Brittney Griner's Influence

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57409570/baylors-brittney-griner-a-generation-changer/

Brittney Griner, if not the unanimous choice for best female basketball player ever, she has to at least be in the conversation.  After leading her team, the Baylor Bears, to a perfect 40-0 record, which included a national championship, she has earned consideration without ever playing in the WNBA.  Her play has drawn incredible adoration, and according to this article, could change the sport.  Her play should influence many young women to compete in basketball, and will raise the level of play of the entire sport.  As we discussed in class on April 17th, female athletes do not receive as much commercial attention as male athletes.  Griner has a chance to break that mold with her advanced level of play, which will be a gigantic achievement for women's sports.

Coakley discusses women's sports at length in his text, and on page 240, he focuses on the increased media attention given to women's sports.  He states that as female athletes become more publicized as strong competitors, young girls can more easily see themselves as an athlete.  Brittney Griner fits this role possibly better than any previous female athlete, although there have been many great ones.  Griner can become the poster woman for aspiring female athletes everywhere.  Hopefully, her success and image will allow women's sports to thrive in the sports world.

Jeremy Lin: Breaking the Mold

http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/story/_/page/bryant-120222/the-jeremy-lin-phenomenon-opportunity-revisit-race-fairness-issues

Jeremy Lin's success in the 2012 NBA season has provided a good opportunity to investigate our racial tendencies toward Asian-Americans, a relatively rare occasion in American professional sports.  This article by Howard Bryant does just that.  In class on April 10th, we tackled the issue of race and ethnicity in sport. Our discussion revolved mostly around the study of African Americans in sport.  This article raises the point that we have been socialized to using more politically correct terms with regards to African-Americans.  However, it seems that we are not as socialized towards Asian-Americans in the same regard.  One example that Bryant raises involves Charles Barkley, an NBA analyst, calling Wang Zhizhi by the name "Wang Chung."  Wang Zhizhi was the first Asian player in the NBA, and he was the brunt of racism by an analyst.  Bryant contends that this is something we must work on as a whole, to stop wronging the Asian community.

Coakley discusses participation in sport among Asian Americans in his text on pages 302-305.  One topic he covers is prejudiced statements from athletes, similar to the Barkley example.  He cited prejudiced statements from Shaquille O'Neal and Jan Stevenson, a professional golfer.  Statements like these are somehow less frowned upon in society, because we have had less experience with them than with prejudices towards African Americans.  If athletes like Jeremy Lin, Yao Ming, Tiger Woods, Junior Seau, and Apolo Ohno can continue to show success as an Asian American athlete, then hopefully we will realize that these prejudices are just as bad as ones towards any other ethnicity or race.

Albert Pujols' Contract

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/7428226/albert-pujols-deal-completed-los-angeles-angels-worth-240m-10-years

In January, first baseman Albert Pujols signed a contract with the Los Angeles Angels.  This contract could end up being worth more than $268.75 million, including milestone achievements, awards, and other incentives.  In class on March 22nd, we discussed economics in sport.  One topic centered around the lack of a salary cap in Major League Baseball.  I believe that this is baseball's biggest flaw, as it only allows around five teams to compete on a yearly basis, simply because they have the resources to pay more for the best players.  Taking a look at team payrolls for the 2012 season, it is easy to see how teams like the Padres, Athletics, Royals, and Pirates are at a disadvantage when it comes to free agency.  Other organizations, like the Yankees, Angels, Red Sox, and Phillies have payrolls over three times the size of the lower teams.  When these teams can outbid for the best players, how can the small market teams expect to compete?

On page 382 of Coakley's text, he compare the average salaries of major American sports leagues to the median income for a US family.  In 1950, the average salary in MLB was $13,300 compared to a median income of $4,000--a gap of $9,300.  This is a ridiculous statistic, but it is dwarfed when looking at the differences in 2007/08.  The average player salary was $3,142,000 compared to $58,480 median income.  That is a gap of $3,083,520.  Pujols makes much more than the average salary.  The enormity of these contracts shows how commercialized sport has become.  At this point, athletes can almost be considered entertainers, and these athletes are financially rewarded for being the most entertaining.  Hopefully, Albert Pujols can entertain many people for a long time.

Racism in Sport: The White Wide Receiver

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/packers-receiver-jordy-nelson-yeah-being-white-helps-me-on-the-football-field/

In class on April 12th, we discussed the presence of racism in sport.  One topic we discussed was the traditional race logic in sport.  Traditional race logic consists of stereotyping the achievements of African American athletes as due to biology and natural athleticism.  This same mode of thinking attributes the success of white athletes to character, culture, hard work, and the organization.  This article cites an example of it as Jordy Nelson, a white wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, claims that being white is beneficial for him as a receiver.  He and his teammates claim this because opposing players tend to underrate his tremendous abilities.  If what we discussed in class is true, then what Nelson is claiming only adds more credibility to the discussion.  Race logic is present in sport, and is one of the issues we need to start rectifying.

In Coakley's text on pages 289-291, he discussed the topic of racial ideology.  Coakley contends that different races have different ideologies when it comes to sport participation.  This has resulted in the forming of ideas about "white sports" and "black sports."  He cites an example of a high school athlete who was elected the states best athlete in both basketball and football.  When asked which sport he would pursue, he answered football, claiming that it would be easier to make it as a 6-6 white quarterback than a white forward in basketball.  This is only one example of race ideology.  Jordy Nelson and other white wide receivers like Wes Welker have decided to go against this racial ideology and achieved great success, just as quarterbacks such as Warren Moon, Steve McNair, and Cam Newton have done.  It is great for the sport of football and for sport in America as a whole to see these ideological barriers being broken, but there is still much work to do.

Deviance in Sport-The Saints Bounty Hunting Program

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2012/03/sean-peyton-suspended-saints-fined-for-bounty-program/1#.T40zv6uJeVo

Head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton, along with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, have been recently punished for running a bounty program against opposing players in 2009.  In class on April 3rd, we discussed the deviance in sport.  One aspect of sporting deviance is violence.  This bounty program offers a clear example of violence in football.  The extent to which the NFL went to punish those involved with this program shows their desire to eliminate unnecessary violence from the game.  Sean Payton was suspended for one year without pay, while Williams has been suspended indefinitely.  In addition, the Saints organization has been fined $500,000 and has had two second round draft picks taken away.  The severity of these punishments hopefully will lead to the reduction of deviant violence in football.

In Coakley's text on page 199, he discusses the violence as a norm in sport.  He contends that as athletes are socialized, they are taught consistently to do violent acts.  Young athletes are taught to hit as hard as possible and to use the body as a weapon.  As seen in the case of this Saints bounty program, the norms continue in the professional level, however, monetary rewards are now a factor.  The bounty program is without a doubt an atrocity to the sport of football, but it is possible that this type of violence has become socialized to the point of being a norm in today's game.

Ryan Braun and Drug Testing Protocol

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7608360/milwaukee-brewers-ryan-braun-wins-appeal-50-game-suspension

In class on April 5th, we discussed drug testing in sports.  MLB, one of the most criticized leagues in terms of steroid use, now penalizes players using PED's with a fifty game suspension for a first offense, a one hundred game suspension for a second offense, and a lifetime ban for a third offense.  This system, which was implemented in 2004.  A player with a positive drug test has never successfully appealed a drug test, until recently, when reigning National League MVP Ryan Braun won his appeal.  Facing a fifty game suspension, Braun offered an argument which revolved around the procedures that resulted in the negative result.  Braun explained that the delivery of the test was flawed, and did not follow protocol set forth in the collective bargaining agreement.  Because of this, the test could not be used to incriminate Braun.  Braun also vehemently denies the accusations and claims he has never taken PED's.  If drug testing is going to be a large part of sports, it has to be done the correct way to avoid situations like these.

In Coakley's text on page 185, he discussed the controversy around drug testing as a deterrent in sport.  One of his topics contended that drug testing is necessary in sport in order to achieve a balanced playing field.  In the case of Braun, winning the MVP shows that he has a level of play greater than many players around him.  However, with the controversial drug test, some may be inclined to believe that he is indeed playing on an unbalanced field, with him gaining an advantage.  Others, taking Braun's point of view, believe that he is innocent and playing fair along with everyone else.  Either way, as this situation shows, testing is a controversial subject, and in order to avoid this type of confusion again, protocols need to be clarified and followed to the letter of the law.

Sports and Politics: Together Forever

http://www.thepilot.com/news/2011/mar/13/sports-and-politics-have-always-been-intertwined/

Dating back to the Ancient Greece Olympic Games, politics and sport have been intertwined.  In class on March 1st, we talked about the connection between sport and politics.  Politics have become a part of sport by making laws for the public safety, to promote fitness by the Presidential physical fitness award, and to foster diplomatic relationships such as table tennis diplomacy with China, among others.  In his text, Coakley discusses these ideas, along with some others such as to promote nationalism, foster economic development, or reproduce political ideals.

Other examples of sport and politics cited in this article include the Nazi Olympics, which occurred in 1936 as Adolf Hitler attempted to use the Olympics as a platform to political power.  Olympic boycotts have also been used as political tools, such as the Moscow boycott in 1980, which America organized to show displeasure towards the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.  Theodore Roosevelt was a large part of sports in the early 1900's, demanding rules in football and leading to the formation of the NCAA.  Many former sport stars such as Jesse Ventura and Lynn Swann have run for public office, using their popularity as sports figures to gain support.  Congress has been involved in baseball's steroids investigation and the US government spends nearly $30 million in sponsorships to NASCAR teams.  It is clear from all of these examples that sport and politics are a relationship that will never be broken, for better or worse.

Budget Cuts: Analysis of the Benefits of Youth Sport

http://www.eastbayri.com/news/2012/mar/01/cutting-sports-will-erode-community/

In class on February 16th, we discussed the benefits of youth sport.  These benefits include developing and maintaining fitness, preparation for adulthood, learning values and interactive skills, and opportunities for leadership.  In lieu of government budget cuts, many school districts are finding it necessary to eliminate youth sport.  In this article, it is described how the East Providence school district was one of these schools.  This community decided to hold a public forum to explain their grievances with these cuts.  They cited how youth sports teach the value of teamwork, give young children a positive role model, and bring the community together for a common cause.

Coakley devotes an entire chapter of his text to youth sports.  In this chapter, he outlines some of the reasons why youth sport is an important part of our society.  Youth sports provide a way for children to "stay off the street" and avoid trouble.  Coaches can become a role model and positive adult connection for the rest of a child's life.  Sports teach children life lessons that our culture hold in high regard, such as teamwork and hard work.  For these reasons, this East Providence community is correct.  Youth sports should not be eliminated, as they form an integral part of the fabric of our society.

Tebowmania: Reflection of American Sport Values

One of the most popular and polarizing athletes of the past football season was quarterback of the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow.  The super-Christian athlete underwent massive scrutiny and adoration as he led his team to the playoffs and a first round victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.  In Coakley's text, he describes ideologies as an underlying set of ideas that drive our actions.  He then proceeds to explain that sports only help to reaffirm these ideologies.  In class on February 2nd, we discussed many of the values of American culture.  Tebow has become such a popular figure because he displays the epitome of these values.  Success.  Work ethic.  Humanitarianism.  These are only some of the attributes that Tebow displays every time he steps onto the field or in front of a camera.

In today's economically distressed time, these values have become an even more important part of the fabric of American society.  Tim Tebow sets an example of success in this world.  When many people are jobless or struggling to get by, this athlete shows what it takes to be a success.  He gives fans hope that they too can overcome the odds and make it in the world.  This is why he is such a popular sports figure.

Hurricane Katrina and the Saints: Why America Studies Sport

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/sports/football/24saints.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

In class on January 26th, we discussed several reasons why America studies sport.  These reasons include our values and morals, such as progress, equality, freedom and nationalism.  Coakley describes how sports provide tales that inspire and provide people opportunities to use the stories sport provides to make sense of the situations surrounding them.  When Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans in 2005, the Saints, and new quarterback Drew Brees, had an opportunity to showcase a number of these values.  They took full advantage of the opportunity.  Brees and the Saints responded by going to the NFC Championship game in the first season, and later to win a Super Bowl.  The team acted as a healing entity for the entire city, pulling people together and giving them a common interest to support.  Many citizens have stated that the Saints gave them something to live for and a reason to keep going.  For this reason, Brees and the Saints can be seen as heroes to the city of New Orleans.

This is just an example of the power that sports hold in our society.  They are able to give people hope and drive by creating a nearly mythical story line.  Communities, cities, and even the entire country has shown that sports can pull people together for a common cause, leading to restoration and healing.  With these positives, it is clear why Americans have such a deep rooted love for sports of all kinds.