The official word from the Chinese government is that the air quality in Beijing has improved for nine consecutive years. Haile Gebrselassie, the world’s fastest marathoner, is not convinced.

Bill Littlefield reviews, “South of the Color Barrier: How Jorge Pasquel and the Mexican League Pushed Baseball Toward Racial Integration” by John Virtue

Hoop dancing isn’t one of the best known sports in the world, but it might be one of the more photogenic.  Arizona Public Radio’s Dan Kraker returned from the World Championship of Hoop Dancing with these gems.

Gearing Up For March Madness with Pat Forde; Picking Sides in the Duke UNC Rivalry; Favre Hangs Up the Cleats; From Hoop Dancing to Hollywood; Letters; A Football Great Retires and More, With Charlie; “The Dark Side of the Diamond”

Talk about split basketball personalities! This week on Only A Game, meet a group of students with allegiances to North Carolina and Duke. Also, A Hopi Indian parlays hoop dancing success into a Hollywood career.

In his new book The Dark Side of the Diamond, Roger Adams takes a closer look at America’s Pastime, for better or worse. Despite the gloomy title, the book also celebrates baseball, and as Bill Littlefield says, it tells some fun stories along the way.

In his new book “The Dark Side of the Diamond,” Roger Adams takes a closer look at America’s Pastime, for better or worse. Despite the gloomy title, the book also celebrates baseball, and as Bill Littlefield says, it tells some fun stories along the way.

In sports, good coaches can have an obvious impact on the outcome of games. But the best coaches can mean much more. Bill Littlefield tells the story of a coach who helped change a young man as an athlete, and as a person.

Will the Sonics leave Seattle? And, if so, will it be sooner or later before they re-settle in Oklahama? Get it? Sooner? We’ll have that story this week on Only A Game. Also, free sledding grabs winter sports enthusiasts by the knees.

Seattle Plays the Waiting Game; Who Wants A Pro Basketball Team?; Tribute To A Legend; “The Franchise”; Basketball Milestones and More, with Charlie Pierce; Staying Balanced; A New Way to Get Down the Mountain