Column Archive

The Power of Gabby Douglas

There are two kinds of political athletes. The first, and most memorable, are athletes who engage in the explicit politics of protest. This tradition is marked by Muhammad Ali saying, “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong.” It’s Billie Jean King marching for Title IX. It’s Curt Flood saying he refused to be a “well paid slave.” It’s John Carlos and Tommie Smith raising their fists in the name of civil and human rights. But then there is a different kind of athletic politics: the politics of representation. That’s Jackie Robinson the moment he took the field to break baseball’s color line. That’s Martina Navratilova, all ropey muscles, forcing the world to confront a more powerful kind of woman athlete. That’s Compton’s Serena and Venus Williams dominating their country club sport.

An anti-racist Olympic rebel

The furor over Australian boxer Damian Hooper's decision to wear a T-shirt bearing the Aboriginal flag shows a new level of hypocrisy at the Olympics, writes Dave Zirin.

Danny Boyle's Olympic Minstrel Show

In the category of “debates I never thought I’d be having” comes a rager about whether or not the Danny Boyle–directed opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics constituted some sort of left-wing creative masterpiece: Fantasia as directed by Ken Loach.

The 'Wazzock' Mitt Romney Is Wrong About the London Olympics, and This Is Unfortunate

So much for that shared “Anglo Saxon heritage.” Mitt Romney is getting roasted across the British press and political establishment for arriving on the shores of the United Kingdom armed with a critique of London’s capacity to host the 2012 Olympic Games. The biggest issue is neither the gaffe nor the demonstrable fact that Romney is a walking gaffe-machine. It’s that he is dead wrong about the UK’s preparedness, and this is actually unfortunate. The UK is not under-prepared but over-prepared.

Why the NCAA's Sanctions on Penn State Are Just Dead Wrong

No one argues that Penn State should suffer for the crimes of its leadership in shielding former assistant coach/child predator Jerry Sandusky. But the NCAA's actions against the school mark a stomach-turning, precedent-setting and lawless turning point in its history. The punishment levied by Emmert was nothing less than an extra-legal, extrajudicial imposition into the affairs of a publicly funded campus. If allowed to stand, the repercussions will be felt far beyond Happy Valley.

Against Abolishing Football at Penn State

Spare me. Spare me the calls to abolish Penn State’s football program in the wake of findings by former FBI Chief Louis Freeh that Coach Joe Paterno and other men in power hid the crimes of child rapist/assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. Spare me the NCAA’s ominous warning that they “will determine whether any additional action is necessary on its part at the appropriate time.” Spare me the self-righteous rage of sports writers who spent decades burnishing the Paterno legend and now rush to tear it all down.

The Shocking Truth About Joe Paterno, Penn State and Governor Tom Corbett

Former FBI Director Louis Freeh's report on wrongdoing at Penn State is shocking for what it reveals about Joe Paterno. The report is also striking for what it doesn’t reveal, mainly the role of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett. 

Serena Williams and Getting “Emotional” for Title IX

After Serena Williams won her fifth Wimbledon title in stunning fashion on Saturday, she was asked a familiar question on the tournament’s storied Centre Court. It’s a question that seems to be posited to every female athlete at every level of competition: “Was it difficult for you to control your emotions?”When Serena had to field the “emotions” question on the highest possible stage, it was for me a window into why so many women and men celebrated the recent 40thanniversary of the passage of Title IX.

Steve Nash to the Lakers: the political impact

In explosive sports news that upstaged even the fireworks on the 4th of July, the Los Angeles Lakers announced that they had traded for Phoenix Suns All-Star point guard and two-time Most Valuable Player Steve Nash. Understandably people are already recalibrating the 2012-2013 season, wondering if Nash and his future Hall-of-Fame teammate Kobe Bryant can not only co-exist but compete for a championship. But a less discussed question is the political impact, if any at all, of Steve Nash playing in the white-hot spotlight of Laker-Land.

Drew Brees, Union Power and the Big Payback

Quarterback/demigod Drew Brees is the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He also, for some curious reason, can’t get a solid contract offer from his team, the New Orleans Saints. The sports radio talking heads are yipping about whether the 33-year-old Brees is asking for too much. But this story is not about the pay. It’s the payback.