Announcing HuffPost Sports: Let the Games Begin

Last month, HuffPost launched two new sections that I felt a very deep and personal connection to. Books have been a lifelong passion of mine, and our Impact section, dedicated to service, causes, and giving back, is an idea I've been pursuing in one form or another for over 15 years.

Today we are launching another new section, this one covering a subject I have never really cared that much about -- sports. And I couldn't be more excited.

Ever since we began adding sections to HuffPost, people have been asking me, when are you going to start covering sports? And when they asked, I could see the passion in their eyes. It's the way I feel about books, and service, and politics. It's more than just an interest -- it's an abiding fascination, occasionally slipping over into love. And obsession. It makes the heart pump and the adrenalin flow.

It's not that I've never cared about sports or paid no attention to them. But my interest was usually tied to a relationship I was having with a man who loved soccer (or football as we called it in England), or who couldn't get enough of baseball or basketball or tennis. I drew the line at watching golf, however, no matter how crazy I was for the guy. But as soon as the relationship broke up so did my caring about who won or lost or who scored the winning touchdown.

The one thing about sports that I never lost interest in was the language and unique terminology that accompanies each game. I particularly loved how often sports terms and metaphors are used in politics. This politician really needs to swing for the fences if he hopes to win Iowa. That one is doing an end run around Congress by going directly to voters. Lobbyists are applying a full-court press to derail reform. The best defense is a good offense. It's time to throw long. It's the bottom of the 9th -- time to send Bill Clinton to the Hill to twist some arms. Election Day is going to be a photo finish. And, of course, the case against Saddam is a slam dunk!

So, as the whistle blows, and the starter pistol fires, here comes HuffPost Sports. We'll give you the scores -- but that won't be our only focus.

Sports today is about much more than the game on the field. So we'll follow all the off-field action too -- whether it is a serious story about steroids or the alarming new details about head injuries in the NFL or a fun look at the latest sports scandal or high-profile romance.

In an era where a boneheaded tweet can get you cut and NBA players react to a killer dunk with a barrage of Twitter accolades, we'll also be keeping track of all the athletes opening up via the new media. That means you, Ochocinco!

You'll get highlights and lowlights, must-see video clips, and fresh takes from a broad array of bloggers, weighing in on anything and everything from the world of sports.

So check it out. And let us know what you think. And if you have any tips or special requests get in touch with our fabulous sports editor, Whitney Snyder, who is so passionate about sports he can even make me care if New Orleans goes undefeated or if LeBron will end up staying in Cleveland.

So let the games begin.

We will be announcing your picks for the Ultimate Game Changer in each of our 10 categories next Thursday, November 19. Voting will remain open in all categories until Wednesday, November 18 at 12 noon ET. So cast your vote and help push your favorite over the top: here for Technology, here for Wellness, here for Media, here for Philanthropy, here for Sports, here for Business, here for Politics, here for Style, here for Entertainment, and here for Green.

 

Follow Arianna Huffington on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ariannahuff

Comments

[tom thinks]

First it was the overdose of celebrity gossip, now sports too. Really? I don't like reading about sports, seeing photos of people playing sports or even care what happens to these drug taking mutants in their personal lives.
I've enjoyed this site for its variety of political news and commentary and specifically its lack of sports coverage. You have a good thing going here, but you're becoming more like mainstream news outlets everyday, diluting what made your site worth visiting in the first place.

Please at least keep the sports stories off the main page.

[HarringtonsRomp]

I find including sports on the Post is disappointing if not infuriating. If more time, money and attention were focused on education, civics, economics, campaign finance reform, journalistic integrity, studies in history, language and culture, science, mathematics, etc etc, and less on sports maybe this country wouldn't be so stupid and sliding into the dustbin of mediocrity and fascism. Billions are spent on sports and their mostly lame and drug addled figures while pennies are delegated to teachers and our educational system. Does the Roman Coliseum ring a bell?

I don't care for celebrity gossip, either. I liked Paris' video reaction to McCain last year because it had some political ramifications but otherwise I don't give a damn about most celebrities. Where are all of them when the tire hits the asphalt? They’re Pretty Vacant for the most part, in the Sex Pistols way.

You are a groundbreaking, ahead-of-the-crowd thinker and I admire and respect you a great deal. Your Post does a great service to our nation so please don't take my criticism the wrong way. Obviously I consider the sports industry a sinkhole of the human psyche. I do appreciate the value of playing sports for health, fun and SELF-enrichment. Moronic sports obsession draws a parallel with obsession with being a war-mongering empire rife with financial, media and political ideologies that substitute sports anecdotes, addled with steroids, for actual critical thinking. It's f?%&^#@g annoying.

[lindro]

Politics is the ultimate sport.

[begoodhvfun]

Competition is the US cultural foundation, sports exhibits this less complicated and more pure. GO Cubs!

[PeterBright]

Arianna, I admire your open mindedness, and yet at the same time, I have a problem with adding sports here.
While sports is a very active, high profile part of US and international life, it has so much media coverage, that I question adding it here.
I consider this space a place where contrasting views on truly viable and important matters can be pursued.
While not my primary involvement in my forty plus years in television and radio broadcasting and production, I have salt and peppered my career with covering NFL, NBA, NCAA. PGA, Auto Racing, Skying and the Olympics. Yes, they were exciting moments when they happened, but, once across the finish line they're over and it's back to the truly important areas of our lives.
I feel this is a place for subjects other than sports...but, it is your stadium and you will schedule the events you want.
Peter Bright

[lightbulb10]

The games seem to be ongoing.

If this brings to bear more of the Real Sports meets Inside Sports, could be so great.

[wrenchdevil]

In other words.. Go Yankees!!

[NOSMAVAN]

Why not. Our sports heroes must not be forgotten, and please, don't forget the heroines either ( them's the female ones)
NOSMAVAN

[benjamin006]

Glad that we all can have a variety of great stuff to read ! I love sports and sometimes, its hard to read a good column sometimes. When mostly all those "major" sports reporters know very little about any of the games they even report (Yeah, you would think that wouldn't be the case huh ?)

Thanks Huffington !

[Cow Corner Cathedral]

Where's the cricket!?! If you want to separate the progressives from mere liberals, you need cricket!

Cricket is religion, more than sport. A way of life. And it's a progressive, forward thinking socially responsible way of life.

If not a regular blog, get your toes wet with the imminent South Africa v England series. Watch Andre Nel change into alter ego "Gunther". Chortle as the Pommy's batting collapses. Celebrate with the Saffers!

It's wonderful to watch the colonies thrash the mother county at their own game!

[roxxie]

Great to see HuffPost Sports section! One of the great things about sports is its diversity of race, religion, gender and geography, nationality ... that is why sports connects with so many people on a global level. However, looking at the current sports bloggers - all white men and presumably one black woman, I am disappointed. It would be a disgrace if the site thought one black woman was enough to intelligently dissect the culture of sports. (No offense, as I am a Black woman myself.) Arriana, I know you can do better journalism than that ... I'll be watching.

[solopico]

What does gender or the color of one's skin have to do with a person's knowledge and capability?

[beansie]

Arianna.....you dont have to be everything to all people.....I would prefer (yes my preference) would be to keep this a top notch political media. Sports is everywhere....I enjoy sports but I think they should be separate. Once you spread things so thin quality tends to go down the drain.....I also do not like the items on the right side of the page that change all the time....it is hard for me to read anything before it changes on me.......too fast too fast too fast.....does not mean great does not even mean good.

[susanava]

You have a good point, and the only real upside is that maybe sports coverage will offer HuffPost a wider exposure to ppl outside its current demographic. One of the unfortunate problems with this site is that all too often it is preaching to the converted. Maybe this will draw new ppl to the site and spread the info a little wider.

[Jasmall13]

I completely agree. In fact, one thing I enjoyed about the Huff Post is that I could always count on NEVER seeing the Yankees as a front page story. I really hope that doesn't start happening now. Don't we give enough attention to sports? It would seem to me that we need to start piquing people's interest in politics and actual important issues rather than which team won the World Series.

[Adrienne Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

I hope it's more than just football. I'm all for soccer, tennis, gymnastics, rowing... do it all!

[mvonkroeker]

rowing?? how 'bout shuffleboard while you're at it.

[vegemight]

Ever rowed?

It's a full workout for back, chest and shoulders.

Try it! It's not easy.

[jackstraw005]

well well, very nice, very good. hp now has sports coverage. just a reminder, Paquaio v Cotto is this weekend, Ward v Kessler is nest weekend, and Andrade V bute the weekend after. i will be glad to throw my two cents in as long as someone tosses in a nickel so i can get change.

[eeepluribus]

I like HuffP, and its pop culture flair, though I think its a bit much. And sports, eh. The pages are too busy and overburdened and I am already annoyed with the time it takes to scroll down any given page (all the activity hinders page load.) I guess too much is better than too little to start. But they'll have to learn to cut the glut or someone else will learn from them and do it better.