Archives

‘Winning Time’ Looks Like ‘Friday Night Lights’ and Acts Like ‘The Crown’

HBO’s new sports drama is a lavish period piece unafraid to tell its story with painstakingly gradual detail

By Alison Herman March 7

The NFL’s Hottest New Quarterback Prospect Comp Is Joe Burrow

Analysts and members of one of the worst QB classes in recent memory spent much of the combine talking up intangibles—and referencing Burrow’s recent Super Bowl run to show just how impactful those can be

By Danny Heifetz March 7

The Five Biggest Takeaways From ‘The Batman’

‘The Batman’ marks a convention-defying fresh start for the Caped Crusader’s film franchise—and potentially sets the scene for a bigger Bat-verse to come

By Daniel Chin March 7

QB-needy NFL Teams Planned for an Offseason of Trades and Movement. Now What?

With underwhelming QB prospects in the draft and many teams seeming prepared to hold on to their vets for 2022, franchises like the Broncos and Panthers are watching their options slip away

By Steven Ruiz March 4

Video Games

The Steam Deck Is an Open-Ended Question About the Future of PC Gaming

Valve’s new handheld console is a game-changing proposition. It’s also a bit of a dare.

By Justin Charity March 4

Movies

‘The Batman’ Is Unlike Any Superhero Movie Before It

Gotham City’s favorite vigilante has long been known as "the World’s Greatest Detective." Matt Reeves is the first director to truly realize that on screen.

By Miles Surrey March 4

Three Takeaways From the NFL Combine

The annual event in Indianapolis is as much about talking as it is scouting, and conversations there have provided a glimpse at how the offseason may unfold. For one, expect a slow quarterback market.

By Nora Princiotti March 4

What’s the Value of the NFL Combine?

Last year, the combine was canceled—and NFL draft season rolled on virtually unchanged. This year, players nearly boycotted the event. Yet many in Indianapolis this week see importance in the annual convention.

By Kaelen Jones March 4

Video Games

‘Mass Effect 3’ Foreshadowed Fandom’s Divided Decade

How backlash to the original ending presaged an era of fans tweeting, petitioning, and campaigning for changes when their favorite games and movies let them down

By Ben Lindbergh March 4

Will Kenny Pickett’s Tiny Hands Affect His Draft Standing? Let’s Look at the History.

On Thursday, Pickett’s hand size went from unknown to meme when he measured 8.5 inches. Now the question is how this will change his prospect standing—and whether he can make tiny-hands history in the NFL.

By Rodger Sherman March 3

Video

What Makes ‘The Batman’ Different, With Matt Reeves

The director appears on ‘The Big Picture’ for a spoiler-free discussion about how and why he made the film

By Sean Fennessey March 3

The Batman Franchise Had to Adopt the Dark. Will It Ever See the Light Again?

‘Batman & Robin’ had the unintentional effect of forcing later installments to become darker and moodier. Are we destined to live in a Gotham where every future movie looks like this week’s ultra-gritty ‘The Batman’?

By Charles Holmes March 3

Fights

Sometimes a Grudge Match Is Better Than a Title Fight

UFC 272’s blood feud between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington doesn’t need a belt on the line, so long as there’s hatred in the air

By Chuck Mindenhall March 3

R2C2

Jeff Passan on the MLB Lockout and How to Reach a Deal

CC and Ryan discuss what it will take to bring baseball back

By CC Sabathia and Ryan Ruocco March 3

Video Games

The Beauty and Terror of Exploring ‘Elden Ring’

FromSoftware’s new, open-world masterpiece makes ‘Dark Souls’ seem small

By Jeremy Gordon March 3

The Void

Tyrese Maxey and James Harden Are a Perfect Match

Joel Embiid isn’t the only Sixer to benefit from Harden’s floor-warping presence

By Kevin O'Connor March 2

How the Showtime Lakers’ Inventive Strategy and Style Defined an Era

It wasn’t enough just to win championships; what changed the NBA for good was the way the Lakers played, and how that style fed into the product the franchise was ultimately trying to sell

By Rob Mahoney March 2

Video Games

How ‘Batman: Arkham’ Revolutionized the Superhero Video Game Genre

The action-adventure series proved that IP-based games didn’t simply have to mirror the story lines of movies or comics, with developers instead building out more realized worlds with their own pocket realities and discrete stakes

By Micah Peters March 2

The Sixers Dared to Dream Big. Now They’re a Matchup Nightmare.

Joel Embiid and James Harden might look even better than they did in Daryl Morey’s wildest fantasy. The rest of the NBA is going to have a brutal time stopping them.

By Dan Devine March 2