Conclusion - Week 15

This class has been a great learning experience for me. When I first took the class it was just the most interesting thing to me on a list of option electives. Now that I have taken it, I can honestly say I am glad. There is so much history I had no idea about and applying the things I have learned about in class with actual experiences in sport have been a great discovery process! Before taking this class, I knew a little bit here and there about a sport or a bit about a certain person. Now after taking the class, I am confident that i could actually carry on a conversation about those topics. I am also glad that I learned more about racism issues in things like the Redskins or mascots. That was just the start of the semester but I had never considered the Washington Redskins to be a racist name for. This class has opened me up to so many similar ideas and concepts. I don't think I could pick just one thing that will be most useful to me from this class, but I'll try. I guess I would say the video clips were most useful. It's great to sit and class and learn about some of the things I just discussed, but the videos are a great source for backing up that information. The supplemental information in the videos, especially the history ones, were great because you are hearing what we are learning about from people who were actually there.
Keeping a blog during this class was great! It was such a good way for me to be able to reflect further on topics that we talked about in class and allow me to really go into detail about my opinions. Especially since a lot of times in class I know we would get to talking about something and then lose track of time. This gave us the opportunity to reflect on things even if we didn't have time in class. My blog also allowed me to think about concepts and how they could be related to my life and my personal experiences.
As far as ethical presentations go, I think the majority of the ones that I saw were very informative. It was another way to get a little more perspective on an issue that we may not have otherwise had the time to do in class. I think ethical presentations are also something that other students and myself like because it means that there is more for debate and for you to draw your opinion from what is presented. Even though our opinions were hardly discussed during the Q & A portions of their presentations, I know that if there was something I felt strongly about, i would take the time to use my blog to give my opinion on the issue.
Even though my career is event planning, I think i will be taking a little bit of everything from this class. Maybe someday i will work in a position where I will be planning events for a sports related company and I will wow them with my impressive history of sports! But really I think that learning about the historical and philosophical developments in sport are important to move forward with developments in the future and I now feel prepared to do so.

"Saving Players for the Playoffs" - Week 14

This week I have decided to blog about how stupid I think it is that teams "save" their better players during the last couple season games for the playoffs. I think the whole concept is ridiculous. The players in the NBA are professional. During the regular season they go out and play game after game without holding back. Many times those games are even back to back. Resting the players so there is no injury to risk is just an unnecessary precaution. I don't think that Lebron James sitting out of one game would seriously make him play any better or worse in the playoffs.

The main reason this happens to bother me so much this year is because I got to go to the Cavs final home game for fan appreciation night this year. To my dissatisfaction, when I arrive, I come to find that Lebron James, Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Joe Smith did not play. Also, Delonte West and Anderson Varejao played for only the first half. I was so upset because I didn't even get to watch my favorite players at my first live Cavs game. I understand that there is a risk for injury, but there is always a risk. They are taking a risk in practice too.

I guess I am also so mad because they lost. The final score was 110-111. The 76ers had won. Even though Gibson had a chance to take the game and the Cavs were given the perfect opportunity to win in overtime after Miller actually missed a set of free throws, it was hard to be mad at him. After all, without his 3 pointer, they wouldn't have been in overtime to begin with. Then again, if the starters had played the game, they would have blown the 76ers out of the water and tied the Boston Celtic's 1985-86 team with the all-time home record of 40-1. Instead, they are 39-2. It just doesn't sound as good.

Finally, I just want to say that I am never going to go watch my favorite teams at the end of the regular season again, just in case they need to be "rested."

Jackie Robinson - Week 13

Today in class we watched a video about Jackie Robinson and the things he had to overcome in his professional baseball career. It's hard to believe that Jackie was a strong enough person to just sit back and take all of the name calling and isolation from his opponents, fans in the stadium, and even his own teammates. I knew that Jackie broke the color barrier and that his playing for the Dodgers paved the way for generations of colored athletes to come. What I didn't know was that Jackie also opened the door for other colored athletes in other sports like hockey, tennis, and golf. Jackie Robinson's silence during his days of verbal abuse serves as a symbol for the beginning of civil liberties and equalities in sport.
In my last blog I wrote about Athletes today as role models. You couldn't find a better role model than Robinson. He is the epitome of what a role model should be. Not only did he set a good example off the field which is where most athletes have a problem today, he set a good example on the field. In his case, on the field is where he needed to use the most restraint and he most certainly did. Also of course he was a great baseball player which helps with the role model status.
After all is said and done, I just hope that as Jackie Robinson's legacy was continued this year, it will continue to be remembered in the future because it's a story that needs to be told.
As far as the video we saw in class. I don't think at all that it shouldn't have been played. History is exactly that and it should not be altered or sugarcoated in any way, shape, or form. The only way to learn from the past is to get the proper facts and details, no matter how upsetting, can be crucial to someone's understanding of what Jackie Robinson was up against.

Athletes As Role Rodels- Week 12

After the presentation in class about athletes being role models, I decided to write my blog about it. Athletes are most definitely role models whether they want to be or not. I'm going to go ahead and suggest that most athletes out there either don't consider the repercussions of their actions or think they are above the law because they are athletes. When they sign their million dollar contracts, they should consider what comes along with it. It's not like Pro Athletes don't realize they are setting an example for the younger generation. When they were kids they had sports heroes that they looked up to as well. So even though it's not fair, it's life. As everyday people who have "ordinary" careers, the things we do wrong don't impact the lives of millions. For athletes, especially the very popular ones, it does.
I can understand that constantly being in the spotlight and having your every move on watch would get annoying. I do plenty of things when I am with my friends that I would never do in front of my little brother because I don't want him to get the wrong idea. He looks up to me. (Don't worry, I don't do anything too horrible!) The difference between me and Pro Athletes is that I can choose what he sees and what he doesn't. The athletes lives are pretty much an open book. Being a professional athlete requires a level of professionalism that all athletes should be required to fulfill.

Michael Jordan & The Hall of Fame - Week 11

I came across a couple of articles on Yahoo! Sports this week that were about Jordan being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. Obviously there is no question that Jordan deserves his spot there. The controversy is over what exactly he deserves. Michael Jordan is a legacy. He was the NBA MVP five times and won six championships with the Bulls. He deserves more then a plaque in the Hall of Fame. Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, he was a national sports hero and he has earned a special spot in the Hall of Fame. He should get something more then a simple induction with 4 other athletes. I'm not trying to belittle the accomplishments of the other inductees because I'm sure they are very deserving of their inductions, I just believe that Jordan's talents should be recognized on a higher level. Jordan's plaque will list his accomplishments and records, but the other important things won't be there. For example the excitement that was brought to fans from watching Jordan play or his presence on the court. Air Jordan was a legacy, a phenomenon, and a sports hero. He deserves the recognition that he has earned.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AjM4Za9NqKatA2A2bWrY6OI5nYcB?slug=ap-halloffame&prov=ap&type=lgns

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-jordanhalloffame040609&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Athletic Opponents - Week 10

After completing the discussion question for this week, I decided to blog a little more about the issue. When it comes to an opponent, I see them as just that, my competition. It's not about personal relationships or anything else when I'm out there on the court or the field. In high school I never really considered the possibility of starting a friendship with my opponent. They were just the other team, the other school. Thinking back even, we never had a solid opportunity to try and make friends anyways. Before the game you were warming up and trying to stay focused. Then after the game you were slapping hands, changing, then boarding the bus or heading home. I think it might be a good thing for you to not be friends with the opposing team anyways. It will keep you focused and you have nothing else to worry about.

In college I once played intramural basketball. It was a lot of fun and we were good and even won the championship, but even though I had the opportunity, I still never took the time to make friends. I think it's just a mental thing for me. Opponent does not equal friend.

Another thing we discussed was respect for one another. I believe you should always give the other players the utmost respect. They are out there playing their hardest, just like you. Respecting your opponent is just like showing your respect for the game. I love basketball and I would never want to compromise it. However, you have to give respect to get it. So if there are other girls on the court throwing elbows and getting away with dirty plays, then they just lost my respect. The game should be played with integrity in my opinion!

Also on a side note, my dad got me Cavs tickets! I will be attending the last Cavs home game of the season (Fan Appreciation Night) on April 15th versus the 76ers!!

The Olympics & Politcs don't Mix - Week 9

In class this week we talked about whether or not politics should be involved in the Olympics and watched a clip of Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. After watching the video and reading chapter 12, I can say that my opinion is that politics should not be any part of the Olympics. The Olympic games are about finding the best athletes in each country that train their absolute hardest to compete against the best of the best from nations all across the world. Being a part of the Olympic games is an honor and the opportunity o a lifetime and the athletes deserve to be part of something that is about them, not politics.
However, after reading the chapter I also realize that it may be impossible to completely separate politics from the games. In the 1936 Olympics, Germany spent countless dollars to invest in the proper facilities to host the games. Also, according to Rader, because of the political animosities that arose from WWI, some of the countries were excluded from the following games. Even though politics may always be a part of the games, I think that there is a way for athletes to overcome some of it. That is to go for the gold. Proving yourself on the field is the best way to get back at any political injustices such as Hitler not congratulating Jesse Owens after he received the gold in 1936.