Sports in Social Networks and Social Change

I was on twitter a few weeks ago browsing my time line and came across a tweet posted by Landon Donovan. He is one of the top professional soccer players in the league who plays for the LA Galaxy. Donovan tweeted about his life changing experience when he helped children hear for the first time by giving them hearing aids. Galaxy played against the Philippine Azkals in the Philippines and brought doctors and physicians with them to do free medical treatments to help the poor. I thought it was very sweet hearing this side of Donovan and it only inspired me to continue helping the unfortunate. Professional athletes have so much power in this world because of the fan base they accumulate through their career. Professionals have the voice to tell people to get out there and do something life changing for the betterment of themselves. What better way to spread this word than to use social networks? Everyone today is connected online and uses the internet for communication. Professional basketball player, Paul Pierce, constantly tweets about health awareness and obesity among children. He makes posts for programs kids could join to participate in physical activities and charities that people could donate to help this epidemic. Many people admire athletes and some wish to be just like their favorites. If the professionals continue to promote helping communities through their volunteer work then it would likely influence their fans to do the same and make a change in society. Sports is powerful in the American culture and are constantly followed by people through social networks. As they share their stories about doing good things for other people, it will get others to do the same.

The NBA Is Back In Action!

For many basketball fans, so anxiously waiting for the NBA lockout to come to an end, hearing the news that the NBA season was back was amazing. Being a Laker fan, I was so excited to hear the news and was counting down the days until Christmas, not only to spend time with family and open gifts, but to watch the opening game of Laker basketball. As much as this news was exciting, more news was soon to come that would leave Laker fans in utter disbelief and shock. Rumors were going around of different trades that were going to happen, players moving from team to team, and new faces wearing the jersey that every fan loves to wear. Talk of Chris Paul and Dwight Howard coming to L.A. to join the Lakers was spreading like wildfire on sports shows, in classes, and among friends. Everyone was thrilled to be a Laker fan, knowing that the addition of these two players would be a great way for the Lakers to make their comeback this season. But who was going to get traded for these two players? There was talk of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and none other than the great Lamar Odom, When I heard that these were the players we were going to trade for Paul and Howard, I couldn't believe it. Lamar is one of my favorite players on the Lakers and the team seemed like not having Gasol would just be out of the ordinary. I was very upset by this announcement and felt a sense of resentment toward the Laker organization. However, the NBA had denied these trades to happen which led me to hold on tight to the hope that these 3 players would not be leaving L.A. Unfortunately, the trade of Lamar Odom did go through and he will now be playing for the Mavericks. I am really sad that he is leaving because he was such a good player and hearing interviews from him, you can tell he is very upset to be leaving L.A. Lamar recently married Khloe Kardashian and the two love birds have established a home in L.A. alongside both of their families. Lamar will have to leave the families behind to move to Dallas with his wife, which seemed very upsetting to him. On top of that, interviews with Kobe Bryant, the L.A. Laker's MVP, showed that Kobe was also really disheartened to learn that his teammate and one of his closest friends was going to be moving out of L.A. to play for the team that the Lakers lost to in the playoffs last season.
If the loss of Lamar wasn't enough, Chris Paul ended up signing to the L.A. Clippers and Dwight Howard has began to grow faint in talks of coming to L.A. Not only did the Lakers not get the two players that they wanted from the beginning, they have lost one of their players who has grown up in L.A. as originally a Clipper, but has played for the Lakers for many seasons.
With all of this sad news, I will still be supporting my Lakers this season as they battle back and show the other teams that they can still be one of the best teams around. I am going to a game in the middle of January and I am counting down the days until I will be sporting my fresh new Bryant jersey in the Staples Center among the many other Los Angeles Lakers fans!!!!


Stephanie Jarrett
Kin 332i
Tues/Thurs 12:30-1:45

My thoughts on Lifeguard competitions

If you have yet to experience a lifeguard competition, you should do yourself the favor and see one this summer. There are many that occur during the summer but one of the more popular events is the Lifeguard Taplin that is done during the surf festival in the south bay. This event is essentially a relay race that has four swimmers, four paddlers, and then four dory (pretty much a rowboat that goes through the surf) teams.
In terms of excitement, the swim portion of the relay is admittedly a little bit dull because there is not much to see. The paddle leg of the race gets pretty interesting if there is big surf. Next is the dories. These 300 plus pound rowboats operated by two brave men or women must get through the surf to round a flag that is in the water, and then come back into the shore to tag the next dory team. The trick to this leg of the event, is to get through the surf without flipping or crashing into another dory. Because of the carnage that normally comes with this leg of the event, it has easily become the fan favorite.
Last summer, a friend and myself decided that we wanted to be in the dory portion of the relay, mostly because of how fun it looks. We tried out and were the fifth fasted boat, so we became the fast boat in our agency's "B" team. Our team finished in the middle of the pack, but our "A" team got first. We were proud to be a part of the competition, and decided that we will try out again next summer, but work out more to get that "A" team slot and hopefully be a part of the winning team next year and get our names on the Taplin Bell.

Kyle A. (KIN 332I S3200)

Women and Sports Illustrated

So Sports Illustrated has decided to launch an initiative to let fans chose it's year end cover, which is taking place on Facebook. Out of the 15 covers you can vote for, only one has a woman on the cover. The only female cover depicts Abby Wambach from the US National Soccer Team celebrating her goal during the World Cup. This example upholds Sports Illustrated's tradition of having males dominate its cover. As the year comes to an end, Sports Illustrated released 80 issues for the year. Out of those 80 issues only 2 women were on the cover, soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo and some model for their Swimsuit Edition. And now since the NBA has started once again, I can only imagine males dominating the covers for next year. Media coverage for women is scarce as it is, and Sports Illustrated helps put a dagger to the wound. The only time we can see women being covered is if they are being depicted sexually or if they are half-naked. It seems as if this cycle is never ending, despite the progression females have made in the world of sports. So does Abby Wambach have a chance to make the cover? At this point having to compete against 14 male covers, makes her chances look slim. The only group I saw in support for her, was no shock the US Women's National Team. But it would be amazing to see her win and start the year off with the first female cover.

-Jessica Martinez
KIN 332I TU/TH 12:30

I Do Not Understand

For those people who do not follow the NBA, Chris Paul, one of the top players in the league, decided he wanted to be traded from the New Orleans Hornets, whom he had been with for 6 years since he had been drafted. Initially the Los Angeles Lakers had constructed a three team deal between the Hornets and the Houston Rockets which would send Paul to LA; however, the deal was vetoed by the commissioner of the NBA, David Stern. Now the deal seemed to benefit all teams involved, but NBA owners and the commissioner decided that they did not want another All-Star to go to a large market team like the Lakers. Owners like Michael Jordan wanted these stars to go to smaller market teams to make them more competitive.

Now the problem that I have with this whole trade veto situation is that Chris Paul eventually went to Los Angeles, but instead of the Lakers, he was traded to the Clippers. Why exactly was he allowed to come to the Clippers, who are in a large market city, but not to the Lakers? And on top of that, the Hornets ended up getting, in my opinion, less talent than they would have with the initial trade with the Lakers and Rockets. The Hornets are currently owned by the NBA, and David Stern wants someone to buy the team. The problem is that now that Chris Paul is gone, it is going to be increasingly difficult to find a buyer. So why did Stern let this deal go through? The Hornets have less talent now than they did last year, and they have no marquee player to entice a potential buyer. I just do not understand.

Mike Sandoval
Kin 332I
Tu/Th 12:30-1:45pm

not just a game

I found that the movie we watched on the last week of class has helped me see how our society and culture are developed. It got me to think about society back in the days where there are fewer individualists. Women and minority racial group push the boundary to improve their social status. People form groups to fight for what they believe in. Now our society is individualist they have no intention to fight for their beliefs now it’s all about themselves and maintaining their status as an individual. For example Michael Jordan, he use the American flag to cover up the Reebok symbol during the Olympic game. I feel that by living in an individualist society we will more like to iodize a certain individual and ourselves. There is less pride as a group. People have less pride for our country. In some way I have a theory that our society might fall apart because they’re no conformity.

006955661
KIN 332I
T/TH 12:30-1:45

Health Problems In America.

It’s hard to deny that America lives an unhealthy life style. We are all stressed out, on the move and some parents don’t even have time for their kids any more. What is running this obsession with always being on the move? Many people say it’s the all mighty dollar. But is this really it? If we look at a place like Germany, there are many happy people there, who can still afford to drive BMWs and have a nice house. If you look deep into their towns they take 2 hour lunch breaks, randomly take days off and close up shop every day at 5. Germans even have a beer with lunch, which is taboo in our country because we don’t want to look like alcoholics. It seems like everything in America is run off image. We want to be busy so we can make the money, to buy the nice car, to buy the nice house and ultimately be “happy”. While I have never seen a sad person drive a sports car, is this really what happiness is? I think America should slow down, take a chill pill and relax. With all this running around we see no time for a meal, no family time and no personal time. All this stress and poor quick food choices is what is making this country fat. Germany also doesn’t look down on their fat people as weak. Big hairy men are seen as great beer drinkers and bigger women are seen as great cooks. If we had these view on our people this might curve our anorexia/bulimia epidemic.
Overall I think America should slow down. We need to focus on family and life more than the all mighty dollar. With this removed stress and curved views on heavier people I believe we can change the course of eating disorders and even tone down on our obesity rates.

Matt Lendvay
332I t/th

YES, THE NBA IS FINALLY BACK!!!

Well its not a for sure but there is hope on the new tentative agreement that has been reached between the owners and players. The NBA and its players have reached a tentative agreement to end the 2011 lockout, which began on July 1 and did not produce a new collective bargaining agreement until 149 days later. The previous collective bargaining agreement, negotiated in 2005, expired after June 30. This was the third major work stoppage in NBA history, and the second one that resulted in the cancellation of regular-season games. Both parties were in differences because of money issues, owners wanted to take more of the yearly revenues to maintain their teams, however, players have countered that the league is setting records with TV and ticket revenue, and only a few teams are losing money. However, both sides came to an agreement to settle their differences, which is exciting for every basketball fan out there. Basketball is coming at a great time; it’s set to begin on the 25^th of December aka CHRISTMAS DAY!!!!! There is nothing better than knowing Kobe Bryant wont have his legacy tarnished or cut short because of one season that was lost at some point, I love the fact that Lebron James will have another season to prove that he isn’t clutch when it counts, I want to see Blake Griffin dunk all over people like he usually does in every game, and I want to see the Lakers beat the Celtics in the championship game once again lol. Above all the sense of relieve that all fans have knowing basketball has been saved. Like in our discussions we truly do see sports almost like a religion, this lockout showed how people experience the absence of basketball. We all go out of our ways to make time to see games, we make time to go out and imitate our favorite players while playing sports, and we want to be like them to some extent. It’s sad to know that money was an issue between the owners and players, college on the other hand you see how exciting the players can be. College players seem to show the sacrifice and willing to do anything to get to the next level. Every pro player comes from a college driven sport but once having reached the pro level all the goal setting, respect for the game, and dedication has been affected by the money that influences sports in general. Life is about making sacrifices for what you love to do, and both parties in the NBA lockout acted selfish. Many of us would give anything for 1 million dollars but they want millions on top of millions. Anyways, I’m just glad they reached an agreement they are bringing entertainment back into our lives, it brings back hopes, and far most it brings back the culture of basketball back to us.

Horacio Guerra

KIN 332i

T/TH 12:30-1:45

"Not just a Game" film

“Not Just A Game” was a very interesting film. So many information and events were brought up. After watching this film I did reflect and realize that politics seems to be broadcasting more on sports and we are continuing to have them like the Army vs Navy football games. What I found most interesting was the football player who left his football career to serve his county and the media/ federal people had to lie the world and his parents about his death. I thought that was ridiculous and pointless. Pretty sad for the parents to hear one thing and then find out something else especially when their son was against the war and thought it was unreasonable for him to be there. Another part from the film that I found interesting was about the Owens winning first place in the 1936 Olympics. I didn’t know that the things, walking barefoot, beaded necklace, straight fist up in the air, had represented for poverty and civil rights. I didn’t know before what they all meant and I also didn’t know that they’re title of wining first and second place were banned. Sad to say America has freedom of speech but we’re still not allowed to use our rights. Our country discriminate race and gender when we claim that “All men kind are equal” and yet, today, many of us are still fighting for either equal pay, rights, etc. It is interesting that many of our athletes now don’t do that unless they’re representing for the country, people in the service, or any other name brand companies. This video was pretty good. It did wrapped up almost everything that was discuss in class.

ID #007325030

Tues/Thurs @12:30

Dave Zirin in Not Just a Game

The last video we watched in class Not Just a Game with Dave Zirin was really eye opening. Overall, he seemed to address a little bit of everything when it comes to issues in sport that were brought up in class, and even those that were not. The film itself can teach anyone so much about sports and politics and how closely they are aligned. He addressed different aspects of sporting events that may have been overlooked and put meaning into them. That example of how the Olympic runners were basically stripped of their medals for merely showing respect for their culture and beliefs most likely would not have made as much sense if you had witnessed it on your own firsthand. The film was so informative and I think it basically sums up all issues with sport when it comes to competition, money, values, war, gender issues, and anything else I can’t think of at the moment. The main thing I thought after we finished watching it was how well of a job that film did in basically summing up our class and what an awesome way it was to end to semester. Dave Zirin seems to be a very well respected sports writer and definitely address issues from an outside perspective that allows any reader or listener to see things in a way that is more in depth and outside the box. He is very highly opinionated, but for most his opinions seem to be those that are valued which helps make him so captivating.

http://www.edgeofsports.com/index.html

Nylene Herrera
Kin 332I

Haters Be Hating

Basketball is here again! The nuclear winter is finally over; the owners and the players finally ended the ugly 149 day lockout. The date was set, December 25th would be the day that the 66 game season would begin with match ups such as the Celtics vs the Knicks, the Heat vs the Mavericks, and the Lakers vs the Bulls. If the epic opening day schedule wasn't enough, the trade talks and free agency rumors put it over the top. Reports that both Chris Paul and Dwight Howard were on the trading blocks was crazy but what was more crazy was the idea that they could end up on the same team together. Let's take that one step further: they could be on the same team with Kobe Bryant!!! The Black Mamba himself teams up with CP3 and D12, moves like this only happens in video games and fantasy leagues not in the NBA. As a Lakers fan, I thought there was no possible way this could ever happen; the Lakers could get one or the other but not both. But then it happened, the Lakers landed one of the most coveted free agents in Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets. It was a three team trade which involved the Los Angeles Lakers, the New Orleans Hornets, and the Houston Rockets with the Lakers getting point guard Chris Paul while giving up power forward/center Pau Gasol to the Rockets and power forward Lamar Odom going to the Hornets. The Hornets also received All-stars Kevin Martin and Luis Scola from the Rockets in exchange for Pau Gasol. The trade was done, the impossible had happened. Facebook and Twitter was blowing up with updates, people were using their photoshop skills to see what was to come with Chris Paul wearing Lakers purple and gold. Even the odds makers in Vegas were making the Lakers the favorites to win the championship. Everything was perfect in LakerLand and in a blink of an eye it was gone.

The Chris Paul era in Los Angeles ended before it even began. No championship, no parades, nothing. The league came in and blocked to trade, no CP3 for the Lakers. It was as if nothing had ever happened. When asked why the trade had been blocked, commissioner David Stern and the league said the trade was blocked for "basketball reasons". What the hell does that mean. "Basketball reasons"?? I figured that meant that the trade was unfair for the Hornets but when I looked at it closer that wasn't the case. The Hornets received three legitimate starters while the Lakers got one player back. They also lost their starting power forward and their best bench player who would be a starter on any other team in the league. "Basketball reasons"...then it became all too clear when a report came out that a group of owners went to David Stern and demanded that the trade be denied. They claimed that it wasn't fair that the Lakers, a big market team, was getting one of the best players in the league again. They felt that the new CBA, collective bargaining agreement, made it so it was harder for the bigger market teams to form these super rosters and yet only days after the CBA was agreed upon, the Lakers were doing it again. David Stern showed yet again why he is inept at his job and why he should get the hell out of basketball. He showed how spineless he real was by folding under the pressure of the owners and blocking the trade.

Chris Paul was going to leave the Hornets after the season was over no matter what; he has a opt-out clause in is his contract making him a free agent. Paul had made it known that he had a desire to go to a big market team once he was done in New Orleans and the Hornets recognized this. By trading him, they would be able to get some players and draft picks in return for Paul instead of letting him go to free agency. As a Lakers fan, some say I may only feel this way because the Lakers finally didn't get their way of grabbing up all of the superstars but I would feel this way if this were the case with any other team. The question I would ask David Stern is what are you going to do once CP3 is a free agent and agrees to a contract with the Lakers? When it comes to free agency, the commissioner has no say. Are you going to tell the Lakers that they are not a team anymore? Under the salary cap portion of the CBA, teams are allowed to offer maximum contract offers to players of the same amount. So tell me how it isn't fair when he picks the Lakers over the Bobcats when the same amount of money is on the line. And now the league comes out with a different excuse to cover their asses!?! Maybe not having a basketball season would have been better; we wouldn't have had to put up with the league's crap. Don't worry, Kobe will make them pay...

Josh Butler

KIN 332I Tues/Thurs

Role models

While watching David Zirin, he talks about players (specifically LeBrick James) having goals that include being a world-wide icon while being one of the most successful (money wise) athlete ever. Going into details, he makes a great point that those two do not really intertwine; its either you reach international fame through your influential yet controversial words or you keep your mouth shut and make billions. That begs the question: are athletes, or even coaches, truly fit to be role models? It appears as though athletes today are more like businessmen and play for the money. Although this was a long time ago, Charles Barkley's infamous quote, "I am not a role model" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8vh2MwXZ6o) would still fit in today's sports world. Despite the NBA advertising NBA cares and players hosting basketball camps for younger children, it still appears fake and forced. The only recent basketball player that I can think of that has made a difference in around the world is Dikembe Mutombo, a retired player and much-respected philanthropist. There are a lot of players willing to do community work and local charity but how many of them would risk their health, possibly reputation or endorsements to help those in need around the world? Once athletes retire, they seem to disappear to live a private life or do sports analysis on ESPN; only a few continue doing philanthropy or charity. Even coaches who so many revere and respect in sports, turn out to make horrible decisions. Just look at the recent Penn state or Syracuse controversy. For me, I just watch sports for the entertainment and I ignore anything irrelevant. I'm happy that the NBA cares program exists as it benefits a lot of people but how many players would contribute if it did not exist? To me, I don't expect many. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic about this or maybe I'm really uninformed and ignorant but that's just what I see.

Marshal Truong

007975290

Kin 332I

The Bigger Picture

Finally, we have ourselves an NBA season! Yep, thats right the holidays have just been gifted with a little more sporting fun! I really wasn't sure what I was going to do without the NBA and my favorite team the Lakers. Although we aren't getting any younger as a team, I trust the tactically observant Mitch Cupcheck will find a winning recipe one way or another. While I'm not gauranteeing us an NBA championship, I do think I can safely predict a return to the playoffs. I mean things would be labeled as a disaster without that right? The other thing that has really been inescapable is the silent giant that we have growing across town. I'm talking about the Clippers led by Blake Griffin. Not only is this guy a ferocious player and a witty actor, but this guy knows how to make things happen. His rookie season had him painting the town red, literally. He made watching Clipper games just as good as watching Laker ones. This year his whole teams roster is under the age of 30, which will be valuable as hell in a shortened up season that has, at times, teams playing three nights in a row. Mo Williams, Eric Gordon and even hints of other big names showing interest in the Clips could make for some damn exciting crosstown rivalry games. I can't hop on the Clipper bandwagon. That would be just wrong for a guy like me, someone who grew up falling asleep on a Friday night to the likes of Nick Vaneksel and Eddie Jones. I used to pride myself for being named Spencer because there were steaks named Spencer steak and Kobe steak. I know, pretty pathetic right? While i just won't allow myself to flip flop on teams, there is one thing I will do. I'll show my support for the Clips. Root for them against anyone else. An if the day comes where Blake Griffen dunks over Kobe in a game, I'll quietely smile inside.
Spencer Pirdy
Kin332I Tues/Thur

The scandel involving coach paterno is overwhelming. I am not writting this blog to justify coach paterno's actions, but I will say that all coaches who were involved should be treated equally. Coach paterno was at the very end of his hall of fame career. He did not whitness the "Child Abuse"fisrt hand. A coach who seen what was going on came to him and told him (he went to a higher figure). When coach paterno hears about the news her then took it up to a higher figure. Yes he should have called the cops. But the coach who whitnessed the scandel first hand still remained on staff. College sports is a buisness as much as it is an educational institution. These programs will do anything that will help them win. Even if that means taking a short cut and firing those who stand against them. Not to say paterno was standing against pen state, but in the sense that the college knew he was going to retire. Why fire a young coach who will aid the program for years to come for doing something wrong, when you can just fire the man who is in his last years. The university made a buisness move in this scandel. This man who is still on staff whitnessed young boys being malested and did not go to athorities. While another man, heard of this took the same actions, and had his reputation and entire career ruined. Again I am not defending anyone ivolved in these disgusting actions. I believe that every one involved should be fired and banned from working with any children or athletes. yet, the university still employs the the coach who witnessed it first hand!! He is going to coach at Pen State for years to come. This just goes to show how much winning is valued in the NCAA. they do not care about right or wrong, they care about what brings the money in. Winning brings the money in.
Alex Gonzalez 332I 0767 t/th 12:30

Watching a boxing match for the first time in several years this weekend reminded me of how gruesome it can be and why I never really liked it much.. In my kinesiology 338i class we discussed the boxing match between Katie Dallam and Sumya Anani. Seeing this match between Margarito and Cotto is much different from the female match. These two women went into the match not knowing the real dangers of boxing. They possibly thought that with the boxing gloves on they wouldn’t be at much risk and they kept being reassured that their opponent knew very little about boxing. On the other hand the male boxers were fully aware of their opponent’s abilities. In fact Cotto took that to his advantage and attacked Margarito’s weak spot, his eye. Also the woman’s match had a lot of blood in it, and no one made an attempt to stop it. Unlike the men’s fight that ended early because one of the doctors believed that Margarito was at risk for losing his eye even though the boxer himself would’ve preferred to put his health at risk to win a match? If Dallam would’ve had that same opportunity Margarito did, her life would be much different now. Unfortunately, she lost the fight and lost certain abilities. Dallam is now a disabled woman who has lost the ability to remain focused, drive and interact a lot without losing focus. The spectators took the woman’s match to be pure entertainment and didn’t worry for their helath. These women were not taken seriously, in a man’s match the same incidence Dallam experienced would never occur. Women continue to be thought as weaker individuals when compared to men, even with the passage of title 9 which is suppose to create equality with each other.

Kin 332I

007467458

T/Th at 12

Pay the Athletes?

Football and basketball, the two biggest moneymaking sports in the NCAA. The debate goes on about whether or not the players should be paid for playing on these college teams because of all the money and prestige they are bringing in for their schools. All sorts of money is being made from the televised games to the jerseys you can buy at a store like Footlocker and the players get none of it.

These players who do get exploited this way should get some of the money they bring in but if they did it would have some downside effects. Football and basketball bring in a lot of money where other Division I sports like swimming, tennis, or rowing or other sports do not. The money brought in by these sports helps fund the traveling and competition of the other sports. If more money was put toward football and basketball and their players it would affect the funding for other Division I sports like these. Many sports like crew, and rugby have become club sports because the schools could not afford for them to be varsity sports. To give more money towards football and basketball would be an issue for the other Division I sports.

So if the NCAA football and basketball players deserve to get paid or some sort of compensation for playing, but we do not want to put the other Division sports at risk of losing funding, what else is there to do? Sports Illustrated published an article called “The Free Market Plan” where players would be aloud to accept endorsement deals. The schools would not be giving them money, but they’d be making money from sponsorships. To make sure no schools gain a competitive edge, the schools can monitor how much players get, similar to how salary-cap rules work.

With the Free Market Plan players can earn money on their own apart from the schools. Those players who are seen as the star athletes of the college league will get a chance to make money, and schools would not have to pay them, and other sports would continue to get funding.

Silent Saturdays

Can you imagine playing a game when no one off the field is saying a word? All you can hear is the referees and your teammates. Your coach can only speak quietly to the athletes off the field and the parents and spectators can not cheer, give advice or even talk. Well, for some AYSO leagues throughout the country this is known as Silent Saturday. Leagues designate specific saturdays where the fans are not allowed to cheer or say a word. Their motto is "Just Let The Kids Play!" The idea of these silent days came from when kids used to play in alleys and sandlots and had no one telling them what to do, it goes back to the good ol' days of recreational sports. This whole phenomenon started back in 2000 and has been growing like crazy in the past few years and I think it would be great to see it implemented in other sports, not just AYSO leagues. In my own experience, I loved playing hockey because there were boards and glass that separated me from obnoxious parents. But some sports like basketball, soccer, football and baseball have no boards or glass separating the players from the parents, so all of the comments are easily heard by the players. I brought this topic up because I recently coached flag football for third graders and as I listened to how the coaches were talking to their players and how parents would get in fights, it really opened my eyes and told me that we have a serious problem here. I heard one coach say, "If that kid hits him again, I am going to bust him!" Now, this coach was from a different city but I was completely appalled when I heard him say that. I thought, there's no way you should be allowed to work with kids. Another time, I had two parents yell across the fields at each other and the referees had to intervene. How embarrassing must that be for the poor kid? I just think that parents get way too involved at times and forget what youth recreation sports are all about. It's about letting the kids play and have fun. Furthermore, by having one Silent Saturday a month or a season, this could really open the eyes of the parents and show them how loud they can get at times. Not only will it make the parents more aware, but it will be much more enjoyable for the participants and it will let the kids do what they want as opposed to being directed by their coaches and parents off of the field. In conclusion, Silent Saturdays have been very sucessful in AYSO leagues and I think that other sports and leagues should at least try and incorporate one Silent Saturday to see how it goes.

Travis Benson

Kin 332I - 03

http://aysowiki.org/tiki-index.php?page=Silent+Saturday

Obesity

Why has obesity become such a huge issue in our society? Maybe it has to do with the fact that there is a McDonald's around ever corner. Or maybe it is perceived lack of time to fit in a 20 minute work out once a day. It also may be the fact that americans are constantly looking for that quick fix. The problem of obesity is continuously increasing. Why aren't more people more concerned with their physical well-being? There are many factors that contribute to this particular issue. In my opinion the biggest contribution to the growing obesity rate is the fitness industry. I know what you're thinking, isn't the fitness industry the only hope in curing this soon to be epidemic? Sure, but it is big gyms like 24 hour fitness, La fitness, and Bally's Total fitness whose main goal is to increase the overall income for their gym. They do not care about self worth, physical well-being, or even psychological well-being. They sell yearly memberships to countless suckers who are attempting to make a difference in their life. While the overall population is looking to improve their lifestyle, big name gyms are searching for their next target. The worst thing that could happen for La fitness or 24 hour fitness would be if every person who owned a membership would actually show up. These corporate gyms' sole focus is to make money, not to promote health. They market unrealistic goals which can become demotivating to many people. When the overall emphasis is that fitness will improve appearance, and not their health, they are extrinsically motivating people. Many of the people who are looking to work out to improve their life style can be vulnerable and need to be intrinsically motivated. These health clubs, and gyms are important for our society but it is discouraging to see money as their top motive.

kin 332I

Jenny Soza

Thinspiration a Good Thing?

In a study where they measured “thinspiration and the fear of fat indirectly” it became “a matter of approach and avoidance.” In this study they took multiple female college students and showed them pictures of different models of all different sizes. They found that “the participants' reaction times during the SRC [Stimulus Response Compatibility] task provided an index of the automatic affective and motivational valence of the models” thus showing their response to be much more apt to the thinner models and resistant to the plus size. This evidence shows that our response to people of different sizes is a subconscious judgment. As a society our associations with beauty and health have become linked to a thin physicality which induces a very unfair and warped perception. It is for this reason that so many people are dealing with eating disorders and the anxiety and stress to stay thin. We have people who do live a healthy lifestyle but are not considered fit under societal standards. Just because some people are a little more voluptuous does not mean they are lazy or unhealthy. In fact studies have shown that people who are a little heavier statistically live longer than those who comply with societal standards of being thin. I cannot deny the fact that we as Americans have a huge issue with weight problems due to over eating and lack of exercise. But I think we have to ask ourselves if subjecting oneself to throwing up after every meal or going without food all together should be any more acceptable. This is all related to perception and this constant pressure to stay thin and look “fit” is causing more discouragement and distress than truly inducing healthy and satisfying life styles.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21182883

Abuse in sports

Going off an article posted on Twitter http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/story/_/page/lapchick-111130/the-public-underwhelming-reaction-athletes-assault-women, there is an overwhelming repsonse to abuse in sports....sometimes. Recently, we were shocked by the disgusting acts of Sandusky and his abuse of young children. In the past, we've seen athletes like Michael Vick's abuse of animals, the OJ Simpson's murder trial, or the Kobe Bryant rape allegations. And while all get major media attention, and a public outburst and demand for justice, it is either short-lived or garnering attention for the wrong reasons. Many cases of domestic abuse against women go almost unrecognized year after year. Time after time charged get dropped or lessened because a high-profile male athlete is involved. Bryant's rape victim chose to drop charges as she faced relentless media attention and death threats. Tony Woods, a center on Wake Forest's basketball team, was charged with assualting his girlfriend in 2010, allegedly fracturing her spine; he received a 60-day prison sentence. Eric Devendorf, a guard for Syracuse hit a female student and was initially suspened for the rest of the year....before that punishment was reduced to 40 hours of community service, allowing him to play the rest of the season. There are countless examples to give, and even disregarding the male athlete's guilt or innocence, it is easier to see that few cases are taken with the severity of others (child abuse with Sandusky, or animal abuse with Vick), or followed through with the quest for justice. Why are people not as outraged, or quick to act in situations like this? Women are human beings too, and they get abused too. We can speak up for children and seek justice for them, and we can do the same for women. The question is why, as a society, are we not? Why do we seek to defend the athlete, even though we know they are morally wrong? Why must we shame all alleged victims in to hiding and silence? Athletes are not above the law, and must be held acountable if we expect to live in a society where sports don't rule all. Sports cannot control our moral compass, and determine who gets away with abusing another human being.

Danae Delfin
008248628
TTh 1230-145

Obesity Epidemic or scam?

After last weeks lecture of fat phobia and the claimed obesity epidemic that the United States is suffering with, made me think of many things. The most shocking piece of information that I got out of the lecture was that more people are dying from eating disorders, malnutrition, and being underweight than obesity; yet obesity is getting more attention. Why is this the case? Of course I am not trying to state that obesity is not important enough to be getting this attention, but should not such a thing as underweight, which is killing more, be considered the epidemic that needs the same if not more attention.

I delve into eating disorders a little more and extracted that 8 million Americans are suffering with eating disorders. Of those suffering, 5-10% will die in 10 years, 18-20% will die after 20 years, and only 40% fully recover. That calculates to 4,800,000 people in America who are suffering this year with an eating disorder will die or struggle with the number one mental disease killer for the rest of their lives.

How does this tie into sport and society. I believe those two very thing are the cause

and masterminds behind the epidemic idea of obesity. A major contributor to motivation is

money. Sport in particular can gain a tremendous amount with people who fall under the obesity

scale. Those people need to shed pounds and sports is the way to do it. Sports bring a large

amount of money to begin with but if the promotion of entering youths into expensive

sport programs or organizations will increase profit. Other benefactors within sport...gyms, personal

trainers, and eventually n the long run intercollegiate sports, and professional sports. The culture

is another to blame. It is needless to say that the U.S. surrounds their culture on

the perfect body, and being fat in this society will not cut it. It shames me to say that the culture and media suggest, but it is okay to

be too skinny than too fat. Massive representations of the body in the media is adding to this notion.

The U.S. is suffering with both obesity and eating disorders, which clearly indicates that the epidemic at

hand is body image.

Alejandra Fregoso

Kin 332I Sect. 03

Fat Phobia vs. Eating dissorders

After discussing the topic and the problem America has on fat phobia, I realize how we have two major issues with body image and creating stereotypes depending on the situation. For those who are considered overweight and show it with their physical appearance we tend to think of them as lazy, slow, careless, dirty individuals. We often ask ourselves questions like; do they not care about their health or physical looks? Is all they do eat? Do they not think about their needs to participate in activities that can improve their health? These questions are genuinely stereotypical because little do we actually know their medical health records. They might be perfectly healthy. But because they are fat, we as a society fear becoming overweight. On the other hand studies show that people with eating disorders who suffer from anorexia and bulimia are at a far higher risk of death and deaths in life, and those who are heavier actually live on average longer than those in normal weight class. My theory behind this is that people who are overweight are the ones who are looking for help while the ones who suffer from eating disorders are in a far deeper level of depression and neglect looking for help which is probably why we don’t hear too much about these issues but we do when it comes to those who are overweight.

College vs. NBA

Call me what you will but I firmly believe that college basketball is more interesting than the NBA. Before you call the cops on me hear me out. I've heard arguments that the NBA has the best players and that the level of play is far above the college levels. I'm not going to dispute that the NBA players are the best and they could beat a team of college players. I do understand they play on a different level which is why if you refer to my initial statement I said "more interesting". I find that college basketball requires more investment in following and has a far larger pay off. For the NBA there is always the regular season then playoffs and for college there is the regular season and the tournament. The NBA season is around eighty games (exception going to seasons where the season doesn't start off on time for various reasons like a lockout for example) and for a good majority of those games teams that are playing aren't interesting match ups. Watching a team like the Lakers beat up on a team like the Knicks isn't a big deal and for Knicks fans when they do upset the Lakers its not like their entire season has become a success. In college basketball it is a very likely possibility that a team beating a single ranked opponent can make their entire season. If Duke were to lose to our very own Long Beach State team, it would be the talk of the rest of the season. For the students playing in college basketball there is so much more on the line, it isn't their profession , they aren't getting paid to play and they put in close to the same amount of work as a professional player would. So while the skill level may be entirely different the player's effort will be completely different. In college basketball the players are changing with a frequency seldom seen in the NBA, having to constantly recruit and build up new players makes the coaches at the college level that much more impressive. Watching Coach K or Tom Izzo go out there and compete successfully year after year even though they may have lost three starters and a solid couple bench players means so much more than watching Phil Jackson coach legends like Micheal Jordan and Kobe Bryant. In the NBA players prove themselves and stick around, in college they have a few years to show everyone what they are made of before they leave. Down the stretch NBA playoffs have just as much intensity as the clinching games for the tournament. Watching the NBA finals is just as fun as watching some early match games of the NCAA tournament but watching a story like Georgetown unfold is an unmatched phenomenon that any sport can compete with.


Ryan Plunkett Kin 332I

College vs. NBA

Call me what you will but I firmly believe that college basketball is more interesting than the NBA. Before you call the cops on me hear me out. I've heard arguments that the NBA has the best players and that the level of play is far above the college levels. I'm not going to dispute that the NBA players are the best and they could beat a team of college players. I do understand they play on a different level which is why if you refer to my initial statement I said "more interesting". I find that college basketball requires more investment in following and has a far larger pay off. For the NBA there is always the regular season then playoffs and for college there is the regular season and the tournament. The NBA season is around eighty games (exception going to seasons where the season doesn't start off on time for various reasons like a lockout for example) and for a good majority of those games teams that are playing aren't interesting match ups. Watching a team like the Lakers beat up on a team like the Knicks isn't a big deal and for Knicks fans when they do upset the Lakers its not like their entire season has become a success. In college basketball it is a very likely possibility that a team beating a single ranked opponent can make their entire season. If Duke were to lose to our very own Long Beach State team, it would be the talk of the rest of the season. For the students playing in college basketball there is so much more on the line, it isn't their profession , they aren't getting paid to play and they put in close to the same amount of work as a professional player would. So while the skill level may be entirely different the player's effort will be completely different. In college basketball the players are changing with a frequency seldom seen in the NBA, having to constantly recruit and build up new players makes the coaches at the college level that much more impressive. Watching Coach K or Tom Izzo go out there and compete successfully year after year even though they may have lost three starters and a solid couple bench players means so much more than watching Phil Jackson coach legends like Micheal Jordan and Kobe Bryant. In the NBA players prove themselves and stick around, in college they have a few years to show everyone what they are made of before they leave. Down the stretch NBA playoffs have just as much intensity as the clinching games for the tournament. Watching the NBA finals is just as fun as watching some early match games of the NCAA tournament but watching a story like Georgetown unfold is an unmatched phenomenon that any sport can compete with.


Ryan Plunkett Kin 332I

NBA Lockout Resolved

This past weekend, the NBA came to an agreement over the lockout. While I am very excited to see the Laker's play on Christmas day, I am disgusted by the reason for this entire lockout. The NBA players are greedy and don't deserve to be payed as much as they do. Yes, I do feel like they should get a decent wage but I do not think they should get paid more than a surgeon who saves people's lives. The way this world is run seems corrupt to me. While the NBA provides much of society's entertainment and brings in a large sum of money, I do not feel they should get paid the amount they do. If the player's were smart, they would realize how much money they lost in the month of games they have let go. Not only have they lost revenue, but they have also lost the respect of fans and spectators. This lockout just goes to show how unfair the world is run. A surgeon who spent years in school is making less than an NBA player who maybe did not even get a college degree. This type of thinking makes no sense to me. Maybe the entire season should have been cancelled to show the player's a harsh reality.

Kristin Taylor 007293453

Distant assignment

The media focused on the students rioting and the disappointment that their coaches and faculty were being fired. It brought little attention at first to the seriousness of the crimes Sandusky had committed. It also didn’t make it very clear why the head coach Paterno and other faculty were being fired. It also neglected the feelings of the victims. The PSU scandal has been portrayed by media as a series of immoral choices that went about to protect their prestigious community.

Sandusky has a large amount of power because he has a prestigious organization behind him and is working with underprivileged children who have less support from trustworthy adults. The social media spreads a dissenting viewpoint by expressing various outlooks such as the students outrage at the loss of their coach and the disappointment that Sandusky was able to get away with child abuse for so long. This is a good example of how power can allow deviance to happen while their power structure was trying to be kept intact. When sports become more powerful than its value these situations are bound to happen.

Coming from a constructionist framework I would blame the way the power structure was set up. Because no one sought to go outside this power structure and call the police. This is based on over conformity. In this case people ignored innate reactions to such immoral behavior and followed rules of their interior power structure.

I personally think this scandal could of easily been avoided if someone stepped up from any position who was aware of Sandusky’s wrong actions and called law enforcement. I believe there is no excuse to ignore his wrong behaviors and people should be punished for their actions and not be excused for their position in power.

Brittany Hayden

kin 3321, sec. 310767

Athletes and Positive Self Talk

One of the hardest barriers for athletes to overcome are the negative thoughts that go through their minds when facing adversity. Athletes tend to use negative self-talk that often prevent them from staying optimistic during demanding situations. The use of positive self-talk are daily ongoing conversations that individuals use to keep themselves motivated, these affirmations assist them in consistently keeping a confident and hopeful outlook. Athletes must encompass and instill in themselves a positive mental mind-set. They are accountable for guiding themselves and developing a better sense of positive self-talk. Many athletes may lack this important technique and will never fully develop an understanding of positive self-talk without consistent practice. Someone who is thinking positively is capable of staying regularly focused and determined to handle different situations. Positive self-talk is a great technique that allows athletes to change their state of mind to persevere through the hardships and improve their performance. Athletes who practice positive self-talk is an individual who carries great confidence and has no doubt in his or her abilities to achieve there desired goals. The athlete who sees things positively will tend to look for the good in every situation and allow them to succeed.

http://www.performance-media.com/thoughts.php

distance learning assignment

Sandusky is sick in the head. I dislike the fact that he is not admitting that he is a pedophile when questioned during an interview. One of the key things about pedophiles I learned from my Abnormal Psychology class is that they are in denial and they have a strong belief that what they are doing is not wrong. Sandusky admits to horsing around in the showers with the boys, but does not see anything wrong with his actions. At this point, I don't think he's trying to save Penn State's reputation or even his own, he seriously has some sort of abnormal psychological disorder. Social media is interpreting this scandal as it should be. It's showing us that Sandusky, along with the others involved, were morally wrong and should be punished. Although media is doing the right thing by exposing this scandal, it also gives the actual sport, school and faculty a bad reputation. It gets me a little worried about other colleges and the kinds of sketchy things that could be possibly happening. It even gets me thinking about our own school! YIKES! You never know! This scandal is raising many suspicions and paranoia amongst the college sport community and are slowly losing trust from the people. I'm sure Paterno and others did not take the correct actions to stop Sandusky because they knew it would have ruined the football team and all their power would diminish, which is what's happening right now. The sport deviance in this case is not normal and should not be tolerated. These faculty members of the football team that knew about Sandusky's horsing around enjoyed the power and money they received. They got lost in the greed from the benefits they were getting and only thought about themselves instead of the poor boys going through these incidents. Of course they are not going to snitch out Sandusky because they did not want to lose what they were receiving through their work with the sport. It is not okay with what happened to these young boys and it's sad they have to live with this their whole lives. Everyone involved in and knew about this scandal should not have the privilege to keep their position with the school and should be punished.

Distance Learning Assignment PSU Sandusky Scandal

Everytime I learn new information about the Sandusky case it somehow tops my previous 'shocking' reaction to the previous news. The information that continues to come up regarding the case becomes more and more shocking and disgusting at the same time. The people involved, the rioting Penn State students, Sandusky's attorney, just everything. When I heard the interviews of both Sandusky and his attorney I couldn't believe the answers to the questions they had. To me that way the interviews went seems like evidence enough to clearly show that Sandusky is guilty. The media presents the information to the public taking sides with the victims (thankfully) and in my opinion it would help when it comes to making sure the outcome is what it should be. I think It's really important for the victims to speak and for them to understand that it's okay for them to do so just to make sure justice is served. It would be really hard for the victims, but I think it would provide really evidence for the case. Kerrie brought it up in class about how the NCAA has not said anything of the issue which seems odd because they are a very important factor when it comes to power in college athletics. It seems as though the media are in control when it comes to power in this story, and for once they actually seem to be portraying the most morally correct viewpoint, which I think is odd for our society since the news always seems to drift off into topics that are not necessarily important. I hope since the media are the major focus that they continue to provide this viewpoint that Sandusky is guilty.

Nylene H. Kin332I Sec03

THE PSU CONTROVERSY

So what do you say to a legacy that literally went down the drain? Joe Paterno can be assumed to be the greatest and most wins by a coach in Division 1 college football. His 409 victories stand alone and his 46 years as a coach at PSU, there is no coach to stand to the greatness of what this man provided for his football teams. However, Paterno will no longer be initially thought for his greatness but what he didn’t do in the Sandusky controversy of raping kids. The whole PSU football program knew of thee acts but yet not one word was said until years later, it’s unfortunate that such a thing had to occur but thankfully at least someone spoke out now. These men deserve to be held accountable for these embarrassing acts that are plain disgusting. As coaches of the program holding or keeping secrets just like Paterno was not the smartest choice but the dumbest, they know in their right mind what happened in that situation was suppose to be brought up immediately to the law enforcement. The media has been on this case for a few weeks now, why? Well the history, prestige, the greatness of its team, and the man, the icon Joe Paterno. The school itself is well known and its team is always on the top rankings, however I believe this case gets more attention because Joe Paterno. To find out that Joe actually knew of this selfish act by one of his assistants and not take action it really confuses me and then you see PSU students protesting on the behalf of Joe Paterno to save his job it’s just crazy to me. The media throughout the years depicted this man as the face of the program, he was someone meaningful, and he was an iconic coach that provided a sense of motivation and leadership. But what his actions tell us is that the fame got to his ego, he was more worried about how this situation can influence his success by literally ending his career. What’s crazy is that as this story is revealing day in and day out and as bad as the raping of kids is I myself find it hard to believe that the media made this situation about Paterno. The media has turned it to the importance of Joe Paterno more so than the importance of bringing people to justice. These acts done by professional coaches are just disgusting, they preach honesty, compliance, good ethics and for this to happen is just astonishing. However, I think about one thing. What if someone of a low minority racial background were the coaches involved in such a case? Would the media give some type of attention or would it give far more attention?

Kin 332I

Horacio Guerra (M/W: 12:30-1:45)

Paterno Sucks University

I am glad this scandal is all over the media. These older men should be embarrassed for what they did and put to shame. I never knew who Sandusky was before this but now that I know how he looks like, If I see him on the street I will make sure my kids are right next to me (especially if and when I have baby boys). This scandal is all over the media right now. It is a huge deal especially because Paterno has been a coach at PSU for over 46 years because if it was the University of Ohio coach or some "sucky unknown" team it would not of been as big as a deal as it is. The people in power are so funny because before it became a scandal they had Paterno and his coaching staff's back, but now that it is all over the media they easily turn their backs on them and fired him over the phone. PSU should of had a backbone and fired Paterno along time ago instead of Paterno being their backbone! Paterno, Sandusky, and everybody else that knew what happen should be in jail. 1st Sandusky should be in jail for what he did, 2nd Paterno and the others should go to jail for not reporting the incident for not doing their duty as a citizen to report illegal actions. Paterno was a symbolic-interaction framework for being the face of PSU where as anything he does should turn to gold. Paterno is no god because God is perfect and Paterno is human so that makes him not perfect. The scandal sucks but the fact that it went on air worldwide was great so everyone in the world could see what happens behind the doors before Saturday. Just to show that these coaches are human and no one to worship! I am disgusted with this incident when Sandusky said "It was a mistake to shower with the kids!" EWWWW WHAT A SICKO! Also I am glad that now parent will be aware and might want to know more about their kid's coaches and not leave them with them by themselves. Just remember, you will eventually get caught or it will come back to hunt you, so be careful what you do! God Bless you all!

The media has placed a lot of attention to the Pen State scandal. One of the reasons why it does is because of the relationship Sandusky has. He has a relationship with Patorno, who is the head football coach at Pen State. Patorno is an iconic symbol of success within the college football world. When Mcquiry saw Sandusky in the locker room with the young boy, he did what he believed to be the correct thing. Although somewhere in between,, someone overlooked Sandusky’s actions because of his foundation to help the children who are less privileged. The amount of power he has is tiny compared to Patorno, if Patorno would’ve attempted to stop these actions Sandusky was performing, there is a higher likelihood that someone of power would’ve paid more attention and possibly stopped them several years ago. These men of authority who have power, behaved deviantly and focused their attention on football instead. Through the functionalist framework would Sandusky’s actions be justified, if you can call them that. Sandusky ignored the fact that he was hurting young boys psychologically and emotionally. Instead he focused on the idea that he was helping these boys out, by having his foundation to help those children who didn’t have the economic sources to play football. His targets were young boys, who were on the lower end of the economic spectrum and were in broken families. Sandusky believed that he could help these boys by providing them gifts, and the opportunity to play football. Through football they would learn skills that could be applied to life. I believe that this whole scandal is a tragedy. It is sad, to see what other Americans have made football as their priority and ignore the lives of young boys who are now scarred for life. If someone would’ve committed for the safety of these boys when speculation first arose many years ago, then the number of victims would’ve decreased. Unfortunately, the parents of these children believed that this camp was something good for their kids, no one expects their kids to be harmed in a safe environment like Pen State’s campus.

Maritza L.

Kin 332 i