An asterisk.  Look up the definition in Webster’s and you will find it described as the following: the character * thought of as being appended to something (such as an athletic accomplishment included in a record book) typically in order to indicate that there is a limiting fact or consideration which makes that thing less important or impressive than it would otherwise be. In sports, the asterisk first made a splash in 1961 after Roger Maris set a single-season home run record with 61, passing the legendary Babe Ruth’s mark of 60 set back in 1927.  The issue was that Ruth hit his 60 home... Read More

Lou Williams rejoined his NBA teammates after an eventful few days outside the Disney World bubble that included a trip to Atlanta, the memorial of a family friend, and finally, a well-publicized stop at a Gentlemen’s Club. The 6’1” shooting guard and reigning Sixth-Man-of-the-Year for the Los Angeles Clippers was provided an excused absence by the league to leave Orlando and their COVID-19 high secured environment in order to attend the viewing of a family friend that had recently passed.  But after a social media posting by a rapper and friend of Williams—Jack Harlow—of both men attending... Read More

It had to have been more than a decade ago that I found myself arguing with the Admissions Department at a nearby University.  Looking to do some post-grad work, I found it absurd that the department needed a copy of my high school transcripts despite the fact that I was already years removed from the bachelor’s degree I had earned prior.  But I relented. Opening my computer, I started with the obvious and searched for University High School in Los Angeles, but it didn’t show up.  I searched high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, schools in West Los Angeles, and even the... Read More

As I headed downstairs to make coffee the other morning, I stared at the empty calendar hanging in the kitchen. The quarantine had turned the days and months irrelevant.  My sports-themed, Drew Litton calendar, usually marked up with family activities, summer road trips, and neighborhood barbeques, hung empty. Past July’s had meant trips to the Coast for days on the beach, small town festivals filled with music and food, and visiting family across the states. The highlight of this summer was watching Hamilton on Disney Plus. It was then that I noticed that, according to my calendar, Tuesday,... Read More

We wear their names on the back of our jerseys, display their posters on our walls, and dream that we are them.  Shooting baskets towards a rusty hoop we imagine we are Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, or Michael Jordan as the clock counts down to zero.  As plastic bats connect with whiffle balls, we round imaginary bases as Nolan Arenado, Mike Trout, or Willie Mays.  We lace up our skates like Nathan Mackinnon, cut off our sleeves like Rafael Nadal, and what we wouldn’t give to throw the ball, get the girl, and win it all, like Tom Brady. To us, athletes are superheroes.  To us, athletes are superhuman. COVID-19... Read More

It was only last weekend that I sat on my couch watching some guy named Daniel Berger win the Charles Schwab Challenge in a playoff over some guy named Collin Morikawa.  This wasn’t about the names of the players, the putts being drained, or even the awkward silence of an empty golf course.  This was about hope, normality, and the gradual return of sports. Despite the fear of COVID-19 and the social unrest that has dominated our lives, the golf tournament gave me just a glimmer of hope that our world was finally trending the right direction.  The opening of restaurants, gyms, and businesses... Read More

The NBA is finalizing its Return to Play format as 22 teams will travel to Orlando in July to finish off the 2019-20 NBA season and crown a new champion.  COVID-19 has changed the dynamics of this year’s playoffs as players return to the sport underconditioned, worried about safety, and understandably focused on social issues rather than basketball. Before the suspension of the regular season, teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers were favorites for the title.  But now that the rules have changed and new factors are thrown into the equation, are some teams better equipped... Read More

Following the tragic death of George Floyd and subsequent protests that have erupted across the country, Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement last week in which he apologized on the behalf of the owners and the league for failing to support the NFL players’ right to protest, specifically referring to those who knelt in protest back in 2016. “We, the NFL, condemn racism and systematic oppression of Black People.  We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest.  We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter.”... Read More

As states continue to relax quarantine rules in an effort to open up again, the NHL became the first of the four major sports to step forward with a comprehensive plan to get back on the ice.  The Return to Play Plan was agreed upon in principle last week as the NHL decided on a four phase plan that would include self-isolation, training at local facilities, a training camp, and a 24 team playoff held at two hubs yet to be announced. According to the NHL timeline, players have already been isolating, and some facilities across the country have been opening with specific safety guidelines.  The... Read More

The rain continued throughout the day, but I didn’t care.  There were no outdoor hikes planned, no bike rides with poor fitting masks, and no social distance BBQs through the fencing of my backyard. For most, the combination of bad weather and the restrictions due to quarantine would make a Sunday over Memorial Day weekend feel like Ground Hog Day instead.  Another day of laundry, puzzles, and Netflix. But this day was different. On Sunday at 1pm, I curled up on my favorite chair and watched five straight hours of The Match – Champions for Charity, a live charity golf match that featured... Read More