2/16 Birthday Quickie

Wait, so you're saying that on the night before my birthday that:

*Florida basketball would secure their best win since the 2007 national-title game...

*Bradley Beal would produce the most exciting moment of NBA All-Star Saturday Night...

*And John Wall would "win" the "dunk contest?"

All that and my kids behaved at the fancy-ish restaurant we took them to last night.

Not a bad way to end one year and herald the next!

-- D.S.

2/14 Valentine's Day Quickie

An annual ritual -- a few things I love in sports right now.

*I love these Washington Wizards. They drive me batty, but at least they're competitive. I cannot remember the last Wizards team I liked this much -- probably the Webber/Howard mid-90s Bullets.

*I love this Florida Gators basketball team. The past few years have been very good teams (I thought last year's team was good enough to win the title). This year's team is better than all of them.

*I love this short film from Grantland about Steve Nash in his career twilight. Nash just turned 40. I'm exiting 40 this weekend. So much of what he says resonates with me.

*I love the state of sports-writing right now -- at the top, better than it has ever been.

*I love that my kids' burgeoning interest in sports lets me (re-)experience what it's like to fall in love with sports as a kid.

-- D.S.

2/13 Jeter LeBron Etc Quickie

*You can not root for Derek Jeter yet still appreciate his phenomenal career. He jumps to the top of my list of "Have to get to the ballpark to see him in person" in 2014.

*College football has had many dumb moments. This may be the dumbest: "Offenses that snap the ball before 29 seconds remain on the play clock would receive a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty."

*LeBron. Whew.

*Just when I think my Wizards can't find new ways to lose games, they do. Pretty amazing phenomenon, actually.

(This clip of Harden's game-winning layup doesn't include the controversial dead-ball foul that preceded it. Ariza grabbed him, but Harden is the league's craftiest at drawing fouls.)

-- D.S.

2/12 Rushmore Quickie

Because everyone is doing it....

NBA Rushmore: Jordan, Russell, Magic, LeBron.

College hoops Rushmore: Alcindor, Robertson, Ewing, Carmelo.

NFL Rushmore: Jim Brown, Payton, Montana, Peyton.

College football Rushmore: Grange, Herschel, Tebow, Manziel.

MLB Rushmore: Ruth, Ted Williams, Walter Johnson, Bonds.

-- D.S.

2/10 Michael Sam Quickie

*The Michael Sam story has me awestruck. (via SB Nation's OutSports, here is the fascinating backstory.) Needless to say, I wish him only the best.

A few things: Sam is a hero... the anonymous detractors were appalling... I know it was pushed a bit, but the timing before the combine feels totally appropriate... I agree with the theory that he will get drafted by a team with a strong owner-GM-coach troika and team culture (Seattle, SF, Philly).

*Marcus Smart's shove merited the suspension he got -- a bright line of big-time sports is that you can't push a fan, no matter how vile, and they couldn't NOT suspend him (that it was only three games is telling) -- but the fan's behavior was just as inappropriate, if not more.

(No, it won't have any bearing on Smart's NBA future. If it isn't clear by now, it should be: He should've gone pro a year ago. I appreciate his reasons for coming back, but if he wanted to be a great pro, he was better off getting pro coaching and focus as early in his career as possible; OSU doesn't prioritize his pro career.)

*The Olympics have been a ton of fun to watch with my kids. My 5-year-old plays hockey and is fascinated by the speedskating (as he should be -- it's pretty amazing to watch).

-- D.S.

2/7 Opening Ceremonies Quickie

Happy 40th birthday, Steve Nash -- one of my all-time favorite athletes (and not just because we're close to the same age)...

*Everyone ready for the Olympics to start?

*I have a very (very) hard time believing that Jameis Winston -- a lock as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft (as he would be a lock as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft) -- would put off the NFL any longer than he is required to.

*I'm not sold on the new Dunk Contest format, but I like that John Wall is participating. I don't think he'll win, but I do think he'll win All-Star Game MVP. (And I am certain Bradley Beal will win the 3-point contest. Although Damian Lillard playing in every event is the most fascinating participant of the weekend.)

*Arizona basketball just isn't that impressive anymore. It's not like I was picking them to win the national title anyway, but still.

*Most fascinating thing I read yesterday: "Databall," on the breakthroughs in statistical analysis in the NBA, by Grantland's Kirk Goldsberry. Worth the time to work your way through it.

*Condolences to family and friends of Ralph Kiner.

*I founded and ran the first (and only) monthly reading series dedicated to sportswriting, and it was one of my favorite things I have ever done. Last night, I went to a reading that reminded me how fascinating they can be -- if you are interested in parenting stuff, don't miss "All Joy and No Fun" by Jennifer Senior.

2/4 Great Super Bowl Day-After Reads Quickie

Filing this 8 hours ahead of the actual 2/4...

Grantland's Bill Barnwell: "Seattle's Best"

SB Nation's Matt Ufford: "Deserve has nothing to do with it."


Grantland's Brian Phillips: "Are we having fun yet?"

Yahoo's Dan Wetzel, on Peyton Manning's moment of failure.

SB Nation's Jon Bois with a hilarious cut of the data of the "whooping."

Deadspin's Drew Magary: On the Super Bowl party boat

The MMQB's Peter King: On the game. (God, I vividly remember editing the morning-after Super Bowl MMQB column 15 years ago.)

Big sports moments always produce really terrific day-after observations.

-- D.S.

2/3 Super Bowl Hangover Quickie

*Right about the Seahawks winning, wrong about the margin (but at least I wasn't one of those folks who picked the Broncos!) Should have been spot-on about Percy Harvin winning MVP.

*The Seahawks' defense is exceptional -- to do that to one of the best offenses in NFL history puts this performance among the greatest by a defensive unit in Super Bowl history.

*None of this changes Peyton Manning's place in history, except to the extent that in remembering his greatness, we'll always remember the way his team got shellacked in the Super Bowl.

*My personal favorite ads: Tim Tebow's two spots for T-Mobile, obviously. (As many folks bemusedly observed, he had a way better night than Peyton Manning, which fits with "Tebow ultimately wins" theory.)

*Looking ahead to next year: No reason not to install the Seahawks as favorites to win the Super Bowl again. (The AFC is less clear -- way less clear.)

-- D.S.

2/2 Super Bowl Day Quickie

*Repeating myself from Friday: Seattle wins by 5. Percy Harvin as MVP.

*Speaking of MVPs, Peyton was a lock. And this is by far the most impressive MVP season of his career. (Or any other player's career.)

*"Syracuse-Duke is the best!" is the new "Realignment ruined college hoops rivalries!"

*Go figure: Arizona was overrated. (Meanwhile, this Florida team is better than any I have watched since the back-to-back title teams. The offense doesn't necessarily come easy, but the D is ridiculous.)

*I can't explain why my Wizards play so well against the Thunder, but I'm sure glad they do.

Enjoy the game.

-- D.S.

Friday 1/31 Super Bowl Quickie

Seahawks win by 5, with Percy Harvin as the game MVP...

*Two of my favorites at their best for the biggest game of the season: Bill Barnwell with an exhaustive game preview and Chris Brown with an exhaustive look at Peyton Manning's offense.

*Fun, clever Slate piece by Joshua Keating where he describes the Super Bowl as if US sportswriters were describing a big sports event elsewhere around the globe.

*The NYT Sunday Magazine leads with a big read on the world of NFL gambling in Las Vegas.

*Finally, in a brilliant piece of Super Bowl journalism/entertainment I guarantee you won't see anywhere else, this video from SB Nation's Jon Bois is phenomenally fun.

*If you love Super Bowl ads, be sure to register to be on USA TODAY's "Ad Meter" panel to rate each ad and be part of the group that picks the game's top ad. Sign up here today.

Enjoy the game and your weekend. Tomorrow is the season opener for the 2nd-grade boys' basketball juggernaut that I am coaching -- currently, I am thinking about which song is our layup-line music.

-- D.S.

1/26 Super Bowl Week Eve Quickie

*Your beat-you-over-the-head Super Bowl storylines, in order of beat-ness: (1) Weather, (2) Peyton, (3) Richard Sherman, (4) Russell Wilson, (5) Pete Carroll.

*Pro Bowl haters have it wrong: It will get more viewers than the World Series or NBA Finals. At some point, critical bleating just doesn't match up with what fans clearly want to see.

*Regular-season wins don't mean much in college hoops (particularly between two teams guaranteed to make the Tournament), but Michigan's win at Michigan State was a solid one.

*Terrence Ross scores 51: Pretty amazing stat -- he is the first player in NBA history to average single-digit scoring then score more than 50 in a single game.

*Career-defining win for Stan Wawrinka in Australia in beating back/down Rafa Nadal.

-- D.S.

1/23 Thursday Still Cold Quickie

Last night was the most deflating Wizards loss I can remember -- and that's saying something...

*More inspired Richard Sherman writing: Rembert Browne with one of the best takes yet.

*Olympics: My HS newspaper protege gets the exclusive on the US Opening Ceremonies outfits, and they're terrible.

*College hoops: Understand why Arizona is a resurgent super-power (via Sports On Earth's Matt Norlander)

*Future of sports media: Ted Leonsis totally gets it.

*Good week for Denver continues: My old boss Luke Beatty -- die-hard Broncos fan -- makes a big acquisition and gets a new role.

-- D.S.

Wednesday 1/22 Snowy Quickie

*Must-see: Kevin Durant going off last night...



*No chance: The Warren Buffet $1B NCAA bracket challenge (via WSJ's Ben Cohen).

*Snow: 538 hits its weather wheelhouse.

*Don't call it the "Grantland Model": Ezra Klein & team leaving the Washington Post

*Richard Sherman parody: Equinox gym trash-talk (via Kate Hahn/NewYorker.com)

-- D.S.

Tuesday 1/21 Sherman Quickie

Five things I like today:

*Richard Sherman on... well, Richard Sherman.

*Christina Kahrl on Grantland's Dr. V debacle.

*NBA rumors: Specifically, my Wizards eyeing Greg Monroe.

*Tom Ziller's new daily NBA email: "Good Morning, It's Basketball"

*Early reviews for Beats Music: Editing > algorithms.

-- D.S.

12/31 End-of-Year Quickie

Having just published the annual Quickish year-end best-sportswriting list, here is a listicle of 10 notable personal milestones from 2013, excluding standard ones about my marriage and kids:

*Turned 40!
*Moved into a new house!
*Helped launch an awesome new news product!
*Solo-coached my first youth sports team!
*Highest finish ever in fantasy football! (5th!)
*Finally got a night-guard for teeth-grinding!
*Bought not one but TWO pairs of neon sneakers!
*Bylined a Tebow column in USA TODAY print edition!
*Cut my hair shorter than ever - and realized it didn't work!
*Secured the elusive Bradley Beal t-shirt jersey!

Left on the table for 2014:
*Tebow book!
*Losing the 20 pounds I need to!
*Assorted projects!

Happy new year, everyone -- here's to your Best. Year. Ever. ahead.

-- D.S.

12/23 ThinkPiece Quickie

Wrote this for NiemanLab's year-in-review package, about "stars" vs. "starters." Finding stars who also possess the ability or track record to be starters -- Swisher and Silver, to name two 2013 notables -- is very rare.

More often, stars are more like David Pogue -- that's not to knock him; he is simply about his individual brand, not creating something bigger than himself. And, as I argue, starters are both more prevalent and easier to cultivate.

It's gotten a good reaction -- whether folks agree with it or not. Please give it a read and share it around if you think it's worthy.

-- D.S.

12/15 Very Quickie

*Not unlike Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston has the chance to finish his college career next year ranked as one of the best players in the sport's history -- a short list that includes Cam Newton, Herschel Walker and, of course, Tim Tebow.

Of course, Winston should skip next year and get ready for the 2015 NFL Draft, for which he is the clear No. 1 pick. (He'd be the clear No. 1 pick of the 2014 draft -- for which he isn't eligible, for some inane reason -- but that's another story.)

*Texas is the best job in college football. But they can't just take their pick of college coaches -- among the top tier, Nick Saban is out. Kevin Sumlin is out. Jim Harbaugh presumably wouldn't take it (although if he WAS going to go back to college, this feels like the only job worth doing that for).

If the model is late-90s Mack Brown -- successful as a head coach at a atypically successful program, with the political acumen to navigate both UT's internal politics and external recruiting trail -- then Vandy's James Franklin has to be a serious candidate, even if his success feels a little faddish.

(I will say that the benefit of Northwestern's awful 5-win season is that if it had been the 10- or 11-win Rose Bowl year that a lot of us were hoping for, Texas would have clearly made Pat Fitzgerald an offer he would have had a very hard time turning down.)

Enjoy your NFL Sunday and for those of you with fantasy stakes on the line, good luck.

-- D.S.

12/10 Tuesday Quickie

*I'm overly obsessed with seeing "older" athletes -- that's why he wouldn't qualify for most people's "must-see" lists, but I was thrilled to see Andre Miller in person last night, even if the Wiz blew the game.

*Mack Brown being out at Texas is a "when not if" situation. Just a good reminder that Texas is the single-best job in college football, and nothing else is even close. I'd put Florida a distant second, which makes Will Muschamp's failures all the more disappointing.

*If I'm Jerry Jones, I absolutely try to hire Kevin Sumlin from Texas A&M. (I do the same thing if I'm the Texans.) If the Cowboys can't win the NFC East in this kind of terrible down year for the division, it ain't happening under this regime.

-- D.S.

12/09 Monday Morning Quickie

*That was an amazing day of football yesterday. Between the snowy visuals and all the TDs and the record-setting (number of TDs, longest FG kick, McCoy Eagles rushing record), it was awesome.

*Of course, I got throttled in a regular-season fantasy finale in which I advance to the playoffs with a win but miss the playoffs with a loss. (Adding insult to injury, my opponent then thwacked me in QuizUp later in the evening.)

*My three most notable storylines from yesterday:
- The Ravens-Vikings final two minutes was as stunning as any final two minutes I have ever seen -- it is, statistically, even less probable than Auburn's "Kick Six."

- Peyton Manning is something to behold, but I still think the Broncos fall short of a Super Bowl win.

- Not many folks are saying it, but I will: Chip Kelly for NFL Coach of the Year (and right now I'd put Jacksonville's Gus Bradley as runner up).

*No surprises in the bowl reveals -- Auburn-Florida State should be a fun one, but I expect that the Tigers will roll.

*Kobe's first game back was a bit of a dud -- hardly a surprise -- but file away how much better the Raptors looked without Rudy Gay.

-- D.S.

12/08 End of the BCS Quickie

The BCS is a pretty shoddy system, but last night was an epic reminder that -- yes -- college football's regular season IS one big playoff.

In addition to "Every Saturday counts," college football's motto should be "These things have a way of working themselves out."

And so we end this college football season with no controversy at the top -- it will be FSU vs. Auburn, and I fully expect Auburn to continue the SEC's dominance with another title.

Given that Auburn was 0-8 last season -- before Gus Malzahn got there -- it's a pretty solid argument that Malzahn has had the greatest first year at a school in college football history.

As for Ohio State, it's hard not to experience some schadenfreude. They'll be fine, but that's the reality of life at the top -- championship or fail.

Otherwise, let's all just marvel at Malzahn's offensive schemes, Tre Mason's game for the ages and a wildly entertaining SEC title game.

The SEC will be back in the national title game -- and will probably win again.

And, now that we're expanding the playoff to four teams -- with the SEC champ guaranteed a spot, no matter how many losses -- it's hard to see when the streak will end.

-- D.S.