In my opinion, this has been the most interesting blog articles to read. I have never truly thought about the difficulties retired athletes go. At least, I didn't think it was this extreme. The ESPN article started out very mundane and I thought to myself, "hey, watching tv shows on netflix in a Manhattan apartment sounds pretty good to me". However, this was not the case. Being so fixated on sports and sports only for so long makes this sudden and dramatic change very difficult. This quote "You can retire from football but you can't retire from living" has a huge impact on the article. Retirement at such a young age puts these athletes in a huge identity crisis. Football is their living and once football is taken out of the equation, living is not so easy.
These players are told what to do all the time. Having a schedule is important to the human routine to create stability but when there is nothing on the agenda, it is not surprising that these athletes go into an identity crisis. In the NY times article, Mr. Lee says about this issues "I was witnessing my own social funeral". Going from being a star, having lots of support and fans, then having no one know who you are or even care is heartbreaking. Their worth, not only in a financial sense but in personal sense, is lost. I could not believe that 78% of athletes go bankrupt, among multiple health issues and emotional trauma.
Although these numbers astounded me greatly, I can understand why they are. They grew up focusing on just football. Not knowing how to handle their money is a typical thing for athletes. They spend constantly during the season and don't realize how much their money will be gone once its all over. There is a lot that goes into retirement and trying to discover your self aside from being an athlete is like starting over completely from scratch. Trying to learn basic skills that most people at their age have already developed.
This is an aspect of sports that is not drawn on upon in the media. There needs to be some sort of program for athletes post-retirement in order to prepare them for the real world. Sports is highly valued in the United States. Being apart of this "value" is a huge ego boost. Once their ego is gone however, its no surprise that depression kicks in. I have never considered the true perils of life after sports because I think people think that it is the sports career in general that would be more difficult and dangerous. Greater awareness and support should be implemented and contracts should be reassessed.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
"A kiss is not just a kiss: Sports, Politics, and the Sochi Olympics"
The issue illustrated in all of these articles are ones associated with sports and politics. Similar to the separation of Church and State, sports and politics are no different. Although we say that these two things are not in accord with one another, they most certainly are. The political issues surrounding these articles are ones related to sexual orientation. In the "Open Letter to David Cameron and the IOC" article by Stephen Fry, it becomes clear that this sports-politics relationship has happened many times in the past. Fry brings up the incident in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, when Jews were "banned from academic tenure or public office" causing the police to avoid any acts of violence towards this minority group. The Olympic movement also "paid no attention" to this discrimination and is again doing the same thing now with LGBT Russians.
The Olympics being used to frame this political debate can be seen in the Washington Post article, when Inouye states that the U.S. delegation "represents the diversity that is the United States". The "Accomplishments" he talks about later are directly correlated to "civic activism, and sports". This statement, parallels with the issues of gay rights in 2014 Olympics in Russia because it is being used to explain why President Obama is not attending the Olympics. While this may not be the entire the reason, it does appear from the article to be something that is a factor in the Presidents decision.
Standing up for these issues is a big deal. In terms of what should be done, I think this recognition and discussion about the issue should continue to remain open to the public eye. However, this could bring the "established" binary between politics and sports closure together. Awareness should be at the forefront because laws always have loop holes and/or are avoided.
The Olympics being used to frame this political debate can be seen in the Washington Post article, when Inouye states that the U.S. delegation "represents the diversity that is the United States". The "Accomplishments" he talks about later are directly correlated to "civic activism, and sports". This statement, parallels with the issues of gay rights in 2014 Olympics in Russia because it is being used to explain why President Obama is not attending the Olympics. While this may not be the entire the reason, it does appear from the article to be something that is a factor in the Presidents decision.
Standing up for these issues is a big deal. In terms of what should be done, I think this recognition and discussion about the issue should continue to remain open to the public eye. However, this could bring the "established" binary between politics and sports closure together. Awareness should be at the forefront because laws always have loop holes and/or are avoided.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
London Calling: The Globalization of the NFL
I have to admit that I have a particular advantage with this blog entry. I've said in my previous blogs that I grew up on island off of Georgia, which is extremely close to Jacksonville, Florida. In fact, it is the airport I use to fly to and from home. I also have been to Jacksonville enough times to understand why Shahid Khan is doing this. My community knows a lot about him because he has funded a lot of charity events on Saint Simons Island (where I grew up).
I have already stated one factor facilitating this expansion to London: the location of Jacksonville. It is easier for the Jacksonville Jaguars to make this bold move than say the Denver Bronco's because of the airport. Jacksonville is directly on the East Coast. Travel wise, going to London from Jacksonville is a lot easier.
Khan wants to do this for many reason. He is a very recent owner of this NFL team and the Jaguars are not too far from loosing their team. Jacksonville has the smallest television market of any NFL team because it is a small place. In terms of land mass, Jacksonville is the largest metropolitan city in America but that means nothing because their population is extremely small. Khan knows he has problem. The NFL wants to expand their market and oversees is where they go because London is starting to like the professional American football, even though soccer is their sport. If he can does this, they will be the first NFL team in London. Khan does a lot of business out of London so he has a particular advantage because he already has ties there. London is the most "valuable sporting enterprise on the planet" (1). This could attract a lot of people but of course there are many consequences.
As of right now, they are playing a few games in London and will expand if it goes well. Jacksonville is the obvious candidate for this because they are doing the worst, they are small, and because of their location on the east coast. However, there are a lot of negative consequences besides just the logistics of the travel. This could fail tremendously, it is an extremely bold move of Khan to do this. If he does, it will alienate a lot of Jaguar fans. Some have season tickets, and if that switches from say 8 to six, that is huge for their fans and it may cause a lot of anger for the people in Jacksonville. Traveling would be really hard also, this will for sure cause anger not just between fans but for the players as well. The solutions offered on page three on the article are valid, but they are not perfect.
Khan is also a very powerful man. His story is not one that should be avoided because it does illustrate that this idea may not be too ridiculous as it sounds. Khan came from nothing. He went to Northwestern University, got into a fraternity which would have normally (during that period of time) rejected him because of his Pakistan nationality. He came from nothing and made himself into a billionaire against all odds. He is clearly a very smart man but this "london calling" may not be the right answer. His other option is to go to LA.
I have already stated one factor facilitating this expansion to London: the location of Jacksonville. It is easier for the Jacksonville Jaguars to make this bold move than say the Denver Bronco's because of the airport. Jacksonville is directly on the East Coast. Travel wise, going to London from Jacksonville is a lot easier.
Khan wants to do this for many reason. He is a very recent owner of this NFL team and the Jaguars are not too far from loosing their team. Jacksonville has the smallest television market of any NFL team because it is a small place. In terms of land mass, Jacksonville is the largest metropolitan city in America but that means nothing because their population is extremely small. Khan knows he has problem. The NFL wants to expand their market and oversees is where they go because London is starting to like the professional American football, even though soccer is their sport. If he can does this, they will be the first NFL team in London. Khan does a lot of business out of London so he has a particular advantage because he already has ties there. London is the most "valuable sporting enterprise on the planet" (1). This could attract a lot of people but of course there are many consequences.
As of right now, they are playing a few games in London and will expand if it goes well. Jacksonville is the obvious candidate for this because they are doing the worst, they are small, and because of their location on the east coast. However, there are a lot of negative consequences besides just the logistics of the travel. This could fail tremendously, it is an extremely bold move of Khan to do this. If he does, it will alienate a lot of Jaguar fans. Some have season tickets, and if that switches from say 8 to six, that is huge for their fans and it may cause a lot of anger for the people in Jacksonville. Traveling would be really hard also, this will for sure cause anger not just between fans but for the players as well. The solutions offered on page three on the article are valid, but they are not perfect.
Khan is also a very powerful man. His story is not one that should be avoided because it does illustrate that this idea may not be too ridiculous as it sounds. Khan came from nothing. He went to Northwestern University, got into a fraternity which would have normally (during that period of time) rejected him because of his Pakistan nationality. He came from nothing and made himself into a billionaire against all odds. He is clearly a very smart man but this "london calling" may not be the right answer. His other option is to go to LA.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Sociogenesis of American Saddlebred Horseback Riding
The United States horse showing did not begin until after Britain because of Britain's Jockey Club founded in 1750. The Jockey Club was in charge of all British racing until the end of the 19th century. The American Jockey Club was later formed in 1894. The first rules were formed in 1894 in the American Stud Book, for the official record of Thoroughbred breeding in the United States, as well as Canada. My focus will be on American Saddlebred Horseback Riding instead of Thoroughbred, but these rules began with Thoroughbred's and then to the American Saddlebred.
American's innovated the way in which jockey's ride horses. It was their idea to push the saddle forward and shorten the stirrups and the reins. They also created dirt tracks, which were much smaller in Britain and did not have a good arena for showing.
The American Saddlebred is an extremely tall, flashly, and gaited horse. It rides much differently than the jockey's we see today on TV. They have very animated steps and instead of riding down low, their heads are raised high and the rider sits very tall. Much taller than the thoroughbreds, American Saddlebred are about 15 to 16 inches tall. While Thoroghbreds were originally bred for racing, American Saddlebreds were used for showing because of their ability to slow gait and rack (which is a faster version of slow gait).
Originally, the Saddlebred was a workhorse used for ploughing. Then their owners began to brag about which horse was faster which led to raises and then showing because of their resemblance to the Arabian horse.
During shows, balance and harmony were key. Back in the day Men would wear white-tie, black-tie, and women would wear ball gowns. Today, people still dress up, but not to this extreme. The riders outfits have not changed very much except for quality.
American's innovated the way in which jockey's ride horses. It was their idea to push the saddle forward and shorten the stirrups and the reins. They also created dirt tracks, which were much smaller in Britain and did not have a good arena for showing.
The American Saddlebred is an extremely tall, flashly, and gaited horse. It rides much differently than the jockey's we see today on TV. They have very animated steps and instead of riding down low, their heads are raised high and the rider sits very tall. Much taller than the thoroughbreds, American Saddlebred are about 15 to 16 inches tall. While Thoroghbreds were originally bred for racing, American Saddlebreds were used for showing because of their ability to slow gait and rack (which is a faster version of slow gait).
Originally, the Saddlebred was a workhorse used for ploughing. Then their owners began to brag about which horse was faster which led to raises and then showing because of their resemblance to the Arabian horse.
During shows, balance and harmony were key. Back in the day Men would wear white-tie, black-tie, and women would wear ball gowns. Today, people still dress up, but not to this extreme. The riders outfits have not changed very much except for quality.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Sport in the Ancient World
The Sports in Ancient Greece were more than just sports, but functioned as a job, entertainment, and first and foremost as a tribute to the Gods. Before any Greek Athlete could compete, he had to swear to Zeus that he had been through intensive training and that he was prepared to work a final month under the supervision of Olympic Judges. Olympic judges played a big part in the sports. For example, if one of the runners in the sprinting event crossed over the line before it was time to start, the runner would be whipped (like a slave) in front of the whole crowd by the Judge. That however is just one rule for one event.
In the video, sprinting appeared to be the main and longest living sport among the Greeks. I found it extremely interesting that the Greeks found such direct correlation between the athletes body and religion. Everyone has come across or seen examples of Greek sculpture and the perfect bodies displayed. This is how the Greeks thought the human body should look and athletes went under a lot of rituals before and after practice. Before the athlete practiced, someone would rub oil all over their body and sprinkle yellow dust in order to form a cloud-like image around him. This was a symbol of divinity because of the sweet smelling body odor it created. After practice, someone would use a scrapper and scrap off all of their dust and sweat. These remnants were then used in medicines.
Another thing I found extremely interesting was the participants in Greek sports were all freeborn Greeks that were aristocrats and laborers. People from the poorest background made full time commitments to athletics which proves just how important it was to the Greeks.
As time went by, the Greeks added a dozen more sports. There was the discuss thrower, the triple jump, boxing, race in a helmet and armor, a four horse chariot race, and the Javelin. At these sporting events, the only woman that could attend was a priests goddess, which was the sister of zeus. The Greeks invited the first multi-sport event in olympian games which was called the Pentathlon. The first event was the triple jumpers who carried weights as they jumped. Then came the Discuss throwers who threw their disc's without spinning like the modern players. Last was the Javelin throwers. If one man won the race was over. However, if one man did not one win, there was a race and wrestling match to break the tie. During the Boxing match, the object of the game was not to kill the other man because if he did the dead man would be buried with and olive wreath.
At the last even there was a race of athletes with armor. Then there were ceremonies to celebrate the olympic athletes. All of modern day olympic games stemmed from the Ancient Greeks.
In the video, sprinting appeared to be the main and longest living sport among the Greeks. I found it extremely interesting that the Greeks found such direct correlation between the athletes body and religion. Everyone has come across or seen examples of Greek sculpture and the perfect bodies displayed. This is how the Greeks thought the human body should look and athletes went under a lot of rituals before and after practice. Before the athlete practiced, someone would rub oil all over their body and sprinkle yellow dust in order to form a cloud-like image around him. This was a symbol of divinity because of the sweet smelling body odor it created. After practice, someone would use a scrapper and scrap off all of their dust and sweat. These remnants were then used in medicines.
Another thing I found extremely interesting was the participants in Greek sports were all freeborn Greeks that were aristocrats and laborers. People from the poorest background made full time commitments to athletics which proves just how important it was to the Greeks.
As time went by, the Greeks added a dozen more sports. There was the discuss thrower, the triple jump, boxing, race in a helmet and armor, a four horse chariot race, and the Javelin. At these sporting events, the only woman that could attend was a priests goddess, which was the sister of zeus. The Greeks invited the first multi-sport event in olympian games which was called the Pentathlon. The first event was the triple jumpers who carried weights as they jumped. Then came the Discuss throwers who threw their disc's without spinning like the modern players. Last was the Javelin throwers. If one man won the race was over. However, if one man did not one win, there was a race and wrestling match to break the tie. During the Boxing match, the object of the game was not to kill the other man because if he did the dead man would be buried with and olive wreath.
At the last even there was a race of athletes with armor. Then there were ceremonies to celebrate the olympic athletes. All of modern day olympic games stemmed from the Ancient Greeks.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Sports, Society & Me
At first when I read question 3A, I began to contemplate how much I would be able to contribute to the class. I rode horses in high school but in terms of the major sports that we have discussed in class, I have almost zero connection to them. However, I realized although it may not be considered a "sport", the most important connection I have is backpacking. It is a sport in the sense that it creates a unifying and dividing affect. There is an element of teamwork, trust, costs, physicality, motivation, determination, identity, competitiveness, etc. All of these characteristics can be attributed to a sport such as football; and although no one pays to watch people hike, it is a spectacle that is all enveloped in the experience.
Backpacking and the outdoors plays a huge role in my life. I never thought about in this way but it has dictated a lot of my decision. I grew up on and island off Georgia, but I came to Boulder to be surrounded by those who also felt a desire to close to the mountains. It also is the root of all of my biggest accomplishments. In high school I did three week backpacking trips every summer and successfully climbed the Grand Teton and Mount Rainer. When I got to the top of the Grand Teton, there was a photo taken of me which ended up being on the cover of the magazine for the company I was a student for. This developed a deep sense of positivity and fearlessness for me. I now work for this company and try my hardest every trip to give my students the motivation and positivity I felt from my own leaders.
Being on a mountain is not only a personal struggle but a group struggle. Everyone has to be aware of the dangers and outdoor ethics just as every sport in society has to be cautious of. I remember on Mount Rainer there were multiple moments when I had to check in with myself and my group about going back down. Getting to the top is not nearly as important as making it back down. The outdoor ethics behind backpacking is called "Leave No Trace". This contains seven long written out guidelines for how to behave in the outdoors in order for others to be able to have the same experience and keep the wilderness clean. In a sense, one must leave the places they go as if they have never been there before.
I developed this connection from my leaders. They were fantastic role models and I owe all my achievements and my ability to accept my own failures to them.
I believe the roles of sports in US society are of course positive and negative. They are only negative if they are taught and drawn out in the wrong way. Sport teaches us how to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Going off of that, it also teaches other group members this as well because behaviors of the group affect the individual. It also teaches extreme discipline on and off the field. I have noticed that when I become more sporty, I am able to recognize other areas that I need to work on personally.
Sports in American Society are extremely important. Like I said at the beginning of this blog, I was intimidated by this question at first because I did not think I played a "sport". When I think about United States, sports is one of the first things that comes to mind and something I do not feel apart of. Athletes are role models. Since I do not know much about sports, in my mind they are very much valued. I would be really interested to hear about what others think about the value of althletes.
Backpacking and the outdoors plays a huge role in my life. I never thought about in this way but it has dictated a lot of my decision. I grew up on and island off Georgia, but I came to Boulder to be surrounded by those who also felt a desire to close to the mountains. It also is the root of all of my biggest accomplishments. In high school I did three week backpacking trips every summer and successfully climbed the Grand Teton and Mount Rainer. When I got to the top of the Grand Teton, there was a photo taken of me which ended up being on the cover of the magazine for the company I was a student for. This developed a deep sense of positivity and fearlessness for me. I now work for this company and try my hardest every trip to give my students the motivation and positivity I felt from my own leaders.
Being on a mountain is not only a personal struggle but a group struggle. Everyone has to be aware of the dangers and outdoor ethics just as every sport in society has to be cautious of. I remember on Mount Rainer there were multiple moments when I had to check in with myself and my group about going back down. Getting to the top is not nearly as important as making it back down. The outdoor ethics behind backpacking is called "Leave No Trace". This contains seven long written out guidelines for how to behave in the outdoors in order for others to be able to have the same experience and keep the wilderness clean. In a sense, one must leave the places they go as if they have never been there before.
I developed this connection from my leaders. They were fantastic role models and I owe all my achievements and my ability to accept my own failures to them.
I believe the roles of sports in US society are of course positive and negative. They are only negative if they are taught and drawn out in the wrong way. Sport teaches us how to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Going off of that, it also teaches other group members this as well because behaviors of the group affect the individual. It also teaches extreme discipline on and off the field. I have noticed that when I become more sporty, I am able to recognize other areas that I need to work on personally.
Sports in American Society are extremely important. Like I said at the beginning of this blog, I was intimidated by this question at first because I did not think I played a "sport". When I think about United States, sports is one of the first things that comes to mind and something I do not feel apart of. Athletes are role models. Since I do not know much about sports, in my mind they are very much valued. I would be really interested to hear about what others think about the value of althletes.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
The Sport Ethic
Although everyone is familiar with the word "ethic", sports ethic seems to be a very particular phenomena in which athletes are so committed to their sports ethic that it becomes problematic. Sports ethic is an "exclusive guide for their [athletes] behavior, sport and sport participation" (Hughes & Coakley 307). With Sports ethics there are four major points that go along with these guidelines: 1. sacrifice for the game, 2. seeking distinctions, 3. taking risks, and 4. challenging limits. Although these are positive ethics, its normativity has itself become a way for it evolve behavior. When Hughes and Coakley discuss Positive Deviance, and its relation to Sports Ethics, they are not using deviance as a negative word. It is more so to describe how athletes positively stick to these ethics so much that they care too much for sport to the extent that they begin to neglect their family. Athletes are committed to what they have learned from these ethics and look up to those who are exemplary sportsman.
Athletes conform to these set of beliefs because of the "thrill" that comes when playing a sport and the desire for a sponsor and other perks that are given to star athletes. There is so much embedded in the hope of being recognized that they stick to these ethics soo strongly. Athletes are major members of our economy. The pressures they face and the "uniqueness" they feel, increases their ego (Hughes & Coakley 313). Hughes and Coakley argue that there is a need for the abandonment of these ideal values and instead add more value of "moral" behaviors.
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