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NPR: Sports with Frank Deford NPR Morning Edition\'s Frank Deford gives weekly commentary on a cross section of the world of sports. Sometimes acerbic, often funny, always insightful. Login to Add this to your Playlist Format : Sports PodcastDirectory.com's listings of the NPR: Sports with Frank Deford Podcasts
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Super Bowl XLIV, By The Numerals Updated: 2010-02-03 14:15:52 Description: The Super Bowl has always had a fondness for Roman numerals. Commentator Frank Deford takes a look at noteworthy numbers in pro football — and has a message for anyone who thinks the commercials are more fun than the game....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Athletes: Don't Orate. Just Tweet Away (Please) Updated: 2010-01-28 08:40:51 Description: Years ago, quarterback Joe Namath told reporters, "We're going to win Sunday. I guarantee it." Muhammad Ali said, "It's not bragging if you can back it up." But that doesn't explain why we give such weight to the big talk of professional athletes....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Athletes: Don't Orate. Just Tweet Away (Please) Updated: 2010-01-27 14:30:41 Description: Years ago, quarterback Joe Namath told reporters, "We're going to win Sunday. I guarantee it." Muhammad Ali said, "It's not bragging if you can back it up." But that doesn't explain why we give such weight to the big talk of professional athletes....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD College Sports Turmoil: The New Normal? Updated: 2010-01-20 14:19:03 Description: New stories about abusive coaches, outrageous salaries and alleged rules violations in collegiate football and basketball seem to be coming out every week. But the negative reports are unlikely to lead to meaningful change....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Sports Stars Updated: 2010-01-06 14:03:56 Description: New Yorkers have made a pastime out of pining after smaller cities' sports talent. The Yankees are famous for it, and now Knicks fans have set their sights on LeBron James, who becomes a free agent on July 1. Watch out, Cleveland....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Head Injuries May Redefine Football's Manly Image Updated: 2009-12-30 14:03:47 Description: The NFL has been slow to acknowledge the long-term effects of concussions from football. That is beginning to change, but will parents stop allowing their sons to play the sport? Only now, at last, are people in the sport beginning to acknowledge the...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Peyton Manning Makes The Cut As TV Pitchman Updated: 2009-12-23 14:07:26 Description: Like many athletes before him, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning stars in commercials hawking products. But, according to Frank Deford, his deadpan expression makes him better at it than the other guys....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD 'Pacman' Pacquiao Gives Filipinos Reason To Cheer Updated: 2009-12-16 14:09:05 Description: The significance of boxer Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines is perhaps unmatched in sports history. Despite his small stature, the fighter called "Pacman" has won seven different world titles. And his influence has been compared to Nelson Mandela's....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD For Tiger Woods, The Only Thing New Is The Focus Updated: 2009-12-09 18:27:23 Description: As anyone who's followed Tiger Woods lately knows, times have changed in sports journalism. Not long ago, athletes' off-the-field behavior was also off the record. Now it's prime-time news....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Notre Dame's Glory Fades Without A Conference Updated: 2009-12-02 14:03:15 Description: Notre Dame football has fans all over the country, a network television contract — and an independent streak. Unlike most other major college football teams, the university has remained separate from the big conferences. But it's time for Notre...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Women's Sports, Title IX And The Cheerleader Option Updated: 2009-11-25 17:18:10 Description: It may get harder for athletic programs to adhere to the Title IX mandate that athletic representation on campuses mirror student enrollment. Frank Deford notes that if colleges make cheerleading a sport, they might stave off budget cuts to male-domi...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD When Football's Deadly Brutality Outraged America Updated: 2009-11-18 14:15:50 Description: In just one season 100 years ago, 26 players died from injuries sustained in football games. The deaths sparked a national outcry and forced the new collegiate athletic association to take action to make the sport safer....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Favre Gets A Bye Week -- But Will He Ever Say Bye? Updated: 2009-11-11 14:14:59 Description: The Minnesota Vikings had a bye week this weekend — and that's a problem for both sports fans and wordsmiths. But a week off is not really a bye — nor is it a reason not to discuss the NFL's age-defying quarterback, Brett Favre....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD A-Rod's New Success: Enough To Put Demons To Rest? Updated: 2009-10-28 13:03:24 Description: When the New York Yankees won the American League title, Alex Rodriguez was embraced by his teammates. The moment marks a turnaround for A-Rod, who has struggled in past post-seasons — and hasn't always had the affection of teammates and fans....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Tailgating: When A Picnic Turns Into An Event Updated: 2009-10-21 13:03:46 Description: For some football fans, firing up the grill and sharing a beer are as essential to pregame ritual as the coin toss and "The Star-Spangled Banner." Even late in the season, football fans will tailgate, gathering on the cold, hard tarmac to dine alfres...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Boise State Needs NCAA's Help To Buck BCS Updated: 2009-10-14 13:03:11 Description: Boise State has one of the upwardly mobile teams in college football — but there may be a limit to how far the team can go. Commentator Frank Deford says the powers that be in college football keep teams like Boise State from having a shot at t...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Chicago, Chrissie And Khloe: Of Love And The Game Updated: 2009-10-07 13:03:12 Description: Love blossoms for some athletes, while it wilts for others — including Chicago and the brutal rejection of its proposal to host the 2016 Olympics....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Baseball Announcers: More Than Just A Voice Updated: 2009-09-30 13:04:42 Description: They may not wear a uniform, but baseball announcers like Ernie Harwell become as much a part of the team as the players for some fans, says commentator Frank Deford....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Hockey: Why Can't The NHL Just Keep It Canadian? Updated: 2009-09-23 13:04:06 Description: Back in the mid-1960s, the National Hockey League was bullish about its prospects in the United States. Today, the expanded league is struggling to pick up Sun Belt fans in far-flung markets in the South and Southwest....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD TV Flap: Will The NFL Live Up To Its Socialist Ideals? Updated: 2009-09-16 13:04:39 Description: The NFL has a long-standing agreement that franchises share equally in television revenues. To commentator Frank Deford, that's socialism — and, he says, the league's TV policies are out of step with the times. At issue: blackouts meant to puni...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Can You Believe These Rankings? Updated: 2009-09-09 13:05:25 Description: Sports has always loved rankings, says commentator Frank Deford. But what do the rankings really mean? The latest brouhaha is in women's tennis, where Serena Williams, who's won three of the last four Grand Slams, is ranked No. 2 after a player who's...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD A Fading Champ, But A Champ Still: Muhammad Ali Updated: 2009-09-02 13:03:11 Description: Former boxing phenomenon Muhammad Ali is hobbled by age and illness, but he continues to make public appearances. While some people find these appearances sad and unsettling, Frank Deford says many more have come to embrace him....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD NFL: Dodging The Concussion Discussion? Updated: 2009-08-26 13:03:45 Description: Nobody's sure how dangerous the contact in football is to the brain. But high school players will experience more than 40,000 concussions this season and many former players suffer from dementia or depression. So why is pro football taking a Big Toba...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD In Sports And Life, Once-Lazy August Is Filling Up Updated: 2009-08-19 13:04:06 Description: August used to be downtime for all of us, including most athletes. But now, students go back to school before Labor Day, and schools play football during August. If the NFL also expands into August, we might as well call it September, says commentato...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Many Halls Of Fame, Only One 'Bullet Bob' Hayes Updated: 2009-08-12 13:06:32 Description: In the world of sports, halls of fame proliferate. There's even one for mascots. But Frank Deford says it's still good to see a deserving athlete enshrined — in this case, a football legend once known as "the World's Fastest Human."...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD High-And-Mighty ESPN Should Take It Down A Notch Updated: 2009-08-05 13:03:12 Description: ESPN has multiple channels, a magazine, a radio network and some unbecoming habits — like subtly claiming it alone uncovers all the news in sports. Commentator Frank Deford says the network would benefit from a bit more humility....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Deford: 'That's No Lady, That's An Athlete!' Updated: 2009-07-29 13:04:08 Description: There are so many mixed messages in women's athletics. For example, what most people remember about the 1999 World Cup was Brandi Chastain taking off her shirt, not that she scored the winning goal, says Frank Deford....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Baseball's Graybeards? They Manage Updated: 2009-07-22 13:04:24 Description: Major League Baseball could advertise for AARP. The sport's managers include many of the oldest head mentors in big-league sports, including the ageless Joe Torre of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The football and hockey leagues have some of the youngest....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Loathing The Bowl Championship Series Updated: 2009-07-08 13:03:43 Description: Frank Deford wants the NCAA to come clean on the big business of college football and stop treating it like an amateurish game. Deford also wants Congress to think of the athlete and not the schools when considering the BCS....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD A-Rod, Manny Still All-Stars To Many Fans Updated: 2009-07-15 13:03:54 Description: Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, who in recent months admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, were noticeably absent from Tuesday night's All-Star game in St. Louis. Frank Deford explains that baseball fans no longer seem to care about the us...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Is Chicago An Olympics Kind Of Town? Updated: 2009-07-01 13:03:14 Description: The International Olympic Committee will decide soon which city will host the 2016 games. The front-runners include Rio de Janeiro — a first for South America — and Chicago, which has never hosted the games....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD It's Time For Tennis Players To Make Some Noise Updated: 2009-06-24 13:04:00 Description: A 16-year-old Portuguese player, Michelle Larcher de Brito, is distracting her opponents with her shrieks. Frank Deford wonders why golf and tennis players — and fans — can't make more noise....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD My Money's On Betting In Delaware Updated: 2009-05-27 13:03:49 Description: Commentator Frank Deford says we should look no further than the U.S. position on sports gambling to see how we're full of contradictions and hypocrisy. Why are we so backward and tormented about gambling?...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Michael Vick: Another Kind Of Role Model Updated: 2009-06-03 13:04:42 Description: The quarterback had it all and then threw it away through stupidity, arrogance and sheer evil. Frank Deford says if Vick is allowed back on the field, he'll remind us of how young athletes can so easily fall from grace....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Word Play: Writing Clutters American Sports Updated: 2009-06-10 13:03:36 Description: Everything in the world seems to be trending green — except for football fields. The writing at midfield takes up more space and grows uglier all the time. Scrimmaging around the 50-yard line looks like players are on a Jackson Pollock painting...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Tiger: Would Greatness Be Sweeter With Archrival? Updated: 2009-06-17 13:03:29 Description: What makes an athlete the Greatest Of All Time or, a GOAT? GOAT-ish competition! When it comes to Tiger Woods, who plays in the U.S. Open at Bethpage this week, Frank Deford says Woods lacks an "almost-GOAT" competitor....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Roger Federer: A Champion Faces A Challenge Updated: 2009-05-20 13:06:45 Description: It's been a rough year for the No. 2 tennis player. But don't write him off yet, especially after his defeat of Rafael Nadal last week in Madrid. Federer hopes to prevent Nadal from winning a fifth consecutive French Open....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Remembering Sportswriter Bud Shrake Updated: 2009-05-13 13:05:59 Description: Back when newspapers ruled the sports world, Bud Shrake took a job at the Fort Worth Press. It was the beginning of a career in sports journalism that commentator Frank Deford says embodied an entire era. Shrake died last week in Texas. He was 77....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Put The Surprise Back In Sports Updated: 2009-05-06 13:03:50 Description: Sports is so prepackaged, so diagrammed to death by experts and analysts, that it's reduced to all the charm of following the Dow Jones average on CNBC....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Why Play Free For The NCAA When Europe Pays? Updated: 2009-04-29 13:03:54 Description: High school basketball stars have to wait a year past graduation before they become eligible for the NBA draft. Now a few are saying no to a year of college ball and going straight to lucrative pro contracts in Europe. Commentator Frank Deford is roo...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Point Guard Takes Over As Big Man On Court Updated: 2009-04-15 13:03:13 Description: It's long been an article of faith that the most treasured commodity on any basketball team is a big man. But now, that mantle of positional pre-eminence has passed from inside to outside. The one player who can most improve a team, who can make it c...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Bidding Farewell To The Sports PR Guy Updated: 2009-04-22 13:04:10 Description: The recent death of Joey Goldstein at age 81 marks the end of the epoch of the sports PR guy. Sports PR guys, unlike show-biz agents, are positive by nature. Instead of doing damage control, they just want to get their clients in the newspaper....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Ballparks Should Be Built For Fans, Not Architects Updated: 2009-04-08 13:03:10 Description: Architecture critics may find the Yankees' and Mets' new ballparks disappointing, but Frank Deford says that no one has yet figured out how to build a better one than the Orioles did in 1992 — and no one needs to....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD No Lions And Orioles And Bears? Oh, My! Updated: 2009-04-01 13:03:41 Description: When a team stinks, should it still have the right to bear a noble creature's name? Consider the beleaguered lion, oriole and other animals that deserve to be king, at least for a day....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Dynamic Duo Of Women's College Basketball Updated: 2009-03-18 13:04:08 Description: Since 1995, both Tennessee and Connecticut have won five NCAA championships apiece — so that all the other women's teams in the country have split a measly four between them. And this year, Connecticut will almost surely win again....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Four Horsemen Of The Athletic Apocalypse Updated: 2009-03-25 13:05:39 Description: Four big-name players regarded as locker room poison were banished by their teams, only to be given another chance. But will the recession change the attitude toward highly paid malcontents? Commentator Frank Deford says even announcers don't quite g...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Please, Pop The Phrase 'On The Bubble' Updated: 2009-03-11 13:03:11 Description: It's the tired expression used to describe the teams that just might win a berth in the 65-team NCAA men's basketball tournament. Commentator Frank Deford says it's time for the sports media to come up with new language, especially at a time when so ...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD A-Rod Confession Shouldn't Have Been A Shocker Updated: 2009-02-18 14:03:37 Description: The signs and the manifold rumors that Yankees infielder Alex Rodriguez used performance-enhancing drugs were there all along. Commentator Frank Deford says that in a very real way, what has happened to Rodriguez isn't all that bad for baseball....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD LeBron Is Agility And Power, Personified Updated: 2009-02-25 14:04:03 Description: At 6 foot 8, basketball star LeBron James isn't exceptionally tall by NBA standards. But commentator Frank Deford says James has an unusual combination of power and agility that makes him a standout in his sport....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Watching The Clock: A Sport All Its Own Updated: 2009-03-04 14:04:15 Description: Baseball fans may romanticize about how there is no clock in that sport, but basketball was saved by the 24-second clock. And while the sports that have clocks all use them differently, one thing is the same: It's bad for the game to sit on the clock...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD There's No Love In The NFL Updated: 2009-02-11 14:03:28 Description: As Valentine's Day approaches, the one place where a little love is most needed is in the National Football League. Football is a brutal game, and commentator Frank Deford says it's time for everyone involved in the sport to address the health needs ...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Without Woods, The Sport Of Golf Is In The Rough Updated: 2009-02-04 14:03:50 Description: At some point, the PGA tour became a wholly subsumed subsidiary of Tiger Woods, and without him there simply doesn't appear to be any there there. The PGA: Professional Golfers Anonymous....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD A Merry Super Bowl To All, And To All A Good Game Updated: 2009-01-28 14:09:29 Description: The Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals meet this Sunday in the Super Bowl. Commentator Frank Deford says the annual football championship has become a fixture on the American calendar, an unofficial but widely observed holiday marked by ritual...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Seriously, Don't Take Barkley Too Seriously Updated: 2009-01-14 14:03:22 Description: Former NBA star Charles Barkley is taking a leave of absence from his television work after his arrest for suspected drunken driving. Commentator Frank Deford says Barkley's career has been marked by his outsized talent and behavior — but his c...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Yankees Are, Once Again, Bad Sports Updated: 2008-12-31 14:03:11 Description: By asking a struggling New York City for an additional $259 million in tax-free bonds to help finance a new stadium (while signing free agents for well over $400 million), the Bronx Bombers present themselves as the very model of arrogance and let-'e...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Stupidest Statistics In The Modern Era Updated: 2008-12-10 14:04:21 Description: You don't have to read the box scores to know that statistics are a big deal in sports. But lately, commentator Frank Deford has noticed a glut of meaningless sports statistics....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Sports Dilemma: Siding With Politicians On Playoffs Updated: 2008-12-17 14:04:22 Description: Commentator Frank Deford agrees with politicians calling for a college football playoff to determine the national champion. But it means letting go of a long-held belief: that sports and politics shouldn't mix....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Cautionary Tale Of John Mackey, NFL Star Updated: 2008-12-24 14:06:01 Description: John Mackey had a distinguished career with the Baltimore Colts. He now has dementia, and his wife, Sylvia, has stood by him and urged the league to help other athletes with dementia. Commentator Frank Deford says football is an intense team game &md...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Sports Advice: Copy Hollywood's Business Model Updated: 2008-12-03 14:04:05 Description: The economic downturn may force pro sports leagues to re-examine their business model, says commentator Frank Deford. And the leagues might look to Hollywood for inspiration: Top athletes would still command huge contracts, but lesser players could s...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Natty Dressers Disappear From NFL Sidelines Updated: 2008-11-19 14:04:12 Description: These days, football coaches have swapped the snappy attire of their predecessors for Goodwill chic and headsets. Commentator Frank Deford says he never imagined that he would have warm reveries of Weeb Ewbank or Vince Lombardi, strolling the sidelin...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD America's New Trade Deficit: Elite Athletes? Updated: 2008-11-12 14:04:49 Description: For years, many of the best foreign athletes have come to the United States to advance their careers. Commentator Frank Deford sees a reverse trend: elite athletes leaving the U.S. to play abroad....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD NCAARP? Old Coaches Don't Quit Updated: 2008-10-29 13:04:39 Description: When it comes to coaching, it seems 80 is the new 60. And today's coaches — Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden, to name two — are working far past the retirement age of legends like Bear Bryant. Frank Deford sees the pattern in other sports, as...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Philly Hearts Harden Waiting For The Next Champ Updated: 2008-10-22 13:05:20 Description: There's a lot at stake for Philadelphia in this World Series. The city hasn't won a major sports championship since 1983. And the city has the hardened fans to prove it, says Frank Deford. Just look how they treated Sarah Palin....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Duchess Protests: Players, Save Your Spit Updated: 2008-10-15 13:03:38 Description: Commentator Frank Deford introduces a new character to his weekly sports commentary. The Duchess is a sports connoisseur who sees the grace and beauty in athletics. But lately, she's been distressed by all the spitting she sees in Major League Baseba...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD SEC Football: It's The Heart Of Dixie Updated: 2008-10-08 13:03:10 Description: Choosing the college football champion by having one title game played by teams chosen by computers and polls is unfair, un-American and, well, idiotic, says commentator Frank Deford. Why? Because the system penalizes the teams in the premier league ...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD One Last Pitch For Tim Drew Updated: 2008-07-30 13:01:43 Description: Pitcher Tim Drew was a first-round pick in the major league draft 11 years ago. But his early promise as a ballplayer didn't last, not like that of his brothers, J.D. and Steve. Now, he's called it a career at 29....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Joy Of Being At The Game: Priceless? Updated: 2008-08-06 13:10:08 Description: Now, going to a game is an event — like a Broadway show or a concert. You must plan in advance, budget. If you're a fan, I don't have to tell you the figures....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Swimming Legend You Never Heard Of Updated: 2008-08-13 13:01:12 Description: If not for a turn of history, Sunny Boy Kiefer would be included in an exalted group of swimmers, from Johnny Weissmuller and Buster Crabbe to Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps. Starting in 1935 when he was 17, Kiefer set backstroke records just about ev...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Good, Better, Best: Finding Phelps' Place In History Updated: 2008-08-20 13:03:09 Description: Ever since Michael Phelps clinched his eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, analysts have debated the swimmer's place in the sports pantheon. But Frank Deford says it's impossible to compare Phelps to other sports greats, past or present....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Take The Olympics. Give Me My NFL, Please Updated: 2008-08-27 13:03:10 Description: When it comes to the people who run sports, look out for federations — and for officials wearing blue blazers. Commentator Frank Deford says team sports are easier to run than individual sports, and domestic sports are more manageable than inte...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Why Alex Rodriguez Struggles In The Clutch Updated: 2008-09-03 13:03:10 Description: Some players just don't seem comfortable in team sports, however talented they may be. Commentator Frank Deford says Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees is one such athlete, an outstanding player who nevertheless buckles under pressure to produce ...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Football Fatigue Got You Down? Try Pigskinexia Updated: 2008-09-10 13:03:10 Description: Football season has begun — and that's a problem for some women who aren't crazy about the game but live with men who watch it nonstop. Frank Deford has a cure for the seasonal distress brought on by hours of TV football — and the bad beh...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Blemish, Anyone? Bets Show Dark Side Of Tennis Updated: 2008-09-17 13:04:23 Description: Tennis may seem rather dainty. But, in fact, the sport has always had a dark underside, populated by gamblers and match fixers. Commentator Frank Deford says he's not reassured by a ruling that cleared a top player of throwing a match....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD A Man For These Diminished Times Updated: 2008-09-24 13:04:20 Description: Sport can take fans' minds off their troubles, but not in 2008. This year, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, our saint of the perpetual frown, reflects the glum national mood — especially with quarterback Tom Brady out for the season....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Paul Newman: A Sportsman And A Hero Updated: 2008-10-01 13:08:58 Description: There's an old French expression: "An actress is more than a woman, and an actor is less than a man." No one ever thought that of Paul Newman. In a way, men and women alike saw him more as a hero than an actor. Certainly, it's hard to think of anyon...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Water-Thirsty Golf Courses Need to Go Green Updated: 2008-06-11 13:09:10 Description: There are about 16,000 golf courses in the United States, and they all need huge amounts of water. The sport must take notice of limited resources and develop courses that are more in harmony with the environment....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Celtics vs. Lakers: A Matchup for the Ages Updated: 2008-06-04 13:03:09 Description: A great rivalry resumes Thursday when the Boston Celtics meet the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA championship. It will be the 11th time these teams have played for the title. Commentator Frank Deford says it's nice to see history repeated....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Ladies Got Game: What a Year for Women in Sports Updated: 2008-05-28 13:04:05 Description: Danica Patrick was in the running to win the Indianapolis 500. Lorena Ochoa — not Tiger Woods — is the most dominant force in golf. It's been a remarkable year for women in sports....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD After Scandal, Duke Lacrosse Makes a Comeback Updated: 2008-05-21 13:03:10 Description: Two years ago, the men's lacrosse program at Duke University was rocked by scandal. Now the team is in contention for the national title, and there's a sense of redemption in the air....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Sports Curmudgeon: 'With All Due Respect ...' Updated: 2008-05-14 13:03:43 Description: Baseball offers the Sports Curmudgeon much tackiness to grouse about, like all-you-can-eat sections in ballparks and players who just stand and watch the ball in flight after hitting it....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Need for Speed Brings Tragedy at the Derby Updated: 2008-05-07 13:05:25 Description: No one knows exactly why Eight Belles suffered a catastrophic injury in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. But the filly's fate reflects the relentless drive for athletes — animal as well as human — to be ever-faster and stronger....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Mixed Martial Arts: A Knockout to Boxing? Updated: 2008-04-16 13:03:31 Description: As boxing has declined, a newer, more violent sport has taken its place. Mixed martial arts is a combination of wrestling, boxing, jujitsu and kickboxing. Commentator Frank Deford says it's more like a live video game than the "sweet science" of boxi...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Draft Process Takes the Surprise Out of Sports Updated: 2008-04-23 13:03:10 Description: Pro sports draft-guessing, based on game films and other technology, has become a cottage industry. But it seems the more that players are analyzed, the less we know about them — and the professionals who picked them....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD What's Wrong with the Kentucky Derby? Updated: 2008-04-30 13:03:25 Description: When the gates swing open at Saturday's Kentucky Derby, 20 thoroughbreds will kick off a mad dash that crams three of the sport's most prestigious races into five weeks. And, at a mile and a quarter, the Derby's racecourse is just too long for young ...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Olympic Games May Have Run Their Course Updated: 2008-04-09 14:14:42 Description: In the years before cyberspace it might have made sense to bring athletes together every four years, but today the Olympics is a festival for sports nobody cares about the other three years and 50 weeks....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD In NBA Playoffs, May Only the Best Teams Play Updated: 2008-04-07 02:07:40 Description: Just as some youth sports events are called when one team has far surpassed the other, there ought to be a mercy rule for fans: No more losing teams in the NBA playoffs....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD China Struggles to Shine in Olympic Spotlight Updated: 2008-03-30 23:20:50 Description: China hopes to impress the world when it hosts the Summer Olympics in August. But Beijing faces pressure to improve human rights and deal with concerns about air pollution at the games....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Sports in America Increasingly Becoming Child's Play Updated: 2008-03-20 13:45:34 Description: The World Figure Skating Championships are under way in Sweden, but the U.S. women's champion is not competing. She's too young. Frank Deford says it's another sign of the times in American sports....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Holy Smoke! It's Time for NCAA Brackets Updated: 2008-03-14 13:42:01 Description: Deciding which teams will play for the NCAA basketball championship is a bit like picking a pope. To assemble the all-important brackets, officials gather in secret, like the cardinals. But instead of white smoke, they reveal their choices to CBS, wh...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Tiger Always Wins; Golf Might as Well Give Up Updated: 2008-03-07 17:54:13 Description: Tiger Woods says he's playing the best golf of his career and even talks about the prospect of a perfect season. Commentator Frank Deford takes a not-so-serious look at how the golf world is responding....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Bowling HQ Leaving Milwaukee: Say It Ain't So Updated: 2008-02-28 00:11:24 Description: Just like Cracker Jack goes with baseball, bowling and beer and Milwaukee have always gone hand in hand. But that may soon change as the United States Bowling Congress considers leaving for Texas. Frank Deford is pinning his hopes against such a move...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD To Sports Fans, Forgiveness Is Divine Updated: 2008-02-22 12:54:29 Description: Despite all the hand-wringing over scandals in sports, including allegations that superstar pitcher Roger Clemens used illegal performance-enhancing drugs, commentator Frank Deford says sports fans are inclined to forgive and forget....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Congress Must Play When Sports Cheat Updated: 2008-02-13 15:21:44 Description: As All-Star pitcher Roger Clemens prepares to testify before Congress on doping in Major League Baseball, commentator Frank Deford says lawmakers have good reason to take a closer look at baseball's drug problem....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Sadly, NBA's Stars Outshine Their Teams Updated: 2008-02-08 13:17:16 Description: As the NBA moves briefly into the spotlight dominated by other sports, its All-Star Game shows one of pro basketball's major shortcomings -- its stars are considered more important than their teams....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD In Fair Glendale, the Bard's Super Bowl Play Updated: 2008-02-06 01:26:16 Description: The ghost of William Shakespeare makes a rare appearance in Arizona, where the Giants of York and the Patriots of Old -- er, New -- England prepare for a mighty battle. Frank Deford and a cast of NPR reporters and hosts cover Super Bowl media day in ...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Today's Sports Greats: Better Than Ever? Updated: 2008-01-24 01:59:31 Description: Is it possible that right now we have, plying their genius before our admiring eyes, the greatest professional football team ever, the greatest quarterback ever, the greatest tennis player ever and the greatest golfer ever?...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Edmund Hillary, the Humble Conqueror Updated: 2008-01-18 13:57:52 Description: It was one of the greatest sporting achievements in the 20th century, but Edmund Hillary, the man who first reached the summit of Mount Everest played down his role....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Clemens' Denial of Steroid Use Hard to Believe Updated: 2008-01-10 03:39:00 Description: All-Star pitcher Roger Clemens has strongly denied accusations that he used performance-enhancing drugs. Commentator Frank Deford says Clemens' argument is not believable....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD In All Fairness, College Athletes Should be Paid Updated: 2008-01-03 02:40:54 Description: The games athletes play are supposed to be fair, but commentator Frank Deford sees great unfairness in college sports. He says it's time college football and basketball players were paid for their labors....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Boston, Back on Top with a Vengeance Updated: 2007-12-06 06:47:07 Description: For years, Boston sports fans endured disappointment and loss. Now the city is at the center of the sports universe, with dominant teams in baseball, football and basketball. Even the hockey team is making a comeback....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Gambling, the Real National Pastime Updated: 2007-10-08 20:44:30 Description: From obscure tennis matches to televised poker, the public's obsession with gambling seems to have few bounds. But, as Frank Deford notes, our wagering ways have deep roots....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Distracted by Distractions Updated: 2007-10-08 20:44:30 Description: From the U.S. Open to the Super Bowl, distractions -- or the possibility of distractions -- often get the blame for poor performance. Frank Deford has had enough of all the talk about distraction....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD To Bill Belichick, a Question: Why Cheat? Updated: 2007-10-08 20:44:30 Description: Leading the New England Patriots to three Super Bowl championships, Bill Belichick has a resume that any NFL coach would envy. So why would he tarnish his reputation by cheating?...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD When Athletes and Fans Play the Race Card Updated: 2007-10-08 20:44:30 Description: This summer has seen a return of the race card in sports. Donovan McNabb declared that black quarterbacks are more scrutinized than white ones. And fans of Barry Bonds and Michael Vick said those athletes were treated unfairly because of their race....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Babble in the Booth Updated: 2007-10-08 20:44:30 Description: Three announcers in a sports booth is one too many, but the TV networks persist in trying it. The three voices in the booth all sound the same -- especially when they don't stop talking....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Clemens' Return: Another Summer Sequel? Updated: 2007-05-30 16:59:37 Description: Some teams will put up with a lot when it comes to superstars. Cases in point: The New York Yankees, who lured pitcher Roger Clemens out of retirement, and the New England Patriots, who signed wide receiver Randy Moss....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Let's Hear It for the Big Men of Sports Updated: 2007-04-11 16:19:49 Description: No one person is bigger than the sport? Nonsense. What about Tiger Woods or Roger Federer? And world-record smasher Michael Phelps is not only bigger than swimming, he may be bigger than the Olympics. ...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Who Is Keeping Gay Athletes in the Closet? Updated: 2007-02-23 05:52:42 Description: Former NBA player John Amaechi made news recently when he announced that he is gay. But why do so many gay male athletes keep their sexual orientation a secret? Is it a fear of teammates, or of public reaction?...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD The Super Bowl, Testing Survival Instincts Updated: 2007-01-31 14:09:22 Description: Forget all the hype about the announcers, the commercials and the half-time show. There's another reason people tune in to the Super Bowl: they want to see who survives. It's the great American reality show....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Johnny Unitas Towers Over the History of Football Updated: 2006-11-01 00:00:00 Description: One of football's greatest players was quarterback Johnny Unitas. He was more than a great player. Unitas was a unique man who towered above his contemporaries, and the stars who have played after him....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Sports Teams, Leagues Create Private Networks Updated: 2006-10-22 16:21:14 Description: More and more sports teams and leagues see newspapers as a nuisance. Now, teams, and even whole leagues like the NFL and the NBA, control their own TV stations and networks....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD America's Provincial Sports Fans Blind to Greatness Updated: 2006-09-21 20:26:49 Description: Golfer Tiger Woods and tennis player Roger Federer have something in common: each is perhaps the best to ever play his sport. Yet one of them gets significantly more attention from American sports fans. The reason is a simple accident of birth....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Sports Hold Boys Back in College Updated: 2006-09-13 18:58:27 Description: This school year, men will make up only 42 percent of the nation's college graduates. And while experts debate the reasons why men lag behind, there is the thought that it is due to their focus on sports....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Professional Football TV Action Entertains the Masses Updated: 2006-08-24 01:53:00 Description: Football fans will have their choice of live football games almost every night of the week this season. NBC, ESPN and the NFL are all getting in on the most reliable moneymaking action on television. The competition between the networks is almost as ...more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Giving Voice to the Sports Curmudgeon Updated: 2006-07-26 16:00:02 Description: Commentator Frank Deford's good friend, the Sports Curmudgeon, has a long list of sports pet peeves. Deford gives them a voice....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Sports Reflect Society's Changing Makeup Updated: 2006-07-12 13:54:24 Description: Commentator Frank Deford reflects on how certain races dominate certain sports. He says it's a phenomenon that fails to reflect America's diversity. But it's changing, just like the rest of our society....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Anthems Add Little to Sporting Events Updated: 2006-06-28 14:40:52 Description: Commentator Frank Deford takes issue with the playing of the national anthem at U.S. sporting events. To his ears, the practice has become obligatory, even tired....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD Athletes Turned Politicians Go Republican Updated: 2006-05-03 23:03:41 Description: Commentator Frank Deford says there are lots of former athletes who've gone into politics. He wonders why so many of them are Republicans....more... LISTEN NOW | VIEW CACHE | DOWNLOAD |
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