Synopsis
This book explains America's love of sport just as it reveals sport's darker side--the influence of big business, corruption, price gouging, political maneuvering, and media grandstanding.
Booknews
Taking a sociological approach to the phenomena of professional and academic sports, Eitzen (professor emeritus of sociology, Colorado State U.) examines nine particular contradictions of American sports. Among these are breaking down social barriers yet reinforcing them, the commitment to fair play versus the selfishness of some sports professionals, the commitment of higher education to sport at a cost to good education, and the image of social mobility contrasted with the number of opportunities actually available. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)