Show Notes and Links to Dave Zirin’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 80
On Episode 80, Pete talks with Dave Zirin about his work as an activist and journalist, his early influences in reading and civic engagement, “ ‘Eureka’ moments,” his fine work with The Nation and book publishing, and his 2021 release, the important book, The Kaepernick Effect: Taking a Knee and Changing the World. With discussion of the book comes conversation about some of the forces repressing change, but more importantly, famous people and not-so-famous people enacting change through educating others and through direct action.
Dave Zirin, The Nation’s sports editor, is the author of ten books on the politics of sports, most recently, The Kaepernick Effect: Taking a Knee, Changing the World. Named one of UTNE Reader’s “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Our World,” Zirin is a frequent guest on ESPN, MSNBC, and Democracy Now! He also hosts The Nation’s Edge of Sports podcast. You can find all his work or contact him through his website EdgeofSports.com. Follow him on twitter @EdgeofSports.
Buy The Kaepernick Effect: Taking a Knee, Changing the World
Dave Zirin’s Personal Website
Dave Zirin's Wikipedia Page
"Dave Zirin is The Kaepernick Whisperer" (The Ringer, 2018)
Support organization to which book proceeds go-Serve Your City DC
At about 2:00, Dave talks about his feelings as The Kaepernick Effect is a few days away from being published, and the mission he feels in publishing a book on such an important and underrepresented movement inspired by Colin Kaepernick; Dave highlights that proceeds from the book go to serveyourcitydc.org
At about 4:15, Pete asks Dave about his childhood relationship with the written word, including his love of sports and his older sister’s outsized impact on him, especially with the fact that she was a heavy reader; he also mentions his love of books like Season on the Brink by John Feinstein
At about 7:00, Dave highlights James Baldwin as a writer who has thrilled him throughout his life, leading Dave to talk about his love for rereading great books like Baldwin’s
At about 8:25, Dave talks about sportswriters like Frank DeFord, Leigh Montville, Selena Roberts, Ralph Wiley at Sports Illustrated and its power in his life, as well as his mother’s providing the family access to local news
At about 10:40, Pete asks Dave about starting points for him as a journalist and an activist,
At about 12:30, Dave talks about turning points and how he came to write about sports and politics
At about 15:10, Pete asks Dave about his current reading, and Dave highlights David Maraniss and Howard Bryant, as well as Lindsey Adler
At about 16:30, Howard and Pete talk about tennis and Howard Bryant’s promotion of it and the text that Dave sent about playing on a tennis grass court
At about 18:10, Pete asks Dave about connections between “older” athlete/activists and what he has seen in his years at The Nation regarding current activist-athletes
At about 20:45, Dave talks about the titanic changes that have come around regarding athlete/activism, due to
At about 23:20, Dave talks about The People’s History of Sports in the United States and its genesis, as well as great interactions with his inspirations like Jim Bouton and Howard Zinn
At about 26:20, Pete and Dave discuss his book, The Kaepernick Effect, and its genesis, and Dave’s concern in summarizing and memorializing so much recent history; he talks about his inspiration by Howard Zinn’s curating
At about 30:15, Dave talks about how the largest protests in US history-regarding the police murder of George Floyd-changed the focus of his book
At about 32:15, Pete asks Dave about the revisionist history of Colin Kaepernick as “simply not being a good quarterback”
At about 34:20, Pete points to the juxtaposition of knees that starts off Dave’s book
At about 34:55, Dave talks about Steve Wyche’s perspective five years after being the first to cover the Kaepernick kneeling
At about 36:40, Dave and Pete discuss a few individual like April Parkerson and Rodney Axson who were the first athletes to follow Kaepernick’s lead; Dave puts these courageous acts into context, including the fallout in Beaumont, Texas
At about 39:50, Dave discusses the vitriol directed at Denby High School as discussed in the book
At about 40:50, Dave highlights a coach in Minnesota, Marjaan Siddar, who educates his players and keeps them working for progressive causes
At about 42:20, Pete asks Dave how he weighs and balances the future of the high school generation and their activism, as laid out in the book
At about 44:30, Dave discusses the book’s section about college player activists, as Pete and he highlight Alexis Bazen and the message that dave says “pays it forward”
At about 48:15, Dave is asked about the idea of an “ally” and how one acts in solidarity, and its connection to Megan Rapinoe and others discussed in his book who
At about 50:00, Pete asks Dave his thoughts on recent NCAA bylaws changing regarding selling one’s likeness and how this affects the rights of college athletes
At about 51:00, Pete and Dave highlight and discuss changemakers in the NFL and other pro sports, as outlined in the last chapter of the book, including Gwen Berry, Eric Reid, Kenny Stills, and Bruce Maxwell
At about 53:15, Dave points to Howard Bryant’s book, The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism, in explaining the expanded conflation of patriotism and sports, especially since 9/11
At about 55:00, Dave talks about Michael Bennett’s worldview and work for change
At about 56:00, Pete and Dave highlight Dr. John Carlos’ inspiring words from the Epilogue, as well as his inspiring work for justice
You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a
five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Spotify, Stitcher, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this episode and other episodes on YouTube-you can watch and subscribe on The Chills at Will Podcast Channel.
This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.
Please tune in for the next episode, Episode 81 with Cerise Castle, who has written for NPR, LAMag, and Vice News, among others, and has recently written an incredibly well-done history of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department gangs and cliques. The episode will air on September 28.
Episode 234 with Sasha Vasilyuk, Author of Your Presence is Mandatory, and Master Chronicler of Fiction that Parallels and Expands Upon Real-Life Secrecy, Grief, Trauma, and Shared Humanity
Episode 233 with Jazmina Barrera Velázquez, Author of Cross-Stitch/Punto de Cruz, and Wise Chronicler of the Vagaries of Friendship and History and their Effects on the World
Episode 232 with Kate Brody, Author of Rabbit Hole and Master of Writing Intriguing and Flawed Characters and Crackling Plotlines
Episode 231-April 13, 2024 Live Event to Launch Jose Vadi's Chipped, a reflective, creative, subtly brilliant essay collection
Episode 230 with Chelsea T. Hicks, Author of the Story Collection, A Calm & Normal Heart, Revitalizer and Student of the Osage Language, and Crafter of Poetic, Timely, and Timeless Stories
Episode 229 with Will Sommer, Author of Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Reshaped America, and Keen and Thorough Chronicler of the QAnon Movement Through The Washington Post
Episode 228 with Jennifer Croft, Author of The Extinction of Irena Rey and Award-Winning Translator, and Master of Worldbuilding, Highly-Allegorical Yet Masterfully-Plotted Fiction, and Nuance
Episode 227 with Gina Chung, Author of Green Frog, a Dazzling Collection of Poignant, Offbeat, Chillingly-Realistic and Fantastical Stories
Episode 226 with Priscilla Gilman, Author of The Critic's Daughter and Skilled and Thoughtful Chronicler of the Universal and the Intimately Personal
Episode 225 with Andrés N Ordorica, Author of How We Named the Stars and Generous Creator of Poignant, Resonant "Love and Loss" Scenes and Utterly Memorable Characters
Episode 224 with Peter Coviello, Enthusiastic and Deeply Knowledgeable Critic and Celebrator of Moving Art, and Author of the Essay Collection, Is There God After Prince
Episode 223 with Sarah Rose Etter, Master Balancer of Surrealism, Realism, Dark Humor, and Themes of Grief and Anxiety that are Timely and Timeless
Episode 222 with Andrew Leland, Author of The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight, and Masterful Chronicler of His and Other Journeys with Blindness and its Intersections with our World
Episode 221 with Martha Anne Toll, Renaissance Woman, Book Reviewer, Creative, and Award-Winning Writer of the Moving, Contemplative Three Muses
Episode 220 with Aniefiok Epoudom: Keen Chronicler of Hip-Hop, Football Culture and Pop Culture in the UK, and Savvy and Nuanced Master of Telling Personal Stories; Author of
Episode 219 with Roxanna Asgarian, Principled and Dogged Reporter, Caring and Clear-Eyed Journalist and Author of We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America
Episode 218 with Melissa Rivero, Author of Flores and Miss Paula, Keen Observer of Modern Corporate Life and Nuanced Chronicler of Grief’s Many Permutations
Episode 217 with Jeff Sharlet, Author of The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War, and Sharp-Eyed Chronicler of Impending Fascism and Previous Fighters in The Movements
Episode 216 with Kate Maruyama: Author of Bleak Houses, Master Worldbuilder, and Skilled Observer and Chronicler of Family Traumas, Class and Privilege, and Psychological Horrors Modern and Timeless
Episode 215 with Nick Fuller Googins, Reflective and Dynamic Worldbuilder, Educator, and Creator of the ”Hopeful” Climate Crisis Novel, The Great Transition
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Lit Society: Books and Drama
Ex Libris
Write The Book: Conversations on Craft
A Tale of Two Cities
Just So Stories
Fresh Air
Myths and Legends