Final Reflections

Before taking this class I had always enjoyed sport. I grew up playing sports, like most kids I engaged in a range of sports, I played peewee baseball, soccer, tennis, and even tried track; I was interested in any activity in which I could exert my energy. Aside from playing sports, they have always served as entertainment that have and continue to bring my family and friends together.

Being a sports fan and following the news that surrounds it, I was aware of some of the issues. However, from this course I learned the greater depth of gender and race inequality, the norms, and perceptions that surround sport that I was not conscious of before.  For example, I got a greater understanding of the LGBT issues and the stigma that is associated with such athletes. Overall this class has opened my eyes. It is clear now that sport and politics inevitably bleed into one another.

I believe that the skills and knowledge that I received in this course will definitely be valuable in the future. It has allowed me to critically analyze sport in a way that I had not before. If anyone were considering taking this course I would definitely recommend it because it is something that we all engage in, both individually and culturally. 

Last Blog Woo!!!!!

"Why the 'Mans Mans' Game is an Insult to Men"

I believe that while sport is becoming a safer space for LGBT athletes these players will still unfortunately face discrimination and hostility now and in the future, simply because when anything falls short of the norm negative attention is typically drawn. Penn State for example was a terrible space for lesbian athletes. They were forced to hide their true identity. These women were made to believe that they we were tainted and forced to live a double life, or live in fear that their true identities would be unveiled. Most importantly it hindered their overall college experience. Within Professional sport there seems to be a common fear from LGBT athletes that coming out will jeopardize potential endorsements, popularity, and their market value. This underlines how many of these athletes are closeted due to fear and potential denial.

However, I believe that brave LGBT athletes that have come out to the public are challenging such ideals and are refocusing the issue and what is important. We see this with Jennifer Harris, Jason Collins, Michael Sam and many other athletes who have proven that athleticism and skill is the only thing that truly matters within the sport realm. In addition to this the Olympics, NCAA, NBA, NFL and other sporting organizations are taking small steps to support LGBT athletes so that they can be open and confident. As Scott Fugita notes: “The way I've seen the conversation around LGBT issues evolve, especially in the past few years, has been encouraging. Guys are more accepting than they used to be. Even those who raise personal objections to homosexuality, some of whom are good friends of mine, would still be able to coexist and accept a gay teammate." I think that this highlights that overall, the ball is rolling toward LGBT equality within sport, but yet there is still a long way to go before this is actually the case. 

"Darwin's Athletes": Sports & Ethnicity

Films such as Hoop Dreams, Love and Basketball, The Blind Side, and Remember the Titans, all underline the struggle of African American’s through the lens of sport. However, what is interesting is that almost all of these films emphasize that upward mobility for such marginalized groups can only be achieved through athletic success. As result these very activities are strictly stressed for individuals who are less privileged and come from poor backgrounds, African Americans specifically.

However, I believe that such portrayals and messages can be dangerous because they can effectively limit opportunities or narrow possible avenues that can lead to other outlets of success. This is especially true when we consider the percentage of athletes that go pro. According to the article "Here Are The Odds That Your Kid Becomes A Professional Athlete (Hint: They're Small)" From the Business Insider: only 11.6% of college baseball athletes go pro, 1.7% for men’s football, 1.3% for ice hockey, 1.2% for men’s basketball, 1% for men’s soccer, and 0.9% for women’s basketball. When we consider these percentages they highlight the fact that such aspirations are bleak and that in realistic terms many will not achieve the ultimate success of making it to the pros.

 

Yet, even while this may be the case films continue to push this success story. The film the Blind Side that came out in 2009 follows the story Michael Oher who came from nothing and ended up becoming a starting offensive tackle in the NFL. It is a true account of an individual going from “rags to riches”. It is also a story similar to Hoop Dreams and Love and Basketball where individuals put everything on the line to achieve their goals.  However, while these Holly Wood stories may be uplifting and provide a sense hope I believe they present more damage than good. I would argue that because they focus specifically on African American athletes they have the tendency and ability to continue the stereotypes that suggest that such individuals are good at only one thing- sport. I believe that we culturally need to move away from such narratives and begin to encourage all youth that success in not limited. 

"You Throw Like a Girl": Sports, (Wo)men & the Gender Order II

In this Carl’s Jr. commercial, normative gender roles are clearly underlined. Terrell Owens a former NFL receiver is poolside eating a hamburger and is surrounded by women in bikinis. The scene casts Terrell Owen as the “bad boy” whereas the women simply provide sex appeal and reaffirm the athlete’s status. This is highlighted through the way the women are positioned, they are seen bending over T.O as if they are praising or worshipping him, while Owens is seen as relaxed and comfortable with hamburger in hand; owning the macho image.

Carl’s Jr. has always used seductive women for advertisement. These women are always wearing minimal clothing and are consistently positioned in sexual positions, a strategy used to make hamburgers seem attractive or sexy. This message is explicit in each of their commercials; however, it is important to note that this tactic is present throughout western media. The saying “sex sells” is obviously something that is taken to heart and used on a consistent basis, even when the product itself has nothing to do with sex. The women displayed are skinny and their bodies are clearly emphasized. 

Therefore with this in mind it is evident that mainstream illustrations distort our perception of beauty and what is important. I would argue that such advertisements persuade people especially our female youth that personal value is determined strictly on physical appearance and nothing else. I believe that this is very dangerous because it suggests that people are not good enough as they are and that they need to make adjustments accordingly to fit the ideal image. As a result eating disorders such anorexia and bulimia have become more prevalent. Thus, I believe that we need more advertisements that promote natural beauty such as the dove campaign that was recently lauched to challenge these mainstream representations and provide an alternative and healthier message to the public. 

Video link: http://youtu.be/o0EzeStwP5I 

Interrogating inequalities in Sports Media: Examining gender/race representation in ESPN

Within in the last week the focus on ESPN has for the most part surrounded male athletes. Whether it is basketball, golf, football, or even the Olympics, men took the center stage. Occasionally they had a headlining article covering female athletes such as those covering the US women’s hockey team or a recap on a collegiate basketball game. However, by in large these articles were scarce. Just looking at the homepage of ESPN it is obvious that men dominate the spotlight. For example, the main tabs for ESPN's website are dedicated to male sport only: "NFL", "NBA", "MLB", and "Men's College Basketball". 

These findings support the research regarding the presentation of women in sports media, where female sport is placed on the back burner and or ignored completely. This is partially due to fact that in American society today, sports are seen as a part of “man culture”. Which, in effect has unfortunately pushed the focus away from female athletics. This highlights the values that are ingrained and emphasized in American sport in regards to women and establishes men as the head. 

However, while this may be the case this is slowly changing and this kind of selective reporting is being challenged. For example this week the US women’s hockey team received more camera time and praise than the men did due to their superior performance in the Olympics. In the past female sports have been brushed aside however, this stigma is slowly changing, headway is being made, and popularity is increasing. Yet even still such efforts need to continue and as a society we need to make the statement that all people are truly equal regardless of not only race but gender as well as we move forward. 

Sports and Education: Collegiate Sport

The question that has been surrounding the sports world is whether or not we should pay college athletes? This has been a headlining topic of discussion specifically today, some argue that athletes should receive compensation given the large revenue they produce, while others claim that if we paid athletes it would jeopardize the integrity of school sport.

One thing I found interesting that was noted in the article from The Atlantic: The Shame of College Sports, is that “We profess outrage each time we learn that yet another student-athlete has been taking money under the table. But the real scandal is the very structure of college sports, wherein student-athletes generate billions of dollars for universities and private companies while earning nothing for themselves” I believe that this perfectly highlights how this issue is masked and altered to make athletes look like the quote on quote bad guys and not the other way around.

However, even though this occurring, the NCAA holds the reigns of collegiate sports and it seems that they will continue to issue suspensions and fines anytime they are getting cut out of the so-called “deal” and frame the issue in this manner. There are many famous NCAA investigations; one popular incident was with the University of Southern California and Reggie Bush (now running back for the Detroit Lions), where he was found guilty for receiving large sums of money to play football. When sanctions were released Reggie was casted as the villain to such an extreme that he ended up surrendering his Heisman trophy. Also The University of Southern California received punishment as well, as noted in the ESPN article NCAA delivers postseason ban USC received a “two-year bowl ban, four years' probation, loss of scholarships and had to forfeit an entire year's games”.

All in all when I consider the risk these athletes take on it seems rationale to me to pay them for the value that they bring to a team. Yet, with individual beliefs aside, what is evident is that such programs are taking advantage of the student body for financial gain; however by categorizing these individuals as “student athletes” it has allowed such organizations to continue they efforts unscathed. The question is whether this will last? Or will we see a change in the future?

High School Sport

The U.S. is one of the only countries that provide funding for school athletics. As a result sport has flourished and has become the spotlight on all stages. It is geared to reinforce values of dedication, perseverance, and teamwork. However, high school sport does not always meet such goals, instead we see many student athletes being pressured to meet the high expectations that they are held to and consistently win games at any cost. These burdens have and continue to jeopardize the education of students. Schools may have eligibility requirements; yet even still many times such rules are bent or overlooked in order to keep top athletes in the game. During my high school athletics I saw this first hand, usually after one conversation with a teacher you were back on the field. This was especially the case if the team was doing well that year. This is something that happens across the board, which highlights how sport takes the front burner in U.S. culture, regardless of what is at stake. This is concerning because when we emphasize one skill over another, it can leave individuals with out opportunities if their athletic career comes up short of expectation or falls through.  However, by the same token it is important to note while such programs can strip opportunities they can also create them. Therefore, athletic programs are not the issue; it is what is being valued that creates the problem. I believe that if we put them on level playing field students will have a brighter future in all regards.