Kaepernicks Twitter War

Last week San Francisco 49er’s Quarterback Colin Kaepernick had some words to exchange with a fan over social media. On Twitter a fan, @battman_returns  responded to Kaepernick’s tweet about his workout saying the ab workout will not help him find open receivers. Kaepernick responded with three tweets stating the following.

battman_returns are you illiterate or just ignorant? Read the tweet again better yet give me your breakdown of every defensive coverage

@battman_returns I want every players responsibility on every coverage if you can't do it mind your damn business clown!

@battman_returns you got 8 followers bruh your own family don't even want to know what you doin! Get better at life!

Personally I believe it is ok for an athlete to respond to a fan post calling him out in a negative light. I think he could have done it in a better way. As a professional the spot light is always on. Conducting yourself in a positive manner is very important. I believe he could have got his point across with the fan without calling him a clown and saying get a life.

The ESPN article has a poll at the end asking How do you feel about fans calling out players directly on social media? At the time when I viewed the page today 23 percent say they are OK with it, and the players shouldn’t respond. 60 percent are ok with it, but the players should respond if they wish. 17 percent are not OK with it. What do you think of these poll results?

Do you believe it is ok as a fan to call out a professional athlete on social media? Do you think the fan is just doing this to gain attention? Do you believe the athlete has a right to respond? Do the athletes need to be held at a higher standard because they are viewed as role models to many young people?

Courtney Cox

Dorsey, P. (2015 February 18)Colin Kapernick goes off on Twitter follower who called out the 49ers QB. Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/12344669/colin-kaepernick-goes-twitter-follower-called-49ers-qb

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models Receives Backlash

 Advertisement, media, and society have socially constructed how the “perfect” body should look.  It is not uncommon for marketing and advertising companies to use this perception of a perfect body to sell their product.  The term “sex sells” is a well known custom in the business, but where should the line be drawn? What is acceptable? When does it become sexist? When does it become degrading?

 Many have seen some of Direct TV’s commercials featuring Rob Lowe.  In each commercial Rob Lowe represents Direct TV users, and an unflattering inferior version of Rob Lowe represents cable users.  The commercial’s goal is to display Direct TV’s superiority, by mocking cable to infer mediocrity.  In my opinion, these series of commercials have worked really well for the Direct TV brand.

 Here is a 30 second Direct TV Rob Lowe commercial.

                  

Now, let’s use the same concept but insert Sports Illustrated Models instead. 

                 

Body image in women’s sport is a controversial topic in today’s world. When it comes to sport, women are constantly being compared to men in all aspects. The ad that features SI models has generated mixed emotions from viewers. Some feel that it is degrading, while others feel that it is comical. Not all SI models are athletes, but some professional women athletes were featured models in Sport Illustrated’s 2015 Swimsuit Edition. Keep in mind that the women in the ads in question were solely models and not athletes.

Ronda Rousey (UFC Athlete)

Caroline Wozniacki (Pro Tennis Athlete)

DirecTV is standing by their ads, telling ABC News: "The ads were specifically created to run in the 2015 Sport's Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and were meant to work within the context of the editorial of the magazine, which is beautiful women in swimsuits. The intention of the ads was to show a fun, tongue-in-cheek example of how DirecTV is superior to cable." (Weisman, 2015, para. 8 )

Chrissy Teigen is one of the models featured in the print ad. "We had fun. We had a good time. We didn't mean to be demeaning or degrading or hurt anybody's feelings," Teigen said. "It is a funny ad; it's supposed to be funny, take it for what it is." (Weisman, 2015, para. 8)

Here are some questions to guide your response. What is your opinion on the print ad? Is this ad degrading to women? Is the ad humorous? Is this ad a positive or negative for Direct TV? How do you think the Sport Illustrated swimsuit edition as a whole affects women’s sport? What are your opinions of the pictures of female athletes published by SI? How do you feel women athletes are portrayed by the media? Is the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition a positive or negative for women's sport? What part do the women athletes who chose to participate in “sexy” printed material play in this? Is there a different standard for men and women athletes when it comes to posing "sexy"? Why or why not?


-David Sims

References:
Weisman, A. (2015, February 11). DirecTV ads with Sports Illustrated swimsuit models causing controversy - Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/directv-ads-with-sports-illustrated-swimsuit-models-causing-controversy-2015-2

Wrestler Becomes Star After Wrestling Opponent with Down Syndrome

Have you ever gotten to compete in a tournament where all eyes were on you? Demetrius de Moor has. Except eyes were on him for a reason other than victory. Demetrius voluntarily wrestled against Michael Lind, a child with Down Syndrome. The result of the match was a victory in the books for Michael, but it seems as though Demetrius had a victorious match as well. 

After the passing of his father due to the war in Iraq, Demetrius knew he needed to step up and be the man of the house. With this encompassed qualities of humility, maturity, and responsibility. When the coach from Michael's high school wrestling team called the coach from Demetrius' wrestling team to ask if a wrestler would be willing to compete against Michael at the upcoming tournament, Demetrius volunteered not yet knowing the praise he would receive from parents, fans, school administrators, and members of the media. 

Throughout the match, both Demetrius and Michael had take-downs, which finally led to Michael winning the overall match. Michael was ecstatic, as this was his first wrestling match in his entire high school career. After the match, it seemed as though all eyes were on Demetrius. People were proud of the noble actions he took in not only volunteering to wrestle Michael at such a highly regarded tournament, but that he allowed Michael the opportunity to win the match and create a lifelong memory. 

While I think Demetrius did a great thing in terms of allowing Michael to achieve a dream of his, I do not think the media should have made such a fuss about it. Rather than keeping the focus on Michael and his perseverance with Down Syndrome and being an athlete, the focus is redirected to Demetrius for behaving in the way he did. This video clip portrays Demetrius' actions as though he acted in a  way that no one else would have; that he was extremely selfless for allowing Michael to win. What if Michael were to ever see an article/video on this story? He would know that Demetrius let him win, which would completely erase the gesture of Demetrius helping Michael to have his moment of glory. Also, treating Michael as though he deserves to win because he has Down Syndrome is belittling in itself. I do not argue that Demetrius did a very kind act for Michael, but I think the way in which the story is told degrades Michael as an athlete.

Do you think Demetrius should have received so much attention for what he did for Michael? What ethical concerns do you think are involved when competing against an athlete with Down Syndrome? What would you have done in this situation?

Kali Morgenstern

References:

Stroud, B. (2013, September 23). A Georgia High Schooler Wrestled A Kid With Down Syndrome And Became Our New Hero. Retrieved from http://uproxx.com/sports/2013/09/georgia-high-schooler-wrestled-kid-syndrome-became-new-hero/

Should I let my child play football?

So far in class we have had a couple of brief discussions about concussions and the impact that this has had on NFL players. With the amount of research going into studying concussions it is becoming more evident that repeated micro-trauma may lead to long term brain damage. Below is a link to a video posted by ESPN's Outside The Lines.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:12296503

Dr. Robert Cantu is interviewed in this video, and is well known in the Sports Medicine world as a pioneer in concussion research.  Cantu has set the stage for most modern concussion research. Contemporary research is showing more focus towards the impact of concussions on youth athletes. The International Conference on Concussion in Sport meets every few years to discuss new research and trends in prevention. The consensus statement released in 2012 suggests that longer return to play considerations are needed for young athletes below the age of 12 (McCrory P, Meeuwisse WH, Aubry M, et al. 2012). Youth Football coaches typically have less medical knowledge and tools available to them then their, High School, Collegiate, or Professional counterparts. A research study conducted from Michigan State University analyzed the "Heads Up" program for coaches (Covassin, T., Elbin, R.J., & Sarmiento, K. 2012). 326 coaches returned the research survey indicating that 70% of them did not have access to concussion material prior to the "Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sport" campaign issued by the CDC.
Trends are positive, in that more coaches are receiving this material and educating parents and young kids on the dangers of playing with a concussion.
As a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for BGSU Football, I have established my own opinion on current trends, and risks associated with playing Football.
I am curious to know... What is your opinion on youth football (prior to High School)?
Would you let your child play youth tackle football?
At what age is it appropriate for children to play organized youth football?

Matthias E. Reiber

sources:

1) McCrory P, Meeuwisse WH, Aubry M, et al. Consensus statement on

concussion in sport: the 4th International Conference on Concussion

in Sport held in Zurich, November 2012. Br J Sports Med.

2013;47(5):250-258.

2) COVASSIN, T., ELBIN, R. J., & SARMIENTO, K. (2012). Educating Coaches About Concussion in Sports: Evaluation of the CDC's 'Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports' Initiative. Journal Of School Health, 82(5), 233-238.

Do Recruits Deserve an Escape Clause?

Last week, ESPN published an article discussing the lack of an escape clause for student-athletes who sign their National Letter of Intent (NLI) and are then informed the coach who recruited them is leaving for another institution or another level. This means that the students are obligated to stay at the school he/she signed with even if the coach who recruited them leaves. The student-athlete must enroll at that school or else he/she would be “ineligible as a freshman and would lose one of his [her] four years of eligibility” (Schlabach, 2015, para. 5).

Roquan Smith is a prime example of a student-athlete who was affected by a coaching change after he publicly announced his commitment to UCLA on the nationally televised signing day broadcast. After his announcement he was informed that Ulbrich, the defensive coordinator at UCLA, would be leaving to work with the Falcons. Thankfully, he had not signed his NLI yet and was able to re-open his recruitment. According to the ESPN article, “[Smith] wasn’t the only recruit who was left high and dry after National Signing Day” (Schlabach, 2015, para. 7). Twenty coaching changes were made within collegiate football within hours and days of the NLI’s being signed.

Mike Weber is another example of a young man who was recruited by a coach, Drayton in this case for the Buckeyes, and signed an NLI only to be informed Drayton was leaving for the Bears. Weber tweeted: "I'm hurt as hell I ain't gonna lie" (Schlabach, 2015, para. 15).

Mack Brown, ex-president of the America Football Coaches Association, has supported a version of an escape clause. Brown supports the idea of a weeklong grace period in which the prospective student-athlete can back out of their commitment in the case where the coach who primarily recruited them taking another position at another school.

I like the idea of the grace period in which a student-athlete can back out of a commitment in the case of their main recruiting coach leaving the program. Is it right that the athletes have to stay at the school they signed their NLI to in light of changing circumstances? Do you like the idea of an escape clause for student-athletes like Smith and Weber who were surprised by the position changes within the coaching staffs they signed to play for? Coaches can leave their current programs for better opportunities; should the athletes being given a grace period like Weber suggested?

Marissa Tashenberg

Reference:

Schlabach, M. (2015, February 11). Time for escape clause for recruits? Spate of coaching changes immediately after signing day unfair to locked-in players. ESPN. Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/12308125/coaching-changes-national-signing-day-unfair-football-recruiting?src=mobile

Jackie Robinson West scandal

Last week Little League Baseball stripped the U.S. championship from Chicago-based Jackie Robinson West and suspended the team’s coach for violating a rule prohibiting the recruitment and use of players who live outside the geographic area it represents (Manchir, Bowean, Gross, 2015).

More specifically, Little League Baseball found that Jackie Robinson West used a falsified boundary map and that team officials met with neighboring Little League districts to claim players and build what essentially amounts to a superteam (Manchir, et al., 2015).

Subsequently, the United States championship has been awarded to Mountain Ridge Little League from Las Vegas, Jackie Robinson West’s manager has been suspended from Little League activity, and the Illinois District 4 LLWS administrator has been removed from his post (Manchir, et al 2015).

As a kid I loved watching the Little League World Series broadcast. I was spellbound by the notion of boys and girls near my age receiving national media coverage for playing my favorite sport. As I grew older I began to question the motives behind the broadcast and today I feel confident in asserting that often these kids are exploited for the gains of parents, coaches, and networks.

According to Forbes, "Little League makes about one-quarter of its annual $20 million budget from ESPN's coverage of the World Series, and regional tournaments" (Cook, 2011, para 2) and everyone involved seems to be looking for their cut and spot in the limelight. In the process, in my opinion, the participating kids are often unwillingly and/or unwittingly made to sacrifice the joy of the game and the spirit of fair competition. The Jackie Robinson West scandal is a prime example of this.

Should sporting events involving preteens be receiving such extensive national media coverage? Who do you believe is to blame for the Jackie Robinson West scandal and similar incidents? What resolution would you have chosen for the Jackie Robinson West scandal?

BY: Nate Pentecost

REFERENCES: 

Cook, B. (2011, August 17). Why I Hate the Little League World Series. Forbes. Retrieved from    http://www.forbes.com/sites/bobcook/2011/08/17/why-i-hate-the-little-league-world-series/

Manchir, M., Bowean, L., & Gross, L. (2015, February 11). Jackie Robinson West, city reel at loss of team's title. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-jackie-     robinson-west-little-league-20150211-story.html#page=1

Beilein Made The Right Call

By Alexx Klein

The Toledo/Bowling Green area is split. You're either an Ohio State fan, or you're a Michigan fan. But Wolverines and Buckeyes alike can come together to appreciate the story of Austin Hatch- a story of tragedy, triumph and strength.

Disclaimer: the video below is lengthy, but it is well worth your time to watch it. All of it.



While this story surfaced over a year ago, it is something I have followed closely since. This young man is incredibly brave. But praise also needs to be given to Michigan head coach John Beilein for the way he handled this situation from start (recruiting process) to finish (putting Hatch on the floor of Crisler Arena).

In an interview with ESPN, Hatch said he had always dreamed of playing under coach Beilein and the Wolverines: a bond him and his late father shared. Now, despite all he has been through, he has the opportunity thanks to Beilein and his staff.

Hatch no longer has the physical abilities that he had prior to the accident, there's no getting around that. But Beilein bringing him on anyway proves that there is still good happening in the NCAA. In his eighth season at the helm of Michigan, Beilein did the right thing, the honorable thing.

In a press release officially announcing the signees, Beilein said, "Austin is a consummate, high IQ player, who is an excellent shooter. He sees the floor and his teammates well and has great leadership capabilities. We are excited to have him back and playing basketball again” (Michigan basketball, 2013, para 12).

On Dec. 22 against Coppin State, Hatch scored his first point in a Wolverine uniform. He exited the game to a standing ovation from the crowd and the Michigan bench.

His father would be proud.

What message do you think Beilein sent by honoring Hatch's scholarship? Can other coaches learn something from this story? Do you think enough attention was given to the way Beilein handled the situation?

References:

Price, S. (2014, Aug. 14). Michigan honors scholarship offer to plane crash survivor Austin Hatch. SB Nation. Retrieved from http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2014/8/14/6002429/michigan-basketball-austin-hatch-plane-crash

Quinn, B. (2013, Nov. 14). Michigan basketball formally announces 4 signees, honors scholarship offer to Austin Hatch. MLive. Retrieved from http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2013/11/michigan_basketball_formally_a.html

Personal Training: Is an App Better Than the Real Thing?

Technology is taking the world by storm and this is no exception for fitness professionals. Molly Wood, a writer for the New York Times, wrote an article regarding the use of fitness apps to replace hiring a real-life certified Personal Trainer (CPT). She states, "The idea is pretty simple: While personal trainers can create a safe and effective workout, they can be expensive and sometimes inconvenient. A fitness app, though, can travel where you are and is relatively inexpensive — and sometimes even free" (Test of Strength, 2015, para 2).
The article focuses on one app in particular, FitStar. FitStar is a personal training app that costs only $40. This app has the ability to build customized work outs based on the user's fitness level and goals. FitStar paired up with exercise physiologists and personal trainers to develop a library of exercises suitable for each individual user. In addition, "The app doesn’t require weights or other equipment, which makes it easy to use anywhere. It integrates with MyFitness Pal, which is...an app for tracking calorie intake. When you perform a workout, FitStar automatically sends the number of calories burned to MyFitness Pal, so you know how many more you can have that day" (Test of Strength, 2015, para 14).

Hiring a CPT encompasses multiple benefits that an app simply cannot provide. Individualized programming is a blatant benefit from working one-on-one with a trainer. Something that "works for one person, may not work for another when it comes to choosing an exercise program. A personal trainer will develop the most effective program for you based on your fitness evaluation results and personal goals. Beginners in particular benefit from instruction on how to perform specific exercises and program planning" (Top Ten Reasons, 2015, para 1). In addition, CPTs provide a source of motivation and support for their clients. This increases the likelihood of a client's commitment to their fitness program and assists them in their transition from sedentary habits to a healthy lifestyle.

As a CPT, I think these fitness apps are a great resource for exercisers who have a general knowledge of fitness. Although, most clients I work with begin with no background in lifting technique, poor nutrition habits, and a lack for adherence to any sort of exercise routine. By working with a CPT, we provide not only support and motivation, but we help clients weight train and partake in cardio safely and effectively. We provide our clients with the knowledge to be able to implement a workout routine on their own without needing to rely on an app for information or assistance. While a Personal Trainer may be costly in the beginning, the long-term payout is unbeatable. I would much rather a client lift lighter weights with proper form, than lift heavier because they are unaware of the detrimental mistakes they are making. I think that an app for inexperienced people trying to educate themselves on fitness is not only inefficient, but dangerous.

Do you think fitness apps are beneficial? What could other benefits be from working with a CPT? If a person trying to get into exercise cannot afford a CPT, what other routes could they take? Do you think there are risks/ethical concerns with the replacement of CPTs with apps like FitStar?

Kali Morgenstern

References:

Top Ten Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer. (2015, January 1). Retrieved from https://www.acefitness.org/updateable/update_display.aspx?pageID=575

Wood, M. (2015, February 11). Test of Strength: Fitness Apps vs. Personal Trainers. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/12/technology/personaltech/workout-test-myfitnesspal-and-fitstar-vs-personal-trainer.html

A couple weeks ago, Syracuse University announced and informed the NCAA of a self-imposed postseason ban for its men's basketball program. This self-imposed ban was timed as a response to an NCAA investigation. According to the article published by The Washington Post, Syracuse is under investigation for violations ranging from, improper benefits associated with players working at a local YMCA, academics and the school ignoring its own drug policies. No current student-athletes were involved in this speculated misconduct as the self-reported violations were reported in 2007. 

Boeheim traveled to Chicago to meet with the NCAA infractions committee in October near the beginning of the basketball season. Here we are, February 8, 2015 and three quarters of the season is over and Syracuse now imposes a post-season ban. Conveniently timed, the Orange are struggling this season, posting a 15-7 record. With their slim chance of making the first round of the NCAA tournament and high hopes for next year’s squad and incoming recruiting class, this self-imposed ban comes at the right time for Syracuse. 

The timing of this ban has received quite a bit of speculation in the sports world. Gerald Gurney, a former longtime college athletics administrator and current president of the Drake Group stated that, “the basketball program is obviously thinking that they are not likely to make the NCAA tournament, which gives them the biggest payout, so now is the time to self-impose the penalty, rather than let the NCAA do it” (Hobson, par. 10).

At some point the school needed to recognize the wrongdoing and apply some sort of penalty for the violations. The question becomes was this the right time? Is it a selfish decision on behalf of Syracuse to conveniently time this during a rough season? Do you think that it was okay for Syracuse University to announce this ban during a time where they wouldn’t be affected that much? Is this penalty even enough to account for all the violations or is it Syracuse's way of working the system and trying to sneak by?

Marissa Tashenberg

References: 

Hobson, W. (2015, February 5). Syracuse basketball’s self-imposed postseason ban ‘is part of the dance’. Retrieved February 9, 2015, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/02/05/syracuse-basketballs-self-imposed-postseason-ban-is-part-of-the-dance/

Sports, U. (2015, February 4). Syracuse announces self-imposed postseason ban this year. Retrieved   February 9, 2015, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/acc/2015/02/04/syracuse-orange-self-imposed-ban-jim-boeheim/22884099/

Diana Taurasi's Decision: What It Means For The WNBA

By Alexx Klein

While it may not have been at the top of the average sports fan's radar, the Diana Taurasi decision was one that holds significant impact for the future of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). This blog is not meant to criticize or condone the WNBA's highest-paid player's decision, but rather to voice my concern for what this means moving forward.

To backtrack, Taurasi recently announced that she would be sitting out the entirety of the 2015 WNBA season to focus on herself, her family and honing her basketball skills. How she will be able to do that is because her Russian team she plays for in the off season offered to pay her more to sit out than she would make playing in the WNBA this season.

Taurasi wrote a letter to the Mercury fans and in it, stated that, "The year-round nature of women’s basketball takes its toll and the financial opportunity with my team in Russia would have been irresponsible to turn down. They offered to pay me to rest and I’ve decided to take them up on it. I want to be able to take care of myself and my family when I am done playing" (Taurasi, 2015).

It is the culture within the WNBA for athletes to play overseas during the winter because of the short WNBA season (four months). Taurasi's team is UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia, where she is making about $1.5 million, according to a Washington Post article. Her salary with the Phoenix Mercury amounts to just less than $107,000 a year, which is less than the league maximum available. 

So what can be done?

ESPN's Kate Fagan suggested a restructuring of salaries within the league. In the 2014 season, there were about 40 players receiving close to the league max, which breaks down to 3-4 "max" players on each team and if anybody has watched a WNBA game you know that is definitely not the case. Fagan's article suggests that there should only be 12 players in the league to receive that type of money: one on each team.

If the NBA doesn't pay Cleanthony Early (a mediocre, at best, player for the Knicks who very few have heard of) the same as Lebron James, then why pay average WNBA players the same as its stars? Yet that's what the league chooses to do.

She also goes as far to say that the highest paid member of the team should not be the coach, it should be the player, like it is in most other professional leagues. You'd be hard pressed to find a sport where the coach makes over twice the salary as his/her players do.

If Taurasi's decision to sit sparks other WNBA stars' into following her lead, then the league needs to implement a solution sooner than later. Other players have been offered money by their overseas team to sit out the WNBA season, Taurasi is just the first to take the deal.

Without the Taurasi's, Britney Griner's, Elena Della Donne's, Skylar Diggins' and Maya Moore's of the league, the WNBA loses a large chunk of its entertainment value and that is where the downward slope would begin. Without fans to consume the product, there is no revenue coming in from ticket sales, apparel or concessions, and with only half of the teams currently turning a profit, the league cannot afford to take such a financial hit. As stated by a Deadspin article, if the players "begin to make decisions based solely on finances, there may not be any players left" (Draper, 2015, para 11).

Is this simply an issue of money or do you think the athletes are actually concerned about their long-term health? Is it right for a coach to be making two or three times more than these star athletes in the league? Do you think the salary reallocation proposed by Kate Fagan is a good solution?

References:

Boren, C. (2015, Feb. 4). Diana Taurasi's decision to skip this season is sobering message for WNBA. Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2015/02/04/diana-taurasis-decision-to-skip-this-season-is-sobering-message-for-wnba/


Draper, K. (2015, Feb. 3). Diana Taurasi's Russian Team Is Paying Her To Skip The WNBA Season. Dead Spin. Retrieved from http://deadspin.com/diana-taurasis-russian-team-is-paying-her-to-skip-the-w-1683643165

Fagan, K. (2015, Feb. 4). Diana Taurasi's decision to sit out should spark WNBA salary changes. ESPNW. Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/wnba/story/_/id/12272036/diana-taurasi-decision-sit-spark-wnba-salary-changes


Taurasi, D. (2015, Feb. 3). Diana Taurasi's Open Letter To Phoenix Mercury Fans. Arizona Republic. Retrieved from http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2015/02/03/diana-taurasi-open-letter-to-phoenix-mercury-fans/22808453/