, we usually find out football is even more complicated than we think. The PATRIOTS have a history of lefty punters. It's more than a BILL BELICHICK quirk. Vrentas digs into the efficacy of left-footed vs. right-footed punters, the wind patterns of GILLETTE STADIUM, and why the drop from a punter's hand is more important than you probably ever thought about. It's a fascinating dive into a level of thinking about football we rarely get to experience, certainly not for special teams, and definitely don't get from cliche-heavy analysts who fill up broadcast booths and pregame shows... Finally a good day for US SOCCER. They poached TIMOTHY TILLMAN, a BAYERN MUNICH prospect, who had played for GERMANY's U-19 team. And CHRISTIAN PULISIC could be the object of a bidding war between MAN UNITED and LIVERPOOL. Nothing proves the US has produced a world talent like two premier teams feuding to get him. The US needs that bounce in legitimacy right now... Video games like MADDEN, FIFA and NBA 2K haven't just sold millions of copies, they've taught their sports to a new legion of fans and bred the next generation of stars. They've changed how fans consume sports from bar to arcade to living room. SportsSET: "Nearly Real Sports: The Video Games That Changed Sports"... The OVERWATCH LEAGUE began its debut season Wednesday. The reviews are positive so far. But if you're still not sure what's going on and need a primer on eSports, ALL WORK ALL PLAY serves as a solid entry point. The doc, on NETFLIX, dives into a LEAGUE OF LEGENDS championship season... The NFL on AMAZON was a hit in the REPUBLIC OF CHAD... The ice cream of the future is my favorite ballpark snack. Don't @ me... Hope he had a warranty... "You sure do want to do your best and try real hard so you can bring honor to the s***hole name"... Better get BLAKE BORTLES a bottle. RIP CY YOUNG... SportsREDEF will be absent from your inbox Monday morning as we take a break for MLK DAY. But worry not, it's back to normal Tuesday!

Mike Vorkunov, curator

January 12, 2018