Dewq over at Sport … mediated has explored the idea of sport as globalanguage, noting that "sport transcends cultures to the point that it can be viewed as a global form of communication … emerg[ing] as a 'glocal' form of interaction where identities of self and collective identities are (re)created".

Agreed, though I might suggest that it is a globalanguage with many dialects.

How about Latin as first globalanguage?

What, you ask? Latin only spread to certain cultures around the planet, and only exists today in a subset of the world's languages. There's no way that Latin could be considered a globalanguage.

But what about in the context of sport, I reply? Consider this: the Olympics, one of two truly global sporting events, boasts thousands of athletes from hundreds of countries around the world. And it also boasts hundreds of translators. Why? There is no one truly universal language that is spoken around the world, despite the ambitions of English. Yet every single athlete in that competition speaks and fully understands three Latin words, which form a sign so overpowering it totally consumes each of their lives: citius, altius, fortius.

Latin, then, is a globalanguage. Or at least it's a dialect of the sport globalanguage.

"First, for the people who say LeBron was LeBorn in hype, and this all reeks of public relations gimmick, like Annika Sorenstam at the Colonial reeks of public relations gimmick, hey, listen up. It's all a public relations gimmick, Jack. Getting you to come out to any stadium, stadium-seating multiplex, amusement park, arena or golf course venue to spend your loot on 'attractions' is a gimmick, so please, gimmick me a break. Spectacle is what we do around here." — Ralph Wiley

Well, I was wrong: LeBron James has agreed to a seven-year endorsement deal with Nike, the same company that launched Air Jordan into the global mediaspace and who no doubt will deify LeBron in much the same fashion. Since Nike is reportedly signing Kobe Bryant as well, the "Battles" should be memorable. Oh, and Vince? Your endorsement career has just been relegated to C-list status.

Here's how the markets reacted:

In other news, those efficient Germans offer us a guide to making clones.

Not to be outdone, Michael Lewis offers us a guide to create baseball cyborgs through the science of Sabermetrics.

Still on baseball, the 2525 edition of the Encyclopedia Legenda chronicles the sport's demise in two parts (one, two).