Louisa Thomas
Louisa Thomas, a staff writer at The New Yorker, contributes the weekly column The Sporting Scene. Her books include “Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams.”
Aaron Rodgers, Football’s Rorschach Quarterback
The Pittsburgh Steelers gambled on the forty-two-year-old, one of the N.F.L.’s most polarizing players, to try to end their playoff disappointments. Will it pay off?
Can Professional Women’s Soccer in the U.S. Keep Up with the Global Market?
The ability of the National Women’s Soccer League to retain Trinity Rodman, one of its biggest stars, could determine its future.
Watching Philip Rivers Play Football Makes Me Feel Old
He and I are the same age, but only one of us is an N.F.L. quarterback.
How the Celtics Are Winning
A team that once could seem a little bloodless has, in the absence of its best player, become scrappy and slightly unpredictable.
The Weird Spectacle of the World Cup Draw
At the event, the matchups seemed beside the point, eclipsed by FIFA’s bizarre Peace Prize ceremony for Donald Trump and other cringey moments.
The N.B.A.’s Breakneck Momentum
Are the higher speed and intensity that have made the game so fun to watch the very forces that are sidelining its stars with injuries?
The Odd, Shifting Role of the N.F.L. Punter
He is the vestigial organ of a football team, a remnant of the time before the forward pass. And yet, now and again, he can be vitally important.
The New New England Patriots
The team lately seems to have found that elusive balance of confidence and calm, accountability and community. Where did it come from?
Giannis Antetokounmpo Is a Man Apart
The Milwaukee Bucks star has been tearing up the league so far this season.
The College-Coaching Carrousel Is Completely Out of Hand
In most states, the highest-paid public employee is a football coach. Lately, more and more of them are getting money to go away.
Why Can’t the N.B.A. Move On from Its Old Stars?
Even as the league drastically evolves, the narratives around it are still orbiting its aging icons.
Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers Are a Sight to Behold
Haters may complain about payroll disparities, but you can’t love baseball and not stand in awe watching perhaps the greatest player who has ever lived.
The Kansas City Chiefs Are Depressing
The team’s vibes might change if they start winning, and they usually do. But is it possible to win all the time without losing joy and spontaneity?
The Fight for the Future of Women’s Basketball
The W.N.B.A. star Napheesa Collier’s blistering critique of the league has brought it to a turning point.
Helen Garner’s Ode to Her Grandson and His Sport
“The Season: A Fan’s Story” paints Australian-rules football in epic, manly terms, with a bard’s sonorous cadence.
The Many Lives of Danny Rensch
As the face of Chess.com, Rensch helped change the culture of the game—and found himself transformed in the process.
Consider the Quarterback
The position is a uniquely American institution—a calling, connected to foundational myths about leadership and manhood. Why does it matter so much?
Coco Gauff’s Long Game
The tennis star has been fixing her flawed serve at the U.S. Open, subjecting herself to the exquisite torture of public scrutiny.
The Hyped Revival of Mixed Doubles
In the U.S. Open, the format is being redesigned as a popularity contest engineered to generate buzz.