tingilinde

racism and football - 50 yrs ago

A civil rights protest involving the University of Wyoming football team. 

snip

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The university’s athletic director had spent the previous night in Orlando watching the players — known as the “Black 14” — accept an award and explain how they had been kicked off the team in 1969 after trying to ask their coach if they could wear black armbands during an upcoming game. They had wanted to show solidarity against racism at a time when civil rights protests were common on the nation’s college campuses.

Instead, they were immediately banished, sending many of their lives into turmoil. Some transferred away from Wyoming, others left school, never to return and never to receive a degree. Burman hurt for the men as he heard how they had been villainized throughout the state as insubordinate and ungrateful, how most fans sided with their white coach and his strict “no protest” policy.

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on becoming a world champion

Sarah Pavan is a focused friend.  She was a biochem major in college, but also happens to be an elite athlete. She sums up a remarkable year as she prepares for the Tokyo Olympics.  If you want to watch something other than college football on Thanksgiving, here's a link to the Beach Volleyball Women's World Championship gold medal match in Hamburg.  Both teams are amazing and it's a remarkable match.

Her teammate Melissa Humana-Paredes is also a star.  With only two players on a team complementary skills and communication are central.  Most teams never get there, but these two are about as close as it gets.

 

 

 

one of the best sports interviews ever

a tip of the hat to Sarah

 

nike and elite women runners

Given the recent allegations and basic logic, it is reasonable to believe Mary Cain and not trust Nike.

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At 17, Mary Cain was already a record-breaking phenom: the fastest girl in a generation, and the youngest American track and field athlete to make a World Championships team. In 2013, she was signed by the best track team in the world, Nike’s Oregon Project, run by its star coach Alberto Salazar.

Then everything collapsed. Her fall was just as spectacular as her rise, and she shares that story for the first time in the Video Op-Ed above.

Instead of becoming a symbol of girls’ unlimited potential in sports, Cain became yet another standout young athlete who got beaten down by a win-at-all-costs culture. Girls like Cain become damaged goods and fade away. We rarely hear what happened to them. We move on.

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on the sociology of sports fans

A rank ordered list of sporting events by the key boo/cheer ratio if Trump showed up would be interesting..

 

 

 

Akira Yoshino opening game 3 of the Japan series last week

His Nobel Prize is in Chemistry.  He's 71

 

which olympic events are you best suited for?

There are a large number of genetic influences along with training and, but many sports have requirements that would keep otherwise brilliant athletes from medaling.  

Height for example.

a tip of the hat to Dan

 

 

the backpass rule

I don't follow soccer, but this segment on the Backpass Rule from 99 Percent Invisible is fascinating.  Text and supporting material as well as the audio podcast.

 

the summer games

Wondering out loud-- will Trump get upset the games are upstaging him?  How will he react?  

 

 

 

on the decline of youth sports

From about a year ago.  Inequality and wall-building by the upper middle class. (via The Atlantic). The American model of youth sports is very broken going well beyond the lure of athletic scholarships in college.  Among other things the piece describes the much more successful (if motivating activity among the population along with dominating sport is a goal) Norwegian model.  Of course the American model has an enormous sport as a business component. 

a tip of the hat to Ross for mentioning it again