Whoever plotted and carried out Monday’s bomb attack near the finish line of the Boston Marathon did their homework. If you’re going to attack a large sporting event, it’s hard to find an event more vulnerable than a marathon.

The vast majority of sporting events take place within the confines of a venue. Stadiums, arenas, even golf courses, have gates and gatekeepers. Security officials can keep a reasonably close eye on who comes in and who goes out. Bags can be checked, metal detectors can be installed, suspicious items can be confiscated.

Marathons take place in the streets. In the case of very large marathons, like Boston’s, hundreds of thousands of spectators line the streets to watch tens of thousands of runners. The crowd condenses near the finish line, as spectators pack into any available space to watch the winners break the tape, and watch friends and family members cover the final few hundred yards to the finish.

They stand five and 10 deep or more. They climb onto benches and light pole bases to get a better view. Children sit on the shoulders of their parents. It’s a celebration. It’s also a nightmare for anyone in charge of ensuring public safety.

With countless people packed into a small space, the opportunity is readily available for a person with nefarious intentions to hide in plain sight, plant a device, and slip away down an alley or through a building. That is reportedly what happened Monday, as the perpetrator (or perpetrators) allegedly dropped shrapnel bombs in garbage cans lining the race’s home stretch on Boylston Street, near Boston’s Copley Square. Two bombs detonated in rapid succession around 2:45 p.m., about an hour after the winner had crossed the finish line. Two more explosive devices were reportedly found nearby, undetonated.

The explosions injured hundreds of spectators, many critically or seriously. As of Tuesday morning, three people had died.

The attack was a manifestation of physical violence, but we know that terrorism is, at its bare essence, psychological warfare. It doesn’t matter if the perpetrator is of foreign or domestic origin, the intent is clearly stated in the root word: terror. And when we’re jolted out of our relatively peaceful American existence by an attack like this, the terrorists accomplish their mission. We may go on with our daily lives as usual, but our hearts beat a little faster, we tread into unsure situations with more caution, we worry more about the safety of ourselves and our loved ones.

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The Tough Mudder is a 12-13 mile obstacle course designed by British Special Forces to test a participant’s all-around strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie.

The worldwide event was founded by Will Dean, a former counter-terrorism agent for the British government. While working on his master’s degree at Harvard, Dean created Tough Mudder because he was looking for a challenge that marathons, triathlons and other adventure runs did not offer.

Started in 2010 with just three races, there were 35 Tough Mudders held in 2012. The event has seen more than 700,000 people participate in a course that features anywhere from 25 to 30 obstacles, ranging from the Artic Enema, to the Ball Shrinker, Dirty Ballerina, Electric Eel and the Turd’s Nest, just to name a few. According to the group’s website, it is “the premier adventure challenge series in the world.”

The group has also raised more than $5 million for the Wounded Warrior Project by offering a discount off the registration fee for any participant who pledges to raise $150.

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It was likely that the Blue Jackets were going to make a splash one way or another during the first trade deadline for President of Hockey Operations John Davidson and new General Manager Jarmo Kekäläinen. They did exactly that on Wednesday. The Blue Jackets acquired Marian Gaborik and two prospect from the New York Rangers and traded Steve Mason to the Philadelphia Flyers. For Gaborik, the Jackets gave up Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett, John Moore, and a sixth round pick. For Mason, the Jackets acquired goaltender Michael Leighton, who will serve as the backup goaltender, and a third round pick.

Gaborik seems to have fallen out of favor in New York City. He has just 19 points in 35 games and just six goals in his last 33 games. The Blue Jackets are a team in desperate need of talent and Gaborik gives them some. Over 757 career games, Gaborik has 333 goals and 333 assists. He had a no-trade clause, which he waived to allow the deal to happen. Perhaps the best part of the deal is that the Blue Jackets kept all three of their first round draft picks.

Gaborik is signed through next season for $7.5 million.

Derick Brassard never blossomed into the player that the Blue Jackets thought he would when they took him in the first round of the 2006 draft. Derek Dorsett will be a great energy guy for the Rangers, who are in need of players like that who can give a big effort on a nightly basis, but the Jackets have plenty of players in that role. Also, Dorsett is out until the playoffs with a broken collarbone. John Moore could be a loss for the Jackets, but they have very good depth in terms of young defensemen, so he became expendable.

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This is one installment in a team effort by The Cleveland Fan, highlighting the top local sports figures by jersey number. Please weigh in with your thoughts, in the Boards. As David Letterman would say, “For entertainment purposes only; please, no wagering.”

Paul Brown was a man that seemed to always know what he wanted, but better yet, he found ways to get those things.  "Nobody touches Graham", his offensive lineman would chant as they broke the huddle, and it wasn't often that they did, en route to Championships in their first five seasons of existence.  Weldon "Hum" Humble wasn't there for all of them, but played a significant role in three of them.

You'll have to forgive the native of San Antonio for not helping the Browns in 1946; he was at Rice University for the second time, leading the Owls to an 8-2 season that ended with a victory over Tennessee in the Orange Bowl.  The Orange Bowl is played in Florida, and that just happened to be where the namesake of the Cleveland Browns was on vacation at the time.

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