Not Just a Game: A Critical Exploration of Politics in American Sports
Added on 2023-06-12
7 Pages1936 Words282 Views
Running head: FILM'S AFTERTASTE
Film's Aftertaste
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s note
Film's Aftertaste
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s note
1FILM'S AFTERTASTE
“Sports and politics do not mix”, this is the statement that has been critically explored in
the documentary. The documentary is based on Dave Zirin’s book, A People’s History of Sports
in the United States, Not Just a Game showcases the political scenario that is prevalent on the
screens. The documentary focuses on athletes like Billie Jean King, Jackie Robinson, and Pat
Tillman — athletes who, hardly set as examples in the American sports and politics scenario.
Where there is money and power involved politics will surely crop up. Dave Zirin states that,
“American sports culture shapes cultural attitudes, norms and power arrangements.” Sports
are a “cultural force, a shared social space and a political force,” The plot of the documentary
discusses several political and societal issues faced by sports personalities in their career (Zirin,
2008).
The film covers the careers of famous American sports personalities like Jesse Owens to
Howard Cosell, the documentary “Not Just a Game” exhibits that sports encompasses the
concepts of nationalism, militarism, and patriotism which is the exact opposite of politically
nonaligned aspect of the perception of sports. With the help of images and footages of old and
new interviews of popular athletes, the director points out a series of issues which lead to the
conformation of the topic that politics is very well prevalent in American sports community
(Briley, 2010).
A number of issues are discussed in the movie which was deemed to be glamorous in the
sports arena for the longest time, for example: sexism, homophobia, militarism and racism. Not
only that the screenplay of the documentary explores the forgotten history of some of the athletes
who has a revolutionary career. These people went beyond the field of play to stand up against
power anarchy and power misuse and also fought for social issues. The plot of the movie is
“Sports and politics do not mix”, this is the statement that has been critically explored in
the documentary. The documentary is based on Dave Zirin’s book, A People’s History of Sports
in the United States, Not Just a Game showcases the political scenario that is prevalent on the
screens. The documentary focuses on athletes like Billie Jean King, Jackie Robinson, and Pat
Tillman — athletes who, hardly set as examples in the American sports and politics scenario.
Where there is money and power involved politics will surely crop up. Dave Zirin states that,
“American sports culture shapes cultural attitudes, norms and power arrangements.” Sports
are a “cultural force, a shared social space and a political force,” The plot of the documentary
discusses several political and societal issues faced by sports personalities in their career (Zirin,
2008).
The film covers the careers of famous American sports personalities like Jesse Owens to
Howard Cosell, the documentary “Not Just a Game” exhibits that sports encompasses the
concepts of nationalism, militarism, and patriotism which is the exact opposite of politically
nonaligned aspect of the perception of sports. With the help of images and footages of old and
new interviews of popular athletes, the director points out a series of issues which lead to the
conformation of the topic that politics is very well prevalent in American sports community
(Briley, 2010).
A number of issues are discussed in the movie which was deemed to be glamorous in the
sports arena for the longest time, for example: sexism, homophobia, militarism and racism. Not
only that the screenplay of the documentary explores the forgotten history of some of the athletes
who has a revolutionary career. These people went beyond the field of play to stand up against
power anarchy and power misuse and also fought for social issues. The plot of the movie is
2FILM'S AFTERTASTE
intensely moving and has a rational flow of knowledge and understanding of the sports culture in
the country (Briley, 2010).
Sexism and gender discrimination has been an issue in the country for a prolonged period
of time until rules and legal framework were set up to support the interest of women in the
country, sports is also not an exception, the writer has cited several examples throughout the
movie that highlights the issues faced by women athletes and the kind of “politics” they had to
face in the field facing a male opponent. The career of Billie Jean King (famous tennis player) is
used as an example to categories and demonstrates the issue further. She had a lasting impression
on the game of tennis as she revolutionized the game and was a vocal revolutionary about the
woman and gay rights. Title IX of the legal framework of America has encouraged women’s
participation in sport from a 1 out of 35 share to the currently 1 in 3, the media is also criticized
in emphasizing on male sports personalities than female and this has been highlighted in the
documentary (Brake, 2012). Media has been recorded to dedicate 1.6 percent of sport air time to
women in 2009. In a span of five year the Magazine published by ESPN had only six female
covers models. Media coverage of women in sports lack respect and use the female sports
personalities as secondary (O'Reilly, 2012).
Another social issue that has been highlighted in the documentary is Homophobia.
Acceptance of homosexuality has been one of the major issues that the American society and the
impact of it have been observed in the sports industry as well. The documentary traces the fact
that not a single athlete had accepted their sexuality during the tenure of their career this fact is
of course stated during the period this documentary was made. The silence of male athletes of
the period on the issue of violence towards women as well as any kind of activities towards
homosexuality, this situation was observed throughout the sports community (Sherkat et al.,
intensely moving and has a rational flow of knowledge and understanding of the sports culture in
the country (Briley, 2010).
Sexism and gender discrimination has been an issue in the country for a prolonged period
of time until rules and legal framework were set up to support the interest of women in the
country, sports is also not an exception, the writer has cited several examples throughout the
movie that highlights the issues faced by women athletes and the kind of “politics” they had to
face in the field facing a male opponent. The career of Billie Jean King (famous tennis player) is
used as an example to categories and demonstrates the issue further. She had a lasting impression
on the game of tennis as she revolutionized the game and was a vocal revolutionary about the
woman and gay rights. Title IX of the legal framework of America has encouraged women’s
participation in sport from a 1 out of 35 share to the currently 1 in 3, the media is also criticized
in emphasizing on male sports personalities than female and this has been highlighted in the
documentary (Brake, 2012). Media has been recorded to dedicate 1.6 percent of sport air time to
women in 2009. In a span of five year the Magazine published by ESPN had only six female
covers models. Media coverage of women in sports lack respect and use the female sports
personalities as secondary (O'Reilly, 2012).
Another social issue that has been highlighted in the documentary is Homophobia.
Acceptance of homosexuality has been one of the major issues that the American society and the
impact of it have been observed in the sports industry as well. The documentary traces the fact
that not a single athlete had accepted their sexuality during the tenure of their career this fact is
of course stated during the period this documentary was made. The silence of male athletes of
the period on the issue of violence towards women as well as any kind of activities towards
homosexuality, this situation was observed throughout the sports community (Sherkat et al.,
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