Competitive sports are inherently dangerous, be it due to massive man-on-man collisions, or because they push bodies to extreme lengths the normal human, or animal would be hard pressed to handle.  Following the tragic fall of Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby, there has been an outcry against horse racing as particularly dangerous and inhumane.  However, as Bill Littlefield comments, as unfortunate as it is, risk and danger are a steadfast piece of sports.

The last couple of months have been filled with high drama for former MLB pitcher Roger Clemens.  Testifying before grand juries, facing possible perjury charges and defending his name have replaced the lighter concerns of whether to throw a fastball or a curve with the game on the line.  The recent allegations of Clemens’ affair with a country music singer led Bill Littlefield to wonder what type of tune the big Texan is singing these days.  Bill also took the liberty of writing the song for Roger.

An old saying recited to young athletes time and time again is that cheaters never prosper.  According to the decision by the International Olympics Committee to revoke the gold medals of the relay-mates of admitted steroid user Marion Jones, neither do their teams. What if such a standard, penalizing entire teams for the poor behavior of an individual, were applied to some more prominent team sports? As Bill Littlefield comments, it might change the way some athletes operate.

The Olympic Torch is supposed to symbolize high ideals of international cooperation and competition.  However, protests aimed at the torch have put an issue of international discord in the spotlight.  The protests may be uncomfortable to watch, but as Bill Littlefield comments, there is no better place than the Olympics to remind the world of what truly matters. 

Some things are capable of striking fear right into the heart of a person’s being.  For some, it’s a fear of heights.  Others are petrified at the very thought of small eight-legged insects.  For Bill Littlefield, his deep fear used to be the spelling bee.  But now the tables have turned, and Bill has decided to take a new approach to this intellectual slugfest.

Barry Bonds has pounded more homeruns than any other player in Major League Baseball history.  However, with the regular season all but underway, the 43 year old is still lacking employment.  Bill Littlefield believes this situation won’t change, but can’t help but imagine the endless possibilities of the slugger’s hypothetical swansong.

In light of recent comments criticizing the potential boycott of this summer’s Olympic Games, Bill Littlefield got to thinking.  Would forgoing a trip to Beijing truly be the worst idea humanity ever stumbled upon?  As Bill comments, those who consider ditching the games a mortal sin may want to re-consider.

The official word from the Chinese government is that the air quality in Beijing has improved for nine consecutive years.

Haile Gebrselassie, the world’s fastest marathoner, is not convinced.

In sports, good coaches can have an obvious impact on the outcome of games. But the best coaches can mean much more. Bill Littlefield tells the story of a coach who helped change a young man as an athlete, and as a person.