Podcasts about power games a political history

America's first Olympic games were bad. But just how bad were they??? The 1904 St. Louis Olympics were part of a World's Fair that featured human zoos, a display of premature babies, a racist athletic event called “Anthropology Days,” and more! The actual Olympic competitions were disorganized and featured mostly American athletes. And for the turd on this poo sundae - a marathon event that almost killed competitors. But despite all this, some historians feel the 1904 St. Louis Olympics have been misjudged. Let's find out! Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:  AICO. “1904 OLYMPIC GAMES ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI : OFFICIAL MEDALS & BADGES,” n.d. https://aicolympic.org/collectors_library/1904-olympic-games-st-louis-missouri-official-medals-badges/. Boykoff, Jules. Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics. Verso, 2016. DiMeo, Nate. “Olympic-Sized Racism.” Slate, August 21, 2008. https://slate.com/culture/2008/08/remembering-the-anthropology-days-at-the-1904-olympics.html. Holroyd, Steve. “Lacrosse at the 1904 Summer Olympics: Correcting the Record.” Crossecheck (blog), March 16, 2019. https://crossecheck.com/2019/03/16/lacrosse-at-the-1904-summer-olympics-correcting-the-record/. ISOH. “The Evolution of the Early Olympics,” n.d. https://isoh.org/cause-view/the-evolution-of-the-early-olympics/. Johnson, Walter. “The Largest Human Zoo in World History.” Roundtable (blog), April 14, 2020. https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/roundtable/largest-human-zoo-world-history. Kahler, Abbot, and Ellen Wexler. “How the 1904 Marathon Became One of the Weirdest Olympic Events of All Time.” Smithsonian Magazine, August 7, 2012. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-the-1904-marathon-became-one-of-the-weirdest-olympic-events-of-all-time-14910747/. Matthews, George R. America's First Olympics: The St. Louis Games of 1904. University of Missouri Press, 2018. Populous. “Populous Magazine | The Bizarre Tale of the 1904 St. Louis Marathon,” n.d. https://populous.com/article/the-bizarre-tale-of-the-1904-st-louis-marathon. Runner's World. “The Unbelievable True Story of the Craziest Olympic Marathon,” August 6, 2021. https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a37039437/1904-olympic-marathon/. Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts! Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you'll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90's style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin's previous podcast, Let's Go To Court.

Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin was embarrassed. He had just revived the Ancient Olympic Games on a global scale. But the 1900 Games in his hometown of Paris, France were a disaster. They were a sideshow at the World's Fair! Many competitors weren't even aware they were participating in the Olympics! Next time around, Coubertin vowed to find a host nation that would appreciate the Olympics. And that's when a colleague suggested the United States should play host.  But which city? Unfortunately, making that selection was easier said than done.  Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:  Boykoff, Jules. Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics. Verso, 2016. Matthews, George R. America's First Olympics: The St. Louis Games of 1904. University of Missouri Press, 2018. Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts! Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you'll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90's style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin's previous podcast, Let's Go To Court.

This episode is quite different from our normal releases – rather than an interview or monologue about harm in contemporary sport, we are actually publishing a panel session on the importance of public sports scholarship, particularly in the context of a global pandemic. This episode was recorded in Montreal on April 22, 2022 at the annual meeting of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, or NASSS as you'll hear in the episode. The episode starts with Derek urging us to consider the place of both academic conferences – and more specifically, the role that in-person only conferences hold in our fields. In the lead up to organizing this panel, we had been thinking about ways in which we can make our work more accessible and more widely available for folks who may not have access to the ivory tower and/or the ability to attend NASSS – not to mention the desire given that we are still in the midst of a global pandemic. Since this panel was focused on the importance of critical public scholarship, we thought….how can we have such a panel that is entirely paywalled in the ivory tower and inaccessible for folks who are not comfortable returning to in-person events? We decided the only way to actually put such a panel on was to – despite a lack of support from the association – put the event on in a hybrid manner.  We think that we must start resisting the decisions of the academic communities in which we are part of – and doing it vocally and loudly. When thinking of the ways in which we can mobilize against an academic system that contributes to inequality, I think we need to look at small forms of resistance and disobedience to build momentum. The academy has LONG been willingly complicit in erecting some of the most harmful systems of oppression and discrimination, so taking that on requires a concerted effort from us all. So I will simply close with a call to all scholars on conference planning committees, association executive boards, or editorial boards, or any other influential position in our disciplines, to loudly object to exclusionary decisions that are made even if it puts our positions at risk.  Huge thanks to our panelists! Please check out their brilliant work.  Letisha Brown, assistant professor at Virginia Tech and incoming assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati. Letisha has published numerous brilliant public pieces in First and Pen, Engaging Sports and The Shadow League and has appeared on podcasts including Crossing the Lane Lines, The Black Athlete Podcast, and is also a friend of the EoS show! Courtney Szto is an assistant professor at Queens University and author of the 2022 NASSS Outstanding Book Award for Changing on the Fly: Hockey Through the Voices of South Asian Canadians published with Rutgers University Press in 2020. Courtney is managing editor for Hockey in Society, Associate Editor for Engaging Sports, and executive producer of “Revolutions,” a documentary on bike waste and the circular economy premiering tomorrow here at NASSS at 3:30 in Salon 1. Courtney has also appeared on or published in The Globe and Mail, Sports Illustrated, Rabble, Interrupt Magazine, CBC's The Current, and on a number of podcasts.  Jules Boykoff is a professor of politics and government at Pacific University and author of NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Beyond, published in 2020 with Fernwood, Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics, published with Verso in 2016, among many others. Jules has also been an active public scholar, publishing on myriad topics in outlets such as The Washington Post, The New York times, The Nation, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, NBC News Think and many others. Jules has also appeared on television on the BBC, Democracy Now, CBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera.  Victoria Jackson, a Clinical Assistant Professor at Arizona State University who has published in the Los Angeles times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Slate, The Independent, and the Athletic, where she has recently joined as a contributor to the culture vertical. Victoria has also appeared on 60 Minutes to discuss American college sports and is a frequent podcast, radio, TV, and documentary film commentator on sport and society.  Tracie Canada, is an assistant professor of Anthropology, concurrent faculty in Africana Studies, and affiliated with the Initiative on Race and Resilience at the University of Notre Dame. Tracie is finishing her book about the lived experiences of Black college football players, tentatively titled Tackling the Everyday: Race, Family, and Nation in Big-time College Football. Tracie has published a number of public pieces in outlets like Black Perspectives, Scientific American, SAPIENS, Fieldsights, and Anthropology News.  And finally Nathan Kalman-Lamb is a Lecturing Fellow at Duke University. Nathan is the author of Game Misconduct: Injury, Fandom, and the Business of Sport, published with Fernwood in 2018, and has authored a number of public pieces in outlets such as LA Times, The Guardian, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Time Magazine, The Daily Beast, Jacobin, and many others. Finally, Nathan is a co-host of The End of Sport Podcast.      For a transcription of this episode, please click here. (Updated semi-regularly Credit @punkademic) Research Assistance for The End of Sport provided by Abigail Bomba. __________________________________________________________________________ If you are interested, you can support the show via our Patreon! As always, please like, share, and rate us on your favorite podcast app, and give follow us on Twitter or Instagram. www.TheEndofSport.com

A diplomatic boycott led by the US. Strict COVID-19 pandemic measures. And athletes caught in the middle of political fights between nations. The 2022 Winter Olympics has ended in Beijing, China, but the biggest headlines weren't about the games. American-born athletes with Chinese roots who competed for Team China found themselves at the center of a war of words between the two countries. So are the Games still about sports, or do they represent a geopolitical rivalry under the guise of sportsmanship? In this episode:  Jules Boykoff, (@JulesBoykoff) political scientist, author of NOlympians and Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics. Connect with The Take:  Twitter (@AJTheTake), Instagram (@ajthetake) and Facebook (@TheTakePod)

In this interview Brenda Elsey and Amira Rose Davis talk with Jules Boykoff, former Olympian and author of Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics. They discuss the many concerns surrounding the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, including human rights abuses China, athletes' health and safety, ecological harm and the prickly politics of mega sporting events. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info about BIAD, check out our website: www.burnitalldownpod.com To help support the Burn It All Down podcast, please consider becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/burnitalldown For BIAD merchandise: https://www.bonfire.com/store/burn-it-all-down/ Find us on Twitter: twitter.com/BurnItDownPod; Facebook: www.facebook.com/BurnItAllDownPod/; and Instagram: www.instagram.com/burnitalldownpod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's guests: Justin Ling, freelance journalist / author - "Missing from the Village" Jules Boykoff, Professor and Department Chair - Pacific University in Oregon, Department of Politics and Government / Author of "NOlympians" and "Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics" Emmanuel Gallardo, independent journalist specializing in Mexican cartels See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're just days away from the start of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. More than 200 athletes are representing Team USA in sports like figure skating, hockey, skiing, luge and curling. But along with the excitement, there are also challenges: from political tensions to the pandemic. You'll hear from three-time Olympian Gordy Sheer, who won a silver medal in luge in 1998. He's now the director of marketing for USA Luge. He shares what he remembers most about competing in the Olympics and explains what he thinks athletes have been robbed of in 2022. Then, we'll dive deeper into the potential impact of the U.S. diplomatic boycott with Jules Boykoff. He played soccer for the U-23 Men's National Team, also known as the Olympic team. He's now a professor of political science at Pacific University and the author of four books on the Olympics, including “Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics.” We're talking with him about the politics and critiques of the games you don't always see in the headlines. This episode is brought to you by Zocdoc.com/newsworthy and Seed.com/newsworthy Get ad-free episodes and support the show by becoming an INSIDER: www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider 

The U.S. has announced a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing — prompting calls for Canada to do the same. We talk to two former Olympians: former U.S. Olympic soccer player Jules Boykoff, who is now a politics professor and author of Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics; and Angela Schneider, a rower who won silver in Los Angeles in 1984. She's now an associate professor and director at the International Centre for Olympic Studies at Western University.

We spoke with Jules Boykoff, Professor & Department Chair - Pacific University in Oregon, Department of Politics and Government / Author of NOlympians and Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a re-release of our interview with Proffessor Jules Boykoff, originally published within GA Poscast EP01. The Olympics are no doubt an iconic sports staple and whether watching gymnasts tumble across an arena or skiers flying down the slopes, chances are you've watched—and probably cheered for—an Olympic event. Professor Jules Boykoff joins Noah Hoffman to break down the history of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and share the impact of some remarkable highs and lows of the modern Olympic games.       In this episode, we talk about… Pierre Coubertin's vision and who he wanted to participate in the Olympics  How athletes fit into the Olympic story throughout history Peter O'Connor's activism at the 1906 Olympics Alice Milliat's alternative Olympics for women  The lasting influence of John Carlos, Tommie Smith and the Olympic Project for Human Rights in 1968  How the IOC leverages sanctions against athletes in present day IOC's governance structure and accountability  4 Trends of Olympic host cities: high spending, militarization, displacement and eviction, greenwashing  How the United Nations addresses the democracy deficit of the IOC The state of exception the IOC thrives on vs. state of emergency in Japan for upcoming summer games   Memorable Quotes: “All to often, those stories of fighting back on the part of principled athletes who weren't happy with the way the Olympics were being organized, get shuffled under the historical rug….Athletes have been standing up to those in power...and standing up for their freedoms and their political beliefs.”   “Athletes have a tremendous amount of leverage if they act in unison, if they act in concert, and if they have a good plan going in.”   Guest Bio:  Jules Boykoff writes on a range of subjects, including political activism, the Olympic Games, and climate change. Boykoff holds a Ph.D. in political science from American University. He currently teaches political science at Pacific University in Oregon. He is the author of four books on the Olympics—NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Beyond (Fernwood, 2020), Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics (Verso, 2016), Activism and the Olympics: Dissent at the Games in Vancouver and London (Rutgers University Press, 2014), and Celebration Capitalism and the Olympic Games (Routledge, 2013).   Links to resources: Jules Boykoff  “A Bid for a Better Olympics” New York Times (13 August 2014) Join the movement for athlete driven change across the world of sport at globalathlete.org. 

I first spoke with today's guest, author and political scientist Jules Boykoff, five years ago just ahead for the Rio Olympics. He had just released his book, "Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics". I was fascinated by the stories that NBC never seems to include in their slick, pre-packaged video feature-ettes. When contemplating how to cover those under-reported stories as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are underway -- a year late and live audiences short. So Jules Boykoff joins us for the second half hour of the show. We'll begin with the latest news, info and snark. What else would you expect on a Friday?

This week, in Part Two of the Cancel the Olympics series, Miguel spoke to Political Scientist Dr. Jules Boykoff (@JulesBoykoff) about the Tokyo Olympics being held later this month despite concerns with COVID-19, the spectacle of the Olympics sacrificing lives in the name of capitalism, the potential of athletes protesting the games, and much more! Dr. Jules Boykoff is the author of four books on the Olympic Games. His newest books, NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Beyond (Fernwood, 2020) and Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics (Verso, 2016). His writing on the Olympics has appeared in places such as the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Nation, and Asahi Shimbun. Previously, Jules was a professional soccer player who represented the U.S. Olympic Soccer Team in international competitions. He teaches political science at Pacific University in Oregon. Next, Miguel gives you his Molotov MVP for episode 22, Olympic Hammer Thrower, Gwen Berry (@MzBerryThrows). On Saturday, June 26, 2021, Gwen Berry placed third in the hammer throw competition at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials, which qualified Berry for the Tokyo Olympics, beginning on July 23, 2021. However, when she stood up at the podium to recognize her third-place finish, she was shocked to hear the Star-Spangled Banner begin to play. At that moment, Gwen Berry made history and showed courage in speaking truth to power! Berry responded to the playing of the national anthem by turning her back away from the American Flag and draping a t-shirt over her head that read, "Activist Athlete." Miguel ends the podcast with another Chicana/o Sports History segment. He highlights a legendary Mexican/Chicano Basketball player from the 1930s and 40s, Jose "Joe" Placencia. "The sharp-shooting King of the Mexican all-stars" led the Men's Mexican National Basketball team to the Bronze Medal at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany (The Nazi/Hitler Olympics). Miguel Garcia produced this episode. Be sure to listen/subscribe to the Sports As A Weapon Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Deezer, and more!Follow us on:Twitter: @sportsasaweaponFacebook: fb.com/sportsasaweaponpodcastInstagram: @sportsasaweaponpodcastVisit our website: www.sportsasaweapon.com Links:  A Sports Event Shouldn't Be a Superspreader. Cancel the Olympics. (Jules Boykoff-The New York Times) A Bribery Scandal Hits the '2020' Tokyo Olympics (Dave Zirin and Jules Boykoff-The Nation Magazine) Gwen Berry Is the Hero We Need (Dave Zirin-The Nation Magazine) Tokyo Olympic spectator cap set at 10,000 people per venue (Kyodo News) Anti-Olympics Protester Squirts Water on the Olympic Torch during the Olympic Torch Rally in Japan (via Jules Boykoff/Twitter) BNC News: Olympian Gwen Berry responds to critics (Video)

The Olympics are no doubt an iconic sports staple and whether watching gymnasts tumble across an arena or skiers flying down the slopes, chances are you've watched—and probably cheered for—an Olympic event. Professor Jules Boykoff joins Noah Hoffman to break down the history of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and share the impact of some remarkable highs and lows of the modern Olympic games. In this episode, we talk about… Pierre Coubertin's vision and who he wanted to participate in the Olympics How athletes fit into the Olympic story throughout history Peter O'Connor's activism at the 1906 Olympics Alice Milliat's alternative Olympics for women The lasting influence of John Carlos, Tommie Smith and the Olympic Project for Human Rights in 1968 How the IOC leverages sanctions against athletes in present day IOC's governance structure and accountability 4 Trends of Olympic host cities: high spending, militarization, displacement and eviction, greenwashing How the United Nations addresses the democracy deficit of the IOC The state of exception the IOC thrives on vs. state of emergency in Japan for upcoming summer games Memorable Quotes: “All to often, those stories of fighting back on the part of principled athletes who weren't happy with the way the Olympics were being organized, get shuffled under the historical rug….Athletes have been standing up to those in power...and standing up for their freedoms and their political beliefs.” “Athletes have a tremendous amount of leverage if they act in unison, if they act in concert, and if they have a good plan going in.” Guest Bio: Jules Boykoff writes on a range of subjects, including political activism, the Olympic Games, and climate change. Boykoff holds a Ph.D. in political science from American University. He currently teaches political science at Pacific University in Oregon. He is the author of four books on the Olympics—NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Beyond (Fernwood, 2020), Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics (Verso, 2016), Activism and the Olympics: Dissent at the Games in Vancouver and London (Rutgers University Press, 2014), and Celebration Capitalism and the Olympic Games (Routledge, 2013). Links to resources: Jules Boykoff “A Bid for a Better Olympics” New York Times (13 August 2014) Join the movement for athlete driven change across the world of sport at globalathlete.org.

Inflation is a constant when it comes to the economy but that doesn't mean the rate of inflation is ever constant. In fact it's the word of the day with economists worrying about if it's time to start bracing for a big hit and in the event that it does come, how bad will the hit be? Guest: Marvin Ryder, Associate Professor of Marketing, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University - Should the Olympics go forward and take place in Japan this year? There's a growing number of people who think the answer should be no and many of them are in Japan. Scott chats with an expert on the Olympics who's also played soccer at the professional level to here what he thinks about the situation. Guest: Dr. Jules Boykoff, Author of Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics; Professor of Politics, Pacific University; Former Professional Soccer Player - With an announcement about Hamilton's pending LRT system expected to happen tomorrow, Scott has spoken with people who are in favour of the project happening and now it's time to hear from someone who's a little more reserved about the project. Guest: Chad Collins, Ward 5 Councillor, City of Hamilton See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

USA v. All Y'All Where did the Modern Olympic Games comes from? Why do athletes have to compete as representatives of nations? And what would happen if the United States hosted an Olympic Games and nobody showed up? [Spoiler alert: people died] Bibliography: Jules Boykoff, Power Games: A Political History of the Olympic Games (New York and London: Verso, 2016). Mary Dyreson, Making the American Team: Sport, Culture, and the Olympic Experience (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1998). David Goldblatt, The Games: A Global History of the Olympic Games (New York and London: W. W. Norton, 2016). Davd E. Martin and Roger W. H. Gynn, The Olympic Marathon: The History and Drama of Sport's Most Challenging Event (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2000).

USA v. All Y'All Where did the Modern Olympic Games comes from? Why do athletes have to compete as representatives of nations? And what would happen if the United States hosted an Olympic Games and nobody showed up? [Spoiler alert: people died] Bibliography: Jules Boykoff, Power Games: A Political History of the Olympic Games (New York and London: Verso, 2016). Mary Dyreson, Making the American Team: Sport, Culture, and the Olympic Experience (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1998). David Goldblatt, The Games: A Global History of the Olympic Games (New York and London: W. W. Norton, 2016). Davd E. Martin and Roger W. H. Gynn, The Olympic Marathon: The History and Drama of Sport's Most Challenging Event (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2000).

In episode four, Derek and Nathan chat with Jules Boykoff, Professor and Department Chair of Politics and Government at Pacific University. He is the author of four books on the Olympics, including Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics (Verso, 2016), Activism and the Olympics: Dissent at the Games in Vancouver and London (Rutgers University Press, 2014), Celebration Capitalism and the Olympic Games (Routledge, 2013) and the just-released NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Beyond (Fernwood, 2020). He has published countless pieces of public scholarship, including recent op-eds in the NY Times and on NBC, and is a former college soccer player at the University of Wisconsin and University of Portland and former professional indoor soccer player. Jules systematically takes us through the myriad problems with the Olympics as an institution and the Tokyo games in particular, including the lingering radiation in Fukushima (which he visited last year with Dave Zirin). He also explains the activism of the DSA against the LA games and where activism and public scholarship fit in his own life. Finally, as a bonus, he shares his views on the NCAA and the extent to which his experience as a scholar, activist, and athletic laborer have shaped his outlook on sport. You can find the editorial he co-authored in the BJSM with Robert Mann, Bryan Clift, and Sheree Bekker here. Nathan's academic journal article on the Vancouver Opening Ceremonies is here. __________________________________________________________________________   As always, please like, share, and rate us on your favorite podcast app, and give follow us on Twitter or Instagram. @Derekcrim @JohannaMellis @Nkalamb @EndofSportPod www.TheEndofSport.com   **For a transcription of this episode please click here. Huge thanks to @Punkadmic for making this happen!**

If you check social media you'll find a bunch of true and false statements about how to immunize yourself against COVID-19 a.k.a. coronavirus, ways to cure it, how it works and more. A major problem that stems from these statements is that it can be really hard to tell the difference between the truth and the lies. How could people believe things that clearly go against common sense and logical thinking? Guest: Dr. Mark Busser, Professor & Academic and Experiential Learning Coordinator, McMaster University - There are many Blue Jays fans across Canada some of whom are elderly and likely feel lonelier than ever now that the sports world has been put on hold. Jamie Campbell has decided to make an effort to change that. Guest: Jamie Campbell, Host of Blue Jays Central on Sportsnet - A greater and greater push is being made to cancel the Olympics as the gravity of COVID-19 becomes more apparent. With the incredible investment that's already been made among the numerous other logistical issues this would raise, could we see the Tokyo Olympics continue in spite of a global pandemic? Guest: Dr. Jules Boykoff, Author of Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics & Professor of Politics, Pacific University - With all the doom and gloom that's been coming from COVID-19, a simpler and lighter question is being asked: Which fictional doctor would you want to have working on COVID-19? Guest: Tim Bolen, Sports & Adventure Reporter, Morning Live, CHCH

This week we speak to the author of Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics, Jules Boykoff. We both just returned from Tokyo where prep for the 2020 Summer Olympics is underway. We talk about our trip to the Olympic sites and Fukushima, and our interviews with people being displaced. We also have Just Stand Up and Just Sit Down Awards, Kaepernick Watch and more. All this and more on this week’s show! Jules Boykoff Twitter: @JulesBoykoff (https://twitter.com/JulesBoykoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) https://www.thenation.com/article/olympics-tokyo-protest-fukushima/ — 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) —

This week we speak to former US Olympic soccer player and the author of Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics, Jules Boykoff about the politics of the World Cup as well as the games themselves. We also have ‘Choice Words’ about why NFL owners have decided to punish those who protest during the anthem. We also have a ‘Just Stand Up’ and ‘Just Sit Down’ award for Devante Smith-Pelley and Draymond Green respectively. All that and more! Jules Boykoff Twitter: @JulesBoykoff https://www.amazon.com/Power-Games-Political-History-Olympics/dp/1784780723 Zirin, NFL Owners Don’t Fear Trump, They Fear Their Own Players https://www.thenation.com/article/nfl-owners-dont-fear-trump-fear-players/ — 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) — Music: Eye Examination - Del the Funky Homosapien | We Gonna Make It - Jadakiss Feat. Styles P I A Letter From Home - Ulrich Schnauss | Microphone - Slaughterhouse | The Ghetto - Too Short | Desire - Pharoahe Monch | So Wat Cha Sayin’ - EPMD | The Corner - Common Feat. The Last Poets I The Wire Theme

This week, we give a preview of the Winter Olympics with Jules Boykoff, co-author of Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics. We also talk about the geopolitics surrounding the games, the destruction of sacred spaces in South Korea brought on by the Olympics, and whether we can expect athlete protests this year.During Choice Words, we’ll examine comments made by recent Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on the topic of a White House visit. Legendary goalkeeper Neville Southall gets a Just Stand Up Award from us for comments made to the Financial Times about economic inequality and racism and Mike Pence does Mike Pence things, earning another Sit Your Ass Down! award.  As always, we've got a Kaepernick watch and more on this week's show!Jules BoykoffTwitter: @JulesBoykoffhttp://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-zirin-boykoff-pyeonchang-olympics-20180208-story.htmlZirin, Dave Why So Many Philadelphia Eagles Are Rejecting This White Househttps://www.thenation.com/article/why-so-many-philadelphia-eagles-are-rejecting-this-white-house/—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)—Music: Eye Examination - Del the Funky Homosapien | X - Kendrick Lamar Feat. Schoolboy Q, Saudi, & 2 Chainz | Stadium Pow Wow - Tribe Called Red Feat. Black Bear | I Gotcha Back - GZA | Kill Bill - Big Boi Feat. Killer Mike & Young Jeezy | Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See - Busta Rhymes | My Shit Bang - E-40 | How Ya Do That - Master P | Paramedic - Kendrick Lamar Feat. SOB X RBE | The Wire Theme

The so-called Olympic spirit doesn't match the reality of a highly-corporatized Games that often leaves taxpayers picking up the tab, engenders abusive policing and justifies the remaking of cities for the rich at the expense of ordinary and poor people. Dan's guests today are Molly Lambert, a writer and member of Los Angeles DSA, and Jules Boykoff, the author of "Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics" from Verso. Support this pod with your money at patreon.com/thedig  

We are in Olympic Rio shining light on the dark corners of these games. First up: Jules Boykoff, a razor-sharp critic of sports culture and the author of “Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics.” Then, Stephanie Reist, a PhD candidate from Duke, based in Rio and writing about the Rio suburbs for the essential site RioOnWatch.org. ’Choice Words’ is a column about the intoxicating nature of the Olympics - and resistance to them. The ‘Just Stand Up’ award goes to Gabby Douglas in response to utterly inane criticism of this great athlete. Finally, we share messages from you, our listeners, left on our our Edge of Sports hotline: 401-236-3343 (EDGE.) We asked: were you still going to watch the Olympics, or had the controversies dampened your excitement? Thank you to Sam, Toby, Jacob, Andy and Candace. This week, the question is: what during the Olympics has inspired you, and why?—Boykoff: http://julesboykoff.org | https://www.versobooks.com/books/2105-power-gamesReist: http://www.rioonwatch.org/?s=Stephanie+Reist | http://twitter.com/stephreistColumn: “Olympic Joy in the Face of Erasure” https://www.thenation.com/article/olympic-joy-in-the-face-of-erasure/Edge of Sports Hotline: (401) 236-3343 (EDGE)—http://edgeofsportspodcast.com | http://twitter.com/edgeofsports | http://fb.com/edgeofsportspod | email us: edgeofsports@slate.com—music by: Badsista & Tap https://soundcloud.com/badsista, https://soundcloud.com/t_a_p92, via Beatwise Recordings https://beatwiserecordings.bandcamp.comSwindle ft. Ricardo China https://swindleuk.bandcamp.com

Since the birth of the modern Olympics movement in the late nineteenth century, its leaders have attempted to maintain a strict separation of athletics and politics. Former International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage once stated, “We actively combat the introduction of politics into the Olympic movement.” But this attempt to keep politics out of the Olympics has been a bit disingenuous. After all, athletes will march into the stadium for this years Rio Games behind their national flags, and medalists will take the stand while listening to their national anthems. And many times, IOC claims to be apolitical have been outright hypocritical. Brundage was especially guilty in this department. In 1936, he praised Nazi Germany for offering a model of how to “stamp out communism and arrest the decline of patriotism.” Even as late as the 1950s, he wrote of the benefits of an “intelligent” dictatorship. “To say the Olympics transcend politics is to conjure fantasy.” So writes Jules Boykoff at the start of his book Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics (Verso, 2016). A former international athlete and now political scientist, Jules gives a well-researched account of the cost overruns, national boycotts, and athlete protests that have been present in the games from their very beginning. He finishes with an in-depth look at the crony corruption at the heart of the present-day Olympics, based on his findings as a Fulbright scholar in Rio. A lively read, full of scenes that are familiar and plenty that are new, Jules book is an up-close and personal look at the halls of Olympic power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the birth of the modern Olympics movement in the late nineteenth century, its leaders have attempted to maintain a strict separation of athletics and politics. Former International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage once stated, “We actively combat the introduction of politics into the Olympic movement.” But this attempt to keep politics out of the Olympics has been a bit disingenuous. After all, athletes will march into the stadium for this years Rio Games behind their national flags, and medalists will take the stand while listening to their national anthems. And many times, IOC claims to be apolitical have been outright hypocritical. Brundage was especially guilty in this department. In 1936, he praised Nazi Germany for offering a model of how to “stamp out communism and arrest the decline of patriotism.” Even as late as the 1950s, he wrote of the benefits of an “intelligent” dictatorship. “To say the Olympics transcend politics is to conjure fantasy.” So writes Jules Boykoff at the start of his book Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics (Verso, 2016). A former international athlete and now political scientist, Jules gives a well-researched account of the cost overruns, national boycotts, and athlete protests that have been present in the games from their very beginning. He finishes with an in-depth look at the crony corruption at the heart of the present-day Olympics, based on his findings as a Fulbright scholar in Rio. A lively read, full of scenes that are familiar and plenty that are new, Jules book is an up-close and personal look at the halls of Olympic power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the birth of the modern Olympics movement in the late nineteenth century, its leaders have attempted to maintain a strict separation of athletics and politics. Former International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage once stated, “We actively combat the introduction of politics into the Olympic movement.” But this attempt to keep politics out of the Olympics has been a bit disingenuous. After all, athletes will march into the stadium for this years Rio Games behind their national flags, and medalists will take the stand while listening to their national anthems. And many times, IOC claims to be apolitical have been outright hypocritical. Brundage was especially guilty in this department. In 1936, he praised Nazi Germany for offering a model of how to “stamp out communism and arrest the decline of patriotism.” Even as late as the 1950s, he wrote of the benefits of an “intelligent” dictatorship. “To say the Olympics transcend politics is to conjure fantasy.” So writes Jules Boykoff at the start of his book Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics (Verso, 2016). A former international athlete and now political scientist, Jules gives a well-researched account of the cost overruns, national boycotts, and athlete protests that have been present in the games from their very beginning. He finishes with an in-depth look at the crony corruption at the heart of the present-day Olympics, based on his findings as a Fulbright scholar in Rio. A lively read, full of scenes that are familiar and plenty that are new, Jules book is an up-close and personal look at the halls of Olympic power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicole is out today for more tests, so she put together an abbreviated Best Of program -- First up, some words of wisdom from the Rev. Dr. William Barber. After his rousing speech at the DNC, we pulled out the interview Nicole did with Dr. Barber at Netroots Nation in Detroit in 2014. And with the Olympics opening ceremonies happening Friday night, we thought this was a good day to listen back to Nicole's conversation with Jules Boykoff, author of Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics.

Every four years we tune in to the excitement, passion and drama of the Olympic Games. It's hard not to get wrapped up in all the the anticipation and celebration, for one of the most widely watched events in the world. Each successive Olympics seem to be a bigger spectacle than the last, with dramatic and expensive changes to the city itself. What are some of the ways the Olympics transform the physical structure and form of the host city, and who pays for the hefty price tag? Jules Boykoff is a former professional soccer player, and represented the men's US Olympic soccer team in international play. Jules has extensively researched the politics and activism in the Olympic Games, including the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver Canada, the 2012 Summer Games in London, the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi Russia, and the upcoming Summer Games in Rio De Janeiro Brazil. His writings on the Olympics include Activism and the Olympics: Dissent at the Games in Vancouver, Celebration Capitalism and the Olympic Games, and the recently published Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics. Photo credit: Luke & Jules

We are live from Wimbledon on Ladies Final day looking at the remarkable career of Serena Williams, and sorting Wimbledon fact from fiction with ‘Devil Wears Prada’ author Laura Weisberger. Her latest book is set in the world of professional tennis. Mum Won’t Cramp My Olympic Style: In Georgia one family is particularly excited about the upcoming Rio Olympics. Why? Well, this family will make history by becoming the first mother-and-son to compete at the same Games! We meet Nino Salukvadze and her son Tsotne Machavariani, who will compete side by side in the shooting competition. The Alan Green Lecture: Euro 2016 the Real Winners: Alan Green gives us his considered thoughts on how Euro 2016 will be remembered; what worked, what didn’t and who the real winners and losers were. The Curse of the Winning Goal: Steve Crossman hears the cautionary but ultimately uplifting tale of Bruno Bellone, the first Frenchman to score a winning goal in a European Championships final. Later, his life spiralled into debt, he was even reported to be dead. He wasn’t, and eventually his old team mates came to his rescue! Rio Ready: In less than a month Rio will welcome the world to its Olympic party, but will the lasting legacy of these Games be the action in the stadium or on the streets of Brazil? There are many areas of concern from Zica, to presidential impeachments and worries over doping control, but what is the biggest headache? Jules Boykoff, author of "Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics", offers his assessment. Sporting Witness… In 1984, the women's marathon took place in the Olympic Games for the first time. But, to the horror of the crowd in Los Angeles, one of the runners, Gabriela Andersen-Scheiss of Switzerland, entered the stadium in a state of virtual collapse from heat exhaustion and took minutes to stumble round her final lap of the track. Photo: Serena Williams serves during the Ladies Singles Semi Final July 7th 2016 (Credit Julian Finney/Getty Images)