The Fall Semester's Most Interesting Crimson Sports Stories

Reading period is finally here! Whether you’re out celebrating being done with classes and catching up on sleep or you’re sitting in the corner of Lamont caffeinating and cramming, why not take a break to look back on the fall semester with Crimson Sports?

From football to polo, here are some of the most interesting and exciting stories that defined the second half of 2012. Let the procrastination begin!

Tradition on the Charles

If you’ve got time to kill, check out this in-depth history of the largest regatta in the world. You’ll learn more than you ever thought you needed to know about competitive rowing. Did you know that the regatta has raised over $650,000 for local charities? By the time you get to the end of this article, you’ll be an expert on all things Charles.

Taking the Lead

Harvard basketball fans—or really anyone with a pulse—you couldn’t have missed the doubt that abounded when two top seniors took a leave of absence at the beginning of the year. This is the story of Christian Webster, who was chosen to lead the newly restructured team. Webster addresses his new role on the team, his disappointing junior season, and how he plans to turn it all around.

Conquering the Open Water

Among the Harvard athletes who chased their Olympic dreams this summer, no story is more compelling than that of Alex Meyer ’10. Finishing 10th place in the 10k, Meyer took to the water in remembrance of his friend Fran Crippen.

Le Takes Unusual Path to Harvard

How does a kicker on a high school football team end up playing women’s soccer at Harvard? Sophomore Mai Le talks about what it was like to be on a team with all men (hint: it wasn’t that different) and how playing football made her a better competitor on and off the field.

A Fine Line

While Harvard may have been disappointed with its final place in the Ivy League standings, the football team has something to celebrate. The offensive line ranked first in the nation in sacks with 42 and second in rushing defense, holding opponents to 2.92 yards per attempt. Go behind the scenes with defensive ends John Lyon and Zach Hodges, who break down Harvard’s dominance.

A Fresh Start for Harvard Polo

If you didn’t know that Harvard had a polo team, you’re missing out. The oldest intercollegiate polo team in the country, the team takes players with no experience and trains them to become expert horsemen.

And on a lighter note, here are some of the funniest columns and blogs from the semester. Go ahead, laugh out loud. I’m sure your fellow Lamonsters won’t mind.

THE BROTHERS SAMUELS: The Game Is Not Even "A Game" Anymore

The incoming and outgoing Crimson presidents take a look back to the days when The Game was actually competitive.

AROUND THE IVIES: Harvard the Heavy Favorite vs. Lions

While its impossible to find an “Around the Ivies” that isn’t funny, this breakdown of the Harvard-Columbia matchup is perhaps columnist Scott Sherman’s most entertaining writing of the football season.

Tweets of the Week: Harvard Beats Yale

Brilliant Harvard students vs. Twitter. Blake Sundel breaks down the best tweets from Crimson athletes during Harvard-Yale weekend.

Happy reading everyone!