The end of the year offers us the opportunity to look back, and Bill Littlefield is among those taking advantage of that opportunity…though he’s only looking back a week or so.

Each year since 1991, Glenn Stout, the series editor for Houghton Mifflin’s The Best American Sports Writing, has read a lot of stories set in sports. And each year he has sent the best of them to the guest editor of the volume. This time around, that was author Leigh Montville, late of Sports Illustrated and, before that, The Boston Globe.

Before 2009 becomes a thing of the past, Only A Game presents some of our favorite stories from the last year or so. There’s something for everyone: Santas in Speedos; dancing doctoral candidates; soccer at the Vatican; Dungeons and Dragons; golfing in Vietnam; and a collegiate logging competition. Enjoy! And Happy Holidays from all of us at Only A Game!

Did you hear a song you liked on Only A Game? There’s no need to spend hours Googling to try to figure out the title. Just check out OAG Senior Producer Gary Waleik’s music blog!

Tiger, Tiger, burning…ahhh, never mind. This week on Only A Game, sponsors bail on Mr. Woods while PGA tour members fret about golf’s future. Also, remembering the first African-American All-American, and putting the spin on some serious dreidel competition.

Each week Senior Producer Gary Waleik picks the musical selections for the show. Here’s why he picked what you heard this week…

Professional football’s current success makes it hard to remember the game’s simpler days. Before the NFL was on television four nights a week, the tiny National Football League struggled to make a name for itself. Bill talks with author Robert S. Lyons about his new book, On Any Given Sunday, about NFL pioneer Bert Bell.

Lots of football fans will tell you that there’s nothing better than gathering in a group of seventy or eighty thousand to support your team. In a bookstore he first visited two decades ago, Bill has found an argument against that contention.

Will the Bearcats become college football’s Buffalo Bills equivalent? This week on Only A Game, Northwest Missouri State looks to end its four game losing streak in the Division II title game. Also, the 17th Annual Only A Game Sports Holiday Gift Guide!

Each week Only A Game’s Senior Producer Gary Waleik picks the musical selections for the show. Here’s why…