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.