SPECIAL LOOK

In remembrance of Nelson Mandela and the profound impact that he had on the world, we share this essay on how Mandela saw the power of sports in peace building and this collection of images that connects him and sports.

QUIPS FOR THIS WEEK

NBA

Sunday night marked the return of Kobe Bryant to the NBA. He suited up for the LA Lakers for the first time this season in a game against the Toronto Raptors. As if this wouldn’t have been enough for the headlines, the Raptors made quite a bit of news themselves by sending star player Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings in a 7 player trade, to be finalized Monday.

The struggles for the New York Knicks continue. Despite defeating the Brooklyn Nets and the Orlando Magic this past week, the Knicks lost by 41 to the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon. Next up, Carmelo Anthony’steam will face another struggling eastern conference team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat remain the teams to beat in the weak eastern conference while the Portland Trailblazers, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder lead the way in a loaded western conference. Time will tell if these are the teams to beat going forward into the new year.

NFL

Life is good for Peyton Manning and the city of Denver. The Broncos defeated the Tennessee Titans in an easy victory that included a NFL record 64-yard field goal by Denver kicker Matt Prater.

Oh Brady. The New England Patriots beat the Cleveland Browns in a comeback win at the end of the 4^th quarter. Star quarterback Tom Brady led the Pats comeback that will keep them in the hunt for a top seed in the AFC playoffs. The only bad news, Pats fear tight end Rob Gronkowski’s injured knee is a torn ACL.

On the NFC side, the San Francisco 49ers weren’t going to let the Seattle Seahawks secure the division title on their watch. The Niners beat the Seahawks in a close 19-17 victory on their home turf. Looking ahead, Monday Night Football will feature traditional NFL franchises the Chicago Bears against the Dallas Cowboys. 

COLLEGE SPORTS

Florida State ended Duke’s magical ride with a dominating 45-7 victory in the ACC College Football Championship. Florida State will go on to play Auburn in the BCS National Championship, after their defeat over Missouri in the SEC College Football Championship. The BCS title game will take place on January 6, 2014.

Ohio State will no longer get its shot at the championship and will now play in the Orange Bowl. The Buckeyes lost to the Michigan State Spartans, who were awarded with a trip to Pasadena to take on Stanford in the Rose Bowl.

Tough week for college basketball’s traditional powerhouses as Kansas lost to Colorado and Kentucky fell to Baylor. The ACC Big Ten challenge also concluded this past week with key victories for Duke over Michigan and UNC in a surprising win over Michigan State.

FUN

There’s no faux pas worse than helmet hair in the NFL

True life: I’m a real animal mascot of the NCAA

STORIES FOR INSIGHTS, COOL FACTOR + DEBATE 

Work Hard, Play Harder
Ohio State marching band steals the spotlight
Check out the Ohio State University marching band’s halftime show, “Salute to Gettysburg”

I Get by With a Little Help from My Friends
Michael Beasley’s Miami Heat teammates hold him accountable
Beasley came home to his family at Miami and doubled his player efficiency

Are you the Master of Assists?
State Farm’s Chris Paul commercials highlight the strength of the assist
The serial narrative of sports play out in these State Farm commercials

Who runs the world? Girls!
Alyssa Milano hated only seeing pink fan-gear for women
So, she built a team-color-appropriate fashion empire for the female sports fans