Does the guarantee hold anything in sports anymore

Just watched the cleveland Orlando game after Mo williams "guaranteed" a victory. Orlando won and nothing seemed different in what Williams did. How overblown is a guaranteed statement in sports now? does it really mean anything? Shouldn't we be under the impression that an athlete goes into a game thinking they will win for sure and give their top performance under any circumstance? I can understand what it sort of meant went Joe Namath did it in super bowl III because no one gave them a chance, and Namath showing confidence was kind of forbidden at the time. But with guarantees in seemingly every other playoff series now, they seem really stupid because athletes just say them for virtually no purpose. Unless you plan on pulling a Messier in the 94 playoffs and score the game tieing and game winning goals (i believe), after guaranteeing a victory, don't bother. All your doing it needlessly drawing attention to yourself that does not add anything to what you or your team does.

Teamwork Assignment -- Watch a game!

Over the next 5 nights, watch at least 2 sporting events where teamwork could be evident. Compare the two in regards to the following:

1) Which game/event offered the greatest glimpse at teamwork? Why? What was the result for the TEAM that displayed the most teamwork?

2) Why was one team more successful than another? Explain.

3) Which team had the greatest individual athlete? What makes that athlete great?

This is due on Tuesday, May 26th.
Worth 12 points (4 per answer)

Remember the Titans -- Teamwork

Teamwork
A productive team has players that share common goals, a common vision and have some level of interdependence that requires both verbal and physical interaction. Teams come into existence through shared attitudes about a particular sport. They may come together for a number of different reasons, but their goals are the same - to achieve peak performance and experience success. The ends may differ but the means by which one gets there is the same - teamwork. Every member of the team is accountable when it comes to teamwork.

Questions
1. What is the most difficult aspect of playing for a team? Why?

2. What is the best team you have ever played for? Why was that team successful? What did you enjoy about playing for that team?

3. How would you describe yourself as a team member? Do you, honestly, think that you are a good or bad team member?

Answer these on a SEPERATE SHEET OF PAPER!!!
Due on WEDNESDAY, MAY 20th.
WORTH 15 POINTS!

Do you change?

After watching the Ping Pong Tournament over the past 2 days, congrats again Horn, did you recognize any major changes in yourself when it came to the competition? Are you more or less competitive than the other students in the class? What do you notice about yourself when you compete in anything? Are you a good competitor? Or bad? Be honest!

Worth 5 Points Post Below

A picture that summarizes Kevin Garnett's griminess

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/assets_c/2009/04/31243301H12629449-thumb-660x670-6492.jpg

Definition Paper-Project, Poster, Newspaper, etc.

This assignment is meant to be a bit vague as I want to get a better understanding of your definition of the various elements of literature that we have discussed over the course of the semester.

Requirements
PAPER=1 pg., double-spaced, pictures must be included (length should be adjusted)
POWERPOINT=5 slides, text on each slide w/ pictures
NEWSPAPER/PUBLICATION=2 pgs, pictures included, layout will be judged

Definition should be based on YOUR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS about the topic you've selected. This can include, but is not limited to, the impact it has on the sport, the definition you assign to it, and how it has possible changed. This is a combination of a couple of the assignments we have done thus far.

TOPICS
Sports
Media
Cheerleaders
Love of the Game
Fans
Entertainment Value
Sports as an Artform
Sports Idols
Sports Economy
Cheaters
Evolution of Sport...why it has evolved/changed?
Importance of Sports

WORTH 20 POINTS

NFL Draft Move to Prime Time

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/nfl/draft/stories/042809dnspogosselin.1183d684a.html

what do you guys think? I personally love the draft but I know alot of people who hate it and think it's extremly boring

Kevin Garnett..Who are you?

He sits on the bench and talks more smack than anybody on the court, AND HE'S NOT EVEN PLAYING! This is folowed by last years famous line "Anything Is Possible" which had to be screamed into the microphone after they won. Kevin Garnett...You are a scumbag.

Rookie QB Bust

I was watching E60 on the Matthew Stafford story with him and his "makeover" and I was wondering who will be the biggest bust of the QB's in this years draft? (Stafford, Sanchez, or Freeman) I think it was Todd McShay who said that Statford was going to be the biggest bust and I think it as Mel Kiper who said Mark Sanchez was going to be the biggest bust, I probably am wrong with who said what.

Don't forget to answer the homework assignment below

Fred Snodgrass

What is the most unrelenting of sports? Why? Which sport, ultimately, is the most lasting in one's life? What do sports provide to the aging athlete?

5 points for your response.

Fred Snodgrass

What is the most unrelenting of sports? Why? Which sport, ultimately, is the most lasting in one's life? What do sports provide to the aging athlete?

5 points for your response.

Tom Izzo: The Humanitarian

READ HOMEWORK BELOW THIS POST

But, Tom Izzo does it all. He's a humanitarian, he's a coach, and he dances.

http://deadspin.com/5223526/tom-izzo-to-make-musical-theater-fans-les-miserables

Your Sports and the Future

Looking at baseball through the eyes of Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is truly a remarkable thing. Ray is so in love with the game that it is difficult for him to truly love anything else as much...with the exception of maybe his family.

What will your favorite sport look like in 100 years? What will people say about your favorite sport and this time in history? Will it be a revered era in sports or just another 25 year piece of the puzzle? Are you saddened by this era in sports?

Respond on-line for 5 points.

Chicago Sports Day

BE SURE TO SEE ASSIGNMENT ONE POST DOWN!

I can't remember a better day in Chicago Sport's History. While clearly title wins are exciting, a can't remember a time where the city of Chicago experience so many great/thrilling Chicago wins in one day.

Blackhawks-Down 2-0 early to the Flames, the Hawks and their young stars clawed back for a 3-2 to win for a 2-0 series lead. Toews and Kane are about as exciting as any tandem in the playoffs. Just incredible!!!!

Bulls-Derek Rose! Can you believe this guy? Not only did they defeat the defending champions 105-102 in Overtime, but a rookie from the streets of 'Chicago' scored 36 points on 12-of-19 shooting for one of the best rookie playoff performances in NBA history. WOW!

Cubs-Reeling late into the game, the Cubs hit their way back into an early season Saturday matchup with Central foe St. Louis. Great walk-off homerun by Aramis! It's about time he looked inspired for the Cubies this year. Great game! \

Sox-8-2 win and another good outing for Buehrle. Carlos Quentin continued to look like last year wasn't a fluke.

BONUS SPORTS GOODIES
Fremd Softball - Outscored the Cary-Grove Trojans 18-1 in 12 inning double-header sweep.
Fremd Gymnastics - Fourth place finish at York Invite on the back of Dante Digangi's third place finish in the vault.
Fremd Volleyball -Lost to Addison Trail in the third place game at the Schaumburg Invite. The Schaumburg Invite is always one of the most competitive tournaments in the NW Suburbs. Fourth place out of eight completely respectable.
Fremd Student Body- Johnny Kent watches 17 hours of Tom Izzo coaching tapes and MSU Final Four clips, and Ben Perna pantomimes a wrestling match against Dan Gabel (Iowa wrestling coach and legend).

Field of Dreams Day 1

Okay, so we were clearly supposed to be watching A League of their Own, but I can change up the blog questions to match Field of Dreams.

Directions: Answer the following question with a comment below in at least 3-5 sentences. When you were a kid, what one sport or athlete gave you the most inspiration to sink the final shot, hit the winning homerun, catch the touchdown, pass the leader at the turn, etc.

Due by the end of the movie!!!

Worth 10 points.

For me it was always Marino or Elway. If I was playing with my brother Justin, I was Elway and he was Marino (Justin was always bigger and not as agile). I admired the way these seemingly timeless quarterbacks managed the players on the field, the game they were playing, and the nerves they were fighting. Nothing was as poetic to me, still nothing is, as a game-winning drive. Their ability to directly impact the game, regardless of the other teams impact was spectacular to watch. Now, Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb entertain me in the same way. Don't get me wrong, Brady is great, but I just have never liked pretty boys quite as much as the grittier, more traditional quarterbacks.

Manning=throwback qb. McNabb=throwback qb with style.

Nicknames

As the end of the year comes closer it's time to put into action what I've been suggest for some name, nicknames for everyone in the class.

ESPN Chicago

ESPN launched their Chicago website. They chose one city to make a website for, and it was Chicago. It is ESPN coverage for every Chicago team. Check it out.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/index

Past, Present or Future

If you could choose an era of sports in which to live, which would you choose and why? Be sure to cite examples from the era in your response. Which athletes would be important to you? Why? What was your favorite team like? What has changed since that era?

Eras to Consider
Pre WWII
Post WWII
Civil Rights and the Desgregation Era
The Wild 60s and 70s
The Conservative 80s
The Overpaid 90s/Steroid Era
TODAY

After answering the above questions, consider the following question for discussion tomorrow.
What is the future of sports going to look like?

Jack Kerouac -- Vanity of the Gridiron

Directions: Answer the following questions on a seperate piece of paper in at least 5 sentences per response. Each response is worth 5 points.

1) The Dracut Tigers Field, as described by John L. Duluoz, was quite the place to be for sandlot football games. Describe a place that has a similar feel for you. Be sure to dramatize the place and bring it to life with descriptions similar to those used by Kerouac in the story.

"So here comes this mob of carefree men and boys too, even girls and quite a few mothers, hiking a mile across the meadow of Dracut Tigers Field just to see their boys play football in an up-and-down uneven field with no goalposts, measured off for a hundred yards more or less by a pine tree on one end and a peg on the other."

2) Using words directly from the text, describe the football games played at the 'sandlot'. What were the games like? What role does Duluoz play in the game?

3) Using the quote below and others from the text, explain the meaning of the title.

"For instance at one point, after throwing a block for Biff Quinlan, I look up from the ground and see his big feet plowing onward about 20 yards with his head down, over the goal line, knocking kids aside in every direction. And a few plays later, to show off to my father and remind him again, some poor Garden City kid is waltzing around his left end precisely as Halmalo had done, but he a stranger in this case, I pull the same trick, come up full speed, low, get inside his interference and hit him head on in a legitimate and clean tackle at the knees that knocks him back ten feet. Off the field on a stretcher.

Now I begin to feel bad about football and war. And showing off. But after the game (HM 27, Garden City 0) my father is beaming and all delighted. "Come on Jacky me boy, we're going out and hit the town tonight." So we go down to Jack Delaney's steak restaurant on Sheridan Square, myself little knowing how much time I was destined to spend around that Square, in Greenwich Village, in darker years, but tenderer years, to come."

Sports that Inspire

Which sport, of any that we've talked about, has the athletes that are the most interested in playing for the love of the game? Which athletes, today, are the ones that seem to actually care about the game?

NCAA Yahoo! Pool

We'll figure out some type of a prize in class, but for now, let's just say it's for pride! For most of you in this class, PRIDE is enough to make this a pretty good time!

Go to Yahoo!
Create a Username and Password (if you don't have one)
Go to Fantasy Sports
Join the NCAA Bracket Pick-em
Our Group ID# is 147584
Our Password is vikings

Get in soon! Let's see who can get it done!

Friday Recap and Monday Activities

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend. I've been amazed by a few sports things this weekend, we'll talk about them on Monday,but I felt like my weekend had a great start because of class on Friday. I hope you enjoyed the coaches panel as much as I did. Some have said they'd like to do it again, I'm all for that. I'd like to invite some different coaches, but I'd like to have Ms. Larson, Mrs. Vlaming, and Mr. Hinojosa back again.

Anyhow, I wanted to solicit some information from you before class on Monday.

Here's what I am asking (simply comment below):

1) If we had a coaches panel again, what topics would you like to see addressed and by whom (which coaches)?

2) What one sporting event makes your 'weekends' worth it? I'm talking about all weekends, all year, no matter what the event is.

3) Something to think about: Who is the greatest athlete in Illinois history? They can be native "Illinoisans" or just athletes from Illinois teams. This may take a bit of searching on your part, but that's okay, do what you can.

See you tomorrow!!!!

By the way, 5 points of extra credit to whomever goes to a Fremd Sporting Event this week. You must stay for the entire event, and you must actually have a coach sign an attendance verification form. We can talk about this tomorrow. I just wanted to tell you know so that you may plan accordingly.

I just saw the greatest high school basketball game

I traveled up to Waukegan High School tonight for the craziest sectional final I've ever seen.

Game was completely back and forth during the entire game with crazy runs and shots both ways. Warren had the ball with 8 seconds left and were coming out of a timeout down 2. Illinois recruit Brandon Paul was fouled and went to the line and swished all three free throws to give Warren the one point lead with 4 seconds left. Waukegan than quickly got down the floor and with about 2 seconds left, Jereme Richmond (of being ejected but getting out of the suspsension fame), spotted up from just inside of half court (I couldn't believe he had settled for that shot) and knocked down the shot to give Waukegan the 71-69 victory. 

Richmond finished with 31 while Paul finished with 27 in an absolutely fantastic dual of superstars. Warren was actauly up 15 after the first quarter but waukegan stormed back with an incredible second quarter and was up about 6 or 8 going into half. Waukegan was up by as many as about 9 in the third when Paul took over and hit a bunch of shots including a couple of threes with guys right in his face to bring Warren back and give them the lead midway through the 4th. Just an incredible game all around even before the ending.

Absolutely crazy game in an incredible atmoshphere. Waukegan's gym serioulsy feels straight out of Hoosiers and was completley standing room only about 45 minutes prior to gametime. All through the town there were banners saying "Go Bulldogs" which made it pretty cool. So loud as both schools are from the north shore and Waukegan's community really gets behind their team. Never been in a place that was as loud as it was at certain points during the game, really a special place. I could seriously not imagine any place that could be as good as that one. The game had tremendous amount of hype and sold out a day before and the game clearly lived up completely to the hype. Just an insane place to be.

Sports Panel Discussion Questions

Wow, I didn't think the Vick discussion would have that kind of life today -- not bad! I still think he's got some atoning to do before he should be allowed to re-enter society. Then again, I think the entire penal system is a joke!

Anyhow, tomorrow is our coaches panel discussion. You need to create at least 2 questions for the panel tomorrow. Questions should be non-specific (no questioning of coaches decisions, Fremd specific questions, etc.).

Your questions should focus on the following:

• Sports Culture (sport specific)
• The Changing Sports Landscape (how have athletes changed over the years, the sports they play, etc.)
• How has the role of the coach changed?
• How has the role of society changed?
• What impact has the media had on sports?
• Favorite Players and Coaches? Why?

REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSIGNMENT (3 point assignment)
Bring in at least 2 questions for the coaches on a piece of paper. Be aware that they are to be treated with the utmost respect. I will NOT hesitate to send you to your administrator if you are out of line.

Breaking News Richmond allowed to play wednesday

http://yourseason.suntimes.com/1468056,030909-richmond-will-play.article

Again, just because he is a superstar this happened. Dad got all the Illini bloggers to email the IHSA. If it had been anyone else there's no way this is overturned. What does this really say about high school athletics? Apparantely it is now professional sports where you can appeal every call. What kind of precedent does this set from now on in IHSA? Thoughts?

Sports and Politics - Issues Within

Here are your homework assignments for this weekend. These are due on Monday, March 9th (this Monday). These assignments should take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Start them today and you'll be done by the time you'd like to go out with your friends tonight.
These are worth 25 points each. Remember that you only have to do one project (obviously the one your team earned).

Please take note of the fact that the word supported in Projects 2 and 3 is bolded and italicized. This means that you need to find alternate sources to aid your completion of the paper. I don't need a work cited page, but please bring me in the title of your source (website, book, encyclopedia, etc.).

Only post questions about the assignment.
YOU MUST TURN IN THE ASSIGNMENT ON A SEPERATE SHEET OF PAPER.

Project 1 – Team 4 TENNIS COURT FOOTBALL CHAMPS
List three examples of issues in high school sports. It can deal with anything from the games they play or how they impact the lives of high school athletes (think grades, social lives, health, etc.). Write 5-7 sentences for each example. Actually find information to support your responses.

Project 2 – Team 2 TENNIS COURT FOOTBALL RUNNER-UP
In a one page supported paper, describe the impact of desegregation on sports during the 1900s. What issues were brought about because of desegregation? What major hurdles did the first non-Caucasian athletes have to deal with? What has desegregation done for sports? Are sports truly color blind? Why or why not? Combine all of these questions into a well-written response.

Project 3 – Teams 1 & 3 TENNIS COURT FOOTBALL BOTTOM-FEEDERS
In a one page supported paper, define what Title IX is, how it has impacted sports, and what your opinion on Title IX is. Many people regard Title IX as a major piece of legislation that has positively impacted sports. Others believe that Title IX has negatively impacted sports by removing opportunities for male athletes.

Sports - Definition and Impact

Interesting discussion today, but I was left wondering what truly constitutes a sport. The confusing aspect of the definition of sports is whether or not something that is a competition and requires some athletic skill is truly a sport (cheerleading, car racing, horse racing, bowling, etc).

My gut is to say NO, but there are arguments to be made.

With that said, post a response reflecting on what OUR SOCIETY believes to be sport. Consider all aspects. Also, how can sports change our society? Explain the impact.

REQUIREMENTS
Comment at least twice (2x): One with your thoughts and one that responds to the comment of another.

This is worth 5 points.

Sports
An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.

Athletic (adjective)
1. physically active and strong; good at athletics or sports: an athletic child.
2. of, like, or befitting an athlete.
3. of or pertaining to athletes; involving the use of physical skills or capabilities, as strength, agility, or stamina: athletic sports; athletic training.

Athlete (noun)
A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

Reflexions on Writers Week

Post on anything you saw that was really cool and worth the experience.
Why did you like it and do you think this person or multiple of people should come back?

Interesting news - Dennis 'Oil Can' Boyd attempting a comeback

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/02/15/oil-can-boyd-49-wants-a-comeback/

February 12th -- Cinematic Impact

Considering the impact that sports movies has on sports fans, what has the role of sports-themed movies been on our culture/society? How has Hollywood changed the way sports media cover events (games, athlete features, etc.)? Consider shows like the Sports Reporters, Outside the Lines, and the various radio stations in our area. Also, how have magazines shifted their focus as a result of the visual media and cinema?

TASK
The idea here is to write a 2-3 page description of sports coverage and the impact visual media/representation has had on its development. The questions above are meant to direct your disection of this topic. This should be a well-written, developed paper on this topic. Consider the articles we've looked at(read), we've discussed, the movies we watched, and your viewing of sports coverage and media.

Requirements
*2-3 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins all-around
*Introduction (w/ topic sentence)
*Body Sections (w/examples from the things we've read, what we watched, and what you've seen)
*Conclusion (w/ complete review and wrap-up of topics from the paper)

DUE ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20th.

Fully investigate the impact of visual representations on sports culture.

Use the comment portion of this post to share ideas, questions, and suggestions on this paper! Help each other out! We are a class/team in this endeavor. HELPING EACH OTHER IS OKAY!!!!!

February 10th -- Themes in Sports Lit and Movies

From what you've seen so far in The Natural, what themes appear to be the same between the non-fiction we've read so far and the movie? This will require that you use your "literary" knowledge that you've developed over the years in English class. If you choose to use the internet to discover elements from THE MOVIE, be sure that you aren't simply copying down info about the Bernard Malamud classic of the same name (yes, the movie is based off the book, but is not the same).

TASK: Discover themes in the movie that are similar to what we've read thus far. Jot down at least 3 themes on a piece of paper and a short description of how they apply to the movie and literature so far. This is due on Thursday and is worth 15 points (5 points per theme, 1 point of extra credit for each additional).

Good luck!

Great Sports Movies-Classics Old & New

Today in class we watched the first thirty minutes of arguably one of the greatest baseball movies of all time -- arguments for Field of Dreams, Bang the Drum Slowly, and Bull Durham can be made. With that said, if you were choosing a movie for us to watch in class, which movie would you choose and why? After looking at the list I've constructed, select a movie of your own (from my list or one off of the list) and then comment below. Name the movie and then explain your choice. This is worth 5 points. We'll vote in class.

The legacy of athletes

We talked briefly today about weather or not Brett Favre's legacy was tarnished by playing for the Jets. While I personally think Favre will regain his legandary title from the casual fan over time, it is very debatble. Michael Jordan did a similar thing by trying to play for Washington after his retirement. Roger Clemens left Boston after 13 seasons, was traded from Toranto to New York, and then came out of retirement three times to play for the Astros and came out of retirement AGAIN to play for the Yankees AGAIN. Rickey Henderson was probably the ultimate team jumper. Henderson played for the A's, Yankees, Padres, Blue Jays, Angels, Mets, Mariners, Red Sox, and Dodgers, before ending his career playing in the minors in an independent league. So are any of these players legacies damaged? Does frequently hoping between teams make your career accomplishmnets any less? Or does the play on the field matter more than the uniform an athlete is wearing?

Would Michael Jordan be recruited today?

We talked in class yesterday about how high school athletes are being recruited earlier and earlier. It seems like if your not a stud as a freshman or sophomore there goes any really good chance of playing at a high level program. It's almost like a huge factor is what age a kid goes through a growth spurt. That being said, many know the story of Michael Jordan "being cut" from his high school basketball team. What that really was, was that Jordan was on the JV team as a sophomore rather than the varsity. Jordan really did not fill into his body, growing six inches, until junior and senior year when he dominated for Laney High School and we all know what happened from there. My question is, would MJ have had any chance of getting serious looks in today's age? I imagine as a JV team member he was not on any recrutiing radar heading into his junior year. It's crazy to think that if the greatest player of all time had played in one generation later, he might not have even gotten off the ground.

February 4th Assignment -- Sports Aphorisms

Aphorism Assignment
Sports aphorisms are used to inspire, intimidate, and remind athletes of certain expectations.

Definition...
1. tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion; an adage.
2. A brief statement of a principle.

For this assignment, find a sports aphorism and list it here on this webpage by commenting below. Be sure to include the aphorism itself, the author, and the context in which it was stated.
You cannot use the same aphorism as someone else.

This assignment is worth 10 points. Be sure to bring the aphorism with you to class tomorrow.

EXAMPLE
"It ain't braggin' if you can back it up!"
Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dizzy Dean, 1930-1941

Dean used this quote many times throughout his career to justify his trash talk, which he was famous for. During the 1934 season, Dean went 30-7 with the St. Louis Cardinals and led the league in shutouts, wins, and complete games. The next 30-game winner did not come until 1968. He was a four time 20-game winner throughout his career en route to his Hall of Fame induction in 1953.

Disabilities in Sports

At what point should people with disabilities such as missing limbs, mute, visual impaired, hearing impaired, etc... not be allowed to compete with athletes without disabilities? For example the 400m runner without legs from South Africa, a high school football player from the South played defensive tackle in high school but he didn't have any legs, should kids in wheelchairs be able to play little league. Hersey High school has deaf students competing in all the sports offered, should this be allowed or does this risk injury to themselves and others because they can't hear a whistle to stop play?

Favorite Stadiums

Nothing makes a game better than being in your favorite stadium.

MLB: Old Busch Stadium (By far the best place I've watched a baseball game, the arch in the background, the desgin of the stadium, and big mac land)

NHL: United Center (I've been to a game in Ottawa and Toronto and it still doesn;t beat the hawks games nowadays. the best national anthem in all of sports is at a hawks game)

NBA: I've only been to a Bulls, Pacers, and bucks game, none of which were impressive

NFL: Only been to a bears game

NCAAF: Johhny Kent's favorite, MICHIGAN STADIUM. any place that holds 107,000 people and leaves its doors open in the off season is unbelievable.

Others:
-Olympic Stadium in Lake Placid, New York where the miracle on ice took place
-The Globe in Stockholm, Sweden. Craziest/most unique architecture ive ever seen, when you walk in it feels like your walking into a ufo, and it is visible throughout the entire city

Overrated Teams

Many sporting teams either professional or collegiate are often giving a lot of respect because of their name. Which teams get the most unearned respect and why?

Feb. 2nd Comments

Great job today with discussion. The fire drill was quite annoying, but you did a good job nevertheless. As for tomorrow, I won't be in class so you'll have a sub. You've got some reading to do in class, as well as a bit of summarizing from the articles you were given on Friday. We'll see you tomorrow!

HERE'S A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU:

Does Michael Phelps, as an Olympic athlete, have more of a responsibility to be a role model than Tom Brady, Alex Rodriguez, Tiger Woods, etc.?

Sports Roundtable II - Feb. 2nd

There will be questions for you to use tomorrow, but here is a short topic list for your use in order to prepare for tomorrow.

1) What is it about sports that makes watching so compelling?

2) Do we follow sports for the athletes? (Give examples of the athletes that you'd pay to see.)

3) Do we follow sports for the competition? (Give examples of games that support this.)

4) What one sports is the most compelling? Why?

Enjoy the Super Bowl! Tomorrow should be fun.

EXTRA CREDIT: Write a paragraph about your favorite commercial from the Super Bowl. (5-10 points)

Great Fan Moment

Check this out if you have some free time tonight or tomorrow. Not a great column, but a tremendous story!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3864246

Is Scott Boras good or bad for baseball?

Here we are nearing the start of February and Manny Ramirez is still teamless. His agent, the infamous Scott Boras, is still looking for big bucks and more years for the aging slugger. Is Scott Boras having a negative impact on free agency and baseball? Would Manny have a team if he had a different agent? And most importantly, does Boras think for his clients?

NCAA for revenue or raising better student athletes?

What is the point of the NCAA? Do colleges have sports in hope of gaining money and getting publicity to draw students to their schools? Or is it to develop capable athletes as better people as well as creating school spirit and loyality?

WBC-World Baseball Classic

Thoughts on the World Baseball Classic?

Two years ago the WBC was played with star-studded line-ups, but many of those players experienced a very serious sluggish start at the beginning of the MLB season. Worse yet, some of those players ran out of gas by mid-season. While baseball needs to become a global sport as it was in the late 80s and through much of the 90s, the WBC seems to instead be creating major conflicts with the MLB and its owners. Nice idea. Bad timing. Baseball must first heal at home before global fans will return. I have more thoughts, but would like to hear yours. Thoughts?

Assignment BLOGS

Find a Sports Blog. Any Sports Blog. Once you have done so, join the blog and begin posting on the site.

Once you've familiarized yourself with the site, write a 1-page, double-spaced description of the site in the same way that we used the Media Differences chart in class. But, adding to that chart, summarize the blog and its authors as an introduction to the paper.

Be sure to write the title and address of the blog on the top line of the page. Then, include just your name and the date in two separate lines. Begin writing immediately following the address.

Be sure to comment on THIS post and add the blog address to the list I've started.

This is worth 10 points.

Sports Discussion - January 2009

Welcome to Advanced Topics in Literature: Sports.

Sports Literature is emphatically not about child's play or diversion; it is a ground on which one meets personally, and learns values about work, family, politics, and the culture that is America.

Sports illuminate and transform a society. Sports change lives, affect politics, fuel our economy, and shape our culture. The American Dream is personified in our champions, in the records they set and the barriers they break. The dynamic interaction of athletes, fans, and the media produces inexplicable loyalties, lasting legends, and revered heroes. The greatest champions stand for more than the records they break. They stand for the barriers they shatter—physical, social, psychological, racial, cultural—and change the way we think about our world.