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Though it may not be immediately obvious, sports and literature have a lot in common. In both worlds, the infinitesimal has grand consequences. Coming up a yard short in sports has the same implications as being a word off in literature.Yes, the work is different, but the commitments to greatness are indistinguishable from one another.Its important, then, that there are people who dedicate themselves to ensuring that the devotion is valued. The greatness, celebrated.In the same way former NBA commissioner David Stern understood that fans who watched basketball were as important to the games popularity as the athletes who played, National Book Foundation executive director Lisa Lucas is working around the clock so that we understand literature is about more than just the people who write, edit, publish, market and sell books; theyre about us -- the people who are, and should be, reading them.Similar to the excitement and fanfare Stern drummed up for the NBA, Lucas is looking to bring a similar excitement to the world of literature by making noise for the National Book Awards, an annual literary award show that celebrates the best of American literature, where those who spend countless hours honing their skills in the dark can be brought to the spotlight, and where even the biggest skeptics can be converted into believers.Great writing can be subjective, but Lucass objective is clear. Elevating the game means thinking about it differently, reckoning with the potential whats to be gained and expanding the ideas of whats possible. And because the smallest things make a worlds difference, the biggest changes are subtle; creating a gradual influence that eventually changes everything. I think about the 1992 Dream Team when I write this.About how many generations of kids, home and abroad, male and female, were emboldened to give their life to a sport that couldve ultimately been regarded as just a game had Stern not opted to allow NBA players to represent the United States in the Olympics instead of college players, which was standard practice at the time.Sterns decision to showcase athletes at the highest level was him understanding that your best foot forward kept you a step ahead. It also makes people want follow your lead.It is not my or anyone elses place to say, This isnt for you, Lucas tells me at her Wall Street office. The statement had come in the midst of a conversation about the direction of the foundation, where its going, where she plans to take it. Serving as its third president and being the first woman and black woman to head the organization, theres an understandable pressure to say what people may expect, or want to hear. Lucas sidesteps the expectations of others by staying true to what brought her to the foundation in the first place: the experience of the reader.If you think youre going to get a specific answer as to what kind of reader Lucas has in mind, youre not. A deeply cherished conviction of hers is that any and every one is a potential reader. The question then becomes: Well, how do you find them? A question Lucas answers with her and her staffs -- team of eight -- incessant travels around the country, visiting various literary festivals, speaking at libraries, participating in numerous panels; anything that drives the point home that theyre serious in meeting potential readers where they are, letting readers know that, even if they not sure about crossing the threshold, the door is always open.This means finding different ways to engage.Theres a different energy Lisa brings with her, director of programs Benjamin Samuels says, her presence alone gets people excited.By this time, weve moved to the room next door to her office where she and the foundations staff are preparing the invites for this years National Book Awards. Besides the awards being the organizations biggest event, its also one, if not the, most premier event in literature -- and Lucas has treated it as such.To build buzz for the awards, Lucas partnered up with The New Yorker to announce the finalist for each of the awards four categories -- young peoples literature, poetry, non-fiction and fiction -- on Facebook Live. Nearly 60,000 people watched the live broadcast, which is by no means a small number, but to see the moon, like Lucas wants to do, you have to be willing to look beyond the stars. Her unconventional approach is what landed actor and comedian Larry Wilmore as the host for this years award ceremony and dinner.There are plenty people with big voices, talking about books all the time, Lucas says while sorting and signing award invitations, and we want them at the table.I think about Lucass comment about bringing more people to the table in context to a few things: who her favorite athletes are (LeBron James, Serena and Venus Williams -- any athlete thats using their platform to bring awareness to social and political issues), her position as the executive director of National Book Foundation and what it may represent to people beyond the literary world.And the album thats playing in the background, Solanges A Seat at the Table, a record documenting what it means to grapple with your own inner glory even as the world fights you. What Lucas shares with her favorite athletes is the willingness to use her position to fight for a bigger table with more seats, one where everyone can sit.As Solanges album continues to play beneath our conversation, Lucas exclaims that in addition to LeBron, and the Williams sisters, shes also a huge fan of the entire WNBA.When I ask her why, Because were [the foundation] are a lot like them, she says. I remember when the WNBA first started, everyone said they wouldnt last longer than two years. But just like great literature, look: Theyre still here.?Yahdon Israel writes about race, class, gender and culture in American society. He has written for Avidly, The New Inquiry, Guernica and LitHub. He runs a popular Instagram page, which promotes literary culture as style with the hashtag #literaryswag. Shoes UK Online Cheap . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. 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ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York will require professional boxers and mixed martial artists to get $1 million of insuranceCLEVELAND -- The Indians believe theyve found the right reliever to fix their issue against left-handed hitters. Cleveland acquired lefty Marc Rzepczynski from St. Louis on Tuesday, adding an experienced veteran to a bullpen that has struggled all season to retire lefties. The Indians left-handers have a 6.47 ERA. To get Rzepczynski (Zep-chin-skee), the Indians, who began the night trailing first-place Detroit by 2 1/2 games in the AL Central, sent minor league infielder Juan Herrera to the Cardinals. "Hes been very effective at getting left-handed hitters out at the major league level," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said of Rzepczynski, who has been nicknamed "Scrabble" by previous teammates who struggle to pronounce or spell his name. "In addition to that, he has post-season experience and has pitched in some very pressurized games and games we aspire to play in. "We think he addresses a need both in the short and long-term for the organization and hell fit in very well." The 27-year-old is 9-17 with a 4.20 ERA in 177 career games for Toronto and St. Louis. Left-handed hitters have batted .224 against Rzepczynski, who pitched 2 2-3 scoreless innings for the champion Cardinals in the 2011 World Series. Rzepczynski has split this season between St. Louis and Triple-A Memphis, posting a 7.84 ERA in 11 games at the major league level. But in the minors, hes got a 3.07 ERA in 32 games and held lefties to a .185 average. "Hes only given up two extra-base hits on the year to left-handed hitters and only eight combined in two years," Antonetti said. "He hasnt been quite as successful at the major league level this year, but its a very small sample. He has a good fastball, he gets ground balls. Hes been a guy weve had interest in for quite a while. We liked him when he was with Toronto." The Indians only other current left-handed reliever is Rich Hill. However, this season theyve had lefties Scott Barnes, Nick Hagadone and David Huff pitch in relief but they were all sent back to the minors because of ineffectiveness. Antonetti said its possible the Indians could make another move before Wednesdays 4 p.m. non-waiver deadline. "Were still working to try and improve the team, and if we think there are guys out there who will improve upon the options we have well explore it," Antonetti said. "But we do feel confident that Marc can help our team and hell be part of hopefully a push to the playoffs. Theres a lot that can happen in 24 hours." Antonetti does not yet know when Rzepczynski will join the Indians. Herrera batted .275 with one homer and 11 RBIs in 39 games for Class A Mahoning Valley. He will be assigned to State College (Pa.) of the Class-A New York-Penn League. 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Dan Collins threw for 180 yards passing, two touchdowns and three interceptions for Maine (1-3).Dalton Easton was 27-of-53 passing for 318 yards and four touchdowns, including three to Matt Sewall, to lead Bryant (2-3).The Bulldogs led 21-0 midway through the second quarteer, and 31-14 when Easton connected with Sewall on an 18-yard scoring strike with about six minutes left in the third quarter.ddddddddddddCollins threw a 38-yard TD pass to Jaleel Reed, and Mack ran in for two more touchdowns, the last one with 1:11 left.DeAndre Scott picked off Eastons pass at the Bryant 46 and the Black Bears ran out the clock. ' ' ' to cover life-threatening brain injuries under regulations slated to take effect in September.The State Athletic Commission is carrying out the decision by lawmakers and the governor to legalize professional mixed martial arts and overhaul regulation of combat sports generally.Its detailed plan, still subject to public comments, will make New York the final state to end opposittion to the combination of wrestling, kickboxing and jiu-jitsu inside a cage or other enclosure.ddddddddddddHigher insurance is one concession to critics of the violence. Supporters say mixed martial arts has evolved from early unregulated days.Prohibited acts include strikes to the spine, back of the head or throat; head butts; and stomping a grounded opponent. ' ' '