James J. Corbett was an American boxer dubbed “Gentleman Jim” because of his good looks, and quiet, self-effacing personality – a stark contrast to the typical mug-like fighters of his day. Among the qualities of a true gentleman are courtesy, respect, good work habits, self-restraint, as well as a sense of caring about how their actions affect others. Every day,...

Utah Union High School football Coach Matt Labrum believes “…the most important thing is that we build character.” Labrum backed up that belief with action. Immediately after last Friday’s game, the coach sat his players down in the locker room and told them that after learning of reports that many of them had skipped class, received poor grades and allegedly...

It’s time for Alex Rodriguez to go. After too many chances and too many lies, it’s time for baseball Commissioner Bud Selig to step up, take a stand for integrity and impose a lifetime suspension on the Yankee star third baseman. “Who does it hurt?” I asked in 2009 (Deconstructing the Champ). “That’s the question that needs to be answered...

“I’m through with ’em. I mean it, I’ve had it!” That’s what Yankee manager Joe Girardi told me in a recent conversation. With his team’s percentage a dismal .543, six-and-a-half games back of first going into Tuesday night’s All-Star game, the Yankee chief is justifiably upset. “Joe, I understand,” I said. “After adding Kevin Youkilis and Vernon Wells this year...

The final moments of the men’s final at the All England Club last Sunday were simply spellbinding. Every time Andy Murray made one incredible shot, each time he made the impossible look possible, cheers exploded from Wimbledon to Dunblane, Scotland, Murray’s home town. Murray took three straight sets from Novak Djokovic, the world’s No. 1 player in a Grand Slam...

Did you hear about Tiger’s predicament at this year’s Masters? After physical and marital troubles the past few years, Tiger Woods has not only reclaimed the number one spot in golf, but appeared on his way to win his 6th Masters earlier this month until… uh-oh… “Woods awoke Saturday having to defend himself against a rules violation he committed in...

Last week taught us a lot. We learned that in spite of increased security measures since 9/11, we are still vulnerable to attacks from individuals bent on changing our way of life. We learned that intelligent, seemingly normal teens growing up in a country that advocates freedom and liberty for all can still be susceptible to radicalization by others. We...

I wasn’t born when Jackie Robinson first stepped onto a major league baseball field on this day sixty-six years ago, breaking the color barrier. Growing up, for the most part, in Southern California, I was already accustomed to integration. It was a given. From the first moment I saw Chavez Ravine in 1962, I discovered a world where sunshine and...

Tracee Hamilton gets it. The Washington Post columnist jumped ahead of me when she heard about the absurdly ethical lapses in actions and reasoning behind two recent college basketball stories. It was only eleven days ago when I wrote, “college and university presidents need to take a hard look in the mirror and consider just what’s important: winning-at-any-cost, or role-modeling a...

Who is Bobby Knight? He’s a legendary coach who ranks third in all-time wins for NCAA Division I men’s basketball. Take the word “wins” out of that description and what you really have is a world-class bully who has used his position as a college coach to badger, bully and demean his student players into winning. For Bobby Knight, winning...