Tagged "Sports Illustrated"

After Rhiannon disappeared and before Norm arrived, Zell took care of Julian. The boy asked her what happens when a person stays underwater. “What do you think happens?” asked Zell, herself a teacher.

“I think she became a mermaid,” replied Julian, who had been educated by his mother through magical storytelling. The story spread among Julian’s friends. Within hours Rhiannon had merman friends and sea creatures to keep her company. She was living on a nutritious diet of seaweed scooped from plates made of seashells.

This is such a sad story. David Epstein on Rhiannon Hull.

Because … what the hell has Kim Kardashian ever done besides the X-rated roll-around and moronic, naval-gazing reality shows? Last week, according to a breathless US Weekly report, Kim was in Dallas with sister Khloe, the wife of Mavericks forward Lamar Odom (a story of vacuity for another time), ‘doing a little retail therapy at a local mall before visiting the Dallas Aquarium,’ where, as Kim writes on her blog, they took photos of all the ‘fab animals.’ The magazine reported, apparently without irony, that Kim had to ‘cut her trip short due to work commitments.’

Jack McCallum leading off Scorecard in this week’s Sports Illustrated. He absolutely obliterates reality TV culture. Fantastic.

‘It’s been great,’ he says.

Gary Smith manages one graf - in the fourth to last graf no less - of Cliff Lee quotes in an eight-page feature of him and the Phillies. It’s uniquely Gary Smith, and shouldn’t be attempted by even the most seasoned (sports) journalists.

Where you’ll find me every Sunday.

I’ll typically gather all the stories, magazines, Sunday NYT, book (chapters) and other printed stories I collect throughout the week and work my way through them.

I read for perspective, for inspiration, for tranquility; that throughout my hectic week I’ll have learned something from reading every Sunday that will serve me well.

Fresh from winning the Tokyo ATP event last October—and surpassing $9 million in prize money for 2010—Nadal surprised other passengers on Air China’s 3½-hour flight to Shanghai by settling into seat 29C. ‘I listen to my music,’ Nadal says of his in-flight habits. ‘It sounds the same as it does in [first class].’

Love this quote from Rafa Nadal. The lede is excellent too, by Jon Wertheim.

The Courage of Jill Costello →

My magazines are piling up faster than I can sit down to enjoy them, but I finally made my way to this Chris Ballard story from two weeks ago.

It was heartbreaking, emotionally wrenching and brilliantly written.

The link is provided, but trust me, you’ll want to read this in print.

Waited for print copy to read the Denton piece (New Yorker) and the Agent story (SI). Online wouldn’t do them justice.

Last week’s Sports Illustrated. Big part of my childhood.

This is in the air the boy breathes for 20 years, and it becomes bone fact for him, marrow knowledge. When asked about it, he merely nods in acknowledgment of it, assents to it; of course he believes it’s true. So failure, in the rare visits it pays him, is not failure. It’s just life pausing to teach him a lesson he needs in order to go where he’s inevitably going. And success, no matter how much sooner than expected it comes to the door, always finds him dressed and ready to welcome it… ‘I don’t see any of this as scary or a burden,’ Tiger says. ‘I see it as fortunate. I’ve always known where I wanted to go in life. I’ve never let anything deter me. This is my purpose. It will unfold.’

No sports star in the history of American celebrity has spoken this way. Maybe, somehow, Tiger can win.

Written by the great Gary Smith of Sports Illustrated, for the SI cover, December 23, 1996. The title of the story? The Chosen One