Column Archive

The Blind Side Was Always Trash
The Blind Side Was Always Trash

August 15, 2023
The book and movie about former NFL lineman Michael Oher lean into the white-savior trope. They were terrible long before the allegations that they were based on lies.

Why the Right Wanted the USWNT to Lose
Why the Right Wanted the USWNT to Lose

August 10, 2023
Conservatives want everything Megan Rapinoe represents—feminism, queerness, anti-racism, reproductive choice, women’s strength—to wither away.

Decolonization and the Women’s World Cup
Decolonization and the Women’s World Cup

August 5, 2023

Carli Lloyd’s Attacks on the USWNT Are Personal—and Political
Carli Lloyd’s Attacks on the USWNT Are Personal—and Political

August 1, 2023
The US Women’s National Team has always carried a double burden: They need to be the best, and they need to be global soccer icons.

Time to Stop Running
Time to Stop Running

July 26, 2023
NFL running backs are in the same fight as all laborers: the struggle to be treated as humans, not “cattle.”

Colin Kaepernick’s Defense of Black Studies
Colin Kaepernick’s Defense of Black Studies

July 19, 2023
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback tells Dave Zirin why he’s raising the alarm about government attacks on Black history.

The End of the New York Times Sports Page Is a Tragedy
The End of the New York Times Sports Page Is a Tragedy

July 14, 2023
In a union-busting move, the most important newspaper in the country killed its sports page.

“What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” by Frederick Douglass
“What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” by Frederick Douglass

July 4, 2023
This is the perfect time to read the entirety of Frederick Douglass’s famous speech, and not merely because of the date on the calendar.

The Paris Olympics Are Developing a Familiar Stench
The Paris Olympics Are Developing a Familiar Stench

June 27, 2023
A recent raid shows that the Olympic corruption follies aren’t going anywhere.

“I Write Things I Cannot Play”: The Secret of Liz Phair
“I Write Things I Cannot Play”: The Secret of Liz Phair

June 20, 2023
Thirty years after the release of her classic album Exile in Guyville, the singer-songwriter is taking the record back on the road.