My educational journey at Pacific has introduced me to the financial aspect of sport, the laws behind which players can play where and how many handicap parking spaces are required for a stadium to host the Super Bowl. I have learned how to market and promote sport, as well as manage it's enterprises and plan special events. However, this class has taught me knowing how to market or manage or plan sport is fairly useless without first understanding how sport is perceived throughout culture and society.
Because of my sport management background, I had previous knowledge of the dark side of sport. I knew players were being exploited by the NCAA, I knew that sport wasn't the most accepting of the LGBT community and I was aware of the issues surrounding PEDs and gender testing. However, this class has challenged me to go beyond the on the surface issues and really dive deep into the culture of sport and it's importance in today's society. These issues do go away with the end of the semester, they are very real issues and very real people are fighting and struggling with these controversies on a day to day basis. As someone who wants to pursue a career in sport, it is my duty as a professional to understand and provide a safe space for conversations like the ones we had in class to happen on a professional level. While that may sound easier than it is to actually execute, the issues discussed throughout this semester are ones that I will most likely have to face as I prepare to enter the sport industry. After this semester, the knowledge and insight of my peers have allowed me to form my own opinions, ones that I stick strongly by and hope will be able to support and execute throughout my professional development.
Regardless of what culture or society one is raised in, sport has a presents. Because of this, I would definitely recommend this class to a friend. Not only does Professor Killick keep the class energetic and engaged, but allows each individual to form his or her own opinion on every topic discussed in class. No matter where you travel in the world, sport holds its spot in culture, making this class something that anyone can relate to and discuss.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Is Sport a Safe Space for LGBT athletes?
Robbie Rogers was described as brave for just being who he is. Jason Collins' face was plastered on the cover of Sport Illustrated with the caption " The Gay Athlete", as if that's all he was. Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Acts allows business to deny services to LGBT individuals. Russia banned LGBT athletes from the Olympics. And unfortunately, the culture we live in makes these actions "ok". Due to the culture, and the stigma placed on the LGBT community, many athletes feel the need to closet themselves in order to keep their athletic success and fan base.
Homophobia in sports is everywhere. It happens in the locker rooms, coaches treat LGBT athletes differently than they do straight ones, regardless of how well they can play. Fans and teammates treat players differently simply for their sexuality. And in this case, those doing the exploiting are the only ones that can stop it from happening. Recently, a greater sense of understanding, respect and acceptance has been seen in sport. With more athletes coming out, Rogers and Collins have been joined with other professionals such as the NFL's Michael Sam, WNBA player Brittney Griner, and NBA player John Amaechi. In fact, according to OutSports.com, 108 individuals associated with professional sport game out as gay, lesbian or bisexual in 2014. While 108 does not seem like a huge number, it is a start.
With the media attention drawn to professional athletes who come out as gay, it serves as both a good and bad thing. On one hand, it shows other LGBT athletes that in this day and age, it doesn't matter what your sexuality is, if you can play, you can play. On the other hand, there will always be close minded people who do not feel comfortable with who you love. It's the strength of athletes like those I had previously listed that reinforce the truth that there is nothing wrong with being a competitive, professional athlete and being gay.
OutSports.com was able to list 34 different sports with one member who has come out as LGBT. Swimming saw the most athletes with 13, followed by football with 11, track and field with 10 and basketball with 9. I believe that some sports are more open and acepting to LFBT athlets simply based on traditional culture. Female sports seem to be more accepting, while male dominate aggressive sports, such as football are not as much. Perhaps because, these male dominate sports also receive the most media coverage, leaving more room for criticism.
Growing up in the Silicon Valley, I wasn't surrounded by much diversity growing up. We were a heavily asian community, filled with brilliant minded people, surrounded by powerful companies and overwhelmed with opportunity. Sexuality was never discussed. Not in school, not amongst friends. I grew up in a bubble, and it wasn't until college that I met my friend openly gay person. I am now, so incredibly proud to say that person is one of my best friends. As we've grown through college, it seems that everyone at this school is open minded and accepting of one another. But, I am constantly surprised at the ignorance and disgust in the world. The fact that my best friend struggles for the same opportunities and human rights as me, makes me physically ill. Because of the how accepting and open my group of friends are, and how ignorant I was growing up, I have greatly underestimated the struggles of LGBT men and women around the world.
I have played with teammates, and some of them happen to like both girls and men. I have loved my best friend endlessly and he happens to have the same taste in men as I do. I do not understand the challenge that these individuals have to face, especially in the sport setting, nor will I ever. Do I think that sports will one day be a safe place for all types of athletes? Absolutely. Will that be anytime soon? Maybe not. But athletes are paving the way. And fans are helping. Programs such as " If you can play, you can play" are stepping stones to making sport a safe place. Athletes are so much more than their sexuality, and I only hope someday fans, coaches, officials and players alike will all agree.
Resources:
Collins, Jason. "Why NBA Center Jason Collins Is Coming out Now." SI.com. Sports Illustrated, 29 Apr. 2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2015.
Griffin, Pat. "The Times They Are A-Changin' for LGBTQ People in Sports." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 18 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Apr. 2015.
Payne, Melissa. " Michael Sam and 107 Other Athletes and Sport Officials Came out As Gay in 2014". The Washing Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/12/18/michael-sam-and-107-other-athletes-and-sports-officials-came-out-as-gay-in-2014/
Monday, March 30, 2015
Hoop Dreams: Is sport a viable passport out of the projects?
LeBron James did it. Allen Iverson did it. Gary Payton did it. They proved if you're an athletes, and have the skills, perserverance and dedication, it doesn't matter where you come from, you can succeed. If only that were true. Unfortunately, the American sports dream, to play at the highest level of professional sport is simply that. A dream. Of the 541,054 high school basketball players only 3.4 percent will go onto playing basketball in college, of those 1.2 percent of them will be in the pros. And once they make it there, there can only be one "LeBron James", per say.
Hoop Dreams follows the life of two inner city boys from Chicago, Arthur Agee and William Gates. Beginning at the ripe age of 14 the documentary follows their lives throughout high school as both boys attempt to reach their dream of laying in the NBA. At the age of 14 two things immediately become crystal clear. These boys share a true, genuine love for the sport of basketball, and not only that, but they see it as the only way to get their families out of the projects. The film stresses the differential treatment among colored and white athletes, not even just on the court, but also in the classroom. Both boys test poorly in classes, Arthur struggles to pay for school at St.Josephs and is forced to leave, while William is allowed to stay. This movie highlights the fact that, sports is the only way to open a door to certain opportunities for underprivileged African Americans. Without the aide of an athletic scholarship, college would not be possible for boys like William and Arthur.
As the movie progresses, we see William began to lose joy in playing basketball. It no longer was something he genuinely enjoyed, but it became more of a job. If William couldn't shoot well, he would be considered obsolete to the school and lose his tuition. Ultimately, the viewers and William know, that basketball is not just a way out of the ghetto, but it is a business.
Hoops Dreams demonstrates life for Black Americans in the projects, and the role of sport in US society as a whole. Watching the movie, it is unfortunate that we don't hear more about the sacrifices that athletes make to become to where they are. Furthermore, it is unfortunate that many children see sport as the only way for their families to escape the projects.
Hoop Dreams follows the life of two inner city boys from Chicago, Arthur Agee and William Gates. Beginning at the ripe age of 14 the documentary follows their lives throughout high school as both boys attempt to reach their dream of laying in the NBA. At the age of 14 two things immediately become crystal clear. These boys share a true, genuine love for the sport of basketball, and not only that, but they see it as the only way to get their families out of the projects. The film stresses the differential treatment among colored and white athletes, not even just on the court, but also in the classroom. Both boys test poorly in classes, Arthur struggles to pay for school at St.Josephs and is forced to leave, while William is allowed to stay. This movie highlights the fact that, sports is the only way to open a door to certain opportunities for underprivileged African Americans. Without the aide of an athletic scholarship, college would not be possible for boys like William and Arthur.
As the movie progresses, we see William began to lose joy in playing basketball. It no longer was something he genuinely enjoyed, but it became more of a job. If William couldn't shoot well, he would be considered obsolete to the school and lose his tuition. Ultimately, the viewers and William know, that basketball is not just a way out of the ghetto, but it is a business.
Hoops Dreams demonstrates life for Black Americans in the projects, and the role of sport in US society as a whole. Watching the movie, it is unfortunate that we don't hear more about the sacrifices that athletes make to become to where they are. Furthermore, it is unfortunate that many children see sport as the only way for their families to escape the projects.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Sport Commercials and Gender Disorder
My following blog will be based off of the " You Can Play Campaign" which can be found by following the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iAmUE3VazY
I chose this commercial, because it shows the light side of sport that is often hidden, ignored and unrecognized by athletes, fans, players, and coaches. This commercial aired as part of the " You Can Play Campaign", a social activism campaign that is dedicated to eliminating homophobia in professional sports. It's slogan " If you can play, you can play, " is used to show support for LGBT athletes in all sports. This commercial specifically highlights the Bay Area's professional sports team, but the campaign spans across the nations and through all levels of professional, and collegiate athletics.
I picked this commercial, specifically because there are no consequences. While many sport commercials show the manliness or aggression of some sports, this commercial highlights, I believe this commercial brings light to a very important, and real issue. Since the " You Can Play Campaign" was started in light of Brendan Burke's untimely death in 2009. Burke was the openly gay son of Hockey icon Brian Burke. Brian's supported his son from the day he came out to the day he died, and started the campaign in his memory shortly after. Burke was the closest person to the NHL to ever come out publicly.
By having the " You Can Play Campaign" backed by some of the nation's top athletes and coaches it sheds light on the issue, as well as brings hope to the current status of openly gay or lesbian athletes in sport. This commercial specifically focuses on top players and coaches on nearly all of the Bay Area's professional sports teams. Sports is a big stage and has a huge audience, so it is refreshing to see individuals use the mass amounts of media attention to shed light on an issue that has been surrounding sport for centuries.
While the commercial can be criticized for not having any female athletes, the Bay Area is not home to a big professional female sporting base, and the campaign does feature females athletes in other commercials.
I chose this commercial, because it shows the light side of sport that is often hidden, ignored and unrecognized by athletes, fans, players, and coaches. This commercial aired as part of the " You Can Play Campaign", a social activism campaign that is dedicated to eliminating homophobia in professional sports. It's slogan " If you can play, you can play, " is used to show support for LGBT athletes in all sports. This commercial specifically highlights the Bay Area's professional sports team, but the campaign spans across the nations and through all levels of professional, and collegiate athletics.
I picked this commercial, specifically because there are no consequences. While many sport commercials show the manliness or aggression of some sports, this commercial highlights, I believe this commercial brings light to a very important, and real issue. Since the " You Can Play Campaign" was started in light of Brendan Burke's untimely death in 2009. Burke was the openly gay son of Hockey icon Brian Burke. Brian's supported his son from the day he came out to the day he died, and started the campaign in his memory shortly after. Burke was the closest person to the NHL to ever come out publicly.
By having the " You Can Play Campaign" backed by some of the nation's top athletes and coaches it sheds light on the issue, as well as brings hope to the current status of openly gay or lesbian athletes in sport. This commercial specifically focuses on top players and coaches on nearly all of the Bay Area's professional sports teams. Sports is a big stage and has a huge audience, so it is refreshing to see individuals use the mass amounts of media attention to shed light on an issue that has been surrounding sport for centuries.
While the commercial can be criticized for not having any female athletes, the Bay Area is not home to a big professional female sporting base, and the campaign does feature females athletes in other commercials.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Interrogating inequalities in Sports Media: Examining gender/race representation on Sports Business Journal
This week, I chose to analyze Street & Smith's SportBusiness Journal. This weekly publication, has a network of over 80 writers, and provides breaking news, comprehensive reporting and analyzing on the world of sport business. From everything to media, marketing, athletes, facilities and finance, Sport Business Journal provides a weekly input on the fast paced sport world.
What I thought was most ironic about analyzing women in the Sport Business Journal, was that SBJ has numerous articles that talk about the underrepresentation and sexualization of women in sport. However, Sports Business Journal is guilty of the same crime. One article, " Despite progress, diversity hiring in sport media is still poor," in which Sport Business Journal criticizes sport media for the lack of diversity within its staff. This article found that 90 percent of sport columnist writers were male, 90 percent of sport editors were male and 88 percent of sport reporters were male. In spirit of doing my own research I decided to randomly click on articles published between January 1, 2014 and today's date February 26th, 2015 throughout the website, I clicked 25 random articles, and found no female authors. Frustrated with the lack of female representation on the board, I decided to look up a specific list of SBJ authors. On a list of 15 Featured Authors, there was one woman. Her job at Sport Business Journal is to cover horse racing and labor disputes.
On Sport Business Journal's home page, there are 15 main categories that readers are select articles from. These include categories such as Marketing and Sponsorship, Featured, Media, Leagues and Governing Bodies, Labor and Agents and Facilities. Each category shows the 5 most recent articles in that selection for a grand total of 75 articles available on the home page alone. Of those 75 articles there are 0 pictures provided of females by any standard. No reporters, fans or female athletes are visible on Sport Business Journal's homepage. In addition of those 75 articles, ONE article focuses on female sports -- the WNBAPA has a new attorney.
Wanting to cut Sport Business Journal some slack, I clicked a few articles that could have potentially had females involved, such as " Engineers to assist NFL with injury prevention." No luck for woman in that article. I focused my attention on an article titled " Levi's Stadium Number Don't Lie," in which no females were mentioned in the article, however a female did make it into a picture on the article. Naturally, she is a petite blonde young aged girl posing with her smart phone. At least we females kind of made it in there...
As a female who likes sports just as much as any body else, the lack of female representation in the sporting world is extremely disheartening. I chose Sport Business Journal not because it only looks at athletes or fans, but because it covers a wide range of all things sport industry related. By choosing to ignore the issue of gender inequality in sports media, Sport Business Journal is just adding to the problem they criticized.
What I thought was most ironic about analyzing women in the Sport Business Journal, was that SBJ has numerous articles that talk about the underrepresentation and sexualization of women in sport. However, Sports Business Journal is guilty of the same crime. One article, " Despite progress, diversity hiring in sport media is still poor," in which Sport Business Journal criticizes sport media for the lack of diversity within its staff. This article found that 90 percent of sport columnist writers were male, 90 percent of sport editors were male and 88 percent of sport reporters were male. In spirit of doing my own research I decided to randomly click on articles published between January 1, 2014 and today's date February 26th, 2015 throughout the website, I clicked 25 random articles, and found no female authors. Frustrated with the lack of female representation on the board, I decided to look up a specific list of SBJ authors. On a list of 15 Featured Authors, there was one woman. Her job at Sport Business Journal is to cover horse racing and labor disputes.
On Sport Business Journal's home page, there are 15 main categories that readers are select articles from. These include categories such as Marketing and Sponsorship, Featured, Media, Leagues and Governing Bodies, Labor and Agents and Facilities. Each category shows the 5 most recent articles in that selection for a grand total of 75 articles available on the home page alone. Of those 75 articles there are 0 pictures provided of females by any standard. No reporters, fans or female athletes are visible on Sport Business Journal's homepage. In addition of those 75 articles, ONE article focuses on female sports -- the WNBAPA has a new attorney.
Wanting to cut Sport Business Journal some slack, I clicked a few articles that could have potentially had females involved, such as " Engineers to assist NFL with injury prevention." No luck for woman in that article. I focused my attention on an article titled " Levi's Stadium Number Don't Lie," in which no females were mentioned in the article, however a female did make it into a picture on the article. Naturally, she is a petite blonde young aged girl posing with her smart phone. At least we females kind of made it in there...
As a female who likes sports just as much as any body else, the lack of female representation in the sporting world is extremely disheartening. I chose Sport Business Journal not because it only looks at athletes or fans, but because it covers a wide range of all things sport industry related. By choosing to ignore the issue of gender inequality in sports media, Sport Business Journal is just adding to the problem they criticized.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
The Voice(s) of Sport
For my event, I watched the commentary for the San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings Stadium Series game. Having attended the event, I was curious to see what the stadium looked like on TV, as well as what the players and commentators were saying about the first outdoor hockey game in Northern California.
The Sharks broadcasting team is made up of San Jose Shark and National Hockey League Alumni. Lead by Jamie Baker, a nine year vet within the organization he is one of the main faces of Comcast SportsNet California. Baker's main role is the television color commander. Stanley Cup winner and 17 year NHL Vetran Bret Hedican joins the team as an analyst and former Shark Curtis Brown also makes up the Sharks Pregame and Postgame Live shows, serving alongside Hedican as an analyst.
Hockey is considered a men's sport, with an emphasis on fighting, speed and force. Being passed NHL players, they are able to offer insight into the game that regular fans may not have picked up on. In addition, their keys to the game are explained in a way that can be understood by any normal viewer, especially one who is not familiar with the Kings or the Sharks. Because of the type of event, there was not too much about gender/racialized sterotypes, other than the fact that nearly every face on television was a generally easy on the eyes mid-aged white male.
The Sharks broadcasting team is made up of San Jose Shark and National Hockey League Alumni. Lead by Jamie Baker, a nine year vet within the organization he is one of the main faces of Comcast SportsNet California. Baker's main role is the television color commander. Stanley Cup winner and 17 year NHL Vetran Bret Hedican joins the team as an analyst and former Shark Curtis Brown also makes up the Sharks Pregame and Postgame Live shows, serving alongside Hedican as an analyst.
Hockey is considered a men's sport, with an emphasis on fighting, speed and force. Being passed NHL players, they are able to offer insight into the game that regular fans may not have picked up on. In addition, their keys to the game are explained in a way that can be understood by any normal viewer, especially one who is not familiar with the Kings or the Sharks. Because of the type of event, there was not too much about gender/racialized sterotypes, other than the fact that nearly every face on television was a generally easy on the eyes mid-aged white male.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Reflecting on the Shame of College Sports
The NCAA's mission statements puts an equal emphasis on excelling in athletes and academics with a high level of integrity and sportsmanship. In a perfect world, the NCAA would provide a fair and safe playing field for amateur athletes across the United States to both play the sport they love and get an education while doing so. In reaching this goal the NCAA would provide coaches, trainers, facilities, and what not to make this vision possible. Unfortunately, as we have seen throughout the years, this is not always the case. Within collegiate sport, especially the NCAA the large amount of money have added extra pressure on both the organization and its amateur athletes. In doing so, they have strayed form their core values creating a very different reality.
While the NCAA has stayed true to the amateur aspect of their athletes, this is not always in the athletes best interest. Athletics provide schools, especially those in the Big Five conference, with insane sums of cash. While the athletes do benefit from the money in terms of training facilities, equipment and travel, many feel as if they are not seen as exceptional athletes by the NCAA, but more so as cheap labor. In " Schooled : The Price of College Sports" Martin and Finkel bring light to this issue, is it fair to paying the athletes who generate all the revenue for schools? While it is hard to determine a hard dollar amount for how much time and effort the athletes put in to better themselves, and ultimately their university team, athletes are missing out on the billions of dollars they bring into the NCAA on a yearly basis. And, this is not necessarily in the athletes best interests.
At UNC, Athletes were put into specialized majors, to guarantee all top athletes would be academically eligible to compete in the NCAA. Not only is the NCAA going against their mission statement to help their athletes excel academically, they are ultimately hurting them in the long run, by inhibiting their academic growth, and allowing themselves to cheat in order to succeed. In a different aspect, many NCAA athletes do not have enough money to buy themselves the amount of food it takes to nourish the body at that level of an intense workout. However, the NCAA commissioner is sitting on a multi-million dollar salary, made up of the money these hungry athletes have earned for him. The Frontline Documentary " Money in March Madness," further emphasizes this point. And frankly, it is a little embarrassing for the NCAA. While it makes sense for athletes at small school such as Pacific to not get paid, due to the non-existent athletic revenue we generate at an organization, big schools that make millions off of their athletes still manage to short them. Many athletes at these big schools not only do not have enough to eat, but their families are unable to watch them participate in the biggest collegiate basketball event of the year: March Madness. In an event that generates billions for the NCAA, you would think an organization dedicated to the well being of student athletes could pitch in a few thousands dollars to at least allow the players families to join in on the festivities.
While I do think the NCAA provides a lot of opportunity for athletes to grow and develop both in competition and in the classroom, there is clearly a lot of room for improvement. The NCAA makes a lot of claims -- they are a non profit organization, dedicated to bettering the lives of and allowing their student athletes to succeed, and it's about damn time they start acting like it.
References
"NCAA Core Values." NCAA Home Page. N.p., 28 Jan. 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2015
While the NCAA has stayed true to the amateur aspect of their athletes, this is not always in the athletes best interest. Athletics provide schools, especially those in the Big Five conference, with insane sums of cash. While the athletes do benefit from the money in terms of training facilities, equipment and travel, many feel as if they are not seen as exceptional athletes by the NCAA, but more so as cheap labor. In " Schooled : The Price of College Sports" Martin and Finkel bring light to this issue, is it fair to paying the athletes who generate all the revenue for schools? While it is hard to determine a hard dollar amount for how much time and effort the athletes put in to better themselves, and ultimately their university team, athletes are missing out on the billions of dollars they bring into the NCAA on a yearly basis. And, this is not necessarily in the athletes best interests.
At UNC, Athletes were put into specialized majors, to guarantee all top athletes would be academically eligible to compete in the NCAA. Not only is the NCAA going against their mission statement to help their athletes excel academically, they are ultimately hurting them in the long run, by inhibiting their academic growth, and allowing themselves to cheat in order to succeed. In a different aspect, many NCAA athletes do not have enough money to buy themselves the amount of food it takes to nourish the body at that level of an intense workout. However, the NCAA commissioner is sitting on a multi-million dollar salary, made up of the money these hungry athletes have earned for him. The Frontline Documentary " Money in March Madness," further emphasizes this point. And frankly, it is a little embarrassing for the NCAA. While it makes sense for athletes at small school such as Pacific to not get paid, due to the non-existent athletic revenue we generate at an organization, big schools that make millions off of their athletes still manage to short them. Many athletes at these big schools not only do not have enough to eat, but their families are unable to watch them participate in the biggest collegiate basketball event of the year: March Madness. In an event that generates billions for the NCAA, you would think an organization dedicated to the well being of student athletes could pitch in a few thousands dollars to at least allow the players families to join in on the festivities.
While I do think the NCAA provides a lot of opportunity for athletes to grow and develop both in competition and in the classroom, there is clearly a lot of room for improvement. The NCAA makes a lot of claims -- they are a non profit organization, dedicated to bettering the lives of and allowing their student athletes to succeed, and it's about damn time they start acting like it.
References
"NCAA Core Values." NCAA Home Page. N.p., 28 Jan. 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2015
Schooled: The Price of College Sports. Dir. Trevor Martin and Ross Finkel. Perf. Taylor Branch and Jay Bilas and Kevin Anderson. 2013
Frontline: Money in March Madness. Frontline. March 29, 2011.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Tending the growth of achievement sport: High School Sport & me
Ever since I was little, I loved being in the water. My Dad used to joke that I could swim before I could walk, and with my severe pigeon toed feet and stalky legs his joke was not far from the truth. When I was 9 I had three years of competitive swimming under my belt, and would go on to win my first Junior Olympic gold in the 100-yard butterfly. For my accomplishment I got a swim cap and a sweater. When Demetrius Walker was 9, he was dunking basketballs, signing autographs, and as an eighth grader big name shoe companies wanted Demetrius in their gear. I swam club for years and years, practicing and traveling. From a young age we were constantly ranked and evaluated based on our performance and potential as swimmers, but never to the extent as Demetrius. Whereas my swim club individualized us as athletes, I feel as if Demetrius was viewed as an asset and laborer. It was never about how can this kid improve, or what can he bring to the team, but more so how much money can he make me, and how many wins can we get with him on the team. Perhaps the biggest difference is Demetrius has 150 or so fans come to his games. I had my parents. While Demetrius was focused on basketball, I was able to explore other sports -- I played ice hockey for sometime, dabbled with water polo and even played a few seasons of volleyball and basketball.
In high school, I stopped competitive swimming and quit ice hockey and focused all of my attention on water polo. For me, my transition to a high school water polo player was incredible. I had an extremely strong bond with my coaches, who criticized, motivated, cared and improved both my play in the pool and my character outside of it. At the point of sounded extremely conceded, I was the best player in the pool (and have the stats to prove it), but was never compared to other athletes or had enormous amounts of pressure placed upon my shoulders like Demetrius had. With expectations to be the next Tyson Chandler, Demetrius struggled to live up to these expectations, especially as players started to grow as tall, if not taller than he was. While there is always pressure to perform well, even in high school, a lot of it has to do with how the coaches handle and distribute that pressure amongst the players. From a young age Demetrius was said to be great, and everything he did that was less than so was seen as a disappointment. While I lead the league with most number of goals scored in the season, I had the nickname " Dink" a Native American term for an unwanted baby buffalo. While there was pressure on me to perform, faults and mistakes were seen as just that. Demetrius faults and mistakes were demoralizing.
While many of favorite memories thus far involved high school sport, there are many cases like Demetrius' that are often over looked. While sports teaches you discipline, leadership, and perseverance, among a plethora of other positive characteristics and attributes, it can teach you to hate opponents for no legitimate reason, it can teach you to cheat, it can lower ones self esteem and normalizes deviant practices. Above all, the dark side in cases about Demetrius is that they do not know how to not be the star. With such high expectations set at such a young age, it is almost impossible for them to not fall short of these unrealistic expectations.
Resources:
Dohrmann, G. (2010). The Education of Demetrius Walker. Sports Illustrated, 113(11), 62-75.
In high school, I stopped competitive swimming and quit ice hockey and focused all of my attention on water polo. For me, my transition to a high school water polo player was incredible. I had an extremely strong bond with my coaches, who criticized, motivated, cared and improved both my play in the pool and my character outside of it. At the point of sounded extremely conceded, I was the best player in the pool (and have the stats to prove it), but was never compared to other athletes or had enormous amounts of pressure placed upon my shoulders like Demetrius had. With expectations to be the next Tyson Chandler, Demetrius struggled to live up to these expectations, especially as players started to grow as tall, if not taller than he was. While there is always pressure to perform well, even in high school, a lot of it has to do with how the coaches handle and distribute that pressure amongst the players. From a young age Demetrius was said to be great, and everything he did that was less than so was seen as a disappointment. While I lead the league with most number of goals scored in the season, I had the nickname " Dink" a Native American term for an unwanted baby buffalo. While there was pressure on me to perform, faults and mistakes were seen as just that. Demetrius faults and mistakes were demoralizing.
While many of favorite memories thus far involved high school sport, there are many cases like Demetrius' that are often over looked. While sports teaches you discipline, leadership, and perseverance, among a plethora of other positive characteristics and attributes, it can teach you to hate opponents for no legitimate reason, it can teach you to cheat, it can lower ones self esteem and normalizes deviant practices. Above all, the dark side in cases about Demetrius is that they do not know how to not be the star. With such high expectations set at such a young age, it is almost impossible for them to not fall short of these unrealistic expectations.
Resources:
Dohrmann, G. (2010). The Education of Demetrius Walker. Sports Illustrated, 113(11), 62-75.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Once the cheering stops: The life of a retired pro-athlete
While the life of a professional athlete can be glamorous one -- attention, popularity and a pretty sweet pay check, the shelf life of a good professional athlete is often a short one. Athletes spend their whole lives identifying themselves with their sport. Being an athlete is who they are, and often they do not know how to be anything else, or who they are once they can no longer compete.
Most athletes who retired before the age 35, find it a hard transition once they hang up their jersey for the last time. However, the problem with adjusting to a normal lifestyle starts long before retirement. Many professional do not have a degree, some haven't sat in a classroom since their senior year of high school. Those athletes that do go to college have an immense amount of resources, a strong support network, fans, and set schedule. Once a player gets drafted, he/she is further pampered, living a lavish lifestyle of private planes, delicate dinners and a system of coaches and teammates that want to see him/her succeed.
The ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Broke, highlights problems professional athletes face upon retirement, and there are a bunch. The most prominent, and perhaps the most obvious problem acknowledged by the athletes is that many of them do not have any business experience. When twenty year olds are getting million and millions of dollars, money most kids their age couldn't even dream of, it is more often then not spent, leaving athletes broke or nearly bankrupt by the time their career ends. Their huge paychecks often go to lavish cars, expensive jewelry, houses, they are still kids at this point in their lives and have little to no sense of long term planning.
However, Broke dives into problems that are not necessarily obvious. Such as the gambling habits of many professional athletes, or the fact that they are subject to high tax rates on top of having to pay lawyers and agents. Many athletes who get traded have to start over in new cities, putting more financial toll on them and their families. Some athletes have the right idea, of investing their money into a business, but with no guidance or experience, many athletes invest their savings into dead end businesses, retired wide receiver Andre Rison recalls professional athletes investing in car washes.
More expensive than a failed car wash business, however would be family. Evander Holyfield, a retired boxer has eleven children by nine woman. Child support is another reassuring theme in Broke, many athletes reminisce on woman throwing themselves at them, specifically trying to get pregnant and rich in the profess. While eleven children is an extreme case, many professional athletes have a hard time adapting into a parenting position, especially when they are used to being on the road for long periods of times. Other athletes are sought out by family and friends for financial support, especially those who come from rougher neighborhoods.
With an average NFL career lasting between three and four years, and leave permanent damage on your body, it is unfortunate that these young athletes are unable to see the bigger picture. Then again, no one can blame a 21 year old for not thinking " am I really going to need this money in 20 years?" I know I don't think like that. Unfortunately stupidity is not always the case for bankruptcy among professional athletes. Some have the right intentions, making investments and supporting their family, but do not have the proper education or experience to truly be successful.
I believe that athletes and sport organizations often forget or overlook the fact that the shelf life of an athlete, while glamorous is extremely short. Athletes are bombarded with celebrity status, fans, and loaded paychecks it's easy to see how their money disappears long before they even hang up their jerseys for the last time. I believe that leagues could easily do a better job preparing their athletes for a future outside of professional sports, through various retirement and mentoring programs. Athletes are individuals with a phenomenal work ethic and discipline. They are able to accomplish things that only a small portion of the population can do, but it's a shame that society only sees them for what they are work for 3 to 4 years out of their life.
Most athletes who retired before the age 35, find it a hard transition once they hang up their jersey for the last time. However, the problem with adjusting to a normal lifestyle starts long before retirement. Many professional do not have a degree, some haven't sat in a classroom since their senior year of high school. Those athletes that do go to college have an immense amount of resources, a strong support network, fans, and set schedule. Once a player gets drafted, he/she is further pampered, living a lavish lifestyle of private planes, delicate dinners and a system of coaches and teammates that want to see him/her succeed.
The ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Broke, highlights problems professional athletes face upon retirement, and there are a bunch. The most prominent, and perhaps the most obvious problem acknowledged by the athletes is that many of them do not have any business experience. When twenty year olds are getting million and millions of dollars, money most kids their age couldn't even dream of, it is more often then not spent, leaving athletes broke or nearly bankrupt by the time their career ends. Their huge paychecks often go to lavish cars, expensive jewelry, houses, they are still kids at this point in their lives and have little to no sense of long term planning.
However, Broke dives into problems that are not necessarily obvious. Such as the gambling habits of many professional athletes, or the fact that they are subject to high tax rates on top of having to pay lawyers and agents. Many athletes who get traded have to start over in new cities, putting more financial toll on them and their families. Some athletes have the right idea, of investing their money into a business, but with no guidance or experience, many athletes invest their savings into dead end businesses, retired wide receiver Andre Rison recalls professional athletes investing in car washes.
More expensive than a failed car wash business, however would be family. Evander Holyfield, a retired boxer has eleven children by nine woman. Child support is another reassuring theme in Broke, many athletes reminisce on woman throwing themselves at them, specifically trying to get pregnant and rich in the profess. While eleven children is an extreme case, many professional athletes have a hard time adapting into a parenting position, especially when they are used to being on the road for long periods of times. Other athletes are sought out by family and friends for financial support, especially those who come from rougher neighborhoods.
With an average NFL career lasting between three and four years, and leave permanent damage on your body, it is unfortunate that these young athletes are unable to see the bigger picture. Then again, no one can blame a 21 year old for not thinking " am I really going to need this money in 20 years?" I know I don't think like that. Unfortunately stupidity is not always the case for bankruptcy among professional athletes. Some have the right intentions, making investments and supporting their family, but do not have the proper education or experience to truly be successful.
I believe that athletes and sport organizations often forget or overlook the fact that the shelf life of an athlete, while glamorous is extremely short. Athletes are bombarded with celebrity status, fans, and loaded paychecks it's easy to see how their money disappears long before they even hang up their jerseys for the last time. I believe that leagues could easily do a better job preparing their athletes for a future outside of professional sports, through various retirement and mentoring programs. Athletes are individuals with a phenomenal work ethic and discipline. They are able to accomplish things that only a small portion of the population can do, but it's a shame that society only sees them for what they are work for 3 to 4 years out of their life.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Cherrrr-Ching: Superbowl XLIX financial report
The Patriots weren't the only one's that went home with a win last Sunday, this years Super Bowl committee projected an economic impact of nearly $500 million. Not is the Super Bowl the most watched television event of the year with 118.5 million views, it is also the most talked about on social media with 28.4 million tweets during the broadcast. Beyond this, there are several outrageous facts about the Super Bowl that leave one wondering how America became obsessed with such a sport.
Perhaps the most shocking fact is that this year's Super Bowl ticket price reached $6459.21 Sunday evening, an 114 percent increase from last year's game. For those who couldn't make it to the game, American's spent nearly $14.3 billion on new TVs, athletic gear, decorations and game day food. Those watching it at home also got to enjoy the $4.5 million 30 second ads sponsored by a variety of companies -- many of whom opted to go for an emotional ad this year. Since 2010, Anheuser-Bush has spent $152 million on advertising in the Super Bowl. However, recent study done at Stanford University suggest Super Bowl ads are starting to get too costly to for how inefficient they are at driving sales.
Not only is Super Bowl the most watched event of the year, it's the most gambled upon. It was estimated this year nearly $3.8 billion bets were estimated to have taken place this weekend. This is partially due to the recent popularity of prop bets, such as placing bets on things such as the coin toss or length of the National Anthem.
While the Super Bowl is a lot of glam and glitz, it can leave behind a legacy of bankruptcy for it's hosting city. While the camaraderie, and the power of sport to bring people together really highlight some of the positive of sport, there is a lot of hidden "dark" side surrounding the Super Bowl. For starters, the National Football League makes nearly all the revenue from the Super Bowl, nearly without having to spend a time or lift a finger. Glendale, however was responsible for numerous outlandish expenses as requested by the NFL to its host cities. For example, golf courses and bowling ally's must be made available, along with a number of limos no older than 5 years, and signifiant control of billboards, airspace along with the ability to request make adjustments to the stadium at the cities expense. The National FootBall League goes on with a nearly 150 page document expressing the requirements host cities must abide by in order to even place a bid for the Super Bowl.
With the amount of money and revenue the NFL is making, along with other recent issues in the league ( domestic violence, concussions, etc), it is sometimes difficult to see how such a controversial organization has so much power in the media. However, when one is at a Super Bowl party, it's hard not to get involved in all the fun, especially when Missy Elliot's involved.
References:
Smith, Chris. (31 January 2015). The Money Behind Super Bowl XLIV. Retrieved February 4, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmith/2015/01/31/the-money-behind-super-bowl-xlix/2/
Perhaps the most shocking fact is that this year's Super Bowl ticket price reached $6459.21 Sunday evening, an 114 percent increase from last year's game. For those who couldn't make it to the game, American's spent nearly $14.3 billion on new TVs, athletic gear, decorations and game day food. Those watching it at home also got to enjoy the $4.5 million 30 second ads sponsored by a variety of companies -- many of whom opted to go for an emotional ad this year. Since 2010, Anheuser-Bush has spent $152 million on advertising in the Super Bowl. However, recent study done at Stanford University suggest Super Bowl ads are starting to get too costly to for how inefficient they are at driving sales.
Not only is Super Bowl the most watched event of the year, it's the most gambled upon. It was estimated this year nearly $3.8 billion bets were estimated to have taken place this weekend. This is partially due to the recent popularity of prop bets, such as placing bets on things such as the coin toss or length of the National Anthem.
While the Super Bowl is a lot of glam and glitz, it can leave behind a legacy of bankruptcy for it's hosting city. While the camaraderie, and the power of sport to bring people together really highlight some of the positive of sport, there is a lot of hidden "dark" side surrounding the Super Bowl. For starters, the National Football League makes nearly all the revenue from the Super Bowl, nearly without having to spend a time or lift a finger. Glendale, however was responsible for numerous outlandish expenses as requested by the NFL to its host cities. For example, golf courses and bowling ally's must be made available, along with a number of limos no older than 5 years, and signifiant control of billboards, airspace along with the ability to request make adjustments to the stadium at the cities expense. The National FootBall League goes on with a nearly 150 page document expressing the requirements host cities must abide by in order to even place a bid for the Super Bowl.
With the amount of money and revenue the NFL is making, along with other recent issues in the league ( domestic violence, concussions, etc), it is sometimes difficult to see how such a controversial organization has so much power in the media. However, when one is at a Super Bowl party, it's hard not to get involved in all the fun, especially when Missy Elliot's involved.
References:
Smith, Chris. (31 January 2015). The Money Behind Super Bowl XLIV. Retrieved February 4, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmith/2015/01/31/the-money-behind-super-bowl-xlix/2/
Monday, February 2, 2015
Sport, Politics and the Olympics
1965: The " Blood in the Water" Water Polo Match, Melbourne, Australia
A few weeks after the Soviet's tanks and troops flooded the Hungarian capital causing an anti-Soviet uprising, the USSR was set to play the Hungarians in the semi final round at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. The uprising caused hundreds of Hungarians their lives and set thousands more into jail, causing high tensions between the two countries. The Hungarian Olympic team watched from a distance as their countries capitol, and the players saw victory as a way to establish pride back to their country.
The Hungarians approached the game with a unique strategy that revolved around "verbally agitating" the Russians. The tactic was to make the Russians so angry, they would be to distracted to focus on the game. This resulted in a physical match with kicking and punching from both sides. By the fourth quarter, five players had been kicked out of the game by the referee. The Hungarians were up 4-0, led by their 21 year old star player, Ervin Zador. Moments before the final whistle, Russian player Valentin Prokopov hit Zador in the eye. " I saw about 4,000 stars. And I reached to my face and I felt warm blood pouring down, I instantly said 'Oh my God, I wont be playing the next game." When Zador exited the pool, the crowd went wild, with spectators jumping the barrier, rushing the Russian team. Pictures of Zador's injuries circulated the world, leading to the nickname " Blood in the Water".
Hungary ended up winning gold at the Olympics that year. Zador and a handful of his teammates sought off to live in the United States, rather than returning to Hungary under the pro-Soviet regime.
This water polo match demonstrates many aspects of Sage and Eitzen's Sport and Politics. Most clearly it was used as a way to express nationalism. While the Hungarian National team watched Soviet tanks roll over their capital, the Olympic team because a sign of strength, pride and icon under their country's failing battle for freedom. The stadium was packed with Hungarian-born Australians, and charged with political tension. For Hungarians this match was a way to lessen the pride of their oppressors. This game became a way to opiate to the masses, cheering for their country as they fought a war in the pool.
As Gilbert Cranberg has pointed out, " nationalism not merely intrudes, it dominates." One of the first nights of the Olympic games, the red star in the center of the Communist Hungarian flag was cut out, and replaced with a symbol of Hungarian independence. The Olympics are not only a way to propose for change, and promote the idea of both nationalism and " the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from all over the world at the Olympic games in a spirit of fair competition and frank competition".
Because of this situation, and a handful of other political stances that have been made at the Olympics, I am going to have to disagree with the fact that " Sport is pure and devoid of political interference. From the 1936 Nazi Olympics in Muich, to the ban of homosexual athletes at the passed Winter Olympics, the amount of emotion and money make sport a perfect stage for political outcry.
References:
Reid, Kristy (20 August 2011). Blood in the water: Hungary's 1956 water polo gold. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-14575260
A few weeks after the Soviet's tanks and troops flooded the Hungarian capital causing an anti-Soviet uprising, the USSR was set to play the Hungarians in the semi final round at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. The uprising caused hundreds of Hungarians their lives and set thousands more into jail, causing high tensions between the two countries. The Hungarian Olympic team watched from a distance as their countries capitol, and the players saw victory as a way to establish pride back to their country.
The Hungarians approached the game with a unique strategy that revolved around "verbally agitating" the Russians. The tactic was to make the Russians so angry, they would be to distracted to focus on the game. This resulted in a physical match with kicking and punching from both sides. By the fourth quarter, five players had been kicked out of the game by the referee. The Hungarians were up 4-0, led by their 21 year old star player, Ervin Zador. Moments before the final whistle, Russian player Valentin Prokopov hit Zador in the eye. " I saw about 4,000 stars. And I reached to my face and I felt warm blood pouring down, I instantly said 'Oh my God, I wont be playing the next game." When Zador exited the pool, the crowd went wild, with spectators jumping the barrier, rushing the Russian team. Pictures of Zador's injuries circulated the world, leading to the nickname " Blood in the Water".
Hungary ended up winning gold at the Olympics that year. Zador and a handful of his teammates sought off to live in the United States, rather than returning to Hungary under the pro-Soviet regime.
This water polo match demonstrates many aspects of Sage and Eitzen's Sport and Politics. Most clearly it was used as a way to express nationalism. While the Hungarian National team watched Soviet tanks roll over their capital, the Olympic team because a sign of strength, pride and icon under their country's failing battle for freedom. The stadium was packed with Hungarian-born Australians, and charged with political tension. For Hungarians this match was a way to lessen the pride of their oppressors. This game became a way to opiate to the masses, cheering for their country as they fought a war in the pool.
As Gilbert Cranberg has pointed out, " nationalism not merely intrudes, it dominates." One of the first nights of the Olympic games, the red star in the center of the Communist Hungarian flag was cut out, and replaced with a symbol of Hungarian independence. The Olympics are not only a way to propose for change, and promote the idea of both nationalism and " the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from all over the world at the Olympic games in a spirit of fair competition and frank competition".
Because of this situation, and a handful of other political stances that have been made at the Olympics, I am going to have to disagree with the fact that " Sport is pure and devoid of political interference. From the 1936 Nazi Olympics in Muich, to the ban of homosexual athletes at the passed Winter Olympics, the amount of emotion and money make sport a perfect stage for political outcry.
References:
Reid, Kristy (20 August 2011). Blood in the water: Hungary's 1956 water polo gold. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-14575260
Thursday, January 29, 2015
The Globalization of the NFL
As much as the NFL would like to claim they are a non-profit organization, it has become exceptionally clear the NFL operates in a way where money is power. In order to expand the already billion dollar organization, the NFL is looking to bring the sport of football to London. A city primarily dominated by soccer, cricket, rowing and rugby, they believe London would be great opportunity to increase and maximize the NFL's source of revenue. Looking to follow the model of the Premiere League, the NFL is looking to have a larger, more international presents. While it is obvious to see why the NFL would want to move team a team to Europe, there is a lot of barriers preventing them from doing so.
For starters, American football, while sharing similar traits with rugby, is completely different than any sport Londers are used to. To top that off, football is not exactly a game that is easy to catch onto. For example, someone could watch a soccer game for a minute, and easily pick up on some of the rules and tactics of play, however if someone were to watch football for a minute, there is a chance that they may not even see a single play. The time different between London and the United States is large enough that, many Europeans are asleep when American football is on the air, giving them the little necessary exposure it were to need if it were to be able to compete with Europe's other top sports.
Alongside the time different, running an NFL team in another country in itself presents a challenge in itself. While London truly is a wonderful city, with beautiful sights, great food and vibrant people, there is the challenge of having to trade players, not just over state lines, but country lines. In addition, transporting people to and from the London team would take a half day in itself. Plus, the sport culture in London is completely different of that from the United States. While American sports surround violence and winning, European sports are about tactic and sportsmanship. This would pose a huge barrier in the assimilation of American Sport culture.
Having visited London, and the NFL headquarters two years ago, it was really interesting to see the combination of the two cultures. However, I believe that the cultures maybe too different, and the barriers too large for the sport to ever become as big in Europe as it is in London.
For starters, American football, while sharing similar traits with rugby, is completely different than any sport Londers are used to. To top that off, football is not exactly a game that is easy to catch onto. For example, someone could watch a soccer game for a minute, and easily pick up on some of the rules and tactics of play, however if someone were to watch football for a minute, there is a chance that they may not even see a single play. The time different between London and the United States is large enough that, many Europeans are asleep when American football is on the air, giving them the little necessary exposure it were to need if it were to be able to compete with Europe's other top sports.
Alongside the time different, running an NFL team in another country in itself presents a challenge in itself. While London truly is a wonderful city, with beautiful sights, great food and vibrant people, there is the challenge of having to trade players, not just over state lines, but country lines. In addition, transporting people to and from the London team would take a half day in itself. Plus, the sport culture in London is completely different of that from the United States. While American sports surround violence and winning, European sports are about tactic and sportsmanship. This would pose a huge barrier in the assimilation of American Sport culture.
Having visited London, and the NFL headquarters two years ago, it was really interesting to see the combination of the two cultures. However, I believe that the cultures maybe too different, and the barriers too large for the sport to ever become as big in Europe as it is in London.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Sport in the Ancient World
The Olympics have been around longer than Jesus Christ, being held every hour years since 776 B.C. However, unlike the ceremonies, and traditions we are used to today, the Ancient Greeks and Romans treated the Olympics in a much different way. For starters, the only participants were males of Roman and Greek decent. In Ancient Greece, to compete men first had to swear an oath to Zeus that they had been training hard for at least ten months and were ready and willing to put in an extra month of work in order to compete. There were strict rules laid down, such as athletes had to compete in the outfit of God, naked covered in yellow powder to honor their bodies and the bodies of their Gods. Athletes were a serious business, and treated like Gods. Irregardless of one's background, anyone could be an athlete, in fact it could become a lucrative profession.
During the Ancient Greek Olympics there was a strong sense of tradition, ritual and ceremony. The only woman allowed to enter the stadium was Zeus' sister, a gesture to assure they would not be offended, since the stadium was located right next to their house. Unlike the Olympics today, the Ancient Olympics only consisted of fighting and sprinting, sports that required speed, strength and skill. The Olympics held a lot of religious tensions, since it was believed that whoever won the competition was said to be favored by the Gods.
Much like the Ancient Greek Olympics, Ancient Roman gladiators were seen in a godly light as well. They were treated like caged performing animals, hundred of gladiators lived in barrocks and trained intensely every day. They received savaged beatings and were fed high energy food, the gladiators would have to fight and win in order to free themselves from these barrocks. Much like athletes today, gladiators wore unique uniforms when competing, however, no one was allowed to be fully protecting, always having to expose one weakness. It was the job of the other gladiators to identify these weaknesses, and fight to the death. Each time a Gladiator entered the coliseum, he had a 1 in 6 chance of dying. Those who won lots of battles acclaimed celebrity status.
Much like in the ancient times, athletes today are seen as celebrities, and in some cultures they are even viewed as godlike. They go off to training facilities, but in better condition, and participate in a handful of more events, with a lot more variety. However, the Olympics still puts a focus on speed, strength and skill. While the Olympics is now open to men and woman of all nationalities, and they no longer compete naked, the Olympics still serves as a source of entertainment for spectators. But, perhaps the biggest difference of all is that, no one is fighting to the death, just for honor and pride for themselves, and the country they represent.
References:
"Ancient Olympia Part 1. " Youtube. Youtube, n.d. Wed 26 Jan. 2015
"Ancient Olympia Part 2." Youtube. Youtube, n.d. Web. 26 Jan 2015
"Gladiator Training." Youtube. Youtube, n.d. Wed. 26 Jan 2015.
During the Ancient Greek Olympics there was a strong sense of tradition, ritual and ceremony. The only woman allowed to enter the stadium was Zeus' sister, a gesture to assure they would not be offended, since the stadium was located right next to their house. Unlike the Olympics today, the Ancient Olympics only consisted of fighting and sprinting, sports that required speed, strength and skill. The Olympics held a lot of religious tensions, since it was believed that whoever won the competition was said to be favored by the Gods.
Much like the Ancient Greek Olympics, Ancient Roman gladiators were seen in a godly light as well. They were treated like caged performing animals, hundred of gladiators lived in barrocks and trained intensely every day. They received savaged beatings and were fed high energy food, the gladiators would have to fight and win in order to free themselves from these barrocks. Much like athletes today, gladiators wore unique uniforms when competing, however, no one was allowed to be fully protecting, always having to expose one weakness. It was the job of the other gladiators to identify these weaknesses, and fight to the death. Each time a Gladiator entered the coliseum, he had a 1 in 6 chance of dying. Those who won lots of battles acclaimed celebrity status.
Much like in the ancient times, athletes today are seen as celebrities, and in some cultures they are even viewed as godlike. They go off to training facilities, but in better condition, and participate in a handful of more events, with a lot more variety. However, the Olympics still puts a focus on speed, strength and skill. While the Olympics is now open to men and woman of all nationalities, and they no longer compete naked, the Olympics still serves as a source of entertainment for spectators. But, perhaps the biggest difference of all is that, no one is fighting to the death, just for honor and pride for themselves, and the country they represent.
References:
"Ancient Olympia Part 1. " Youtube. Youtube, n.d. Wed 26 Jan. 2015
"Ancient Olympia Part 2." Youtube. Youtube, n.d. Web. 26 Jan 2015
"Gladiator Training." Youtube. Youtube, n.d. Wed. 26 Jan 2015.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Sport, Society & Me
According to Eitzen, there are five paradoxes are sport that make it significant in U.S. Society. These Paradox's outlined in his 2006 book, Fair and Foul: Beyond the Myth and Paradoxes of Sport are as follows:
- Sport, a seemingly trivial pursuit, is important. It mirrors the human experience
- Sport mirrors society in other profound ways, it shares with the larger society the basic elements and expressions of bureaucracy, commercialization, racism, sexism, homophobia, greed, exploration of the powerful over the powerless, alienation and ethnocentrism. American sport embodies American values
- Sport combines spectacle with drama, excellence and clarity
- Sport is transcendent
- There is the human desire to identify with something greater than oneself.
The importance of sport in today's society can be summed up by the fact that more people watch the Super Bowl nationally, than vote in presidential elections. But, America's infatuation with sport doesn't stop there. American athletes are not only among the best paid professionals in the country, but most widely recognized, often as heroes and role models.
Perhaps the most accurate paradox made by Eitzen is his fifth point, that there is the human desire to identify with something greater than oneself. For fans, this means dressing up in their team's colors, attending games, yelling profanities at the other team, and bonding with those who share the same allegiance. Fans identify themselves as part of the team by using phrases such as "Did you see how we did last night?", or " We're going to the championship!". For athletes, this is being an individual playing for a team, working and scarfing together to reach a common goal. Sport is the at the heart of many conversations, reading material, leisure activity, and discretionary spending. Humans instinctively want to feel apart of something bigger than oneself, and sport is a means for humans to do so.
As an athlete, a fan and a sport management major, sports consumes a large part of my life. It is something I do recreationally and competitively. It is something I watch for entertainment and leisurely discuss with friends. It is the subject which I choose the study, and will (hopefully) eventually become a part of my future career (fingers crossed for the second semester senior over here). As an athlete, I've competed in basketball, volleyball, bowling, track and field, cross country and ice hockey. But above all, my heart always belonged in the water. I started competitive swimming when I was 6 and didn't stop until I was 18. I had always identified myself as a swimmer, it was a key part of my identify and dictated many different aspects of my life. In high school, I joined our school's water polo team and firmly believe that the experiences I shared with teammates and coaches in the water have shaped me into who I am today. Our coach groomed us to have certain values, respect one another, and love each other like family, because we all shared these ideals instilled in us from our coach, we remain good friends today and will for a long more time to go.
While always a quick swimmer, when my water polo coach passed away my senior year of high school, I decided that I would want to continue to play water polo in college, despite getting more swimming scholarships (I even scored a couple of bowling scholarships too, bet you didn't even know those existed). My small size doesn't make me the ideal water polo player, but I've definitely had a lot of passion. Unfortunately passion can only go so far when you have a coach from hell ( shout out if you know who she is), and a bum shoulder. The combination of the two lead to an unfortunate end of my competitive water polo career, but has allowed me to find new joy in open water swimming, hiking and yoga.
Because sports has been a huge part of my life, I believe that the lessons I've learned from competing, and the values instilled within me from my coaches will continue to affect the decisions I make long after my last race.
References
Eitzen, D.S (2006). Fair and Foul: Beyond the Myths and Paradoxes of Sport (2nd Ed.). Oxford, Rowman & Littlefield: Chapter 1
While always a quick swimmer, when my water polo coach passed away my senior year of high school, I decided that I would want to continue to play water polo in college, despite getting more swimming scholarships (I even scored a couple of bowling scholarships too, bet you didn't even know those existed). My small size doesn't make me the ideal water polo player, but I've definitely had a lot of passion. Unfortunately passion can only go so far when you have a coach from hell ( shout out if you know who she is), and a bum shoulder. The combination of the two lead to an unfortunate end of my competitive water polo career, but has allowed me to find new joy in open water swimming, hiking and yoga.
Because sports has been a huge part of my life, I believe that the lessons I've learned from competing, and the values instilled within me from my coaches will continue to affect the decisions I make long after my last race.
References
Eitzen, D.S (2006). Fair and Foul: Beyond the Myths and Paradoxes of Sport (2nd Ed.). Oxford, Rowman & Littlefield: Chapter 1
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Sport in the USA: Values, Ideologies & Practices
The United States has a billion dollar sporting
industry that is surrounded around a wide variety of sports played at a
recreational, elementary, high school, collegiate and professional level.
Sports are played, coached and officiated by both males and females, however
professional sport in the United States is dominated by males. With sports
ranging from technical, to physical and endurance, there is a huge market for
sporting goods and merchandise in the United States. At the top of the market
are America's big four sporting leagues: the National Football League (NFL),
the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National
Basketball Association (NBA). To American sport fanatics, sports and their
specific home team play a huge part in their identity. Fans go to great lengths
to show their support for their team, which can be seen through merchandise
purchases, attendance at games, and support of ones team through social media
platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. This has allowed the big four
conferences to bring in over $400 billion worth of revenue each year.
In America, the NFL receives the most attention
from fans and media. The Super Bowl, the championship game surrounding the NFL
has consistently been the most watched television event in America ( so much
so, that sponsors are willing to pay upwards $3 million for a 30-second
commercial during the event). However with increasing evidence relating
football to early on-set demensia and long term brain damage, the NFL is receiving
heavy criticism, and many parents are hesitant to allow their children to start
playing football. Ice hockey, football and basketball are all games that
require physical activity and stamina. Dominated mostly by white and African
American (with the exception of ice hockey) muscular males, these sports are
enjoyed for their violence and fast paced action. While these three sports
receive a lot of attention in the United States, baseball claims the title of
America’s passed time. While its participants are not necessarily as muscular
as those who play ice hockey, football or basketball, baseball requires a great
deal of mental strategy. Many professionals have been perfecting their game
since they were toddlers, which has allowed America to perform exceptionally
well on the international stage, such as at the Olympics games.
Though dominated by the big four, American’s of
all ages have found and continue to find joy in different types of sports – on
and off of land, with and without balls, some with protective equiptment,
others with out, sports that require pure physical strength, and others that
require mental stamina. Swimming is the most popular sport among children,
however almost any game with a set of rules and organized competition has a
competitive league in the United States. The vast majority of American sports
require one to outscore their opponent in some aspect to claim the win. Toward
the end of the select season, the teams that have accumulated the most wins
compete in a tournament. These mega events often attract a lot of attention
from fans and media, and include an ultimate grand prize. For example, players
in the NHL work toward earning the Stanley Cup, while players in the NFL work
towards winning the Super Bowl. Every athlete who plays and is passionate about
their sport has dreams and aspirations to win their championship, for those who
have it is a defining moment in ones life.
American athletes are obsessed with winning championships and becoming the best in their field. Big name athletes such as LeBron James for basketball and Sidney Crosby for ice hockey are seen as hero and role models. Because of the way American's view sports, athletes and how they value winning, success in sports is often determined by one's performance both on and off the court. Due to the popularity and insane paychecks these athletes receive, athletes are treated as celebrities, which unfortunately means they are constantly surrounded by paparazzi, and live lavish lifestyles. However, for athletes who do not play professional, or who do not wish to obtain this celebrity status, sports is a fun way to socialize, stay in shape or simply do something you love.
In America, there are a series of sports ethics that are understood and respecting throughout the sporting community. In 1991, Hughes and Coakley determined there were four factors of ones identity that proves he/she is a "real" athlete. These sports ethics are as follows:
1. Being an athlete involves making sacrifices for the game
2. Striving for distinction among other athletes
3. Accepts risks and plays through the pain
4. Refuses to accept limits in the pursuit of possibilities
Many athletes inherently follow these dimensions based on the way they were groomed to play their selected sport. Like I had stated previously, sport becomes part of ones identity, and based on this athletes conform to these believes as a life style. I was a competitive swimmer for 16 years, a competitive water polo player for 6 years and a competitive bowler for 4 years. From a very young age, I was told that I would have to make sacrifices for the sport that I loved, whether that be missing homecoming my junior year of high school, or having to wake up at 5:30 AM for six years straight. My freshman year of high school, my water polo coach had engraved on the pool deck " Great choices make for great consequences. Choose dedication, choose handwork, choose to improve each and everyday. Be passionate about your choices and true to the commitment required by them. By choosing thus you will have chose to be a champion." This was his own version of Sport Ethics. We were never taught to play through pain, or refuse to accept limits, nor were we ever told we would have to make sacrifices or not to get distracted by others, because it is something that had always been expected of us. My water polo coach passed away my senior year of high school, but his legacy and the intense passion he had for the sport are still apparent in every single one of his athletes he had coached in the passed 28 years. One torn rotator cuff, a miserable college experience, and three years later, many of the ethics that I have learned through sport are still relevant in my life today.
References:
Hughes, Robert, and Jay Coakley. (1991). Positive Deviance Among Athletes: The Implications of Overconformity to the Sport Ethic. Sociology of Sport Journal, 8, 307-12.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)