Otto Warmbier and the limits of male power

June 21, 2017

Some years ago, I saw an exhibit at Mass MoCA in North Adams, Mass. in which a male artist included an image of the Y chromosome. It’s much smaller than the X chromosome. And it’s been shrinking.

I couldn’t help but think of this on the death of Otto Warmbier, the young American imprisoned and apparently tortured for allegedly taking a propaganda poster off the wall of a North Korean hotel. Returned to his homeland in a coma, he died six days later on June 19.

Lost, however, in the geopolitical story – the barbarism of North Korea, the failure of the Chinese to contain it and the challenge this poses for America – is both the larger and deeper cultural and psychological story. It is a narrative that says simply no one does stupid like a stupid man. ...

Lessons in the fall of a merman

August 21, 2016

The last few days have been difficult for those of us who are fans of Ryan Lochte – who admire his beauty, talent, heart and joie de vivre. Now we must admonish the man for swimming the anchor leg in a series of graceless events that have only underscored the stereotype of Brazil as a lawless country and of the United States as a nation of entitled louts. Here is the takeaway, particularly for the young who might extol and even emulate his antics...

The great Ryan Lochte Rio robbery caper continued

August 19, 2016

Another day and more muddled information about who did what to whom in the tale of whether or not 12-time Olympic champ Ryan Lochte and three other American swimmers were robbed at gunpoint Sunday.

Let’s go to the videotape, shall we? Or rather several videotapes. Look, let’s just cut to the chase. It now appears that the tipsy lads stopped at a gas station, had to pee, either were denied bathroom privileges or decided to take matters in their own hands – peeing against a wall, ripping off the bathroom door – whereupon an armed security guard forced them at gunpoint to sit on the ground with their arms raised and in effect demanded money to pay for the damage. One man’s justice is another’s extortion. But anyway you slice it, Lochte lied. And for what? ...

Phelpte revisited: Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte renew rivalry

July 1, 2016

“It’s a great race, it’s a great race, it’s a great race” I kept screaming at the TV as Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte went 1-2 in the 200 IM finals in the Olympic Trials in Omaha.

“Win or lose, we have a good friendship and that’s why it’s a great rivalry,” Lochte said afterward.

Frankly, I thought Lochte, swimming with a groin injury, had Phelps in the final leg, the free, but hand it to Phelps – he has the longer reach and the champion’s ability to close. That takes nothing away from Lochte, who has never been intimidated, never backed down. That’s what makes it a great rivalry. ...

Ole, Nole: Novak Djokovic wins the elusive French Open

June 5, 2016

Congratulations to Novak Djokovic, who finally won the French Open on his 12th attempt, defeating Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 Sunday at Roland Garros in Paris.

“It’s a very special day, perhaps the biggest moment of my career,” Djokovic said in French to the Parisian crowd. The win made him the eighth man in tennis history to complete the career Grand Slam and the third man, behind Don Budge and Rod Laver, to hold all four Slam singles titles at once. (Budge and Laver, of course, did it in a calendar year, Laver twice – the last time 47 years ago.)

Murray, who has played his friendly rival since their junior days and is a week older, was classy in defeat. “This is his day today,” the No. 2 seed said. “What he’s achieved in the last 12 months is phenomenal.” ...

Horsing around with Nyquist, the Spring Horse Shows

May 12, 2016

Anyone want to make a bold prediction for this year’s Triple Crown races? Win, lose or draw, the undefeated Nyquist is a star. (We’d say more – except we don’t want to jinx the bay beauty’s chances in the Preakness Stakes May 21 and the Belmont Stakes June 11.)

OK, so we think he has Triple Crown/superhorse potential as well as the ability to develop an Affirmed/Alydar rivalry with Exaggerator. There’s a lot of the gritty Affirmed in Nyquist. And a lot of Seattle Slew as well.

But you don’t have to wait until the Preakness for your equestrian fix. The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows in North Salem are underway. ...

Michael Phelps starts over

May 19, 2015

He didn’t win any events at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Charlotte, N.C. But then, Michael Phelps has dug himself a hole that he has to climb out of. He retired. He unretired. He was arrested for DUI.

Sometimes I think he does some of this on purpose so that he’ll have to start over. But that’s just what he’s doing. He’ll follow coach Bob Bowman to Arizona State in Tempe, where Bowman will coach the men’s and women’s swim team. Phelps – who is making the move with his fiancée, Nicole Johnson – has some familiarity with the area, having rehabbed in Phoenix. Still, it’s a big move from his hometown of Baltimore – new program, new surroundings, new responsibilities, new life.

Maybe it’s just what he needs to get back in the swim. ...