It seems sports writing is limited to 140 characters these days. Long pieces are multiple tweets.

So it is refreshing to get a reminder that the craft still can produce long, thoughtful, insightful stories that combine the best of reporting and writing.

The Best American Sports Writing 2012 shows you what the genre is and still can be in the new media age. Here’s the link at Amazon.

Series editor Glenn Stout, and this year’s guest editor, Michael Wilbon, have compiled an offering of stories that quite simply will blow you away. And they run the spectrum of platforms. There are stories you likely wouldn’t have seen if not for this book.

The menu includes:

Alex Belth in Deadspin on the wild life of George Kimball, the Boston sportswriter who was a true character.

Paul Solotaroff with Rick Telander in Men’s Journal on the tragic death of Dave Duerson.

John Brant in Runner’s World on Frank Shorter revealing the secrets of the torment from his incredibly abusive father. This is truly a harrowing story.

Michael Mooney in D Magazine writes a terrific profile of Ron Washington despite the Texas manager declining to sit down with him for an interview.

Tim Layden in Sports Illustrated on a school’s forgotten college football hero.

And there’s more, so much more. Be sure to get the book. It’s a good reminder that sports writing still is alive and well.