

Edge of Sports
Dave Zirin / The Nation
Where sports and politics collide, hosted by Nation magazine Sports Editor Dave Zirin
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 21, 2020 • 1h 3min
A Journey to Mindfulness with Former NFL Player Prince Daniels, Jr.
This week we talk to former NFL player Prince Daniels, Jr. about his book Mindfulness for the Ultimate Athlete: Mastering the Balance Between Power and Peace. We also talk to the Coach Kevin McNutt about the upcoming basketball season.
In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Just Sit Down” awards to the courageous activists that pushed for decades to force the Cleveland baseball team to get rid of their racist mascot and Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly, who joins other college football coaches in continuing to make empty threats under the guise of player empowerment. All this and more on this week’s show!
Prince Daniels, Jr.
Twitter: @princeadjr
https://www.triumphbooks.com/dave-bing--attacking-the-rim-products-9781629378473.php
Kevin McNutt
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2317018.Hooked_on_Hoops
Zirin, Why the Cleveland Indians Will Change Their Name
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/cleveland-indians-change-name/
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Dec 14, 2020 • 37min
Attacking the Rim With NBA Hall-of-Famer Dave Bing
This week we speak to Dave Bing about his new book, Attacking the Rim. Dave talks about his legendary basketball career, the deep influence of his parents on the person he is today, his time as mayor of Detroit, and what he’s been doing since.
We also have “Choice Words” about Sports Illustrated’s decision to honor the activist athlete as sportspeople of the year and we highlight athletes doing the work. In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Just Sit Down” awards to a midfielder for the Queens Park Rangers soccer and his teammate for a courageous action and the opposing team’s fans that booed them. All this and more on this week’s show!
Dave Bing
Attacking the Rim
Zirin
English Soccer Players Take a Knee
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Dec 7, 2020 • 1h 3min
Talking to The Producer of The Queen’s Gambit
This week we speak to producer William Horberg about The Queen’s Gambit, one of the most watched Netflix productions of the year. We talk to William about how the show came to be, compliments and critiques of the show, the show’s anti-cold war politics, and why it has been such a success.
We also have Choice Words about the NFL’s handling of coronavirus and the curious case of an NFL game that was played on a Wednesday afternoon. In addition, we have Just Stand Up and Just Sit Down awards to the new Houston Rocket John Wall who will always be remembered as a Washington Wizard, and Wizard General Manager Tommy Sheppard who mishandled the Wall trade. All this and more on this week’s show!
William Horberg
Twitter: @WilliamHorberg
Yahoo Style: We focused on making chess cinematic
Zirin
The Baltimore Ravens’ Cautionary Covid Tale
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Nov 25, 2020 • 1h 10min
Sportswriting Trailblazer Melissa Ludtke
This week we speak to Melissa Ludtke about her legendary career, her iconic lawsuit that broke many barriers for women sportswriters, and women in sports broadly. We talk to Melissa about the elevation of Kim Ng to general manager of the Marlins, the first in North American male sports.
We also have “Choice Words” about Colin Kaepernick’s decision to highlight political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal and the struggle of political prisoners everywhere. In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Just Sit Down” awards to the young men at the NBA Draft that displayed black lives matter on such an important day in their young lives and the locker room culture at Penn State, an institution that finds itself under scrutiny again due to heinous allegations. All this and more on this week’s show!
Melissa Ludtke
Twitter: @MelissaLudtke
https://baseballhall.org/discover/short-stops/melissa-ludtke
Zirin, Colin Kaepernick Speaks Out for Mumia Abu-Jamal
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/colin-kaepernick-mumia-abu-jamal/
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http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://twitter.com/EdgeOfSportsPod | http://fb.com/edgeofsportspod | email us: edgeofsports@gmail.com | Edge of Sports hotline: 401-426-3343 (EDGE)
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Nov 16, 2020 • 57min
Pandemics & Protest with Marc Lamont Hill
This week we speak to Marc Lamont Hill about his new book, We Still Here: Pandemic, Policing, Protest, and Possibility. We talk to Marc about the BLM protests over the summer, their connection with the global pandemic and we even take some time to rap about his Sixers.
We also have “Choice Words” about the NFL’s Rooney Rule and its deep shortcomings and the league’s refusal to address the fundamental power dynamics of white supremacy. In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Just Sit Down” awards to baseball’s Kim Ng for being the first woman general manager in any of the major North American sports leagues and former Auburn football coach and resident idiot Tommy Tuberville, recently elected to the US Senate. All this and more on this week’s show!
Marc Lamont Hill
Twitter: @marclamonthill
https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1631-we-still-here
Zirin, Tweaking the NFL’s Rooney Rule Is Not Enough
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/nfl-rooney-rule/
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Nov 2, 2020 • 39min
An Election’s Eye View From The Streets
This week we speak to Deadspin’s Chuck Modiano about street protests in DC against police violence. We also talk to Chuck about DC’s mayor Muriel Bowser, the presidential election coming up, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ recent World Series, win and the greatness of Stevie Wonder.
We also have Choice Words about Clemson’s quarterback Trevor Lawrence and his recent coronavirus diagnosis. In addition, we have Just Stand Up and Just Sit Down awards to soccer star Marcus Ashford for bringing attention to child hunger in the UK and old white millionaire athletes for Trump. All this and more on this week’s show!
Chuck Modiano
Twitter: @ChuckModi1
Modiano at Deadspin
Zirin
College Football’s Great Defender Has Covid-19
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http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://twitter.com/EdgeOfSportsPod | http://fb.com/edgeofsportspod | email us: edgeofsports@gmail.com | Edge of Sports hotline: 401-426-3343 (EDGE)
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Oct 26, 2020 • 32min
Rugby’s Political Athlete David Pocock Retires
This week we speak to the great David Pocock about his retirement from rugby. We talk to him about leaving the game, his experiences playing rugby and lessons he has learned from the sport. We also talk about what he’s look forward to during the next phase of his life.
We also have “Choice Words” about the blowback to comments made by Fox’s Joe Buck and Troy Aikman about pointless and wasteful military flyovers. In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Just Sit Down” awards to all the great athletes that are doing the work of rallying young people to the polls and some arrogant NBA agents that are criticizing the league and the players for their support of black lives matter. All this and more on this week’s show!
David Pocock
Twitter: @pocockdavid
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/oct/23/david-pocock-retires-wallabies-australia-rugby-player-retiring-japan-club-conservation
Zirin, Military Flyovers at NFL Games Are Ridiculous
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/joe-buck-troy-aikman/
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http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://twitter.com/EdgeOfSportsPod | http://fb.com/edgeofsportspod | email us: edgeofsports@gmail.com | Edge of Sports hotline: 401-426-3343 (EDGE)
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Oct 19, 2020 • 34min
So Why Are People Watching Less Sports?
This week we speak to Jane McManus, New York Daily News’ sports columnist and Director of the Center for Sports Communication at Marist College. We talk about a new survey from Marist College on recent sports viewership. We dive into theories on why there has been a drop in sports viewers since the pandemic as well as the broader American sports’ response to the virus and why it’s been found to be lacking.
We also have “Choice Words” about the NBA’s Bubble, the effectiveness of it, as well as its impact on protest. In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Just Sit Down” awards to the legendary John Carlos and Tommie Smith on the anniversary of their iconic protest at the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico and the Tennessee Titans for their irresponsible behavior in the wake of large scale coronavirus diagnoses on the team. All this and more on this week’s show!
Jane McManus
Twitter: @JaneSports
https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ny-coronavirus-covid-19-mlb-nfl-nba-mls-sports-return-20200626-n2f7a6e26rb7bfwawmwvxj7sd4-story.html
Zirin, NBA Bubble Postmortem
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/nba-season/
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http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://twitter.com/EdgeOfSportsPod | http://fb.com/edgeofsportspod | email us: edgeofsports@gmail.com | Edge of Sports hotline: 401-426-3343 (EDGE)
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Oct 12, 2020 • 47min
Bubblicious: What the Bubble Meant for the NBA
This week we talk to NBA writer Michael Lee about the NBA Finals. We also talk about the remarkable success of the NBA Bubble, Jimmy Butler’s fit in Miami, and the legacy of Lebron James.
We also have “Choice Words” about the legacy of Lebron James and the effective way in which he has used his platform to do good. In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Just Sit Down” awards to the WNBA community for how it banded together to attempt to get former player Cappie Pondexter help and Donald Trump/the GOP for shamefully appropriating the legacy and memory of the legendary Jackie Robinson to their sordid political ends. All this and more on this week’s show!
Michael Lee
Twitter: @MrMichaelLee
https://theathletic.com/author/michael-lee/
Zirin, The NFL Season Could Be Facing a Covid Collapse
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/cam-newton-patriots-covid/
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Oct 5, 2020 • 1h 8min
Spencer Haywood: Origins of an Icon
This week we talk to NBA Hall of Famer Spencer Haywood on the occasion of the new book, The Spencer Haywood Rule: Battles, Basketball, and the making of an American Iconoclast. Spencer’s story is an important part of the history of sports and resistance and we talk to him about his career, his famous court battle as well as his legacy.
We also have “Choice Words” about Major League Baseball's efforts to aid the Black Lives Matter struggle. In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Just Sit Down” awards to the San Diego Loyals/Landon Donovan for standing up to homophobia and Charles Barkley for ignorant comments made about the killing of Breonna Taylor. All this and more on this week’s show!
Spencer Haywood
Twitter: @SpencerHaywood
https://www.triumphbooks.com/the-spencer-haywood-rule-products-9781629377766.php
Zirin, Making Black Lives Matter On and Off the Diamond
https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/blm-mlb-logo-baseball/
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http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://twitter.com/EdgeOfSportsPod | http://fb.com/edgeofsportspod | email us: edgeofsports@gmail.com | Edge of Sports hotline: 401-426-3343 (EDGE)
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