Quote:

“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.”--Martin Luther King

Friday, February 1, 2013

Sports Revolution?

In this review of Dave Zirin's latest collection of sports and politically-themed essays, Ron Jacobs seems to hear a groundswell of new political voices among the over-paid and idolized rabble of the professional sporting class.

I don't hear it, but I won't quibble with his optimism.  Zirin is a thought-provoking writer and these essays are welcomed.

Is there a new Jim Brown or Curt Flood out there?  I don't see one.

I'm just not certain professional athletes these days, with a few exceptions, are hearing the message to the degree Jacobs claims.

Baseball particularly is jammed with right-wingers.  Few places are as sullied by homophobia as a sports team's locker room.  Many pro football players are simply too dumb to think independently.

It is awfully hard to bite the hand that feeds you millions; pro athletes have a harder time than most unless they are engaged in something that exponentially effects their own wealth.


TS 

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