Frank Deford archive
Sweetness And Light
When Football's Deadly Brutality Outraged America
November 18, 2009 In just one season 100 years ago, 26 players died from injuries sustained in football games. The deaths sparked a national outcry and forced the new collegiate athletic association to take action to make the sport safer.
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Favre Gets A Bye Week — But Will He Ever Say 'Bye?
November 11, 2009 The Minnesota Vikings had a bye week this weekend — and that's a problem for both sports fans and wordsmiths. But a week off is not really a bye — nor is it a reason not to discuss the NFL's age-defying quarterback, Brett Favre.
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A-Rod's New Success: Enough To Put Demons To Rest?
October 28, 2009 When the New York Yankees won the American League title, Alex Rodriguez was embraced by his teammates. The moment marks a turnaround for A-Rod, who has struggled in past post-seasons — and hasn't always had the affection of teammates and fans.
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Tailgating: When A Picnic Turns Into An Event
October 21, 2009 For some football fans, firing up the grill and sharing a beer are as essential to pregame ritual as the coin toss and "The Star-Spangled Banner." Even late in the season, football fans will tailgate, gathering on the cold, hard tarmac to dine alfresco Americano — even when the weather is cold and very un-picnic-y.
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Deford: Boise State Needs NCAA's Help To Buck BCS
October 14, 2009 Boise State has one of the upwardly mobile teams in college football — but there may be a limit to how far the team can go. Commentator Frank Deford says the powers that be in college football keep teams like Boise State from having a shot at the big time.
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Chicago, Chrissie And Khloe: Of Love And The Game
October 7, 2009 Love blossoms for some athletes, while it wilts for others — including Chicago and the brutal rejection of its proposal to host the 2016 Olympics.
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Baseball Announcers: More Than Just A Voice
September 30, 2009 They may not wear a uniform, but baseball announcers like Ernie Harwell become as much a part of the team as the players for some fans, says commentator Frank Deford.
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Hockey: Why Can't The NHL Just Keep It Canadian?
September 23, 2009 Back in the mid-1960s, the National Hockey League was bullish about its prospects in the United States. Today, the expanded league is struggling to pick up Sun Belt fans in far-flung markets in the South and Southwest.
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TV Flap: Will The NFL Live Up To Its Socialist Ideals?
September 16, 2009 The NFL has a long-standing agreement that franchises share equally in television revenues. To commentator Frank Deford, that's socialism — and, he says, the league's TV policies are out of step with the times. At issue: blackouts meant to punish fans who are happy to watch the local team's games from home.
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Remembering Tennis Ace Jack Kramer
September 14, 2009 Jack Kramer, who died Saturday, was a player, a champion, an innovator, a promoter, an executive, a labor leader. And, commentator Frank Deford says, the single most significant figure in the history of tennis.
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Can You Believe These Rankings?
September 9, 2009 Sports has always loved rankings, says commentator Frank Deford. But what do the rankings really mean? The latest brouhaha is in women's tennis, where Serena Williams, who's won three of the last four Grand Slams, is ranked No. 2 after a player who's won none.
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A Fading Champ, But A Champ Still: Muhammad Ali
September 2, 2009 Former boxing phenomenon Muhammad Ali is hobbled by age and illness, but he continues to make public appearances. While some people find these appearances sad and unsettling, Frank Deford says many more have come to embrace him.
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NFL: Dodging The Concussion Discussion?
August 26, 2009 Nobody's sure how dangerous the contact in football is to the brain. But high school players will experience more than 40,000 concussions this season and many former players suffer from dementia or depression. So why is pro football taking a Big Tobacco approach to research?
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In Sports And Life, Once-Lazy August Is Filling Up
August 19, 2009 August used to be downtime for all of us, including most athletes. But now, students go back to school before Labor Day, and schools play football during August. If the NFL also expands into August, we might as well call it September, says commentator Frank Deford.
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Many Halls Of Fame, Only One 'Bullet Bob' Hayes
August 12, 2009 In the world of sports, halls of fame proliferate. There's even one for mascots. But Frank Deford says it's still good to see a deserving athlete enshrined — in this case, a football legend once known as "the World's Fastest Human."
