Edge of Sports

This week, Dave Zirin brings back Arya Shirazi to discuss round one of the playoffs and what we learned.Zirin, “Macklemore Dares Others to Stand Up for Palestine”https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/macklemore-hinds-hall-palestine/—http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://twitter.com/EdgeOfSportsPod | http://fb.com/edgeofsportspod | email us: [email protected] |

After more than 50 years, the Oakland A's announced their departure from the city last year, leaving Oakland bereft of its sports teams after the flight of the Warriors in 2019 and the Raiders in 2020. To the dismay of fans, the A's plan to temporarily relocate to a minor league stadium in Sacramento before permanently moving to Las Vegas in the 2028 season. Former A's

This week we discuss why New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson should not be seen is anybody’s underdog. Also, we break down who is going to win the first round playoff, matchups, with an eye on the politics of the games.Zirin, “The 2024 Olympics Are Already Dealing With Multiple Political Crises”https://www.thenation.com/article/world/2024-paris-olympics-political-crises/—htt

Dallas Mavericks’ backcourt of Luka Doncic and Kyrie is the most thrilling guard combo in the league and perhaps ever. Yet very few thought their coming together would work. We explore why.Zirin, “Coaching Great Dawn Staley Defends Trans Athletes”https://www.thenation.com/article/society/dawn-staley-trans-athletes/—http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://twitter.com/Ed

Arya joins the pod again to talk about the rising of the international influence of the NBA, it’s early roots, and where the game may be headed. Zirin, “Online Gambling Has Swallowed Professional Sports”https://www.thenation.com/article/society/online-gambling-sports-shohei-ohtani/—http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://twitter.com/EdgeOfSportsPod | http://fb.com/edge

Arya Shirazi joins the show to talk about the current state of the NBA, and we discuss what the implications of this game are moving forward and how we feel about the direction it’s heading aesthetically and as an entertainment product. Zirin, “Jonathan Glazer’s Brave Oscar Speech Represents the Best of Judaism”https://www.thenation.com/article/world/jonathan-glazer-oscar-s

Rebecca O'Keeffe helped spark an international firestorm within the world of sports when she called on the Irish women’s basketball team to boycott its Feb. 8 match against Israel. While O'Keeffe's calls for a boycott ultimately went unheeded, her actions have provoked serious debate within Ireland and internationally on the responsibility of athletes to stand up agai

In this episode, we talk about the truly forgotten players of the NBA, particularly during the 1980s, such a unique era in the history of the NBA, and theorize on why they are not remembered as intently as others. Zirin, “What the Super Bowl Parade Shooting Has to Do With the Empire of the Gun”https://www.thenation.com/article/society/super-bowl-parade-shooting-guns-colonialism

The 1980s and 1990s were defined by basketball dynasties like the Lakers, Celtics, and Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Yet in the midst of this unprecedented stretch of dominance, the Detroit Pistons won two and could’ve very easily won four NBA titles. How did they do it? And why do we discount this incredible accomplishment?Zirin, When Wearing a Sweater Is Antisemitichttps://

New York is the Mecca of basketball. So what explains the city’s inability to score an NBA championship in the last half-century. Arya Shirazi joins the show to talk about this historical oddity.Zirin, What Naomi Klein Taught Me About Aaron Rodgershttps://www.thenation.com/article/society/naomi-klein-aaron-rodgers-colin-kaepernick/—http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://