University of San Diego Law professor Michael Rappaport has written a response to my post arguing that, under a retributive theory of punishment, LA Lakers player Metta World Peace did not deserve to get extra punishment for his brutal elbowing of James Harden as a result of his previous offenses: As a consequentialist, I might […]
Archive | Sports and Games
Determining the Optimal Punishment for Metta World Peace
On Sunday, LA Lakers forward Metta World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest) viciously elbowed James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Because of his previous history of on-court violence, many commentators are urging the NBA to give Peace a chance to experience a severe punishment greater than would normally be imposed for such an […]
Will Tort Lawsuits be the Downfall of the NFL?
The National Football League has been the most successful professional sports league in the US over the last several decades. But economists Tyler Cowen and Kevin Grier argue that tort suits over concussion injuries might lead to its downfall: Before you say that football is far too big to ever disappear, consider the history: If […]
Tim Thomas, Libertarian?
Earlier today, the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins visited the White House. But playoff MVP goaltender Tim Thomas chose not to attend. He issued a very libertarian-seeming statement explaining his reasons: I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People. This is being done at […]
Football Over Soccer
An Englishman makes a confession: He prefers American football to soccer. In its energy and complexity, football captures the spirit of America better than any other cultural creation on this continent, and I don’t mean because it features long breaks in which advertisers get to sell beer and treatments for erectile dysfunction. It sits at […]
Yet Another Issue Where Barack Obama and I Agree
I have an occasional series of posts highlighting issues where Barack Obama and I agree. So far, the list includes creating a playoff system for college football, allowing gays in the military, ending the home mortgage interest deduction for high-income taxpayers (though I would go further and abolish the deduction for everyone), the president’s right […]
When a Horse has to be More than Just a Horse to be Eligible for the Olympics
In order to compete in the Olympics, a horse has to be more than just a horse [HT: Tyler Cowen]. It also has to have the right “nationality”: Their bond was a gold-medal partnership years in the making — and practically impossible for Canadian equestrian Eric Lamaze to duplicate. When Lamaze’s horse Hickstead collapsed and […]
A Too Big to Fail Parking Lot at Yankee Stadium?
Manhattan Institute scholar Nicole Gelinas has an interesting column about a massive financially dubious parking lot at Yankee Stadium, which Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. claims requires a government bailout to prevent a local financial crisis: If the Zuccotti kids want to protest Wall Street bailouts, they should go occupy the Yankees’ luxury parking […]
Farewell to Terry Francona
The Red Sox and manager Terry Francona have decided to end their relationship in the wake of the teams’ painful September collapse. Despite the disappointing end to his tenure with the team, Francona will surely be remembered as the most successful Red Sox manager in almost a century, if not ever. During his eight years […]
Taylor Branch on Paying College Athletes
Historian Taylor Branch has a fascinating Atlantic article on the history of regulations forbidding pay for college athletes. He also makes a strong case for abolishing those rules and describes various legal challenges to them. I don’t agree with all of Branch’s analysis. For example, I’m not as optimistic as he is that lawsuits will […]
Redskins Owner Drops Defamation Suit Against Washington CityPaper
And it today’s football-related legal news, the Washington Post reports that Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has dropped his defamation suit against the Washington CityPaper over an unflattering story about him. Snyder had sought $1 million in general damages as well as unspecified punitive damages from the weekly paper; its parent company, Creative Loafing; and journalist […]
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Stanley Cup, but Were Afraid to Ask
Kent Russell of the new Grantland sports blog has a fascinating piece on the history of the Stanley Cup, hockey’s most prestigious trophy. Interestingly, the Lord Stanley after whom the cup is named was not a hockey fan and probably never even saw a hockey game in his life. Let me also take this opportunity […]
Bruins Win the Stanley Cup
As a Bruins fan for almost thirty years, and having waited all that time for a Stanley Cup win, I think this picture best expresses my feelings tonight:
The Return of the Mavericks
In 2008, self-proclaimed “mavericks” had a terrible year in both sports and politics. This year, however, the underdog Dallas Mavericks just won the NBA title. Does that mean it will be a good year for political mavericks too? If so, who will benefit? Perhaps it will be vintage 2008 maverick Sarah Palin. But I’m skeptical […]
Allentown, PA Plans to Use Eminent Domain to Take Property for a Hockey Arena
By Ilya Somin on May 19, 2011 11:29 pm in Eminent Domain, Post-Kelo Reform, Property Rights, Sports and Games
The city of Allentown, Pennsylvania plans to use eminent domain, or at least the threat of it, to forcibly acquire downtown property for the construction of a minor league hockey arena [HT: my father-in-law Bruce Schmauch, a longtime Allentown resident]: It was drop-the-gloves time in Allentown City Council chambers Wednesday night. A parade of downtown […]