The Smartest Guys in the Clubhouse
How the McKinsey-fied Astros cheated their way to a championship—and became a parable of American success
Sports
Celebrating 150 Years of Simulated Warfare
Exploring lost causes and vicarious violence on the anniversary of America's first college football scrum
In Its Fight With China, the NBA Shows Its True Colors
The dust-up belies the pro basketball's reputation as the "good" league.
The Atlanta Braves Drag Their Feet as Fans Keep Chopping Their Arms
After a Cherokee citizen on the St. Louis Cardinals called them out, the Braves responded with hollow P.R. jargon.
The Very American Case of Robert Kraft and a Florida Prostitution Sting
The prosecution of the Patriots owner, and his recent legal victories, reveal deep flaws in the U.S. criminal justice system.
Why Has the World Gone Easy on Cristiano Ronaldo?
The soccer superstar is under investigation in the U.S. for an alleged rape, but the case has been largely met with silence.
Chess Is Back
The World Championship between Fabiano Caruana and Magnus Carlsen features controversy, glamor, charges of "fake news," and ... Woody Harrelson?
Why Would Anyone Climb This Insane Cliff Face?
"Free Solo" tracks a mountain climber on what seems to be a suicide mission.
What LeBron Can Prove About Public Education
The basketball star's new school in Ohio embraces a promising model for helping at-risk communities.
The Joy of Watching a World Cup Without the U.S.
Why I'm relieved the men's national team didn't qualify for Russia this year
The Pathetic Truth About Trump’s Culture Wars
The president's rant against kneeling athletes is a sign of things to come.
Chris Christie Is Bad at Talk Radio, Too
The abysmally unpopular governor of New Jersey is talking sports this week. It’s not going well.
The Real Ties That Bind Donald Trump and the New England Patriots
The president and the NFL dynasty have a lot more in common than personal connections.
The UFC’s Dirtiest Move Yet: Union Bashing
Can the league's fighters win the same rights as other professional athletes?
Fox’s Pitch Is Not Pure Fiction
Recalling the three black women who gender-integrated the Negro Leagues.
Outside Baseball
Fox's new drama about a woman in Major League Baseball, 'Pitch' aims to tell an uplifting story of female empowerment. But is it realistic?
Divide and Conquer
How professional sports and stand-up comedy taught Trump to profit from racial stereotypes.
For Black America, Absolute Love of Country Is Impossible
Colin Kaepernick's protest reflects our contentious relationship with the U.S. flag and national anthem.
The Heinous Olympification of Seoul
The 1988 Summer Games set the template for the “neurotic” model of economic development that has plagued Rio and other Olympic cities.
How the Olympics Lost Millennials
The International Olympic Committee and its American media partners have failed miserably to bring the Games to where young people live.
