Mike Pesca

Wrestlers Grapple To Save Sport From Olympic Chopping Block

Mike Pesca — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:24:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

How often do you find Iran, Russia and the United States united behind a single message? Well, representatives from all three countries were in New York City yesterday rallying support for the sport of wrestling, which could be excluded from the upcoming Olympic Games. It was quite a show of sportsmanship and diplomacy. Of course, there was time for some conflict among the wrestlers.

Marathons Are Soft Targets

Mike Pesca — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:44:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Now, the twin bombings at the Boston Marathon struck at a very special type of sporting event. Marathons have been called the most democratic of sports, with the fewest physical barriers between athlete and spectator.

NPR's Mike Pesca examines whether the attack could permanently damage that accessibility.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: You can play Pebble Beach, but the greens fees are $495, cart not included. Pinehurst is cheaper. Bethpage Black has a longer wait. Those are the golf courses where they hold events called the U.S. Open.

Always In The Zone, Syracuse Is Hard To Beat

Mike Pesca — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:46:00 +0000

Any recreational league basketball team, any police athletic league squad and every group of 8-year-olds who wear the same uniform are, on the first or second day of practice, introduced to the 2-3 zone defense.

The coach will say, "On defense, you two short guys stay near the foul line, and you three bigger kids, you go down near the basket.

Deflections: The Unofficial Stat That Measures Success

Mike Pesca — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:44:00 +0000

The Louisville Cardinals are among the teams dominating at this year's men's Division 1 NCAA basketball tournament, which resumes Thursday night. The team credits harassing, active defense for its wins.

But there's something else at work, too: deflections. The team puts a lot of stock in them, though deflections aren't an officially tracked statistic.

The way Mario Batali thinks about black truffles, the penchant Quentin Tarantino has for quoting Hong Kong martial arts films in his own movies — that's the way University of Louisville coach Rick Pitino talks about deflections.

Super Bowl Cheat Sheet: Key Phrases To Keep You In The Game

Mike Pesca — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 10:28:00 +0000

Sure, you can go to a Super Bowl party and be That Guy. The one who gleefully lectures the crowd on the merits of running the inverted veer out of the pistol in order to freeze the weak-side backer.

Or you could be That Other Guy, who nervously stabs tuna rolls into a football made of wasabi, and hopes no one asks which Harbaugh is which.

Ravens Are Super Bowl Underdogs, But Are Stats On Their Side?

Mike Pesca — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:28:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The Baltimore Ravens are the underdogs in this Sunday's Super Bowl, going up against the San Francisco 49ers. Now, there have been bigger underdogs. And yes, the Ravens are not the lowest-seeded team to make it to the Super Bowl. But the Ravens have beaten the odds in another way. NPR's Mike Pesca talked to some football numbers guys and has this report.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: The Ravens embrace the role of the underdog at the same time that they scoff at the very notion.

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Colin Kaepernick?

Mike Pesca — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:17:00 +0000

There's always a question surrounding San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Years ago, people wondered whether the talented athlete would be good enough to start in college.

Then there was the question of what role he would play in the NFL. And after the 49ers took him, fans questioned whether he could throw enough to be more than a backup.

Now, the only question is: How do you stop Colin Kaepernick? The second-year quarterback out of Nevada is making just his 10th NFL start and is perhaps the most important player in the Super Bowl.

Who Is The Real Victims Of The NHL Lockout?

Mike Pesca — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:37:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The lockout is over and the much delayed National Hockey League's season is now set to begin on Saturday. The regular season will run 48 games instead of the usual 82.

So what's the economic effect of missing almost half the season? NPR's Mike Pesca finds, not as bad as you might think.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: We've all seen the reports during the lockout, the empty bar near the arena should be brimming with Bruins backers or a Washington Avalanche acolytes. Or maybe it's not a bar.

Superstorm Sandy Didn't Sack High School Football Team

Mike Pesca — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:39:00 +0000

The city of Long Beach, on Long Island's Nassau County was one of the hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy, with entire neighborhoods ravaged by floods and wind. It seemed unlikely that the high school's football team would get to finish its season. But the Long Beach Marines saw action over the weekend.

NFL Starts Regular Season Without Its Regular Refs

Mike Pesca — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 20:24:00 +0000

The NFL starts its regular season tonight with replacement referees. A labor dispute has sidelined the regular refs. Some players and fans say the game is suffering.

Hard Lessons At the Olympics, Like The Metric System

Mike Pesca — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 20:29:00 +0000

Olympic winners like gold medalist Claressa Shields have said the games were a learning experience, but what were they learning? Hard work? Sure. Sportsmanship? Maybe. The metric system? Certainly not.

U.S. judo competitor Kyle Vashkulat competes at 100 kg, which he knows means he weighs 220 lbs.

Boxing Maths and Aftermaths: Why Similar Scores Are A Mean System

Mike Pesca — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:16:00 +0000

Four years ago, Irish boxer Paddy Barnes lost to China's Zou Shiming by a score of 15-0 in Beijing. Today in London, Barnes fought his way back into their match to tie Zou at 15-15 — but he still lost.

The Olympic Art of Shushing: Who Decides When Fans Can Be Noisy?

Mike Pesca — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:04:00 +0000

There seems to be a vague logic that dictates which Olympic sports are conducted against a backdrop of noise, and which operate in a cone of silence.

For the most part, the more a sport depends on a fine motor skill, the quieter the spectators are meant to be. Shooters squeeze triggers before mostly hushed crowds. But in many shooting disciplines, the competitors line up in a group and can shoot at any point during their time allotment.

India's Olympic Effort Faulted

Mike Pesca — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Now, as we cover the Olympics, some of you have asked for spoiler alerts, but for this next report that is probably not necessary. NPR's Mike Pesca is taking us inside the world of India's men's field hockey team. We're not too worried about spoilers. Not just because most Americans don't care much about field hockey, but because the Indian squad has done a pretty good job itself of spoiling things.

Britain's Wiggins Starts A Row By Arguing For Bike Helmets

Mike Pesca — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 13:19:00 +0000

On the same day cyclist Bradley Wiggins became Great Britain's most-decorated Olympian, Daniel Harris, a 28-year-old cycling enthusiast, was killed when he was struck by a bus at an intersection outside Olympic Park.

Wiggins, who also this summer won the Tour De France and had a starring role in the Olympic opening ceremony, commented upon Harris' death and said something that would have, to many in the United States, been seen as occup

We've Got Olympic Spirit, Yes We Do; How 'Bout You?

Mike Pesca — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:37:00 +0000

When I say citius, you say altius; when I say altius, you say fortius. Or don't. That's fine, too, traditional even. But these Olympics have conspicuously defied traditional notions by having cheerleaders, in a few different styles, at a few different venues. In basketball, dance teams perform between matches. In beach volleyball, highly choreographed teams delight attendees.

The beach volleyball cheerleaders are more like dancers in two-piece bathing suits, which it must be said, are actually a bit more conservative than those worn by the female players.

Overturned Judo Result Called A 'Farce' And Parody

Mike Pesca — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:28:00 +0000

Judo is a sport of leverage, strength, tactics and cunning. These attributes can appear to the uninitiated to be two people attempting to grab each other, without success, for five minutes. And then when no points are scored, they try to grab each other for another three minutes of overtime.

One of these gripping contests — the men's quarterfinals at 66 kg — has become the source of international indignation over a perceived injustice.

For R.A. Dickey, Knuckleballs Are Personal

Mike Pesca — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:11:00 +0000

R.A. Dickey's career as a major league pitcher has been as unpredictable as his signature pitch, the knuckleball.

And on Tuesday night, the New York Mets' 37-year-old phenomenon will hit a new pinnacle: the pitching mound at baseball's All-Star Game.

He won't be starting for the National League — manager Tony La Russa chose Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants for that honor. But the manager says says Dickey will pitch.

This guy isn't the best story in baseball because he's the best pitcher in the National League. If anything, Dickey is the pitcher he is because of his story.

Olympic Preview: Rowing

Mike Pesca — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:33:00 +0000

We've been counting down to the London Olympics, and now we're going to meet two women in rowing. The qualifiction for women's pairs was held recently in Princeton, N.J. Sarah Hendershot and Sarah Zelenka came from behind to win a spot on the Olympic team.

Olympic Runners Find Unique Was To Raise Funds

Mike Pesca — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:22:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Anyone who watches NASCAR knows the cars out on the track are plastered with ads. Golfers almost all wear their sponsorships, but not U.S. Olympians.

NPR's Mike Pesca reports that some runners are now chafing at the long-standing rules blocking them from raising sponsorship money.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: The steeple chase is seven and a half times around the track, leaping over 28 hurdles and seven water barriers along the way. Start typing steeplechase into YouTube and auto complete quickly suggests steeplechase fail.

NFL Draft: Quarterbacks Go In First Two Picks

Mike Pesca — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:12:00 +0000

The first round of the 2012 NFL draft was held at New York City's Radio City Music Hall Thursday. The top-two picks are two of the most highly regarded quarterbacks to enter the NFL in quite some time. After those players were selected, teams began furiously trading picks and players in order to secure their presumed slice of future greatness.

Wildcats Roll To 8th NCAA Title, Coach Campari's 1st

Mike Pesca — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

The Kentucky Wildcats beat the Kansas Jayhawks 67-59 Monday night in New Orleans, claiming their eighth NCAA men's basketball title and head coach John Calipari's first.

The Jayhawks trailed by 14 at halftime, and just 5 points separated the teams with about a minute left in the game.

Kentucky To Face Kansas In NCAA Title Game

Mike Pesca — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 11:09:00 +0000

The national championship game in men's college basketball is set. The Jayhawks beat Ohio State in a close one and Kentucky got past Louisville.

At the nine-minutes-to-go mark in games one through four of Kentucky's romp through the NCAA tournament, the Wildcats have had leads of 13, 11, 18 and 30 points. So it was significant that the Louisville Cardinals actually found themselves tied with Kentucky at that nine-minute juncture.

But John Calipari's Wildcats once more pulled ahead, and this time the Cardinal's desperate press was shredded by the Cats.

Defending Kentucky's Coach Calipari: Not A Tough Assignment

Mike Pesca — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 20:13:00 +0000

The critique of University of Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari is that he does what it takes to get his players, and they do what they want from there. Sure, this thinking goes, he's yelling at them from the sidelines whenever one — specifically Terrence Jones — puts up a 3-point shot from a step behind the arc. But he's not much of a coach.

Some criticisms are incontrovertible: Calipari has had great talent, but never won a title.

NCAA Men's Final Four Set To Play Saturday

Mike Pesca — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Only four teams remain in the NCAA men's basketball tournament: Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State and Kansas. Kentucky already has seven national titles. Kansas has three championships, Louisville has two and Ohio State won its lone title in 1960.

On To The Final Four: Louisville, Ohio State Win

Mike Pesca — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Transcript

SUSAN STAMBERG, HOST:

In NCAA men's basketball, the Louisville Cardinals and Ohio State Buckeyes have qualified for the Final Four. Later today, two more teams will join them after Kentucky plays Baylor and Kansas faces North Carolina. With so much basketball peppered with reversals and upsets, it's hard to deny the madness of March. But, as NPR's Mike Pesca reports, most coaches try desperately to keep it at bay.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: The Washington Post says "21 Jump Street" deserves to be noticed. USA Today says "21 Jump Street" is that rare comedy that's funny throughout.

Kentucky's 'Not Allowed To Lose' NCAA Tournament

Mike Pesca — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. Time for sports.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SIMON: And coming up, we'll talk about the scandal rocking the NFL. But first, in the NCAA last night: North Carolina needed overtime to put away Ohio. Kansas defeated NC State. Baylor beat Xavier. And Kentucky toppled Indiana 102 to 90. And with that win, the powerhouse Wildcats moved into the elite 8 of the tournament.

Mostly Majors In Men's Sweet Sixteen

Mike Pesca — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We are sorry to report that Lehigh is out of the NCAA tournament. They lost in the second round after a huge upset of Duke in the first. Murray State is gone, too.

But as the tournament gets down to 16 teams, one of those teams is Ohio University. Traditionally not one of the powerhouse teams we talk about year in, year out.

A Basketball Wrap-Up, In Verse

Mike Pesca — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Transcript

JACKI LYDEN, BYLINE: Every school invited to the NCAA basketball tournament has had a chance to play. So we thought we'd bring you details of every game. Well, maybe not details, but at least a mention from NPR's Mike Pesca. And what he lacks in specifics, he makes up for in rhyme.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: New Mexico beat Long Beach State by a final of 75-68, so Albuquerque's partying, but not so in Las Cruces, because New Mexico State lost their game to the Indiana Hoosiers. VCU and Kansas State both had thrilling wins, as did Florida State and the St. Louis Billikens.

Iowa State Defeats UConn, VCU Beats Wichita St.

Mike Pesca — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:30:00 +0000

In NCAA men's basketball action Thursday night, Iowa State defeated the the University of Connecticut 77-64. The Huskies were last year's champions. Also, VCU beat Wichita State 62-59 to advance to weekend play.