E

Gentleman, Scholar, Athlete, Generation Y, Public Servant and Food Lover

[New York Magazine @NYMag]

‘Travel sports,’ a term that has come to encompass all sorts of private teams, leagues, and clubs, used to be for the truly exceptional young athlete. Now, they’re for anyone willing to pay — an expensive, exhausting commitment that has become popular not necessarily because millions of parents want them for their children but because it can feel like there’s no other choice. Rec programs are underfunded and struggle to compete with for-profit leagues for prime field, rink, and court times. And the level of play is diluted, often very early, as travel teams are incentivized to enroll children at young ages.

Around 5 million children in the U.S. now compete on travel teams. Parents find themselves trapped. They know the benefits of sports and want that for their children, yet giving it to them often means buying into a sports ecosystem that’s inherently flawed. As the pay-to-play model increasingly takes hold, so does the idea that kids should start competing at younger and younger ages, risking their sense of self along with their shoulders and ACLs.

“I never want my kids to look back and say I didn’t do everything I could to help them live their dreams,” a mother of three soccer players said. She’s hired professional photographers to take action shots for her 12- and 13-year-olds’ Instagram accounts — the platform has become a recruiting tool — and they’ve both asked her to pay for personal trainers.

“I think the word isn’t ‘specialize’; you are ‘professionalizing’ your kid early. You are exposing them to everything professionals have to deal with — I’m talking injury, time, schedule, everything,” said John Van Benschoten, a former MLB player and travel-baseball coach.

It makes one ask: All this for what? And for whom? Read Caitlin Moscatello’s cover story on how travel leagues have made youth sports more expensive, hypercompetitive, and all-consuming — and the investors who are making a killing: https://t.co/zHcKsPYfeC

[Joon Lee @joonlee]

Marc Lore owned the Timberwolves for two years.

Billionaires out here flipping sports teams like we’re in peak-COVID limited sneaker mania.

[Roukshiesty🏆 @BeenHim16]

New York disagrees

[New York Basketball @NBA_NewYork]

Knicks schedule release video
No gimmicks
Just show the hardware

[New York Basketball @NBA_NewYork]

Spotted in the wild

[Russell Westbrook @russwest44]

Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end.

You had to be there. And now it’s over.

[Steve Popper @StevePopper]

Knicks will raise the championship banner on October 20. Maybe now add the NBA Cup banner as long as they got the one they really wanted?

[John Fanta @John_Fanta]

First off, whoever thought of auctioning off an inning of calling baseball, well done. What’s even cooler is the job the guy Lewis Kalb did. This is awesome from the Phillies.

[E @eharris718]

Fuck you Lexus, Chipotle & Domino's

[The King Of New York @NYsportstalkRQ]

These guys did the impossible and brought a championship to New York!!!💪🏼🏆🍾

[Ben Stiller @BenStiller]

KNICKS IN 5

[E @eharris718]

With gratitude, optimism is sustainable

[JANDY @Jandystl]

Never forget that his Dad graduated from MIT and his Mom from Harvard. He would probably be curing cancer if he wasn’t so good at hitting baseballs far

[Marques Brownlee @MKBHD]

Instagram decided to roll out a new “Muse AI” feature, that lets users create AI images based on people’s Instagram photos.

Then they opted in EVERYONE with a public account

To opt out:
Click your profile picture
3 bars in the top right
scroll down to "Sharing and reuse"
Toggle off for both Posts and for Reels

[E @eharris718]

Fire sale

[Sneaker Steal @sneakersteal]

STEAL💥 50% off

Nike US Home Replica Stadium Jersey

Home https://t.co/5C8bUU7HEf

Away https://t.co/mJV4k8cVKw

[Mesi @mesidotcom]

I hate that AI doesn't mean Allen Iverson anymore.

[Tom Brady @TomBrady]

Yeah so that might top 28-3 🤯

[Josh Hart @joshhart]

US lost but Knicks still Champs. Goodnight!

[Adam Crafton @AdamCrafton_]

BREAKING @TheAthleticFC

Folarin Balogun will be available to play the USMNT’s round of 16 match against Belgium with his one-game red-card ban suspended. Extraordinary development.

Story with @Dan_Sheldon_

https://t.co/oQ61J9btzT

[Only In Boston @OnlyInBOS]

This Cape Verde World Cup run is a top 10 moment in Boston sports history this century.