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)