sports

The Fastest Man on No Legs

May 24, 2007
As technology becomes exponentially more sophisticated and pervasive, the sports world finds itself awash in ethical dilemmas. So where does a lightning fast amputee fit in the spectrum of Barry Bonds with his alleged doping and Tiger Woods with his better-than-perfect Lasik eyes?
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Transgender Sportswriter Surprised by Tolerance

May 15, 2007
One would think the sports world would be the last place a transgender person could happily transition from one sex to another, but to Christine Daniels' surprise, the opposite has been true. Daniels tells Newsweek about the fallout -- or lack thereof -- from her decision to stop being Mike Penner, a popular sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and resume her career with confidence, a new wardrobe and no writer's block.

Los Angeles Battles Chicago for Olympic Glory

Apr 13, 2007
Two of America's great cities are going head to head for the opportunity to host the 2016 Olympic Games. With radically different cultures, Chicago hopes its work ethic and business savvy will impress the U.S. Olympic Committee, while L.A. is banking on experience and Hollywood-caliber glitz.

Bush Drops the Ball

Feb 28, 2007
This isn't the most engrossing clip we've ever put up, but if you can sit through a few minutes of the Miami Heat rubbing elbows with Bush, there's a moment at the end that speaks volumes about our president.

Retired NBA Player Comes Out

Feb 8, 2007
John Amaechi has become the first current or former NBA player to come out of the closet, and only the sixth such professional athlete from the four major American sports to do so. The former center for Orlando, Utah and Cleveland has written a memoir in which he describes life in the NBA as he started to open up about his sexuality, including mixed reactions from his team's owner, coach and players.

Sports Stars Try to Level the Academic Playing Field

Feb 2, 2007
Basketball superstar Baron Davis and the Chicago Bears' Brendon Ayanbadejo have started an organization to raise awareness of the dwindling enrollment of minority students at their alma mater, UCLA. California's anti-affirmative action Prop. 209 has had a devastating effect: This year's freshman class of 5,000 contains fewer than 100 African American students, 20 of them on athletic scholarship.

The ‘Slave Side’ of NFL Sundays

Mar 10, 2006
In his new book, "The Slave Side of Sunday," former NFL player Anthony Prior writes about the legacy of racism in professional sports "We are not looked at as leaders, rather, just a labor force where the money is generated Plantation capitalism is still alive today," he tells Truthdig contributor James Harris (Audio and text interview with the author) .

The ‘Slave Side’ of NFL Sundays

Mar 10, 2006
In his new book, "The Slave Side of Sunday," former NFL player Anthony Prior writes about the legacy of racism in professional sports "We are not looked at as leaders, rather, just a labor force where the money is generated Plantation capitalism is still alive today," he tells Truthdig contributor James Harris (Audio and text interview with the author) .