Though it may not be immediately obvious, sports and literature have a lot in common. In both worlds, the infinitesimal has grand consequences. Coming up a yard short in sports has the same implications as being a word off in literature.Yes, the work is different, but the commitments to greatness are indistinguishable from one another.Its important, then, that there are people who dedicate themselves to ensuring that the devotion is valued. The greatness, celebrated.In the same way former NBA commissioner David Stern understood that fans who watched basketball were as important to the games popularity as the athletes who played, National Book Foundation executive director Lisa Lucas is working around the clock so that we understand literature is about more than just the people who write, edit, publish, market and sell books; theyre about us -- the people who are, and should be, reading them.Similar to the excitement and fanfare Stern drummed up for the NBA, Lucas is looking to bring a similar excitement to the world of literature by making noise for the National Book Awards, an annual literary award show that celebrates the best of American literature, where those who spend countless hours honing their skills in the dark can be brought to the spotlight, and where even the biggest skeptics can be converted into believers.Great writing can be subjective, but Lucass objective is clear. Elevating the game means thinking about it differently, reckoning with the potential whats to be gained and expanding the ideas of whats possible. And because the smallest things make a worlds difference, the biggest changes are subtle; creating a gradual influence that eventually changes everything. I think about the 1992 Dream Team when I write this.About how many generations of kids, home and abroad, male and female, were emboldened to give their life to a sport that couldve ultimately been regarded as just a game had Stern not opted to allow NBA players to represent the United States in the Olympics instead of college players, which was standard practice at the time.Sterns decision to showcase athletes at the highest level was him understanding that your best foot forward kept you a step ahead. It also makes people want follow your lead.It is not my or anyone elses place to say, This isnt for you, Lucas tells me at her Wall Street office. The statement had come in the midst of a conversation about the direction of the foundation, where its going, where she plans to take it. Serving as its third president and being the first woman and black woman to head the organization, theres an understandable pressure to say what people may expect, or want to hear. Lucas sidesteps the expectations of others by staying true to what brought her to the foundation in the first place: the experience of the reader.If you think youre going to get a specific answer as to what kind of reader Lucas has in mind, youre not. A deeply cherished conviction of hers is that any and every one is a potential reader. The question then becomes: Well, how do you find them? A question Lucas answers with her and her staffs -- team of eight -- incessant travels around the country, visiting various literary festivals, speaking at libraries, participating in numerous panels; anything that drives the point home that theyre serious in meeting potential readers where they are, letting readers know that, even if they not sure about crossing the threshold, the door is always open.This means finding different ways to engage.Theres a different energy Lisa brings with her, director of programs Benjamin Samuels says, her presence alone gets people excited.By this time, weve moved to the room next door to her office where she and the foundations staff are preparing the invites for this years National Book Awards. Besides the awards being the organizations biggest event, its also one, if not the, most premier event in literature -- and Lucas has treated it as such.To build buzz for the awards, Lucas partnered up with The New Yorker to announce the finalist for each of the awards four categories -- young peoples literature, poetry, non-fiction and fiction -- on Facebook Live. Nearly 60,000 people watched the live broadcast, which is by no means a small number, but to see the moon, like Lucas wants to do, you have to be willing to look beyond the stars. Her unconventional approach is what landed actor and comedian Larry Wilmore as the host for this years award ceremony and dinner.There are plenty people with big voices, talking about books all the time, Lucas says while sorting and signing award invitations, and we want them at the table.I think about Lucass comment about bringing more people to the table in context to a few things: who her favorite athletes are (LeBron James, Serena and Venus Williams -- any athlete thats using their platform to bring awareness to social and political issues), her position as the executive director of National Book Foundation and what it may represent to people beyond the literary world.And the album thats playing in the background, Solanges A Seat at the Table, a record documenting what it means to grapple with your own inner glory even as the world fights you. What Lucas shares with her favorite athletes is the willingness to use her position to fight for a bigger table with more seats, one where everyone can sit.As Solanges album continues to play beneath our conversation, Lucas exclaims that in addition to LeBron, and the Williams sisters, shes also a huge fan of the entire WNBA.When I ask her why, Because were [the foundation] are a lot like them, she says. I remember when the WNBA first started, everyone said they wouldnt last longer than two years. But just like great literature, look: Theyre still here.?Yahdon Israel writes about race, class, gender and culture in American society. He has written for Avidly, The New Inquiry, Guernica and LitHub. He runs a popular Instagram page, which promotes literary culture as style with the hashtag #literaryswag. http://www.falconsrookiestore.com/Customized/ . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. http://www.falconsrookiestore.com/Falcons-Matt-Bosher-Jersey/ .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. http://www.falconsrookiestore.com/Hats/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.falconsrookiestore.com/Falcons-Wes-Schweitzer-Jersey/ . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. http://www.falconsrookiestore.com/Falcons-Duke-Riley-Jersey/ . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea.Hull KR have sacked head coach Chris Chester, with his assistant Willie Poching taking charge for Fridays Super League clash at home to St Helens, live on Sky Sports. The club issued a statement on Wednesday morning that Chester had stood down with immediate effect.The statement added: The sole focus of everybody at the club at this time is on Fridays game and securing two much needed points and any further comment on the situation, future plans and expectations will follow after the weekend. Rovers fans reacted angrily at the end of the 14-12 home defeat to Wakefield Wildcats on Sunday, booing the players after a result which left them without a win after the first three Super League rounds.The loss to visitors Wakefield at the KC Lightstream Stadium was the first win of the season for last years bottom club.Hosts Rovers are ninth in the table, with just a solitary point from the opening round 16-16 draw at home with Castleford Tigers.Chester, who previously played for the Robins as a back row forward, became a coach at the club in 2009, before being promoted to head coach in 2014.In his first full season at the helm, the 37-year-old guided Rovers to the 2015 Challenge Cup final, which they lost 50-0 to holders Leeds Rhinos. Highlights of Hull KRs 14-12 Super League defeat by Wakefield at the weekend Chester almost predicted his own downfall at Hull KRs pre-season media day in January after being told he was second favourite - behind Wakefields Brian Smith - to become the first Super League coaching casualty of 2016.dddddddddddde said: I thought Id have been the favourite after the weekend! It comes with the territory; its part of the job and it doesnt worry me too much. Ive just got to get on with my job because its a job Im very privileged to do.While Poching will take temporary charge, the task of finding a successor will almost certainly fall to Jamie Peacock, the former England captain and Leeds and Bradford forward who took up the clubs newly-created role of football manager at the start of the season.At a press conference later on Wednesday, Poching spoke of his ambition to become a head coach. Tony Puletua carries the ball for Hull KR in the 2015 Challenge Cup Final against Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium. Poching, 42, joined Rovers as assistant coach from Warrington at the start of last season, and said he is now ready to take control of a team.Im really excited, Poching said. Ive been 10 years as an assistant and Im not a head coach yet - Im just holding the fort. Its not the way I would have envisaged or liked but Ive got a job to do.Im genuinely excited to work with the players we have here. I love coming to work every day.Asked if he would like the job on a permanent basis, Poching said: Definitely. Ive waited almost 10 years for a chance to come along. Ive bided my time, Ive done an apprenticeship. I came into this gig as a coach to one day be in charge of a team and I still harbour that ambition.Watch Hull KR in Super League action at home to St Helens on Friday, live on Sky Sports 2 HD from 7.30pm. Or watch for £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV. 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