Letter From The Founder
Think of what makes a good story- rivalry, revenge, hope against hope, unrequited love, the triumph of the underdog. Well all of that and more can be found in sports, which happens to be this month’s theme.
Sport as a means of discovering a city, sports as a means of discovering who your people are, sports as a means of discovering yourself. We have all of this to offer and more. And if you can’t stand sports and hate the idea of running around a field or watching overpaid superstars do the same we have that covered too. We’ve got essays, we’ve got gonzo reportage and as always we have short fiction as well. It’s all here.
Enjoy.
Essays
ODE TO FOOTBALL by G K Gaius
GUTTED, ONCE AGAIN! BUT I’M CALM, THIS IS PART OF LIFE.
Spoken like a true fan of the Beautiful Game. And like anything that is truly beautiful it has a way of breaking your heart just as much as taking your breath away in delight, as gkgaius explains.
My (Non-) Sporting Life by Terry
Terry Freedman is one of the senior members of the STSC and it was a pleasantly edifying experience for me to learn that dodging sports at school (especially the surprisingly easy to avoid cross country running) is something that has been going on for at least several generations. This piece is Terry at his best.
My Illustrious Career as a Soccer Player by Minna
A boots on the ground (please forgive that pun) report of what life is like as a Women Soccer player in Finland. Minna has proven herself to be multitalented with this one. I had no idea she had an illustrious career in sports.
Run for Your Life by Ana
SF running, FU soundtrack and recollections of heroin chic as a beauty standard. What’s not to like? Ana Bosch does it again.
Sport: Aussie Rules Football and Melbourne by Mike
Given the make-up of the STSC I expected these sporting submissions to mainly cover football (or ‘‘‘‘soccer’’’’ if you prefer), running and maybe one or two of the traditional American sports. I did not foresee and American writing about Aussie Rules Football, or that I would enjoy the piece as much as I did. Mike Kueker is full of surprises.
Suspending Belief: Nate’s Violin in “Ted Lasso” by Barbara
I’m absolutely delighted that Barbara has joined us for this one. Long time STSC readers will no why and will not be at all surprised at the depth and insight of this piece of hers which is much, much more than the analysis of a sports themed TV show. So much more.
Player Loyalty by Trilety
As the season continued, my hockey watching became so serious that even the phrase “activate the D,” crisply enunciated by a bombshell reporter, didn’t faze me.
You know that you are too deep into sports fandom when the accidental innuendo that inevitably litters commentary no longer makes you chuckle. Trilety Wade became such a person. This is her testimony.
The Anatomy of a Buckeye by Tony
Behold a 7000+ word behemoth piece of sports and booze Gonzo journalism. Is Tony the heir apparent to the throne vacated by Hunter S Thompson? There’s a case to be made.
Dostoevsking by Vanya
Dostoevsking- it’s the hip new trend that has gotten all the cool kids going wild. Or so they tell me. Let Vanechka explain. It’ll all become clear. Maybe.
Sumo and The Promotion of Hoshoryu Tomokatsu to Yokozuna by Adam K
‘Hope I'm in by the deadline.’ Adam Kozak wrote in the secret Discord where we are planning (literary world domination, ‘Feel free to skip reading it and write a generic blurb.’
Now would I ever do such a thing? Especially when the 11th hour piece in question is a genuine banger about the (to my mind) extremely entertaining world of Sumo. I’ll let you decide.
Fiction
The Shadow Runner by Clint
Clintavo really puts the ‘flash’ into Flash Fiction with this one. Chilling execution of a fantastic concept with an economy that makes this story leaner than the leanest of ultramarathon runners.
After the Dream by Dane
You all know I’m a sucker for Dane Benko ‘s Uncanny Stories. I always go in with high expectations (based on the track record) and I am never disappointed. This latest is no exception on that score.
Line Change by Greg
Greg Lemon does it again. Another excellent story to add to the ever-growing tally. Continually impressive and remarkably consistent at the same time.
Buzzer Beater
Last Minute of Play in This Period by Zack
With a mere second left on the clock Zack Grafman fired off this gem of a shot and controversy ensued. Some thought the game was over (i.e. the deadline had passed and this Symposium had already been posted) and so this score shouldn’t count but on closer review the referees and the goal checking technology ruled that the shot was good and that Zack had therefore made it.
Cue the orchestral music, the slow mo replay and the tears.
So that was the STSC Symposium on Sports. Be sure to join us on the first Sunday of next month for our Symposium on the topic of ‘Touch Grass’. You’ll be surprised at the strange and wonderful ways our team of writers will be able to stretch, contort, destroy or simply ignore that seemingly quite narrow prompt.
Finally I ned to as always note that we are eternally grateful for all of the support this project receives, and appreciate the time that people take to read our work, share it and comment on it.
And of course we are immensely thankful for all of the contributors and for those who help keep the STSC going via their kind support.
Cheers.
TJB.
haha! Thanks, Tom!
LET'S SET THE TONE, BOYS