The Tapes: May 10

* Mount Union’s Larry Kehres is retiring after going 332-24-3 with 11 national titles. Not too bad. His son Vince, the longtime defensive coordinator for the team, will take over. This also means that the career victories record for John Gagliardi will almost certainly never be broken. Gagliardi won 489 but Kehres was winning 15 games a year so could have had a shot if he had stuck around.

* The Columbia football team is in the news, but not for good reasons. A defensive player is accused of a hate crime and several other players had their racist/homophobic/anti-Semitic/asinine tweets revealed. That Ivy education really paying off. The CU Lions Blog has more information.

* The Great Gatsby is opening to less-than-stellar reviews. Here’s Wesley Morris’ for Grantland. No matter how bad the reviews I’m looking forward to seeing it. Team Leo.

* Not everyone loves The Great Gatsby the book. In fact, New York Magazine’s Kathryn Schulz absolutely despises it. Is she just being contrarian or are there some good points? Or both?

* Why don’t superheroes work on television?

* Oh-oh. According to The Wrap, American Idol might dump all of its judges for next season.

* Sad newspaper news. The Daily News got rid of numerous employees this week and some of the big names in sports include Tim Smith and Sean Brennan. But the biggest name was the legendary college hoops writer Dick Weiss, whose nickname is actually Hoops.

* Short first names mean bigger paychecks. Plan accordingly.

* The horrific case of former Minnesota State Mankato football coach Todd Hoffner took another turn this week when he left the school, though it’s not known if he was fired or left on his own. Hoffner was arrested and charged with possession of child porn last year before being totally exonerated. He was innocent. No technicalities, nothing like that. Wrongfully arrested. Unfortunately he lost his coaching job and now his reassigned position at the university.

* Rolling Stone has a profile on popular rapper Macklemore and his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. It feels unusual to read about an artist trying to avoid chemical excess at the height of his powers rather than embracing it.

* From the department of nonsense, Late, Late Show host Craig Ferguson recently declared TV’s town – Sioux Falls, S.D. – as the booty shaking capital of the world. Um … what?

The Tapes: April 26

Welcome to spring upper Midwesterners. And welcome to this week’s links.

* Grantland’s Brian Phillips went to the Iditarod and the result is this epic piece that is well-written but also notable for the design.

* Don Van Natta Jr. takes a look at one of the most famous SI pieces ever, William Nack’s Pure Heart.

* Speaking of SI, Jack McCallum has a great story in the new issue on Gregg Popovich. It’s not online yet but McCallum wrote about just what it took to get an interview with the famously private coach.

* Charlie Pierce’s writings are always must-read but they were particularly so during the investigation into the Boston Marathon bombings. Here’s Pierce the day after the city was locked down.

* Deadspin wonders why the San Diego Chargers’ team doctor — a drunk quack in their words — is still allowed to work with the team.

* Here’s one of those dumb surveys that determines dumb things. This one looks at worst jobs in the country. The verdict? Reporter. Last year it was a lumberjack. Ok.

* Not safe for work but here’s Michael Shannon reading the insane sorority email from last week.

* Gwyneth Paltrow is the most beautiful woman in the world, and the most hated celebrity.

* Johnette Howard on what Kobe might have tweeted if he had been forced to watch Game 2.

* This week’s podcast of the week is pretty highbrow by comparison. On the Media, a production of New York Public Radio, tackles the subject of how the media handled the Boston Marathon bombing and subsequent manhunt from several different angles.

* Bonus multimedia link: This week, an animated Web short called “Adventures of Christopher Bosh in the Multiverse.” Apparently, it’s been in the works for a long time and may or may not have been held up by some legal issues. It’s … insane. And probably true. Probably.

The Tapes: April 19

As I type this parts of South Dakota and Minnesota are under a severe winter storm warning. Yes, on April 19. Sometimes I really miss Minnesota. Other times…

This week’s links:

* So many stories from a horrific week, but S.L. Price wrote about the Boston Bruins’ first game at home after the Marathon bombing.

* Patton Oswalt delivers an impassioned Star Wars filibuster for an episode of Parks & Rec.

* And if you didn’t read Oswalt’s Facebook post after the bombings, check it out.

* For you morning TV fans, read how Matt Lauer was a mean person and got Ann Curry kicked off Today.

* From The Onion: Internet comes up with 8.5 million leads on potential Boston bombing suspect.

* Check out the comments on Deadspin where people share their favorite Rasheed Wallace moments.

* A longread from Mark Bowden in Vanity Fair about a murder mystery in Texas. 

* Legendary Division III coach Frosty Westering died and Chuck Culpepper writes a great tribute on Sports on Earth. Westering’s Pacific Lutheran teams won the 1999 title and faced John Gagliardi’s St. John’s Johnnies four straight years in the playoffs, great battles between two of the country’s unique programs.

* The San Diego Padres president blames Zack Greinke for the big brawl between his team and Greinke’s Dodgers. Includes Rain Man reference.

* This might merit a longer post at a later date: A list of 40 workspaces that inspired famously creative people. I think I speak for all (middling) writers when I say that place is one of the most important and underrated part of the process.
One of my latest go-to spots: The gym. Seriously.

* This week’s podcast of the week: The Will Leitch Experience. The former Deadspin writer (and guest on The Fury Files) has started a daily pod in conjunction with longform project Sports on Earth. To be honest, I haven’t had time to listen to it yet. But that didn’t stop me from adding it to my iPhone podcast library – a meaningful sign that I expect it to be good.

The Tapes: April 5

Welcome back to the first links of April, always a special occasion.

* Roger Ebert died Thursday at the age of 70. Damn it. Here’s the Sun-Times’ obit. And revisit Chris Jones’s classic piece from a few years ago.

* A  lot of controversy over this piece by a young woman in the Wall Street Journal. A letter to all the colleges that rejected her. Is it satire? Doesn’t seem like it.

* James Dolan has a hot team in the Knicks but remains something of a caricature. He played the don’t you know who I am card with a security guard, then canned the hapless worker (he let her come back).

* Jay Leno is officially leaving The Tonight Show next year and Jimmy Fallon is officially taking over from him, and David Letterman is confused about it. And from NY Mag, Letterman is the late night winner.

* Arrested Development’s return date? May 26, on Netflix. All 15 episodes.

* Slate investigates word aversion, or why people hate certain words. Words like moist.

* Selena Roberts on Auburn’s possibly tainted title from 2010. Not Auburn!

* Grantland’s Jay Caspian King on the end of Don King’s career.

* So the Lakers retired Shaq’s number. Well-deserved. It was a fairly entertaining ceremony, especially when fans chanted “We Want Phil.” Unfortunately, Shaq’s jersey is hanging the wrong way.

* Drew Magary got fake kidnapped for a story for GQ.

* Michael Rand with five things about new Gophers coach Richard Pitino. And Patrick Reusse on young Richie.

* And now more Auburn news – conflicting Auburn news. Some players are saying the Roberts report is bunk.

* The podcast of the week is back. (Hooray?) This time, the thoughtful and/or outlandish Jason Whitlock digs into the old Brett Favre illicit-texts matter by bringing Jenn Sterger on his show. The results are … well … er … um … inconclusive. I considered shutting it off several times, but did end up listening to the whole thing.

The Tapes: March 29

Welcome to this week’s links, which include an in-depth examination of the last play in the Timberwolves-Lakers game as we try and determine if Kobe fouled Rubio. No, no, he fouled him. Onward:

* This crazy Buzz Bissinger story got a lot of…buzz this week as the Friday Night Lights author detailed his shopping addiction and out-of-control sex life. Since then, Bissinger has reportedly entered rehab.

* Chris Jones with a great profile of Hugh Hefner for Esquire.

* Game of Thrones returns this week. New York Mag gives us the Game of Thrones death generator, where you choose how you’d like to die in Westeros.

* The Simpsons is famous for its amazing original songs — years ago I bought a CD that had about 20 of them on it. And here the show’s writers pick their favorites. Feels like Stonecutters should be higher than 7.

* Adrian Wojnarowski on the end of the Heat’s winning streak and LeBron’s unhappiness with the Bulls’ physical play.

* Louie Anderson is still hurting after a diving mishap for the show Splash. Huh.

* Five perfectly logical explanations for Justin Bieber going through airport security shirtless.

* CNN and Esquire are fighting about who killed Osama bin Laden. Really. Esquire published a story with the shooter. CNN debunked that story. Then Esquire pointed out that a few months ago CNN reported something contrary to the network’s most recent story. Media fight!

The Tapes: March 8

Welcome to this week’s links. Hey, the Gophers just missed another jump shot.

* The Star Tribune’s Michael Rand explains how the Gophers could easily end up as the 9th seed in the upcoming Big Ten tourney, a dangerous spot for a team people still consider something of a lock for the NCAA tournament. What a strange team. Wouldn’t be surprised if they made a run to the Elite 8. Wouldn’t be surprised if they lost by 23 in the first round.

* Prince went on Fallon and destroyed a 1961 Epiphone that didn’t belong to him. Cue the Dave Chappelle basketball skit.

* On Grantland, Bryan Curtis with the Sportswriter’s Dictionary.
“era (n.) — an arbitrary period of time. Often demarcated by the presence or absence of a superstar: ‘the post-Jordan era.
first-ballot Hall of Famer (n.) — there have been far more first-ballot Hall of Famers minuted in baseball columns than in actual baseball. The phrase really means ‘automatic Hall of Famer.’”

* It’s the 20th anniversary of Dazed & Confused and Esquire goes all in looking back at the classic cult film.
SHAMEFUL CONFESSION FOR A MEMBER OF GEN-X: I have never seen all of Dazed and Confused. I know, I know.

* The Metropolitan Museum of Art is again being sued by someone who claims it misleads people into thinking a fee is mandatory for admission.

* It’s that time of the year when America goes crazy for brackets. New York Magazine’s Vulture site has the “Ultimate Sitcom Smackdown Bracket.”  Spencer Hall, meanwhile, has brackets for the 64 dumbest things he’s done in his life.

* Fox plans on challenging ESPN with its own sports network. It will have NASCAR, baseball, college hoops and football, soccer. And “studio shows, including one that is to be hosted by Regis Philbin, a celebrated Notre Dame fan.” Well then.

The Tapes: March 1

Wow, March? Really? Okay.

* March is certainly the month when we’ll hear more than ever about geniuses like Coach K and Tom Izzo. Brian Phillips takes a look at the cult of college coaches, for Grantland.

* Also in Grantland, Wesley Morris takes the Warriors to task for their sleeved uniforms, which just aren’t very appealing.

* A proposed statue for Len Bias at his old school has been knocked down. Not totally surprising, I suppose.

* Patrick Reusse is headed to spring training again and chronicles some of his other trips to Florida.

* New York Magazine with a crazy story about Cecilia Chang, who was behind a massive fraud case in her role as  fundraiser for St. John’s University. Yes, this is the St. John’s in New York City, not Collegeville.

* My good friend John Rosengren has a big new book coming out that’s getting good buzz. Hero of Heroes is a biography of baseball legend Hank Greenberg. Here’s a MinnPost piece on John and the book, which will be available on Tuesday, March 5.

The Tapes: Feb. 15

TV and Fury are both back in America as we again shut down our Cape Town bureau, at least for the rest of the year. On to this week’s links.

* Grantland’s running a tournament to determine the “worst Academy Award moment in modern history.”

* Phil Bronstein on the man who supposedly fired the fatal shot that killed Osama bin Laden. It’s a fascinating piece, which ran in Esquire, but some controversy has also popped up over the story. Slate examines one of the issues.

* I really enjoyed this story in The Classical by Nick Bond about “The 7 Stages of Grief at Bleacher Report University.

* Sports Illustrated’s John Garrity with a piece about CBS golf commentator David Feherty and his battles with depression and other afflictions.

* Golfer is bitten by Black Widow spider, keeps playing. Okay.

* Will Ferrell served as an usher at a Lakers game and tossed out Shaquille O’Neal.

* The Oscar Pistorius story has gone from pure and inspiring to dark and disturbing, falling in line with so many others of late. The New York Times weighs in on the double-amputee Olympian now suspected of murdering his girlfriend.

* The Wall Street Journal has uncovered information that calls into questioning the reporting of Truman Capote for “In Cold Blood.” Add that book the list of those I haven’t read. I did recently check out a book from a library, but have yet to crack the cover and the renewal date has passed.

The Tapes: Feb. 8

Greetings from sunny South Africa. I have no idea what day it is but our links run each Friday so I know that will stay the same. The trip here nearly ended in Johannesburg, where I got sick in not one but two airport bathrooms. But, I soldiered on, sneaked in some rest and made the connecting flight to Cape Town, where my senses and health have returned, even if my sense of time has not.

* Wait, New York could get 38 inches of snow? Or nothing? Boy, sorry I’m missing that. Hold on, have to check what time we’re leaving Friday for the beach where my brother-in-law is getting married.

* Wait, a mom won’t sign a kid’s letter of intent to Arkansas? 

* I’m stealing Terry’s thunder here, but here’s a podcast between Bill Simmons and the always enjoyable Chuck Klosterman. Find another Podcast of the Week, Terry!

* Deadspin ranks the 47 Super Bowls by watchability.

* TV here. A basketball player on my beat – South Dakota State point guard Nate Wolters – made big news Thursday night by scoring 53 points, the most by an NCAA Division I player in a non-OT game in four years. I taped a podcast with the team’s play-by-play voice afterward.

* Apparently, basketball fans needs to get to know Zach Lowe. Former Fury Files guest Will Leitch helps you do that.

* Big news in soccer/football/footie this week as Fox acknowledged that it will groom beloved screamer Gus Johnson to call the 2018 World Cup. We can already hear the results … “I’m Lionel Messi and I get buckets!”

The Tapes: Feb. 1

Next week at this time I’ll likely be at a hotel on a beach near Cape Town getting ready for my brother-in-law’s wedding. And I’ll be half a world away from the wretchedness that is the Los Angeles Lakers. Oh what a time that will be. This week’s links:

* The new issue of Vanity Fair is its annual Hollywood issue and included an oral history of Pulp Fiction. The whole thing’s not online — buy a paper magazine, people! — but here’s a preview. Daniel Day-Lewis wanted to play Vincent Vega. Would have been interesting.

* Chuck Klosterman had a superb story on Houston Rockets forward Royce White, who has actually yet to play a game at forward for those Houston Rockets. It’s a fascinating piece as Klosterman digs into White’s mental illness and is alternately sympathetic but challenging.

* Applications for law schools have plummeted. I still have the occasional daydream that I go to law school and become a Grisham-charateresque do-gooder who rights wrongs and battles the system, all while sporting a Southern accent.

* Chinese hackers attacked the New York Times and broke into the paper’s computers, stealing everyone’s password while taking a gander at emails related to an investigation into the family of China’s prime minister. Pretty crazy story.

* With 30 Rock ending, New York Magazine lists its 10-best episodes ever.

* Smithsonian Magazine has a piece on a Russian family that Soviet geologists discovered in 1978 in Siberia. They had been completely cut off from the world. Forget those stories of people not realizing World War II had ended — this family didn’t even know World War II happened!

* Turns out that Novak Djokovic is a joker no more. Sports Illustrated chronicles his new mindset.

* Has the talent level and quality of play really dipped in college basketball as we’ve all been lead to believe? A blogger takes a closer look.