sports

Article

Jim Thorpe: The Man, The Myth, the Small Pennsylvania Town

If I say the name Jim Thorpe, most of you will probably think of the Native American baseball player/football player/Olympian. Some of you, though, will think of the Carbon County, Pennsylvania borough known as “Switzerland of America” and the “Gateway to the Poconos.” I think of both, and what concerns us here today is how the latter got named after the former. The story starts in another small town in neighboring Ohio. Jim Thorpe, the... READ ON

Article

Why the NFL Can't Play on Friday and Saturday (and Other Times Congress Interfered with Football)

This season, the NFL added a weekly Thursday night game, which puts professional football on TV three nights a week. Later on, after the bulk of the college football season is over, Saturday will also be in the mix—but for now, the league has to stay away from Friday and Saturday. Why? Because Congress said... READ ON

Article

1-Up: Ohio State Marching Band Rocks Video Games

In this stunning 9-minute video, the Ohio State University Marching Band performs a halftime tribute to video games during this weekend's game against Nebraska. It's shocking how well-choreographed the marching and music are -- a series of set pieces result in delightful moments of recognition as the music and visuals suddenly recall a familiar theme. (Though I must admit, as a non-Halo player, I didn't recognize that theme until "Halo" was spelled out.) To me, the most impressive part of this is the... READ ON

List

The Non-Football Jobs of 12 Coaching Legends

Most coaches spend their entire lives coaching in some capacity, but a few of the all-time greats have gotten some interesting paychecks outside of football. Take a look at some other jobs coaches have... READ ON

Article

Did Wilt Chamberlain Really Sleep With 20,000 Women?

Wilt Chamberlain was born on this date in 1936. Let's check his math on his most famous... READ ON

Article

The New Single-Medal Countries (and Two That Left the List)

A few weeks ago, we gave you 21 countries that have only won a single Olympic medal. Now that the London Games are through, it's time to update our list with the countries that netted their first-ever medal this summer, and the two countries that have now moved into multiple medal territory. First-time medals... READ ON

Big Question

What Happened to Starting Races With Real Pistols?

When Usain Bolt, Wallace Spearmon and the rest of the field line up for today's 200-meter race, they'll kick off the race not at the fire of a pistol, but a noise triggered by an electronic gun. Did previous Games use actual... READ ON

Big Question

How Much Gold is in a Gold Medal?

On our last semi-regular "Ask Matt" day, reader Mel asked, “Are there standards for just how much gold is in those gold medals these Olympic athletes are... READ ON

List

The 21 Countries With One Olympic Medal

Earlier today, we quizzed you on the countries that have won more than 100 Olympic medals. Now it's time for the other side of the equation. Twenty-one countries have won just one medal. Here are the stories of the national heroes who brought those medals home.... READ ON

List

12 Other Sports Cut From The Olympics

The IOC surprised people this week by cutting wrestling from the official Olympic program. They've slashed a number of sports over the years. Should they bring back any of these?... READ ON