Browse Items (73 total)

On this page, Olsen turns his attention to the other part of the cruel deception: the false promise of success and social uplift that sports provides to black youth. Olsen notes the fall-out from this “meaningless dream” is the emergence of a “new…

Olsen turns to the specific cases of Don Smith and Elvin Hayes to illustrate the troubling experiences that black athletes face which are unknown to the white fans they play for. Olsen calls this “a wall of ignorance and unfounded suppositions” which…

Don Smith’s account of his youth finished with his recollection of being beaten by police officers, smoking marijuana, and spending time in jail. Olsen then switches back into his primary reporting on Smith’s tenure at Iowa State, but this page…

After establishing the reverence that Hayes’ commanded at the University of Houston, Olsen documents the instant change in the attitude of white Houston residents when Elvin Hayes’ signed with a Sand Diego pro team, rather than the Houston Mavericks.…

Olsen continues to cover the story of Elvin Hayes’, particularly his path to basketball stardom. Hayes’ recalls being less academically successful than his five older siblings, who all had college degrees and excelled in school. Hayes’ remembers…

Olsen resumes his overview of the experience and disadvantages of black collegiate athletes compared to their white counterparts, beginning with a discussion of education in many poorer black communities. Olsen challenges the stereotypes that white…

Olsen interviews Robert Buford, a “19-year-old very black boy” who aspires to be a pro-football player. Buford is exceptionally fast and adept at scoring touchdowns, but he grew up living in cars and often starving. Olsen interviews Buford, allowing…

Olsen continues to pursue the ‘cultural gulf’ between black college athletes and their white peers. Olsen is somewhat forgiving of coaches who recruit black youth who are dismally ill-equipped for college academics, noting that “coaches are paid to…

After zooming into various individual case studies of specific black athletes, Olsen returns to his initial conception of the ‘cruel deception’ that sport is transformative and beneficial to black youth and their communities. The purported…

The advertisement reads "This calls for a Budweiser" in large lettering.Three middle-aged white men study a billiard table, one holding Budweiser can and another holding a glass of beer. The text reads "Saturday afternoon...and Monday's a thousand…