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.

The Great Bambino - Week 8

For week 8 we talked a lot about baseball so I decided to write my blog over baseball and "The Great Bambino," "The Sultan of Swat," Babe Ruth. In my opinion Babe Ruth is probably one of the most controversial players in baseball history. When it comes to the stats he is an excellent player. Babe's records surpassed all other players of his time. What becomes an issue here is what should be taken into account when deciding if a player like babe Ruth should be considered as one of the greatest athletes of last century. Dr. Spencer mentioned in class that ESPN did a special on the 50 greatest athletes of the century and Babe Ruth came in second behind Michael Jordan. This is an issue because even though his stats are outstanding, his social life of being a drinker and being with several women was very well known. He was living the life so to speak. In fact he made more money than the President which was very uncommon at that time. Even though Babe led a reckless lifestyle, I believe that being a great athlete is strictly about how well you do on the field, not what you do off the field. I believe that Babe Ruth deserves his spot at number two on that list regardless of his lifestyle choices.
Another thing we went over in class was how radio announcers and sportswriters built up the legacies of great athletes like Babe Ruth. Sports agent were also just coming around to help the athletes build an image and establish themselves as sports heroes. Even though Babe Ruth was an athlete during this great sports writing era, I still believe that Babe would have become the ultimate national sports hero without them. His social life could have destroyed that image all on it's on but it didn't.