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HOTLINK
Web site of the week: ESPN's Page 2
By ERIC GOODWIN
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
If you want more from your sporting news than just box scores, Page 2 (http://espn.go.com/page2/) is the Web site for you. A venture of cable network ESPN, Page 2 offers an irreverent view of professional athletics. Sometimes funny, sometimes thought-provoking and always engaging, Page 2 is a sure bookmark for any sports junkie.
Page 2's stable of contributing columnists help give the site its offbeat flavor. For laughs, no one beats writer Bill Simmons (aka "The Sports Guy & quot;). Writing from a fan's perspective, Simmons' deft humor enlivens topics ranging from fantasy-league drafts to sports movies. Articles from veteran journalist Ralph Wiley offer plenty of pearls of wisdom. His topics range from race to analyzing the nature of competition. You may not always agree with Wiley's views or stream-of-conscious writing style, but more often than not, you will have learned something when you finish reading his articles.
The site's interactivity also adds to its appeal. In "The Reader's List," Page 2 shares its views on a topic (for example, overused sports clich & eacute;s or greatest NFL records), and then solicits readers' reactions. The site's staff picks the best submissions and posts them to the site later in the week. Visitors can also submit their picks for athlete/celebrity look-alikes in "Here's Looking at You," and vote on sporting trends like retro uniforms and new logos in "Making it Better."
Even if traditional sports Web sites leave you cold, Page 2 is sure to peak your interest.
XEric Goodwin writes Hotlink for Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. You can send e-mail to egoodwin@krtinfo.com.