Column Archive

Tony Dungy Is a Right-Wing Zealot and the NFL and NBC Don’t Care

The Hall of Fame coach is held up as the epitome of character—but Tony Dungy has used his devoutness as cover for anti-gay bigotry.

Damar Hamlin’s Pain Is Not a Feel-Good Story

The NFL is encouraging the public to feel joy instead of trauma so the show can go on.

The NFL Just Showed the World What It Thinks of Its Players

When a player almost dies on the field, the game must end.

Grim Until Griner: The Year in Sports and Politics

In 2022, silence and fear ruled the day. But Brittney Griner’s freedom provides a road map for all of us.

The Big Winners of the 2022 World Cup? Qatar and Despots the World Over (and Messi)

Even “sportswashing” that costs over $200 billion appears to be money well spent.

The Best of Us: A Tribute to Grant Wahl

The great soccer writer never hesitated to speak truth to power, and his sudden death sent shock waves through the World Cup.

A Vindication for Agitation: Brittney Griner Is Coming Home

Many of the obstacles to freeing Brittney Griner were domestic, not foreign.

Palestine: The Unexpected Star of the 2022 World Cup

From player demonstrations to unfurled flags, Palestinian struggle has been visible and fearless at the World Cup.

The Response to Brittney Griner’s Capture Is an Indictment of the Right and the “Left”

Why is commonsense solidarity so difficult?

Brittney Griner’s Jail Conditions Speak to the Urgency of Bringing Her Home

If the US doesn’t bring her back, the basketball star’s nine-year prison sentence in Russia’s “land of prisons” will likely be brutal.