Skip Navigation
Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates - Ta-Nehisi Coates is a senior editor for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues for TheAtlantic.com and the magazine. He is the author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle. More

Born in 1975, the product of two beautiful parents. Raised in West Baltimore—not quite The Wire, but sometimes ill all the same. Studied at the Mecca for some years in the mid-’90s. Emerged with a purpose, if not a degree. Slowly migrated up the East Coast with a baby and my beloved, until I reached the shores of Harlem. Wrote some stuff along the way.

The Fight For Chris Berman

By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Feb 10 2010, 3:00 PM ET Comment

This is the sort of thing that makes me feel like I'm living in another country. I just don't get the appeal of Chris Berman.

On another note, I may well have watched my last Super Bowl. With the incessant commercials, and the half-time show, I found it to be really unpleasant to watch. It's sad because the last few games have been incredible. But the actual experience is miserable. it's like they know they have the greatest show on earth, and so they've decided to tack as many money-making vehicles as possible to it. The price is getting too high. There's something cool about the notion of advertisers trying to outdo each other. In theory. But in actuality, when stumped, they just go crude.

This year, I paid $400 to have every regular season game broadcast through my PC. I probably would have paid another $400 just to have the playoffs and the Super Bowl. I enjoy the product that much. But the extra crap they tack on to it is just soul-eating. I keep getting the feeling that I should be doing something else.

Wait. Weren't we supposed to be talking about Chris Berman?


Presented by

More at The Atlantic

Romney's Plan to Save Higher Ed: Let the Private Sector Handle It Romney's Plan to Save Higher Education
Watch and Buy: Kickstarter Is the Hipster Home Shopping Network Kickstarter Is the Hipster Home Shopping Network
The '7 Dirty Words' Turn 40, but They're Still Dirty The '7 Dirty Words' Turn 40
How One Mother's Story Helped Change Obama's Gay Marriage Stance How A Mother's Story Changed Obama's Gay-Marriage Stance
Buying a Piece of America: Why Chinese Shoppers Love U.S. Brands Why Chinese Shoppers Love American Brands

Join the Discussion

After you comment, click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be asked to log in or register.
blog comments powered by Disqus
View All Correspondents

The Biggest Story in Photos

The American West, 150 Years Ago

May 24, 2012

Subscribe Now

SAVE 59%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Facebook

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

Ta-Nehisi Coates
from the Magazine

Why Do So Few Blacks Study the Civil War?

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an Atlantic senior editor.

Fade to White

A filmmaker maps Austin’s shifting ethnic landscape.

The Legacy of Malcolm X

Why his vision lives on in Barack Obama