Stories | Sporting Box
Late Night Team Spirit
Published Nov. 18, 2009
Continuing with our colleges of San Diego road tour. Moraga, California, is 20 miles, 20 years, and two climatic zones east of San Francisco. Moraga has a population of 16,000 rich white people and is home ...
2 1/2 Minutes on the Water
Published Nov. 11, 2009
Big bright sun, blue sky, no wind. I am standing on a small bluff overlooking Lake Merced, said lake located between the backside of San Francisco State College and the Pacific Ocean. This is dragon-boat racing ...
Get Out There and Try It
Published Nov. 4, 2009
‘I’ve been surf kayaking for 12 years,” says Dan Carey, 60, owner of Carlsbad Paddle Sports in Oceanside. “There are guys who have been at it since the 1940s and ’50s. The sport didn’t sweep up ...
Halloween Edition Published Oct. 28, 2009
Halloween is the ideal holiday because, at least in this country, it isn’t about anything in particular. You have no obligation to be with family ... More Post a comment
Which One Survives? Published Oct. 21, 2009
Whilst wandering 200 TV channels, I came upon a United Football League game on Versus, which, by the way, is a legitimate sports network (Tour ... More Comment (1)
He Was a Man Published Oct. 14, 2009
A former executive of the Scottsdale cryonics company where baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams’s body is frozen launched a pay-per-view website with gruesome decapitation ... More Comments (23)
Looks Like New Published Sept. 30, 2009
Reading classified ads in the sporting-goods section is like walking through a toxic dump of hope. Every ad is a dream abandoned. Follows are three ... More Comment (1)
This. And That. Published Sept. 23, 2009
The Box has taken the pledge to stop writing Chargers Suck columns, and I think a fair-minded person would have to say I’ve held up ... More Comments (50)
Fire Poi Spinning Published Sept. 16, 2009
This started out as a hula-hoop column. The primordial hula hoop was a dorky fad of the 1950s. I wondered if the beast still lived, ... More Comments (7)
Homeless SDSU Football Coach Published Sept. 9, 2009
The Chargers are playing at Oakland Monday night, on the B side of ESPN’s double-header. Normally, I don’t count watching a game that includes the ... More Comments (4)
A League of Their Own Published Sept. 2, 2009
The NFL season is upon us, and fans by the tens of millions are setting aside family time, domestic chores, and community service to meld ... More Comments (5)
The Silver Wink Published Aug. 26, 2009
"Do you think there are 1000 active winkers in the country?” I’m speaking to Rick Tucker, 54, collector, historian, webmaster, and former pairs champion of ... More Post a comment
Becky Hurt Published Aug. 19, 2009
Becky Hurt, 30, is a “Master Teaching Artist” at Eveoke Dance Center in North Park, at present teaching hip-hop dance. She is self-described as having, ... More Post a comment
Preseason Hotsheet Published Aug. 12, 2009
Brett Favre can still play in the NFL says the retired quarterback, speaking to the Eupora High School (Eupora, Mississippi) student council. Favre was in ... More Post a comment
Come on Over Published Aug. 5, 2009
‘We started a month or so ago. Right now we’re running tournaments twice a month. Our first tournament had five teams. Second tournament, seven. We’ve ... More Post a comment
College Pigskin Preview Published July 29, 2009
Did you see the 2009 Mountain West Conference preseason media poll? TCU is picked to win the conference (a reasonable choice), BYU second, Utah third, ... More Post a comment
In Praise of T.O. Published July 22, 2009
The T.O. Show debuted on VH1 Monday night and was immediately panned by critics. Detractors thought the show was contrived and phony, not like Big ... More Comment (1)
This Is Getting Interesting Published July 15, 2009
As Wednesday’s morning sun rose over El Cajon’s In-N-Out Burger, Lance Armstrong is holding third place with 11 stages to go in the 2009 Tour ... More Comment (1)
Rich Guy Makes Good Published July 1, 2009
Well, it’s the Fourth of July weekend and you know what that means…that’s right, the Ligue canadienne de football launches its 2009 season. Or, to ... More Comment (1)
Sent to Sea Level Published June 24, 2009
‘You sit there with a machine that pumps an Albuturol mist into your lungs.” I ask, “Did you have a mask on?” “No. It’s like ... More Comments (2)
Home Again Published June 17, 2009
An old Vegas friend is on the phone, we’ve been happily slandering a mutual acquaintance. Comes a pause in the conversation, David fills the hole ... More Comment (1)
Hanging On Published June 10, 2009
The WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) is starting its 13th year in business, which makes it the longest-running women’s professional sports league (team-based subdivision) in ... More Post a comment
Rothman Rules Published June 3, 2009
Regulars will recall Ben Rothman, 25, professional croquet player. I wrote about him in the May 6 issue. I’d not heard of professional croquet and ... More Post a comment
Retreat Sports Published May 27, 2009
This is Saturday night, May 23, my birthday. I am celebrating at Jikojim, a Soto Zen retreat center in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The center ... More Comment (1)
Tweeterdee and Tweeterdum Published May 20, 2009
Did you see the story about college coaches using Twitter to recruit? Twitter, for those doing max time at Pelican Bay, is a social networking ... More Post a comment
What Do You Know? Published May 6, 2009
Here’s Ben Rothman, 25, a graduate of UC San Diego in psychology, a waiter, a construction worker, and currently ranked number 2 in the USA ... More Comments (3)
Sports Quiz Edition Published April 29, 2009
These things are fun every long once in awhile. Every long once in awhile has passed. Let the fun begin. Short-Term Memory section, 2008 NFL ... More Comment (1)
Follow the Monkey Published April 22, 2009
It is strange how a housekeeping ritual can grow to such a magical height that a continental gaggle of disparate people, all of whom have ... More Post a comment
What Do You Do? Published April 15, 2009
‘Individual athletes contact me because they may be challenged within their sport, may get frustrated when losing a game and watching their play go downhill. ... More Post a comment
Rowing Part II Published April 8, 2009
Back with Pattie Pinkerton, UCSD women’s crew head coach. She did student time at San Diego State in the ’70s, rowed in the USA National ... More Comment (1)
Rowing Part I Published April 1, 2009
‘I found your bio on a UCSD web page. Do you also play viola for the San Diego Symphony?” “No,” a woman laughs. I’m talking ... More Comment (1)
Two-Hand Draw Published March 25, 2009
You’ve been waiting for it, and now it’s finally come, the capstone of televised sports: Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open. This is professional bowling at its ... More Comment (1)
Be There! Published March 11, 2009
The Box takes next week off, so regard this column as your March Madness early-bird primer. Clip and save. The 2009 NCAA Men’s Division I ... More Comments (2)
Mr. Sibley Will Be Here Published March 4, 2009
The San Diego Bird Festival starts Thursday and continues through the weekend. Aforesaid bird gala can be found at the Marina Village Conference Center on ... More Post a comment
World Baseball Classic 2 Published Feb. 25, 2009
The World Baseball Classic (WBC) had an uneasy genesis in 2006. A year earlier, baseball, along with softball, was voted out of the Olympics, ordered ... More Post a comment
Conspiracy Is an Ugly Word Published Feb. 18, 2009
The Westminster Dog Show was on TV last week. Here are the facts: Smooth-haired dachshunds have been showing at the Westminster since 1877, and not ... More Post a comment
While Everyone Lied Published Feb. 11, 2009
This is a good day for Jose Canseco. Three of the four lead actors in baseball’s steroid melodrama — baseball commissioner Bud Selig, union boss ... More Comments (2)
Autoette in the News Published Feb. 4, 2009
Okay, football is over. Now what? Well, pilgrim, can’t you hear the slap of leather and pop of a beer can? Hell, yeah — Padres ... More Comment (1)
They're Back Published Jan. 28, 2009
The Box will step aside while the hive swarms toward Super Bowl 43, not wishing to excite the gaggle while it’s feeding. Instead, for your ... More Post a comment
At Last Published Jan. 21, 2009
Deep in the fourth quarter, when Donovan McNabb reared back and threw his fourth consecutive incomplete pass, things turned suicidal at NBC headquarters in Manhattan. ... More Post a comment
Continuation School Sports Published Jan. 14, 2009
I spent the morning calling small high schools in East County, asking if our state-budget debacle has affected their sports programs. This led me to ... More Post a comment
Pittsburgh Published Jan. 7, 2009
The Chargers play Pittsburgh on Sunday at their place, Heinz Field. The way San Diego has been playing lately, taking six points is tempting. I ... More Post a comment
Winners and Losers Published Dec. 30, 2008
Dallas is the great loser. Like a schoolmarm who has run out of patience with the class dullard, Dallas players brought home their message of ... More Post a comment
Playoff Scenerios Bought and Sold Published Dec. 23, 2008
It’s still a Norv Turner team, make no mistake, but in spite of that, the AFC West championship now lies in San Diego’s hands. Or ... More Post a comment
Dog Days, Dog Nights Published Dec. 17, 2008
‘It’s an international organization. We promote the training and ownership of hunting dogs and hunting itself. We go out once a month and do training ... More Post a comment
House Money Published Dec. 10, 2008
Gentlemen, please remove your hats. For the first time in Sporting Box history, I am pleased to offer congratulations to the A-R-I-Z-O-N-A C-A-R-D-I-N-A-L-S. Funny how ... More Post a comment
Game of the Year Published Dec. 3, 2008
Mark ye well, the University of San Diego Toreros men’s basketball team goes up against the (San Francisco) Academy of Art University Urban Knights, 7:00 ... More Post a comment
Thanksgiving Tour Published Nov. 25, 2008
THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION, 1676. The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his Afflictive dispensations in and by the present Warr with the ... More Post a comment
Bail Out SDSU Football Published Nov. 19, 2008
Things are grim in San Diego State football world. Staff is still hungover from Saturday’s 63-14 drubbing at the hands of Utah. That drubbing was ... More Post a comment
The $1500 Crank Published Nov. 12, 2008
‘What kind of repairs do you do? Tune-ups? Rebuilds?” I’m talking to Kris Wells, 37, store manager at the UCSD Bike Shop. “All that,” Wells ... More Post a comment
Last Light Published Nov. 5, 2008
I like sandhill cranes. It’s the pterodactyl in them, the too-long toothpick legs, the Ichabod Crane anatomy, the black beak, and the 1950 Mercury convertible ... More Post a comment
What Goes There? Part Two Published Oct. 29, 2008
Continuing with Mike Kelly, 64, volunteer coordinator and conservation chair at Friends of Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. Friends focuses on Peñasquitos Canyon, leading interpretive walks, ... More Post a comment
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