ESPN
Long-time sports journalist, William Rhoden is a writer for ESPN's The Undefeated. He is author of Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete and co-writer of the documentary Journey of the African American Athlete.
Race politics and the NFL's culture of silence The National Football League is "as American as apple pie, "with deep roots in popular culture. Now the nation's most profitable sports enterprise is caught up in race politics. Former NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick is out of a job. He once helped the San Francisco 49ers reach the Super Bowl, but he's best known for refusing to stand for the Star Spangled Banner-- saying the nation is not keeping its promise of equality for people of color. Michael Bennett is an all-star defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks. In the aftermath of Saturday's deadly violence by white racists in Charlottesville, he says he'll refuse to stand for the National Anthem this season. So far, only black players have been taking the knee, but some white teammates are joining demands for racial equality. Players are also speaking out about long-term injury, as research shows the longer and harder they play, the more likely is permanent brain damage.
Tiny Desk Talks NPR Music is proud to introduce their newest series, “Tiny Desk Talks” fueled by Lagunitas Brewing Company. Featuring one of their talks in collaboration with KCRW for an intimate conversation on music in film with composer Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther, Atlanta, Creed) and music supervisor and KCRW DJ Liza Richardson (Barry, Narcos), moderated by KCRW’s Jason Bentley. Watch the conversation below.
Midterm Elections and the Divider in Chief During a visit to Pittsburgh to honor the victims of an anti-Semitic attack, President Trump was met with protests. The president has ridiculed Democrats targeted with pipe bombs and deployed troops against Central American asylum seekers. By defying the tradition of ‘President as Unifier,’ can Trump help maintain Republican dominance in Washington?