In a recent polemic Dave Zirin asks if "jock culture" is to be blamed for the Steubenville case.Responding to evidence that adults around these football players conspired to cover up the shame and the crime of it all, Zirin tackles the social structure framing the story. "Steubenville," … [Read more...]
The Knife: From a Left Wing’s favorite band.
She’s a Forward and She’s Really Awesome
I wrote about Sam Gordon the other week for Salon. Love. Her. … [Read more...]
Tough Mudder: The Deskilling of the Cross Country Runner?
Painted in mud, the best high school cross-country runners stumbled across the line. The exhausted pack ran their worst times all season. The painfulness of this fact was thrown into stark relief by the boorish slogan suspended across the course finish: "Run hungry. Taste victory." Nike Cross … [Read more...]
Kelly Smith: It’s Always the Quiet Ones
Kelly Smith celebrates a goal, her magic foot and the shoe it was in.When you teach you learn pretty quickly that the very smartest and most interesting students are often quiet. Some are painfully shy and intense listeners. Some only talk when they think they have something valuable to contribute … [Read more...]
Hope Solo’s Paradox (a book review)
Solo: A Memoir of Hope is the story of a deeply charismatic outsider. She is a lone wolf, but she was also a prom queen. That's the paradox of Solo's persona: she's the outcast in the middle of every drama, the anti-social social phenomenon. Solo might be an independent spirt, but this book is … [Read more...]
Oh the Irony!: Nike’s Gold Diggers
Can Nike come up with an Olympic motto worse than "Greatness has been found?" YES!Of course, this shirt is only sold in women's sizes. Nike explains itself:“Nike has consistently supported female athletes and the position they enjoy as positive role models. The t-shirt uses a … [Read more...]
The Gender of Second
Mariya Savinova and Caster SemenyaWhen Caster Semenya raced from last to second in the final stretch of the women's 800 meters, some wondered is she aimed for silver. She has a turbo drive of a kick - if she'd engaged it sooner she might have taken gold. Maybe.Second guessing someone who comes in … [Read more...]
Greatness Has Been Found: A Close Reading
Doing it themselves. USWNT fans at the 2011 World Cup semi-final.At the end of yesterday's match, most of the USWNT pulled Nike t-shirts over their uniforms. The kit sponsor must move its merchandise. As long as the swoosh is on the team jersey it doesn't much matter than they throw another … [Read more...]
Happy Together
On July 20th, someone tweeting as Pia Sundhage - and I do think it might actually be Sundhage - wrote the following:Happy Players have a tendency to make good decisions on the field - together. Something shifted about 18 months ago. The USWNT looked very shaky. They barely … [Read more...]