Final Blog

• What was your perception of US sport before you took this class?

Before taking this class I viewed sports as a form of entertainment and recreational fun. I watched it at night and often on the weekends, whether it be NFL, NBA, MLB, or international soccer. I never dove deep into the social side of sports though and only thought about it when a story was brought to attention on ESPN. 

• Has your understanding/perception of US sports culture changed through taking this class? if so, how and why?

Yes it absolutely has. After taking this class I have gained a better understanding of the connection between sport and society. One can gauge how social norms and values are changing based on what is acceptable in the world of sports. For example how head shots are no longer legal in football as well as rough play in basketball.

• What discussion topics/new facts stood out to you the most? why?

The topic that caught my attention the most was the women's college basketball coach Rene Portland and how she discriminated against lesbian players. She even kicked a few off the team, revoking their scholarships and leaving them with no education. The most surprising aspect of this story was how she was not punished until many years after the incidents. She even received awards and honors during this time. 

• Will you start to ask more critical questions about the US sports world once you move on from this class?

To be honest I probably won't just because I am a fan at heart and watching sports for entertainment is what I prefer. If a social topic comes out that hits the headlines I will pay attention to it but unless something significant happens I just watch. The only social aspect I pay attention to is player body language.  

• Do you think you will be able to use any of the skills learned in this class in your future career? if so, how?

Since I am going into the financial industry I doubt I will be able to, but it was still a class I enjoyed. 

• Would you recommend this class to a friend? if so, why/why not?

Yes I would. It was extremely fun and interesting considering most people my age are interested in sports. It's far more engaging than most other classes. 

Why the Mans Man's Game is an Insult to Men

After watching the movie training rules and reading about Rene Portland I was completely shocked. She would make these kids and parents feel comfortable with her, acting as if she was a second mother to the girls. As soon as she found out one of her players was lesbian she kicked her off the team, and this happened several times. This would push the girls into a downward spiral of depression not to mention the fact that they lost scholarships, potentially ending their college careers forever. What surprised me most was how well respected she was within the women's basketball community even after she did this.

As far as gay players in professional sports is concerned I believe that in general they actually are accepted by the average athletes. Michael Sam has mainly received positive reactions as well Jason Collins in the NBA. The Collins story was extremely popular when it first came out but to be truthful I haven't seen/heard about it or even thought about it since. I think people are misguided in thinking that professional sports don't accept gay athletes when in fact most athletes do not mind. Our society is so accepting now that discriminating against someone for sexual orientation is looked own upon but the general public.

References:
Training Rules
Jason Collins

Sports Page #13

     Watching the documentary "Hoop Dream" was a real eye opener for me. It exposed the darker side of the road to professional sports for young, black athletes from poor backgrounds. Especially sad was the fact that if a player was good enough he could get his tuition paid for through donors who willingly gave up the money, but on the other hand if he did not meet expectations no one would step in for help. This was the case with Arthur who did not play to the level St. Joseph wanted him too, and eventually it got so expensive that he had to drop out. Had he played like they wanted a donor would have paid the rest of his way like they did with William, who received his education free.
     Comparing this to the Hollywood smash "Jerry Maquire" one can see the difference between reality and fantasy. In the movie  Cuba Gooding Jr. plays a football player who's all about the money and fame. No where is his struggle to the top or childhood life mentioned, just a flashy attitude and desire for cash. This shows a somewhat ignorant and selfish athlete whereas "Hoop Dreams" shows hard working kids trying to not only help themselves but there families also. The documentary dictates the true story of a struggling young athlete and how important sport is to African American society. By excelling in basketball William Gates was able to receive a top high school education from a prestigious school, all because of his playing ability. This happens to high school and college athletes across the country. The ones who are talented enough to make it to the pros are given the opportunity to change the lives of their families forever. That being said I don't believe sport is damaging the African American community, if anything it is empowering it and giving kids everywhere the chance to live their dreams.

Gender Equality

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7THu/reebok-zquick-race-the-city

The point of this Reebok commercial is to advertise its new shoe "zQuick". It shows runners racing across the city to the next subway stop in order to tag their partner who does the same. One immediately notices the placement of the women's team right along with the two men teams. The girl running seems to keep up with the guys the whole time and even receives "props" after the race is over. This is an empowerment of female athletes which shows equality in the sport of running and also among Reebok. It's important that trends like this continue happening in order to bring equal opportunity in sports for both genders.

Interrogating inequalities in Sports Media: Examining gender representation in USA Today Sports online

Examining the representation of gender in American sport's media is critical in determining the social status of our country. Specifically, online news websites dedicated to sports can give us a general idea of where we are at. USA Today Sports website is a commonly used and trusted source of information when it comes to athletic competitions. I took a look at the website to see how often each gender was represented and how they were portrayed. Going into it I figured men would dominate the articles and headlines which they did, but not as dominantly as I thought. There are five basic features on the USA Today Sports website: Top Stories, Featured Videos, Galleries, Headlines, and Featured Content. After reviewing each section I counted eight out of forty of the main photos or articles to be about women. This may not seem like much but to have twenty percent of the website dedicated to women's sports is impressive.

This made me wonder if women would begin to hold a higher priority in American sport's media seeing that USA Today is a prestigious source of news and information. Taking a closer look though I realized something: every single photo or article about women's sports was related to the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Not one women's basketball, soccer, or any other non-winter sport was featured. This essentially means that in the absence of the Winter Olympics there would be little to no coverage of any women's sports. The common idea in athletics is that women take a back seat to men, and this website seems to support this. Initially I thought female athletes were getting more coverage due to social change but soon found out otherwise. This same theme can be seen throughout most sports media companies, so for USA Today to follow suit is no shocker.

Reference: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/

Reflecting on the Shame of College Sports: Should NCAA Div 1 Basketball and Football Players Get Paid?

To me the question of whether or not college athletes should get paid has always been a very simple one: no. When thinking about it the tuition and degree they receive for free more than covers what the average athlete is bringing in revenue to a university. Now some could make the claim that Johnny Manziel generates more revenue than 4 years of tuition at Texas A&M, but he is an outlier. Not only do they receive a free education but some players also get spending money on top of it. With a free degree that will set them up for their future and maybe some spending money the average player gets more than enough to live a comfortable life. When looking at the long term situation the value of a free education becomes that much greater. Having a college degree statistically increases one's lifetime earnings to double of those who don't have one, which in itself is an extremely valuable form of payment.

This has been a big issue in American collegiate sports for decades, but think of the consequences. Schools with large revenue would suddenly have the best players while smaller budget teams wouldn't stand a chance, ruining the competitiveness of the games. Also with all that money who knows what would happen to future star athletes. The fear is that many of them would lose focus on school and want to live the life of a pro, but with the maturity of a college kid. I fear many futures would be derailed and opportunities lost if players were to be paid.

High School Sport

During the introduction of high school sports the US was experiencing social changes that aligned well with its arrival. Schools were looking to market themselves in a more effective way in order to attract the attention of well-off families. The creation of a sports system within a school showed its legitimacy and dedication to the development of kids. Today this continues to happen as high school and even middle schools across the country compete for athletic supremacy. This helps students work with others, manage their time, and motivate themselves to do other extracurricular activities. I believe these are the goals of interscholastic sports and what they aim to do. Through my personal experience I have not only discovered these objectives but have also experienced them. Without sports I wouldn't have learned certain life skills like I did which is why they continue to be a key element of American childhood. One problem though with the system of interscholastic sports is the subversion of educational priorities below athletic ones. I know from personal experience that many of the football players at my high school did not put much emphasis on grades and life after the game. Obviously there are GPA requirements to be on a sports team, but something like a tutoring system could be put into place in order to help athletes make up for the time lost on the field. With all the work put in for sports it'd be nice to get more emphasis on education.

Reference: Lecture notes, Dohrmann Article