Scott Ostler
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Former big-time newspaper sports columnist, now bigger on Substack.
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Articles by Scott Ostler
Valkyries headed to sad ending, but this wise scribe has seen it coming
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SF Giants’ fans, team owner are strange bedfellows
Time to spit into the wind again. Can I at least wear swim goggles this time, like athletes use when they win a championship and start squirting champagne? Yes, it’s time for another of my periodic, futile attacks on San Francisco Giants’ fans for their role in contributing to the overthrow of Democracy. Scott Ostler's Column is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Photo tips from Seymour Butts
I am often asked, “Scott, how can I get super-interesting and artistic travel photos like the ones you take?” I reply, “Can’t you see I’m dining with my family?” Scott Ostler's Column is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Fans! So annoying, but they do have a point: Boring travel photos have ruined the memories of many a vacation or working trip. I can help.
Did Luka expose Yaxel, or vice versa?
Yakety-Yak Yaxel Lendeborg for NBA MVP? He’s got my vote, although there are still 81 regular-season games left to be played. I don’t know if Lendeborg will get Steve Kerr’s MVP vote, too, but I’ll tell you in a moment what the Warriors’ coach said Thursday about Yaxelgate. Yaxel Lendeborg is the Warriors’ prize rookie, a sturdy 6-9 forward. They are counting on him to be an instant-impact starter, bringing a youthful spark. Yaxel’s yakety-yak is a bonus.
Gabby kicks irascible scribe out of his comfort zone
You have forced me to do something that goes against my journalistic instincts, and is sure to alienate many readers. You have compelled me to write nice words about a sports team owner. Owners: A mostly-loutish boatload of freeloaders. No other group of people is so overhyped, overexposed, over-compensated, over-ego’d and overly…
No big deal, but I helped Pat Riley get his break
Not long ago I promised to tell the story of how I helped launch Pat Riley’s coaching career. The NBA season is almost upon us, so let’s do it. Scott Ostler's Column is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Riley, president of the Heat, lured superbig Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami this offseason, proof that Riley is still wheeling and dealing at an elite level at age 81, still the Godfather.
Valkyries have no business being here
Valkyries have no business being here But it’s fun while it lasts By Scott Ostler
Lockerroom or White House, freedom is freedom
Let me couch that. Maybe it is funny, maybe not. I broke the first rule of telling a funny story, which is “Don’t lead off with, ‘Here’s a funny story for you.’ ” It is a true story, though, and it will illustrate a big problem, which is that we journalists need to fight harder and smarter to protect our American freedoms.
Bringing Catalina to its knees
I am pleased to announce that THE United States of America has agreed to accept Catalina Island’s terms of surrender, ending centuries of them ripping us off. Technically, Catalina hasn’t agreed to the peace accords, but I’m sure They will, just as soon as they find out about them. You know Catalina, right? Tiny island 26 miles left of Los Angeles, and if you’re to the left of Los Angeles, you’re a lunatic Communist Radical island.
Stuff nobody cares about
--“Nobody cares!” That’s the go-to cry from critics of Colin Kaepernick’s media blitz in support of his biography, “The Perilous Fight.” True! Nobody cares! But everybody is really, really passionate about not caring. I wish nobody would care about me as much as all those people don’t care about Kaepernick. This column would be No. 1 on Substack.
Now that Kaepernick’s back, even tasting rooms aren’t safe
This is a column about Colin Kaepernick. I recently interviewed him for The San Francisco Standard as he began promoting his autobiography, “The Perilous Fight.” The Standard is a subscription on-line news site but you can get a free-sample read, so please check out the interview. But first read this column. It’s been several years since I almost got into a bar fight over Colin Kaepernick. Technically, it was a winery, but “winery fight” sounds kind of weenie. Well, guess what?
Colin Kaepernick lost $150 million for taking a knee. He has no regrets
Published Sep. 14, 2026at6:00am On New Year’s Day 2017, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took his final snap as a professional football player. He threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Celek. Then the Seattle Seahawks ran out the clock on a 25-23 win. That offseason, 49ers CEO Jed York hired a new coach, Kyle Shanahan, and a new general manager, John Lynch. They informed Kaepernick that they would not be picking up the team’s option on his contract.
The young slugger’s guide to big-league accessorizing
Hey there, Li’l Slugger. So you want to be a big leaguer someday? I can’t help you with the technical baseball stuff, unless you want to learn how to close your eyes super-tight when that big goof on the mound throws you an inside fastball. I mastered that art. But baseball, little fella (and gal), is about more than “hitting” and “pitching” and “fielding.” Equally important—more important, in my book (“A Child’s Guide to Big Leagueness”)—is looking the part.
I hear that train a-comin’ but I ain’t sure where it’s a-goin’
Photo by Cody McLain on Unsplash (Reader warning: This column includes descriptions of potential violence and death.) We’re going to veer off the sports track somewhat today, due to my keen interest in education. I recently saw a quote by the late Anthony Bourdain, the restaurant guy. His first job was washing dishes in a restaurant in Provincetown, on Cape Cod. Bourdain said, “I learned every important lesson, all the most important lessons in life, as a dishwasher.” That got me to thinking.
On criminal tools, gravy stains and snitches
Photo by Mackenzie Marco on Unsplash The t-shirt wasn’t the worst part of Jed York’s arrest in Ohio, but it was the icing on the cow patty. When the 49ers’ team owner was busted, he wearing a New York Yankees’ t-shirt. Bad look for the owner of a Bay Area sports team. Plus, the Yankees are the poster organization for buying greatness with cash, an activity in which York has dabbled.
Kruk & Kuip, boys of summer, goin’ down swinging
(Photo: NBC Sports Bay Area) The least the San Francisco Giants should have done for Mike Krukow was to stage a stirring championship run, sending him off into the sunset with a bang. Instead, the team limps and staggers and leaks oil, leaving Krukow and his broadcast sidekick Duane Kuiper to work their art for a dwindling and downcast audience. If the team’s dreariness casts a pall over their tiny broadcast booth, though, Kruk and Kuip don’t show it.
The fool on the hill
The Giants are making me feel better, if that’s any consolation to them. The big story of the Giants’ on-going lost season is bad pitching, right? Well, the worse the Giants’ pitchers pitch—and Wednesday’s ninth-inning nuclear meltdown is Exhibit A—the more I can assure myself that I’m just some sap who got caught in the landslide of bad luck that befalls everyone who takes the mound in a Giants’ jersey.
Please, Magic Johnson, save us from the zombie Dodgerpocalypse
Dear Magic— Get out! Sell your share of the Dodgers and run for your life, you’re swimming in a pit of vipers! Sorry, old pal, I should have taken a deep breath and started with hello, but I am worried about you, and about sports. I saw you on TV the other night, talking about your sports ownerships, and it got me thinking and worrying. We haven’t talked in several years, but you remember me. When you broke into the NBA in 1979, I was a newspaper guy in Los Angeles, assigned to the Lakers’ beat.
Can Tugboat guide Giants’ ship out of the bilgewater?
Put down that kale protein shake, son. Bust open mom’s freezer and create yourself a big ol’ hot fudge sundae. Breakfast of champions. Turns out there’s more than one way to build a big-league body. It’s great to be in shape, but as Charles Barkley once said, “Round is a shape, too.” Yes, I’m promoting fat. What’s got into me, a committed fitness guy? I’ve got Tugboat Fever. Have you seen this guy Tugboat? He’s a pitcher the Giants just called up from the minor leagues.
Tommy John was all about joy
Tommy John passed away Saturday at age 83. In the regular obits, you can find his pitching stats, college coaching accomplishments, and the amazing story of how his guinea-pig arm surgery revolutionized the game. Scott Ostler's Column is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Not here. This little “obit” is an ode to joy. Tommy was a poster guy for joy.
Let's party! Sunday is Babe & Elvis Day, so swing for the fences, sing to the heavens
If you’re having the family over for the big holiday Sunday (Aug. 16), this column suggests you serve ‘em fried peanut butter/banana/bacon sandwiches, hot dogs, gin, beer, steak, eggs, eels and apple pie—one pie per guest. Don’t forget the cigars. Photo by JR Harris on Unsplash Scott Ostler's Column is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Your goal: Make the typical Thanksgiving dinner look like Ghandi’s brunch.
Sports gods show their cruel side, take our best
Man, this is a bleak, sad stretch of the road. The sports gods are in a foul mood. Frankly, they are acting like a-holes. Last week, Mike Krukow announced his retirement from the Giants’ broadcast booth, as of the end of the season. Don Nelson died Sunday. Mike Wagaman, a great Bay Area sportswriter and person, passed away Friday. I usually walk the sunny side of the street when writing sports, but as Bill Withers explains it, “Ain’t no sunshine when you’re gone.” So bear with me today.
Joe Lacob has Steve Kerr's replacement, and he's a she
I’m about to get a lot of women pissed off at me, and a lot of men, too, but would you all please hear me out, or read me out, before you march in protest to my corporate headquarters (a small cabin in my back yard)? Here we go. Scott Ostler's Column is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. When Steve Kerr steps down as coach of the Golden State Warriors, his successor should be Natalie Nakase.
Harrison Bader v. Fire Truck explains Giants' woes. . .Or does it?
Harrison Bader made it easy for the San Francisco Giants. When someone asks Buster Posey or anyone else in the amorphous ownership group what the hell happened this season, they have a simple, effective answer: Our centerfielder got run over by a fire truck. Kind of explains everything, right? The problem is, it’s a slick explanation for a complex problem. And it is misleading. Crazy-bad luck isn’t the reason the Giants are succotash.
Hey, Ian Fleming, I got your bird right here
I think I’m doing something wrong. I always thought writing was supposed to be hard. Pain and suffering are part of the deal, right? Scott Ostler's Column is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Maybe not. Maybe I’ve had the wrong mindset. Recently I came across a social media post that showed Ian Fleming’s daily schedule. Fleming, of course, wrote the James Bond novels.
Kyle Shanahan's ugly crash stirs memories of a tragic coach's mishap 47 years ago
When I heard that Kyle Shanahan crashed his car and suffered serious injuries, including a concussion, I flashed back to an accident 47 years ago that altered history and has trickle-down effects to this day in the NBA. Ask Pat Riley. Riley, at age 80, is still kicking ass and building teams as the President of the Miami Heat. He recently lured Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami, a power move trumped only by the 76ers’ snagging of LeBron James.
49ers' business is none of your business, all right? All right?
The power-crazed San Francisco 49ers’ ownership is at it again. What is it with these guys? Here’s the deal: Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers’ head coach, was involved in a two-car accident on July 14. Very serious smashup. Shanahan sustained injuries that will put him out of full-time coaching for an indeterminate length of time. This is headline news! Yet, media reports of the accident and Shanahan’s injuries didn’t surface until July 25. For 11 days, the accident was kept under wraps.
Kaepernick had the right to protest. So do the Giants’ Bible-verse pitchers.
Published Jun. 19, 2026at6:00am Last Friday night, three San Francisco Giants pitchers covered their rainbow-decorated caps with Bible verses in protest of the team’s Pride night, and a fourth pitcher refused to wear the rainbow hat. Social media erupted. City officials demanded accountability. And somewhere in the outrage, Bay Area liberals lost the plot entirely. Of course there was widespread anger and indignation at the Giants players. That is justified.
Dr. Nas crashed the World Cup. The only openly gay Qatari demanded to be seen
Published Jun. 14, 2026at6:00am When San Francisco physician Nasser Mohamed fled his home country of Qatar at 24, a queer man seeking a chance to live free, he wrote a poem: “I pleased others with a life that led to my demise. Now it is time for others to see me reborn victorious.” After arriving in America, Dr. Nas, as he’s known, tattooed the poem on his body. The statement has become a promise.
Meet the Valkyries fans painting Chase Center violet: ‘There’s no place like Ballhalla’
Legend has it that Golden State Valkyries’ home games are wilder and crazier than Warriors’ games, even though the Warriors have Stephen Curry and four championship banners hanging in the Chase Center rafters. It’s hard to find objective voices in that discussion, but we found one. Let’s ask the beer man. Joseph Lewis was selling beer out of a cart on the 200-level concourse Sunday evening at the Valkyries’ home opener, against the Phoenix Mercury.
From the all-time sports OG (original goofball), it's time to say goodbye
Chronicle columnist, Scott Ostler tees off on the par-3 7th hole at Pebble Beach, as the winds blows off his hat. AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Sunday Feb. 15, 2009, in Pebble Beach, Calif. 4th round was cancelled and rescheduled for tomorrow morning, due to heavy wind and rains. (Michael Macor/The Chronicle) This being my last column for the Chronicle, I thought I'd open with how I was introduced to the world of sports. One October afternoon, I dragged my weary bones home from first grade.
From the all-time sports OG (original goofball), it’s time to say goodbye
Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler tees off on the par-3 seventh hole at Pebble Beach as the winds blows off his hat during a weather break at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Feb. 15, 2009. The fourth and final round was rescheduled and then canceled due to heavy wind and rains. Michael Macor/The Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler is at RingCentral Coliseum for the MLB game between the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Aug.
What would Wilt Chamberlain think of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Bam Adebayo? Original
A fan holds a sign after Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke Wilt Chamberlain’s streak of 20-point games during the second half against the Boston Celtics on Thursday. Nate Billings/Associated Press Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo shoots a free throw during the second half of his 83-point game against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday in Miami. Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press It was a rough week for Wilt Chamberlain.
A's ritzy Las Vegas ballpark ‘experience' shows John Fisher's priorities
Artist's rendering showing the Athletic Club dining area at the Athletics' Las Vegas ballpark. (Courtesy of Aramark) A candy wall. The Athletics' new ballpark under construction in Las Vegas will feature a candy wall. I thought a candy wall was something you ran into at about 10 o'clock on Halloween night. But, no. A candy wall is a feature of a super-excloo club within the bowels of the A's new ballpark, part of a space for high-end ticket holders.
A’s ritzy Las Vegas ballpark ‘experience’ shows John Fisher’s priorities
Artist's rendering showing the Athletic Club dining area at the Athletics' Las Vegas ballpark. Courtesy of Aramark Artist's rendering showing the Diamond Club bar at the Athletics' Las Vegas ballpark. Courtesy of Aramark A general view shows the $1.75 billion, 33,000-seat domed stadium for Major League Baseball's Athletics under construction on the site of the former Tropicana Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip on March 08, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images A candy wall.
Who-dat Warriors piling up questions, not wins, as end of regular season nears Original
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) drives against Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Nate Billings/Associated Press Nine burning, itching questions about the Golden State Warriors: Q: At one point in the fourth quarter against the Thunder on Saturday night, the Warriors’ lineup was Kristaps Porzingis, Pat Spencer, Gui Santos, Nate Williams and Malevy Leons.
As bombs fly, do sports matter? For World Cup, Iran and U.S. have to decide
Fans of Iran cheer for their team during the Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between Syria and Iran at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP) The United States' bombing of Iran makes for an unprecedented situation for the World Cup this summer. The U.S. is tri-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico.
Enjoy this baseball season while you can, owners’ labor war is on deck Original
Giants Chairman of the Board Greg Johnson and CEO Larry Baer listen as new manager Tony Vitello speaks during his introductory news conference at Oracle Park on Oct. 30. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle Giants Chairman Greg Johnson speaks during Rafael Devers’ introductory news conference at Oracle Park on June 17. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle Ready for some baseball? Oh, man, you can almost smell the newly mown grass and the garlic fries. Hopefully not mixed together.
U.S. men’s hockey team lends glory and credibility to Trump’s ghastly spectacle Original
Members of the gold medal-winning United States men’s hockey team attended President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday night. Matt Rourke/Associated Press Members of the United States men’s hockey team enter the gallery to hear President Donald Trump deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday. Kenny Holston/Associated Press It was a ghastly spectacle.
Warriors say they won’t tank, but Steph Curry’s health might do it for them Original
Warriors guard Stephen Curry, seen with general manager Mike Dunleavy, is sidelined because of a knee issue. His situation could make it difficult for the Warriors to make a postseason run. Jeff Chiu/Associated Press If the Golden State Warriors are going to be tanking the rest of the season, it will be an organic tanking. All natural. No pesticides, additives or gluten. Dreamers dream of the Warriors as Cinderella.
Indiana outbid Cal for QB Fernando Mendoza, will Bears learn from it? Original
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza hoists the national championship trophy after the Hoosiers defeated Miami in the College Football Playoff final on Jan. 19 in Miami Gardens, Fla. Lynne Sladky/Associated Press Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, seen during the 128th Big Game at Stanford on Nov. 22, led the Bears to a 7-5 record in his freshman season.
Jonathan Kuminga saga tarnished Warriors’ image, but who is to blame? Original
Then Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga chats with owner Joe Lacob, the main force behind drafting him in 2021, during a WNBA game between the Valkyries and the Los Angeles Sparks at Chase Center on May 16. Santiago Mejia/S.F. Chronicle Warriors head coach Steve Kerr instructs forward Jonathan Kuminga during a 121-110 elimination loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series on May 14 at Target Center in Minneapolis.
How Warriors can keep things interesting as a derailed season hits crunch time
Scott Ostler The Golden State Warriors have 27 regular-season games remaining, possibly a few more in the postseason. That might seem to be shaping up as two months of the Warriors treading water while the good teams are competing in the Olympic 50-meter freestyle, but I'm not ready to bag the season. Here are some things I want to see between now and the end of the line: • Stephen Curry finishing big.
Why our reaction to Olympians speaking out should be to shut up and listen Original
Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych, seen finishing a skeleton practice run Tuesday at the Milan Winter Olympics, was removed from the Games for his helmet protest. Alessandra Tarantino/Associated Press Team USA’s Amber Glenn celebrates with her gold medal after the figure skating team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Sunday. Glenn has been criticized for speaking out against the Trump administration at the Games.
Will Tony Vitello’s energy wear out Giants players? ‘Lasorda wasn’t a shrinking violet’ Original
New Giants manager Tony Vitello meets with fans at the Giants FanFest event at San Pedro Square in San Jose on Jan. 17. Niki Williams/For the S.F. Chronicle New Giants manager Tony Vitello meets with fans at the Giants FanFest event at San Pedro Square in San Jose on Jan. 17. Niki Williams/For the S.F. Chronicle The San Francisco Giants opened spring training Tuesday, and I’m taking a leap of faith here by assuming that Tony Vitello survived his first day as a big-league skipper. There are doubters.
Congratulations Bay Area, you did Super Bowl week proud and won new fans Original
Seattle Seahawks’ fans vie for an autograph from Jake Bobo before Seahawks play New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, February 8, 2026. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle Fireworks are seen as Bad Bunny performs during the Halftime Show of Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.
No cheering in the press box, but may Super Bowl Sunday give us heroes, not goats Original
The Vince Lombardi Trophy is framed by Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots helmets during Super Bowl LX Opening Night at the San Jose Convention Center on Monday. Chris Graythen/Getty Images The oldest rule in sportswriting is “No cheering in the press box.” I witnessed that rule being broken badly in my first trip to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Just before halftime, the press box announcer said, “We will now be passing out the custard tickets.” Wild cheers! What the hell?
Who will win Super Bowl LX? Arguing the cases for Seahawks and Patriots Original
The Super Bowl LX logo features the San Francisco skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge and the California wilderness as a backdrop to the championship Vince Lombardi Trophy. Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images We asked Sporting Green columnists Ann Killion and Scott Ostler for their predictions on who will win Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium, and why. Ann Killion: Why the Seahawks will win It’s not too often that I wish I was a betting gal.
What Warriors’ Kuminga trade means for Steph Curry, Steve Kerr and the future Original
Guard Stephen Curry stares upward with the Warriors down by 20 points during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Chase Center on Jan. 11. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle Don’t hold back, Golden State Warriors fans. The crying, rage, blaming and shaming are all part of the process when your team takes its turn in the spotlight, honored as the Biggest Loser at the trading deadline. Jonathan Kuminga is gone, but life goes on. You want a sure thing, go root for the Dodgers.
As NFL goes all in on sports gambling apps, Patriots player just says no after losing $90K Original
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte said he dealt with a gambling problem while in college, finally giving up betting after losing $90,000. Stephen Lam/S.F. Chronicle New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte catches a touchdown pass against the Houston Texans during the second half of a playoff game on Jan. 18 in Foxborough, Mass.
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