6. Sports and Politics: Santorum Races For First In The Polls

In week 6 our discussion in class hit upon the different way politics affects the world of sport.  Whether it is the different governments within the sports or rules and regulations a country has towards sports, there is no way of getting around politics in sports.  Countries use them to show the power and superiority they have over others especially seen in the Olympics.  I was eager to talk about this issue after hearing and reading about the 2012 elections coming up.  With the tight race for the Republican candidacy sports are being used by the candidates to get their names out to the people and show they are just like the voters.  Romney has become the perfect example of this but has screwed up by using it.  Not thinking before he speaks by saying things about the Super Bowl or most recently the Daytona 500 people are seeing him completely opposite of what he wanted. 

But at the Daytona 500 Santorum also showed up to the race using a better idea to spread his name.  Rick Santorum actually sponsored a car in the race hoping to gain support from NASCAR fans.  In the article I found although rather short is perfect in example Santorum’s attitude towards the elections and also what he did.  With his campaign message on the hold of Tony Raines’ car Santorum spoke with Tony giving his words of wisdom to winning.  Staying back in the pack watching the front runners crash and burn letting you slide past to win is the easiest way Santorum thinks a person can win in NASCAR races as well as in the elections.

I don’t think Santorum’s statement is very accurate looking at his campaigning.  He has been the one targeting and battling with the other candidates doing whatever he can to win.  By putting his name on the car I felt was a smart move rather then saying he is friends with NASCAR owners (Romney) and does put his name in the minds of NASCAR fans that watched the Daytona 500.  Being early in the polls and also spring sport seasons I guarantee the Republican candidates and even Obama will be out throwing the first pitch or seen sitting at games talking with people until the primaries are done and even after.

Article: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/26/santorum-sponsors-car-at-daytona-500-hopes-for-metaphorical-victory/

5. Sports and Education: Rutgers Faculty Getting Angry

Over week 5 we concentrated on sports within education and programs teaching young athletes.  High Schools are a major part of an athlete’s life finding what they like and what they want to play.  Only a microscopic percent of athletes actually play outside of high school so for most people it is the highlight of their sporting careers where they can feel important and participate.  For the athletes who make to college and professional sports, they have to be the best of the best and willing to put everything into the sport played. 

Problems with young athletes playing sports during their education are facts like not paying attention to school and taking money away from the education parts and not the athletic ones.  The article I found was a recent battle in Rutgers where the faculty has had enough at the college with the changes happening like bigger classes in run down buildings not being repaired.  Another big problem they are having is with frozen salaries and cuts happening in a lot of important groups.  Board members at the University have fought back saying that the athletic programs only take around 1 percent from the budget and has cut $1 million from them already this year.  The football and basketball programs generate a lot to support themselves and compete in the Big East with other good universities.  Given the prestige from these sports the school is recognized nationally as a great athletic school.  If they were to cut from the programs you would see less scholarships to bring in star athletes, higher ticket prices, and less of everything dealing with the sports.  Board memebers want students to vote on the issue as even though students say they would rather spend $300 added into their tuition on something other then sports, they would complain about paying for tickets to the games like football and basketball, which are free.

Education is the most important part in a young persons life and should be viewed that way.  But with education, sports teach valuable lessons to students as well.  By cutting the budgets for Rutgers sports faculty have the right idea in wanting better learning facilities but shouldn’t blame sports for the problems.  They should view all aspects of what is important and unimportant to them and the students.

Article: http://www.wnyc.org/articles/new-jersey-news/2012/feb/02/pressure-cut-athletics-programs-rutgers/

4.Youth Sport: Little League Becoming More Careful Towards Injuries

Tying into week 3’s talk about socialization, in week 4 we talked about youth sports.  With the impressionable mind that children have and the social aspects and consumption of sports entertainment, they go hand and hand as children watch athletes compete and live their day-to-day lives.  In class we discussed the various governments within sports and all the different interest and reasons why youth plays sports.  Guys aim more towards getting better and winning, as girls tend to compete to stay in shape and be social.  A common problem with youth sports though is lots of injuries occurring to the athletes early that could harm them into their adult lives.  I had bad head injuries that have affected me personally and ending my sports career in high school, which made me become very interested in the studies over sport injuries.  Also like in the article I have read I have shoulder and limb problems from playing baseball that happens to thousands of athletes each year from over use.  Both are examples of the problem with injuries that happen in every sport to athletes who compete that this article New Youth Baseball Safety Recommendations touches upon preventing.

           

In 2007 over 110,000 baseball and softball athletes were cared for U.S. emergency rooms between the ages of 5 to 14.  That’s a crazy number to think of coming from a non-contact sport but proves how careful coaches need to be working with their players.  From the stress and repetitive motions of throwing a ball, pitchers are getting injuries they call “little league elbow” and “little league shoulder” from not knowing proper techniques for throwing.  In doing so athletes in today’s game are playing more then one season where they sometimes overlap making them work more and cause over-use from throwing and conditioning.  Coaches and parents need to be careful with players and use more then one pitcher throughout the season.  Also needing to realize when rest is necessary has been a huge problem causing the injuries. 

Using protection like helmets and pads are the safest ways to prevent injuries and as for stress injuries resting and learning proper techniques are critical.  Since the beginning of baseball many rules and regulations have helped improve the game and protect athletes that insures us how in the future they will continue to add more.

Article: http://children.webmd.com/news/20120228/new-youth-baseball-safety-recommendations

3. Sports and Socialization: Jerry Sandusky’s Trial Over Child Sex Abuse

In class over week 3 we discussed the socialization aspects of the sport world.  A major part of it is having role models, from parents, friends, professional athletes and coaches.  For young athletes all these role models affect their lives in lots of different ways like what they play and how they perform.  Having role models is great and a positive thing helping and guiding athletes throughout their careers in the sport world.  Within the article I have read though we don’t see the positive light of having them.

The target of the article was viewed as a role model for being a coach and mentor to his players as well as athletes coming to camps.  Jerry Sandusky was a former assistant coach for Penn State football under Joe Paterno.  Sandusky retired in 1999 after the Alamo Bowl but still helped with youth camps on campus up until recently.  Reading the Jerry Sandusky Trial: Ex-Penn State Coach Seeks Delay In Child Sex-Abuse Case is about the accusations of him sexual abusing some of the young athletes at the camps.  Over a fifteen-year period Sandusky has 52 criminal charges for 10 different boys.  His lawyer has asked to delay the trial saying he isn’t prepared well enough.  Single-handedly destroying Penn State’s reputation and dynasty as a collegiate football franchise within being accused.  Joe Paterno was forced into retirement and the school itself has been painted black and tainted forever.  An awful act should be enforced with the highest charges and punishment but within the media it went above and beyond targeting people that shouldn’t have got as much heat as they did.  Everyone within had something to do with it but the media brought Paterno into the spotlight where I felt they lost track of Sandusky the real target.  Everyone’s heart goes out to the victims and their families and within the trial we are on their sides hoping for the punishment to fit the crime. 

Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/sandusky-seeks-2month-del_n_1305254.html

2. A Look At The Past

Throughout week 2 we have been taking a look back to the past of sports.  Aiming mainly towards American history we talked about religions, colligate, and how sports have grown from the times people started playing them.   Growing from games in a bar or during workers down time up to a huge business sport has become the major part our lives.  Reading Sports In Society chapter 3 was a look into the past building into what it is today.  It starts back into 1000 BC honoring the Gods and showing dominance between people.  Within the Greeks and the Roman Empire, governments used Gladiators and other spectacles to distract citizens from poverty and starvation.  Sports haven’t changed much in those aspects and ways they used by people but have become so much more beginning with colonization and industrialization. 

Colonies allowed sports to migrate to countries all over the world spreading them from just one culture into multiple.  In addition industrialized countries gave more free time to workers who now had time to relax from work.  The wealthy during the period could do things like play baseball and by accident grew into Americas past time and become a multiple billion-dollar industry.  

Breaking barriers of color and gender with players like Jackie Robinson or Title IX have become major events for history and becoming a better society.  Sports give moments people remember all their lives and have done so much in the growth of society.

Article:  Sports In Society by Jerry Coakley

1. Why We Study Sport and its Values

Throughout history sports have been a major part of society and has grown tremendously throughout the years.  It is a huge part of our everyday lives; it is what we thrive on in our culture for entertainment as well as representation.  Reading through chapter 1 in Coakley’s text Sports In Society for week one of class, he defines sport and it’s importance to the world.  Starting on 4 Coakley gives definitions from all areas for words like sociology, sports, dramatic and gender spectacles, and many other key words in the field.  Within those key words are many factors that play big rules in them such as politics, family, friends, media, religion, and society itself.  Athletes grow and learn their morals and views from all of these factors defining who they are and how they act as players and humans. 

Looking even deeper into the values and the chapter, Coakley talks about nationalism, pride, and how a place can view sports even more then just as entertainment.  When people introduce themselves they tend to mention a favorite sport or team that they consider part of their world.  Even in bad times sports have become so important that they are used as tools to show unity and one society coming together to represent something huge.  A great example is in 2001 after 9/11 where the NFL and MLB had ceremonies dedicated in honor of the victims and their families.  During pre-games, half times bringing out giant flags, the families themselves, and the national anthem.  People no matter what fans came together to honor these people and show how even after the worst tragedies America stands strong together.

With all of these points Coakley talks about in chapter 1.  We can see that sport is not just a form of entertainment but something way bigger in defining a person and how it unifies people in a strong bond of society.

Article: Sports In Society by Jerry Coakley

American 21st Century Sport Scrapbook

Hi everyone, deciding tonight that my Scrapbook would look nicer online I am going to post them on here! I hope you enjoy!