Coming into this course I was unsure about the types of topics we would discuss and how in depth we would get into them. One of my favorite things about this class is how we get into discussions as a class and how opinionated it is. This type of learning has led to alot of new insight on topics to me that I had never thought of before. The subject matter in this course really challenged me to think and analyze situations. I also enjoyed the topics because some of them I had not been exposed to yet. The game of cricket was very interesting to me and it is something that I hope to get to attend one day. I also enjoyed studying how sport can impact a country on a global level and bring it together. The rugby world cup story in South Africa really showed a good example of this.
Another favorite part of the class was having guest speakers come in. I really had a good time listening to the effect of hooliganism in Europe from Dr. Meek. He was a very interesting guy and really left a lasting mark on the class with his presentation and personal experience with soccer fans fighting for their favorite clubs.Another favorite of mine was listening to the presentation on Octagon. I thought it was an eye opening experience to a professional field in which I hadn't looked into before. Working for an agency like that in the golf department would be a dream of mine.
This class was one of my favorite classes this semester and I really had my eyes opened to sport on a global level. The presentations and examples from speakers brought in really mad it an enjoyable experience. I think classes like these are important in the United States because as Americans we can be narrow minded when it comes to sports. An example of this is that America is obsessed with football. We don't realize that soccer(futbol) is the most popular sport in the world. I would say that without a doubt my favorite class discussions were on the topic of soccer. In all, I will miss this class and the experiences I had in it.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Tiger Woods
The topic of Tiger Woods is something that I enjoy talking about because I too am a golfer. As I have mentioned in my intro, I have aspirations of going into the golf intensity someday. First and foremost I want to address the situations where the public learned of the trouble tiger had gotten into. I do not agree at all with what tiger did and because of this I have lost alot of respect for him. I was never a huge fan before the incident however so after we learned who the real tiger was, I was extremely disappointed.
When it comes to being a player however, I have a great deal of respect for the man. No golfer has ever been marketed the way he has or had a bigger impact on the game of golf in the last 20 years. When he is on a golf course you can expect him to make unbelievable shot after unbelievable shot. One of my favorite things about tiger woods is his intensity for the sport. Hiss passion and drive for the sport are what has led him to be one of the most successful golfers of all time.
I believe that in time he will eventually break Jack Nicklaus's record but the only way he will do that is if he is able to block out all of the negative events from the past and focus on the game of golf.
When it comes to being a player however, I have a great deal of respect for the man. No golfer has ever been marketed the way he has or had a bigger impact on the game of golf in the last 20 years. When he is on a golf course you can expect him to make unbelievable shot after unbelievable shot. One of my favorite things about tiger woods is his intensity for the sport. Hiss passion and drive for the sport are what has led him to be one of the most successful golfers of all time.
I believe that in time he will eventually break Jack Nicklaus's record but the only way he will do that is if he is able to block out all of the negative events from the past and focus on the game of golf.
Paralympics
When we discussed the paralympics in class I had no idea how in depth we would get on the subject. I had volunteered in high school selling tickets at a paralympic event but have never experienced watching the athletic events in person. I was moved by the perseverance that these athletes went through and was also inspired by their stories. I had seen the video shown in class of the paralympic volleyball while i was in Dr. Spencers sport history and philosophy class. I was impressed at the the intensity of the sport as well. I think its great that these sports are being shown.
While these sports are covered by the media, I still feel that the coverage is still nothing close to what it could be. I believe this is due to the fact that in our society, people without limbs or that seem different is still a taboo. I believe that this will continue to take place unless there is a movement where athletes and members of the paralympic committee come forth and demand the same coverage on national television stations. Spreading the word on this matter will increase awareness and make people take notice.
Overall I enjoyed this class and found all of the different stories very motivational and inspiring. I also liked the fact that these athletes did not want anyone to feel sorry for them. It shows their mental toughness and love for the sport.
While these sports are covered by the media, I still feel that the coverage is still nothing close to what it could be. I believe this is due to the fact that in our society, people without limbs or that seem different is still a taboo. I believe that this will continue to take place unless there is a movement where athletes and members of the paralympic committee come forth and demand the same coverage on national television stations. Spreading the word on this matter will increase awareness and make people take notice.
Overall I enjoyed this class and found all of the different stories very motivational and inspiring. I also liked the fact that these athletes did not want anyone to feel sorry for them. It shows their mental toughness and love for the sport.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Michael Jordan
There is no doubt in my mind that Michael Jordan is the most popular/greatest player to ever play the game of basketball. His ability on the court to take over a game and his athletic ability entertained the millions watching when he stepped on the court time and time again. But there is another side to Michael Jordan that we discussed. To me this is the most interesting side to Michael because we realize he is human just like the rest of us.
I had done a report on Michael Jordan before and knew that he had a big gambling problem. He at one time bet over $500,000 on a game of golf with a guy he knew. He would also stay up late with other players before games in their hotels and play card games into all hours of the night. With the spotlight constantly on him I have to give him credit because he hid his pain really well. Te most interesting quote he said was that he enjoyed playing basketball because it was his escape from all of the media and troubles going on in his life. It just goes to show you that our hero's and role models have trouble just like the rest of us.
I had done a report on Michael Jordan before and knew that he had a big gambling problem. He at one time bet over $500,000 on a game of golf with a guy he knew. He would also stay up late with other players before games in their hotels and play card games into all hours of the night. With the spotlight constantly on him I have to give him credit because he hid his pain really well. Te most interesting quote he said was that he enjoyed playing basketball because it was his escape from all of the media and troubles going on in his life. It just goes to show you that our hero's and role models have trouble just like the rest of us.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The game of Cricket
Before our class on the topic of Cricket I had only been exposed to the sport from videos I had seen on YouTube and highlights I had viewed on ESPN. I had zero understanding of the game and how it was played. After watching the game we viewed in class I would say that I would be interested in trying to play the game sometime but I feel as thought I would not be addicted to the game or purse the game with a passion because of the fact that there are not alot of organizations or leagues in the United States that partake in this sport.
I wish that the U.S. wasn't so obsessed with just a few sports and that people would be more inclined to try and set up new teams or leagues of different teams or sports from other countries. It would be interesting to attend a game and see what it would be like to actually attend a game and experience the atmosphere. From what I saw on the video, the momentum of the game can change at any moment and to me that's very exciting. I also think it would be more fun to attend a game where it was one country vs. another country compared to just a local game between to local area clubs. I hope that one day I will get the chance to experience a cricket game for myself so that I can decide if it is something that I would be interesting in seeing again.
I wish that the U.S. wasn't so obsessed with just a few sports and that people would be more inclined to try and set up new teams or leagues of different teams or sports from other countries. It would be interesting to attend a game and see what it would be like to actually attend a game and experience the atmosphere. From what I saw on the video, the momentum of the game can change at any moment and to me that's very exciting. I also think it would be more fun to attend a game where it was one country vs. another country compared to just a local game between to local area clubs. I hope that one day I will get the chance to experience a cricket game for myself so that I can decide if it is something that I would be interesting in seeing again.
The world series. Is baseball dying?
With the NFL being so successful in America over the last 25 years, people have begun to dub it as the new "Americas Past time" The success of the NFL and NBA in America has challenged major league baseball to its core. With the steroid area and all of the allegations and evidence of players taking performance enhancing drugs to improve their play, left many fans feeling betrayed and disgusted with baseball.
Now baseball is on the verge of coming out of that era and in my opinion it is catching on again as it once did back in its prime. This years world series involves the Texas Rangers vs. the St. Louis Cardinals. The story line of this series has been epic comebacks and the fact that st. Louis is historically the better team than the rangers. This is because the Cardinals have won the world series in the double digits while the Rangers have yet to win a world series. Lat year the Rangers went to the world series and were unsuccessful so this year I'm hoping they can pull off the win and finally become crowned champions.
While baseball may not have the popularity it once did among the American people, I believe the MLB is taking the right steps to reforming what baseball means to Americans. With the world series currently underway, the world will be watching to see what will happen.
Now baseball is on the verge of coming out of that era and in my opinion it is catching on again as it once did back in its prime. This years world series involves the Texas Rangers vs. the St. Louis Cardinals. The story line of this series has been epic comebacks and the fact that st. Louis is historically the better team than the rangers. This is because the Cardinals have won the world series in the double digits while the Rangers have yet to win a world series. Lat year the Rangers went to the world series and were unsuccessful so this year I'm hoping they can pull off the win and finally become crowned champions.
While baseball may not have the popularity it once did among the American people, I believe the MLB is taking the right steps to reforming what baseball means to Americans. With the world series currently underway, the world will be watching to see what will happen.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Rugby in South Africa
In my personal opinion, sports are one of the great ways to heal and help forget about the realities that people face every day around them. During class when we discussed the movie Invictus, I could see how powerful sports really were when the South African people looked to a group of men playing rugby to help them take their minds off of the civil unrest of apartheid that was currently going on. The love and passion for a sport can bring a whole entire nation together to cheer for something and too me, that's very powerful and tells me how important sports are to the world on a global level.
It can even influence world leaders as well. As we saw in the movie and know from real life accounts, Nelson Mandela was an advocate for the South African rugby team because he saw the power of sport and tried to use it to his own and his countries advantage. It was very successful because the South African team won the world cup and for a moment in time provided an escape from the harsh realities of apartheid within the streets of South Africa. It showed that a simple game of rugby could unite a whole nation and bring worldwide recognition to a country that needed it at this time in history.
It can even influence world leaders as well. As we saw in the movie and know from real life accounts, Nelson Mandela was an advocate for the South African rugby team because he saw the power of sport and tried to use it to his own and his countries advantage. It was very successful because the South African team won the world cup and for a moment in time provided an escape from the harsh realities of apartheid within the streets of South Africa. It showed that a simple game of rugby could unite a whole nation and bring worldwide recognition to a country that needed it at this time in history.
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