Many people have been debating the topic of banning college football. It has come to people's attention that college football is a major medical and educational threat for the players. College football fans get their entertainment and excitement, but on the other hand, the players don't get anything other than a scholarship. One thing they don't realize they are receiving each and everyday as an outcome of taking brutal hits from practice and games are the long term effects it brings.
Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling New Yorker writer said on May 8th during the Intelligence Squared debate on banning college football at the New York University's Skirball Center, "It's not the hard hits that each player takes, but it's the thousand of tiny hits that they take." A hard hit once in a while may lead to a concussion, but the thousand of tiny hits that Gladwell is referring to can lead to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. CTE is a condition that is found in athletes and recently in football players. CTE leads to memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and eventually, progressive dementia. There are college football players of 18 years out there with CTE.
Education is one of the biggest factors in a person's life. It contributes to everything you accomplish in the future. This doesn't seem to be true for college football players. Football seems to be more important and something more valuable than education. Buzz Bissinger, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Friday Night Lights said during the debate, "Players get the option to go to class, if they want to, I bet most wouldn't". The number of hours a college student uses for studying had decreased from 40 to 13 as a result of college football. Football is a distraction. Bissinger said, "Football. It sucks all the air out of the room."
College football has to be banned. It is time to realize that it is cheating on us for the lives of many young adults. Their lives are being threatened by their own inspiration. Something have to be done and banning college football is the perfect solution. We can save the lives and education of college students before it's too late. We can live without football, but we can't survive without an education. Football won't kill you, it'll just destroy and corrupt your brain. Football is an enemy, not a friend.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Should college football be banned?
Many people in the United States love to watch college football in their free time. The thrill of the marching bands, cheerleaders, and best of all the brute force of the dedicated athletes are factors in why the fans love the sport. College football has been around for more than 100 years and since the late 1900's the players have grown stronger and faster. The intensity of the game has increased and the safety of the players is a concern we can't ignore.
A big reason to ban college football is because of the constant blows to the head. Examples of players that go through the repetitive brutal hits are linemen and running backs. The short term affects of these rapid hits are concussion, memory loss and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, but the long term affects are still unknown. The long term damages can be severe and there is no way to find out until after the player's death. CTE is so severe that Malcolm Gladwell said in an Intelligence Squared debate at New York University, “I’ve seen pictures of the brain scans of people with CTE and it looks like someone drove a truck across their brain.”
While the student-athletes are at risk of getting injured every day during practice, their education is being ignored. Football requires dedication so the students are spending the majority of their time at practice or at the gym for improvement. The student-athletes' education was primarily their main focus going into college, but once they engage in the sport they sacrifice the time they could have used learning for a football scholarship.
College football is an exciting sport, but changes are a necessity. The games are more intense than ever and players are violently tackling each other. Safety of the players is a problem and banning it is a solution. There are other alternatives such as giving the student-athletes a reasonable salary or better schedules to reduce play time, but the sport will still be unsafe for the young athletes.
A big reason to ban college football is because of the constant blows to the head. Examples of players that go through the repetitive brutal hits are linemen and running backs. The short term affects of these rapid hits are concussion, memory loss and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, but the long term affects are still unknown. The long term damages can be severe and there is no way to find out until after the player's death. CTE is so severe that Malcolm Gladwell said in an Intelligence Squared debate at New York University, “I’ve seen pictures of the brain scans of people with CTE and it looks like someone drove a truck across their brain.”
While the student-athletes are at risk of getting injured every day during practice, their education is being ignored. Football requires dedication so the students are spending the majority of their time at practice or at the gym for improvement. The student-athletes' education was primarily their main focus going into college, but once they engage in the sport they sacrifice the time they could have used learning for a football scholarship.
College football is an exciting sport, but changes are a necessity. The games are more intense than ever and players are violently tackling each other. Safety of the players is a problem and banning it is a solution. There are other alternatives such as giving the student-athletes a reasonable salary or better schedules to reduce play time, but the sport will still be unsafe for the young athletes.
Should college football be banned?
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| Santa Monica College VS. Cerritos College - flickr.com-Parker Michael Knight |
College football is just a distraction that adds on to student's college life. It has no academic purpose and that's a reason why people want it to be banned. Student athletes are spending a lot of their time in college playing football instead of studying. Friday Night Lights author Buzz Bissinger argued for banning college footbal during the Intelligence Squared debate, he said, "As a school’s football team wins more games, grades drop and drinking rises among male students."
Another issue with college football is money. During the Intelligence Squared debate Bissinger said, "In the Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision, schools spend an average of $13,471 per student. When you hone in specifically on athletes, that number jumps to $91,053. Coaches, for their part, receive an average salary of $1.47 million a year, far more than college presidents and 500 percent more than coaches earned in the mid ‘80s." A lot of college students are paying these extra fees that they are not going to use during the school year. A lot of the money is being spent on football instead of other equipment in school that everyone can use.
Football is dangerous for players. Over the course of one football season, a college football player will take about 1,000 hits to the head. Each hit damages the brain. This leads to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease that causes memory loss, confusion, and depression. CTE can only be diagnosed when the person has a autopsy, so there is no way to find out if the person has CTE until the person dies. One example would be University of Pennsylvania's offensive lineman, Owen Thomas, a 21-year-old junior. He committed suicide by hanging himself in his apartment on April of 2010. After his death he was diagnosed with CTE.
Banning college football might not be a good idea, but what other solutions can there be? By banning college football, colleges and universities can save a lot of money. The money can go towards education instead of football. If students really want to play football they should join programs that pay them, instead of playing for free and at the same time worrying about school work.
Football has no place on a college campus
Football does not belong in college. It hurts players physically, and is highly detrimental to their studies. Many college players suffer traumatic injuries that ruin their lives. Others fail to compete in professional level sports and enter the world deprived of any skills gained from college.
Despite objections from proponents of college football, it is quite obvious that most players do not learn much from their classes. The high level of stress from their commitment to the team and the hours of play and training required for such an intense sport simply do not leave much room for academics.
Tim Green, former NFL player and lawyer, said in an Intelligence Squared debate that college football players are graduating at a higher rate than other college students, but as recent studies by the University of North Carolina reveal, college players are actually graduating at a lesser rate than non-athlete male full-time students. Evidently, football takes away from students' academics.
Aside from the harm done to the players’ studies, there is the undeniable physical pain players suffer. Repeated contact injuries and concussions during games cause irreversible damage to players. An increasing number of players suffer from CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), a terrible brain disease that leads to early Alzheimer’s disease, loss of memory, and dementia.
Because CTE can only be diagnosed with a postmortem autopsy, the statistics for its occurrence are rare. But it is hard to believe events like the suicide of University of Pennsylvania football player Owen Thomas were not influenced by CTE. The 21-year old, who never showed signs of depression, hanged himself in April 2010. Brain tests showed definite signs of CTE, making him the youngest player to be diagnosed with the condition. Numerous NFL players have been diagnosed with CTE also.
Football may produce money for colleges, but it hurts athletes far too much to justify its benefits. After all, colleges are not-for-profit organizations created to educate students, not recruiting centers for the NFL that exploit students by overuse and compensation of little value.
Despite objections from proponents of college football, it is quite obvious that most players do not learn much from their classes. The high level of stress from their commitment to the team and the hours of play and training required for such an intense sport simply do not leave much room for academics.
Tim Green, former NFL player and lawyer, said in an Intelligence Squared debate that college football players are graduating at a higher rate than other college students, but as recent studies by the University of North Carolina reveal, college players are actually graduating at a lesser rate than non-athlete male full-time students. Evidently, football takes away from students' academics.
Aside from the harm done to the players’ studies, there is the undeniable physical pain players suffer. Repeated contact injuries and concussions during games cause irreversible damage to players. An increasing number of players suffer from CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), a terrible brain disease that leads to early Alzheimer’s disease, loss of memory, and dementia.
Because CTE can only be diagnosed with a postmortem autopsy, the statistics for its occurrence are rare. But it is hard to believe events like the suicide of University of Pennsylvania football player Owen Thomas were not influenced by CTE. The 21-year old, who never showed signs of depression, hanged himself in April 2010. Brain tests showed definite signs of CTE, making him the youngest player to be diagnosed with the condition. Numerous NFL players have been diagnosed with CTE also.
Football may produce money for colleges, but it hurts athletes far too much to justify its benefits. After all, colleges are not-for-profit organizations created to educate students, not recruiting centers for the NFL that exploit students by overuse and compensation of little value.
Ban college football
Whether or not college football should be banned is a very controversial topic. Although college football does provide universities with great revenue and allows many companies to advertise, it destroys the players. Everyone knows that football is one of the most brutal and harmful sports. In an eight year period, study by sagepub.com, it was discovered that a total of 175 head and neck injuries were found in 100 players not to mention all the abnormalities found amongst freshmen on the team. These football players should dedicate the time they spend playing to studying and maybe enjoy the sport during their free-time.
The reason colleges encourage students to play sports is because it generates a huge amount of profit. Not only do universities receive money from the sale of tickets, but they also get it from advertisements and merchandise. Companies, such as Dish Network, Ford, Coca-Cola, etc, pay thousands of dollars to colleges as endorsements. The University of Tennessee’s football team receives 750,000 dollars from corporate sponsors. Most of the top universities pay their coaches about one million dollars, but the people who are performing out there cannot get paid?
Football is renowned for having injuries to the head. Many football players suffer from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE, which is a degenerative disease of the brain. It causes the person who is suffering to lose memory, concentration, and attention. CTE is a result of many traumas to the head. Furthermore, hints of brain damage or injuries to the head can only be found our after death.
In football, players receive beatings to the head and even with helmets they get concussions. Mike Borich, former college wide receiver and later football coach for the Chicago Bears, died of a drug overdose at the age of 42. After his death an autopsy was performed and it was found that he suffered from CTE. Borich was the first college wide receiver to ever be diagnosed with CTE.
With college football there is a slight chance that the player might get into the NFL, but that is going to require sacrifices. They may not receive a good education, therefore if they do not get drafted, there is no other option. Furthermore, with college football there is a huge probability that the player may get a head injury. Knowing that the head is one of the most crucial parts to a person, a blow to it may cause problems throughout the body. Now the only thing that is left to do is ban college football.
The reason colleges encourage students to play sports is because it generates a huge amount of profit. Not only do universities receive money from the sale of tickets, but they also get it from advertisements and merchandise. Companies, such as Dish Network, Ford, Coca-Cola, etc, pay thousands of dollars to colleges as endorsements. The University of Tennessee’s football team receives 750,000 dollars from corporate sponsors. Most of the top universities pay their coaches about one million dollars, but the people who are performing out there cannot get paid?
Football is renowned for having injuries to the head. Many football players suffer from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE, which is a degenerative disease of the brain. It causes the person who is suffering to lose memory, concentration, and attention. CTE is a result of many traumas to the head. Furthermore, hints of brain damage or injuries to the head can only be found our after death.
In football, players receive beatings to the head and even with helmets they get concussions. Mike Borich, former college wide receiver and later football coach for the Chicago Bears, died of a drug overdose at the age of 42. After his death an autopsy was performed and it was found that he suffered from CTE. Borich was the first college wide receiver to ever be diagnosed with CTE.
With college football there is a slight chance that the player might get into the NFL, but that is going to require sacrifices. They may not receive a good education, therefore if they do not get drafted, there is no other option. Furthermore, with college football there is a huge probability that the player may get a head injury. Knowing that the head is one of the most crucial parts to a person, a blow to it may cause problems throughout the body. Now the only thing that is left to do is ban college football.
Consequences of college football
All around the United States, people are debating whether or not to ban college football. The purpose of college is to study and to major in fields that interests people as collegians. If one isn't interested in any of the fields, then why go to college? Football takes academics out of students' obligation of trying and studying hard since most football players are guaranteed a scholarship. Not only that, but how can one obtain benefits from playing college football? The chances of one football player ending up making money later on in life from football are very low. Also, the fact that football is a contact sport makes it dangerous. Hits in football games eventually leads to diseases such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, which is common to football athletes. These reasons suggest that college football indeed should be banned.
Football, the most popular sport in this country, is used for the audience’s entertainment, but what do the players in college get from it? While an ordinary college football coach earns roughly a million dollars, the players who are doing most of the work, don’t even earn a dime.
Injuries are a huge reason to ban football. Mistreated concussion lead to conditions such as “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy,” that often leads to suicide. According to a Sports Central article, a football great Junior Seau shot himself because of CTE. The only way to find out if one has CTE is do an autopsy. CTE causes headache, confussion and dizziness that sometimes lead to depression, so CTE is really brutal. If college football continues, there will just be more of people diagnosed with CTE and that will eventually lead to families of those affected to be mad at the colleges.
Collegians playing football focus more on the sport than their academics. The college serves as an education base for the young people who are willing to learn. Some might argue that college football open up opportunities for young students, but those people should re-think what they're saying. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, only 1 in 50 college seniors get drafted to the National Football League. Most of these college football players don't end up in the NFL.
The other option to create a minor football league seems like a better idea, because those people would know the consequences of playing football. Playing college football might jeopardize a collegians' future and they would regret it later on in their life. The minor league will make the people who would join rethink about what they're doing and the consequences of playing football.
If college football is preserved, several improvements should be made. For one thing, the athletes should be at least be given a salary, because after all, they're doing all the work. Second, the hits and injured should be minimized as much as possible, maybe changing some rules and regulations similar to flag football. College football might be a way to have fun and get recognized, but the present effects of it suggests that students should do something else that's more safe and beneficial to their transcript.
Football, the most popular sport in this country, is used for the audience’s entertainment, but what do the players in college get from it? While an ordinary college football coach earns roughly a million dollars, the players who are doing most of the work, don’t even earn a dime.
Injuries are a huge reason to ban football. Mistreated concussion lead to conditions such as “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy,” that often leads to suicide. According to a Sports Central article, a football great Junior Seau shot himself because of CTE. The only way to find out if one has CTE is do an autopsy. CTE causes headache, confussion and dizziness that sometimes lead to depression, so CTE is really brutal. If college football continues, there will just be more of people diagnosed with CTE and that will eventually lead to families of those affected to be mad at the colleges.
Collegians playing football focus more on the sport than their academics. The college serves as an education base for the young people who are willing to learn. Some might argue that college football open up opportunities for young students, but those people should re-think what they're saying. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, only 1 in 50 college seniors get drafted to the National Football League. Most of these college football players don't end up in the NFL.
The other option to create a minor football league seems like a better idea, because those people would know the consequences of playing football. Playing college football might jeopardize a collegians' future and they would regret it later on in their life. The minor league will make the people who would join rethink about what they're doing and the consequences of playing football.
If college football is preserved, several improvements should be made. For one thing, the athletes should be at least be given a salary, because after all, they're doing all the work. Second, the hits and injured should be minimized as much as possible, maybe changing some rules and regulations similar to flag football. College football might be a way to have fun and get recognized, but the present effects of it suggests that students should do something else that's more safe and beneficial to their transcript.
Banning college football or burning money?
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| College Football game- flickr.com- Parker Michael Knight |
College football’s biggest flaw is the fact that kids seem to not have enough time to do work if they have football practice. In a 2004 report by the NCAA, graduation rate was looked at according to race, athletes or non-athletes. The results showed that athletes graduated at a 65% rate and the non-athletes graduated at a 63% rate. This shows that whether or not the athletes study, they do well enough in school to get an education and graduate.
Another major problem is money distribution. People feel as if college football takes most of the college’s earned money and spends it on equipment and the salaries of the coaches. This can be argued by saying that the football team makes all the big income. Other sports like swimming and baseball cannot generate as much money as football can. "According to financial filings made to the Department of Education, all of Maryland’s non-football-or-basketball athletic programs operated at a combined loss of $7.3 million last year," said Chris Smith in a Forbes article. Football is in high demand and it even brings in money to local businesses. If Ohio State plays Louisiana State University in an away game, then all the Ohio State students will travel to Louisiana. This will bring up money to local hotels and diners.
Division one head coaches have been averaged to get paid $1.47 million dollars, almost 500 percent more than a college football coach in the 1980’s were paid. This shows that the coach is obviously being overpaid, but it’s for a better reason. The coach has to deal with a lot of pressure from the school. Without the coach and his football team, once again, the revenue will not be there.
Without college football, schools would not be able to have large scale building projects. The thought of removing college football is absurd, but reform may be the answer. "The argument to ban college football seems rash and tends to understate just how valuable a successful college football program can be to university initiatives," said Smith.
College football down the drain?
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| College Football Game / Fabien Martinez / Flickr |
On May 8th this question was debated. Buzz Bissinger and Malcom Gladwell supported the motion of banning college football while Tim Green and Jason Whitlock defended college football.
And yes, college football should be banned. Football is a very dangerous sport and players constantly take hard hits to the head, which has a bad impact on them after they retire. Many players have had cases of dementia at very young ages. Gladwell and Bissinger also argue that it is morally wrong. Football encourages young men to hit each other very hard. A study conducted in 2000 showed, that of 1090 former NFL players, 60 percent had at at least one concussion in their career. The brutality in the NFL is no different than in college.
Bissinger argues that sports are distracting students from their education and are taking away their possible intellectual ideas. He called it, “the distracted university,” in his argument. Not only are players concentrated on football, but so are thousands of college fans.
“A great country changes,” Bissinger said in the debate. College football has had many bad effects on players and colleges in general. It is time for a change. Continuing to play college football with rule changes to prevent injuries is not enough. The injury rate will still be high. Why don’t we just get rid of the whole thing?
Banning college football
College football has become a major part of college campus life. For some colleges it is the major focus, even more than actual education. That is a problem. It is a distraction for the players, where only a small percentage of them actually get to play professional football, colleges spend insane amounts of money on the football program, and finally it causes the unpaid players to get hurt. Banning college football might be the only solution.
College football is a major distraction for the players themselves, but also the students that don’t even play football. Journalist Buzz Bissinger said during an Intelligence Squared debate, “It sucks all the air out of the room.” The player themselves spend nearly all their time on playing, not only during the season but also in the off-season to train, instead of doing what they really should at a college; learn.
College football costs a lot of money. The money goes to coaches, stadiums, gear, and so on. Urban Meyer, head coach for The Ohio State University, earned $24 million over six seasons. The University of Maryland spent $50.8 million to modernize their stadium. "These
schools travel enormous distances to play games. So that means you're missing
class, you're spending money," Bissinger said to Gothamist.com. This is a college. Colleges are for education, so shouldn’t all these millions be spent on better education than sports programs?
Playing football causes major brain injuries. Professional football players know the risks, and get compensated for it by earning a lot of money. College football players get a scholarship to the school, but does this really make up for the brain injury they may suffer? “I have no problem whatsoever with grown men choosing to participate in a potentially lethal profession. But college is a different matter,” journalist Malcolm Gladwell said to Sportsillustrated.com.
Banning it does seem like a very drastic solution, but maybe the only one. Make a minor league paid by the NFL instead of having players play at college. That way it won’t be a distraction for college students, while football players playing in the minor league will be able to focus their full attention on playing, instead of also trying to pass their classes. Also the focus of colleges and universities, and thereby money, will turn back to education.
College football is a major distraction for the players themselves, but also the students that don’t even play football. Journalist Buzz Bissinger said during an Intelligence Squared debate, “It sucks all the air out of the room.” The player themselves spend nearly all their time on playing, not only during the season but also in the off-season to train, instead of doing what they really should at a college; learn.
Playing football causes major brain injuries. Professional football players know the risks, and get compensated for it by earning a lot of money. College football players get a scholarship to the school, but does this really make up for the brain injury they may suffer? “I have no problem whatsoever with grown men choosing to participate in a potentially lethal profession. But college is a different matter,” journalist Malcolm Gladwell said to Sportsillustrated.com.
Banning it does seem like a very drastic solution, but maybe the only one. Make a minor league paid by the NFL instead of having players play at college. That way it won’t be a distraction for college students, while football players playing in the minor league will be able to focus their full attention on playing, instead of also trying to pass their classes. Also the focus of colleges and universities, and thereby money, will turn back to education.
The dangers of college football
After hearing
the Intelligence Squared debate on banning college football on Tuesday
May 8 , most people chose the side to ban college football. The choices
of the majority are certainly correct, for college football has many
problems and should be removed from all universities.
It is true college football allows the players to gain a scholarship into their dream school, but the amount of students that get a scholarship are relatively low. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, 1.1 million high-school students play football, yet only 66,000 is ready for college football. On top of that, out of the 66,000 ready for football, only 19,500 get a scholarship.
Even if a scholarship is granted, college football also has the danger of putting students at risk of many physical injuries and brain damage. Excessive brain damage can lead to problems like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE can lead to poor judgements, unsteady gait, slower muscle movements, and hearing loss.
Besides the issues of player injuries, financial problems are also misled and used incorrectly. Coaches of college football teams are being overpaid in this terrible economy. USA Today reports at least 64 coaches are making more than a million dollars. Earning this huge amount of money is insane because the coaches aren’t the one entering the field and taking all the injuries. It’s even more ironic when some of the coaches earn more money than the college president.
Along with coaches getting excessive money, the amount of money spent on the football is abundant as well. The football field construction cost mainly came from taxpayers. One-hundred-forty million dollars were used for TCF Bank Stadium, 196 million dollars were used on Heinz Field, and also 181 million dollars were used on Lincoln Financial Field. The money spent for the stadium can definitely help out with the 46 million people in the USA that live below the poverty line.
College football is only meant to be an entertainment, yet it’s ready to influence the economy of a nation and the education of many students. Therefore, it is encouraged for everyone to step up and speak up to help end this dangerous college sport.
It is true college football allows the players to gain a scholarship into their dream school, but the amount of students that get a scholarship are relatively low. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, 1.1 million high-school students play football, yet only 66,000 is ready for college football. On top of that, out of the 66,000 ready for football, only 19,500 get a scholarship.
Even if a scholarship is granted, college football also has the danger of putting students at risk of many physical injuries and brain damage. Excessive brain damage can lead to problems like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE can lead to poor judgements, unsteady gait, slower muscle movements, and hearing loss.
Besides the issues of player injuries, financial problems are also misled and used incorrectly. Coaches of college football teams are being overpaid in this terrible economy. USA Today reports at least 64 coaches are making more than a million dollars. Earning this huge amount of money is insane because the coaches aren’t the one entering the field and taking all the injuries. It’s even more ironic when some of the coaches earn more money than the college president.
Along with coaches getting excessive money, the amount of money spent on the football is abundant as well. The football field construction cost mainly came from taxpayers. One-hundred-forty million dollars were used for TCF Bank Stadium, 196 million dollars were used on Heinz Field, and also 181 million dollars were used on Lincoln Financial Field. The money spent for the stadium can definitely help out with the 46 million people in the USA that live below the poverty line.
College football is only meant to be an entertainment, yet it’s ready to influence the economy of a nation and the education of many students. Therefore, it is encouraged for everyone to step up and speak up to help end this dangerous college sport.
Should college football be banned?
Football is one of the most popular sports in the United States;
it’s played everywhere and by people of all ages. College football is a level
below the biggest stage in football, the NFL. Although college football is
widely accepted by fans and players, some people feel that football has an
overall negative effect on players’ physical and academic progress.
Even though college football can help college students
succeed in sports and have the opportunity to attend college because of scholarships, it does cause
students to consider football over academics. Football exploits players for
their school's selfish purposes, but one of the main reasons for banning college
football is the amount of head injury players receive during their football
playing career and the negative impact there is on their future. Malcolm Gladwell, a Canadian author and journalist, spoke in a nytimes.com article about
the pictures he’s seen of people’s brains and how it looked like they were run
over by a truck. “I’ve seen pictures of the brain scans of people with C.T.E.,”
he said, referring to the trauma-induced disease, “and it looks like someone
drove a truck across their brain.” Gladwell is concerned about how football negatively
affects a player’s brain in the long run to a point where the brain can no
longer function properly because of the amount of hits they take.
College football should be banned because players that don’t
make it to the NFL end up finishing college with mediocre grades and have to give
up their football dream. In the long run the former football players will develop conditions like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) because of the hard hits received to the head. Overall
playing football for four years in college isn’t worth the amount of pain you’ll
receive in the future when the players start noticing the affects of their concussions.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
NBA Semifinals: Heat against Pacers
The Miami Heat after finishing off the determined New York Knicks through a five game series, are now heading to the conference semi-finals. The Heat's opponent will be the Indiana Pacers, who also left their opponent, the Orlando Magic in the dust with a 4-1 victory.
The Heat didn't need to put much effort into beating the Knicks. Throughout the five game series it was the Heat's big three, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh against Carmelo Anthony. Jeremy Lin, the Knicks' point guard was out due to a knee injury. The first three games in the series the Heat completely outwitted the Knicks. Baron Davis who played point guard position while Lin is out got injured during the Knicks' game four against the Heat, but with luck on their side they managed to survive a sweep and won game four. The Heat was still superior because they took advantage of the Knicks losing Davis and won game five.
Just like their semi-final opponent, the Pacers closed the Magic and ended the series in five games. Dwight Howard, the Magic's center, was out for the season due to an injury. Knowing this, the Pacers took advantage and was able to grab more rebounds.. Even though their starting center was out the Magic had put up a good fight and won one game of the series to avoid being swept. Unfortunately, the Pacers closed the series during game five.
The Heat and Pacers faced off in game one of their semifinal series and it ended with an unexpected turn. Through the first to third quarter in the game the Heat were trailing, but they made a comeback during the fourth quarter and took the win to lead the semifinal series with 1-0. The Heat and Pacers' Semifinals game two will be in Miami so the odds are against the Pacers. Bosh, Miami's power forward and one of the big three, was out with an injury during game one. The odds are stacked against them, but the Pacers are having a huge advantage because with Bosh out, James and Wade will have to score higher than they usually would to fill his gap.
The Heat didn't need to put much effort into beating the Knicks. Throughout the five game series it was the Heat's big three, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh against Carmelo Anthony. Jeremy Lin, the Knicks' point guard was out due to a knee injury. The first three games in the series the Heat completely outwitted the Knicks. Baron Davis who played point guard position while Lin is out got injured during the Knicks' game four against the Heat, but with luck on their side they managed to survive a sweep and won game four. The Heat was still superior because they took advantage of the Knicks losing Davis and won game five.
Just like their semi-final opponent, the Pacers closed the Magic and ended the series in five games. Dwight Howard, the Magic's center, was out for the season due to an injury. Knowing this, the Pacers took advantage and was able to grab more rebounds.. Even though their starting center was out the Magic had put up a good fight and won one game of the series to avoid being swept. Unfortunately, the Pacers closed the series during game five.
The Heat and Pacers faced off in game one of their semifinal series and it ended with an unexpected turn. Through the first to third quarter in the game the Heat were trailing, but they made a comeback during the fourth quarter and took the win to lead the semifinal series with 1-0. The Heat and Pacers' Semifinals game two will be in Miami so the odds are against the Pacers. Bosh, Miami's power forward and one of the big three, was out with an injury during game one. The odds are stacked against them, but the Pacers are having a huge advantage because with Bosh out, James and Wade will have to score higher than they usually would to fill his gap.
Why is the WWE bringing back older superstars?
World Wrestling Entertainment has recently brought back many veteran and favored superstars. It first started off with bringing back Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to Wrestlemania XXVIII and then Brock Lesnar showed up at Raw on April 10. Both Johnson and Lesnar targeted John Cena, one best wrestlers the WWE has to offer.
Wrestlemania XXVIII took place on April 1st, 2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home of Johnson. The main event was Cena vs. Johnson and the promotional nickname given to the match was “Once in a lifetime.” Wrestlemania XXVIII was the most watched pay-per-view in professional wrestling history. Johnson left the WWE in 2004, but made many appearances in movies and T.V. shows.
The heat between Cena and Johnson started in Wrestlemania XXVII, where Johnson interrupted Cena’s match with the Miz, causing the Miz to win. After the match, Johnson delivered his finisher, the Rock Bottom, to Cena. The next day on Raw, Johnson challenged Cena to a match a year later. Cena agreed to fight in Wrestlemania XXVIII. After months of waiting for the so-called “Once in a lifetime match,” Cena faced Johnson. Johnson ended up with the victory, after delivering a Rock Bottom to Cena. After Johnson left, there was more to come for Cena.
After a cruel and tough match against Johnson, Cena had to face the fighting machine, Lesnar. Lesnar tried to make a statement on Raw, when he gave Cena his finisher, the F5. Cena and Lesnar went at each other for about two weeks until John Laurinaitis had a contract signing in order to finalize their match at Over the Limit. At Over the Limit Lesnar and Cena put up a great fight. Both men were battered up and bleeding. Lesnar ended up breaking Cena’s arm with one of his submission maneuvers, but Cena was still able to deliver an Attitude Adjustment leading him to victory.
Although the WWE is bringing back many past superstars, they are doing it purely to attract watchers and buyers. With more fans and watchers there is more profit. Furthermore, which wrestling fan does not want to see generations collide or see another superstar return? In a bleacherrport.com survey, 92 percent of 1300 people said yes to the following question “Do you agree with the WWE's decision to bring back past superstars like The Rock and Brock Lesnar?" Even though, Lesnar has now left the WWE, he probably will come back. Let's see who the WWE brings back next.
Wrestlemania XXVIII took place on April 1st, 2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home of Johnson. The main event was Cena vs. Johnson and the promotional nickname given to the match was “Once in a lifetime.” Wrestlemania XXVIII was the most watched pay-per-view in professional wrestling history. Johnson left the WWE in 2004, but made many appearances in movies and T.V. shows.
The heat between Cena and Johnson started in Wrestlemania XXVII, where Johnson interrupted Cena’s match with the Miz, causing the Miz to win. After the match, Johnson delivered his finisher, the Rock Bottom, to Cena. The next day on Raw, Johnson challenged Cena to a match a year later. Cena agreed to fight in Wrestlemania XXVIII. After months of waiting for the so-called “Once in a lifetime match,” Cena faced Johnson. Johnson ended up with the victory, after delivering a Rock Bottom to Cena. After Johnson left, there was more to come for Cena.
After a cruel and tough match against Johnson, Cena had to face the fighting machine, Lesnar. Lesnar tried to make a statement on Raw, when he gave Cena his finisher, the F5. Cena and Lesnar went at each other for about two weeks until John Laurinaitis had a contract signing in order to finalize their match at Over the Limit. At Over the Limit Lesnar and Cena put up a great fight. Both men were battered up and bleeding. Lesnar ended up breaking Cena’s arm with one of his submission maneuvers, but Cena was still able to deliver an Attitude Adjustment leading him to victory.
Although the WWE is bringing back many past superstars, they are doing it purely to attract watchers and buyers. With more fans and watchers there is more profit. Furthermore, which wrestling fan does not want to see generations collide or see another superstar return? In a bleacherrport.com survey, 92 percent of 1300 people said yes to the following question “Do you agree with the WWE's decision to bring back past superstars like The Rock and Brock Lesnar?" Even though, Lesnar has now left the WWE, he probably will come back. Let's see who the WWE brings back next.
Ibaka's surge to the NBA
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| OKC big man Serge Ibaka/ Photo taken by Keith Allison/ Flickr.com |
Just last year, the Mavericks beat the Thunder 4-2, but this year the Thunder has gained experience and they came back stronger than ever. Spotlights are shining on the team, mostly the trio of Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook, and their 6th man James Harden, but their big man Serge Ibaka lacks recognition. Ibaka is an energetic player who brings excitement to the crowd and the team, and he should be highlighted as a reason to the team's success.
Ibaka is known to block shots, and get rebounds. He is actually a significant reason why the Thunder have been doing so well. Inside the league, Ibaka is a humbled athlete, not asking for support or recognition. He is the type of player that gives the team a 100% each game, helping the team win. Some might not know why he is so humbled, but his past actually made him the person that he is today.
Ibaka was born on September 18, 1989, in the Republic of Congo, an impoverished country in northern Africa, to a mother and father who both played basketball. While his father played professionally in Africa and playing for the national team for the Republic of Congo, his mother played for national team for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ibaka has 17 siblings, but he only lived around 10 of them. That means that he probably didn't receive proper care from his parents. Ibaka was a caring and loving person, "I liked growing up in a family atmosphere,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. "Family pride is very important to me, which is also a common thing in Africa. You grow up with a strong sense of family...We took care of each other."
Ibaka started playing basketball at the age of seven, playing on the courts of the Brazaville city with his friends after school and on his free time. He purely loved the game, playing with imperfections such as cracked courts and broken shoes, "It was something that we loved so much we didn’t care about how we did it as long as we could play the game,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. Ibaka and other Africans played with cardboard inserted shoes to cover up the holes on the shoes. Ibaka wanted to play professionally, even though NBA wasn't his first destination. At age eight, his mother died due to natural reasons, and a few years later, his father was imprisoned during the beginning years of the Second Congo War. During his (technically) orphaned years, young Ibaka lived with his grandmother, with no electricity or running water. Ibaka's only escape was basketball, so he just kept on playing. "I played every day,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. "If there was a day that I couldn’t play, I felt so bad, like something was missing that day."
Already ready with natural athleticism and teachings from his father, Ibaka joined a team called Avenir du Rail and outshined all the other young players. A Spanish agent noticed his talent and work ethic, and decided to make a deal to him and his family to move to Europe. For the next few years, Ibaka went around Europe, first France then Spain and he played on leagues with equal or better competition compared to the NBA D-League. When it was time for the NBA Draft 2008, Ibaka was chosen as the 28th pick overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ibaka became the only person drafted for the NBA draft from the Republic of Congo. Ibaka along with his family was emotional when his name was called during the day of the NBA Draft.
From a horrible past to a fabulous life now, Ibaka's hardworking mindset has significantly transformed his life. "After watching him play, (I noticed) his attitude and personality. He was a fighter, a winner, a leader. And after talking to him, his mind and focus (stood out). He was a hard worker and ready to sacrifice for achieving his dreams,” said Gallego, the Spanish agent that hired him on a newsok.com article. Maybe all his troubled times allowed him to reach his goals, but it doesn't matter, because he is currently living the life. Right now, Ibaka leads the league with 3.7 blocks per game, he had a career high 11 blocks playing against the Denver Nuggets on February 19th, 2012. Even though Ibaka doesn't contribute much offensively, he's the anchor of his team's defense. Ibaka is a big part of his team's success this season and he should be acknowledged for that.
Pujols struggles, struggles, and struggles
Albert Pujols's slump has been no secret to baseball fans, nor the media. The 32-year-old first baseman was the biggest story this off season, as he left the St. Louis Cardinals for the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols, a three time MVP award winner, agreed to a 10 year $240 million dollar contract with the team, making him one of the richest players.
However, through the first month and a half this season, Pujols hasn't just been bad, he's been dreadful. He's batting .198 with 11 RBIs and only one home run. This might not have been as big a story if the Angels were winning ballgames, however, they are not. The team is 14-18 and are in last in the AL West.
Currently, only three other players are being paid over $200 million. Alex Rodriguez, Prince Fielder, and Joey Votto. In Rodriguez's first year with the New York Yankees after agreeing to a 10 year $242 million dollar deal, he batted .286 with 36 home runs. In Fielder's first year with the Detroit Tigers, he is currently batting .309 with five homers and 15 RBIs. In Votto's first year after the extension with the Cincinnati Reds, he is batting .291 with two homers and 18 RBIs. All three players' first year after getting the big bucks, have been substantially better than Pujols has been in his first year with Los Angeles.
Angels fans have been told to calm down and not worry about Pujols's early slump. Many have said his performance will raise after he gets adjusted to his new team. However, Pujols's slump has lasted awfully long now and the question keeps pressing. Will Pujols be the same hitter that he was with the St. Louis Cardinals? "The game is not easy,'' Pujols said in an ESPN article. "Sometimes we make it look easy. Most times, it's not.'' In recent years, Pujols has indeed made it look easy. This year, Pujols is making baseball look harder than ever. Fans will simply have to wait to see if Pujols can start hitting well again. As the Angels continue to struggle, a dark cloud continues to hover over Angels Stadium.
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| Albert Pujols receiving a pick off throw while with the St. Louis Cardinals /Hjelle / Flickr |
Currently, only three other players are being paid over $200 million. Alex Rodriguez, Prince Fielder, and Joey Votto. In Rodriguez's first year with the New York Yankees after agreeing to a 10 year $242 million dollar deal, he batted .286 with 36 home runs. In Fielder's first year with the Detroit Tigers, he is currently batting .309 with five homers and 15 RBIs. In Votto's first year after the extension with the Cincinnati Reds, he is batting .291 with two homers and 18 RBIs. All three players' first year after getting the big bucks, have been substantially better than Pujols has been in his first year with Los Angeles.
Who will take the king's cup?
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| The Vicente Calderon Stadium/ flickr- Derick Leony |
Even though Athletic are not considered the favorites to win they cannot be underestimated. They showed great performances throughout the Europa Cup campaign, obtaining wins over some of the best teams in the world like Manchester United. Also they has one of the best tactical and craziest managers in all of soccer, Marcelo Bielsa. Bielsa has brought up a team who has struggled for most of the season to a team that has been able to compete against some of the best teams in Europe. Bielsa’s crazy tactics have seen the bringing up Javi Martinez, who switched from a center defensive mid role to a center back and is now considered a world class defender. Martinez has been a crucial part to their recent success with his smart play with the ball and defensive abilities. Fernando Llorente, the top scorer of the tournament, is also a key factor in the game as he is a very dangerous striker. Also his confidence is spreading through his team and is encouraging the team to play hard and like there's nothing to lose if they come out strong, "Los Leones have one way forward and that is to go into the match with full confidence and hope for the best," said the author of bettor.com.
Although Athletic have a good chance of winning in the Finals, Barcelona are still the favorites to win. Barcelona, who managed 15 goals in their last three games, will look for something to fill in the void that was left when they lost La Liga to Real Madrid. Barcelona will try to win the very last trophy they can under their manager, Guardiola, who has led the team to 13 titles in the last four years, making him the most successful manager in Barcelona history. Barcelona also has arguably the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, who has broken the record for most goals in one season and is in top form. Even though Barcelona is a great team, they must not only play well offensively but defensively. Barcelona’s defense has been shaky of late and they will be without Captain Carles Puyol, who has been a vital part of Barcelona’s defense for long time.
Both Athletic and Barcelona are going to come out strong to close the season with a win but both have to play well and limit their mistakes. Even though Barcelona are the favorites, Athletic will still be able to give them a tough time and make this game to remember.
FC Bayern München and Chelsea FC in the Champions League final
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| FC Bayern Münchens logo / alialaa / Flickr |
The last and only time Bayern and Chelsea met was in 2004-2005 Champions League quarter-finals, with Chelsea winning 6-5. This year the game will be at Bayern’s Allianz Stadium, as compared to the first time they played against each other, where they played two games, the first game at Stamford Bridge, and the second game at Olympiastadion. Being at their own stadium will definitely help Bayern with the support from fans and comfort of their home stadium.
Mario Gomez, forward for Bayern, has an impressive 12 goals this season, whereas top scorer for Chelsea is Didier Drogba with five. If Gomez brings his A-game it will be tough for Chelsea’s defense and goalie to keep him from scoring. “I'm scoring so often because the team makes it easy for me. We're playing attacking football and I'm the one waiting at the end of the line,” said Gomez to UEFA.com.
Another great player for Bayern is midfielder Toni Kroos, who had to step up for the injured Bastian Schweinsteiger. He has two goals and also two assists this season. Not only is he an excellent offensive player, he is also an exceptional defensive player, comfortable everywhere on the field. “I like playing in both attacking and defensive midfield. … I wouldn't ever say anything negative about the other position because I like playing there too,” he said to UEFA.com.
If Bayern brings their best game, especially the offense with players like Gomez, they will definitely have the upper hand against Chelsea. Even though they lost to Chelsea last time they met, this year they are much better suited to win.
Baron Davis' knee injury threatens his career
On April 31st during the third quarter of the New York Knicks' win against the Miami Heat, Baron Davis had an injury to his right knee that made him leave the game on a stretcher. The injury left the Knicks without a starting point guard. However, it is not their only problem. An MRI showed a tear in Davis' patella tendon. The injury is estimated to recover in a year, but the injury is so severe it leaves the rest Davis' career at risk.
This may be the end of Davis' long career. He was first noticed as an outstanding point guard at UCLA. He suffered a torn ACL and had to stay in college for another year due to the injury. However, he came back the next season with the explosiveness he had before the injury, making him the third overall draft pick of the 1999 NBA draft.
His NBA career started off with the then Charlotte Hornets and he was quickly noticed by fans as an outstanding player. He was an NBA All-Star twice with the Hornets, once in 2002 and another in 2004. Also in that year, Davis led the league in steals. He was then traded to the Golden State Warriors, where he led the league again in steals in 2008.
He battled battled from a herniated disk in his back, which was the cause of him being traded to three teams in the last three years. However, the injury he suffered from in April is career threatening but, he it does not affect him emotionally. Knicks' coach Mike Woodson said in a conference call, ''The one thing he did say is, 'Man, hey, I tried to give you all I could,' and I have a great deal of respect for players that work for me."
Davis' injury is estimated to recover in one year, but his one-year contract with the Knicks is finished. Since the contract is over he will become a free agent. His knee injury would make him slower on the court after the recovery which will be preventing him from being signed by another team. This is probably the last of Davis we will see in the NBA.
This may be the end of Davis' long career. He was first noticed as an outstanding point guard at UCLA. He suffered a torn ACL and had to stay in college for another year due to the injury. However, he came back the next season with the explosiveness he had before the injury, making him the third overall draft pick of the 1999 NBA draft.
His NBA career started off with the then Charlotte Hornets and he was quickly noticed by fans as an outstanding player. He was an NBA All-Star twice with the Hornets, once in 2002 and another in 2004. Also in that year, Davis led the league in steals. He was then traded to the Golden State Warriors, where he led the league again in steals in 2008.
He battled battled from a herniated disk in his back, which was the cause of him being traded to three teams in the last three years. However, the injury he suffered from in April is career threatening but, he it does not affect him emotionally. Knicks' coach Mike Woodson said in a conference call, ''The one thing he did say is, 'Man, hey, I tried to give you all I could,' and I have a great deal of respect for players that work for me."
Davis' injury is estimated to recover in one year, but his one-year contract with the Knicks is finished. Since the contract is over he will become a free agent. His knee injury would make him slower on the court after the recovery which will be preventing him from being signed by another team. This is probably the last of Davis we will see in the NBA.
Golfing great Phil Mickelson now in the Hall of Fame
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Mickelson at Muirfield Village-Flickr-Ed (supergolfdude)
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But his career is more than that. Mickelson is intensely popular among fans for his charisma and engaging personality. He spends hours signing autographs and greeting his fans before matches.
The Hall of Fame Committee, aside from his exceptional record, cited his role model behavior, good image, and devotion as reasons for the induction. As PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said at the induction ceremony, “ …you've never seen Phil Mickelson on or off the golf course that he wasn't showing the proper professionalism and comportment that you want to see in any athlete.”
Mickelson's family has been an important part of his success. He learned to play golf from his father, and has continued to draw inspiration from his family. Mickelson cherishes the personal memories he has gained throughout his career. Speaking to Bleacher Report about his first Masters Championship, Mickelson said, “What I remember about that Masters was that blond curly hair, the binky in her mouth, the two year old Sophia waving to the camera as CBS panned out from the scorer's tent”.
Mickelson is a truly outstanding athlete, as a golfer, as a role model and as a person. He may now be a Hall of Fame inductee, but the ambitious athlete’s career is not over. He is expected to play in the upcoming Players Championship, and says he plans to win a US and British Open before retirement.
Chris Gayle swings for the skies in the IPL
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| Chris Gayle/ paddynapper / flickr.com |
In the 2011 season, the Royal Challengers Bangalore lined up Gayle as a replacement for Dirk Nannes. This was the second game of the season and Gayle needed to make a big name for himself after struggling in the past few years of T20 international cricket. He started off the tournament with 102 rounds off of 55 balls, a century in the first game of the tournament.
Last season, Gayle led RCB to the finals with a plethora of sixes. He averaged a half century per game and had more sixes than fours. He was dominant enough that RCB took Nannes out as the opener and put Gayle instead. Every team in the IPL is scared to see Gayle crossing the boundaries. The fans are scared too, “Dearest gayle, I [sic] m [sic] comin [sic] to c [sic] u [sic] bat tonight at the wankhede.. plz [sic] dont [sic] break my Nose by those nuclear missiles,” said fan 786338sumeet on Twitter.
This season, Gayle is off to a hot start. Fast bowlers, spinners, coaches, and video analysts are all confused at how well Gayle can hit any ball with immense power. His tally for sixes in the season has risen to 37 after Wednesday’s game against the Mumbai Indians. He has 33 boundaries and took his run tally over 500. The 32- year old has already reached a century of sixes, the only man to do so in IPL history.
In the past few years, Gayle has not been stepping up on the West Indies team. He was replaced as opener by Adrian Barath and didn't seem to be interested in playing. Now, the West Indies team are the only people missing out. They have been missing Gayle in test matches, especially against powerhouses like Bangladesh and India. Gayle has to talk with the West Indies Cricket Board, and if they have been watching RCB games, they’ll know that he has gotten better and that he is the hottest batsman in the world right now.
What does Hamels mean by saying he was bringing back "old-school" baseball?
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| Cole Hamels/ SD Dirk/ flickr.com |
"I was trying to hit him. I'm not going to deny it. That's something I grew up watching, that's kind of what happened. So I'm just trying to continue the old baseball because I think some people are kind of getting away from it," said Hamels to the Washington Post.
What does Hamels mean by, "old-school baseball"?
He hadn't said a word since his suspension.
This term confused many people that watch baseball. In old-school baseball, pitchers didn't throw at batters to hit them. Instead, they threw high and tight so the batter won't be controlling the plate. Pitchers never wanted batters to be comfortable at the plate.
Not everyone is happy with what Hamels said. Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo was fined by Major League Baseball for his comment about Hamels. "I've never seen a more classless, gutless, chicken [expletive] act in my 30 years in baseball," Rizzo said to Washington Post. "Cole Hamels says he's old school? He's the polar opposite of old school. He's fake tough. He thinks he's going to intimidate us after hitting our 19-year-old rookie who's eight games into the big leagues? He doesn't know who he's dealing with."
Nationals manager, Davey Johnson, who played baseball when it was "old school," was asked about Hamels' comment. "From some things that happened in the past, I don't make a lot of comments on other people's comments," Johnson said to the Washington Times.
Even though Johnson did not want to make a lot of comments about others, he still shared more of his opinions to the Washington Times.
"Hamels making those comments, that's kind of a rare thing to ever happen. That was the most surprising thing. But there have been a lot of things that have changed over the years. That part of the game has changed considerably. I think it's all about prevention of injuries and whatever. And the game used to be policed more in-house. Now we have rules and umpires are trying to control the game more than the players. We used to handle it in-house."
Matt Barkley, possibly 2013 best NFL rookie?
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| Matt Barkley throwing a football Neon Tommy/ Flickr.com |
This gives a ray of hope to USC, for with Barkley’s skill, it’s possible to accomplish two important things: another Heisman award and also a chance to win the national championship.
Each year Barkley has shown more and more improvement. During his freshman year, Barkley had a 59.9% passing percentage, 15 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. The next year, he improved to a 62.6% passing percentage, 26 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Last season, Barkley, improved again with a 69.1% passing percentage, 39 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions. This coming season, it’s predictable the amount of touchdowns he throws will increase and the amount of interceptions will be even lower than in previous years.
Now being predicted to be the first pick of next year’s NFL draft, everyone has high expectations for him. Washington Coach Steve Sarkisian told Los Angeles Times, "If I'm an NFL head coach, right now, I'd pick Matt Barkley ahead of Andrew Luck. I think he's playing at that high of a level." Let's hope Barkley could live up to Coach Sarkisian's hope and all of the other of his supporters.
Monday, May 7, 2012
The improving girls softball team
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| HSMSE Softball / Jane Marlowe |
The Lady Dragons have made improvements in their play due to a change of coach and the amount of practice. The new coach, Crystal Downey, has increased practice to three to four times a week. Their fielding has improved greatly, with better outfielders and defense. However, the team is weak in many areas. Right fielder, Yemi Osayame, explained, “Our fielding has gotten way better, but our batting needs improvement.” The team’s pitching, too, has been inconsistent. With ERAs of 26.00 and 15.40, respectively, pitchers Diana Acosta and Claudia Lobenthal must improve.
The Dragons are strong in many ways. Key players on the team are freshman Anya Batista and senior Samantha Kombel. Kombel is one of the best contributors to the team. Kombel leads the team with a batting average of .739. She appeared on base 23 times and got 12 runs. Kombel has had much improvement since last year when she was only able to get one hit and run. Batista is also an outstanding addition to the group. She has been on base 19 times and has scored 14 runs. She has a great batting average of .737. Hopefully, Batista and Kombel will be able to lead the Dragons to many more wins.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Will the HSMSE baseball team come out strong?
The High School of Math, Science, and Engineering boys’ baseball team was mediocre in their debut season last year, but this season they’re looking up. They started their first season in the developmental league and finished with a 3-4 record. This year they enter the developmental league again, and must try hard to make it to the "B" league.
Last year the team had a rough start, not used to playing against other teams. As the season progressed, they became more confident and played better. They won one of their last games 33-7 against Wingate Educational Campus’ team. “Last year the players were nervous, but the more they played, the better they got,” said senior pitcher Leonardo Pena.
This year the team has less people as compared to last year, but this will just make each person try harder to prove themselves. Coach David Scheiman said, “We have a shot to compete and be better than last year.” They know that they can improve if they play hard. Since they are in the developmental league, there are no playoffs to compete in. They must look forward to making it to the "B" league next year.
The "B" league will offer tougher opponents and the team has to improve before next season. One problem will be that the majority of the team this year are seniors. “We are worried about the lack of players after this year,” said Scheiman. Without their experienced seniors, the team will need to make players step up and help incoming freshmen. “It’s possible to make the "B" league, but we have to be over .500 [record] and show that we competed in every game,” said Scheiman.
Last year the team had a rough start, not used to playing against other teams. As the season progressed, they became more confident and played better. They won one of their last games 33-7 against Wingate Educational Campus’ team. “Last year the players were nervous, but the more they played, the better they got,” said senior pitcher Leonardo Pena.
This year the team has less people as compared to last year, but this will just make each person try harder to prove themselves. Coach David Scheiman said, “We have a shot to compete and be better than last year.” They know that they can improve if they play hard. Since they are in the developmental league, there are no playoffs to compete in. They must look forward to making it to the "B" league next year.
The "B" league will offer tougher opponents and the team has to improve before next season. One problem will be that the majority of the team this year are seniors. “We are worried about the lack of players after this year,” said Scheiman. Without their experienced seniors, the team will need to make players step up and help incoming freshmen. “It’s possible to make the "B" league, but we have to be over .500 [record] and show that we competed in every game,” said Scheiman.
Metamorphosis of the HSMSE volleyball team
The HSMSE volleyball team is exceeding expectations this year. With a 2-0 win on April 30th over Martin Luther King Jr. High, the team clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2007. Under the coaching of Nick Diunte, the team went 7-5 this year.
Everyone contributed to the successful season. One of the key players is senior libero Kevin Chun, who is sixth in the city in digs. He kept many rallies alive and was a big factor in getting the team to the playoffs. Another key player is junior outside hitter Yassine Khaliqui, who is seventh in the league in digs and sixth in the league in kills. “I feel that my hard work becoming a good hitter has helped me become an effective player and allows me to contribute to the team,” said Khaliqui.
Coming into the season the HSMSE volleyball team had reason to doubt themselves. They were 5-7 last year and were 6-6 the year prior. They didn’t look like a playoff bound team.
Although they had reason to doubt themselves, the HSMSE volleyball team came into the season strong, believing that this year would be different. “I think that if we played our hardest, we can make it to a place where no HSMSE team has made it before,” said middle hitter Ben Moosher.
The HSMSE volleyball team went 7-5 this season and now they’re going to the out-of-bracket match up against Christopher Columbus High School. “It’s been five years since we made the playoffs. This is my third year on the team and in my first two years, we were close to making the playoffs. It felt amazing because all of our hard work finally paid off," said senior middle hitter Rudy Outar. Everyone was pleased with the win.
Coach Diunte when asked about the win said, "I was happy that we were able to clinch a spot on the playoffs. It was exciting to see the kids do what they needed to make the playoffs after coming close for the last two years."
No matter how far the team goes, they already have had a successful season. "We can at least win one game in the playoffs, not including the out-of-bracket match. We faced teams of different skills and talents, and we can match up against them," said outside hitter Thomas Kui.
2012 Boys' Volleyball Regular Season Statistics
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| HSMSE Volleyball |
Everyone contributed to the successful season. One of the key players is senior libero Kevin Chun, who is sixth in the city in digs. He kept many rallies alive and was a big factor in getting the team to the playoffs. Another key player is junior outside hitter Yassine Khaliqui, who is seventh in the league in digs and sixth in the league in kills. “I feel that my hard work becoming a good hitter has helped me become an effective player and allows me to contribute to the team,” said Khaliqui.
Coming into the season the HSMSE volleyball team had reason to doubt themselves. They were 5-7 last year and were 6-6 the year prior. They didn’t look like a playoff bound team.
Although they had reason to doubt themselves, the HSMSE volleyball team came into the season strong, believing that this year would be different. “I think that if we played our hardest, we can make it to a place where no HSMSE team has made it before,” said middle hitter Ben Moosher.
The HSMSE volleyball team went 7-5 this season and now they’re going to the out-of-bracket match up against Christopher Columbus High School. “It’s been five years since we made the playoffs. This is my third year on the team and in my first two years, we were close to making the playoffs. It felt amazing because all of our hard work finally paid off," said senior middle hitter Rudy Outar. Everyone was pleased with the win.
Coach Diunte when asked about the win said, "I was happy that we were able to clinch a spot on the playoffs. It was exciting to see the kids do what they needed to make the playoffs after coming close for the last two years."
No matter how far the team goes, they already have had a successful season. "We can at least win one game in the playoffs, not including the out-of-bracket match. We faced teams of different skills and talents, and we can match up against them," said outside hitter Thomas Kui.
2012 Boys' Volleyball Regular Season Statistics
The Flying Dragons' road to victory
Henning is excited about his team finally being able to compete in the PSAL. The team’s first PSAL race starts in late September. The PSAL competition consists of ten races with teams from all five boroughs competing against each other for the championship. After asking Henning about his thoughts on the team’s first appearance in the PSAL, Henning replied, “It’s very exciting because we will be able to do ten races.”
Just like their coach, the Flying Dragons are looking forward to their first meet in fall. They will start preparing for this competition on the 20th of August. They will be doing drills and workouts such as long distance sprints, running up hills, and multiple mile runs four to five times a week. Sophomore Mathew Brown, one of the runners from the Flying Dragons who ran for two seasons gave his opinion on the drills and workouts, “It’s not fun, but I know it will help me improve.” These drills and workouts will turn out to help them in the future.
This will be an exciting season for the Flying Dragons. With their heads high, they will march towards victory. However, they do not expect for everyone on the team to win. Henning explained, ”You’re not trying to be first, you’re trying to be better.” The Flying Dragons want to win, but the top priority for them is to make themselves better. They are confident and training hard to get far in competition. They know that their hard work will pay off. This is a new era for the Flying dragons. The excitement within the team increases each day as the first PSAL meet gets closer.
Monday, April 30, 2012
The New York Rangers, float or sink?
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| The New York Rangers vs The Ottawa Senators Credit to MattBrit00 on Flickr |
The blueshirts beat the Ottawa Senators in the playoffs with a record of 4-3 and advanced to round two. However, watching the first round of the games, it is noticeable the Rangers improved since the regular season.
In the regular season, the Rangers were usually defeated by the Senators with a large three point difference, but now in the playoffs, the Rangers manage to decrease the differences of scores to only one or
two points.
It's true that The Senators have a great offense that finish in the top 35 offensive GVT ranks like Erik Karlsson (fourth), Jason Spezza (sixth), and Daniel Alfredsson (34th) , however, The Rangers have an even better defense player to match it up with defensemen Ryan McDonagh (fourth), Dan Girardi (seventh), and Michael Del Zotto (28th) in the top 30 GVT defense ranking. They also have Henrik Lundqvist, who has the third highest ranking for goaltending.
The Rangers are playing well, and they are going to
start playing better. The other team better watch out, because the Rangers are coming through!
Is this the Rangers' year?
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| New York Rangers locker room- vipeldo / Flickr |
The Rangers won games one and three of the series and lost games two, four, and five. The Rangers had an impressive regular season winning 50 games and coming in first place in their division. In the games against Ottawa, the Rangers have made the games close, but didn’t make the most out of their opportunities.
Center forward Brian Boyle, who has scored in the last three games against Ottawa, will need to step up big in game seven in order to keep the Rangers' post season hopes alive. Boyle has been one of the leading scorers for the Rangers during the post season and seems to perform well against the Senators. Center forward Brad Richards, who has taken 26 shots during the post season and only has a 3.8 shooting percentage, has to be accurate with his shots in order to help the team score more goals.
If the Rangers are able to play solid defense and work well together they will be able to win game seven against Ottawa. The Rangers need to play like the team who has one of the best records in the whole NFL in order to advance to the next stage of the playoffs.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Bruins to move on to second round
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| Bruins in a March 2011 game- enjoiskate8-Flickr |
Goalie Tim Thomas, a Vezina Trophy winner, has played exceptionally throughout the playoffs. With 36 saves last game, a 2.18 GAA and 0.922 save percentage against Washington; Thomas has been key to the team’s success. After Game 6, Tim Thomas said to ESPN, "If you want to be the one that comes out on top in Game 7, you have to be the one who is willing to pay the price and be the one that is prepared to give everything you have from what's inside you". Surely Thomas' play will be vital to the Bruins' final game against Washington.
Other players have made outstanding plays throughout the series, like Tyler Seguin, who made the winning point in overtime in the sixth game. The team as a whole has excellent offensive ability and with an average of 3.2 points per game, the Bruins are ranked second in the league for points per game.
The Bruins have a good combination of offensive and defensive plays. Their third line, consisting of Chris Kelly, Rich Peverley and Michael Ryder, has made several important assists, goals, and defensive plays, greatly aiding the top forwards’ somewhat lacking performance. Peverley, current center for the team, is the series leaders in both goals and points, with three goals and five points.
Although the Bruins have a good chance of moving on to the quarterfinals, their performance is not enough to advance further. After a close win over the Capitals, the Bruins do not have much of a chance to defeat other, more competent teams.
San Jose Sharks: No chance at all!
The San Jose Sharks started out with a high chance of winning against the St.Louis Blues. They had the first win in the series and led 1-0. Maybe they were just lucky because in the next game the Blues tied the series at 1-1. As the series, went on any chance of winning for the Sharks perished.
In Game 3 at the Compaq Center at San Jose, the Blues won with a score of 4-3 and took the lead at 2-1. The Sharks, at this point in the series, still had a likely chance to catch up with the Blues and win. A few days later, they lost another home game to the Blues.
A loss is a loss, but the most humiliating thing for any team in sports is to lose when they are playing home. This was humiliating for the Sharks because out of the five games they played with the Blues, two were home games and they had lost in both.
At this point in the series the Blues were leading at 3-1 and they only needed one more win to move to the next round. The Sharks just simply had no chance. The Blues went to take the win at the last game in the Scottrade stadium.
The Sharks were dominated and slaughtered by the Blues and lost the series at 4-1. A few reasons why they lost is the poor offense and lack of teamwork. They had a good defense over the St.Louis Blues and did not allow them to score that many points, but they lacked offense and were not able to penetrate the Blues defense and score points. The main reason why the Sharks lost was because they traded Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi in separate off-season deals to Minnesota. Too bad for the Sharks, but there's always next year.
In Game 3 at the Compaq Center at San Jose, the Blues won with a score of 4-3 and took the lead at 2-1. The Sharks, at this point in the series, still had a likely chance to catch up with the Blues and win. A few days later, they lost another home game to the Blues.
A loss is a loss, but the most humiliating thing for any team in sports is to lose when they are playing home. This was humiliating for the Sharks because out of the five games they played with the Blues, two were home games and they had lost in both.
At this point in the series the Blues were leading at 3-1 and they only needed one more win to move to the next round. The Sharks just simply had no chance. The Blues went to take the win at the last game in the Scottrade stadium.
The Sharks were dominated and slaughtered by the Blues and lost the series at 4-1. A few reasons why they lost is the poor offense and lack of teamwork. They had a good defense over the St.Louis Blues and did not allow them to score that many points, but they lacked offense and were not able to penetrate the Blues defense and score points. The main reason why the Sharks lost was because they traded Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi in separate off-season deals to Minnesota. Too bad for the Sharks, but there's always next year.
Philadelphia Flyers is on their way to winning the Stanley Cup
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| Philadelphia Flyers - Rhys Asplundh - flickr.com |
In the series, the Flyers scored a remarkable 30 goals. In two different games the Flyers scored eight goals. Claude Giroux had six goals and Danny Briere had five goals. All of the players contributed to the game, leading to the series victory.
Even though the defense for the Flyers was not as strong because Chris Pronger and Andrej Meszaros were injured and Nicklas Grossmann was eventually knocked out with a concussion, they managed to succeed. During Game Six the defense blocked many of the Penguins' shots.
The Flyers set an amazing record by scoring 12 power play goals in this series. They had an outstanding average of two goals per game. The Flyers converted 50 percent of their power play chances, which is the most out of any other playoff teams. They also added three shorthanded goals.
Even though the games after this series are going to be tough because Grossmann is injured, the Flyers can get through this and work hard to win the Stanley Cup this year.
Predators preying for first Stanley Cup in franchise history
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| Predators' goalie Pekka Rinne- flickr.com- Photo Taken by Robert Claypool |
All around the United States, and Canada, people are tuning in to the hockey games this season. The popularity of hockey has risen, with the thrilling game series and underdogs winning at this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs. “The game has never been more popular, nor seemed so out of control,” Jim Litke of the Associated Press said in a recent column on MSN.com.
After crushing the Detroit Red Wings 4-1, the Nashville Predators seems like a legitimate contender to winning the NHL championship. Pekka Rinne, the goalie of the Predators, is undoubtedly playing his best game during the most important time of the season. During the first round, the goalie had stopped 35 or more shots from the Red Wings. Also stepping his game up is rookie Gabriel Bourque who scored three of the 13 goals scored by the team during the whole round. With these young talents, the Predators has an advantage of less chance of their players being fatigued.
For most of the round, the Red Wings had most of the possession of the puck, but the Predators came to win the series 4-1. The Predators take their opportunities and use them wisely. The Predators are also first in the whole league in power play percentage. Their next opponent is the Phoenix Coyotes. During their last meet, Predators beat the Coyotes 5-4. The Predators also have six more wins during the season compared to the Coyotes, outscoring them 13-9. The Predators should come in the series confident that they can win the the second round.
After beating the Coyotes, the Predators are likely to play the St. Louis Blues in the Conference Finals. The Predators managed to win Game three against the Red Wings with only 17 shots, and that's just spectacular. Although their Finals opponent seems unclear at the moment, the Predators seem to be on top of everything.It is likely that the Predators will win the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Although they have some disadvantages as a team such as lack of experience, it seems as they're ready to win a championship for the first time in franchise history. "Nashville's depth, balance and basic lack of weaknesses makes them my pick to win this year's Stanley Cup," said Timothy Rapp in a Bleacherreport.com article.
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