Newsweek Columnists - Mark Starr

Starr: Manny Ramirez and the Hall of Fame

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:46:30 GMT

I confess I have, at times, been quite amused by the former Red Sox outfielder's antics. But ultimately we are talking about a character flaw that should weigh on any assessment of Ramirez's career.

Starr: Keep Marion Jones in Prison

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:47:01 GMT

The president should not commute the disgraced Olympian's sentence. Her precipitous fall sends a chilling—and essential—message to our athletes.

Starr: Bush Is Right on the Beijing Games

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:12:54 GMT

Words I thought I'd never write: I'm with the president--at least as far as his decision to attend the Olympic Opening Ceremonies.

Starr: Great Bullpens--Baseball’s Real All-Stars

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:10:28 GMT

While teams try to patch up their weary and shaky bullpens, baseball's greatest reliever ever will get an All-Star Game showcase.

Olympics: Handicapping the Dream Team

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:57:33 GMT

The U.S. Olympic roster is now set. Can team USA find redemption at its own game?

Starr: How the Boston Celtics Won Championship

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:02:20 GMT

After two decades wandering in the NBA desert, the Boston Celtics have found their way back to the top.

Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson, and the Power of Rivalry

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:25:27 GMT

Tiger is paired with Phil—though we all know he stands alone. But a new HBO documentary reminds us that nothing invigorates the game like rivalry.

Starr: The Real Celtics-Lakers Rivalry

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:31:05 GMT

L.A.-Boston, the league's greatest rivalry, did not begin with Magic and Larry. It ignited long before that duo changed the game.

Starr: Doping and the U.S. Track Team

Wed, 28 May 2008 22:38:01 GMT

Some American track stars are taking extraordinary steps to prove they are clean. Should we believe them?

Starr: Blame Stern for Mayo Mess

Fri, 16 May 2008 15:33:53 GMT

You can't blame the NBA if former USC basketball star O. J. Mayo proves to be a bad apple. But the league does bear some responsibility for the scandal surrounding him.

Starr: Why Won’t Anyone Sign Barry Bonds?

Thu, 08 May 2008 17:34:38 GMT

No baseball team has signed the era's greatest hitter. Is that collusion or just common sense?

Starr: A New Steinbrenner Stirs the Yankees

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:19:39 GMT

No, not Bruce, but the son rising in the Bronx. As a result, the Yankees are off to a hot start—at least off the field.

Starr: Forgiving Bill Buckner

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:42:43 GMT

The 'goat' of the 1986 World Series returns to Fenway Park for a long, overdue reconciliation with Boston fans.

Starr: Secrets of My Rotisserie Baseball League

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:17:21 GMT

If Rotisserie Baseball were an endurance contest, me and my buds would be champions of the world.

Starr: Unmoved by the Sox in Tokyo

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:44:42 GMT

Baseball kicked off its season in Japan, and this Red Sox fan found himself surprisingly blasé about the whole affair.

Glimpses of a Golden Age

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:03:50 GMT

While Major League Baseball opens its season Tuesday showcasing its future—the Oakland A's face the champion Boston Red Sox in Tokyo—former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent has kept a keen eye on the game's past. His second volume of oral histories, "We Would Have Played for Nothing," featuring stars of the '50s and '60s, hits stores next week. He talked with NEWSWEEK's Mark Starr.

Starr: Basketball’s Black Pioneers

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:35:22 GMT

Before March Madness consumes you, check out a film that pays homage to basketball's black pioneers.

Starr: Remembering Brett Favre

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:28:32 GMT

It's hard to rejoice when a singular fan favorite decides to hang 'em up. But it's time for Favre to go, and I'm thrilled he knew it.

Starr: Indiana’s Basketball Scandal

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:31:40 GMT

Forget about a return engagement in Bloomington. Indiana U. has had all the embarrassments it can stand.

Starr: Patriots Own the 4th Quarter

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:29:58 GMT

Last year the Pats faltered down the stretch against Indy. This season they have owned the fourth quarter against everybody.