Category Archives: Sports Columns

By Benjamin Custer
Texarkana Gazette (Published July 2011)

Past accomplishments of fledgling NFL players are comparable to using Google Translate for your French homework—there isn’t always a smooth transition.

The difference is you don’t have to pay millions of dollars to online translators before seeing some results.

For years, NFL rookies have inked outrageously lucrative contracts without first proving themselves at the professional level. People should have to earn their paychecks.

By Benjamin Custer
Texarkana Gazette (Published May 2011)

After consecutively retiring 26 batters on 82 pitches June 2, 2010, Detroit Tigers starter Armando Galarraga found himself one out shy of hurling the 21st perfect game in MLB history.

The next swing of the bat, however, wasn’t met by the final out and a celebratory congregation on the mound. It was met by a fateful botched call by umpire Jim Joyce.

Sports fans across the nation screamed at their televisions as replay after replay showed the throw beating the runner to first. Unfortunately, Joyce had no such luxury until after the game had ended.

By Benjamin Custer
Texarkana Gazette (Published October 2011)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander regularly pounced on opponents this season, winning more than 80 percent of his starts en route to a pitching Triple Crown. He earned his stripes as the most valuable hurler in the league, but to recognize him as the most valuable player would be a travesty.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not diminishing Verlander’s performance in any way, shape or form.

The righty should win the American League Cy Young Award by unanimous vote. He made batters look about as spectacular as LeBron James in the fourth quarter of last year’s NBA Finals.