A sports documentary dedicated to the memory of the late historian and political activist Howard Zinn, director Jeremy Earp's Not Just a Game features Nation editor Dave Zirin, who wrote A People's History of Sports in the United States. Zirin's unapologetic left-leaning agenda bemoans what he calls the hypocrisy of athletic competition (including that sacred cow, the Olympics), which pretends to be above ideology and nationalism but, in fact, is rampant with sanctioned homophobia, sexism, corporate dominance, the ruining of players' health for the almighty buck, and right-wing militarism (citing U.S. Army recruiting drives and Gulf War rallies that took place at games). Athletes who do not hide their against-the-grain politics (examples include Muhammad Ali and Billie Jean King) lose endorsement deals and garner hostile press, while Hollywood's soft-edged portrayal of Jackie Robinson whitewashed his off-the-field anger and activism. While much of what's presented here is obvious—yes, sports are often characterized by exaggerated machismo and aggression—well-chosen clips and excerpts from everything from Gladiator to Saturday Night Live effectively underscore Zirin's opinionated screed. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)
Not Just a Game
(2010) 62 min. DVD: $125: high schools & public libraries; $250: colleges & universities. Media Education Foundation. PPR. Closed captioned. ISBN: 1-932869-50-6. Volume 26, Issue 3
Not Just a Game
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