San Diego State: Where East meets West

Nothing particularly new (or actuarial) about this, but starting in 2013, San Diego State will be in the Big East conference for football and the Big West conference for all other sports.

Mr. Discount Double-Check

I’ve heard all publicity is good, but I wonder if State Farm is slowly shaking its head over its poster child, Aaron Rodgers, today. In case you slept through football season, State Farm turned the Green Bay QB’s signature TD move into a marketing campaign, the Discount Double-Check. In the ads, agents and customers do [...]

Claim of the Week: He shoots, he scores!

Another hockey shot, another fiasco: The 11-year-old won a raffle to try to knock a puck across the ice and into a three-inch slot. He did it! He wins $50K! Not so fast, I guess. His twin brother actually bought the ticket. But that lad couldn’t be found when the ticket was drawn, so the [...]

Attention, sports fans: Allstate’s hockey follies

The video’s gone viral, but perhaps you haven’t seen the remarkable shot that has given a bit of a black eye to Allstate Insurance: Before the shot, contestant Richard Marsh had agreed to donate the money to St. Vincent’s Heart Center and the American Heart Association. As I’ve mentioned before, these contests are underwritten by [...]

Attention, sports fans: When they’re not winning, NY teams lose

Today’s New York Times laments the woeful situation in New York sports: ¶The Knicks were founding members of the N.B.A. They play in Madison Square Garden — the world’s most famous arena, or so the slogan goes. But their record goes like this: two titles in 64 seasons, the last in 1973. So much for [...]

Attention, sports fans: Winning streaks

UConn’s women’s BB team lost to Stanford, ending its record 90-game winning streak. Its previous loss, two years ago, was also to Stanford. UCLA has the men’s record, 88 games. Again, the same team bookended the streak. Notre Dame was the last team to beat UCLA before the streak and was the team that ended [...]

Claim of the Week: Attention, sports fans edition

What do you think it means when a stability ball is ‘burst resistant’? The Sacramento Kings basketball team is suing three companies in federal court over an exercise ball that burst and injured one of their players. Roger Dreyer, the lawyer representing the team, said on Wednesday that Francisco Garcia broke his right wrist after [...]

Attention, sports fans: player insurance

I don’t follow the sport closely, thus always wondered how soccer players could sign with a league team, then play for national teams. The answer: insurance. The insurance protects the team in case a player gets hurt playing for the country. Thus: The UK’s Football [Soccer] Association’s insurers will pay compensation to Liverpool after midfielder [...]

Attention, sports fans

Former LSU lineman Ciron Black sues Lloyd’s of London for $4 million. He claims one of the syndicates refused to pay after he blew out his knee.

Strictly personal: Mom’s World Series pick

“This is probably the first time in my life I’m rooting for an American League team,” Mom tells me. She likes the pitching coach; she’s picking the Rangers. She’s been right exactly half the time so far this post-season – not bad considering the three favorites – New York, Philadelphia, and Tampa – are all [...]