Stern vs. Spurs

Two weeks ago, as San Antonio Spurs were about to play The Miami Heat in Miami, Spur's coach, Popovich, decided to send his key main players (Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili) back to San Antonio. Popovich's intentions of keeping the squad in healthy conditions after playing five away games in seven nights, lead to Stern's decision of fining the Spurs franchise with $250K, for "showing disrespect to the NBA and its fans." To the surprise of many NBA followers, Spurs only lost the game by five points which ridiculed Stern and top-officials who were involved in such decision. Critics focused on Stern's historical trouble in marketing the Spurs, despite the four championships they've won in ten years, and explained that he had found another reason to stand against them. Instead of celebrating Spurs' exciting exhibition of basketball, his mainly concern was to darken an institution's reputation that does not favor the NBA structure. His clear posture of maintaining an equilibrium and the status quo in the sport, will find no evolution in the sake of the sport until those with power in charge of re-enforcing and designing the structure of the NBA, forget about their economic investments.

Santiago Guiter.
KIN332I.

Long-Term Effects of Football

Real Sport with Bryant Gumbel is my new favorite show.  I never took the time or was interested in this show before this class but with all the dicussion about sports in society I cannot get enough of Mr. Gumbel.  I recently watched an episode about footbal and the impact daily hits have on the brain.  The show displayed evidence about the change in a player's brain at the beginning of the season to the end of a four month season and the results were estonishing.  The brain visibly shows lower activity in the frontal lobe, which controls memory.  They interviewed past college and pro football players that have suffered long term effects from playing football to demonstrate the severe consequences the game can have.  Because of the severity of the results almost all levels of football have changed their hitting policies to one hit day per week, besides game days, except the NCAA.  They continue to run daily hitting practices.  I find this ironic because these athletes are in college to play football and get an education but sufficient evidence shows a decrease in brain activity from graduating college athletes.  Coaches and administration believe college is when a player must establish their hitting skills and its a way to build their game and character up.  This is the NCAA's excuse to not decrease the number of hitting practices and I think it is unfortunate that they promote game winning characteristics rather than preparing these college athletes for life after sport. 

Watch the show, it was very interesting!!

Real">http://www.hbo.com/video/video.html/?autoplay=true&vid=1290073&filter=real-sports-with-bryant-gumbel&view=null">Real Sports 188: Concussions

Posted by: Nicole Floyd KIN 2231

I Listened to What that Swoosh Said

An independent and upcoming rap artists named Macklemore recently came out with his first album where examines contemporary issues in America today. In this class we talked about how we live in a very neoliberal society that places high value on materialism and individual success. In the sports and media chapter we examined how advertisers are always looking for new ways to attract customers to their product and consume it. Many tactics involve strategically placing their product's name at professional sporting events, targeting audiences on tv at specific time periods, or using athletes to represent their product. This song examines Macklemore's own experience as a young child who felt he was under serious pressure to buy the new Michael Jordan shoe or he wouldn't be popular. One line that stands out imparticular says, "My movement told me to be a consumer and I consumed it, they told me to just do it I listened to what that swoosh said, look at what that did, see it consumed my thoughts". This shows how, even as a child, Nike was able to convince Macklemore that he needed to just do it and buy their newest pair of Jordans. At the time he probably did not realize how much influence Nike had on him. This explains the concept of hegemony where individuals consent to giving companies or other groups the power of leadership and control, without even noticing sometimes. I have pasted a stanza from the song below, make sure to check out it out and the rest of Macklemore's songs.

We want what we can't have, commodity makes us want it
So expensive, damn, I just got to flaunt it
Got to show 'em, so exclusive, this that new shit
A hundred dollars for a pair of shoes I would never hoop in
Look at me, look at me, I'm a cool kid
I'm an individual, yea, but I'm part of a movement
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it
They told me to just do it, I listened to what that swoosh said
Look at what that swoosh did
See it consumed my thoughts
Are you stupid, don't crease 'em, just leave 'em in that box
Strangled by these laces, laces I can barely talk
That's my air bubble and I'm lost, if it pops
We are what we wear, we wear what we are
But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Knight tricked us all
Will I stand for change, or stay in my box
These Nikes help me define me, and I'm trying to take mine, off

-Brandon Cirbo
KIN 332I

The Silence of Politics

How to Knock out Politics 101

We as spectators and fans know that professional Boxing has been very political for the past 50 years. We have experienced phantom punches, phantom knockouts, lopsided scores, fighters taking dives and even ear bitting. The love for the fight is and will always be in our nature as humans and even more so as Americans. We all remember how exciting we all got the first time we seen Rocky in the star spangled banner trunks coming back to beat the Ivan Drago the Russian machine in Rocky III. Politics, Politics, Politics. Well this past Saturday was the fourth meeting of Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez in which the politics of the sport were silenced. The first time they met 05/08/2004 it was a true battle and it was a split decision DRAW. Meaning that one judge had the fight for Pacquiao, one judge had the fight for Marquez, and the last judge had the fight as a draw. Some thought Pacquiao won, most people who fallow boxing and know the sport very well, and have it as an active part of theirs lives thought Marquez won. The beauty of boxing when its a close fight and ends in a draw. The rematch will sell a lot more and that means another big payout for both teams, managers, and sponsors. They met a second time 03/15/2008 and by this time Pacquiao's pro boxing career has taken off and he is a house hold name and the fighting pride of the Philippines. Once again it is a great fight with most true boxing fans like myself thinking the Marquez came out on top. Now theirs a split decision victor, but to my and most peoples surprise its not Marquez. What this means is that two judges thought that Pacquiao won and one judge thought Marquez. This was garbage! but the beauty of boxing and Split Decisions is that their controversial, and once again more often than not lead to a rematch. Which means..... More money for both camps, managers, and sponsors. So at this time a trilogy is automatic and comes to life a faster. It seems like yesterday, Marquez is still a well known name but has a loss, to Floyd Mayweather Jr who at this time is the best BOXER in the world. I emphasis boxer because he may not be the most exciting fighter to watch. Never the less people want a super fight of Mayweather, the big mouth arrogant american, and Pacquiao the fighting pride of the Philippines. BUT! They are both champions at this time and no one wants to agree the others rules so we get the next best thing Marquez vs Pacquiao 3. 11/12/2011 for anyone who has eyes and is not the mother of Manny Pacquiao, believes it should go to Marquez. But! If it goes to Marquez then there is no chance of the super fight between Pacquiao and Mayweahter. So the fight goes to Pacquiao whom lost in everyones eyes except the judges. The fight was a Majority Decison which means  two judges scored the fight for Pacquiao and one judge who had somewhat of a conscience scored the fight as a draw. Then Mayweather takes a fight with Miguel Cotto who is also a great fighter and it goes the distance and turns in a braw. Very uncharacteristic for Mayweather but the people loved it. However due to a domestic violence charge Mayweather has to go to jail after the fight. So much for the superfight. Pacquiao takes a fight with Timothy Bradley and to the shock of the world Pacquiao losses!!! Pacquiao wins the fight hands down but for what ever reason the judges score a split decision in favor for Bradley. Karma might have played a factor but with a rematch clause in the contract it's not as big of a deal as it could be. However during the fight Bradley suffered a Broken Foot. So the rematch is put on the back burner for the moment. With Mayweather in jail the next best opponent is Marquez. So a date is set 12/08/2012 Marquez vs Pacquiao 4 which means.... you got it! More money for both camps, managers, and SPONSORS! Fight Night comes and both fighters look good and are in top shape with no excuses to fall back on. The fight is what everyone expects pure boxing greatness with both fighters down in the early rounds,(Pacquaio down in the 3rd and Marquez down in the 5th) but what comes next is what everyone was waiting for.... Knock out! Not TKO but KO! The end of round six comes and with Pacquiao finishing strong, trying to double up on a right jab and from the depths of boxings political prison, Marquez comes back with a counter overhand right(a la Bernard Hopkins style) and silences the politics of boxing the only way a fighter/boxer can. With an undeniable Knock out that can be watched on ESPN.com No phantom punch, No Dive, No Politics, just a good ol' fashion Ass Whuppin. =)

Miguel Fortiz Kin332I T TH 1230 145    

Overuse Injuries

One problem in youth sports that is beginning to surface more and more is, overuse injuries due to the over-specialization in one sport. The year-round training that it takes to perform at a high level in youth sports today is very taxing on a young body and has been linked to overuse. Not long ago, children were switching to a new sport as the seasons changed which was very beneficial to a young body's physical development. Playing different sports at different times of the year give some muscles a chance to rest while others are being worked. With year-round single sport programs those muscle and joints are used nonstop and have no recovery period. Training the same muscles year-round is believed to be the main cause of the rise in overuse injuries at a young age. The repetitive stress can cause young body's to break down and can lead to injury, especially due to the fact that often times these children's bodies aren't even fully developed yet. The main preventative action you can take is to participate in a variety of sports and allow for some recovery time. Many physicians who treat overuse injuries believe the solution is to educate the parents and coaches, so that they can see the warning signs and pull the kids before an injury occurs. Think about this when you pressure your children to specialize in any one sports.

http://www.sportsmd.com/SportsMD_Articles/id/349.aspx

Samuel Jeffers
KIN332I 2:00-3:15

Idols and Sport

When looking at sports, I noticed something that startled me. I did a search to find the top memorable moments in sports and the results came back to show that they were primarily violent or morose acts. The people who were being depicted as memorable were either engaged in a fight or died some tragic act after being deemed a great asset to the sport. Many of the people were being glorified for things that society would otherwise look down upon which leads me to this question. As a society, do we truly enjoy violence or confrontation? And are we willing to promote such acts as a means of entertainment at the expense of the athlete? If so, then should we also punish them for committing these acts when it is the society that demands it of them? Should we as a society be glorifying these acts or should we be idolizing the acts of those who stand against these wrongs and promote good causes like those that Ali believed in? People need to take a step back and reflect on what is truly important.

Nicco Gonzalez
Kin 332i TuTh 12:30-1:45

A Qualm About the NCAA

In our class we discussed plenty about Conflict Theory and the price of entry into sports, even though mainstream thought is that sports is a field were merit and hard work are the only factors. Sadly by the NCAA level, that price of entry is that much higher.

We pride our athletes on hard work and excelling in their sports, yet we expect them to eat right, sleep right, train right, study right, and still manage to go to work to make money to live. The current system burns out student-athletes. Yet we look down upon athletes who take money from people trying to help them out?

Even after winning a local 5k race, I had to deny taking a $100 gift card (which was the prize) because I was scared of what would happen. Would I lose my amateurism? Would that mean in the NCAA's eyes' that I was a professional athlete?

An athlete has worked so hard to get to this point, and even to get to this point they had to have had some financial help on the way but why is it that the NCAA puts so many restrictions on the athlete making it hard to live. Let athletes take prize money, let athletes be able to make money off their image, or the NCAA should at least pay them when use their image.

There are plenty of good things the NCAA does, and plenty of other bad things. This one was just on my mind.

-Gabriel Hilbert

Tuesday/ Thursday 12:30-1:45 pm

Kin 332i