Will Leitch Author Archive
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Will Leitch

Contributing Editor

Will Leitch has been a contributing editor at New York since 2008, covering sports and film. He is the author of six books, including the Edgar-nominated novel How Lucky and The Time Has Come.

  1. games
    The U.S. Just Outplayed England at the World CupThey were the better team in Friday’s scoreless draw — which is amazing.
  2. vulture lists
    Every Steven Spielberg Movie, RankedFrom Jaws to his latest, The Fabelmans, see where each of the director’s major works falls.
  3. games
    The U.S. Team’s Draw With Wales Felt Like a LossDisappointment at not beating a top-20 team is actually a sign of progress for the Americans.
  4. games
    The World Cup Is the Only Real American Underdog StorySometimes it’s nice to root for a scrappy up-and-comer, and this year’s men’s team is exactly that.
  5. games
    March Madness Is Perfect, So of Course They’re Trying to Ruin ItBig universities want to expand the tournament, which would make the Cinderella stories everyone loves much less likely to happen.
  6. games
    Kyrie Irving’s Days in Brooklyn Are NumberedPromoting an antisemitic movie is a new low, and his antics will only get worse.
  7. games
    LeBron James Doesn’t Talk About Politics AnymoreTwo years after making himself ubiquitous in American political life, he’s sitting out the midterms, and his voting group is “dormant.”
  8. games
    Who to Root for in the Baseball Playoffs (Not the Astros)Not the Yankees, either.
  9. games
    This Yankees Postseason Feels ExistentialBy the team’s high standards, this century has been rough. If they don’t win a championship now, it might get a lot rougher.
  10. games
    There Is No Fixing ThisTua Tagovailoa’s ugly injury is the latest reminder that no policy change can excise brutality from the NFL.
  11. games
    Brett Favre Was Always Pretty AwfulThanks to his legion of defenders, the ex-QB thought he could get away with anything. An egregious scandal in Mississippi shows there are limits.
  12. games
    Rejoice: Tom Brady Is MiserableIt’s nice to know the guy who always wins experiences rough patches like the rest of us.
  13. games
    Did You Know the World Cup Is in Two Months?The strange timing (and location) of the world’s biggest sporting event will make it a hard sell in America.
  14. games
    The NFL Is America’s Best Crisis-Management CompanyA new season brings with it new scandals, but the league’s cultural dominance has never been more secure.
  15. games
    Serena’s Greatness Always Extended Beyond the CourtHer final, unforgettable match is not the end of her story.
  16. games
    College Football Is Now NFL LiteA sport once defined by regional charm is awash in money and becoming more like the pros every week.
  17. games
    The ‘Real’ Home-Run Record Is 73, Not 61Aaron Judge’s tremendous season has rekindled a tiresome argument about the purity of the game.
  18. games
    The Mets Are Having an Extremely Un-Mets SeasonThey’re overachieving their way to the playoffs — and having a great time doing it.
  19. vulture lists
    Every Predator Movie, RankedWhere does the new Prey fall in the Predator canon?
  20. games
    The NFL Expects You to Forget About Sexual MisconductAnyone expecting a harsher punishment for Deshaun Watson has just as short a memory as football fans have.
  21. games
    The Time I Tried and Failed to Profile Derek JeterThe new ESPN documentary attempts to figure out who he really is. Good luck.
  22. games
    The LIV Tour Is Built to Weather OutrageIndignation over its poaching of PGA players won’t last. But Saudi money will.
  23. vulture lists
    9 Great James Caan Movies (Besides The Godfather)From touching dramas to goofy comedies, Caan had the range of a remarkable actor.
  24. games
    College Football Is About to Change Drastically — and Not for the BetterThe rise of two super-conferences will make the sport more like the NFL, and rob it of much of its character.
  25. games
    It’s Not Too Early to Get Excited About a Subway SeriesThe Mets and Yankees are simultaneously great for the first time in ages.
  26. games
    The Nets Are Outdoing the Knicks in DysfunctionKyrie Irving’s contract drama typifies a decade of missed opportunities.
  27. games
    Endless Saudi Money Throws Golf Into an Existential CrisisA new PGA rival shows that when the payday’s big enough, loyalty to established institutions only goes so far.
  28. vulture lists
    Every Jurassic Park Movie, RankedCome get your dinosaurs.
  29. games
    Enough With the Backlash Over Harmless Broadcaster GaffesThe Jim Kaat outrage cycle was completely unnecessary.
  30. games
    Why You Should Root for the Warriors in the NBA FinalsGolden State is the rare psuedo-dynasty that has remained likable, while Boston remains Boston.
  31. in memoriam
    10 Essential Ray Liotta PerformancesFrom “mesmerizing newcomer” to legendary tough guy, Ray Liotta was magnetic onscreen.
  32. games
    The Most Disturbing Part of the Yankees’ ‘Jackie’ Incident Was the FansYankee Stadium picking up Josh Donaldson’s taunt was another example of crowd dynamics gone haywire.
  33. games
    Brittney Griner Still Isn’t Getting Enough AttentionAs a trumped-up trial in Russia looms, her case remains curiously under the radar.
  34. games
    Why Athletes Are Ignoring Roe v. WadeA short time ago, politics in sports was inescapable. But at this moment of profound crisis, there is mostly silence.
  35. games
    Baseball’s Unwritten Rules Are Just Excuses for Being a MeatheadA Mets-Cardinals brawl is the latest example of boneheadedness being passed off as tradition.
  36. games
    Wimbledon’s Ban on Russian Players Is the Coward’s Way OutThe tournament’s wrongheaded decision is political but not in the way it wants you to think.
  37. games
    Just Try to Take Your Eyes Off KyrieBrilliant on the court and perpetually compelling off it, Kyrie Irving is now the center of the NBA universe whether you like it or not.
  38. games
    The Bills Stadium Deal Is Both Indefensible and UnderstandableIt makes no sense from a financial standpoint. It makes slightly more sense if you consider the team’s priceless importance to Buffalo.
  39. games
    It’s Insane What Tiger Woods Is Doing Right NowA year ago, it was unclear whether he’d ever walk again. Now he’s within spitting distance of the Masters lead.
  40. games
    Your Guide to the Miracle That Is the 2022 Baseball SeasonAfter the end of a lockout that threatened to push the sport further to the margins, there’s a lot to celebrate.
  41. games
    The NFL Stops Pretending to Care About Violence Against WomenDeshaun Watson’s warm welcome in Cleveland marks a return to the league’s pre-Ray Rice, look-the-other-way era.
  42. games
    Who You Should Root For in March Madness (Not Duke)A totally harmless guide for the extremely casual fan.
  43. games
    Tom Brady’s Retirement Never Made Sense in the First PlaceWas a fierce competitor still at the top of his game really going to yak about football on TV?
  44. sports
    Baseball Finally Stopped Shooting Itself in the FootIt’s great there will be a full season after all, but why did a deal take so long?
  45. games
    Why Isn’t Brittney Griner the Biggest Sports Story in the Country?One of the WNBA’s premier players has been detained in Russia for weeks, yet the reaction has been curiously muted.
  46. games
    Putin and Russia Have Fast Become Sports-World PariahsSports federations, teams, and even Russian athletes are speaking out and in many cases severing all ties.
  47. games
    Unfortunately, It’s Time to Let Kyrie Irving Play in NYCContinuing to penalize unvaccinated athletes like Irving and Novak Djokovic makes little sense, even if it feels good.
  48. vulture lists
    Mark Wahlberg’s Best Movie Buddies, RankedTrees, an animatronic bear, and Will Ferrell.
  49. games
    Los Angeles Won the Super Bowl in More Ways Than OneThe Rams won the game. The city, the stunning stadium, and the wonderful overall vibe won everything else.
  50. games
    Why You Should Root for the Bengals in the Super BowlSunday will mostly be about the NFL’s utter cultural dominance, but one of these teams is more deserving than the other.
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