Steve Cotler Steve Cotler

Tag: NCAA

A Different Kind of Basketball

— 11:32 am · Comments Off on A Different Kind of Basketball
Grinnell's Taylor after the game of his life!

Over four years ago I wrote about basketball at little Grinnell College (Iowa, 1500 students). They play a run-and-gun style that’s fun to watch. Two days ago, Grinnell sophomore Jack Taylor lived the dream of every kid who ever tossed the ball up at a backyard hoop. He broke the NCAA record for points in a game: 138! Here’s the Associated Press story.

How did Grinnell’s Jack Taylor wind up with 138 points in a game?

Well, he did miss 56 shots, more than he made. And he didn’t play for four minutes.

Otherwise he would have scored even more.

As it was, Taylor shattered the NCAA scoring record by 25 points Tuesday night in the Pioneers’ 179-104 victory over Faith Baptist Bible in Grinnell, Iowa. Continue reading “A Different Kind of Basketball” →

“Muslim” March Madness

— 4:30 pm · View all 3 comments

Ali FarokhmaneshOmar SamhanWhat is the overlap between the set of all rabid NCAA Basketball Tournament fans and the set of all knee-jerk despisers of anything Islamic? I suspect the intersection is large.

If so, then the first two rounds of March Madness may promote more US-Islamic tolerance than all the State Department visits Hillary Clinton can schedule.

Two young men, Continue reading ““Muslim” March Madness” →

Rule Book Racism: Can a Black Athlete Celebrate?

— 2:41 am · View all 7 comments

In 1964, Cassius Clay, then only 22, brashly boasted that he would upset 7-1 favorite Sonny Liston for the world heavyweight championship. “I am the greatest!” he shouted. In retrospect, Clay clearly was the greatest. Why did his outbursts upset so many white sportscasters and fans?

In 2000, San Francisco 49er big personality and wide receiver Terrell Owens was hit with a one-week suspension and a $24,000 fine for twice placing the football on the opposing team’s mid-field logo after scoring a touchdown. The claim was that Owens incited the crowd and disrespected his opponent. Did he?

Many similar incidents later, in the Dallas Cowboys 2008 opening game, Owens was hit with a 15-yard penalty for dropping into a sprinter’s starting position and emulating Olympics gold medalist Usain Bolt after catching a second quarter touchdown pass. The NFL has a rule against excessive celebration. Why? Continue reading “Rule Book Racism: Can a Black Athlete Celebrate?” →

Steve with students at an author event

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