Final Reflections

My perception of US sport before taking this class was pretty generic. I only thought of the importance that sports play in US society but definitely didn't have any knowledge when taking a look at some of the issues we examined. My perception of US sports changed dramatically throughout the course. I never really thought about sports identities and culture up until now. One  discussion that stood out to me was when we debated whether college athletes should be paid or not. I had no idea how much money NCAA schools made and the conditions that athletes faced. This class has made me think differently about sports and will influence my perception of professional athletics. One skill that will be beneficial in my career is the ability to look past social norms and question the legitimacy of some of the social structures that define the way life is lived in America. I've already recommended this class to multiple friends and I hope they have the same experience as I did. 

Why the 'Mans Mans' Game is an Insult to Men

 

I think that sports are becoming a safer space for LGBT athletes. Recent movements toward to the acceptance of LGBT athletes have shown progress but still lack structure and support. We will see in the upcoming draft how teams respond to the coming out of athlete Michael Sam. Formulating a strategy that would create a more inclusive culture is difficult because we've never attempted to do so thus far. I think that it begins in middle and highschool and the atmosphere of the locker rooms. Additionally, I think that as American culture becomes more accepting of LGBT, sports will follow. The movie Training RUles exemplifies the ruthlessness that was once commonplace for coaches and players. Luckily times are changing and the general public is changing their viewpoint on same sex marriage and LGBT. Professional athletes are beginning to come out to the public, but we haven't seen a superstar athlete do so yet. Jason Collins came out and has seen some negative impacts regarding playing time and getting picked up by a team. Ultimately, the more athletes that are open about their sexuality will cause a chain reaction from other LGBT athletes as well as support from non LGBT athletes.

Sports and Ethnicity

Sports are significant to African Americans for many reasons. Like anyone else, sports are a way to express emotion and be competitive. Additionally, sports are a method to stay out of trouble and vehicle out of financial distress. Many African Americans see the opportunities that sports present and take full advantage. One hollywood film that stuck with me was Remember the Titans. The way African Americans were treated in that film seemed like a true portrayal of what occurred at the time. The team was able to overcome the constant racism and ultimately come together as a team.

Like Hoop Dreams, not too much was sugar coated. Sports might be damaging African Americans. More often than not professional sports are dominated by African Americans. In some sense it's preserving the myth of race, but these athletes are becoming scholastic role models that are changing the way people think about African Americans.

Real Women

The commercial I chose to examine was the "Greatness"fathead commercial featuring NFL linebacker Clay Matthews. There are countless blow up pictures of Clay in various poses, ranging from sack celebrations to actual modeling photos. Personally, I found it hilarious. But it does pose a problem with gender identities and relations. For instance, it reinforces the notion that men must be masculine creatures with huge bodies that everyone will want to have a life-size poster of. It also shows Clay in his "man cave" when he wants to see greatness. Young people are influenced by almost everything around them. Commercials like these embed the thought that men must be these emotionless humans while women are the ones in the kitchen making dinner. This creates a world in which people are afraid to deviate from the norm. But hey, I'd be a stay at home dad any day of the week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHfRR5c1yNo

Reflecting on the Shame of College Sports: Should NCAA Div 1 Basketball and Football players get paid?

In the article The Shame of College Sports, Taylor Branch examines the enormous amount of money that college athletes generate and offers a proposition to compensate athletes. He states that the SEC conference alone raked in over a billion dollars in receipts. Branch also takes note that the United States is the only country that hosts sports of higher institutes of education. He talks about the relationship between the NCAA and the member colleges and how the NCAA slaps big schools on the wrist as opposed to the historical death penalty that was once handed out.

The article How Big Time Sports Ate College Life by Laura Pappano provides reasoning on how paying college athletes would increase the problem of college athletic programs endless budgets. She states that the programs are becoming increasingly big. She argues how much emphasis schools place on their football and basketball programs, commonly canceling classes for sporting games.

I’ve always thought that college athletes should be compensated. The amount of money they make for the colleges should be reason enough to pay them. Additionally, many athletes come from families with financial issues. If not playing sports, these athletes could work part-time in order to support themselves. Going to practice over working 40 hours a week has serious repercussions.   

High School Sport

High school sports emerged in the 1900s. During that time, school was still modeled after the education system in England. There was muscular Christianity as well as the goal to develop a sense of legitimacy. Sports were a tool for marketing for high schools. The objectives of high school sport are to promote integrity and sportsmanship. Working hard to do well and succeed is also an objective of high school sport. The success of these objectives vary by school. My personal experience of high school sports aligned with the success of these objectives but I’ve had friends who had entirely different experiences.  Interscholastic sports and athletes have a high status in America. Athletes were often slapped on the wrists in high school when kids were getting expelled for similar offenses. Interscholastic sport creates a distraction for succeeding academically, excessive pressures to win, reinforces gender roles, and promote unsportsmanlike behavior. A solution to the problem of doing well in school could be setting a high national level of high school grade point average in order to participate in college sports.

Once the cheering stops: The life of a retired pro-athlete

Imagine being told what to do the last 10 years in your life, and then suddenly you’re granted with unlimited freedom. Some may jump with joy while others look to the sky for answers. Life of the retired athletes varies, but for the majority life itself takes a 180 degree turn. Those who have spent their earnings early in their career often find themselves in financial turmoil upon retirement. Furthermore, many athletes face numerous challenges during the transition from professional lives to their retired lives. For instance, athletes are left with little training and experience in the real world after retiring. Some believe they can just hop into broadcasting and be naturals, yet this is rarely the case. Athletes have not had much success integrating into the corporate world after retirement. It’s hard to enter the work force in your 30’s when others have been climbing the corporate ladder for over a decade.

I think the transition that athletes face is difficult by nature. Putting yourself in their shoes gives useful insight in examining this. Imagine living in the limelight during your career, making millions of dollars and recognized on a national and world stage. People expect you to drive a Ferrari and own a 5 million dollar mansion. Athletes spend huge portions of their earnings early on, conforming to US sports cultures. It’s hard to look twenty years down the road when you’re looking through the eyes of a superstar.

I have empathy for some of these athletes. Although they live the dream during their careers, life after retiring is difficult. I also understand the reckless spending athletes commonly exhibit. US sports culture elevates athletes to another level where they feel they are invincible. I watched the 30 for 30 “Broke” a couple months back and it changed my mind completely.  Many people are ill-informed on the issue.