Sports

Sports

Week In Sport: A Track Star's Fall From Grace

10:05am February 16, 2013

The Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was charged this week with the murder of his girlfriend at his home in South Africa. His appearance in the 2012 Olympics marked the first time a double amputee had ever competed. Also, with Selection Sunday just four weeks away, no team in college basketball can hang onto the No. 1 spot. Weekend Edition Saturday Scott Simon talks with Howard Bryant of ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine.

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Sports

When Sports Icons Fall Short

4:18pm February 15, 2013

In the wake of a murder charge against legless sprinter Oscar Pistorius, sportswriter Stefan Fatsis and Robert Siegel discuss the elevation of sports stars beyond acclaim for their physical gifts.

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Pistorius In Custody After Girlfriend's Death

3:05am February 15, 2013

A woman was shot and killed Thursday at the home of South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius. Police tell South African news outlets that Pistorius is the only suspect.

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An Oft-Told Tale: The Beauty Queen And The Quarterback

6:24am February 13, 2013

by Frank Deford

Last month, Brent Musburger was accused of being sexist when he gushed about "what a beautiful woman" Miss Alabama was during the BCS Championship game. Commentator Frank Deford says if Musburger was guilty of anything, it was failing to note what a cliche he was perpetuating.

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Sports Fixing: When Gambling And The Game Collide

2:30pm February 12, 2013

European officials say players and referees have fixed the outcome of hundreds of soccer games in recent years. The scandal has exposed the organized crime rings that cash in on cheating and has heightened scrutiny of the ethical questions that arise at the intersection of gambling and sports.

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Sports

Super Bowl Underdogs, Are Stats On Their Side?

11:26am February 12, 2013

by Mike Pesca

The Baltimore Ravens hope to top off their run to the Super Bowl with a win in the big game Sunday. If they do, they'll continue a trend of unlikely champions — six of the past eight Super Bowl victors weren't the top seeds in their conferences.

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Sports

Week In Sports: NBA Season Hits Halfway Point

12:11pm February 09, 2013

The NBA's All-Star Game is just next weekend, and it's a surprise which teams are hottest going into the break. In Pennsylvania, the Paterno family is gearing up to address last summer's devastating Freeh Report. Civil War-era baseball also made headlines this week. NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman shares all this with Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon.

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Maltipoo Shaggy is dressed as a Yankees fan at the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade in New York City last year. Commentator Frank Deford says the Yankees are turning into a home for the assisted living.

It's The Dog Days For America's Sports Dynasties

10:51am February 06, 2013

by Frank Deford

We used to have three bona fide dynasties: the Yankees in baseball, the Celtics and Lakers in basketball, and the Cowboys in football. We even had dynasties in college sports. But no more. Commentator Frank Deford says our dynasties are melting as fast as the Arctic ice cap.

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49ers fan Kristofer Noceda (third from left) with friends at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

Sports

Keeping Those Jerseys Unwashed For The Big Win

6:16pm February 03, 2013

by Amy Held

On Super Bowl Sunday, there are likely a lot of unwashed Ravens and 49ers jerseys around. It's just one of many superstitions sports fans cling to in the belief it will bring their team victory. But superstitions may also be beneficial from an evolutionary standpoint.

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Inside The Training Room: Uncovering Football's Scars

6:41pm February 02, 2013

On the eve of Super Bowl Sunday, host Laura Sullivan speaks with former NFL lineman Tre Johnson and writer Tom Junod, whose piece in this month's Esquire takes readers into the training room, where players recover from their many injuries. And in many ways, those injuries last a lifetime.

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