MetaFilter posts tagged with sports and politics

The unbearable weight of sports politics

Surfurrus — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:54:31 -0800

Sports activism is dead? - so asks Andy Kroll in his review of Dave Zirin's new book, A People's History of Sports in the United States.

"And since the ‘80s, the money, TV time, and narcissism have only increased. Most professional athletes could care less — that is, if they even know at all — that their sponsors’ shoes and jerseys are made in squalid conditions in third world countries."

Author Zirin argues that “[w]e can pretend sports isn’t political just as well as we can pretend there is no such thing as gravity if we fall out of an airplane.” Kroll calls Michael Phelps 'corporate posterboy' and blasts the Olympic athletes.

" ... Miami Heat and USA Basketball star Dwayne Wade. On the eve of the Games, Wade said of China’s human rights problems: “I’m not even into it that much … I really don’t know what’s going on over there.”

Maybe it isn't 'apathy' -- maybe sports activism isn't completely gone in America - - could it be that it is just relegated to 'product placement'? Phelps in HUMV and military regalia in his hometown celebration. (Simultaneously, other Olympic heros are celebrated -- Jamaicans dance with their heroes.)

Throw "Thrown Under a Bus" Under a Freakin Bus

Xurando — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:57:13 -0800

Are you as sick of reading/hearing this as I am? "Thrown under the bus."

One World, One Dream, Four Mascots

homunculus — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:30:52 -0800

China Praises Its Progress Toward Olympics. With one year to go before the 2008 Olympics, China still has many challenges ahead, like dealing with Beijing's terrible air pollution. There is still much criticism over China's record on human rights and freedom of the press, and some protests. But perhaps the most embarrassing public relations setback is that one of the official mascots, Yingsel (aka Yingying) the Tibetan Antelope, has defected from China's Olympic team and gone underground to campaign for a free Tibet. [Some links via BB and MoFi.]

Ultimate Wingnut Fantasy Wankball

Steven C. Den Beste — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 17:33:58 -0800

Ultimate Wingnut Fantasy Wankball: "Fantasy football" (??) played with right wing bloggers. (Me, I think I want a raise.)

John Kerry throws like a girl

loquax — Wed, 29 Sep 2004 11:49:35 -0800

The evidence is compelling: John Kerry responds to George Bush's GOP acceptance speech with the following opening remarks: "I'll tell you what happened tonight that will be remembered. The Boston Red Sox moved to within 2.5 games of the New York Yankees."

At the time of Kerry's speech, however, the Red Sox had not moved up in the standings. While they won that night, so did the Yankees, and the Sox remained 3.5 games back.

And John Kerry accuses Bush of misleading the American people?

Bush: The Athletic Supporter Candidate

fenriq — Tue, 25 May 2004 15:28:16 -0800

Bush Will Win Because He's A Jock
(warning National Review filter)
Sorry, I had to post this because its about the dumbest article on why Bush will win the election that I have ever seen.

via Bush Must Go

CRS — Thu, 16 Nov 2000 12:55:57 -0800

Maybe the candidates will care to make a small wager? Harvard and Yale prepare to duke it out in the next Ivy League heavyweight rumble.

sudama — Fri, 22 Sep 2000 23:03:05 -0800

Reuters 09/22 6:34PM -- NBC, which in August bid for the exclusive right to host a presidential debate, said on Friday it would broadcast a baseball game instead of the first showdown between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush. "We have a contract with major-league baseball. You don't seriously think we have any interest in democracy, do you?,'' said NBC spokeswoman Barbara Levin. "If we were offerred more than the value of the baseball contract, we would be televising it.''