Abdullah the Butcher: The Wildman of Sudan

Everything I learned about geography, I learned from pro-wrestling. It’s true. Well, maybe not everything. Every time the ring announcer claimed someone was from Grenoble, France, or Kraków, Poland, or some other exotic part of the world, I had a sudden urge to know where these places were. The next thing I knew, I was … Read more

The Digital Spectator: How Global Broadcast Technology Transformed Indigenous Sports into World-Class Commodities

The 1964 Tokyo Olympics changed Judo, but not because of medals. The Olympics were first seen by many people worldwide thanks to satellite transmissions, which were popular at the time. This event made the sport official, defined its rules for foreigners, and transformed it from a local hobby to a worldwide export. ***Please note, there … Read more

Year of the Rocket: Toronto Argonaut History From 1991

It was 1991, and Raghib “Rocket” Ismail was about to be the #1 overall draft pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. But then, a new ownership group (John Candy, Wayne Gretzky, and Bruce McNall) of the Toronto Argonauts shocked the sporting world and lured “The Rocket” to the Canadian Football League. This is the story. … Read more

Minnesota’s Most Winnable Super Bowl (IX)

Every pro football fan knows that the Minnesota Vikings went to four Super Bowls during the 1970s. They lost them all. After each, the questions why flourished. You heard excuses such as Their front lines on offense and defense weren’t strong enough. Or their overall team speed wasn’t fast enough or quick enough. Or their … Read more