In this episode of The Sports As A Weapon Podcast, host Miguel Garcia is joined by a new friend of the podcast, Eri Lee, a PhD grad student and researcher at the University of Minnesota. Eri shares their insights on how the US national team serves as a tool of US imperialism and neoliberalism on the global stage, the role of Asian diasporic athletes and the model minority myth, and the impact of media representation in sports.

Eri also delves into their personal experience as a former Team USA synchronized Ice skater and current skating coach, highlighting the challenges and biases in the sport. Miguel and Eri also cover topics such as gender testing in sports, the meaning of liberating skating, and the urgent issues surrounding ICE activities in Minneapolis. Additionally, Eri also touches on their work with the Sports Scholars for Justice in Palestine, @ss4jPal. This episode is a prime example of how sports can be both a site of resistance and a perpetuator of systemic inequities.

Links

* Eri Lee Website

* Bridging the Gap Between Sport Studies & Asian American Studies by Eri Lee

* On Assimilation Politics: Reflections of an Asian American Athlete by Eri Lee

* Milan’s Winter Olympics met with protests against ICE and Israel by Ana Vračar/Peoples Dispatch

* Why the Olympics—Not the Super Bowl—Became a Political Football By Michael McCarthy/Front Office Sports

* Chloe Kim & More Fire Back at Donald Trump Calling Team USA Teammate a ‘Loser’ by Paige Strout/Yahoo Sports

* A Minneapolis Teacher Wants the Whole Country in the Streets by Dave Zirin/The Nation

Miguel Garcia and Comrade E produced this episode. The Sports As A Weapon Podcast is part of the @Anticonquista Media Collective. Subscribe to the ANTICONQUISTA Patreon and follow ANTICONQUISTA on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

All the video episodes are on the ATICONQUISTA YouTube, and listen/subscribe to the Sports As A Weapon Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Deezer, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow us on:

Twitter/X: @sportsasaweapon
Facebook: fb.com/sportsasaweaponpodcast
Instagram: @sportsasaweaponpodcast
UpScrolled: @SportsAsAWeapon
YouTube: @SportsAsAWeapon
BlueSky: @sportsasaweapon.bsky.social
Visit our website: www.sportsasaweapon.com

In this episode of The Sports As a Weapon Podcast, Miguel speaks with Rus Bradburd, current television color analyst on ESPN+ for New Mexico State Aggies men’s basketball. The discussion covers Bradburd's multifaceted career as a Division I college basketball coach at UTEP and New Mexico State, and a professor-turned-author. Bradburd shares insights from his novel 'Big Time,' which satirizes the corporatization of college sports and explores themes of radical politics and academic culture.

Miguel and Rus delve into topics such as the disparities in academic versus athletic department salaries, the implications of the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals in college sports, and the changing landscape of American universities. Additionally, Bradburd discusses his impactful 'Basketball in The Barrio' camp for the youth in El Paso and his upcoming book project on Syrian refugee children integrating into Gaelic sports in Northern Ireland.

Links:

* Visit Rus Bradburd’s Website

* Buy Big Time by Rus Bradburd

* Basketball in the Barrio Website

* Basketball in the Barrio Documentary (YouTube)

* Bradburd chooses writing over hoops by Scott Powers/ESPN (2013)

* Forty Minutes of Hell: The Extraordinary Life of Nolan Richardson by Rus Bradburd

* José 'Rocky' Galarza: A Legacy in El Paso Sports by José G. Loredo, Jr./Texas State Historical Association

Miguel Garcia and Comrade E produced this episode. The Sports As A Weapon Podcast is part of the @Anticonquista Media Collective. Subscribe to the ANTICONQUISTA Patreon and follow ANTICONQUISTA on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

All the video episodes are on the ATICONQUISTA YouTube, and listen/subscribe to the Sports As A Weapon Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Deezer, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow us on:

Twitter/X: @sportsasaweapon
Facebook: fb.com/sportsasaweaponpodcast
Instagram: @sportsasaweaponpodcast
UpScrolled: @SportsAsAWeapon
YouTube: @SportsAsAWeapon
BlueSky: @sportsasaweapon.bsky.social
Visit our website: www.sportsasaweapon.com

In this episode of The Sports As a Weapon Podcast, Miguel welcomes British-Chilean journalist and documentary filmmaker Pablo Navarrete. The discussion centers around the recent US attack on Venezuela on January 3, 2026, which led to the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores. Pablo shares his experiences and insights on Venezuelan politics, the influence of Chavismo, and the impact of US imperialism. He also highlights his work in documentary filmmaking, focusing on Venezuela and Latin American issues. Miguel and Pablo’s conversation includes perspectives on independent media and grassroots journalism, and the roles of Chavista social activists of the Bolivarian Revolution, such as Mariela Machado in Venezuela.

Links:

* Emergency Rally in Sheffield, England - Hands Off Venezuela! by Pablo Navarrete/Level Ground Substack

* The War On Democracy (2007 Documentary) by John Pilger

* Inside the Revolution: A Journey into Heart of Venezuela (2009 Documentary) by Pablo Navarrete/Alborada Films

* Venezuela: Defending the Revolution (2019 Documentary) by Pablo Navarrete/Redfish Media

* The Other Venezuela (2019 Documentary) by Pablo Navarrete/Redfish Media

* Caesar Crossed the Rubicon; So Did Trump by Maria Páez Victor/Orinoco Tribune

* Mariela Machado Instagram Interview via @chanramosvictoralfonso

* Venezuelan, International Popular Movements Condemn US Bombings, Maduro Kidnapping by Ricardo Vaz

Miguel Garcia and Comrade E produced this episode. The Sports As A Weapon Podcast is part of the @Anticonquista Media Collective. Subscribe to the ANTICONQUISTA Patreon and follow ANTICONQUISTA on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

All the video episodes are on the ATICONQUISTA YouTube, and listen/subscribe to the Sports As A Weapon Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Deezer, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow us on:

Twitter/X: @sportsasaweapon
Facebook: fb.com/sportsasaweaponpodcast
Instagram: @sportsasaweaponpodcast
UpScrolled: @SportsAsAWeapon
YouTube: @SportsAsAWeapon
BlueSky: @sportsasaweapon.bsky.social
Visit our website: www.sportsasaweapon.com