Studs, R.I.P.

Studs Terkel, historian, author, radio personality and national treasure, passed away this afternoon in Chicago. He was 96. 

Not only was I a great fan of his work, which consistently flipped conventional wisdom on its head, I once had the good fortune of experiencing firsthand his incredible and generous mind at work.

In a past life, I worked in book publishing. One of the job's many requirements was to send out galleys to respected authors with the slim hope of getting them to blurb the book. This almost never worked. Once, however, I sent an advance copy of a book, on behalf of my boss, to Terkel in care of the Chicago History Museum, where he was a distinguished-scholar-in-residence and where, I assumed, he might eventually maybe get his hands on the galley. It was a complete shot in the dark. Two weeks later, Terkel responded, scribbling his blurb on the back of my original letter. He had stopped and started a few times, editing his own words until he figured out what, exactly, he wanted to say.  In the end, though, he nailed it, just as he always did. 

A total pro.   

Phillie Phanatic?

On last night's edition of Hardball, host Chris Matthews donned an old-school Phillies hat to support his recently crowned World Championship team. 

I don't know. It looks kind of new to me. Perhaps he purchased it just in time for the taping? Since the last time a Philadelphia sports team won a championship Ronald Reagan was in the White House and Return of the Jedi was number one at the box office, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. 

I fully expect, though, a prominently featured Sixers hat when the team is battling for a playoff spot this spring.

Let's play hardball. 

A Canticle for Leibowitz vs. The Road

The Guardian's Sam Jordison acknowledges the former's importance, but calls it for McCarthy in the end.  

"For all its haunting power, A Canticle for Liebowitz [sic] doesn't deserve a spot in my post-apocalyptic backpack. Cormac McCarthy's meticulous craftsmanship and his ability to maintain momentum mean I would pack The Road instead."

Although I find the idea of stocking up on books after the Flame Deluge as somewhat laughable, I do, reluctantly, agree with Jordison: McCarthy is just too fierce. 

(Via Mark Sarvas)

Line of the Night

Four years, $57.4 million: Andrew Bynum

A Dios Mio

Diego Maradona is having a pretty good week. Two days after the Argentine Football Association appointed him coach of the country's national soccer team, Maradona, one the greatest footballers of all time--and the sport's most notorious cocaine abuser--celebrated his 48th birthday with three hundred of his closest friends, who just so happened to have established a church in his honor.  

"Ringing in the year D.D. 48 ("Despues," or "After" Diego), about 300 members of the mock soccer church held processions to their idol with relics that included a soccer ball with a crown of thorns and an oversized rosary with 34 beads--the number of goals Maradona scored for Argentina's national team," according to the Associated Press.

Established ten years ago in the Argentine port city of Rosario, the Church of Maradona has attracted more than 120,000 members around the world. 

Thankfully, they don't actually believe the god of Argentine soccer, or D10S as they call him, is an actual deity. They just treat him like one.

"Members honor June 22, 1986--when Maradona punched the ball into England's net with his hand in a disputed play he called 'the Hand of God'-- as the church's Easter."

Still, I guess there are worse ways for Maradona, who's been known to pal around with the likes of Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez and Madonna (the other Madonna), to spend his birthday. Here's how he's celebrated previous milestones:

Line of the Night

Stephon Marbury: DNP--Coach's Decision