A Brief History of Freshman Eligibility and Race in the NCAA

By Alexander Hyres In February, the Big Ten Conference held a lengthy discussion with faculty, administrators, and student-athletes about how to “keep education central to the mission of college sports.” Whether education has actually been the central to mission of college sports in the last one-hundred years is questionable; however, the discussion did produce a proposal…

Columbia Football is Winning! Former Lion Captain is Saving Lives

By Jon Hart, Guest Contributor John Alex will never forget that cold October rain, the Baker Field mud, and the moment that last-second field goal attempt fell short nearly 27 years ago. Yes, alas, The Streak was over. After losing 44 consecutive games, the Columbia football team had finally won, defeating Princeton, 16-13. “Afterwards, it…

Review of Andrew J. Ross’ Joining the Clubs

Ross, J. Andrew. Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2015. Pp. 326. Appendix, bibliography, and index. $49.95 clothback. Reviewed by Tom Rorke In what is now an annual early summer ritual, fans keen to see the Stanley Cup roundly boo its presenter, National Hockey…

Judge, Jury, and Executioner: The Commissioner and the “Integrity of the Game”

By Erica Zonder, Guest Contributor It has been a tough year for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.  Most recently, the discipline he imposed on Tom Brady for allegedly deflating footballs, discipline that he himself, as a “neutral” arbitrator, upheld during the subsequent arbitration process, was tossed by a Federal District Court judge.  “Deflategate” was, to borrow…

Review of Jonathan Black’s Making the American Body

Black, Jonathan. Making the American Body: The Remarkable Saga of the Men and Women Whose Feats, Feuds, and Passions Shaped Fitness History. Lincoln: Nebraska University Press, 2013. Pp 264. Introduction, notes, and index. Hardcover: $27.95 Reviewed by Adam Copeland With the summer coming to a slow, hot close, the ubiquitous obsession with six-pack abs and…

American Football in Cuba: A Brief Introduction

By Michael T. Wood, Guest Contributor On 20 July 2015, the United States and Cuba reopened their embassies in Havana and Washington, D.C. This occasion represents another important step in the normalization of U.S.-Cuban relations, and continues a policy shift that began in December 2014. Even though more action is needed on both sides of…

Advocating for Almaty with the Canadian-Kazakh Connection: Comparing the Calgary 1988 & Almaty 2022 Winter Olympic Bids

By Kyle D. James, Guest Contributor On July 31st, 2015, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will decide whether Almaty, Kazakhstan, or Beijing/Zhangjiakou, China, will become the host of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The Boston 2024 Olympic Committee, along with the European cities that have also announced their candidacies, will be watching closely, as this…