As late as the 1970s, boxing saturated U.S. Catholic culture. It reinforced Catholic ideas about the redemptive value of physical suffering; it also offered a powerful form of assimilation to male Catholic immigrants.

When asked if sports build character, 75 percent of respondents said yes and 25 percent said no.

As I approach 90, I am less concerned with outward appearances—things like what I wear, how my hair looks, what others think of me—and more concerned with my inner life and how I relate to the world around me.

Gary Pomerantz's detailed exploration of Bob Cousy's career touches on the heroic moments and the bitter failures of the Boston Celtics, including a shameful history of racial prejudice.

Many people object to anyone, much less a Catholic priest, engaging in what they see as recreational violence.

If your eyes drifted from the television seeking entertainment elsewhere (who could blame you?), you might have stumbled upon the most entertaining hashtag of the night: #SuperBowlintheConvent.