In the images viewed on the power point you see Allen Iverson who is portrayed as ghetto and you see the ESPN cover that states “The BAD Boys are BACK”. What makes an individual bad? Is it the way they dress, the neighborhood they grew up in, or is it the color of your skin?
On October 17, 2005 David Stern implemented a dress code for the NBA that banned clothing associated with the hip hop culture.
In different neighborhoods and among different races people grow up with different ways of living. The way you grow up and the neighborhood you grow up in usually shape the music you listen to, the television programs and movies you watch, the way you dress, the sports you play and how you defend yourself. In many urban neighborhoods adolescents grow up listening to rap and hip hop music. Boys want to bling like the rappers and girls want to be pretty and have sex appeal like the video models. On television there’s a whole network geared toward this culture that represents black people and how black people dress, the music black people listen to and the programs black people watch. The reading Basketball's Ghettocentric Logic by David L. Andrews and Michael Silk states
“The NBA’s new racial order exists and operates between and beyond both the racially neutered populism of the Jordan script ( Willis, 1991), and the racially demonized “ hip-hop… ghetto mentality” of the generation that succeeded him on the basketball court ( Leonard, 2004 2006b, p.158; Markovitz, 2006; Tucker, 2003). “
Why is a culture, the way people dress, talk and look seen as ghetto? When is it okay to be ghetto? Is playing basketball ghetto? Is rapping ghetto? Is hip hop dancing ghetto? These are all aspects of the hip hop culture learned and taught in urban neighborhoods.
In urban neighborhoods recreational activities are expensive and not affordable. Basketball and rapping are inexpensive recreational activities. To play basketball all you need to buy is a basketball and to rap all you need to buy is a notebook therefore young men in poorer neighborhoods start playing basketball and rapping at a young age. In the so called “Ghetto” all the boys play basketball and all the boys are rappers. Basketball and rapping is a way for boys to bond together and have fun. If you’re good you develop popularity.
This idea of rapping and playing basketball is seen as the only way of making it out of the “Ghetto”. It is a great idea to want more and want to have a better life for yourself and your family the only problem is in the “hood” you don’t live next door to doctors, lawyers and professors. Children in the “Ghetto” are not exposed to successful educated black people but when they turn on the television they are exposed to “ghetto” uneducated rich black athletes and rappers. This is seen as an attainable goal in the so called “Hood”. Rapping and basketball is seen as a means to an end. It’s seen as the only way to come up and positively make lots of money to support yourself and your family. Since all the little black boys in the urban neighborhoods are basketball players and rappers it creates lots of competition. Everyone cannot make it as a basketball player or a rapper so for the ones who don’t what are they left to fall back on? What else does playing basketball and rapping all your life prepare you for?
In 2006, the NBA eligibility rule changed declaring that players must have one year out of High School to be eligible for the draft. I would like to see players have to get a degree to be eligible to play in the NBA. The reason I feel this way is because boys are growing up with the automatic assumption that they can play in the NBA when they grow up left with no skills when that dream doesn’t pan out to reality. If players are required to get a degree they will be told at a young age “you know if you want to be a NBA star you need to get good grades so you can go to college and get a degree to become a NBA star.” If this was the case and all NBA players had a degree would they still be seen as ghetto?
Why is the image of ghetto the only image displayed by media for the players in the league? The fights are quick to be broadcasted but what about the charity work and community service done by the teams? Why does ESPN show the BAD Boys of the NBA on the cover of the magazine instead of the individual organizations the players have to help children and people in need?
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Black women and sports
Paper Topic-
The lack of black women in executive positions of professional sport organizations
Overview-
This paper will compare the relationship of gender and race to sport and hiring. The paper will examine why black women are the least represented group in sport management. Minorities make up a small percentage of executives in professional sport organizations.
From the organizational perspective, are professional sport organizations against hiring minorities? Do professional sport organizations view sports management as a white male club only for white men with a few minor exceptions? The NFL has taken steps to increase minority hiring by hiring more black men but the hiring of women has not increased. With so many athletes being black men one would assume that many of the executives will also be black men but if black men are not holding these positions what does it say about black women and how hard it will be for black women to receive an executive position in a white male dominated sport organization?
From the perspective of black women, are black women intimidated to work in the male dominated field of sports? Could the lack of black women in sports be due to black women being afraid that the sports industry is competitive and choose not to give it a try? Or could it be a lack of interest? Are women interested in working in sports? Are women not applying for these sport positions and therefore not being hired into these companies.
Outline
I. Introduction-
Black women hold the least amount of executive positions in professional sport organizations. Is it a coincidence that white men are the top executives in sports management followed by black men, white women and black women last? This paper aim is to examine black women in sports from two perspectives the organizations perspective and also the perspective of black females.
II. Sports and hiring
1. The history of hiring in sports
a. NBA
b. NFL
c. MLB
d. WNBA
e. College Sports
III. Men and sports
1. Black men and the meaning of sports
2. Black men and the meaning of sport compared to white men and the meaning of sport.
3.
4. Black men as professional athletes
5. Black men as executives in sport
6. Male attitudes toward women in sport
IV. Women and sports
1. Women and their relationship to sports
2. White women relationship to sports compared to black women relationship to sports.
3. Women relationship to sport compared to male relationships to sport.
4. Female attitudes toward working in sport.
V. The barriers of pursuing a career in sports for minorities
1. White men make up the majority
a. People want to feel comfortable at work not like an outcast.
b. Feeling out of place and intimidated
2. The representation of women in sports
a. The women represented in sports are always beautiful.
b. Women are not respected in sports.
c. Men dominate sports.
VI. The interest black women have in pursuing a career in sports
a. Interest
b. Opportunity
c. Discouragements
VII. Sport organization diversity improvements/ lack of improvements
a. NBA
b. NFL
c. MLB
d. WNBA
e. College Sports
VIII. Conclusion-
My theory is that the lack of women in sport is due to a combination of lack of interest in pursuing a career in sport, lack of opportunity and intimidation. Based on research this paper will examine if this theory is true or false.
References
Murphy, A.J. (2005). Life stories of black male and female professionals: An inquiry into the salience of race and sports. The Journal of Men’s Studies Press, 13(3), 313-325.
Borland, J.F., & Bruening, J. E. (2010). Navigating barriers: A qualitative examination of the under-representation of Black females as head coaches in collegiate basketball. Sport Management Review (Elsevier Science), 13(4), 407-414.
Armstrong, K, L. ( 2007). The nature of black women’s leadership in community recreation sport: An illustration of black feminist thought. Women in Sport & Physical Activity Journal, 16(1), 3-13.
McCabe, R., & Tuthill, C. ( 1995). Women and blacks in college sports. New England Journal of History, 52(1), 54-62, 9.
Mathewson, A.D. (1996). Black women, gender equity and the function at the junction. Marquette sports Law Review, 6(2), 239-266, 28.
Patel, seema. (2008). Creating a level playing field: a study of the admission and experiences of different groups on a university sport management course. Journal of hospitality, 7(2) 24, 10.
Gill, D.L., Morrow, R.G., Collins, K.C., Lucey, A.B, Schultz, A.M. (2006). Attitudes and sexual predjudice in sports and physical activity. Journal of Sports Management, 20(4), 554-564, 11.
Fink, J.S., Pastore, D.L, Riemer, H.A. (2001). Do differences make a difference? Making diversity in division IA intercollegiate athletics. Journal of Sports Management, 15(1), 10-50, 41.
Friend, J., Leunes. (1989). Overcoming discrimination in sports management: A systematic approach to affirmative action. Journal of Sport Management, 3(2), 151-157, 7.
Cunningham, G.B., Sagas, M. ( 2005). Access discrimination in intercollegiate athletics. Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 29(2), 148-163, 16.
Cunningham, G.B., Sagas, M. (2004). The effect of group diversity on organizational commitment. International Sports Journal, 8(1), 124-133, 10.
Fink, J.S., Pastorne, D.L. (2003). Managing employee diversity: perceived practices and organizational outcomes in NCAA division III athletic departments. Sport Management Review, 6(2), 147-168, 22.
Moore, M. E., Parkhouse, B.L., Konrad, A.M. (2001). Women in sport management: advancing the representation through HRM structures. Women in Management Review, 16(2), 51, 11.
Desensi, J.T. (1989). Employment opportunities for women. Journal of Sport Management, 3(2), 180.
Moral Development and Sport
Fair play: Its Origins and Meanings in Sport and Society by Roland Renson states it is important to teach boys how to win as well as how to lose. It is important for athletes to have dignity and poses good sportsmanship. Worldwide in sport fair play is respect for others and respect for rules, whether on the sporting field or in business or other competitive endeavors.
Two essential elements of sport is respect for others and respect for self. I do agree that to be a good athlete you must have respect. You have to respect the game and respect the rules of the game. To be a good athlete you must also have enough respect to prepare yourself for the games and respect everyone involved which includes the team, the coach, the opponents and the spectators. Athletes are held at a high regard. To be a good athlete you must know the game, train for the game, practice and keep a good image. As an athlete people will always watch your behavior so it is important to always be on your best behavior to keep fans, the interest of teams and also the interest of possible endorsers.
It is important to win with dignity and to lose with the same dignity. Great athlete’s show good sportsmanship when they win a game. It is important to show good sportsmanship because as an athlete you know how hard the opponent trained and you want to be respectful and mindful of all the dedication that goes into playing the sport. It is just as important to loose with the same dignity. Great athletes play for the love of the game and understand that sometime you will win and sometime you will lose but as long as you try your best that’s all you can do.
Fair play also insists on equality. Equality is important in sport because it is important that teams are equal and that the conditions for competition are the same for everyone. Equality is important because it makes the competition more interesting when teams are equally divided and everyone is following the same standards. Although equality is important in sport many teams do not have equal talent. Many times during games officials miscall plays and athletes often get away with bending the rules of the game. My question to the author would be could sports really be equally fair? Many factors contribute to sports and playing a game. With all factors included can games really be 100 percent equal for each team and all players involved?
When athletes or officials cheat it ruins the quality of the game. People come to see a fair, non bias, fun and entertaining game. When cheating becomes involved people are discouraged from watching the game because the results are no longer accurate. Athletes are expected to over- conform. Over- conforming put athletes in a place to do anything to win the game. Over conforming can sometime become border line cheating. When athletes’ over- conform they often bend the rules and go beyond what is allowed to win the game. A common form of over conforming to win the game would be using steroids to improve personal performance.
Fairness is important in sport. As an athlete you may feel you are the best and you may think you are the best person to win a game for your team. In sports it is important to be fair to your teammates. You can be the best player on a team but no one can win a game alone it takes a team. No one wants to play with an unfair irrational person. All great players are honored by the team and honored by opponents. Honor plays a huge role in sports. When an athlete gains the honor of his team and his coach he is held at a high respect and the team believes in his actions to win the game. At the end of the fourth quarter and the Lakers are down by two the team will always throw the ball to Kobe Bryant because they believe in him enough to trust that he will win the game for the team. Honor and fairness are important factors of playing any sport. Honor and fairness should not only be applied to sport but also to life and fundamental survival. Athletes put trust and belief in the team. Athletes trust teammates to make smart decisions and play the game the best of their ability. Coaches are trusted to make the best decisions for the team and officials are trusted to pay attention to the game and make the right calls. Honor and fairness are important factors of playing any sport. Honor and fairness should not only be applied to sport but also to life and fundamental survival.
Professional athletes are professionals so they are expected to act as such. Athletes are expected to follow the morals of sport but many athletes are full of jealousy and boastfulness. For instance I was reading an article about Kobe Bryant saying now I have one more ring than Shaquille O’ Neal and Shaquille O’ Neal going to the Boston Celtics because he felt that with the Celtics he has the best chance of getting another ring and catching up to Kobe Bryant. Even though Bryant and O’ Neal both have championship rings and are no longer on the same team the element of competition, jealousy and boastfulness still exist between the two. In serious sport the element of jealousy and boastfulness is always present.
Athletes have codes of ethics they must follow. Sport managers and coaches must be role models for athletes so they must also have codes of ethics that they should also follow. It is important for sport managers and coaches to follow their codes of ethics because if they are not ethical players will not be ethical which will discredit the integrity of the organization.
The American Football Coaches Association codes of ethics list and describe good codes of ethics that should be followed by all football coaches. It is important for coaches to be ethical because coaches should lead the team by example. The coaches coach the team on how to play the game and how to abide by the rules so they should also have rules and obligations to abide by. The coaches are the leaders of the team therefore it will be great if these codes of ethics were followed by all football coaches but today I don’t believe that all coaches are following the code of ethics.
The ethical standards require coaches to keep education in the foreground. Many coaches do not keep education in the foreground. Many coaches are more concerned with wining the game rather than the education of the athlete. A good coach is concerned with making sure an athlete learn from every practice and every game. A good coach is concerned with the development of the athlete and the development of the team on and off the court.
The coaches are also to give all reasonable support to the officials in charge of the game but many times coaches do not respect the decision of the officials and go against the officials call. It goes without saying that football coaches and coaches of every sport should have ethics but the code of ethics should be updated on a regular basis. From year to year rules change and everything needs to be updated to supplement the changes. It is a privilege as well as a huge responsibility to coach any football team therefore a code of ethics should be followed by every football coach and strict penalties should be given as violation if the code of ethics are not followed.
Sport managers play an important role to the athlete. It is important for sport managers to follow ethics because sport managers have a very important role that must be taken seriously and sport managers must understand the concept of what is right and what is wrong in the profession. Sport managers have the welfare of the clients in their hands so they must be loyal and fair to the client at all times.
Sport managers have the trust of the client therefore it is important for sport managers to respect the privacy of the athlete and hold in confidence all information obtained in the course of professional service. The sport manager is primarily responsible for representing the client. It is the job of the sport manager to be and remain proficient in professional practice and performance of professional functions. The sport manager is being paid to work for the client and to negotiate deals for the client so it is important that the sport manger knows his/her responsibility and is capable of performing the duties expected. The sport manager must only represent the client in his/ her area of expertise and be fair when setting fees for service. Sports managers must have integrity and set fees that they know are reasonable to the client.
It’s obvious that sport managers must have rules and codes of ethics to follow. Although rules and codes of ethics exist many successful sport managers do not follow the rules. One rule in sports is that sport managers are not allowed to pay college and high school athletes and their families to persuade them to sign with the agency. Although this rule exists and is well aware of by everyone in the agency it is still a problem within sport management. Agents are always paying athletes to sign with their agency and many times the agent gets away with paying these athletes.
All Sport Managers should be held to a high level of professional practice and service. The codes of ethics listed and described in the Ethical Creed are well thought out great principles that should be followed by everyone in the sport management field. If sport managers are not following the codes of ethics they should receive strict penalties and possibly loose the right to manage athletes.
Every area in sport has rules and obligations. To hold any position in sport is a privilege and as an athlete, a couch or a manager you must have honor, respect and abide by morals. No matter what role you play you should be held to high professional standards and follow the rules and morals or strict actions shall be taken. To ensure that everyone is following the rules and acting in good moral conduct a well developed set of standards and expectations need to be developed, taught and agreed upon by everyone in each role of sport. Once the standards have been agreed upon the standards must be enforced and action must be taken out on anyone who does not follow the standards of conduct.
Murderball
According to “From ‘Murderball’ to reluctant movie star” by Donna Freydkin, Mark Zupan, who has been in a wheelchair since he was 18 says his accident that put him in the wheelchair was one of the best things that has ever happened to him. Zupan does not allow his wheelchair to define who he is or how he should be. Although Zupan is in a wheelchair he still enjoys his life. Zupan participates in sports and sees his life as being just as normal as anyone else life.
The article describes Zupan as a strong masculine guy. The article states that Zupan stated “I went to the gym and dropped a glove. And a woman says, ‘Oh, let me get that for you.’ I’m at the gym. I lift weights. If I can’t pick the glove up off the floor, what am I doing here?” The article also states that Zupan swigs beer, wrestles with his dog, and has many piercings and tattoos. Zupan is portrayed in the article as a very manly hardcore man. Zupan does not fit into the stereotype of an ordinary paralyzed man. Zupan doesn’t seem like he wants anyone to notice the fact that he’s in a wheelchair. Zupan seems like he doesn’t even want to acknowledge that he’s paralyzed.
My question for the author would be is Zupan trying extra hard to be normal? Would Zupan still participate in competitive sport if he wasn’t in a wheelchair? I wonder if Zupan had plenty of tattoos and piercings before he became paralyzed. It seems to me as if Zupan is trying extra hard to prove that he is normal. Does Zupan even believe he is just as normal as everyone else or does he hide behind a false hardcore image to paint a picture that he someone that he is not?
In my opinion because Zupan is doing so much to prove he is normal many of his actions are not normal. In normal society when people drop something it is usually common courtesy to be helpful and pick it up for them. Instead of Zupan viewing the lady gesture to pick up his glove as common courtesy he decided to take it as a personal insult on him being disabled and unable to do for himself because he’s in a wheelchair.
I will be the first to admit that many times people do view people with disabilities as unequal and less than able to do for them self. Although many times people will view people with disabilities as not as able to do for them self I still believe that handicap people should not take people trying to help as a insult but as a courtesy. Even though Zupan is extremely dependent he still shouldn’t be oblivious to the fact that he is in a wheelchair and that when people try to help him it’s not because they feel he is helpless but because they are trying to be courteous.
It is hard for me to believe how Zupan could possibly consider the day he was paralyzed as the best day of his life? My first instinct was that Zupan is in denial and likes to believe that becoming paralyzed was the best thing that ever happened to him so he can reframe from becoming depressed and feeling sorry for himself. Then I thought maybe Zupan was heading down a wrong path in life and becoming paralyzed saved him. I’m not sure why Zupan feels that becoming paralyzed was the best thing that ever happened to him but it is a question I would ask him if I was given a chance. I’m also curious to know why the author didn’t ask Zupan why being paralyzed was one of the best things that ever happened to him.
I imagined that if I asked the author Donna Freydkin why she didn’t ask Zupan why he view the day he was paralyzed as one of the best days of his life. That her response would be that it is obvious because if he wasn’t paralyzed he wouldn’t be able to play Murderball or live the life that he now has. My response to that would be even if he wasn’t paralyzed wouldn’t he still be able to play competitive sport, have a live in girlfriend, a dog, tattoos and lift weights. I would like to know what makes Zupan life so special now that he’s paralyzed. What advantages do he feel he have now as a paralyzed man that he feel he would not have had if he was not paralyzed?
A person like Zupan deserves lots of credit and should be looked up to. Many people hide behind there disability and makes excuses for them self and how their disability prevent them from doing many things. Zupan does not hide behind his disability and does not feel sorry for himself or allow anyone else to feel sorry for him. Zupan knows that the rest of his life will be spent in a wheelchair but he holds no grudges and has no regrets. Zupan continues to live and enjoy his life to the fullest extent.
I would like to know if Zupan had this positive outlook on life as soon as he became disabled or if it took him a while to get use to his new condition. I’m also curious to know if Murderball and sports had anything to do with how he feels about being in a wheel chair. I wonder if Zupan would still be happy about being paralyzed if he could no longer play Murderball. I would ask Zupan what affects Murderball have on his self esteem and his person confidence in himself.
According to the reading “Conformity and Conflict: Wheelchair Athletes Discuss Sport Media” by Brent and Marie Hardin, research have shown that people with disabilities who participate in sport gain confidence and have a more positive outlook on life than those who do not participate in sports. Scholars believe that athletes with disabilities use sport as a way to claim their subjectivity, rejecting their assigned role of invisibility and objectivity.
Murderball is a very dangerous intense sport. The athletes who play Murderball work hard and dedicate time into practicing and being the best they can be at the game. Although the athletes that play Murderball are in wheelchairs they need to be respected for the hard work and effort they put into the game. It’s obvious that the athletes participate in the sport because they are passionate about playing the game.
I cannot deny that Murderball is a sport. Murderball takes lots of skill and dedication. I would say Murderball is one of the most competitive sports I have ever witnessed. Murderball athletes put their lives and health on the line every time they participate in Murderball. Murderball is very active and is a very physical contact sport. A person with disabilities participating in sport goes against the norm of sports. Sports have been socially constructed as an able body activity.
It is great that these athletes have this sport to dedicate themselves to. Many people would believe that people in a wheelchair are helpless and cannot do for themselves. Murderball proves that even in a wheelchair life goes on and that people can still have fun, interesting, active lives. When these athletes play Murderball they don’t use their handicap as a crunch but as a advantage to have the opportunity to play this sport they love.
According to the reading “Conformity and conflict: Wheelchair Athletes Discuss Sport Media” people with disabilities struggle against the generally accepted notion that they are biologically inferior, an assumption used to naturalize their oppression. People find ways to make themselves forget they are inferior and oppress the feeling that they are at a disadvantage compared to the majority of people in the world. Although people in wheelchairs do have a handicap sports give them an opportunity to be normal.
It is great how sports make such a difference in so many people life. It doesn’t matter who you are or what handicaps or insecurities you may have sport gives people the opportunity to feel like they belong. Sport gives people the opportunity to fit in somewhere and also allows people the opportunity to let their alter ego come out. Sport allows the opportunity to forget about the stress that society puts on you. Murderball provides these wheelchair athletes the opportunity to express themselves and feel normal.
Handicap athletes are seen as a minority in sports. When thinking of an athlete many people would imagine a masculine, male, able-bodied, heterosexual. Sports make it very hard for anyone who doesn’t fit the stereotype to be accepted into the world of sports. Women athletes are slowly making a name for them self in sports but I would assume that it will be a while before handicapped athletes will be recognized.
It’s not right for handicap athletes to work so hard and not be treated as a real sport or not be given proper media coverage. These handicap athletes are very competitive and very good at their sports. I would assume that many people would be interested in watching handicap athletes compete and feel that handicap athletes deserve to be broadcasted and treated fairly in the media just as any other athletes.
Murderball
According to “From ‘Murderball’ to reluctant movie star” by Donna Freydkin, Mark Zupan, who has been in a wheelchair since he was 18 says his accident that put him in the wheelchair was one of the best things that has ever happened to him. Zupan does not allow his wheelchair to define who he is or how he should be. Although Zupan is in a wheelchair he still enjoys his life. Zupan participates in sports and sees his life as being just as normal as anyone else life.
The article describes Zupan as a strong masculine guy. The article states that Zupan stated “I went to the gym and dropped a glove. And a woman says, ‘Oh, let me get that for you.’ I’m at the gym. I lift weights. If I can’t pick the glove up off the floor, what am I doing here?” The article also states that Zupan swigs beer, wrestles with his dog, and has many piercings and tattoos. Zupan is portrayed in the article as a very manly hardcore man. Zupan does not fit into the stereotype of an ordinary paralyzed man. Zupan doesn’t seem like he wants anyone to notice the fact that he’s in a wheelchair. Zupan seems like he doesn’t even want to acknowledge that he’s paralyzed.
My question for the author would be is Zupan trying extra hard to be normal? Would Zupan still participate in competitive sport if he wasn’t in a wheelchair? I wonder if Zupan had plenty of tattoos and piercings before he became paralyzed. It seems to me as if Zupan is trying extra hard to prove that he is normal. Does Zupan even believe he is just as normal as everyone else or does he hide behind a false hardcore image to paint a picture that he someone that he is not?
In my opinion because Zupan is doing so much to prove he is normal many of his actions are not normal. In normal society when people drop something it is usually common courtesy to be helpful and pick it up for them. Instead of Zupan viewing the lady gesture to pick up his glove as common courtesy he decided to take it as a personal insult on him being disabled and unable to do for himself because he’s in a wheelchair.
I will be the first to admit that many times people do view people with disabilities as unequal and less than able to do for them self. Although many times people will view people with disabilities as not as able to do for them self I still believe that handicap people should not take people trying to help as a insult but as a courtesy. Even though Zupan is extremely dependent he still shouldn’t be oblivious to the fact that he is in a wheelchair and that when people try to help him it’s not because they feel he is helpless but because they are trying to be courteous.
It is hard for me to believe how Zupan could possibly consider the day he was paralyzed as the best day of his life? My first instinct was that Zupan is in denial and likes to believe that becoming paralyzed was the best thing that ever happened to him so he can reframe from becoming depressed and feeling sorry for himself. Then I thought maybe Zupan was heading down a wrong path in life and becoming paralyzed saved him. I’m not sure why Zupan feels that becoming paralyzed was the best thing that ever happened to him but it is a question I would ask him if I was given a chance. I’m also curious to know why the author didn’t ask Zupan why being paralyzed was one of the best things that ever happened to him.
I imagined that if I asked the author Donna Freydkin why she didn’t ask Zupan why he view the day he was paralyzed as one of the best days of his life. That her response would be that it is obvious because if he wasn’t paralyzed he wouldn’t be able to play Murderball or live the life that he now has. My response to that would be even if he wasn’t paralyzed wouldn’t he still be able to play competitive sport, have a live in girlfriend, a dog, tattoos and lift weights. I would like to know what makes Zupan life so special now that he’s paralyzed. What advantages do he feel he have now as a paralyzed man that he feel he would not have had if he was not paralyzed?
A person like Zupan deserves lots of credit and should be looked up to. Many people hide behind there disability and makes excuses for them self and how their disability prevent them from doing many things. Zupan does not hide behind his disability and does not feel sorry for himself or allow anyone else to feel sorry for him. Zupan knows that the rest of his life will be spent in a wheelchair but he holds no grudges and has no regrets. Zupan continues to live and enjoy his life to the fullest extent.
I would like to know if Zupan had this positive outlook on life as soon as he became disabled or if it took him a while to get use to his new condition. I’m also curious to know if Murderball and sports had anything to do with how he feels about being in a wheel chair. I wonder if Zupan would still be happy about being paralyzed if he could no longer play Murderball. I would ask Zupan what affects Murderball have on his self esteem and his person confidence in himself.
According to the reading “Conformity and Conflict: Wheelchair Athletes Discuss Sport Media” by Brent and Marie Hardin, research have shown that people with disabilities who participate in sport gain confidence and have a more positive outlook on life than those who do not participate in sports. Scholars believe that athletes with disabilities use sport as a way to claim their subjectivity, rejecting their assigned role of invisibility and objectivity.
Murderball is a very dangerous intense sport. The athletes who play Murderball work hard and dedicate time into practicing and being the best they can be at the game. Although the athletes that play Murderball are in wheelchairs they need to be respected for the hard work and effort they put into the game. It’s obvious that the athletes participate in the sport because they are passionate about playing the game.
I cannot deny that Murderball is a sport. Murderball takes lots of skill and dedication. I would say Murderball is one of the most competitive sports I have ever witnessed. Murderball athletes put their lives and health on the line every time they participate in Murderball. Murderball is very active and is a very physical contact sport. A person with disabilities participating in sport goes against the norm of sports. Sports have been socially constructed as an able body activity.
It is great that these athletes have this sport to dedicate themselves to. Many people would believe that people in a wheelchair are helpless and cannot do for themselves. Murderball proves that even in a wheelchair life goes on and that people can still have fun, interesting, active lives. When these athletes play Murderball they don’t use their handicap as a crunch but as a advantage to have the opportunity to play this sport they love.
According to the reading “Conformity and conflict: Wheelchair Athletes Discuss Sport Media” people with disabilities struggle against the generally accepted notion that they are biologically inferior, an assumption used to naturalize their oppression. People find ways to make themselves forget they are inferior and oppress the feeling that they are at a disadvantage compared to the majority of people in the world. Although people in wheelchairs do have a handicap sports give them an opportunity to be normal.
It is great how sports make such a difference in so many people life. It doesn’t matter who you are or what handicaps or insecurities you may have sport gives people the opportunity to feel like they belong. Sport gives people the opportunity to fit in somewhere and also allows people the opportunity to let their alter ego come out. Sport allows the opportunity to forget about the stress that society puts on you. Murderball provides these wheelchair athletes the opportunity to express themselves and feel normal.
Handicap athletes are seen as a minority in sports. When thinking of an athlete many people would imagine a masculine, male, able-bodied, heterosexual. Sports make it very hard for anyone who doesn’t fit the stereotype to be accepted into the world of sports. Women athletes are slowly making a name for them self in sports but I would assume that it will be a while before handicapped athletes will be recognized.
It’s not right for handicap athletes to work so hard and not be treated as a real sport or not be given proper media coverage. These handicap athletes are very competitive and very good at their sports. I would assume that many people would be interested in watching handicap athletes compete and feel that handicap athletes deserve to be broadcasted and treated fairly in the media just as any other athletes.
The love of sports
As a child getting into sports we are taught the importance of teamwork. As a student in sport we are taught the importance of discipline and hard work. As a fan of a team we forget about all those important qualities that shape a person, a team and an athlete.
According to Kevin Young article “Standard Deviations: An Update on North American Sports Crown Disorder “North American fan violence is not limited to any one particular behavior, location, or sport.” Any avid sports follower in North America can think of many instances of player and fan violence. In America we condone violence and although the leagues do a great job at trying to prevent and fine for violent acts I know that with the obsession of contact sport and aggression in America that we will continue to see violence in sports.
In the article “The Effects of Team Identification and Game Outcome on Willingness to Consider Anonymous Acts of Hostile Aggression by Daniel L. Wann, Zachary Culver, Rubaba Akanda, Melek Daglar, Carla De Divitis, and Anthony Smith a study was conducted to show just how hostile fans can be when it comes to the success of their favorite team. The study found that “persons with high levels of team identification were particularly likely to consider the violent acts, and these persons were especially likely to consider the acts when imagining that their team had just been defeated.” ( Branscome & Wann, 1994; Wann, 1993).
The fact that anyone would even consider murdering a person or breaking the leg of another human being because of friendly competition says a lot about the society we live in. When we think about competitive sport we think about good friendly competition, or do we?
What does it mean in sport when the opposing team defeats you? It should mean that the team worked hard and put in lots of daily effort to compete and win.
In life we are taught to work hard and be the best we can be. If a player/team is not performing the best and is outperformed by another player it is up to that player/team to improve performance. When sports are competitive to the point where players and fans are resulting to violence, crimes and are losing the element of fun, friendly competition sport begins to lose it meaning in society.
Sports have become so competitive that it has lost its existence in America. Instead of being an avenue to connect, meet new people and come together sports have became an avenue to vent and take out your frustrations.
Acts of fan and player violence take a huge toll on what sport means to society. When you look up sports you see words such as recreation and sportsmanship. When fans and players bring violence into the world of sports they forget about the ethics and respect that sports build from. Sports have become so competitive that it has lost its existence in America. Instead of being an avenue to connect, meet new people and come together sports have became an avenue to vent and take out your frustrations. When the team is winning the fans are happy when the team is losing the fans are upset and act aggressive, violent and out of character. People cannot live their lives through sports. Sports are a form of entertainment when people live their lives through sports it takes away from the entertainment aspect of the game and makes it serious.
women and contact sports
Aggressive contact sports such as football, roller derby and body building are seen as masculine male only sports. Today many women are finding interest in more aggressive masculine sports. Although women are becoming more interested in playing these sports many times they struggle with issues of being taken seriously, limited teams to play on, gaining respect and being exploited.
Based on the reading “Women’s Participation in Tackle Football” by Todd A. Migliaccio and Ellen C. Berg women play football for many reasons. Some women play because they have a lifelong love for the game. Some women always wanted to play but never had the chance. Others grew up playing with brothers, friend and neighbors. Many women love playing football because it is empowering and destabilize the separation between femininity and masculinity.
Many women are interested in contact sport, in 2009 alone American women age 16 and up spent 3.1 billion on sports logo appeal. Nearly half of these women purchased college football logo attire. Girls High School flag football has almost doubled from 3,855 girls playing on 103 teams from 2002-2003 to 6,235 girls playing on 171 teams from 2009-2010. I could only imagine if a women football team was offered in colleges how many females would be on the team. After reading and learning about how many women was interested in contact sports and football I begin to wonder why competitive women’s football was not offered in colleges across the United States.
Women basketball has been accepted and recognized as a serious sport. Women now have their own basketball teams in high schools as well as colleges. Because women’s basketball is now accepted I do believe one day women professional football can also be accepted. The only worry about women football is if men will accept and respect women in football.
Men have a hard time accepting women into their world of sports especially when it comes to football. Many females have a interest in playing football but their chances of being good at the sport is limited because many men that play football have the opportunity to begin playing the game at a young age. Boys have the opportunity to play in peewee football leagues, on boy’s high school football teams, in college and in the pros. Opportunities for females are much more limited.
If women football leagues get big in college I believe it will open the door for women football to begin to take off. I think women football is a great Idea. Over the past few decades women have proven how strong they are. Women are just as powerful and equal to men. There is enough women to create a female football league therefore these women should be supported. If a few colleges begin to offer woman’s football as a serious college sport in their schools and recruit women for these football teams and these teams compete with other colleges females interested in playing football will attend these schools so they can be recruited for the female football league. A successful women’s female league on ESPN will mean that women sports have come a long way and is finally given the respect deserved.
Although professional women football leagues now exist my worry is that they will never be taking serious like the male football league. The women football league work hard and play hard but many of the women play for a $1.00 a day. I would like to know how these women survive with such a low salary. It is unfair how men football players make so much money and are well recognized on ESPN when the female professional football league is given very little publicity and no recognition.
The women in the professional football league are dedicated and are very good at playing the game. It is obvious that the women in the professional football league take the game serious and want to be recognized for their talent and skill. My question is why these games aren’t being broadcasted on ESPN and why these women aren’t receiving more recognition and support.
It is sad that women with such great talent are not being recognized when the women lingerie football league is getting lots of recognition. The women lingerie league is a new football league for women to participate in and although the league is very new it is already the most popular and most broadcasted professional female football league. This makes me wonder if women can actually ever be taken seriously in sports.
The lingerie football league is a league for athletic, beautiful women with nice bodies to run around and entertain men. Is this really football? Is this form of entertainment even considered sport? Or is this just considered a form of entertainment and exploitation? How can women really be taking seriously playing a sport when they are playing it in lingerie? Is this league a way of saying the only way women can be recognized playing football is if they play half naked?
Football is a very masculine aggressive sport. You cannot add lingerie into the sport and expect it to be taken serious. Football is a professional sport and for women to be taken serious in the sport they must be represented professionally and conduct themselves as professionals. For any female league to be taken serious the women need to be able to play on the same level as the men. Even with the WNBA although it is the female league many of the women can play a one on one game against many of the men in the NBA and win. For a women football league to be given the same respect they must have that same talent and professional reputation. Having a lingerie football league is very disrespectful to the other professional women football leagues that play hard, practice hard and really learn to be great at the game rather than using lingerie as a way to bring sex appeal to their league. This league doing better than the other professional female football leagues goes to show just how women are seen in sports.
Like hooters and cheerleaders. Women are only seen as beautiful objects put their solely to support and cater to the men. Whenever you see women in male dominating sports you see them in outfits that show a great portion of their body. The women are always gorgeous and always have nice in shape bodies. When you see the cheerleaders the cheerleaders are always beautiful, the cheerleaders always have nice bodies and the cheerleaders’ purpose is to cheer on and support the men in short skirts. In sports you never see men cheering on the women. Even at hooters they have requirements for the employees to be females with nice bodies, big breast and they are required to wear small tight revealing uniforms. The purpose of Hooters is for men to come watch sports while being waited on by beautiful, fit females. Men dominate sports and it will take a lot before women are completely welcome into the world of sports.
Women’s football Halloween costumes are very popular because on Halloween many women try to use that as a time to dress sexy. Women know that men love football so they wear sexy football outfits on Halloween to gain the attention of the men. What I find to be so funny about the costume is even though it is designed to be a football uniform it is very sexy and revealing. I wonder how well the costume would sell if it was very masculine and had no sex appeal.
Even in body building women sexual attraction is important. In body building the body builders are very masculine. Female bodybuilders are very strong and manly but in order to make money female body builders must have implants and represent themselves as sex objects. Female body builders have websites and calendars were they dress in bikinis and lingerie showing off their implants and bodies. Although body building is their passion the only way for them to make enough money to support them self is to show their bodies and exploit themselves.
Female sports have come a long way but still has a long way to go. In sports people need to stop seeing women as little delicate creatures put on earth to support men and realize that a variety of different type of women exist in this world and all types of women and all types of people need to be respected and supported. Sports should be equal and women should be given the same opportunities to succeed in every sport.
Basketball Values
Bill Bradley’s book “Values of the Game” discuss the values installed in basketball players and how these values make basketball players better people in society. Bradley breaks down his belief that the values learned from basketball apply to everyday life and ultimately shape the player’s character. I agree with Bradley. Basketball athletes do learn great values from the game that should be applied to society. Passion, discipline, selflessness, respect, perspective, courage, leadership, responsibility, resilience and imagination are all great traits that all great player’s use in the game. Although all players possess theses great traits many players only use these characteristics as they apply to the game and do not apply them to everyday personal life.
Basketball players have a general passion for the game and begin playing for the pure joy and pleasure of the game. Being a professional basketball athlete is a dream come true for basketball players because it means they can earn money playing a sport they love. Basketball players dedicate lots of time to the sport because they are so passionate about it. If basketball players apply the same passion, pleasure and joy to life and the world as a whole they would have a unique outlook on life and would be able to make a huge impact on many lives.
To be a great basketball player you must have discipline. Professional athletes must discipline their bodies to stay in shape. Professional athletes must work hard and train hard. To be a successful basketball player you must be disciplined to show up to practices, eat the proper foods and continuously work on bettering your game. All successful players have discipline when it comes to the game but all players don’t have that same discipline when it comes to everyday personal life.
Basketball is a team sport. When playing team sports you must possess selflessness. To play basketball the team must show unity. To have unity each player in the team must demonstrate a high degree of selflessness. One good player on a basketball team cannot win the game alone. To win basketball games teams must play together as one. If one player on the team is selfish it will affect the entire team. A good team helps the team by helping someone else on the team and ultimately helping themselves.
Respect is a very important factor in sports. To be successful in any sport you must show respect. You must respect the game enough to prepare yourself for the game. You must respect your teammates, your coach, the referee, the fans and your opponent. You must show up on time for games and practices and respect the rules of the game and the rules of the league you are playing for. If you don’t have respect for the game you won’t be given respect and will not be able to be successful in basketball.
Perspective on yourself as a public figure is very important in basketball. As a basketball player you must always represent yourself as a role model. When playing basketball you must also show good sportsmanship. According to the book “Knowledge of one’s strengths and weaknesses remains a necessary but not sufficient step to success; acting on that knowledge requires perspective.” When playing a basketball game a perspective on victory comes from knowing who is responsible for the victory. In basketball one player is never solely responsible for the victory.
To play basketball you must have courage. When playing basketball you must take risk and be brave. In sport nothing is guaranteed. When playing basketball many times you will have to take the shot or make a play and put it all on the line out of courage. In basketball you give 100 percent for your team. In the reading “Sports in Society” by Jay Coakley, athletes are expected to over conform. Over conforming is also an act of deviant behavior. Athletes are expected to sacrifice their bodies and sometime their values for the good of the team. That leaves me with the question at what cost? And how far is too far? Is it the responsibility of the athlete to sacrifice his body for the team? What if it means taking steroids so he or she can perform better at games? Is it okay to cheat on your wife so you can earn the respect of your team? No, it is not okay. Athletes are often so dedicated to their teams that they place respect and responsibility of the team above everything else.
All good athletes are leaders. Leadership is very important in basketball as a coach or as a player. As a player or as a coach you want to bring out the best in your team and lead your team to the finals, the championship and ultimately to the playoffs. It is important to be a leader in basketball because it’s important to make a name for yourself. Many players lead during a game by virtue of their self confidence. The best player can lead by example, contributing more than anyone else to the effort of winning the game. The leader brings out the best in his/her teammates and convinces the team to outdo themselves. The team’s best player may not always be the leader but the one who is held in the greatest respect by the team.
Playing serious basketball is a responsibility. To play serious basketball you have a responsibility to show up to practices and show up to all games prepared to play the game. As a basketball player it is your responsibility to keep your body healthy and in shape. You have a responsibility to know the rules of the game and to follow the rules of the game. It is the responsibility of the player to be professional and ready to play the best game he/she can play and lead the team to victory.
All great athletes must have resilience. When playing basketball you will have many games. Some games you win some games you lose. It is important to understand that you win some you lose some but no matter what you must keep faith in yourself and your team, never allowing a defeat to crush you. To be a great basketball player you have to always try your best and know that your teammates tried their best and never place blame. In basketball injuries are part of the game but great players do not allow injury or any other defeat discourage them. A great player wins with a smile and loses with a smile knowing he did the best he can.
Imagination is important in basketball. In basketball new ways of dunking and making layups are created due to the creativity of the players. Imagination brings individuality to basketball. With basketball players using their imagination and being creative it changes the game and makes the game more interesting season after season. All professional basketball players before going to the pros had to use their imagination to imagine them self playing in the NBA. If the players didn’t imagine themselves playing for the NBA they would have not worked so hard to make it to such an elite status.
It is clear that every professional and serious basketball player possess all the ten values described in Bradley’s “Values of the Game”. It is impossible to be a successful basketball player without possessing these values. Although all basketball players have these values they may not always apply them to life, society and their personal life. The way athletes feel about their team and basketball may not be a reflection of how they feel about society so they may not always express the same values in life as they do for the game.
Many athletes show that they are not disciplined and have very little respect. Tiger Woods, Michael Jordon, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are all great dedicated athletes but have all been publicly displayed as cheating womanizers. Although these athletes show discipline, responsibility, selflessness and respect for the sport they love they don’t apply those same character traits to relationships and the women in their lives.
If teams stop following these ten characteristics how would that reshape the nature of the game? Would professional basketball exist if players were not passionate about the game? How could the game be played if the players didn’t have respect and courage for the game? Athletes know that they have a responsibility to the game. If athletes didn’t show responsibility for the way they approach a game would the NBA still exist? Is it the competitive nature of the NBA that makes athletes follow these ten characteristics in sport?
If I could speak with Bradley I would ask if he believes all athletes apply these characteristics to everyday life. I would also ask Bradley what percent of professional athletes he believe apply these ten characteristics to their life and how often. I know that if basketball players did use these ten characteristics in everyday life it would be very beneficial to society. If I met Bradley I would tell him we know athlete’s posses all these characteristics, therefore what would a coach have to do to ensure that athletes are continuously using them. I would also ask Bradley if he believe these ten values of the game only apply to professional athletes, professional athletes as well as student athletes or if these characteristics also apply to street basketball players that don’t play the game for a school team or professionally but just for recreational purposes.
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