Joseph Santoliquito

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who has written feature stories for SI.com, ESPN.com, NFL.com, MLB.com, Deadspin and The Philadelphia Daily News. In 2006, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for a special project piece for ESPN.com called “Love at First Beep.” He is most noted for his award-winning ESPN.com feature on high school wrestler A.J. Detwiler in February 2006, which appeared on SportsCenter. In 2015, he was elected president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

October 30, 2015

College Football

For Notre Dame trio, Temple game is homecoming weekend

by Joseph Santoliquito

It wasn’t anything big, just a side conclave Brian Kelly felt compelled to have this week with his “Philly guys.” The Notre Dame head coach wanted to speak to them about Saturday night, knowing full well it won’t be an “away game” for Will Fuller, Mike McGlinchey and Josh Adams when they step on Lincoln Financial Field to play No. 21 Temple on national TV.

October 18, 2015

Eagles

Darren Sproles is 5-6 and he stutters – and that may be why he’s such a great football player

by Joseph Santoliquito

Larry Sproles laughs, because he can remember that morning well over 20-some years later. A muted figure had just dashed through his garage. A blur. It moved so fast that Larry couldn’t see the clear shape of the face, but something gave it away. And within seconds, it was too late.

September 12, 2015

Boxing

Statue of boxing legend Joe Frazier unveiled in South Philly

by Joseph Santoliquito

There was a visceral tug on Bryant Jennings. The Philadelphia heavyweight contender who gave Wladimir Klitschko his toughest fight in years back in April didn’t want anyone to see how it affected him when the Joe Frazier statue was unveiled to the public in a ceremony held in front of Xfinity Live! on an overcast Saturday afternoon.

September 10, 2015

Eagles

Matt Ryan's family still roots for the Eagles — just not on Monday night

by Joseph Santoliquito

These occurrences always tend to get a little murky for Matt Ryan's parents, Mike and Bernie, and their extended family. Every once in a while, when “their” Atlanta Falcons play the Eagles, the Ryans, McGlincheys, Hartmans, Tarpeys, McCains and Lougherys — salt-of-the-earth people born and bred lifelong Eagles’ fans from the area — are yanked aside by blood ties.

August 27, 2015

Boxing

The American Dream came close to being a nightmare for Philly's David Reid

by Joseph Santoliquito

Next year the 2016 Olympics will come to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and it will mark the 20th anniversary of a special time for a special Philadelphia athlete, David Reid. This is a story of where David is today.

August 3, 2015

High Schools

This Philly junior may be nation's best high school running back

by Joseph Santoliquito

Somewhere under the tangle of arms and legs was D’Andre Swift. Still moving. Still pumping his legs. Still refusing to be stopped. Four Pine-Richland defenders descended on the St. Joseph’s Prep tailback, two from each side. There were two more tacklers converging on the 5-foot-10, 200-pound dynamo from the front and behind in last year’s PIAA Class AAAA state champion at Hersheypark Stadium.

July 1, 2015

Football

Ex-Wildwood football star at forefront of concussion-reducing helmet technology

by Joseph Santoliquito

Dr. Sam Browd sat behind his desk, shook his head and sighed. The Seattle-based pediatric neurosurgeon was lamenting a day in August 2013 to his friend, Dave Marver, about the rising number of football-related concussions among young players, and how it was a shame many of those kids wouldn’t play again.

May 31, 2015

Rugby

Cal wins third-straight collegiate rugby title with a little help

by Joseph Santoliquito

You may not find a tougher athlete than a rugby player. Each time there was a bone-jarring hit at the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship this weekend it echoed throughout PPL Park like a large knuckle cracking. And each time, when you thought there is no way anyone could get up from that human car crash, they always got up. Maybe with a limp. Maybe with a broken nose, or a sprain.

May 30, 2015

NCAA

Cal in position for threepeat at Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship

by Joseph Santoliquito

After one day, the Golden Bears are in a good position to threepeat, going 3-0 in pool play. Cal’s road may possibly be impacted on Sunday in the championship rounds by Arkansas State, which has not lost a sevens match since 2012 and is competing in this event for the first time.

May 26, 2015

Boxing

Is Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s crossover appeal finished?

by Joseph Santoliquito

Mayweather-Pacquiao will no doubt generate record-breaking pay-per-view numbers, many projecting that figure to be over the 4-million mark, possibly over 5 million. But will the masses pay to see Mayweather in record numbers again? Will sports fans across the country clamor to see a rematch, or go out of their way to purchase a Mayweather fight?