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

Once the cheering stops: The life of a retired pro-athlete

60 percent of retired NBA players are broke within five years of retirement according to a Sports Illustrated article published in 2009. Over the past couple decades people in the sports industry have begun to research player's lives after they've retired from the game they love, and what has been found is shocking. The life of an ex-athlete according to ESPN's 30 for 30 film "Broke" is not that of the perceived American dream. Not only are they often stuck in financial debt but their bodies are used up and damaged. While 78 percent of former NFL players go bankrupt two years out of the game, this is not their biggest problem. Severe brain damage can occur throughout a football players life and cause long term mental health issues. This often leads to hospitalization or treatment, and in some cases even suicide. Caused by depression, self inflicted injuries are a cry for help from athletes who no longer live the superstar life in the limelight. This is a big issue for our sport's culture in that athletes are finding it difficult to transition from celebrity to civilian. It shows how much we glamorize the professionals and put them on a pedestal. In my opinion all that needs to be done is the development of post-career programs for athletes where they can learn key financial concepts. The leagues across the US should press hard upon the retired players to participate in these programs in order to save them from going bankrupt. Until we can educate the mass of players about basic budgeting and saving the problem will go on, and ex-players will continue to frivolously spend.

Resources:
ESPN's 30 for 30 "Broke"
ESPN Article "Life After Football"

Sports, Politics and the Olympics

    In 1936 Germany hosted the Summer Olympics, looking to outdo the 1932 games held in Los Angeles, CA. Not only did they accomplish incredible architectural feats in doing this but they also forced a sense of Nazi nationalism onto the games. Hitler carried this out by initially banning all Jews and Blacks from participating in the games. Eventually the countries involved with the Olympics would force him to allow participants of all race/religion. Hitler was in fact showing a glimpse of what his future plans were and foreshadowing his hatred for everyone except German Nazis. To me this is representative of German Nationalism to project their views onto the rest of the world in a global event. They used this as a way to advertise their ideals and values which is wrong considering the Olympics are suppose to be unbiased.
    Through this specific example one can clearly see how sports and politics can mix. So to say that sports are pure and devoid of political interference is completely false. Not only through the "Nazi Games" have a country's feelings been expressed but also in various other sporting events in history. Take even the NFL Super Bowl, where every year the US Air Force flies planes over the stadium. This is also a sign of nationalism as it shows our military strength to the fans watching the game. These actions have fused together the purpose of sport and the purpose of politics, making countries feel obligated to express some sort of nationalism during games. I believe this will continue to happen as long as sports and politics remain at the top of everyone's conversations.

Reference: Powerpoint

London Calling

     Recently the NFL has flirted with the idea of expanding a team out to Europe, hoping to broaden its fan base. Not only does it care about the fans but the NFL also wants to tap in to a market it could be generating revenue from, which is most likely their prime motivation. In particular though it wants to create a team in London where games are held each year as a promotional event. London's Premier League for soccer is the only sports market that is larger than the NFL, and unlike the NFL the Premier League "can sell the right to broadcast its games to literally hundreds of countries around the globe." (Barnwell) This is the level the NFL wants to be at: connecting with countries from around the world. Also, London is a high income city which would provide the financial backing for a team.
     There are barriers that stand in the way though. The one that comes to mind initially is the issue of traveling. This would not only be difficult for the players but also for the dedicated fans who would have to cross oceans in order to see their team play. As for the fans who actually make the trip across the Atlantic, the cost of going to such an event would be outrageous due to London's high prices. Personally, I don't believe this is a good idea because fans will be lost in the process. Any team that ups and moves to another country is going to lose support immediately from some of its long time followers. Now some might say that's ok due to the new fans that will be generated, but the issue is that these new fans won't consistently show up to the games like the NFL believes. Moving a team to London seems like a good "business" idea, but as far as helping the game out I believe culture and true fans will be lost.

Reference: London Calling Article

Sociogenesis of Egg Rolling

Every Easter in order to celebrate the resurrection of Christ (Easter), millions of people across the world participate in the game of egg rolling. Starting in Europe before settlers even came to the US, egg rolling had become a tradition in the UK and other countries alike. Children would use long sticks to push their eggs down a hill, and whoever could get his/hers furthest without cracking would win. There would also be people going from event to event singing traditional egg rolling songs, dressed brightly in order to entertain the children.
It really is a simple game developed from simple times, but egg rolling made its way to the US where it took on a more prestigious roll. Dolly, wife of President James Madison, brought the games to the White House every Easter Monday starting in 1814. Hundreds of children and their parents would come to the White House lawns to be entertained by costumes, celebrities, and even book-readings by Cabinet secretaries. This event has often been used by the Presidential Office to extend its hand towards social outliers, like when Mamie Eisenhower opened it to black children for the first time. Although it had been suspended a few times due to circumstances like war, President Obama has continued the event and even invited same-sex couples to carry out this tradition. He also pushes the "Let's Go Play" campaign which promotes healthy living for young people. The games continue to happen every year at the White House as a staple of American culture.


Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_rolling
http://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/glimpse/Easter/

Sport in the Acient World

At the very first Olympics, hosted by the Greeks in 776 BC, the sprint was the only event to be played but would later be joined by others. The athletes at these events would compete naked to emulate the Gods, who's bare bodies were the idealization of what humans should be like. Before events athletes would be doused with dust and scented oil, and scrape everything off after as the remains of a youthful body were seen to have medicinal properties. Only Greek-born males were allowed to compete though which kept the Olympics exclusive. Although it seems like something only the wealthy would enjoy any Greek male could participate if he was willing to dedicate the time. This brought Greek society from all backgrounds together. The games also helped to drive a religious agenda within Greece with the idolization of Gods and athletes. The winning athlete was even seen as being favored by Gods and held to a higher standing. To the Ancient Greeks the Olympics were by far the most important events, suspending wars if it was necessary.
Unlike the ritualistic Olympics, gladiator games created by the Romans were based on brute force and savage-like behavior. Slaves, criminals, and prisoners of war would be forced into battle training and inevitably against each other in front of the Roman people. They would be trained much like the Roman army had been trained in order to put on a show for the public. The Romans absolutely loved these gladiator fights and would come together for them, cheering on their favorite athlete. Although a portion of these participants weren't even Greek they would be revered as celebrities within the community if they continued to win fights. This shows that the relevance of gladiators during this time was of great magnitude.

References:
Youtube video - Ancient Rome
Youtube video - Ancient Greece

Sport, Society, and Me

Sports have always been a large part of my life due to the influence from my father. Being an alumni from Iowa State University, he would dress me up against my will in Cyclone(their mascot) gear from head to toe when the opportunity arose. Ever since I can remember I've had some type of sports attire in my wardrobe, and even had baseball wallpaper as a baby. When I got old enough I signed up for the city recreational leagues in baseball, basketball, and soccer, basically playing sports year around. This was my primary way of making friends as a kid and a way for my parents, who were new to town, to meet other couples as well. Seeing that sports developed most of my friendships as a child and were the center of daily activities I would say they were extremely important to me growing up.
Much like me, US society loves its sports. Gathering together during particular games brings families together as well as friends. This makes sports a healthy part of our lives and a large contributor to US society as a whole. Not only does it bring people together but it also teaches kids sportsmanship. Character building at a young age is very important and sports does this though regulated and structured games, so many kids eventually play. Stanley Eitzen agrees that "Most children are involved in organized sport at some time in their lives"(Eitzen 3), making sport a major influence in America. Not only do we glorify the idea of sports but the players as well, if not more. Athletes are basically celebrities now with endorsement deals, commercials, merchandise, and other aspects that put them in the spotlight of society. Now while they may be valued and respected in their primes, once the talent falls the fame goes with it. They will still have respect from people in the industry but many ex-athletes are no longer valued due to the lack of "star power" they use to have.

Sports in the US

Here in America our popular sports are significantly different than those of the rest of the world. Basketball, football, and baseball dominate the scene while other sports like hockey and soccer remain relevant. These popular sports pull in large amounts of revenue and have become a market of their own, making them a large part of American culture. According to Jay Coakley, some "relationships between family members are nurtured and played out during sport activities or in conversations about sports."(Coakley 21)

Professional games take place in large stadiums and are televised for viewers to see as well as the fans at the game, making them accessible to everyone. Typically friends and family will gather before games to watch them or just go see it in person. Putting on jerseys of the favorite team is also something that takes place whether it be college or professional. Football, being the most watched and profitable sport in the US, controls most of Sunday television during NFL games. You can see how sports brings people together, and this even starts with recreational sports programs for kids. Parents place their kids in these programs to build certain social skills as well as develop physical ones. It also allows them to have an outlet and start new friendships. It is normal for children to join a team, learning values that will help them create good character.

Success in US sports is often measured by a large amount of wins and a small amount of losses. More importantly though is the success an athlete has during the playoffs and championship games. Successful athletes not only win the big games but they also carry themselves in a correct manner, being advertised through various corporations. Respecting the game will make an athlete likeable amongst the public but more importantly amongst his peers. This is important with our sports, which obviously goes along with high intensity and competition.

The Sports Ethic

A common topic of interest in sports society is the one of ethics and how games should morally be played. Sports Ethics are interrelated sets of norms or standards that are used to guide and evaluate ideas, traits, and actions in a sports world (Coakley 163). It is important for athletes to follow these rules in order to maintain stability in his/her chosen sport, because in their absence the structure of sports falls apart while no one can distinguish what is right from wrong. Looking specifically at the four general norms can explain how sports ethics are actually formed. The first is the athlete's dedication to the game and the respect he/she gives to the sport, following all ethics. Next is an athlete's strive for distinction which symbolizes winning and the importance of sports. Third is the culture of risk athletes play. They put themselves in such harms way that it is only right to go about it ethically, because anything else might be barbaric. Finally is the athletes rejection of all obstacles on the path to success, wanting to beat the odds at any moment. These four dimensions give sports the respect they demand which forms the ethics around them. From personal instances I can say I have experienced the first of these dimensions the most in my life. While growing up I developed an immense love for the game of baseball and began to respect it as much as anything. As soon as I heard stepping on the white-chalk foul line would bring upon bad luck I watched my every step on those fields. Till this day I refuse to step on any foul line, out of respect for the game. That does not mean change cannot happen though, because inevitably sports must adapt to new morals and values that begin to shape society. Sports is often an excellent representation of how evolved people are, just look at how the NFL is getting safer as our country looks negatively upon head injury and future brain damage. Sometimes there "is a need for new guidelines to replace the old ones"(Hughes and Coakley 323). Until then sports must be played within its ethics and wait for change to come naturally as society changes.

Coakley, Jay. Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies, Tenth Edition. New York City: McGrawHill, 2009. Print.

Hughes, Robert; Coakley, Jay. Positive Deviance Among Athletes: The Implications of Overconformity to the Sport Ethic. Sociology of Sport Journal. 1991