Sports are stupid. We assembled sports writers, critics, freaks, and authors to tell us why. Image from Champions of the Ring. Sports and literature seem an unlikely pair. The flashing jumbotrons, the tabloid scandals, the frenzied brandingโfor the undiscerning non-fan, sports can be all flash and no substance.
The prose becomes the lens through which intricate feats, sublime triumphs, and the athletes themselves gain focus. For this roundtable discussion, we convened a group of writers whose work continues to remind us about the value and thrill of sports. Her blog is Ramble on Rose. She lives in New York City. His novel Doubles , set in the world of professional tennis, was published in July He is a contributing editor at New York Magazine and the founder of Deadspin.
He lives in Brooklyn. His first novel, People Park , will be released in late Bethlehem Shoals is a founding member of FreeDarko. He has also written for Sports Illustrated , Slate , and the Nation. Chad Harbach: In , Mark Wohlers, an all-star reliever for the Atlanta Braves, suddenly lost the ability to throw the ball over the plate. He was sent down to the minors a great humiliation for such an established player and struggled there too.
In July, in a series against the Brewers, the Braves tried to work him back into their bullpen. He walked around the back of the mound, gathered himself, and did it again. He was sweating profusely, his face turned a purplish colorโhe was essentially having an anxiety attack in front of 48, people, plus a TV audience. After two batters, the manager took him out. The next day he pitched a full inning, with worse results.
The Brewers are my hometown team, and I happened to see both games on TV. It felt cruel and voyeuristic to watch. Something like this has happened to enough prominent ballplayersโChuck Knoblauch, Rick Ankielโthat it has a pseudo-medical name: Steve Blass Disease.
