Hidden gems abound in this Streaming Age of TV. Who would have thought that Jason Sudakis and Zach Braff could come up with such a delightful sports sitcom? On Apple TV, Ted Lasso, is a show about a successful “American” college football coach at the lower levels who is brought in to coach a Premier […]
Sports in 2020 — and Beyond
Spectators are sparse in number these days on our professional sports landscape, unless you count the camera people and the folks caring for the grass, lest it be trampled. Those blades of grass (or “shards of tire” in the NFL) are our first and only responding witnesses in the front row right now. Fans? Well, […]
Bottom of the Ninth: Baseball and the Eternity of God’s Love
Baseball’s back — with a truncated season, the universal DH (a bitter pill for this National League snob to swallow), and deep uncertainty involving the ongoing pandemic — but it is back nonetheless. I could hardly be more grateful. Besides the joy inherent in the game itself, it’s a huge relief to transfer some of […]
Torn Ligaments, Broken Dreams, and Abundant Grace
Lately, I have felt more fatigued than normal. Perhaps that’s a consequence of “sedentary coronavirus syndrome.” Or laziness. Or old age. In all likelihood it’s some amalgamation of the three. Father Time is still undefeated. Despite the best efforts and innovations we can muster, old age afflicts everyone. As time marches on, so does our […]
The Coach Who Changed Michael Lewis’s Life
Very late to the game on this one, pun intended. For years people have been urging me to read Michael Lewis. Moneyball, The Big Short, Liar’s Poker; these are required reading for American dads my age. I know his appeal extends beyond that demographic, but I’ve resisted nonetheless, leaning more in the Brandon Sanderson direction […]
When Is a Baseball Card More Than Just a Baseball Card?
Escapism via Time Traveling, and a Story of Baseball Card Grace
A Tennis-Ball-Shaped Anvil (and Other Things That Weigh on Us)
“It’s no accident, I think, that tennis uses the language of life. Advantage, service, fault, break, love, the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence, because every match is a life in miniature.” – Andre Agassi Stumbling across Andre Agassi’s autobiography Open was like overhearing a parishioner’s confession to a priest. It doesn’t […]
Super Bowl Psychology: What This Year’s Commercials Tell Us About Ourselves
Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs, winners of Super Bowl XIV. Congratulations to everyone who got up for work today after a fun football game. As the old adage goes, the real reason for the parties we attended last night was not the sport itself, though I really enjoyed a competitive game between two great […]
In The Arena: On Best Efforts and Certain Failures
It is the season where an entire nation seems to be made of “fans.” National college and professional games, players and primetime television are simply overwhelming in our popular culture, whether you enjoy football or not. But all things devotional, especially those that command our lives in youth, etch who we are in our devotion. […]
From Houston, With Love (And Regrets)
Six years ago this week, when my family and I were huddled inside our Minnesota home to keep ourselves safe from the polar vortex, my husband was in talks with a church in Houston, Texas, which had asked him to consider working there. These might as well have been phone calls from the moon, because […]
Netflix’s “Cheer”: Law and Grace in Action
It took just three days to plow through the six episodes of Netflix’s latest docuseries Cheer, but it was well worth it. I’m not a cheerleading expert, or even a casual fan, but my initial skepticism was quickly won over by the show’s tear-jerking storytelling. Don’t get me wrong, the flips are as amazing to […]
