Overall, I really enjoyed this class. There were many topics that were discussed that really intrigued me and made me want to go out and find more information on them, and write a blog about them. I chose to write many extra blogs because I enjoyed them and it was not time consuming. I think that I would always want to do a blog with multiple entries over doing one big paper on my own and never receiving feedback on what other people thought about my ideas. I think that was my favorite part of the blogs was knowing that other people would be able to comment back and forth and tell me what they thought compared to my thoughts.
My favorite topic was when we talked about the differences in coverage between the Men’s and Women’s NCAA coverage. I thought it was fun to hear what everyone had to say about why they thought this was the case. It then made me want to find out more about the topic and I thought that the out of class assignment to find and article about women’s basketball was interesting. It made me realize that even in a major women’s accomplishment like the UCONN women’s team winning the national championship, there were still relations to the men’s team and how they did in the tournament and throughout the year.
I think that Blogging really helped me to actually be able to say my feelings. There are often times in class that I have comments to make, but I really do not have the desire to create controversy or for me to think differently than what others do. That is why a blog is so much better for me. I am able to talk to others and find out what they think. I like receiving the feedback and then being able to comment back to those comments to get a discussion going. It is fun and it is not time consuming at all. I do not feel like I am wasting my time when I am writing a blog because it only take about ten minutes to write a quality blog and a like five minutes to write a comment back to someone.
There were some presentations that were more interesting to me. I definitely enjoyed the presentations that had videos in class. I liked being able to have something to relate to the topics we were talking about in class. I did not like the amount of readings we were responsible for, but I did like that we discussed them in class so that we for sure understood what the authors were talking about in the articles. Some of the articles were also kind of confusing to read and understand and I think that is why I enjoyed the class discussion. It clarified everything in the article and helped me to understand what I needed to know for the tests. I liked how the stuff that we talked about in class was actually on the test and the study guide was a very good guide to what needed to be known for this class. I hate classes that give you a twenty page study guide and you only needed to know about two of those pages for the test. The study guide helps to make it so that you do not have to spend multiple hours sitting and studying worthless information. Instead you are studying the information that is most important to the class and by studying this kind of information, it actually sticks with you. I remember things from SM 221 because the study guide was easy to recall on the test and now I still remember it.
After this class, I think that I now know many of the big issues that deal with gender and sports. This class has really helped me to understand what is going on in the world. I did not know that many of the cases that we talked about in class, but now I know what could possibly happen within my future career. I know what to avoid in order to not receive any allegations against me or the organization that we did something that was an advantage of disadvantage for either gender. It is important to have good publicity and avoid any legal fights. I am glad that I took this class and I believe that it will help me continuously in the future because I will be able to relate back to many of the discussions we had in class.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Athletes Participating with AIDs
In class on Tuesday, we talked about how there are athletes that participate in their sports and have been diagnosed with AID’s. This is a very serious topic and needs to be addressed. The fact that this is a deadly disease and athletes want to keep on competing against others and I am not very sure if it is okay for this to be done.
First, I think that Magic Johnson did the ethically right thing to do and also the most logical thing to do because of his health by retiring. However, I think that the controversy is within players that are in physical sports or for players that are still hiding the fact that they have been diagnosed.
I think that it is very unethical for a person to want to continue to play their sport without telling that they have been diagnosed. When talking in class, Greg Louganis was an Olympic Diver and I believe that we talked about how he did not tell people that he had the disease. This is very controversial because the disease can be transmitted through the contact of an infected person’s blood. What would happen if another diver came into contact with Louganis and he happened to have a cut on him? It seems as if it would almost create some sort of legal action to be brought against Louganis because he is in a worldwide sport and he is not informing of the possibilities that could happen to other athletes.
I am do not by any means know what the AID’s virus is all about or what the big ways that it can be developed in another person, but I do know that I would not be happy if I found out that I was playing against a person that had AID’s after the fact. I am not saying that they are not allowed to play sports, but the need to take precautions to keep others safe.
The other big case is with Tommy Morrison. He is a big time boxer and I think that this is a huge situation because people get cuts all the time in this sport, obviously. I would not want to be a person that would have to box him. In fact, I would probably just simply say no to any fight with him, just in fear or any possibility of contracting the AID’s from him. It would be a terrible way to put your life in jeopardy.
If I am wrong about any of this information, let me know, but I do think that most of it is right. What do you think though? Would you really want to fight or play against an athlete that has AID’s?
First, I think that Magic Johnson did the ethically right thing to do and also the most logical thing to do because of his health by retiring. However, I think that the controversy is within players that are in physical sports or for players that are still hiding the fact that they have been diagnosed.
I think that it is very unethical for a person to want to continue to play their sport without telling that they have been diagnosed. When talking in class, Greg Louganis was an Olympic Diver and I believe that we talked about how he did not tell people that he had the disease. This is very controversial because the disease can be transmitted through the contact of an infected person’s blood. What would happen if another diver came into contact with Louganis and he happened to have a cut on him? It seems as if it would almost create some sort of legal action to be brought against Louganis because he is in a worldwide sport and he is not informing of the possibilities that could happen to other athletes.
I am do not by any means know what the AID’s virus is all about or what the big ways that it can be developed in another person, but I do know that I would not be happy if I found out that I was playing against a person that had AID’s after the fact. I am not saying that they are not allowed to play sports, but the need to take precautions to keep others safe.
The other big case is with Tommy Morrison. He is a big time boxer and I think that this is a huge situation because people get cuts all the time in this sport, obviously. I would not want to be a person that would have to box him. In fact, I would probably just simply say no to any fight with him, just in fear or any possibility of contracting the AID’s from him. It would be a terrible way to put your life in jeopardy.
If I am wrong about any of this information, let me know, but I do think that most of it is right. What do you think though? Would you really want to fight or play against an athlete that has AID’s?
Renee Richards: Is it Fair?
I had never even heard anything about this situation about Renee Richards prior to this past Tuesday in class. I actually had never even heard of Renee Richards which really surprises me because I always watch all the controversial topics on ESPN and Sports Center, so that I can know what is going on within sports. I find it interesting that something along these lines has not received much recent publicity.
I really do not know what would make a person want to have a sex change, but regardless that is what happened with Richard Raskind. He had the desire to have a sex change. Prior to the sex change, Raskind was a quality tennis player. He trained as a male and did not have the sex change until he turned 41 years old. When he had the sex change, he changed his name to Renee Richards. The situation at hand is the fact that she then decided to participate against women in professional tournaments.
Is it really fair that she was able to participate against other women after being able to train as a man until she was 41 years old? I personally do not think that it is okay. I think that she should have immediately been kicked out of the tour because it is simply an unfair advantage. What is the difference between being a woman that trained as a man for 20 plus years or taking steroids to become bigger, faster, and stronger? There really is not much of a difference. Each one gives the individual an advantage that is really unfair to the competitors. She was able to hit the ball harder than the other women and move quicker.
Another point that I thought of, was that if she thought that it was okay to compete as a woman that changed from a man against normal women, then why did she not tell anyone? It seems a little questionable and like she really wanted to hide the fact. If she would have came out and told everyone prior to wanting to compete, then I think it would be fine if the WTA said it was okay. However, she decided to hide her secret and wait until a reporter found out about her situation and tell the public.
What do you think is okay for this situation? Is it fair for her or the rest of the field regardless of the decision that is made? I think it is a tough situation that she put upon herself and needs to face the consequences.
I really do not know what would make a person want to have a sex change, but regardless that is what happened with Richard Raskind. He had the desire to have a sex change. Prior to the sex change, Raskind was a quality tennis player. He trained as a male and did not have the sex change until he turned 41 years old. When he had the sex change, he changed his name to Renee Richards. The situation at hand is the fact that she then decided to participate against women in professional tournaments.
Is it really fair that she was able to participate against other women after being able to train as a man until she was 41 years old? I personally do not think that it is okay. I think that she should have immediately been kicked out of the tour because it is simply an unfair advantage. What is the difference between being a woman that trained as a man for 20 plus years or taking steroids to become bigger, faster, and stronger? There really is not much of a difference. Each one gives the individual an advantage that is really unfair to the competitors. She was able to hit the ball harder than the other women and move quicker.
Another point that I thought of, was that if she thought that it was okay to compete as a woman that changed from a man against normal women, then why did she not tell anyone? It seems a little questionable and like she really wanted to hide the fact. If she would have came out and told everyone prior to wanting to compete, then I think it would be fine if the WTA said it was okay. However, she decided to hide her secret and wait until a reporter found out about her situation and tell the public.
What do you think is okay for this situation? Is it fair for her or the rest of the field regardless of the decision that is made? I think it is a tough situation that she put upon herself and needs to face the consequences.
Aggression in Sport
Aggression is very important in order to be an effective player within organized sports. It is a way to distinguish yourself from other players within your sport. However, what happens when there is too much aggression? Coaches are always telling their players to be aggressive and work hard, but recently there have been cases where players will just take it too far.
A recent soccer game has received a large amount of publicity. The game was between New Mexico and BYU and involved a girl named Elizabeth Lambert.
When I think of soccer, I usually do not think of it as an incredibly aggressive or injury prone sport. I do realize that there are times where the game does become very physical, but those times are just natural as players are all going after the same ball. There are slide tackles that are legal and often players will get kicked or knocked down when other players are going for the ball. That is the stuff that happens that is legal within the sport of soccer. However, the things the Lambert was doing were simply unacceptable. She was the perfect example of a person taking their aggression too far.
Within the game, Lambert’s biggest and most noticeable form of aggression was when she pulled another girls pony tail and ripped her down to the ground by it. This scene looked just gruesome. It was an ugly site, but luckily she was not injured.
The situation at hand is what should be done when aggression is shown in this form. It is obviously unacceptable, but what can be done as the referees did not call any penalties on Lambert for her actions. I personally believe that the videos should be able to be used to suspend her for future games. I realize that the University of New Mexico has suspended her indefinitely, but is that enough. I think that the NCAA should also be involved and make a decision on what should be done as well. I respect the University of New Mexico for taking action, but I think that they should also send the tape to the NCAA in order for more action to be taken.
What do you think should be done to her? Was the indefinite suspension enough or should she get more? I think it will be interesting to hear.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/11/new_mexico_womens_soccer_playe.html
A recent soccer game has received a large amount of publicity. The game was between New Mexico and BYU and involved a girl named Elizabeth Lambert.
When I think of soccer, I usually do not think of it as an incredibly aggressive or injury prone sport. I do realize that there are times where the game does become very physical, but those times are just natural as players are all going after the same ball. There are slide tackles that are legal and often players will get kicked or knocked down when other players are going for the ball. That is the stuff that happens that is legal within the sport of soccer. However, the things the Lambert was doing were simply unacceptable. She was the perfect example of a person taking their aggression too far.
Within the game, Lambert’s biggest and most noticeable form of aggression was when she pulled another girls pony tail and ripped her down to the ground by it. This scene looked just gruesome. It was an ugly site, but luckily she was not injured.
The situation at hand is what should be done when aggression is shown in this form. It is obviously unacceptable, but what can be done as the referees did not call any penalties on Lambert for her actions. I personally believe that the videos should be able to be used to suspend her for future games. I realize that the University of New Mexico has suspended her indefinitely, but is that enough. I think that the NCAA should also be involved and make a decision on what should be done as well. I respect the University of New Mexico for taking action, but I think that they should also send the tape to the NCAA in order for more action to be taken.
What do you think should be done to her? Was the indefinite suspension enough or should she get more? I think it will be interesting to hear.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/11/new_mexico_womens_soccer_playe.html
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Magic Johnson
When Magic Johnson came out with his incredibly shocking news that he had been diagnosed with aids I was clearly too young to remember, but my dad always told me about how surprised and disappointed he was. My dad has been a Lakers fan forever and Magic is his favorite basketball player of all time just because of how incredible of an athlete he was. He led the Lakers to 5 NBA championships in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. Not only is the fact that he won 5 NBA championships amazing, but even more amazing is the fact that he played point guard while being six foot, nine inches tall. That is simply incredible to think of a man of that stature to be playing a position that requires finesse and ball handling skills beyond what is normally expected out of a player that is that tall.
Just thinking about something like this made me think, who would be a player that would have this much affect on the game if they came out and shocked the world with news like this. There are so many amazing players that are involved in the NBA right now, but who is the most important player for the NBA’s publicity. I personally feel as if Magic was one of the most popular players at that point in his career after winning that many championships. He was obviously great and I believe that many people will believe that if LeBron James came out with that same sort of news it would be similar to Magic. However, I do not think this is true.
LeBron is an incredible athlete. He is important to the NBA because he creates such an incredible amount of popularity and income for the league. However, I think that the person that would have this same affect on the league would be Kobe. I think this because he is so similar to Magic Johnson as he has also won many championships, only one less than Magic. He also has had a career like few others and has helped to lead the Lakers just like Magic did.
Who do you think would impact the league like Magic did? There are only a few players that I think it could be, but maybe you have a different idea than I do? Would a past player coming out now have the same effect as a player that is still in the league?
Just thinking about something like this made me think, who would be a player that would have this much affect on the game if they came out and shocked the world with news like this. There are so many amazing players that are involved in the NBA right now, but who is the most important player for the NBA’s publicity. I personally feel as if Magic was one of the most popular players at that point in his career after winning that many championships. He was obviously great and I believe that many people will believe that if LeBron James came out with that same sort of news it would be similar to Magic. However, I do not think this is true.
LeBron is an incredible athlete. He is important to the NBA because he creates such an incredible amount of popularity and income for the league. However, I think that the person that would have this same affect on the league would be Kobe. I think this because he is so similar to Magic Johnson as he has also won many championships, only one less than Magic. He also has had a career like few others and has helped to lead the Lakers just like Magic did.
Who do you think would impact the league like Magic did? There are only a few players that I think it could be, but maybe you have a different idea than I do? Would a past player coming out now have the same effect as a player that is still in the league?
Monday, November 23, 2009
Gays in NFL/MLB/NBA
I thought that the poll that the Gear Magazine conducted in 1998 was really interesting because of the turnout that they received back from the major sports.
Gear Magazine only heard back from one team in both the NFL and MLB, but they did not state which team it was. The MLB team talked about how they did not think they would encourage a player to come out because of the peer pressure that would be involved. They also thought that coming out would be an ongoing problem and that they thought only 1-5% of major league baseball players were gay. I thought that these answers were some right and some wrong. I think that the players coming out really would be affected by peer pressure. Their teammates peer pressure would be never ending. The players would more than likely constantly tease and not feel comfortable around that player. I also think that the amount of gays in major league baseball would probably be under 5% because I think that the majority of the men in baseball are either married or you hear about their girlfriends. There really are very few men that are suspected of being gay. The statement that I disagreed with was the one about the ongoing problem. I really would think that the problem of having a gay teammate would eventually go away, at least within the media. The media would receive poor publicity if they said anything negative about that gay player.
The NFL also made a comment about how they would support any player that came out and said they were gay because they are a team. This was the only answer this team gave and I thought it was interesting because they made that comment, but refused to answer any more of the questions. In today’s society, I think that most teams would probably be fairly accepting of people being gay. The world has taken big steps as far as not making fun of people for being gay. There are cases such as Larry Johnson who make fun of people for being gay, but almost always they respond with an apology whether they mean it or not.
The final response was with the NBA and there were actually four teams who responded. Two of the four teams thought that there would be continuing problems and the other two thought there would be short terms. I think that this situation would be short term because eventually the media will go on to a new subject. I think that teams would support the player because there are only 12 or so players on a team and so if you exile a player, then the team could fall apart. Two teams also thought that their fans would be less supportive and I am not sure why. Being gay does make a person different than if they are straight, but it does not mean at all the their play will deteriorate. I think that fans would still like the player as long as he keeps playing well.
Overall, what do you think would be the situation within college sports? I think it would be interesting to see what the situation would be. I think the stats would be completely different than the major sports, but I am just interested what you believe.
Gear Magazine only heard back from one team in both the NFL and MLB, but they did not state which team it was. The MLB team talked about how they did not think they would encourage a player to come out because of the peer pressure that would be involved. They also thought that coming out would be an ongoing problem and that they thought only 1-5% of major league baseball players were gay. I thought that these answers were some right and some wrong. I think that the players coming out really would be affected by peer pressure. Their teammates peer pressure would be never ending. The players would more than likely constantly tease and not feel comfortable around that player. I also think that the amount of gays in major league baseball would probably be under 5% because I think that the majority of the men in baseball are either married or you hear about their girlfriends. There really are very few men that are suspected of being gay. The statement that I disagreed with was the one about the ongoing problem. I really would think that the problem of having a gay teammate would eventually go away, at least within the media. The media would receive poor publicity if they said anything negative about that gay player.
The NFL also made a comment about how they would support any player that came out and said they were gay because they are a team. This was the only answer this team gave and I thought it was interesting because they made that comment, but refused to answer any more of the questions. In today’s society, I think that most teams would probably be fairly accepting of people being gay. The world has taken big steps as far as not making fun of people for being gay. There are cases such as Larry Johnson who make fun of people for being gay, but almost always they respond with an apology whether they mean it or not.
The final response was with the NBA and there were actually four teams who responded. Two of the four teams thought that there would be continuing problems and the other two thought there would be short terms. I think that this situation would be short term because eventually the media will go on to a new subject. I think that teams would support the player because there are only 12 or so players on a team and so if you exile a player, then the team could fall apart. Two teams also thought that their fans would be less supportive and I am not sure why. Being gay does make a person different than if they are straight, but it does not mean at all the their play will deteriorate. I think that fans would still like the player as long as he keeps playing well.
Overall, what do you think would be the situation within college sports? I think it would be interesting to see what the situation would be. I think the stats would be completely different than the major sports, but I am just interested what you believe.
Jennifer Harris
I think that the situation that Jennifer Harris had to go through was just ridiculous. Going through a college program with an unethical policy that Rene Portland had just seems unrealistic any more. “No drinking, no drugs, and no lesbians.” I cannot believe that the university would not find out about the policy and do something in order to stop it. It is not right and should have been stopped before this situation came. Not drinking and not doing drugs to be on a team is perfectly fine, but to think that you cannot have a sexual preference and be part of the team seems wrong.
Not only did Portland not allow lesbians, but she also did not allow the girls to look like they are lesbians. I simply cannot believe that this was not an issue prior to when it finally came up in the case of Harris. Forcing players to wear their hair in a feminine style, wear jewelry, make up, and acquire a tan is simply unreal. This sounds to me like something that may have occurred in the 1970’s or 1980’s when these issues seemed relevant, but not in 2007 when all these issues seemed to have already come up in the public eye.
In this situation for Harris, all she wanted to do was wear her hair in corn rows. Harris was kicked off the team during her sophomore year for alleged poor work ethic and attitude. This all occurred after the coach told Harris that she did not want her to wear her hair in corn rows because it is not a feminine type of hair style.
According to Newhall & Buzuvis, this was not the first situation of this occurring, but Harris was the first to file a lawsuit against Portland and the University of Penn State. I personally believe this is incredible that Harris was the first one to file a lawsuit. If something along these lines happened at any university I would believe that a person would want to file a claim almost instantly.
I thought that it was very ironic that Portland stepped down as coach and also settled for an agreement with Harris in 2007 because that is basically showing that Portland knew she was wrong. This really makes me wonder because why would Portland even have this policy if she knew it was wrong? I cannot comprehend the reason for it and I wish there was a little clarification. If Portland was willing to step down and settle on an agreement after a lawsuit was filed, why would she have had that policy in the first place? Wouldn’t she have already known that could happen? It is just really confusing as a whole.
Not only did Portland not allow lesbians, but she also did not allow the girls to look like they are lesbians. I simply cannot believe that this was not an issue prior to when it finally came up in the case of Harris. Forcing players to wear their hair in a feminine style, wear jewelry, make up, and acquire a tan is simply unreal. This sounds to me like something that may have occurred in the 1970’s or 1980’s when these issues seemed relevant, but not in 2007 when all these issues seemed to have already come up in the public eye.
In this situation for Harris, all she wanted to do was wear her hair in corn rows. Harris was kicked off the team during her sophomore year for alleged poor work ethic and attitude. This all occurred after the coach told Harris that she did not want her to wear her hair in corn rows because it is not a feminine type of hair style.
According to Newhall & Buzuvis, this was not the first situation of this occurring, but Harris was the first to file a lawsuit against Portland and the University of Penn State. I personally believe this is incredible that Harris was the first one to file a lawsuit. If something along these lines happened at any university I would believe that a person would want to file a claim almost instantly.
I thought that it was very ironic that Portland stepped down as coach and also settled for an agreement with Harris in 2007 because that is basically showing that Portland knew she was wrong. This really makes me wonder because why would Portland even have this policy if she knew it was wrong? I cannot comprehend the reason for it and I wish there was a little clarification. If Portland was willing to step down and settle on an agreement after a lawsuit was filed, why would she have had that policy in the first place? Wouldn’t she have already known that could happen? It is just really confusing as a whole.
Sheryl Swoops
Sheryl Swoopes made a very courageous statement when she came out to the public in 2005 that she was a lesbian. This statement was very shocking to many people all over the country, but is it really that big of a deal and should she actually be praised for her efforts?
Prior to Swoopes, there have not been very many people who have come out and confessed to being gay or lesbian while still playing within their sport. I think that this really speaks for what Swoopes did because she is a rarity. She is comfortable with her life choices to tell the world and still be able to participate in her sport. There have been multiple males that have come out after they have left the sport that they love, but it really is not the same. The males that have done this simply appear to be afraid of what others will think of them and think that the view of them within the locker room will not be acceptable. Swoopes however, did not care at all what others would think because she wanted everyone to know. She was able to continue her playing career.
Swoopes also made the statement that she thinks it is harder for males to come out and admit to being gay, but why should this be? It really does not make much sense because women often are just as bad as men when it comes to things that happen in the locker room. Straight men are often teased even when they are straight. This makes it appear as if it would be harder for men to come out, but to my knowledge, girls are teased just as often as what men are, which would make it hard for them as well.
I personally believe that it would be very hard to be the person to come out to the public while in a nationally recognized position and tell the world that you are gay or lesbian. To think of how that would ruin your reputation and relationships with people that you have known your whole life would make it hard to have any interest in telling the world. I believe that is why males do not come out because of the way they will be treated or talked about in the media.
Which would you think would be harder?
Prior to Swoopes, there have not been very many people who have come out and confessed to being gay or lesbian while still playing within their sport. I think that this really speaks for what Swoopes did because she is a rarity. She is comfortable with her life choices to tell the world and still be able to participate in her sport. There have been multiple males that have come out after they have left the sport that they love, but it really is not the same. The males that have done this simply appear to be afraid of what others will think of them and think that the view of them within the locker room will not be acceptable. Swoopes however, did not care at all what others would think because she wanted everyone to know. She was able to continue her playing career.
Swoopes also made the statement that she thinks it is harder for males to come out and admit to being gay, but why should this be? It really does not make much sense because women often are just as bad as men when it comes to things that happen in the locker room. Straight men are often teased even when they are straight. This makes it appear as if it would be harder for men to come out, but to my knowledge, girls are teased just as often as what men are, which would make it hard for them as well.
I personally believe that it would be very hard to be the person to come out to the public while in a nationally recognized position and tell the world that you are gay or lesbian. To think of how that would ruin your reputation and relationships with people that you have known your whole life would make it hard to have any interest in telling the world. I believe that is why males do not come out because of the way they will be treated or talked about in the media.
Which would you think would be harder?
Friday, November 13, 2009
Themes of Kian Study
When we talked about the study by Kian about the Themes that deal with women’s sports, I found it really interesting because it was something that I had not really noticed before. However, now I notice it very often within women’s sports.
The first theme was that “he is always on my mind.” This one was very clear cut as the commentators of many women’s games very often referred to the men’s side of sport. They always made references that talked about how great of a play that woman made and then talked about the comparison to the men’s game. Also, often times if women win a game or a championship, they will talk about the men’s team in comparison to the women’s team. When the Connecticut men’s and women’s teams won the basketball national championships in the same year, there was always a reference to both teams when talking about the women’s team, but not always when just talking about the men’s team.
The second theme about “she must have played with boys to get that good,” seems ridiculous to me. Women often times are just naturally talented. They do not necessarily had to of played with boys when they were growing up to get their talent level.
The next theme that struck me was the one about how “fathers are the role models and not many mothers are.” I found this interesting because I would believe that this is actually true in sports. Most fathers are the ones that push their kids to work hard in order to be great at sports. They are often the ones that had played when they were younger and want their children to do the same.
What themes from the study stuck out to you? I thought the study was interesting, but did not think that every theme applied in every situation.
The first theme was that “he is always on my mind.” This one was very clear cut as the commentators of many women’s games very often referred to the men’s side of sport. They always made references that talked about how great of a play that woman made and then talked about the comparison to the men’s game. Also, often times if women win a game or a championship, they will talk about the men’s team in comparison to the women’s team. When the Connecticut men’s and women’s teams won the basketball national championships in the same year, there was always a reference to both teams when talking about the women’s team, but not always when just talking about the men’s team.
The second theme about “she must have played with boys to get that good,” seems ridiculous to me. Women often times are just naturally talented. They do not necessarily had to of played with boys when they were growing up to get their talent level.
The next theme that struck me was the one about how “fathers are the role models and not many mothers are.” I found this interesting because I would believe that this is actually true in sports. Most fathers are the ones that push their kids to work hard in order to be great at sports. They are often the ones that had played when they were younger and want their children to do the same.
What themes from the study stuck out to you? I thought the study was interesting, but did not think that every theme applied in every situation.
Indian Wells Reaction
When we were watching the situation that happened at Indian Wells between the fans and the Williams Sisters, I was really shocked. I did not think that anything like that would actually happen at a tennis match of all places. I could understand if fans were upset about a call at a football, basketball, baseball, or even soccer match, but to be that unsportsmanlike and cheer against Serena when she did poorly is just not right.
I believe that out of my knowledge that Venus told a doctor or trainer that she would not be playing within plenty of time so that the director could tell the fans that there would be no match. The match however was not cancelled and went on and that created a huge controversy that made it look like Venus was a terrible person and just taking a fall so that the tournament could still get the money that they raised from fans wanting to come watch Serena play Venus and instead show them a match that consisted of Serena and a player that was obviously not as well known as Serena.
In the end, the fans were terrible to Serena, Venus, and their father. They booed them as they came down to the court and cheered every time Serena messed up. They were unlike what would be expected of tennis fans at a match like this. Although Serena ended up winning the match, I think that I would agree that the Williams’s should not ever go back to that tournament no matter what the penalty is. They went there when it was not required within the tour and were treated extremely poorly, so why would you want to go back. I would not want to go back to any place where I was treated poorly, let alone booed and had racial slurs said to me.
It is not fair to be angry at the Williams family. They did what they needed to do and it was very obvious that Venus was not feeling very well with her ankle. She has competed consistently well throughout her career and never had such a situation occur since, so why would anyone still believe that this situation was just Venus taking a fall so that Serena could win. It does not seem right to me at all.
I believe that out of my knowledge that Venus told a doctor or trainer that she would not be playing within plenty of time so that the director could tell the fans that there would be no match. The match however was not cancelled and went on and that created a huge controversy that made it look like Venus was a terrible person and just taking a fall so that the tournament could still get the money that they raised from fans wanting to come watch Serena play Venus and instead show them a match that consisted of Serena and a player that was obviously not as well known as Serena.
In the end, the fans were terrible to Serena, Venus, and their father. They booed them as they came down to the court and cheered every time Serena messed up. They were unlike what would be expected of tennis fans at a match like this. Although Serena ended up winning the match, I think that I would agree that the Williams’s should not ever go back to that tournament no matter what the penalty is. They went there when it was not required within the tour and were treated extremely poorly, so why would you want to go back. I would not want to go back to any place where I was treated poorly, let alone booed and had racial slurs said to me.
It is not fair to be angry at the Williams family. They did what they needed to do and it was very obvious that Venus was not feeling very well with her ankle. She has competed consistently well throughout her career and never had such a situation occur since, so why would anyone still believe that this situation was just Venus taking a fall so that Serena could win. It does not seem right to me at all.
NCAA Basketball History
On November 3rd, we talked about the history of Men’s College Basketball. While talking about it a few major events were mentioned. Those events were when Texas Western won the National Championship and was the first team to start five African American athletes in that game. Another was when Larry Bird for Indiana State and Magic Johnson for Michigan State played in one of the most memorable National Championship Games of all time.
These events along with many others are what have made March Madness what it is today. The perfect setup of sixty five teams in a playoff, single eliminations tournament has evolved over the past thirty years. The idea that each game means the entire season for every team in the tournament creates for an excitement that is unmatchable. Due to the events that have occurred in the past, the NCAA has been able to create something that creates such an enormous amount of attention. Each night is a big night on ESPN as they have Big Monday, all the way through Throw Down Thursday. They have the nation’s attention for every conference tournament; even the smallest of conferences and then Selection Sunday creates a large amount of controversy on who will make it in the tournament.
Some of the games that have made the NCAA tournament so memorable for me have been both recent and multiple years ago. One of my favorite games of the tournament was in 1998 when Valparaiso’s Bryce Drew hit a give and go three point shot to knock off the fourth seeded Ole Miss. The shot was amazing to me because at the time I was only ten and all I wanted to see was upsets. I loved seeing the Cinderella stories make it deep into the tournament. Granted I am still like that today, but at that point I would sit there and root for the lower seed in nearly every matchup.
Probably my favorite tournament of all time would have to be the 2007 NCAA Tournament when Ohio State was a number one seed and had so many close and exciting games. I enjoyed when Ohio State was down by three against Xavier and Justin Cage still had one more free throw attempt to seal the game with nine seconds to go. Cage missed the shot and Ohio State took the ball down the court and drained a three point shot from deep behind the line to send the game into overtime and eventually win the game. I also love the Tennessee game in the next round when Ohio State was down by 17 at the half. They came back with a huge second half to pull off a one point win. They also beat two great teams in Memphis and Georgetown before unfortunately losing to Florida in the National Championship, but it was such an incredible run.
Those were some of my favorite moments, but what are some of your favorite moments that have made the NCAA Tournament what it is today?
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=200703220443
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/17663487//
These events along with many others are what have made March Madness what it is today. The perfect setup of sixty five teams in a playoff, single eliminations tournament has evolved over the past thirty years. The idea that each game means the entire season for every team in the tournament creates for an excitement that is unmatchable. Due to the events that have occurred in the past, the NCAA has been able to create something that creates such an enormous amount of attention. Each night is a big night on ESPN as they have Big Monday, all the way through Throw Down Thursday. They have the nation’s attention for every conference tournament; even the smallest of conferences and then Selection Sunday creates a large amount of controversy on who will make it in the tournament.
Some of the games that have made the NCAA tournament so memorable for me have been both recent and multiple years ago. One of my favorite games of the tournament was in 1998 when Valparaiso’s Bryce Drew hit a give and go three point shot to knock off the fourth seeded Ole Miss. The shot was amazing to me because at the time I was only ten and all I wanted to see was upsets. I loved seeing the Cinderella stories make it deep into the tournament. Granted I am still like that today, but at that point I would sit there and root for the lower seed in nearly every matchup.
Probably my favorite tournament of all time would have to be the 2007 NCAA Tournament when Ohio State was a number one seed and had so many close and exciting games. I enjoyed when Ohio State was down by three against Xavier and Justin Cage still had one more free throw attempt to seal the game with nine seconds to go. Cage missed the shot and Ohio State took the ball down the court and drained a three point shot from deep behind the line to send the game into overtime and eventually win the game. I also love the Tennessee game in the next round when Ohio State was down by 17 at the half. They came back with a huge second half to pull off a one point win. They also beat two great teams in Memphis and Georgetown before unfortunately losing to Florida in the National Championship, but it was such an incredible run.
Those were some of my favorite moments, but what are some of your favorite moments that have made the NCAA Tournament what it is today?
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=200703220443
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/17663487//
Required to Speak English
Yesterday in class, we talked about how the LPGA imposed a rule stating that every player has to speak English. This rule was imposed to diminish the boundaries between the players. LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens received a large amount of criticism for this rule that was imposed on the players. This past summer after having to deal with many different complaints and objections to Bivens’s new rule, she stepped down as the commissioner. However, I wonder if the complaints that she was receiving were really that fair.
Carolyn Bivens was trying to reduce the boundaries between the players so that there were not nearly the troubles that there are with communication while playing. The trouble is that there must be a translator for the players that cannot speak the English language and that creates an issue when an English speaking woman is paired with a woman that does not speak English.
I think that what Carolyn was doing was the right thing to do. Most athletes that come to the United State at least put forth an effort to be able to speak English and communicate with others. Although the English may not be that great, they still are trying to make it easier. If I were to go out and be paired with a person that could not speak the same language as me, I would be frustrated because I would not be able to talk to them at all. Any communication I would want to have with them would take longer due to the translation and would probably get fairly annoying.
I am not saying that Carolyn’s rule was completely fair, but I do think that the amount of criticism that she received for this was wrong. She was trying to make it fair for everyone on tour and the majority of players are English speaking. It is only fair to try to make the most dominant language the primary one.
http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2009/07/is-lpga-commissioner-carolyn-bivens-about-to-be-ousted/
Carolyn Bivens was trying to reduce the boundaries between the players so that there were not nearly the troubles that there are with communication while playing. The trouble is that there must be a translator for the players that cannot speak the English language and that creates an issue when an English speaking woman is paired with a woman that does not speak English.
I think that what Carolyn was doing was the right thing to do. Most athletes that come to the United State at least put forth an effort to be able to speak English and communicate with others. Although the English may not be that great, they still are trying to make it easier. If I were to go out and be paired with a person that could not speak the same language as me, I would be frustrated because I would not be able to talk to them at all. Any communication I would want to have with them would take longer due to the translation and would probably get fairly annoying.
I am not saying that Carolyn’s rule was completely fair, but I do think that the amount of criticism that she received for this was wrong. She was trying to make it fair for everyone on tour and the majority of players are English speaking. It is only fair to try to make the most dominant language the primary one.
http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2009/07/is-lpga-commissioner-carolyn-bivens-about-to-be-ousted/
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Shaq vs. Yao
We talked recently about the impact of Asian's in sports within the United States. One topic that came up was about Yao Ming and how he was portrayed when he came to the United States. Many viewed him as slow and non-aggressive and that he would not perform very well in the league going up against bigger, aggressive players.
We then talked about how Shaq made comments about Yao and how Yao basically had no chance against him and then made what some called racial remarks. Some people in class thought that those remarks were racist and I think that is completely wrong.
I hate how it is so hard for people to just talk within sports without being criticized. The media makes every athlete that speaks out look to be a bad person, when sometimes they are just expressing how they feel or just trying to have fun. Then these players are hit with fines and suspensions. This is why I think that I have such a problem with the fact that people call Shaq’s comments racial. He is a funny guy. He is always making jokes and there are probably not more than two or three instances that I can remember him publically being upset. Most of the issues were dealing with either Kobe or a coach not getting him the ball.
I believe that there is a fine line between what is racism and what is just a person having fun and joking around. Everyone is going to have an opinion and try to make a story out of the smallest of comments, but why even bother with it. In the video, Shaq is very clearly just having fun. It is not like Shaq or Yao retaliated against each other in their games against each other. Shaq loves the competition and wants to play against the best. Some people considered and still consider Yao to be one of the best from China and even in the NBA and so Shaq just wants that upper hand. He wants to be able to get a dig in and just try to get under the other person’s skin.
What I really wonder, is if Shaq said something about an African American or a Caucasian if he would have got the same criticism? I would doubt it.
We then talked about how Shaq made comments about Yao and how Yao basically had no chance against him and then made what some called racial remarks. Some people in class thought that those remarks were racist and I think that is completely wrong.
I hate how it is so hard for people to just talk within sports without being criticized. The media makes every athlete that speaks out look to be a bad person, when sometimes they are just expressing how they feel or just trying to have fun. Then these players are hit with fines and suspensions. This is why I think that I have such a problem with the fact that people call Shaq’s comments racial. He is a funny guy. He is always making jokes and there are probably not more than two or three instances that I can remember him publically being upset. Most of the issues were dealing with either Kobe or a coach not getting him the ball.
I believe that there is a fine line between what is racism and what is just a person having fun and joking around. Everyone is going to have an opinion and try to make a story out of the smallest of comments, but why even bother with it. In the video, Shaq is very clearly just having fun. It is not like Shaq or Yao retaliated against each other in their games against each other. Shaq loves the competition and wants to play against the best. Some people considered and still consider Yao to be one of the best from China and even in the NBA and so Shaq just wants that upper hand. He wants to be able to get a dig in and just try to get under the other person’s skin.
What I really wonder, is if Shaq said something about an African American or a Caucasian if he would have got the same criticism? I would doubt it.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Muscular Men and Women
When we were looking through the magazines and watching the videos on the body building men and women, I could not help but think how weird it is to want to look like that. The general consensus of the class appeared to be that they thought it was pretty disgusting that people do look like that and no one seemed to find it attractive. Everyone seemed to think that it was okay for people to be muscular and toned, but not ripped with bulging veins.
I would have to agree with everyone in the class. What would make you want to look like that? When in high school, I absolutely hated having to lift weights. I hated the fatigue I felt every day after being done with the practice and knowing that it was just going to be the same feeling I would feel the next day. Almost every single person on every team I ever played on felt the same way as me and I think that is why I just cannot understand why these people would want to look like this.
I understand that some people actually do enjoy weight lifting and I do not think it is wrong to want to do so. Some people like to do it as a hobby. The problem is when does it become an obsession? I feel like it is unnecessary to look the way the lady in the video today did. I do not think that is how a man should look, let alone a woman. It just does not seem right.
I got a general idea of what the class thinks, but what were some more feelings you all had about these people. They can do whatever they want with their body, but is it an obsession or just something they really want to look like?
I would have to agree with everyone in the class. What would make you want to look like that? When in high school, I absolutely hated having to lift weights. I hated the fatigue I felt every day after being done with the practice and knowing that it was just going to be the same feeling I would feel the next day. Almost every single person on every team I ever played on felt the same way as me and I think that is why I just cannot understand why these people would want to look like this.
I understand that some people actually do enjoy weight lifting and I do not think it is wrong to want to do so. Some people like to do it as a hobby. The problem is when does it become an obsession? I feel like it is unnecessary to look the way the lady in the video today did. I do not think that is how a man should look, let alone a woman. It just does not seem right.
I got a general idea of what the class thinks, but what were some more feelings you all had about these people. They can do whatever they want with their body, but is it an obsession or just something they really want to look like?
Jordan Effect
When I was younger, I really could not stand Michael Jordan. I did not like the Chicago Bulls because I was an Indiana Pacers fan and they always seemed to be in the way of them going to the championship. Even after the Pacers, were out every year, I could not stand rooting for them to win. I do not recall the first three championships because I was too young, but when Jordan came out of retirement, I really wanted the team to fail, but they did not. I hoped that Seattle would beat them first, then the Jazz the first time, and then I was extremely upset when Jordan won the game with his push off of Russell.
However, after over ten years of not having to deal with his dominance, I can look back and see how incredible his accomplishments were during those years. Other than his dominance on the court, he was incredibly popular amongst fans and other players, and he was extremely marketable. He was the greatest athlete of the time and because of that it lead to his popularity and Jordan took advantage of it by making his own line of, well by now, just about everything. His image is known worldwide and his clothing is still by far one of the most popular items to wear. I still remember in middle school when if you did not have the Jordan clothing or shoes that you were not a cool kid. Jordan had such an influence on just about everyone in the sports world and it is amazing that just one person can do that.
I now have an incredible respect for the man. I lost a little when he came back to play for the Wizards, but the man just loved playing the game that he could not give it up. Just like Favre. If you have the talent, you may as well keep on playing. He worked very hard to get where he was and I now look back and think about how incredible it was that he won three world championships with the Bulls, retired for eighteen months, and then he came back and still dominated for three straight years by winning three more championships.
People will always ask the question if there will ever be a “next Michael Jordan.” The answer really is no. There will never be a person that is to his level. He brought back popularity to the NBA that was not there before. He redefined the game and as popular as Kobe and LeBron are, they will never come close to doing as much for the game as Jordan did.
However, after over ten years of not having to deal with his dominance, I can look back and see how incredible his accomplishments were during those years. Other than his dominance on the court, he was incredibly popular amongst fans and other players, and he was extremely marketable. He was the greatest athlete of the time and because of that it lead to his popularity and Jordan took advantage of it by making his own line of, well by now, just about everything. His image is known worldwide and his clothing is still by far one of the most popular items to wear. I still remember in middle school when if you did not have the Jordan clothing or shoes that you were not a cool kid. Jordan had such an influence on just about everyone in the sports world and it is amazing that just one person can do that.
I now have an incredible respect for the man. I lost a little when he came back to play for the Wizards, but the man just loved playing the game that he could not give it up. Just like Favre. If you have the talent, you may as well keep on playing. He worked very hard to get where he was and I now look back and think about how incredible it was that he won three world championships with the Bulls, retired for eighteen months, and then he came back and still dominated for three straight years by winning three more championships.
People will always ask the question if there will ever be a “next Michael Jordan.” The answer really is no. There will never be a person that is to his level. He brought back popularity to the NBA that was not there before. He redefined the game and as popular as Kobe and LeBron are, they will never come close to doing as much for the game as Jordan did.
Brad Heinrichs
While I was in high school, there was a kid that only had one leg. I had known him since we were in elementary school, but at that time he had two legs. He had a handicap that made one of his legs shorter than the other one. While going through the 5 years of elementary school, he had over thirty surgeries to try and fix the problem, but they were never successful and they eventually were forced to amputate his leg just above the knee. They tried all kinds of braces to fix the problem, but they never worked.
However even with this problem, he still had a tremendous desire to be a part of sports in any way possible. He found a new sport that he loved and that was wrestling. He had such an incredible upper body that he was able to do extremely well. He was only about four foot and some odd inches tall and probably did not way close to one hundred pounds, but he competed and he was good. Our wrestling coach did not look down on him or treat him any differently. The coach worked Brad just as hard because he was just another team member. He was always active in the practices and was a quality competitor.
He also was a trainer for the varsity football team for all four years of his high school career and he did it just to be involved with one of his favorite sports. His story was heard all around Northwest Ohio and because of his handicap, but he never complained and just worked that much harder. Granted he never did get to actually work with the football team in practices, but he was always there trying to do whatever he could to help out. Finally, in our Senior Night of the football season against Marion Harding, the two coaches agreed to allow Brad to dress for the final game of the season and if the game was no close near the end, then they would let him go into the game to receive recognition for being such a tremendous person and his desire to be a part of the team. It was a non-contact play, but that play meant the world to him.
If I were to have a handicap, I am not sure that I would have been able to fight through that much adversity to be a part of a team. I loved playing sports all the way through high school. I played football, basketball, and baseball, but I could not even imagine not having a leg and trying to compete against others that have the upper hand. I do think that I would have received plenty of moral support from my family to continue to try to find something that I could do to be a part of a team, but it would have been very hard to try to stick it out when things were not going good. I have always been impressed with what Brad did and hopefully he was able to inspire others that have handicaps and want to be involved too.
However even with this problem, he still had a tremendous desire to be a part of sports in any way possible. He found a new sport that he loved and that was wrestling. He had such an incredible upper body that he was able to do extremely well. He was only about four foot and some odd inches tall and probably did not way close to one hundred pounds, but he competed and he was good. Our wrestling coach did not look down on him or treat him any differently. The coach worked Brad just as hard because he was just another team member. He was always active in the practices and was a quality competitor.
He also was a trainer for the varsity football team for all four years of his high school career and he did it just to be involved with one of his favorite sports. His story was heard all around Northwest Ohio and because of his handicap, but he never complained and just worked that much harder. Granted he never did get to actually work with the football team in practices, but he was always there trying to do whatever he could to help out. Finally, in our Senior Night of the football season against Marion Harding, the two coaches agreed to allow Brad to dress for the final game of the season and if the game was no close near the end, then they would let him go into the game to receive recognition for being such a tremendous person and his desire to be a part of the team. It was a non-contact play, but that play meant the world to him.
If I were to have a handicap, I am not sure that I would have been able to fight through that much adversity to be a part of a team. I loved playing sports all the way through high school. I played football, basketball, and baseball, but I could not even imagine not having a leg and trying to compete against others that have the upper hand. I do think that I would have received plenty of moral support from my family to continue to try to find something that I could do to be a part of a team, but it would have been very hard to try to stick it out when things were not going good. I have always been impressed with what Brad did and hopefully he was able to inspire others that have handicaps and want to be involved too.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Feminst Movement
We have talked a lot recently about the feminist movement and i think it is interesting how women's sports have come so far, but yet, they still seem so far away from being equal or equitable.
Women have worked hard for over 100 years to try to create equality in sport, but it just has not happened. Large steps have been made in the process, but nothing that creates a fair or equal playing field. Men have an advantage.
There have been women that have helped in the process to at least get women to where they are today. Gertrude Ederle showed that women can be better than men by swimming the English Channel faster than any male ever before, Billy Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in a huge tennis match, and Serena Williams and Annika Sorenstam just being great role models and athletes for future women athletes.
Title 9 has also helped to create equity. Women are someday going to at least be equitable to men, but i just do not think that it is possible to be equal to men and the reason for this is ESPN/media coverage. Fans are not nearly as interested in seeing womens sports on the news as they are in mens. It may not be fair, but it is true and it may be unfortunate, but it is the way it is. People have more interest in male sports and it is shown in comparison to the NBA to WNBA. The other day, i saw that the WNBA championship was just won and i never even knew they were in the playoffs. It is crazy the lack of coverage that they receive in comparison to male sports. Although i am not incredibly interested in female sports, i still think that there should be at least some equity between the genders because the distance and interest between the two is very large.
Women have worked hard for over 100 years to try to create equality in sport, but it just has not happened. Large steps have been made in the process, but nothing that creates a fair or equal playing field. Men have an advantage.
There have been women that have helped in the process to at least get women to where they are today. Gertrude Ederle showed that women can be better than men by swimming the English Channel faster than any male ever before, Billy Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in a huge tennis match, and Serena Williams and Annika Sorenstam just being great role models and athletes for future women athletes.
Title 9 has also helped to create equity. Women are someday going to at least be equitable to men, but i just do not think that it is possible to be equal to men and the reason for this is ESPN/media coverage. Fans are not nearly as interested in seeing womens sports on the news as they are in mens. It may not be fair, but it is true and it may be unfortunate, but it is the way it is. People have more interest in male sports and it is shown in comparison to the NBA to WNBA. The other day, i saw that the WNBA championship was just won and i never even knew they were in the playoffs. It is crazy the lack of coverage that they receive in comparison to male sports. Although i am not incredibly interested in female sports, i still think that there should be at least some equity between the genders because the distance and interest between the two is very large.
Men in Women's Sports
Another issue within a class discussion was the fact that there are some males that participate in females sports like field hockey. I really thought it was interesting that males wanted to compete in female sports, but is there an issue with this? In the video we watched in class, the guy wanted to play field hockey with the girls because he wanted to improve upon his ice hockey skills and there is no mens field hockey team.
In most situations, i would not think that there would be a reason for men to compete in women's sports. However, this kid had a reasonable excuse to want to play in the girls sport. He wanted to improve his skills for the upcoming season and that is very reasonable. He is not trying to go out and prove that males will dominate or to hurt any of the females, but instead to make himself a better overall athlete. No one is being harmed in the situation and the male is getting better for ice hockey.
Some of the parents and players had an issue with the males on the team, but it seemed like it was more an issue of playing time and injuries. The parents also just seemed against a male in the female sport all together, saying that there are sports for men so they should not be involved in the female sports. However, i think this is mostly just the complaints of parents that are over protective and athletes that did not play in the first place, but now have an extra excuse for why they do not play.
Men should not be competing in sports like basketball, where there are men's teams, but if there is no team for the male, then what reason is there to deny the male to play the sport. I see no reason to not allow men in, but there could be other reasons to actually not let them in, so let me know what you believe.
In most situations, i would not think that there would be a reason for men to compete in women's sports. However, this kid had a reasonable excuse to want to play in the girls sport. He wanted to improve his skills for the upcoming season and that is very reasonable. He is not trying to go out and prove that males will dominate or to hurt any of the females, but instead to make himself a better overall athlete. No one is being harmed in the situation and the male is getting better for ice hockey.
Some of the parents and players had an issue with the males on the team, but it seemed like it was more an issue of playing time and injuries. The parents also just seemed against a male in the female sport all together, saying that there are sports for men so they should not be involved in the female sports. However, i think this is mostly just the complaints of parents that are over protective and athletes that did not play in the first place, but now have an extra excuse for why they do not play.
Men should not be competing in sports like basketball, where there are men's teams, but if there is no team for the male, then what reason is there to deny the male to play the sport. I see no reason to not allow men in, but there could be other reasons to actually not let them in, so let me know what you believe.
Women Coaches
Another issue that was brought up with Title 9 was the fact that there is a declining amount of women coaches in both mens and womens sports. The idea that this is happening is crazy because you would think that women would be better off coaching womens sports than men would be, but that is not what is going on. Women would just seem to be able to relate more to the women playing the sports and be able to deal with everything that is going on in their lives, but instead, men are being allowed to coach the women and i am not real sure if it is the right or not.
Within my high school, there are very few women coaches for any of the sports. There are only 2 female head coaches in any sports and very few assistant coaches that are female. We also have a male principle and male athletic director. I think it is crazy that all the womens swimming, water polo, basketball (JV and Varsity), softball, and track are all mens coaches. I also find it interesting that of those coaches, the girls complain about every single one except for the swimming coach. That really makes me wonder if schools would be better off having women coach women sports and men coach mens sports.
There is also very little success with our womens sports at our high school and i am not sure if that is fully attributed to the men being coaches or if it is just a lack of talent. Obviously, there are mens coaches that are successful at coaching womens sports and a perfect example would be the Connecticut womens basketball coach. He has led them to many national championships and obviously has no problem coaching them or relating to them.
I really am not sure if there is an issue here or if it really matters what gender a coach is for a specific gendered sport, but there are some interesting facts all over the world of sports about male and female coaches. What do you think is best for the coach to be for each gender and each sport? Is there really a better choice or is it all based off credibility and quality of the coach?
Within my high school, there are very few women coaches for any of the sports. There are only 2 female head coaches in any sports and very few assistant coaches that are female. We also have a male principle and male athletic director. I think it is crazy that all the womens swimming, water polo, basketball (JV and Varsity), softball, and track are all mens coaches. I also find it interesting that of those coaches, the girls complain about every single one except for the swimming coach. That really makes me wonder if schools would be better off having women coach women sports and men coach mens sports.
There is also very little success with our womens sports at our high school and i am not sure if that is fully attributed to the men being coaches or if it is just a lack of talent. Obviously, there are mens coaches that are successful at coaching womens sports and a perfect example would be the Connecticut womens basketball coach. He has led them to many national championships and obviously has no problem coaching them or relating to them.
I really am not sure if there is an issue here or if it really matters what gender a coach is for a specific gendered sport, but there are some interesting facts all over the world of sports about male and female coaches. What do you think is best for the coach to be for each gender and each sport? Is there really a better choice or is it all based off credibility and quality of the coach?
Homecoming Symposium
After attending the Homecoming Symposium two Friday's ago, i was fairly happy that i went. I normally do not attend events like these, but after seeing all the interest that there was in class about the symposium, i decided that i should go and check it out.
The talk i went to was Nate Janoso and he works public relations for the Cleveland Indians and also graduated from Bowling Green. I thought this was interesting and i enjoyed the fact that most of the representatives that came back were graduates of Bowling Green. This created a large amount of relateability between me and the speaker.
I really enjoyed hearing about Nate's path to success and finding a career. It seemed like it really took him a long time to find where he wanted to be, but not he is extremely happy with what he does. I had already knew that what he does would involve some long and unusual hours, but it was interesting to hear everything that he is responsible for and that he gets to do with the organization.
Overall, i am glad that i went to the symposium because i just was able to find out a little bit more information about the career path and it is always worthwhile to learn more about what i will be doing after graduation. I am glad that i found out about the symposium and was encouraged to go.
The talk i went to was Nate Janoso and he works public relations for the Cleveland Indians and also graduated from Bowling Green. I thought this was interesting and i enjoyed the fact that most of the representatives that came back were graduates of Bowling Green. This created a large amount of relateability between me and the speaker.
I really enjoyed hearing about Nate's path to success and finding a career. It seemed like it really took him a long time to find where he wanted to be, but not he is extremely happy with what he does. I had already knew that what he does would involve some long and unusual hours, but it was interesting to hear everything that he is responsible for and that he gets to do with the organization.
Overall, i am glad that i went to the symposium because i just was able to find out a little bit more information about the career path and it is always worthwhile to learn more about what i will be doing after graduation. I am glad that i found out about the symposium and was encouraged to go.
Women In Men's Sports
There has been a large amount of discussion lately about women playing in men's sports and i think that the discussion has gotten a little too out of hand. The idea that women are playing in men's sports sounds completely wrong when you first think about it, but what is really wrong about it?
The idea that women believe that are just as good as men or can compete with men is probably not completely wrong. There are a large amount of women that are better than men in sports. So why not let them try to prove it at some level. The idea that women do not have sports like football or wrestling shows that there should be some opportunity for women to compete if they desire to. Why Not?
It is obvious in the videos that we watched that the girl wrestlers can compete and are fairly good at what they do. They can be physical and work just as hard as men so is there really an issue? The only issue that i see with women in mens sports is the fact that some males are going to be made fun of when they lose to females just like what happened in the video.
So what is the overall consensus? Should women compete in mens sports or should they just stick to the sports that are offered to them? It is a tough decision but it is a decision that some of us may have to deal with in high school and maybe even college sports.
The idea that women believe that are just as good as men or can compete with men is probably not completely wrong. There are a large amount of women that are better than men in sports. So why not let them try to prove it at some level. The idea that women do not have sports like football or wrestling shows that there should be some opportunity for women to compete if they desire to. Why Not?
It is obvious in the videos that we watched that the girl wrestlers can compete and are fairly good at what they do. They can be physical and work just as hard as men so is there really an issue? The only issue that i see with women in mens sports is the fact that some males are going to be made fun of when they lose to females just like what happened in the video.
So what is the overall consensus? Should women compete in mens sports or should they just stick to the sports that are offered to them? It is a tough decision but it is a decision that some of us may have to deal with in high school and maybe even college sports.
Is It Fair?
As we discussed in class, due to Title 9 there have been a large amount of men's sports cut. I find this to be a huge issue as some of the videos in class have also said. It is unfair to just cut men's teams in order to be in compliance with title 9 because that is just creating a new debate.
I believe women need to have equity in sport at the very least, but i do not think that it is fair to make men worse off in order to create better opportunity for women.
My personal feelings would be to have women's sports just be added to a University. I realize this is much harder than it seems because schools are trying to save money and are cutting teams to do that in the first place, but that is a completely different situation. Men should not be disadvantaged because of title 9. There sports have been established within Universities and just because of a new rule, their sports are being cut.
What are some of the ideas you all have? Something has/had to be done, but i think that there are different ways to go about it, i am just not real sure what the best one is.
I believe women need to have equity in sport at the very least, but i do not think that it is fair to make men worse off in order to create better opportunity for women.
My personal feelings would be to have women's sports just be added to a University. I realize this is much harder than it seems because schools are trying to save money and are cutting teams to do that in the first place, but that is a completely different situation. Men should not be disadvantaged because of title 9. There sports have been established within Universities and just because of a new rule, their sports are being cut.
What are some of the ideas you all have? Something has/had to be done, but i think that there are different ways to go about it, i am just not real sure what the best one is.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Black Athletes in Sports
Today in class i thought it was interesting when the group that had the subject about African Americans in sport, that they thought that the number of black athletes was down in the three major sports. I really was interested in this because i actually had the exact opposite feeling on the situation. I really think that all three sports have had an increase in African American athletes. I could not find the information dealing with the NFL, but to think about all the athletes that come into the NFL, most of the big time players are African Americans and so i did not think that i needed to do too much research on that because i did not think it was a topic that could be argued.
However, i think that the situation with the NBA and MLB is fairly debatable. I think this because the NBA has a huge percentage of players. The article I brought up shows that this past season there were 82% of players being African American. Granted, there are many different European players coming into the league, i believe that the African American players being drafted outweighs the number of Europeans being drafted. I understand the worry of a Possible decline for African Americans, but i just do not think that there is anything to worry about at all. The percentage is high and the amount of African Americans coming in from college each year is so high and that percentage will not be shrinking any time soon.
For the MLB, I realize that the number is very low, but this past year the number of African Americans has risen from 8.7% in 2007 to 10.2% in 2009. Overall, there is obvious a large amount of Latin American, but to have the amount of African Americans on the rise, I do not think there is anything to worry about. I think the reason for the low amount of African Americans in baseball is due to both the speed of the game and also the lack of necessary equipment to play the game. So the sports that are very easy to play with little equipment are basketball and football.
I thought there were many people that agreed with this argument, so I really would be curious what everyone thought. Let me know, but before you say something, be sure to read the articles to see if that changes your opinion at all.
MLB: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/15/AR2009041503372.html
NBA: http://www.interbasket.net/news/2009/06/10/nba-lauded-for-diversity-of-players-coaches/
NFL: Said to be 70%
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)