In the pages of baseball history, few names shine as brightly as Rickey Henderson. Known for his electrifying speed, unparalleled base-stealing ability, and longevity in the game, Henderson's career spanned over two decades, leaving an indelible mark on the sport. From his record-breaking achievements to his colorful personality, Rickey Henderson was one of my favorite players as a kid. 

When I was a kid, my brother and I spent a ton of time playing football or maybe just tackling each other. We'd play outside, in the basement, and sometimes, in the living room before other mother would not so kindly point us outside. 

Running around with a football in your hand is a liberating feeling. We grew up in Wisconsin, where rooting against the Packers was sacrilegious. We were, of course, Packers fans, but when it came to carrying the football, there was one player that everyone wanted to emulate. His name was Barry Sanders. While Emmitt Smith was winning Super Bowls, Barry was making guys miss on a weekly basis. He was must-watch TV. 

Today, we take a look at Barry's career vs. Emmitt's. How do the two stack up? And who, ultimately, was the better football player? 

The Boston Celtics won the NBA championship last night, with a 106-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. The title, the franchise's 18th, was its first since 2008 and cements the Celtics as the winningest franchise in NBA history (the Lakers and Celtics had previously been tied with 17 championships apiece). And while the team's playoff run was fairly smooth, the Celtics faced their fare share of scrutiny. 
When a team wins a championship, everything magically makes sense. An inexperienced head coach is all of a sudden a genius. Two superstars who supposedly couldn't co-exist now seem poised to chase several championships together. Big man, Kristaps Porzingis, went from stat chaser on other teams to a missing piece in Boston. Today, we explore how it happened and the incredible importance of timing in the NBA. 

A couple of days ago, Kylian Mbappe signed a 5-year contract with Real Madrid that was worth €15 Million ($16.2 Million) per year after taxes, as well as a €150 Million ($163 Million) bonus. Mbappe’s new contract will make him the highest-paid soccer player in the world, and highest paid athlete in all of sports, even above some of the best players of all time, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But, how does his new payday compare to other top players? That is exactly what I will be covering in today's blog post.

Legendary basketball figure, Bill Walton, passed away on Monday at the age of 71 from cancer. 

​Here is a personal story. ​

Gregg Popovich, often hailed as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, is known to most as "Coach Pop". Known for his tactical genius, unwavering leadership, and commitment to excellence, Popovich's ability to relate to players has set him apart. Today, we dive into the life, career, and legacy of the man behind the San Antonio Spurs' dynasty.

Scottie Scheffler won the 2024 Master's on Sunday, shooting a total score of -11 and beating second place, Ludvig Aberg, by four strokes. 

While I don't watch a ton of golf, watching Sunday's final round at the Masters is something I really enjoy. For one, the course is absolutely beautiful and one of a kind in my eyes. Two, I love the fact that a single event brings the best players in the game, regardless of country or age, to a single tournament. Finally, the pressure to play your absolute best is front and center. Even the best in the world feel it, and you see golfers either rise or fall on the leaderboard in a single round.  

Sure Valentine's Day is around the corner so maybe I'm feeling sentimental. 

Or, I just read too many blogs where the focus is on everything other than the relationship between player and coach. 

Today, I want to explain why coaching anybody, in anything, need not start with fundamentals or x's and o's but with a good ole fashioned heart to heart. 

Last month, I got an email from an author I had never heard of. His name? Gary J. Kirchner. Hailing from Canada, I learned that Kirchner had both played and coached football at McGill University, a highly regarded public research institution in Montreal. 

His ask? Check out his new book, "Pacing The Sidelines," which is the first in a two-part series about football. When people reach out, unless I have absolutely no interest in the subject, I will almost always read their book. It's really the essence of what this site is: a place to uncover new sports books, highlight lesser-known authors, and provide recommendations on books that I feel are worth your time. 

To be fair, I've read plenty of books that I subsequently haven't written about. And while I could start writing reviews of every title I complete, I just don't believe in recapping something that I think is three stars or less. 

2023 has been a roller coaster of a year for me. From switching jobs to having my youngest start school, life comes at you fast. For many of us, too much change is uncomfortable. We thrive on consistency and patterns of living. 

Often, it's easy to do something and then later wonder, "What was the value in that?" Said another way, "Was that worth my time?" To be blunt, I had those thoughts when I first started this website. Too many posts were followed by thoughts of, "Who is even reading this?" ​