Sports

NFL Sideline Reporter Michele Tafoya Plays Not My Job

editor — Sat, 25 May 2013 05:33:00 +0000

Michele Tafoya is the Emmy award-winning reporter for NBC's Sunday Night Football, but she's spent time on basketball courts, softball diamonds, gymnastics mats and now public radio quiz show game grids.

We've invited Tafoya to play a game called "Enter at your own risk!" As one of the first female reporters to be allowed inside the NFL locker room, she has been a pioneer in her field. But there are still places out there where they believe in cooties, so Tafoya will answer three questions about men's-only clubs.

German Soccer Teams Face Off For League Championship

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:03:00 +0000

Robert Siegel speaks with sportswriter Stefan Fatsis about soccer news and Saturday's unlikely Champions League final between two German teams — Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium in London.

British Driver Says She's Sorry In 'Twit And Run' Case

Bill Chappell — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:00:00 +0000

A British driver who struck a cyclist with her car — and who then bragged about the incident on Twitter — has issued an apology. The incident caused an uproar after the collision Sunday.

"Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier - I have right of way he doesn't even pay road tax!

Styling The NBA

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. For the end of our program today, we want to talk about two aspects of American style. In a few minutes, we're going to talk about tattoos. They used to be something you got when you went into the Army or to jail, but now they've gone mainstream. We'll talk with a leading tattoo artist about that in just a minute.

But first, we turn to another influential arena of American style where the rules are changing.

Plenty Of Overtime NHL Playoff Games Attributed To Parity

David Greene — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:03:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Let's talk hockey this morning. In the NHL playoffs last night, the last two Stanley Cup champions were both in action. The Boston Bruins beat the New York Rangers, giving the Bruins a three games-to-nothing lead in their second round series. But the reigning champion, Los Angeles Kings, lost to the San Jose Sharks and their series is now tied at two and two.

Joining me now to talk hockey is NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman. Hey, Tom.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hi, David.

GREENE: Well, let's start on the West Coast.

Backing Becks: Don't Knock The Soccer Star's Talents

Frank Deford — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:04:00 +0000

The most unforgiving criticism in sport is directed at any athlete who fans believe is celebrated too excessively above his true talent level — especially those stars who are gloried because they're such pretty people.

To wit: As David Beckham retires, so much attention is being devoted not to how good he was but to how good he was not. I never saw that emphasized with a fine athlete before.

Big Changes At U.S. Speedskating Body, But Scandals Linger

Howard Berkes — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:40:00 +0000

Rebellious athletes, drained budgets, dysfunctional management and a string of embarrassing scandals forced a major reorganization of U.S. Speedskating over the weekend.

The group governs a sport that has produced 85 Winter Olympic medals for the United States — more than any other sport.

Courtside Chemistry: How NBA's Phil Jackson Won 'Eleven Rings'

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:08:00 +0000

Phil Jackson is famous not only for coaching stars — Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen with the Chicago Bulls, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal with the L.A. Lakers — but also for his distinctive "zen" approach to basketball. He introduced his teams to yoga and meditation, and regularly assigned his players books to read.

Jackson once gave O'Neal a copy of Siddhartha, a novel about a man's search for enlightenment. He joked that O'Neal should give him a book report — and then the star actually did. His report?

Sports: Rallying For Wrestling

Mike Pesca — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:41:00 +0000

Transcript

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

You're listening to WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. And it's time for sports.

(SOUNDBITE OF THEME MUSIC)

MARTIN: NPR's Mike Pesca is on the line from New York. Good morning, Mike.

MIKE PESCA: Hey.

MARTIN: There's a little wrestling news to talk about this morning. There was this big landmark wrestling match last week between Iran and the U.S. that took place in Grand Central Station, right?

PESCA: Grand Central, yeah. I was there.

Sports: Playoffs, Hard Hits, Soccer Kicks

editor — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:13:00 +0000

Host Scott Simon talks to ESPN's Howard Bryant about the NBA playoffs, Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper's collision with a wall, and David Beckham's retirement from soccer.