The Long Goodbye
by Austin Kelley
As many of you have noticed, we haven’t published anything new on The Modern Spectator for quite some time. It’s disappointing to say it, but this hiatus may last through the winter, or perhaps longer. There are good reasons for this, including my classes at NYU and writings which will occasionally appear here. For now, the break has given me a chance to look back and review some of the things we’ve done over the past four years. I’ve posted above one of my favorite images, a drawing by my wife, Emily Thompson (Read the accompanying article, a dream-like meditation on tie games by Brian Phillips, who runs the excellent soccer blog, The Run of Play), and have dug into the vaults to feature some other old pieces below. You can also take a look at our archives, where you’ll find my old musings on Zidane, luck, texting, and subluxation. And please drop me a line at austin (at) modernspectator.com.
The Good, the Bad, and the Brackets
by Austin Kelley
I finished third overall in ESPN’s World Cup prediction game. I’d like to brag about it — there were more than a million entries, and I finished just one point shy of the $5,000 first prize – but I can’t. It’s not just because I won nothing for my truobles. It’s also because I didn’t try. Before filling out my bracket, I could have consulted statistics, broken down tactics, and carefully considered historic results. Instead, I just went with my first, unconsidered instinct, and vowed not to change a thing. When I did look back at my picks, I was appalled. Uruguay in the semifinals? Holland beating Brazil? Crazy. Read on.
Karma Chameleon: Germany Wins
by Austin Kelley
History repeats itself, or mocks itself, or at least that’s what we like to believe. Read on.
The Land of the Free
by Austin Kelley
For various reasons, mostly unintentional, I have more than a passing familiarity with Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek.
The World Cup Wakes Up
by Austin Kelley
Soccer can be exhausting, watching soccer that is. If you are foolish (and lucky) enough to try to catch all the games in the World Cup, you have to stare at a television for some six hours a day, day after day, beginning in New York at 7:00 a.m… Read my notes on the sixth day, and by the way, does the Uruguayan goalkeeper look a little like Scott Baio?
See also my thoughts on North Korea, Holland, and Domenech.
Why I Love North Korea
by Austin Kelley
The World Cup needs a hero or a villain. Enter North Korea.
The Polanski Problem
by Austin Kelley
My wife thinks Lionel Messi looks like a young Roman Polanski. Read all about it.
Play It Again, Bafana Bafana
by Austin Kelley
Read my recap of day one including some love for the vuvuzela.
Curious Oranj
by Austin Kelley
Is the Netherlands dourly efficient or flamboyant and philosophical or just bald?
The Architecture of Sports
by Austin Kelley
The Modern Spectator returns with World Cup coverage, wondering if the sport a little too pretentious?
Tiger's Par Is Enough
Tiger Woods is the only player on the PGA Tour who can win by turning in an average day on the course. Read about it in the Wall Street Journal
Stability Spells Success
by Austin Kelley
The teams with the highest player turnover, a new study shows, tend to lose. Read about it at WSJ.
Yellow Card Tally
by Austin Kelley
Who gets the most yellow cards? Spaniards?
Hall of Fame: No Popularity Contest
by Austin Kelley
If the Hall of Fame were for the most famous players, Mattingly would be a shoo-in.
FIFA's Flawed Rankings
by Austin Kelley
The FIFA rankings have had surprising results, in the Wall Street Journal.
Star Align for Yanks, Won't Stop Phils!
by Austin Kelley
The Fall Classic is here, an epic matchup between my Phillies and the Bronx billionaires. To get ready I asked an astrologer, a statistician, a Las Vegas oddsmaker, a computer, a former major-league manager and a baseball analyst to predict the outcome of the series. The Phils were underdogs to everyone but Mitch Williams. Read about it in the Wall Street Journal.
Meanwhile, look back at some of our Phillies stories, including this essay on the rhetorical genius of Charlie Manuel and this consideration of Ryan Howard’s IHOP years.
Taking a Penalty? Relax
by Austin Kelley
Taking a little more time with a penalty kick may help you score. Read it in the Wall Street Journal.
The Wild Bunch
by Austin Kelley
Can a relaxed clubhouse help the Yankees win a championship? Read about it in the Wall Street Journal.
Golf Returns to Olympics with One Superpower
by Austin Kelley
Golf is returning to the Olympings. I rate the projected national teams on WSJ.
The It Team: Real Madrid
by Austin Kelley
What does Stephen King have to do with Real Madrid?
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