Column Archive

Athletic Excellence Competes with Raunch Culture at Women’s World Cup

It’s been a remarkable month for soccer but any assessment of this triumph would be incomplete without taking stock of the raunch culture that stalked the tournament’s every step.

Why I'm Boycotting the Arizona All-Star Game

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John Mackey: The Death of a Football and Union Legend

In death, legendary Baltimore Colts tight end John Mackey will undoubtedly be remembered for how he played the game. But he was so much more. He was a union legend, a cautionary tale, and a towering figure who will go down in the history books

N.B.A. Lockout: Can Players Save Owners from Themselves?

National Basketball Association players, like their N.F.L. counterparts, have now been “locked out” by team owners, putting the 2011-12 season in jeopardy. But other than the presence of a lot of very angry athletes, there are few similarities between the two conflicts.

What Does the LA Dodgers Bankruptcy Say About America?

By symbolizing bankruptcy and community apathy, the LA Dodgers make an unwelcome return to the national Zeitgeist.

The Beatles! Muhammad Ali! And the "Accidental Sportswriter" Who Saw It All

It's difficult to imagine your heroes and she-roes arriving at greatness in "accidental" fashion. It’s hard to envision Magic Johnson as an "accidental basketball player", who just stumbled into a gym and started zipping no-look passes. No one thinks Adele sings like Adele because she was pushed onstage at a karaoke bar. We are taught that focused, hyper-competitive ambition is a prerequisite to achievement. The reality is often far more pedestrian. Enter arguably the finest sportswriter above ground: Robert Lipsyte.

Adrian Gonzalez Will Attend the 2011 All-Star Game. We Should Not

Adrian Gonzalez Will Attend the 2011 All-Star Game. That’s very good news for Major League Baseball and many fans. But it’s bad news for immigrant rights activists who have looked to Gonzalez to boycott the game because of Arizona’s horrific “papers please” immigration law SB 1070.

Understanding Vancouver's 'Hockey Riot'

Is there more than meets the eye to the riots that followed Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, or less?

Lebron James and the Quote Heard Round the World

The most polarizing athlete in sports, playing for the most polarizing team, just gave us the most polarizing post-game quote in living memory.

Let Them Play: Behind FIFA's Decision to Ban Iran's National Women's Team

The Iranian Women's soccer team isn’t being allowed to take the field as long as they wear Muslim dress. Something stinks in FIFA land.