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4.0 

Game Over

By Dave Zirin & Michael Eric Dyson
Game Over by Dave Zirin & Michael Eric Dyson digital book - Fable

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Publisher Description

“Enlightening” essays on athletes, activism, and the important role sports plays in our society (Publishers Weekly).
 
Sportscaster Howard Cosell dubbed it “rule number one of the jockocracy”: sports and politics just don’t mix. But in truth, some of our most important debates about class, race, religion, sex, and the raw quest for political power are played out both on and off the field. From the NFL lockout and the role of soccer in the Arab Spring to the Penn State sexual abuse scandals and Tim Tebow’s on-field genuflections, this timely and hard-hitting new book from the “conscience of American sports writing” offers new insights and analysis of headline-grabbing sports controversies (The Washington Post).
 
It explores the shady side of the NCAA; the explosive 2011 MLB All-Star Game; and why the Dodgers crashed and burned. It covers the fascinating struggles of gay and lesbian athletes to gain acceptance, female athletes to be more than sex symbols, and athletes everywhere to assert their collective bargaining rights as union members. Dave Zirin also illustrates the ways that athletes are once again using their exalted platforms to speak out and reclaim sports from the corporate interests that have taken it hostage. In Game Over, he cheers the victories—but also reflects on how far we have yet to go.
 
“A book that no thinking sports fan can afford to miss.” —Jonathan Mahler, author of Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning

4 Reviews

4.0
“This book was published in 2013 and it's honestly sad how much has not changed. Overall a good read.”
“3.5 Overall, I love Zirin's analysis and the perspective he brings to sports. Fair warning though, he errors on the side of hyperbolic, and will occasionally make leaps in logic that aren't totally sound. For example, Zirin uses Michael Vick as a platform to discuss the link between sports and racism. However, while Zirin excellently describes the racism inherent in the prison system, the link between Vick, racism, and sports is pretty tenuous. I would have preferred an analysis of the public's outrage over dog-fighting versus the near silence that surrounds domestic violence cases committed by athletes -and another story entirely to discuss racism in sports. But, maybe that just means I need to write my own book. Otherwise, a good and informative read.”

About Dave Zirin

One of the UTNE Reader’s “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Our World,” Dave Zirin is a columnist for The Nation, SLAM magazine, and SI.com. He is the host of Sirius XM’s popular weekly show Edge of Sports Radio and a regular guest on ESPN’s Outside the Lines and on MSNBC. His previous books include A People’s History of Sports in the United States and Bad Sports: How Owners Are Ruining the Games We Love (both available from The New Press). He lives near Washington, D.C.

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