Season Finale

Well the end of the semester is almost here so its time for my final blog. Its been a fun semester both in the classroom and here on the blog pages. First I want to say that I was surprised at how much this History and Philosophy of Sport class had to offer. Initially I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought the majority of the class would be dedicated to studying the origins of sports like football and basketball, clearly I was way off. The course work went much deeper than I ever thought it could, and I was amazed to see how much sport has had to with shaping the history of our country. This class taught me just how influential the world of sports has been throughout our countries history. Whether it be a political influence like the Olympic boycotts, or people like Jesse Owens or Jackie Robinson changing the way people look at race. This class has really shown me a lot.

I wanted to take the time and go back to one subject that I really enjoyed this semester, and that subject was the early years of baseball. Baseball has always been my favorite sport but I never took the time to learn about its history. I thought it was very interesting to examine the origins of baseball and to examine the way that the game has changed over the years. I also enjoyed studying the old school players that really helped to shape the game. The thing that I found the most interesting about this subject were the "hero" roles that the athletes took on for the public. Its strange to see how differently players behaved than compared to now, and it almost disappoints me a little bit to see how poorly current players behave, especially off the field.

Switching gears back to the classroom for a second. I just want to say that I really enjoyed attending this class. I think that the in class discussion that we had, as well as the ethical issue presentations, really helped me to enjoy it. I knew that no matter what the topic, we would probably have a really good class discussion about it. I liked being able to share my opinions in the classroom, and on my blog, and I think thats what made the class really fun. I also really enjoyed the ethical issue presentations. I think they're are a really good learning tool for this class and they were fun to watch. I'm sure a lot of people didn't want to give a 5-10 minute speech but I was looking forward to it. I enjoy the extra attention. But seriously, the ethical issue presentations were very enjoyable and they really sparked some good discussion and I think thats why I liked them so much. I would definitely encourage Dr. Spencer to keep assigning the ethical issue presentations in the future.

Finally I just want to talk about this blog. The whole idea of a blog was very new to me, at least writing one was. I was familiar with blogs and sometimes even followed some sports writers and occasionally an athlete, but I had never been on the publishing side of a blog. I've really enjoyed blogging this semester, its been a great experience and I think that I'm going to be able to use this new blogging skill in the future. What I liked best about it was being able to respond to other peoples opinions. Sometimes issue come up out of class that we don't get to discuss as a group and the blogs allowed everyone the opportunity to share their ideas with one another. I loved getting feedback from my class mates and it really was a lot of fun hearing what other people had to say. Blogging is easily the most fun and creative assignment that I've ever had to do.

I would highly recommend this class to anyone. Its really not your traditional History class and its a great experience for anyone, even people who aren't SM majors.

Its been a fun semester and good luck to everyone on finals and future classes. Thanks for reading.

Benched for Tweeting?

The popularity of Twitter is reaching an all time high. Its become extremely popular for professional athletes these days. Pros like Shaq and OchoCinco have made following pros on twitter even more popular. But the use of Twitter by professionals has been closely regulated after a few Twitter users have made some comments that make them wish for an "Un"-Tweet button. Also, people claiming to be pros and imitating athletes have also made some waves. But recently Nets rookie Terrence Williams made a comment that found him the bench.

He proclaimed his Nets love on Twitter after posting: "How would it be if Mr. Stern called my name 10 min earlier #9 or 5 min later #12 hmmmmmmmmm to bad I can't live off what ifs." And that came after he posted, "Up early to the gym before practice to practice before practice, because NOW practice is my games. Welp that's life."

Although the Nets are claiming that the benching didn't have anything to do with the Tweet, they have announced that they are advising Williams to be more careful with his future Tweets. Right, don't bad mouth the prestigious (2-20) Nets.

Williams wasn't the first to find some pine for Tweeting his mind. Last year Charlie Villanueva was suspended for tweeting during the half time of a game. David Stern has since solved that problem by outlawing Tweets a few hours before, and after games. Individual teams have also taken action against Tweets during team functions, and of course many have done their best to keep players from Tweeting something might soon regret.

Professionals Tweeting brought the impact of social networking to the forefront of every Commissioner, and GM's attention. The truth is, social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace provide an up close and personal look into the lives of celebrities and athletes. Its something that fans always want more of. They can be a real tool in attracting new fans, or keeping old fans happy. I personally follow Shaq on Twitter, along with his team mate Mo Williams, and often find his Tweets to be fun and interesting. Shaq describes some of his Tweets as "Random Acts of Tweetness." Shaq uses his Tweets to give fans hints and free merchandise that he sometimes hides around the city of Cleveland. How a 7"1' 300 something lb. man hide anything in a city like Cleveland is beyond me, but I guess that's whats great about Shaq.

In order for fans and players to keep enjoying social networks like Twitter, I think organizations like the NBA and NFL need to sit down and set some specific rules in regards to them. Leagues and teams should monitor players very closely when it comes to Twitter, but I believe that players should have the freedom to express themselves, as long as it stays appropriate.

Cleveland Born & Cleveland Bred. But Will He Stay, or Go Instead?

A few weeks back we had a very delightful conversation about LeBron James and his NBA future. With the end of the semester approaching I think it would be a tragedy if I didn't dedicate at least one blog towards this debate.

To me it seems that everyone outside the state of Ohio, is under the impression that LeBron will jump ship the first chance he gets, and run to some big market team like the Knicks or Nets. It could just be the wine and gold jaded glasses, but I don't see it happening. If LeBron stays true to his word about winning championships, and that's a big if, than NY or NJ doesn't seem like a logical fit. Both NY and NJ are years away from a championship, and maybe even the playoffs. The addition of LBJ would likely increase their chances but it still seems like an improbable feet. If you remember his first few years with the Cavaliers, they were anything but extraordinary. Some might say that was because he was young, and his skills were unrefined, or he lacked a jump shot. Well he won an MVP last year and still couldn't reach the finals! Plus I still don't think he has a jump shot, at least not the other night in Memphis...or Houston. The truth is he is an amazing player, but one player no matter who he is, is not capable of carrying an entire team to a championship.

I think that the Cavs have put LBJ in the best position possible, in order to win a Championship. I think the only placed LeBron could be, that would give him a better chance to win, is LA. But barring some kind of video game style trade that would never happen. So like I said, if he wants to win I think he's in the best place.

Another reason for him to stay is the money. Statistically speaking the Cavs have the ability offer him more money than any other team. Although he would have the opportunity to be more of a global icon in NY, they can't pay him more than the Cavs. Which brings me to another point. How much more of a global icon does he need to be? Are their basketball fans around the world saying "I would watch the NBA if only their was a 6"8' 265lb freight train of muscle, who could barrel towards the basket shaking fouls to the side and still have the ability to "throw the hamma down!" Not likely. LeBron James is an international commodity whether he is in NY or CLE or Bowling Green or Tibet. People know who he is.

I could find a thousand reasons for him to stay in Cleveland, but Knicks fans could find a thousand reasons for him to leave. The truth is I'm speaking from a completely biased point of view and have absolutely no understanding of what he will really do. I for one think he already knows where he will end up, but besides him no one does, and no one will until he makes his decision public.

Halftime Inebriation

So recently Ron Artest has been spilling his secrets to the media, and appearing halfway naked on Jimmy Kimmel. He recently admitted to alcohol use during half time of NBA games! I'm really going to make this post quick, frankly because I hate Ron Artest. The truth is, it was a stupid thing to do and a stupid thing to admit. His actions definitely hurt himself and his teammates, and probably jeopardized his teams chances to win. I think that even though these events happened in the past, that David Stern should ultimately punish Artest for his actions.

On a side note. Artest's admission to alcohol use at half time led me to another question. And I'm speaking based on assumptions here, but I can assume that someone knew about Artest's bad habit. I mean its hard to sneak a brown bag full of liquor into an NBA locker room without someone noticing. So assuming that, why didn't someone call him out on it? Why wasn't he punished by his team for his actions? Are NBA players, or athletes in general, reaching a level of superstardom where they believe themselves to be untouchable and above the rules? I think so. I don't know how else to explain it, other than Ron Artest is an idiot.

But if Artest liked to drink at half time of games, than why did he get so upset in Auburn Hills when a fan tried to give him a beer? He must be a Bacardi and Cola kind of guy.

Tiger Woods

Like most of you, I'm tired of the whole Tiger Woods Meltdown series that apparently has taken the place of Sport Center on ESPN. But I now see that Tiger's actions have started to affect his sponsorship. Although each sponsors maintains that the following decisions were made long before Tiger's indiscretions, I don't buy it. ESPN has reported that Gatorade is dropping the Tiger Woods Focus drink. Of course the company says that the decision was not based on his extra-marital affairs...I don't buy it. Secondly the Swiss watch company Tag Heuer has announced that they will be removing images of Tiger Woods face plates from a series of expensive watches. They too say it had nothing to do with Tigers affair.

To me this Tiger Woods debacle is starting to remind me of the last two seasons of Lost, I did find this stuff to be interesting. I original thought that Tiger would suffer a little bit from his actions, but never this much. This morning on ESPN I saw a graphic that showed Tiger's fan approval rating, starting from 2007. In 07 Tiger had an 83% fan approval rating. One week ago his rating was at 56%. This morning his fan approval rating was 38%!! That's unbelievable. At one point in time this guy had a higher approval rating than President Obama! I also heard that Tiger has not had a prime time ad, meaning one of the many commercials he's featured in, since Nov. 29th!

I'm honestly shocked at the impact that this situation has had on Tiger and his professional career. Although I don't agree with the actions that Tiger took, I do believe that this personal matter shouldn't affect his professional life has much as it has. But than again, he has been portrayed as a perfect family man and husband. Looks like that worked out well Tiger.

Ex-Ref Donaghy appears on "60 Minutes"

An article on ESPN describes the actions of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, after his "60 Minutes" interview on Sunday night. Donaghy as most of you will remember was the center of controversy after his involvement with gambling was revealed, in regards to NBA games. Donaghy, who was recently freed after a 15 month prison sentence for his part in the gambling scandal, has been on the circuit since his release, trying to mark it a tell-all book. However, Donaghy had his book pulled by the publisher due to liability reasons, and it now appears that he has turned towards other means in order to regain the National spotlight.

His "60 Minute" interview revealed many details that had not previously been released by investigators, or by the NBA, and appear to add a new spin to the controversy. Henry Abbott, writer for ESPN and author of Donaghy sticks with his story, described Donaghy as appearing "vague","combatant", "indignant", and "controversial" in his interview with "60 Minutes" but despite all those ill natured tendencies, Donaghy has stuck with his story. Donaghy claims that he never altered a game in which he wagered, and that he only placed bets based on the biases of other NBA referees. Although Donaghy's book was cancelled he did offer some telling information in his "60 Minute" interview. Making accusations of referee bias and favoritism against some of the top referees in the NBA, including Joey Crawford and Steve Javie.

In my opinion whatever Donaghy does next, the damage has already been done. Although his credibility is low, he still possesses the power to destroy the reputation of NBA officials at a point where the sports popularity is at a near all time high. His unethical decision to wager on the sport in which he worked has given David Stern an extremely large obstacle to overcome. Stern's actions, in regards to officiating, in the next couple of years will determine his legacy as a successful commissioner, and the future success of the NBA.

Reaction to Ethical Issue Presentation: Legarrette Blount

On Monday Dustin gave an Ethical Issue Presentation on Oregon Running Back Legarrette Blounte. I thought he gave a really good presentation on the subject, but just wanted to reflect on a few things that were brought up during the discussion.

My initial reaction to the incident was for Blounte to be suspended indefinitely, that way Head Coach Chip Kelly could discuss his status with the University and NCAA before reaching a decision. When he decided to suspend him for the year I wasn't surprised, because I thought the punishment fit the crime. What Blounte did was inexcusable and Kelly's decision was completely within reason. Of course, Blounte has recently been reinstated by Kelly because he had met certain academic, among other things, requirements. A lot of people found this to be unfair and that Kelly should stick with the punishment he administered the first time. I however tend to agree with Kelly. If Kelly gave Blounte a list of requirements that would get him back on the field, and Blounte met them than why shouldn't he be allowed to compete? I think that some people feel Kelly went soft on Blounte but I believe that the punishment still taught him a valuable lesson and he probably deserves a second chance.

The other issue that I wanted to address is something that came up during the class discussion. I'm not sure who made the point, but someone stated that the University of Oregon should give Blount another chance because suspending him was ruining his future in the NFL. I completely disagree with that idea. As a collegiate athlete your required to behave yourself and stay out of trouble, its not the university's job to do that for you. As an athlete if you can't keep yourself out of trouble its not the university's fault if your draft status takes a hit. The university is their to help make you better as an athlete and a person, but they don't have any responsibility for your future. If I got caught cheating as a student, no one would be demanding the university give me a second chance because they're ruining my future.

In the end I think that Kelly and the University acted appropriately, in both suspending and reinstating Blounte. And I also feel that the its the responsibility of the athlete to keep themselves in a position to play, not the university, in order to compete for a chance at the next level.

Reaction to Ethical Issue: Should the media be allowed into the personal lives of athletes?

On Monday Nick and Shaun gave a presentation on the issue of media intruding into the personal lives of athletes. I thought they did a really good job of educating the class about the issue and providing some very good examples, where the media had effected the lives of professional athletes (Alex Rodriguez, Sean Avery).

When I think about the issue I only see an ethical dilemma, but not a legal issue. Although intruding into the personal lives of athletes seems like a unethical thing to do their is currently no laws to prevent the media from doing so. When an athlete is at a game, or out in public, they're fair game to the media frenzy of paparazzi's. The only legal issue that presents itself is when members of the media break the law in order to get a picture. Things like trespassing, breaking and entering, or harassing. If athletes want their privacy than they probably picked the wrong profession.

I think its unfortunate that the media has the ability, and the right, to intrude into the lives of professional athletes but I believe that its a burden that comes with the territory, so to speak. As long as the public is interested with the lives of athletes the media will continue to poke and prod into their personal lives.

Record Setting Weekend

In a weekend that seemed to be relatively uneventful, except for the 9th inning rally by those damn Yankees, a lot of players managed to earn their place in the record books.

Starting in Tennessee Chris Johnson set the franchise record for rushing yards in a single game with 228. Johnson had TD runs of 89 and 52 yards, while Jags RB Maurice-Jones Drew had TD runs of 79 and 80 yards, and the two combined to set an NFL record for 4 rushing TD of more than 50 yards in one game. The first time in NFL history

Heading further North to Giants Stadium, where the Jets and Dolphins played on Sunday, two more records were broken. My boy Teddy, Ball Game, Ginn Jr. ran his way into the NFL record books with 2 kickoff returns for TD's in the 3rd quarter. Ginn became the first player in NFL history with 2 TD's returns, of any kind, for at least 100 yards. Ginn is also 2nd in NFL history for return yards in a single game with 299. Jason Taylor also set the NFL record for fumble recoveries returned for a TD in a career, with 6.

Back to that Phils and Yankees series. Alex Rodriguez is now tied for the most RBI's in Yankee history, for a single postseason, with 15. Odds are, A rod will break that mark before the series is over. He is also only 4 RBI's behind the MLB record for RBI's in a single postseason, set by Sandy Alomar Jr.in 1997. Two other players have since reached the feet.

I could be missing a few records from the weekend, but those are the ones that I can recall from memory, and by watching Sportcenter this morning. Since we talk about the history of sport in this class, I thought it was fitting to make note of some record setting accomplishments from the weekend.

Ty Cobb

After today's class, which touched on Ty Cobb, I couldn't help but dig a little deeper, and find a few articles on one of the games greatest players (and biggest asses). Dr. Spencer mentioned the recognition that was given to him by ESPN, as SportCentury athlete No. 20, and I was able to find an article on Cobb from ESPN. He was a pain ... but a great pain, was written by Larry Schwartz, it is an article that documents Cobb's career, both on and off the field. It was written for ESPN at the time when Cobb was named SportCentury athlete No. 20.

Schwartz starts his article by saying: "It's difficult to tell which is longer -- the list of records Ty Cobb left shattered when he retired from baseball, or the stories of his nastiness." His article goes on to explain some of the altercations and "black eyes", so to speak, of Cobb's off the field resume. But Schwartz praises Cobb's ability as an on the field player, listing a handful of accomplishments and record setting achievements.

I've always had a respect for Ty Cobb the player, how couldn't you? But I've always had second thoughts about him as a person. However, after reading the article by Schwartz I really understand just how impressive Cobb's on the field achievements were. For those of you who aren't familiar with some of Cobb's accomplishments here they are, courtesy of Larry Schwartz:

• He led the American League in slugging percentage and hits eight times

Steals 6

Runs 5

Triples and RBI 4

Doubles 3

HR once

• Three times he batted above .400 and in one four-year span he averaged .401
• 892 career stolen bases
• Owned the career hit record at 4,191 until Pete Rose (57 years later)
• Cobb won the Triple Crown in 1909
• 1911 Al MVP
• In 1936, in the first balloting for the Hall of Fame, Cobb received the most votes (222 of 226), outpolling Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson.

Cobb's list of accomplishments, in my opinion, is even more impressive than Babe Ruth, who almost everyone believes was the greatest baseball player of that era. Based only on statistics I would have to say that Ty Cobb was a better baseball player than Babe Ruth. Only his behavior on and off the field can be held responsible for the lack of this recognition.

On a final note, Schwartz indicates that after Cobb's passing, in 1961, "only 4 people from baseball attended his funeral." A travesty to a man who contributed so much to the sport, but an action by his teammates and opponents that speak volumes about his behavior as a person.

References:

Schwartz, L. (n.d.). He was a pain ... but a great pain. Retrieved October 26, 2009, from http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014142.html

Jack Johnson

I was on ESPN this morning and happened to stumble upon an article from Outside the Lines. The title quickly caught my attention, Posthumous Pardon sought for Johnson. The Johnson referenced in this case was Jack Johnson. According to Rader, Jack Johnson had been the heavyweight champion between 1908 and 1915(p 147). "Few, if any, blacks were as well known or had infused blacks with greater pride than Jack Johnson (Rader, p 147)." Johnson was a great fighter who was able to break color barriers in the world of boxing and equal rights.

According the the OTL article, written by the AP, "Johnson was convicted in 1913 of violating the Mann Act, which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for immoral purposes. He fled the country after his conviction, but agreed years later to return and serve a 10-month jail sentence." Many people believe that Johnson was targeted by authorities because of his success as a black man. His career as a boxer was controversial, and many whites detested his behavior and wealth. His promiscuous relationships with women, white women in particular, are believed to be the reason for his incarceration.

Posthumous Pardon sought for Johnson addresses the issue of a presidential pardon for the heavyweight champion Johnson. In fact, legislation has been in the works since early April on this issue, but the House and Senate are still awaiting word from President Obama. Sen. John McCain has been extremely outspoken on this issue. His interest no likely stems from his involvement in boxing as a young man.

However humanitarian this may seem, I think I understand why President Obama is hesitant to grant Johnson a pardon. Throughout history presidential pardons of the dead have been rare, and in this case I feel like Johnson deserves a pardon. But from President Obama's perspective their is much more than the issue of Johnson reputation. As the first black President, Obama has been under pressure to rewrite history or change the past, when it comes to African Americans. By carefully weighing each side of action, Obama is exploring the residual effects that would result from a pardon. While exonerating Johnson appears to be the right thing to do, I can't help but wonder if Obama is worried about establishing a reputation of sympathetic action towards black Americans in history.

References:

Posthumous pardon sought for Johnson. (2008, October 16). Retrieved October 17, 2009, from http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4565549

Rader, B. G. (2008). American sports from the age of folk games to the age of televised Sports (6th ed., pp. 147-150). NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Sept. 20

This might seem a little off topic but after watching Saturday nights fight between Mayweather and Marquez, I couldn't help but think about how the sport of boxing has fallen. What was once one of the most popular sporting pastimes, is now becoming a "private" sport, so to speak. No longer a matches televised on cable T.V. The only place viewers can watch a prime-time fight is on Payperiew. I think this is one of the main reasons that boxing has lost its popularity.

I'm sure their are some other factors that have contributed to the sports demise but I believe that its lack of availability to the public is largely responsible. In the golden years of boxing, fights could be found on basic television channels, for all who had a television to see. Lately, however, the high profile fights are only available on Payperview channels. For the common fan its sometimes hard to afford these fights. And now, with the extreme popularity of the UFC and mixed martial arts fighting, boxing is facing some fierce competition.

Even though high profile fights are still bringing in plenty of cash, and the athletes themselves too, the sport of boxing seems to be taking a hard hit. As a fan of boxing its hard to watch a sport filled with such a rich history and tradition lose its popularity.

Sept. 15

I came across this article on ESPN, and the timing really couldn't be better. Have a look for yourself, its pretty short and sweet:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4474771

I thought it was interesting that these legal battles have been continuing for such a long time. I also found it interesting that the American Indian group had their original ruling defeated because they took to long to bring their case to suit. I think that if the original court ruled in their favor, than the defense would need overwhelming evidence in order to overturn the verdict. It sounds to me like these judges have been throwing the Redskins a bone, or perhaps they've been in their pocket the whole time. I think it shows what really motivates people, MONEY. The fact that a legal technicality has allowed, and continue to allow, an entire group of people to be made a mockery is shameful.

I also found some of the comments on the article interesting as well. Granted their were about 150 others that were less than educated responses. It seems that the majority of sports fans are not educated on the subject and form ignorant opinions without the facts or research. After reading some of the comments I definitely feel differently on the subject than I did yesterday. Native Americans have become a sort of forgotten people. The only time we pay particular attention to them is when an issues like this occurs. I'm all for changing the names of sports teams, or mascots, on a case-by-case basis. I can see why Native Americans have been offended.

Intro

I suppose I should start things off by introducing myself, so here it goes.

My name is Cody, I'm 21 years old and am a senior here at Bowling Green. Unfortunately I won't be a graduating senior but I'm trying to avoid talking about that. I transfered here to Bowling Green last year from community college. Before that I went to Kent State and even Toledo for all of 4 days. It's been a long and twisted road, but I'm glad that I've ended up at BG.

I'm studying sports management, which is one of the reasons I chose BG, and am specializing in Sports Enterprise. I've really enjoyed my time here in BG, and in the program thus far. After I graduate (whenever that may be) I hope to find a job working as an athletic director. I would prefer to work a the high school level but definitely wouldn't be opposed to the collegiate level.

I've played sports for my entire life. Ever since I was young I've played baseball. It was my first sport and I definitely consider it my favorite. I played a little football in high school but ultimately I decided to focus on baseball because I believed I had a chance at playing in college. Unfortunately things didn't work out and I've attributed some of the blame to the athletic department of my high school, which is the primary reason for my desired future career.

On a more painful note, I'm a diehard Cleveland fan. Browns, Indians, and Cavs. Unfortunately I am old enough to remember the heartache of the 95 and 97 Indians teams, and the memories still keep me awake some nights. I've also been exposed, through my dad and ESPN Classic, to every other fabled title attempt by Cleveland franchises in the last 50 years. The Fumble, The Drive, The Shot, all have a special place engraved in my mind.

I'm also a huge College Football fan. I'm extremely excited for Saturday to get here! I lied to my boss so I can have Saturdays off, so if any one visits Ponderosa in Fremont...you don't know me, alright?

I'm a huge Buckeye fan and will defend them to the death. I've had some trouble coping with the big game losses the last couple of years but thats why God made Jack Daniels, right? Just kidding. I love my Buckeyes and am never afraid to sport my OSU gear. I'm also really excited for Bowling Green to start their season. Having transfered so much in my collegiate career I haven't been able to enjoy a good college football season as a student. Unfortunately I won't be in the Doyt tomorrow for the home opener but I plan on attending my fair share of games this year.

As far as this class is concerned, I'm really looking forward to it. I've heard good things about the class and am excited to get into some good discussions. I hope that I can walk away from this class with a slightly different outlook out sports, at least a more educated one.

Can't think of much more to say at the moment, but stay tuned I'll try to keep this exciting.

"Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision."

- Muhammad Ali