SPORTS NEED MORE COMMUNITY COVERAGE

Can you think of another week that was as hotly contested as last week? Here in New York City, and pretty much across the entire nation, we had to deal with several it's-too-hot-to-even-think days, prompting the city to conserve energy and, thus, causing a panic that its underground trains would shut down. Across the Atlantic, Israel had to, once again, fight as if it were the underdog, a fight that may soon be a success this time but is otherwise just another obstacle to make peace with Arab populations. And then there was Floyd Landis and Justin Gatlin who wrongfully took steroids to withstand the heat that comes from the competition. Who knew global warming would influence steroid use, too?

I hope everyone managed through the heat wave. I was planning to write this column several days ago, but I couldn't even think straight. I ended up prostrate on my couch watching Groundhog Day several times, meaning that I watched Groundhog Day about 50,000 times. I felt like there was a 50-pound weight on my chest, pressing me further down into my couch. That's how tired I felt, thanks to the absurd heat venting into my apartment, creating a sweat-bead headband around my forehead.

There was another reason why I was stuck to my couch. I was bewildered over the fact that Tour de France winner Floyd Landis was caught using steroids, and was very interested in reading and listening to reaction. The overall consensus was that enough was enough, stemming from MLB's steroid suspensions. Seriously, did you ever think that a cyclist would get busted for steroids? On top of that, the ESPN sports culture that we live in now is getting out of hand. First it was the World Series of Poker. Now it's darts tournaments. Fantasy gaming is blowing up, and now there are tons of sports publications solely dedicated to this hysteria. Go to Borders or Barnes & Noble and see for yourself. It's mind-boggling; not to mention, trivial and boring.

Of course, if you're a college student, sports is screaming your demographic. But not everyone wants this kind of sports coverage, especially as peoples' lifestyles have changed in recent years. No one works 9 to 5 anymore, and leisure time has never been more desired. For many people, the chaos, concrete and commercialization of big-city life is too overwhelming. More and more of them are choosing to relocate to small pastoral cities that combine the vibrancy of the city with the comforts of the suburbs. Money magazine recently ran a feature on America's Best Places To Live, saying that "Americans want two things: the opportunity for themselves and their children to prosper, and a quality of life that lets them enjoy the fruits of their work."

It's time for sports to fully embrace the stories, the games, the players and even the Mom's and Dad's in the communities who make it their full-time job to give their children an enjoyable upbringing. The biggest sports media giants should dedicate more coverage to these communities, perhaps designating a section on their websites called "Communities" and hiring freelance writers from all over the country to report on local amateur and recreational sports. They could even hire student interns who may be active within their community sports leagues.

SI back-page columnist Rick Reilly wrote an article this week about how a youth ball coach walked the other team's star player so he could face a scrawny batter to win the game (supposedly the coach didn't know he was a cancer survivor). These are the stories that we should really be worried about, the ones centered around the kids - our future. These are the core human-interest stories that make us cringe, make us cry, make us celebrate.

The last couple of days have made me wither in the overheating of sports coverage.

Oh, what a week it was.