Slug a walk-off grand slam in the World Series, and you’re a hero. Come back from ACL or rotator cuff surgery, and you’re courageous. Bury long jump shots in the Final Four, and you’re a gunner. The real heroes, though, are the men and women who demonstrate courage when their lives and the lives of […]
Mike Szostak
Mike Szostak has provided sports commentary for The Public's Radio since 2015. He focuses on Rhode Island's rich sports scene with an occasional look at Boston's pro teams and national issues. He was a sports writer and columnist for The Providence Journal for 36 years. His career highlights include five Winter Olympics from Lake Placid to Nagano, 17 seasons covering the Boston Celtics, and decades of tennis, skiing and college sports, especially Brown and URI football.
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URI football’s Cole Brockwell is a throwback following in his father’s footsteps
University of Rhode Island linebacker Cole Brockwell is a throwback to a time when college football players spent their first two years learning and hoping to get on the field, their third season playing on special teams and perhaps as a backup, and their fourth, finally, as a starter. But Brockwell is also a product […]
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Farewell to a Red Sox Legend: Luis Tiant
He was a big-time pitcher with a big-time personality. His one-of-a-kind windup defied description. His delivery baffled hitters. His ever-smoldering cigar became a facial feature. Opponents respected him; teammates and fans loved him. Luis Tiant died Tuesday at his home in Maine. He was 83. El Tiante, as we dubbed him, was an icon in […]
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Mazzulla, English, Reiss? Who are your biggest names in Rhode Island Sports today?
Their names are in headlines and on social media. Their decisions affect the lives of thousands of athletes. They are successors to icons who once dominated sports in Rhode Island. Who are the leading sports figures in Rhode Island today? Do we count native sons and daughters who have enjoyed success elsewhere? Do we consider […]
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College Football 2024: Wild and Wacky
Welcome to the wild and wacky world of college football 2024. A world where: Colorado coach Deion Sanders can blackball a member of the sports media covering his team and the administration is okay with it. Players change schools as frequently as autumn leaves change colors. Thirty thousand enter the transfer portal every December. Conferences […]
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Two Rhode Island teens brought lacrosse to Armenia
Sadie Martiesian and Paul Boghosian could have spent 10 days in July working summer jobs, going to the beach, hanging with friends or packing for college. Instead, they traveled 5,500 miles to one of the poorest countries in western Asia to teach kids the fundamentals of the game they love: lacrosse. “Sadie and I live, […]
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Meet the Rhody Trio chasing Olympic dreams in France
The flotilla of bateaux mouches sailing the Seine with 7,000 Olympians aboard smiling and waving in the rain is but a fond memory a week later. The same for the masked torch bearer scampering along rooftops, icons Lady Gaga and Celine Dion performing, and daredevil dancers swaying atop poles during the impressive Opening Ceremonies. The Paris […]
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For a perfect summer read pack your beach bag with a good sports book
Summer in Southern New England: beach, umbrella, sand, sun, blanket, pool, fried clams, Del’s Lemonade, grilling, sailing, ice cream, Bristol’s 4th of July Parade. And a good book. Graphic novel, thriller, mystery, biography, historical fiction, science fiction, romance. It makes no difference so long as you can lose yourself in the pages — and occasionally […]
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Having silenced his critics, Rhode Island’s Joe Mazzulla wants to shine the championship spotlight on his players
What a week for the Boston Celtics! Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown exorcized seven years of demons Monday night by wrapping up one of the best seasons in the team’s storied history and leading the Celtics to their 18th NBA championship. Al Horford, 38, finally got his title in his 17th season and second tour […]
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The Celtics are champions again. Do they rank among the best?
Reaching the pinnacle took a little longer than expected, but Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have finally made it. Today, tomorrow, forever, they are NBA Champions! “It’s been a long time coming, but damn it was worth it,” Tatum exclaimed to ABC’s Lisa Salters after a blizzard of green and white confetti buried the court. […]
