In this week's class, we had a presentation over whether or not college athletes should be paid. In my opinion, the athletes should not be paid for something they are choosing to do in the first place. Playing a sport is their choice and it's their fault they don't have time for a part time job. I realize that the athletes bring in a lot of revenue for the university and the athletic department but the university also does a lot for student athletes. A majority of college athletes get college scholarships and living stipends among other perks of simply getting to be on the team. They don't need any extra compensation.
I’m not trying to be cruel about it, but I just don’t think that students should get extra compensation for something they already get so much for. Students get financial aid from the school that is basically the same as a check. Many of them also get other forms of compensation such as free housing and meal plans. College Athletes also get the opportunity to network themselves through sports to potential professional sports teams. That is something that will help those athletes with their future endeavors.
Another way to look at it is if the athletes are going to get paid for playing sports then students in organizations on campus should get paid for their time and dedication that they put in. Athletes put in time at practice and the student orgs put in office hours each week. Both athletes and students in organizations have to put in a lot of extra time after classes so it would only be fair to pay them both, not just the athletes.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Sports & Character - Week 6
In this week's class we were posed with the question of whether or not sports build character? This is a tough question because on one hand, as a child, sports teach kids a lot about character and integrity. Then on the other hand, you read stories about professional athletes making wrong choices all the time, such as steroid use, gambling, or choices that make them a bad role model. Therefore sports could help to build up a good image and outlook for yourself or it could have a negative effect on your character.
Having character is about having qualities that make you who you are and define your moral and ethical standings in my opinion. Sports play a large role in building these qualities. As a child, you grow up on sports teams, learning the rules and what is right and wrong. You are taught about how to play fair and be a good sport. You learn about teamwork, pride, mental and physical strength, and determination. One of the most important lessons you can gain from sport is discipline. If you really want something, you have to be willing to work at it and practice hard. You're going to have to give up some things you want to do to make time for practice and truly dedicate yourself. This type of discipline can apply to your everyday life because if you want to be successful at something you're really going to have to work at it and commit to it. It builds good character to participate in something that is bigger than you and ultimately you better yourself because of it.
On the other hand, we see so many examples of pro athletes that character has been questioned because of things they have done. So even though sports give you the opportunity to build your character, it also allows for the public's opinion of you to become questionable. Every time an athlete make a bad decision or a mistake, it reflects badly on their character and they lose a little respect from their fans.
Having character is about having qualities that make you who you are and define your moral and ethical standings in my opinion. Sports play a large role in building these qualities. As a child, you grow up on sports teams, learning the rules and what is right and wrong. You are taught about how to play fair and be a good sport. You learn about teamwork, pride, mental and physical strength, and determination. One of the most important lessons you can gain from sport is discipline. If you really want something, you have to be willing to work at it and practice hard. You're going to have to give up some things you want to do to make time for practice and truly dedicate yourself. This type of discipline can apply to your everyday life because if you want to be successful at something you're really going to have to work at it and commit to it. It builds good character to participate in something that is bigger than you and ultimately you better yourself because of it.
On the other hand, we see so many examples of pro athletes that character has been questioned because of things they have done. So even though sports give you the opportunity to build your character, it also allows for the public's opinion of you to become questionable. Every time an athlete make a bad decision or a mistake, it reflects badly on their character and they lose a little respect from their fans.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Flutie Effect - Week 5
This week I decided to do a little research over Doug Flutie and "The Flutie Effect" after watching a YouTube clip in class of the Hail Mary pass with one second on the clock. The link to the YouTube video can be found by clicking here: Flutie Effect.
Just a little history on arguably the single greatest play in college football of all time: Doug Flutie was the quarterback for Boston College in a 1984 game versus the University of Miami. In the final minutes of a very back and forth game, Miami drove to score and lead Boston College 45-41. The last play by Boston College began with six seconds on the clock and ended with Doug Flutie throwing that famous pass for a BC touchdown and the game! That play sealed the deal for Flutie and he went on to win the Heisman that year. After college, Flutie went on to bigger and better things and ultimately became known as a sports hero. (www.dougflutie.info)
Everything I just said is pretty much what everyone already knows. What most people do not know is who that Hail Mary pass was caught by in the middle of three defenders. His name is Gerard Phelan. I looked all over the internet for more information on Phelan, but frankly, there isn't very much. I found that he was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1985 in the fourth round but a serious knee injury ended his NFL career before it really even got started. I think that is probably the reason we don't hear very much about Phelan or why it doesn't seem as significant to know who caught that ball. Doug Flutie went on to play professional football and was very well known, and that's why we remember him.
Another thing that we touched on in class was that the applications for admission to Boston College increased drastically by 30% the following year after that very dramatic game. After a little research I found that this is sometimes referred to as the "Flutie Factor." This basically means that a University can significantly increase the recognition and value of a school if it has a winning sports team. The authenticity to this claim is something i'm not so sure of. Yes, BC's applications increased following that memorable game, but I found research stating that BC "in the previous decade had embarked on a program to build national enrollment using market research, a network of alumni volunteers, strategically allocated financial aid, and improvements to residence halls and academic facilities, says John Maguire '61, Ph.D.'66. (http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/spring_2003/ll_phenomenology.html) Because of this information, I have trouble believing that admissions to BC was solely because of that game, however, it is possible I suppose!
Just a little history on arguably the single greatest play in college football of all time: Doug Flutie was the quarterback for Boston College in a 1984 game versus the University of Miami. In the final minutes of a very back and forth game, Miami drove to score and lead Boston College 45-41. The last play by Boston College began with six seconds on the clock and ended with Doug Flutie throwing that famous pass for a BC touchdown and the game! That play sealed the deal for Flutie and he went on to win the Heisman that year. After college, Flutie went on to bigger and better things and ultimately became known as a sports hero. (www.dougflutie.info)
Everything I just said is pretty much what everyone already knows. What most people do not know is who that Hail Mary pass was caught by in the middle of three defenders. His name is Gerard Phelan. I looked all over the internet for more information on Phelan, but frankly, there isn't very much. I found that he was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1985 in the fourth round but a serious knee injury ended his NFL career before it really even got started. I think that is probably the reason we don't hear very much about Phelan or why it doesn't seem as significant to know who caught that ball. Doug Flutie went on to play professional football and was very well known, and that's why we remember him.
Another thing that we touched on in class was that the applications for admission to Boston College increased drastically by 30% the following year after that very dramatic game. After a little research I found that this is sometimes referred to as the "Flutie Factor." This basically means that a University can significantly increase the recognition and value of a school if it has a winning sports team. The authenticity to this claim is something i'm not so sure of. Yes, BC's applications increased following that memorable game, but I found research stating that BC "in the previous decade had embarked on a program to build national enrollment using market research, a network of alumni volunteers, strategically allocated financial aid, and improvements to residence halls and academic facilities, says John Maguire '61, Ph.D.'66. (http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/spring_2003/ll_phenomenology.html) Because of this information, I have trouble believing that admissions to BC was solely because of that game, however, it is possible I suppose!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Super Bowl History -Week 4
In honor of the Super Bowl this past Sunday, I decided to do a post over a little bit of Super Bowl history. I got all of my information from NFL.COM. First I'll start with the most recent game being Super Bowl XLIII with the Arizona Cardinals vs the Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm going to go ahead and throw it out there that I was not happy with the result, but overall it was a great game and I can't complain from a fan point of view. The 100 yard touchdown and famous catch with less than a minute to go will most definitely be memorable moments in Super Bowl history. In class we went over some of the basics such as when the first Super Bowl was played, where at, who was in it, and the final score. All of those facts I have heard before. January 15, 1967. Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers. 10-65. What I didn't know however was that the attendance at the game was so low that the fans were encouraged to move to center of the stadium so that when the cameras flashed the crowd, it would look packed. This would have been literally impossible for me to imagine if I had not seen the actual video because today's Super Bowl event is such a huge deal and tickets to the event are always sold out. I thought the video we watched in class was very interesting because it also showed us some of the other problems that the Super Bowl encountered besides attendance. For example I had no idea that NBC and CBS both covered the first Super Bowl game. I have never known of that to happen and I'm sure there are contracts set in stone for what station the game will played on for years to come. Another thing I thought was interesting that I found while looking at the history was that the half time show used to consist of marching bands for entertainment. Today, the half time show is almost as big of a spectacle as the commercials. ;) Overall, the Super Bowl started out as something small that grew into the spectacle that it is today. It is almost an American holiday these days.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Sports & Animals in Early America-Week 3
This week I decided to write my blog over what I see as cruelty to animals after watching the video in class about Michael Vick and reading about cockfighting and gandering in our readings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZYk91q0Tyk
That is the link to the Michael Vick video on dog fighting.
After viewing that video, I have lost all respect for Michael Vick. I had heard about the situation before, but I never looked into it very much. Dog fighting and killing dogs that did not meet his standards should in no way be considered a sport in my opinion. It's ridiculous that things like that still happen today. . In class we were posed with the question of what if it had been Tom Brady instead of Michael Vick? Would the turnout of the criminal case be any different? In my opinion, it wouldn’t matter who the charges were against, a crime is a crime and everyone deserves the same punishment. In the book we also read about "sports in early America" where cockfighting and pulling a gooses head off were considered favorite pastimes of the common people in southern colonies (American Sports, Rader).
Another thing I wanted to reflect on from class were all of the sports that were played during the revolution. I never realized that there were so many different games played for leisure during the revolution era. We listed over 20 of them in class from Bonnie Ledbetter's article Sport and Games of the American Revolution. I think it's interesting that there were quite a few that are still played today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZYk91q0Tyk
That is the link to the Michael Vick video on dog fighting.
After viewing that video, I have lost all respect for Michael Vick. I had heard about the situation before, but I never looked into it very much. Dog fighting and killing dogs that did not meet his standards should in no way be considered a sport in my opinion. It's ridiculous that things like that still happen today. . In class we were posed with the question of what if it had been Tom Brady instead of Michael Vick? Would the turnout of the criminal case be any different? In my opinion, it wouldn’t matter who the charges were against, a crime is a crime and everyone deserves the same punishment. In the book we also read about "sports in early America" where cockfighting and pulling a gooses head off were considered favorite pastimes of the common people in southern colonies (American Sports, Rader).
Another thing I wanted to reflect on from class were all of the sports that were played during the revolution. I never realized that there were so many different games played for leisure during the revolution era. We listed over 20 of them in class from Bonnie Ledbetter's article Sport and Games of the American Revolution. I think it's interesting that there were quite a few that are still played today.
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