Five at Twelve | FanNation

Many are still trying to figure out what happened to the Cubs.

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Each day during the noon hour, we'll offer five reading recommendations from around the Web.

1. The real reason the Cubs lost: Scouting (By King Kaufman, Salon.com): Is advance scouting really the reason the Cubs fizzled out of the playoffs?

2. After Some Years Away, Focus Returns to Red River (By Thayer Evans, The New York Times): This Saturday's Red River Rivalry, the annual grudge match between Oklahoma and Texas, finds both schools ranked in the top five for the first time since 2004.

3. Millen is gone but the ugliness lingers (By Mitch Albom, Detroit Free-Press): "It can't get any worse," writes Albom, "but it keeps getting worse."

4. Mayo emerges for Grizzlies (By Ronald Tillery, Memphis Commercial Appeal): Arriving early and staying late, O.J. Mayo's transition to NBA life has been as smooth as his silky jumper.

5. Is Sports Activism Dead? (By Andy Kroll, CampusProgress.org): Says the author in his review of Dave Zirin's book A People's History of Sports in the United States: "[S]ince the '80s, the money, TV time, and narcissism have only increased. Most professional athletes could care less -- that is, if they even know at all -- that their sponsors’ shoes and jerseys are made in squalid conditions in third world countries."

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October 6, 2008 12:40 PM ET

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Here are the reasons the Cubs lost: Tey got outscored 20-6 in the three games; They made more errors in one game than the Dodgers did in three games; the Dodgers pitching staff had the second lowest team in the major leagues in the regular season.