This issue along with the body issue makes me glad I'm a subscriber. I probably wouldn't be except I got a 2 year subscription for $8.99 off of Tanga last year and thought it sounded like a good idea. Normally I scan through them for about 5 minutes, maybe read 1 article and that's it. ESPN gave over control of the short stories to McSweeneys and they did an amazing job at the choice of sports related fiction.
My favorite story was probably My Life In Baseball, By The Beard by David Eggers a story written in the first person by Brian Wilson's beard. Hilarious.
Angel Wings by Susan Straight
Strong story about a mother dealing with her innocent star athlete son's death at the hands of a overzealous cop at a fast food drive through.
What If... by Jeff Pinkner
These were a series of quick what if sports related questions questions, they sucked.
Bleacher Couch Man by Jess Walter
A great story about a man in his early 40's still playing in a basketball rec league who's well past his pride, divorced & completely lost. Eloquently sums up a lot of lives of people we all know.
MOTO by Wells Tower
Quick story about neighbors who's fates switch after an accident
The Favorite by John Brandon
Probably my second favorite story. It's about a guy in the south down who has returned home broke after making a huge mistake that led to him being fired from a lucrative job that he wasn't qualified for. No one knows he's broke and he's trying to get back betting on local football games when he stumbles into some insider information.
The Kudzu League by Chris Bachelder
This story was ok. It was about a semipro baseball league started up in small towns in the late 70's, early 80's.
The Bow Tie Miracle by Michael Bible
Another great story. The story takes place at a Carolina Panthers football game where a teenage kid & his girlfriend raise a little hell in the stadium.
John Brisker's Greatest Game by Gare Joyce
John Brisker was a star of the ABA who couldn't quite make it in the NBA, tried to use his last seasons paycheck to become set for life by some questionable means and needs to disappear in Africa. The story takes place when a reporter finds him a couple years later.
The Family Business by Miguel Batista
Great story to end on. The story is about the imagined family of a real catcher who died in a plane crash in 1948 in the DR when his team was flying home from an away game. His great grandson plays stickball in the neighborhood and is taken to the stadium for a tribute night in honor of the fallen team on the 60th anniversary of the tragedy.
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