It’s been a week-and-a-half since I aggregated some stories of interest to post.  Let’s take a look at a few today as the rain continues to fall on the Iowa State Fair.

Jeff Perlman, Sports Illustrated:  Brent Bowers outburst towards umpire Billy Van Raaphorst in a minor league baseball game was not a surprise.  But it was what Bowers said to Van Raaphort that forced him to resign and brings light into the gay and lesbian angle in the world of sports.

Carl Hartman, AP via ABC News:  Several Democrats and Republicans are advocating a return to civility as they point to Calvin Coolidge as a great example.  I wrote a post about civility in June featuring former Congressman Jim Leach.

Lisa Olson, Fanhouse:  New York Mets reliever Francisco Rodriguez (aka K-Rod) physically assaulted his girlfriend’s father near the team’s family room inside Citi Field after a game.  The after-effects of the incident puts the Mets in familiar territory:  how to mishandle a PR fiasco without really trying.

Alan Schwarz, NY Times:  a peer-reviewed paper to be released on Wednesday could reopen the diagnosis of ALS and Lou Gehrig.  The study suggests that the demise of athletes like Lou Gehrig and soldiers given a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, might have been catalyzed by injuries only now becoming understood: concussions and other brain trauma.

Nicole Purcell, dLife:  Purcell writes a poignant column about how her aunt’s choice in not taking care of her diabetes led to her death have made Purcell vigilant in managing her diabetes and making the choice to live.