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Allen Barra

Allen Barra writes about sports for the Wall Street Journal and TheAtlantic.com. His next book is Mickey and Willie--The Parallel Lives of Baseball's Golden Age.

Marilynne Robinson's Small, Rich Body of Work

Marilynne Robinson's Small, Rich Body of Work

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author has written just seven books over the course of her career, but her slow care is part of what makes her great.… More »

David Robertson: The Answer to the Yankees' Post-Rivera Pitching Woes

David Robertson: The Answer to the Yankees' Post-Rivera Pitching Woes

The reliever is the team's best hope now that their legendary closer is injured.… More »

The NFL Draft Is Still a Crapshoot

The NFL Draft Is Still a Crapshoot

All the algorithms in the world can't predict who will succeed and fail in pro football.… More »

'Dempsey and Firpo': The Greatest American Sports Painting

'Dempsey and Firpo': The Greatest American Sports Painting

A lithograph of George Bellows's masterpiece is up for auction this week.… More »

The Strange, Glorious Pedigree of 'Justified'

The Strange, Glorious Pedigree of 'Justified'

The FX series, based on Elmore Leonard's novels, takes inspiration from Hemingway, Westerns, and crime-novel classics.… More »

Both the NBA and the NCAA Want to Keep Athletes in College for Too Long

Both the NBA and the NCAA Want to Keep Athletes in College for Too Long

The organizations want to make players wait an extra year before they can go pro.… More »

The Legend of Bert Sugar, Boxing's Larger-Than-Life Chronicler

The Legend of Bert Sugar, Boxing's Larger-Than-Life Chronicler

Remembering the writer, who died this weekend at age 75… More »

The NFL's Punishment of the Saints Is Harsh, Nonsensical, and Hypocritical

The NFL's Punishment of the Saints Is Harsh, Nonsensical, and Hypocritical

The league is maintaining the pretense that one player taking another player out of a game isn't what defensive football is about.… More »

Why Peyton Manning's Move to Denver Won't Work

Why Peyton Manning's Move to Denver Won't Work

The Super Bowl-winning quarterback is too old, and the Broncos are too weak.… More »

How the NCAA Basketball Cartel Seized Its Power

How the NCAA Basketball Cartel Seized Its Power

The college tournament was once run by a different organization—before a scandal cleared the way for new association to take control.… More »

Wilt Chamberlain: The Babe Ruth of Pro Basketball

Wilt Chamberlain: The Babe Ruth of Pro Basketball

He electrified the sport at a time when few people were paying attention.… More »

Hey, Jets: Don't Sign Peyton Manning

Hey, Jets: Don't Sign Peyton Manning

An aging, injured quarterback won't fix the team's woes.… More »

Derek Jeter's Uncertain Future

Derek Jeter's Uncertain Future

The Yankee great will turn 38 this summer—and no major league team has ever won a pennant with a 38-year-old shortstop.… More »

How Did Bill Parcells Not Make the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

How Did Bill Parcells Not Make the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

The snub highlights the many flaws in the HOF selection process.… More »

Joe Paterno's Disappointing Last Decade at Penn State

Joe Paterno's Disappointing Last Decade at Penn State

Why did the legendary coach keep going, even after his best days were behind him?… More »

Eli Manning Is Not an Elite Quarterback (Yet)

Eli Manning Is Not an Elite Quarterback (Yet)

And unless he wins this year's Super Bowl, he probably won't ever be.… More »

Why Aren't These Two Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Why Aren't These Two Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

No, we're not talking about Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose.… More »

LSU vs. Alabama Will Be Great, but the BCS Still Needs to Go

LSU vs. Alabama Will Be Great, but the BCS Still Needs to Go

The championship game brings together the two best teams in the nation, but fans missed out by not having a playoffs.… More »

How Murakami's '1Q84' Became 2011's Biggest Literary Letdown

How Murakami's '1Q84' Became 2011's Biggest Literary Letdown

The Japanese author's long, unsatisfying book was a big disappointment after years of hype… More »

Albert Pujols's Bad Move

Albert Pujols's Bad Move

The slugger will make $30 million for going to LA—but he'll lose a lot more… More »

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The Biggest Story in Photos

Olympic Portraits, Part I: American Athletes

May 30, 2012

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