Best and Worst of Sports

     In my opinion, sports is the most enjoyable form of entertainment. To play, watch, and debate about, sports can be infinitely fulfilling if you have enough passion for it. But one of the most annoying things that is occurring in sports these days is that Commissioners are frequently trying to take fun out of the games. NFL (No Fun League) commissioner Rodger Goodell has taken steps to eliminate celebrations and keep quarterbacks from being touched and big hits to be punishable. Hockey is always talking about eliminating fights. Many other examples exist but let's just keep sports the way they are.
      My favorite thing about sports.. is that they never end. Baseball in the summer is a perfect fix for lack of football, with each season bringing in new key players to every team, unlike franchise players in football who stay with teams forever practically. March Madness, College Football upsets, Wimbledon and overtime, there's no such thing as a bad sport or contest. Playing and watching, sports is and always will be a huge part of our culture.

BCS Breakdown

     As the end of the college football season wraps up, the usual hectic and chaotic process of choosing who deserves to go to the National Championship begins to unfold. Many factors go into choosing who is worthy of college football's biggest stage, but as of right now, it seems only one team, the LSU Tigers, seem like a sure lock to cruise to the title game. However, as far as the BCS standings and upsets go, nothing is certain when it comes to NCAA Football.
     If LSU does in fact win the SEC championship this weekend, they will most likely be a lock for the number one spot and a chance to reclaim their National Title won in 2007. But who will they face? It seems as though it could be a rematch against Alabama, securing another title for the SEC. They faced off earlier in the season, in a great game of defense, with LSU only winning by three. Oklahoma State could jump to number two if they have a big game against Oklahoma, and if voters think that Alabama doesn't deserve another chance to beat LSU. Stanford and Virginia Tech are also still in the running. One thing's for sure though, and it's that anything can happen in college football.

Religion in Sport

Tim Tebow has made a name for himself because of his devotion to not only his sport, but also his faith. He demonstrates his faith both on and off the field, wearing eye black with bible verses and thanking God during interviews, as well as taking mission trips and doing charity work. Some people criticize Tebow's use of religion so prominently in a place where his job is to simply play football. But should people criticize him for doing as he has always done, which is display his character and faith without restraint? While many people look up to him as a hero and role model for many young athletes, people still find ways to bash and humiliate this player publicly through the media. The talk of his faith sometimes overpowers the talk of his game, which is not how people should act toward someone who has never personally hurt them.

     This ad is a spoof on Absolut Vodka, displaying the dangers of alcohol and how drinking irresponsibly could lead to dangerous situations. The facts displayed at the bottom really send the message home, as many people would not be aware of such statistics. The Vodka bottle shown in chalk on the pavement is a symbol of how the alcohol can take over you and ultimately lead to death. As the police stand around yet another crime scene involving drinking and driving, the viewer is shocked into the mentality to never put themselves in this situation, which is the intention of the ad.

My Movie

     Josh Hamilton's story could be fiction. His rise to glory and sudden and drastic fall to the lowest possible point a man can reach is something that I'm sure he wishes was fiction. And his rise back to greatness, winning the AL MVP, reaching the All-Star game, and leading his team to a World Series seems like a fairytale only Hollywood could make. And in all likelihood, Hamilton's life will be made into a major motion picture.
     Josh Hamilton was the first overall draft pick for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in their first ever draft. It seemed destined for Hamilton to launch the Devil Rays into existence within a few years, his ability making headlines even before being drafted out of high school. However, an injury in spring training caused Hamilton to have a lot of free time with his painkillers. He soon started becoming a regular at tattoo shops, getting 26 tattoos in all. He made friends who made bad choices. Coming from a good Christian family, Hamilton was thrown into a world of drugs, alcohol, and reckless living. The four million dollar signing bonus quickly evaporated as became addicted to coke and Crown Royal. At one point his father-in-law was forced to meet a dangerous dealer to give him $2,000 after a check bounced. Another low was being thrown in jail. But after waking up from a crack binge in a trailer with several other strangers and realizing he had nowhere left to go, he showed up at his grandmother's front door.
     With the help of his grandmother, his friends and family, and the Lord, he was able to regain the 50 pounds he lost, and slowly get his baseball career back again. Taking drug tests three times a week, and never going out with teammates after a victory he was determined. His hard work paid off, and last year, he celebrated a ALCS victory with a showering of ginger ale from his Texas Ranger teammates. He is now a huge role model, not only for baseball fans, but for recovering addicts and Christians everywhere. I believe all of this would make for a great inspirational movie.

Rudy

     Imagine that little, lovable high school friend. The one that was small and goofy but always had a big heart and ideas that everyone knew would never be fulfilled. That was Rudy Ruettiger, who was played by actor Sean Astin in the major motion picture, "Rudy".
     Rudy was a measly 5'6" in height and 165 pounds. His dream was to play football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, which was seemingly unattainable and laughable to anyone who heard his big idea. His first obstacle was to gain acceptance into the school, which he achieved, even with dyslexia. After walking-on to the team, he gets pounded on the scout team, battling just to make the varsity, as other players continue to scoff at his big dream. In the final home game of the season, Rudy dresses for the game. His dream was fulfilled. But he didn't stop there. The only line on Rudy's stat sheet is a sack, a symbol of his hard work, relentless determination, and proof that dreams and big ideas should not be given up on.
     Rudy is an inspiring, feel good movie. You can't help but chant "Rudy! Rudy!" as he becomes one of only two players to be carried off the Notre Dame field. Using the mentality Rudy had, anything is possible. Rudy prevails over obstacles including his size, grades, social class, and many nonbelievers. This is not only one of my favorite sports movies, it is also among my favorite movies period.

Making headlines throughout her sport her entire career, Danica Patrick has showed doubters wrong and earned her place in a sport that has been mainly dominated by males since its inception. She first came onto the IRL IndyCar series in 2005, and became the fourth person to race in the Indy 500. She also became the first female driver to lead that race. Since then she has risen to super stardom, not only on the track but in the media and celebrity world as well.

A person looking at this situation using the feminist theory would probably be pleased to see such success coming from a woman. The amount of attention and publicity she has attained is enormous, especially recently with the announcement of her plans on competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. However, this attention might upset people viewing it using the Functionalist theory. The disrupt in the status quo has diverted the attention off the competition and onto what some may call a distraction. She claims she wants to be treated as every other driver would, however, the attention she brings from her ads and photo shoots inevitably causes a stir in the racing community.

Either way you look at it, you can't deny that Danica Patrick is a phenomenal driver who will continue to make waves across sports for years to come.