Full Archive

The People Speak: When Television Makes History

On December 13th, a date I’ve basically had tattooed on my arm like the guy from Memento, The People Speak finally makes its debut on the History Channel. This is more than just must-see-TV. It is nothing less than the life's work of "people’s historian” Howard Zinn brought to life by some of the most talented actors, musicians, and poets in the country.

Message to Obama: You Can't Have Muhammad Ali

On November 19th, Obama wrote about why Ali's photo hangs over his desk, praising "The Greatest" for "his unique ability to summon extraordinary strength and courage in the face of adversity, to navigate the storm and never lose his way." On Tuesday, Obama showed neither courage nor strength but the worst kind of imperial arrogance. He asserted America's right to go into a deeply impoverished country that - from Alexander the Great to the USSR to today - has made clear to the world's empires that it wants to be left the hell alone.

Tiger Woods Deserves Your Scrutiny

Today, Tiger Woods, the most famous, wealthy and most PR conscious athlete on earth, finally finds himself subject to scrutiny. But it has more to do with his personal life than issues of substance.

Amy Goodman and Canada's Olympic Paranoia

When it comes to independent, agitational journalism, the standard is Amy Goodman and her radio/television institution, Democracy Now!  Goodman and her staff often find themselves accosted by officials, foreign and domestic. This happened again on Thursday. But it didn't happen in East Timor or Burma. Goodman was detained by our neighbors to the north. And it was all about the Olympics.

The NFL’s Concussion Conundrum

On Sunday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made a startling concession to medical ethics, one resisted by all of his predecessors. What will possibly happen when independent neurologists come to the locker room?

Women Ski Jumpers and the Rule of Law

Here's a sentence I never thought I'd write: if you care about democracy and the rule of law, you need to care about women's ski jumping. This juxtaposition, straight out of a Hunter S. Thompson acid trip, relates to a court ruling in Canada that is both frightening in its scope and outrageous in its implications.

A Sterling Shame

Many columnists throughout the sports world were aghast when the volcanic bigot Rush Limbaugh wanted to be part owner of the St. Louis Rams. Many columnists also praised National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern when he attempted to crack down on players' conduct. Yet there has been barely a sound as an owner has been exposed as having a racist business practice, with conduct unbecoming of the NBA.

DMC with DZ in STUDIO!!!

Special Edge of Sports Radio for the HOMEPAGE! The King of Rock is in the building! Darryl "DMC" McDaniels visits us today for the ENTIRE show. He touches on everything from hip hop to sports to the youth of America. You can't miss this episode!

The Coming Labor War in the NFL

The collective bargaining agreement is due to expire at the end of the 2010 season and all signs are that an era of labor/management partnership is not at hand. As Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King wrote this week, “It's going to get ugly. There's better than a 50-percent chance, I believe, of some work stoppage in 2011, as incredibly golden-goose-killing as that sounds.” (In the current print edition of the Nation.)

L.A. Stadium Story: No football team, No Problem

A few miles outside of Los Angeles, in a business-tax-free haven of strip malls and strip clubs called the City of Industry -- under 800 residents and fewer than 100 voters -- ground is ready to be broken for an $800-million football stadium. The team to play there is yet to be determined. But the hope is that a wayward owner longing for luxury boxes will want to call it home.