Grantland Quarterly is a collaboration between McSweeney's and Grantland, the popular website founded and edited by Bill Simmons. It features the best long-form sports and culture writing from the site as well as new print exclusives, delivered in a lavishly designed, full-color book. Issue 2 has a dust jacket that unfolds to reveal a double-sided poster with an intricate, gorgeous piece of original art on one side, and, on the reverse, a reprint of the rare 1970s poster of George "The Ice Man" Gervin from Nike. Issue 2 also includes: -Bill Simmons writing about the career of Eddie Murphy -An interview with Don DeLillo about Underworld on the 60th anniversary of the Shot Heard 'Round the World -Chad Harbach on his experience at the Milwaukee Brewers' last game of the 2011 season -Charles P. Pierce and Michael Weinreb addressing the abuse scandal at Penn State -Michael Schur (co-creator of Parks and Recreation) on the dismal collapse of the 2011 Red Sox
Beth Simmons demonstrates through a combination of statistical analysis and case studies that the ratification of treaties generally leads to better human rights practices. She argues that international human rights law should get more practical and rhetorical support from the international community as a supplement to broader efforts to address conflict, development, and democratization.
The earth revolves around the sun. The sun revolves around Gene Simmons, and Gene Simmons revolves around nothing. In this authorized parody of one of rock and roll’s biggest icons, fans will find incredible “facts” about the legend that is Gene Simmons, peppered with words of wisdom straight from the Demon’s tongue, hilarious reactions to Gene from kids, reimagined movie posters featuring Gene Simmons in the title role, and much, much more. · The Gene Simmons chess set has 1 king and 31 pawns. · When Gene Simmons breaks a sweat, everyone scrambles to put it back together. · Gene Simmons can get to the center of a Tootsie Pop in one lick. · When Gene Simmons walks into a strip club the girls pay him. · Gene Simmons doesn't need an umbrella because rain knows better. - Stan Lee was going to make Gene Simmons a Superhero, but decided to stick to fiction.
Enter the City of Brotherly Love and see how the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers trusted The Process–using a bold plan to get to first by becoming the worst. When a group of private equity bigwigs purchased the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011, the team was both bad and boring. Attendance was down. So were ratings. The Sixers had an aging coach, an antiquated front office, and a group of players that could best be described as mediocre. Enter Sam Hinkie—a man with a plan straight out of the PE playbook, one that violated professional sports' Golden Rule: You play to win the game. In Hinkie's view, the best way to reach first was to embrace becoming the worst—to sacrifice wins in the present in order to capture championships in the future. And to those dubious, Hinkie had a response: Trust The Process, and the results will follow. The plan, dubbed "The Process," seems to have worked. More than six years after handing Hinkie the keys, the Sixers have transformed into one of the most exciting teams in the NBA. They've emerged as a championship contender with a roster full of stars, none bigger than Joel Embiid, a captivating seven-footer known for both brutalizing opponents on the court and taunting them off of it. Beneath the surface, though, lies a different story, one of infighting, dueling egos, and competing agendas. Hinkie, pushed out less than three years into his reign by a demoralized owner, a jealous CEO, and an embarrassed NBA, was the first casualty of The Process. He'd be far from the last. Drawing from interviews with nearly 175 people, Tanking to the Top brings to life the palace intrigue incited by Hinkie's proposal, taking readers into the boardroom where the Sixers laid out their plans, and onto the courts where those plans met reality. Full of uplifting, rags-to-riches stories, backroom dealings, mysterious injuries, and burner Twitter accounts, Tanking to the Top is the definitive, inside story of the Sixers' Process and a fun and lively behind-the-scenes look at one of America's most transgressive teams. Including exclusive interviews with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Coach Brett Brown, Sam Hinkie, and more.
