Category Archives: Sports

"I view my life in a way … I’ll explain it to you, OK?" he told his small audience in Florida. "The greatest thing about tomorrow is, I will be better than I am today. And that’s how I look at my life. I will be better as a golfer, I will be better as a person, I will be better as a father, I will be a better husband, I will be better as a friend. That’s the beauty of tomorrow. There is no such thing as a setback. The lessons I learn today I will apply tomorrow, and I will be better."

That’s from this article on ESPN.com about Tiger. (Hat tip Kevin Cherrick.)

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Speaking of sports superstars, this is an interesting article from an old Fortune about Lebron James’ brand. He is managing it like a business strategist would. He and his inner circle held a retreat with sessions with titles such as "China 101: Pop Culture, Media, and Sports," "Brand Globalization," and "LeBron Brand in China."

This is an interesting bit from Runner’s World on why an ultramarathon (50-100 miles) could be easier on your body than just a simple marathon:

I’ve heard people say ultras are easier on your body than marathons. How could that be?
From the intensity standpoint, it’s easier. You’re going at a moderate rate over a longer period of time. You’re stopping at aid stations, you’re getting something to eat, refilling your water bottle. In marathons, you go, say, three and a half hours at the exact same pace over pavement. Most ultra courses have a variety of terrain, so you’re using different muscles. Even the outlook is different: I’m going to walk for 30 minutes, then I’m going to run downhill for 40 minutes. That’s completely different from I’ve got an hour and 15 minutes of First Avenue ahead of me.

Thanks to Paul Kedrosky for the pointer, who asks what the business parallels are. My takeaway from the above is that variety is key — change of activity, change of scenery, etc. It makes sense that going hard for six months is easier than going hard for three months, if the six month plan involves some a mix of tasks and perhaps a few weekend get-aways.

Life is a series of sprints, not a marathon. So says the Power of Full Engagement, a book that has influenced my thinking on balance issues.

Gregg Easterbrook, who was as interesting in-person at Claremont as he is on his ESPN.com column, makes a good point:

…It’s far from clear the Victoria’s Secret visual ideal is even sexy, and I don’t mean those ridiculous angel wings. The majority of models in the company’s television specials and catalogs appear emaciated: not just a tad thin, but unhealthy. Most of them look as though they really need a milkshake but would be too weak to lift the glass. Why does extolling gauntness work as a sales strategy? Forget Victoria’s Secret lingerie models, give me pro sports cheerleaders as a sex symbol any day. NFL and NBA cheerleaders are fit, strong, confident and athletic — check the dance moves of the Philadelphia Eagles or Miami Heat cheerleaders, among others. All pro cheerleaders, plus most in college and many in high school, can drop and give you 25 straight-legged pushups. Obviously, pro cheerleaders are an impossible ideal in their own way: In the real world, no woman can always look great and always be smiling and outgoing. But cheerleaders are a positive archetype of fitness, confidence and upbeat life. Contrast that to the women in the Victoria’s Secret runway shows, who seem miserable.

Agreed. Runway models, to me, are usually unattractive. Ultra-skinny is overrated. Yet women — especially on college campuses — seem obsessed about becoming even skinnier, maybe because they see Victoria’s Secret ads and think the models represent the idealized feminine form for all men.

(hat tip to Newmark’s Door)

As a lover of language, I was disheartened to learn how little we’ve progressed in creative ways to express our f-bombs. Read this post from Mark Lamster about an incredible official document published by Major League Baseball in 1897 on the rise in profanity used by players. Mark notes how "fresh" the profanity seems. As Dan Drezner says,

While it’s fascinating to read that profanity hasn’t changed that much in 110 years, it’s also a little disturbing…it appears that Americans have yet to improve on "You c$%#-s&^%ing son-of-a-b@#!$!!!"

Excerpt from the document: