Tag / Sports Illustrated

by admin

The End Of The Road

In June of 1954, a new sports magazine hit the shelves.  Sports Illustrated quickly became the bible of the sports world, becoming the place to find long-form, in-depth articles about the games that Americans followed, or were about to follow.  In 1964, they published their first swimsuit issue, helping to keep interest in the magazine in the down time between the end of football season and the start of baseball season.  The magazine continued to be the leader in sports journalism until the late 1990s, when the type of stories long associated with the print world moved to the internet.  In 2018, the magazine was sold and then sold again, to a venture capital firm that then licensed the brand name to a publisher that only wished to wring whatever value was left.  Today, it all came to an end, as the licensing agreement was terminated and the entire staff of Sports Illustrated was informed they would be laid off.

It’s hard to understand what this magazine meant to people before the internet.  I first got a subscription in late 1985 or early 1986.  I know the 1986 swimsuit issue, the first cover featuring Elle Macpherson, was my first and, as an eleven-year-old, introduced me to feelings I had not had before.  Eventually, I would use the magazine to decorate my bedroom, using my favorite covers to circle the four walls near the ceiling.  I got the bloopers video and the football phone, used to entice subscriptions.  At some point, the subscription lapsed, probably around the time I left for college, and I can’t remember the last time I bought an issue, let alone read one, but it was good to know it was still there.

For whatever reason, the brand, and all of the cachet that went along with it, didn’t translate to the digital world.  ESPN.com was the default place for sports news on the internet and, even if you found yourself on their website, it was severely lacking.  While today is the end, I’m sure it isn’t the end the end.  Someone new will buy, or license, the name and use it for an AI-generated website, or a sports betting app, or something that will try to extract any worth the brand still has.  Those attempts will likely fail.

by admin

2017 Tickets – Northside Edition

After a 108 year wait, the Cubs finally broke through and won the World Series last season.  To commemorate, the team has classed up their season ticket package for 2017, celebrating their spot on top of the baseball world.  We start, as usual, with the box, which highlights the Commissioner’s Trophy they took home last November.

Inside the box, aside from the tickets themselves, were a few goodies as has been the custom the last few years. The highlight is a collection of replica lineup cards from all 7 games of the World Series.  In addition to that, there was a commemorative World Series champion pin, a Sports Illustrated commemorative edition, a season ticket holder World Series champion hat, and some new ticket lanyards.

Finally, the tickets themselves. The Cubs have continued with the action shots of players and a World Series champion stamp for this years tickets, but have switched back the ticket orientation from landscape to portrait, a move in the wrong direction (in my opinion). Continue reading →

by jim

Nostradamus Wept – NL Edition

With 81 games in the books, we are officially at the halfway point of the 2012 season.  The so-called experts at Sports Illustrated made some pre-season predictions that are looking a little off a this point.

Team Won Lost

Predicted

Wins

 Predicted

Losses

 Comments
NL East
Washington Nationals 47 32 84 78

The Nationals were expected to improve this year, but they appear to have taken a giant leap forward.
New York Mets 44 38 75 87 One of the surprises of the first half, the Mets were thought to be also-rans following their off-season ownership troubles.
Atlanta Braves 42 39 82 80 The Braves have kept a steady ship following last season’s late collapse.
Miami Marlins 39 42 89 73 The Fish surrounded a great May with struggles in April and June.
Philadelphia Phillies 37 46 94 68 Injuries to Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Roy Halladay have kept the Phillies out of their usual spot in the pennant chase.
NL Central
Pittsburgh Pirates 45 36 70 92 Last year the Pirates flirted with respectability for the first time since 1992 before faltering after one bad call cost them a game.  This year, they may be for real.
Cincinnati Reds 44 37 89 73 The Reds are right at their expected pace.
St. Louis Cardinals 43 39 87 75 The defending champions have dealt with the loss of Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter better than anyone expected them to.
Milwaukee Brewers 38 43 84 78 After finally winning the NL Central last year, the Brewers have struggled after losing Prince Fielder.
Houston Astros 32 50 57 105 The rebuilding Astros have been a little better than expected in their final season in the National League.
Chicago Cubs 31 50 66 96 The rebuilding Cubs have been a little worse than expected in Theo Epstein’s first year as the savior of the franchise.
NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers 46 37 83 79 The Dodgers had a surprising first half, sparked on by their ownership change.
San Francisco Giants 45 37 90 72 The Giants have had an eventful first half, with a perfect game and 4 straight shutouts.
Arizona Diamondbacks 39 42 88 74 The DBacks struggled in the first half, and that was before losing Daniel Hudson for the season.
San Diego Padres 33 50 70 92 The Padres have been a little worse than expected in the first half.
Colorado Rockies 31 50 79 83 The Rockies have struggled in the first half and have turned to a 4 man rotation to try and turn things around.

 

by jim

Nostradamus Wept – AL Edition

With 81 games in the books, we are officially at the halfway point of the 2012 season.  The so-called experts at Sports Illustrated made some pre-season predictions that are looking a little off a this point.

Team Won Lost

Predicted

Wins

 PredictedLosses Comments
AL East
New York Yankees 49 32 95 67

After a slow-ish start, a long winning streak moved the Yankees back into first place despite an injury-ravaged pitching staff.
Baltimore Orioles 44 37 63 99 One of the surprises of the first half, theOrioles need only 19 second half wins to match their predicted output.
Tampa Bay Rays 43 39 92 70 Tampa has continued to keep things togetherwhile once again losing Evan Longoria for an extended period of time.
Boston Red Sox 42 40 91 71 After their collapse at the end of last season,the Red Sox have struggled to stay above .500 in the first half.
Toronto Blue Jays 42 40 85 77 The Blue Jays were having a strong half beforelosing nearly their entire starting rotation in one weeks time.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox 44 37 67 95 While most people did not expect the White Soxto be as bad as SI did, nobody thought they would be in first place at the halfway point.
Cleveland  Indians 42 39 80 82 The Indians have been right around where expected, a little over .500 instead of a little under.
Detroit Tigers 40 42 93 69 The Tigers were expected to run away and hide in this division, but they have been unable to outhit their poor pitching performance to date.
Kansas City Royals 36 44 82 80 Eric Hosmer’s sophomore slump has held back the developing Royals.
Minnesota Twins 35 46 72 90 Could this be the end of the Ron Gardenhire era?  The Twins are woefully bad for the second straight year.
AL West
Texas Rangers 50 32 94 68 After losing back-to-back World Series, the Rangers look to be stronger than ever.
Los Angeles Angels 45 37 97 65 The Angels, and new acquisition Albert Pujols, got off to a slow start before putting things together with the arrival of Mike Trout.
Oakland A’s 41 42 68 94 The A’s have been much better than expected in the first half.
Seattle Mariners 35 49 64 98 The Mariners have struggled offensively again in the first half.