Column Archive

Why People Don’t Even Trust the Super Bowl

It’s unsurprising that a game wrapped in lies produces a result that many cannot accept.

LeBron James’s Double Burden

LeBron had to climb the heights of basketball while also navigating the pressures of a movement, which makes his ascension all the more remarkable.

So Who Was Tom Brady?

After a quarter-century in the public eye, the future Hall of Famer is retiring, and we somehow know even less about him now than when he started.

The Enduring Stench of Jerry Jones’s Politics

The owner of Dallas Cowboys has never hired a Black head coach—and the team hasn’t won a championship in 27 years.

Tony Dungy Is a Right-Wing Zealot and the NFL and NBC Don’t Care

The Hall of Fame coach is held up as the epitome of character—but Tony Dungy has used his devoutness as cover for anti-gay bigotry.

Damar Hamlin’s Pain Is Not a Feel-Good Story

The NFL is encouraging the public to feel joy instead of trauma so the show can go on.

The NFL Just Showed the World What It Thinks of Its Players

When a player almost dies on the field, the game must end.

Grim Until Griner: The Year in Sports and Politics

In 2022, silence and fear ruled the day. But Brittney Griner’s freedom provides a road map for all of us.

The Big Winners of the 2022 World Cup? Qatar and Despots the World Over (and Messi)

Even “sportswashing” that costs over $200 billion appears to be money well spent.

The Best of Us: A Tribute to Grant Wahl

The great soccer writer never hesitated to speak truth to power, and his sudden death sent shock waves through the World Cup.