Aug. 18 – Aug. 31, 2019
Welcome to issue three hundred and nineteen of the Sports Doing Good newsletter. This week’s 10 stories include:

1. ‘A Lifetime of Sundays’ applauds four women who helped build NFL (ESPNW)
2. How a Single Pair of Sneakers Explains the Booming Billion-Dollar Sneaker Resale Industry (GQ)
3. Sheffield United are back in the Premier League to prove heart beats talent (ESPN)
4. What Separates Champions from ‘Almost Champions’? (Get Pocket)
5. Welcome to the World of Competitive Wiffle Ball (The Ringer)
6. Althea Gibson, Tennis Star Ahead of Her Time, Gets Her Due at Last (NY Times)
7. NFL’s Ryan Shazier Catches Footballs Nearly 2 Years After Devastating Spinal Injury (People.com)
8. Rockets’ Russell Westbrook Launches Educational Tech Program for At-Risk Youth (Bleacher Report)
9. Pain and Resentment and the Inspiring Retirement of Andrew Luck (The New Yorker)
10. Jacoby Brissett has been here before. Only now, he has a chance to become a star. (The Undefeated)

10+
Board Woman Gets Paid (by Jonquel Jones) (The Players’ Tribune)
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/jonquel-jones-boardwoman-gets-paid
Sport England Launches ‘We Are Undefeatable’ (Beyond Sport)
http://beyondsport.org/articles/sport-england-launches-we-are-undefeatable
Protecting our planet: Sports mega-events (Sport and Dev)
https://www.sportanddev.org/en/article/news/protecting-our-planet-sports-mega-events
The Friendship Games spread Peace and Sport Methodology in Burundian Schools (Peace and Sport)
https://www.peace-sport.org/news/the-friendship-games-spread-peace-and-sport-methodology-in-burundian-schools/
Commonwealth Games Canada Program To Help Refugees (Beyond Sport)
http://beyondsport.org/articles/commonwealth-games-canada-program-to-help-refugees

We present again our “Featured Video” offering(s). With the explosion of video content out there highlighting the good in sport, we want to showcase such content for your enjoyment and learning. This will be an ongoing effort.

In the Ring with a Muslim Muay Thai Champion (Great Big Story)
https://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/going-toe-to-toe-with-a-muslim-muay-thai-champion

Introduction
This was another good week in sports, thankfully. (Hey, we like being able to put out this newsletter!) But maybe not a perfect one, especially if you are an Indianapolis Colts fan. The team’s All-Pro quarterback, Andrew Luck, one of the best in the NFL, decided to retire effective immediately. His decision was big news, for a host of reasons. Certainly people are surprised whenever a pro athlete, especially one making very good money, decides to walk away from the game. Other folks felt they had an “Aha” moment when it came to the dangers of playing football. Of course, Luck’s decision was more nuanced than both of those positions.

As fans, we were saddened by Luck’s decision. He is a great player who epitomized what we hope for when someone is labeled a student-athlete. As a Stanford grad, he certainly fit that label. But as we are learning with not just football players but all athletes – actually all people no matter the profession – is that health, physical and mental, is of the utmost importance. We should also be aware that what you do does not define who you are. We wish Andrew the best. Could he make a return? Sure, and if that is what he genuinely wants, then we are all for it. But if he stays retired, that is okay as well.

Luck’s retirement affects a lot of people in addition to Colts fans. For example, it directly impacts Jacoby Brisset, Luck’s replacement as quarterback for the Colts. It is the circle of life in pro sports that there is always someone ready to take over for when someone can no longer continue. It gives us legendary situations like Lou Gehrig and Tom Brady. Coaches often talk about “guys stepping up” or asking “Who’s next?” That is one of the realities and beauties of sports. Will Andrew Luck fans become Jacoby Brissett fans? Maybe.

The other stories we are happy to feature this week include: four women who have had a legendary impact on the NFL; the burgeoning world of sneaker “wheelin’ and dealin’; the comeback of EPL team Sheffield United; understanding what separates the champions from the “almost champions”; the world of competitive wiffle ball (seriously, and it is awesome!); the deserved recognition of tennis legend Althea Gibson; the continuing inspiring story of NFL player Ryan Shazier; and Russell Westbrook’s launch of a potentially life-challenging educational program for at-risk youth.

Finally, if you think others would like to receive the newsletter, please feel free to forward it on or have them contact us directly at sab@sportsdoinggood.com. (If you do not want to receive the newsletter anymore you can use the Unsubscribe button at the end of the email)

So, enjoy. And have a good week.

‘A Lifetime of Sundays’ applauds four women who helped build NFL (ESPNW)
http://www.espn.com/espnw/voices/article/27433999/a-lifetime-sundays-applauds-four-women-helped-build-nfl

How a Single Pair of Sneakers Explains the Booming Billion-Dollar Sneaker Resale Industry (GQ)
https://www.gq.com/story/stadium-goods-tracking-a-sneaker

Sheffield United are back in the Premier League to prove heart beats talent (ESPN)
https://www.espn.com/soccer/english-premier-league/story/3925621/sheffield-united-are-back-in-the-premier-league-to-prove-heart-beats-talent

What Separates Champions from ‘Almost Champions’? (Get Pocket)
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/what-separates-champions-from-almost-champions

Welcome to the World of Competitive Wiffle Ball (The Ringer)
https://www.theringer.com/sports/2019/8/15/20805338/world-wiffle-ball-championship-growing-sport

Althea Gibson, Tennis Star Ahead of Her Time, Gets Her Due at Last (NY Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/26/sports/tennis/althea-gibson-statue-us-open.html

NFL’s Ryan Shazier Catches Footballs Nearly 2 Years After Devastating Spinal Injury (People.com)
https://people.com/sports/ryan-shazier-catches-footballs-after-devastating-spinal-injury/

Rockets’ Russell Westbrook Launches Educational Tech Program for At-Risk Youth (Bleacher Report)
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2850408-rockets-russell-westbrook-launches-educational-tech-program-for-at-risk-youth

Pain and Resentment and the Inspiring Retirement of Andrew Luck (The New Yorker)
https://www.newyorker.com/sports/sporting-scene/pain-and-resentment-and-the-inspiring-retirement-of-andrew-luck

Jacoby Brissett has been here before. Only now, he has a chance to become a star. (The Undefeated)
https://theundefeated.com/features/jacoby-brissett-has-been-here-before-only-now-he-has-a-chance-to-become-a-star/

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Our goal is to have Sports Doing Good be a portal housing original content and excerpts from and links to the increasing number of articles, websites, video, and other media that showcase the good in sports and society. We aim to celebrate those concepts, activities, events, and individuals by highlighting them for a wider audience. Much of the news today, whether sports- related or not, is incredibly negative and increasingly polarizing, biased, and quite annoying. We are trying to refocus some of the discussion on the good, with a focus on sports.

Our mission is to have Sport Doing Good be a consistent, and significant, contributor to the areas of sports, social responsibility and development. We look forward to partnering with other stakeholders in producing content, in creating and/or sponsoring athletic and service events, knowledge sharing, and conferences/seminars, and even having a commercial arm that could be the source of innovative social businesses.

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Contact Information
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Sarbjit “Sab” Singh
sab@sportsdoinggood.com
516-287-7141
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