Mark Chin

Identity crises with column themes and on sports teams

One of the items on the application for The Phoenix asks the applicant what ideas he or she might have for the position for which he or she is applying. For an individual applying for a columnist posi…

Thrilling comeback tops baseball's historic season

In 2006, Swarthmore’s baseball team went 1-17 against their rivals in the Centennial Conference, the team’s lowest win total in conference play since the beginning of the decade. That season, the Garn…

Debunking the myths about southpaws in sports

Being left-handed has proven to have its positives and negatives. For example, studies have suggested that being left-handed leads to improved mental capacities and functions, such as an improved abil…

Quid-ditch Pro Quo: remove the Snitch, fix the sport

Few sports in recent history have had as needless a goal as capturing the Golden Snitch in the sport of Quidditch. Though incorporation of the Snitch has been beneficial for the sport in the past, pro…

Men sweep weekend twinbills to stop six-game skid

The baseball team bounced back after a six-game skid to win four games this past weekend, taking doubleheaders against Vassar on Saturday and the University of Maine Presque Isle on Sunday. After suff…

Playing moneyball: Why sports need greedy athletes

Professional athletes make a lot of money. The average salary for an NFL player in 2009 was $1.4 million, the average salary for a MLB player in 2009 was $3.2 million, and the average salary for an NB…

The Winter Games: a failure of olympic proportions

It might be me, but I just can’t seem to get excited for these Winter Olympic Games. Every Sunday afternoon of the football season, I religiously refresh the Sports Illustrated website for updates on …

Men's basketball catches fire after chilly weekend

Two of the games that the Swarthmore men’s basketball team was scheduled to play last week were postponed because of the recent snowstorms. As a result, the Garnet found themselves playing three games…

Predictions for the sports world in 2010, part 2

One prediction demanded by my readers: the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl

“Hey Mark – enjoyed the column but fail to see your prognostication for the Super Bowl. Don’t leave us hanging! Geaux S…

Sputtering offense sinks Garnet

After defeating McDaniel 60-48 on Wednesday, the Swarthmore men’s basketball team headed into the game against No. 14 Franklin & Marshall (16-3, 10-2 CC) this Saturday hoping to make it three wins in …

Men's basketball upsets bullets

The Swarthmore men’s basketball team rebounded from two straight Centennial Conference losses to upset then conference leader Gettsyburg 58-51 this past Saturday in Tarble Pavillion.

The Garnet (4-1…

Prediction for the sports world in 2010, part 1

Part 1: Predictions for the New Year in Sports

I daresay I’ve no right making predictions after bricking my last two concerning Cliff Lee and the Miami Dolphins. I still insist that they weren’t compl…

Men’s basketball fails to maintain momentum at Ursinus

The Swarthmore men’s basketball team tied both their conference and total win tallies from last year by defeating Dickinson at home 59-54 last Thursday. The win moved them to 2-5 in the Centennial Con…

The softer side of sports

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this week’s column doesn’t contain my usual diatribes against random athletes or organizations. It instead focuses on less emphasized reasons why sports are meaningful t…

On Federer fanfare: Overcoming the 'bad guy' stigma

I should have rooted for Andy Roddick to beat Roger Federer in this year’s Wimbledon final for a lot of reasons. Andy is one of the best and most consistent tennis players of the decade (only he and F…

Misguided Miami mania plagues number cruncher

Though we’re less than halfway through the football season, I say that the NFL Miami Dolphins are going to the playoffs, and that Ronnie Brown will become an NFL MVP candidate.

Warning: this irratio…

How the Phillies lost the 2009 World Series in July

Sorry Philadelphia sports fans; the defending Major League Baseball champions, your Philadelphia Phillies, will not win the World Series this year (the title will belong to my darling Yankees, regardl…