What comes to your mind when you first think of professional athletes? Is it superstars, troublemakers, criminals, or all of the above? In the world we live in today, every person, whether a sport fan or not, has some sort of opinion or outlook towards athletes, let alone professionals. As unfortunate as it is, yes athletes do get themselves in trouble quite often. As I do, you probably think why in the world would they get themselves in trouble when they have the world in their hands? Have you taken a look at some of these people’s salaries? I mean absurd amounts of money are given to them to do what they love best. It’s obvious that any one person could slip up and make a mistake doing whatever it may be. But it’s different when it’s a professional athlete. I'm not choosing a side, but lets talk.
Here’s what journalist Dustin Lytle has to say about the most frequently asked questions as to why athletes get in trouble.
http://kentsterling.com/2010/09/22/why-do-professional-athletes-get-arrested-so-often/
Likely my favorite article Dustin wrote there. (Other than mine!) I like what he had to say about each question, more importantly his solution to the issue. Professional athletes need a mentor, someone who has been in their shoes and can show them the way, the right way. Basically, “Someone like Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Darrell Green, etc. People who “had it all” and didn’t go around getting DUI’s, hitting their girlfriends, or smoking pot. This will help some players get a perspective on being a young star and how to behave.” (Lytle) I think anyone would agree that this idea would help out athletes today in endless amounts. For the reason that they have so much in common with one another. It’s like having a guidance counselor or dean in school. It’s someone to talk to about anything, whenever something’s on your mind or even just to talk. It can help endless amount in any way.
Professional athletes do find themselves getting in trouble often, at least in the National Football League. Here are 451 NFL player arrests or major citations compiled since 2000. (San Diego Sports)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/apr/11/1s11nflrail224028/
Let’s see, what’s new… Twitter is! Harmless you would think right? Anyone on twitter following their favorite athletes is loving this. I’m sure the athletes themselves enjoy updating their statuses for their fans, letting them know what’s going on and all. Until they get hit with a fine for $25, 000. Then it isn’t so much fun anymore, unless you’re Terrell Owens who usually gets banged for one of these at least once a month and continues to do so.
http://mashable.com/2010/01/04/social-media-athletes/
Let’s turn things around. Athletes are portrayed in positive ways as well, it’s just not recognized nearly as often when their pointed out getting arrested or in some sort of trouble. What I find so appalling is the amount of charities and foundations founded by athletes. Here’s one of the most prestigious ones.
http://www.athletefoundations.com/index.asp
It’s so moving to see this. To know that there are vast amount of athletes doing their best to help out ones who are less fortunate is just heartwarming. More importantly, it isn’t just the money they donate, it’s the interaction. You see smiles on these children’s faces that are probably bigger than they’ve ever been. I can’t see why they wouldn’t, to spend some one on one time with some of your favorite professional athletes is a dream come true as well as life changing. I love seeing these commercials…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCCgYHpeuTQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVERz5D1YEU&feature=related
There are tons of charities, foundations, team functions, and other activities that associate professional athletes with people who are less fortunate. This makes me a firm believer in that Athletes are good people, for the fact that out of the goodness of their heart they take the time out of their busy schedules to do something to better themselves and more importantly someone else.
Let’s talk Tiger shall we? Yes Tiger Woods, probably the biggest sports headline of 2009. For those of you who don’t know (which I’m sure most of you do) Tiger Woods is going to go down as the best Golfer of all time. If he hasn’t already. Around this time last year, Tiger Woods’ true identity was revealed if you may. Sources stated that Tiger Woods had been cheating on his wife Elin Nordegren with a handful of female others. The exact number is still unknown till this day and likely never will be revealed. Some sources state this number could possible reach 2 dozen females but that is neither here nor there. Bottom line is, the man made a mistake (at first) but what then turned into an addiction. The rumors came out, and soon after, the story. We won’t get into details of the story but what happened in the end is what’s important. Tiger Woods was honest, and cooperative. He admitted to the acts of wrong doing he committed, and paid the price for it. Literally. After the case was finally resolved in court, Elin filed for divorce, won the case, and was granted half of what Tiger had owned. The amount of $700, 000, 000 was paid directly to her. That’s 700 MILLION DOLLARS.
So how do you portray Tiger? I know what every female thinks of him, that’s for sure. But I’m not here for other people’s opinions; I’m here to say what my thoughts are. So Tiger, if you’re listening: You’re not a bad guy. You’re an unbelievable athlete who slipped and fell through the cracks of life, and fell real deep. What happened happened, and now what’s important is what you’re doing now. The most important thing about making a mistake (which we all make) is what you do after it and how you respond. Doing whatever it takes to get back on top must remain the goal, and doing whatever it takes to be the best person one could possibly be. Keep in mind the most important parts of your life, your family and friends, and then your religion. With priorities kept straight, things will always work out.
Still on Tiger, know that the “Tiger Woods Foundation” has donated more than $30 million dollars to charities, foundations, countries, and communities worldwide.
We could get into similar stories, with the more of the world’s top athletes like Michael Vick, Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps and Dante Stallworth, but we would be here for days. Tiger’s is just my favorite. Although Michael Vick did something that pretty much sums up what we’re talking about here, athletes being portrayed in the media right? Michael Vick did some damage to athletes around the world, just for the fact that he’s a professional athlete and was involved with something so terrible. But just like Tiger, admitted his wrong doing, served his punishment, and is now on his rise back to the top. That’s what’s important. Even though he’s already there, for those of you who don’t watch as much football as me, Michael Vick is one of the top 3 quarterbacks in the NFL right now. So be happy for him, he made a mistake, learned from it, so far, and is back to doing what he loves best. Playing football and making millions of dollars for it.
So why does this happen? Let’s go back to what Dustin Lytle said I like how he puts it…
“As much as many would like, it is really not fair to compare these players to the common citizen and saying “It’s not difficult for me to refrain from these things”. Yeah, and you are also not 25 years old making 6 million dollars a year. You haven’t had everything you wanted since you were 16 years old. You haven’t had girls flocking to you for your money, kids and grown men alike chasing you around asking you to sign a piece of paper, and hanging out with a group of 53 other men around the same age who have the same ego. Players are bound to get into bad situations. People stand to make too much money off their mere presence for them not to. It is what they learn from these situations and how they react to them that really matters. Most players tend to make sensible choices, while others seem to flock to wrong decisions.”
Perfectly put.
Slightly outdated, (hence Tigers appearance) take a look at the video below on Athletes in the Media. Involved with athletics, charities, advertisements, and much more, athletes are all over the world as they will continue to represent a large portion of the life we live in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNACA8K97kM
So, what do you think? How are athletes portrayed in the media, in the judgmental world we live in today? Think what you want. I’m not for violence or crime of any sort, nor should anyone be. But when a professional athlete gets in trouble for something, know that there are at least two non-athletes committing a similar crime at the same time, if not more. The thought that runs through my mind most upon thinking about this topic, is a solution. Whether you’re a professional athlete, athlete in general, or just any normal citizen, find a role model. My favorites are a handful of athletes, probably the most looked up to athletes in the history of sports. Them being; Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Pete Samprus, Lance Armstrong, ect. Read about them, learn about them, and act like them. Some of the most successful people in history were Professional Athletes, and they were portrayed in nothing but positive ways. Be the best person you can possibly be, treat others with respect just as you like to be treated, and god forbid you make a mistake, learn from it. Thank you.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
MS Blog 3 - Readings Reflected/Commercials
-Donna Woolfolk Cross wrote an article in 1983 that holds true to this day. In “All the news that fits” she identifies numerous problems in the media today. One of the main issues that she has with the media is the position of an anchorman. The position is explained thoroughly by Cross as she explains that if the anchorman were to anchor a story on a hurricane or something devastating with a smile on his face, the audience would forget about how serious the situation is, or not care as much. The other sad part about it is, I wonder how many people in the television audience find themselves commenting on the clothes of the news anchorman rather than the facts that are being presented. In today’s world, this can be seen but nearly as often as it used to. Today major news channels take their news very seriously. The other strategy that is utilized in the media is reporting the same story in different locations. Donna Cross explained a situation where the camera was sent to two people within the studio, on a scene correspondent, and a reporter. This was an interesting point because the situation does seem more serious when they jump around to different locations. When you look at the information that is actually presented, the information is limited.
-William Lutz wrote an article in 1989, titled “With These Words I Can Sell You Anything.” By the end of this article, one will be exposed of the truths among commercials. William Lutz starts off with explaining the usual amount of commercials watched during a certain time period. What I found interesting is where the commercials are directed. Proven that women and young adults are the most influenced audience for commercials, I thought otherwise. I feel that children would be most influenced but seemingly not. Lutz uses a handful of surveys to show that children of Mexico have a stronger remembrance of commercials rather than their academic teachings. Answering 33% of Academic questions correct, 73% of commercials were answered correctly. Overall, this is just unfortunate, to know that their parents could let this happen is disgusting. It is clearly their fault, because of their lack of parenting skills. Another example of the influence of advertisement involved an example that occurred in Japan. Once the DeBeers and J.Walter Thompson advertising company began running advertisements in Japan, within 13 years diamond engagement sales increased by 60%. Also, when DeBeers’ market was being threatened by Russian companies who were mining small diamonds, De Beers changed their advertisements to focus on the cut /clarity/color and no longer size. This article brought to light the money that is involved with advertisements as well as the stations that run these stations. It is unreal how influential television and commercials can be.
Commercials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsfNXj9s-iY
Absurd. Girl moans to prove shampoo is that good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdfj8_1jUsw&feature=related
She is too hot to be on the news, way to distracting.
-William Lutz wrote an article in 1989, titled “With These Words I Can Sell You Anything.” By the end of this article, one will be exposed of the truths among commercials. William Lutz starts off with explaining the usual amount of commercials watched during a certain time period. What I found interesting is where the commercials are directed. Proven that women and young adults are the most influenced audience for commercials, I thought otherwise. I feel that children would be most influenced but seemingly not. Lutz uses a handful of surveys to show that children of Mexico have a stronger remembrance of commercials rather than their academic teachings. Answering 33% of Academic questions correct, 73% of commercials were answered correctly. Overall, this is just unfortunate, to know that their parents could let this happen is disgusting. It is clearly their fault, because of their lack of parenting skills. Another example of the influence of advertisement involved an example that occurred in Japan. Once the DeBeers and J.Walter Thompson advertising company began running advertisements in Japan, within 13 years diamond engagement sales increased by 60%. Also, when DeBeers’ market was being threatened by Russian companies who were mining small diamonds, De Beers changed their advertisements to focus on the cut /clarity/color and no longer size. This article brought to light the money that is involved with advertisements as well as the stations that run these stations. It is unreal how influential television and commercials can be.
Commercials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsfNXj9s-iY
Absurd. Girl moans to prove shampoo is that good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdfj8_1jUsw&feature=related
She is too hot to be on the news, way to distracting.
Monday, November 8, 2010
MS Blog 2 - Net Neutrality
-Network Neutrality, or Net Neutrality for short, is the fundamental principle that preserves the free and open Internet. Net Neutrality is defined as a principle proposed for user access networks participating in the Internet that allows no restrictions. This comes from Internet service providers based on contents, sites, platforms, equipment attached, and certain modes of communication. (Dictionary.com)
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/n/net_neutrality/index.html
This New York Times article explains how all sources throughout the Internet should be treated equally.
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4773657#
This websites article elaborates on how the media plays a major role in net neutrality. The democratic position is drastically effected due to this cause and is thoroughly explained.
http://www.freepress.net/policy/internet/net_neutrality
Here, Free Press discusses what is actually coming of net neutrality and its effects. This is my favorite source simply because its gives specific companies and corporations reasons for wanting net neutrality eliminated.
Whats going on now?
-In 2005, the Federal Communications Commission had adopted four broad principles relating to the idea of network neutrality as part of a move to deregulate the Internet services provided by telephone companies.
-The F.C.C. under the Obama administration is moving to add a fifth principle that will prevent Internet providers from discriminating against certain services or applications.
-The F.C.C. had formally voted in 2008 to uphold a complaint against Comcast, saying that it had illegally inhibited users of its high-speed Internet service from using popular file-sharing software.
-The court case, which the federal appeals court ruled on in April 2010, centered on Comcast’s challenge of the 2008 F.C.C. order.
Personally, I agree with the companies that are against net neutrality. Basically, it takes away the opportunity for a powerhouse to thrive. Its just like anything, there's always someone better. The nation's largest telephone and cable companies, including Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and Time Warner Cable, want to be Internet gatekeepers, deciding which Web sites go fast or slow and which won't load at all. These companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to get rid of Net Neutrality, putting the future of the Internet at risk.
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/n/net_neutrality/index.html
This New York Times article explains how all sources throughout the Internet should be treated equally.
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4773657#
This websites article elaborates on how the media plays a major role in net neutrality. The democratic position is drastically effected due to this cause and is thoroughly explained.
http://www.freepress.net/policy/internet/net_neutrality
Here, Free Press discusses what is actually coming of net neutrality and its effects. This is my favorite source simply because its gives specific companies and corporations reasons for wanting net neutrality eliminated.
Whats going on now?
-In 2005, the Federal Communications Commission had adopted four broad principles relating to the idea of network neutrality as part of a move to deregulate the Internet services provided by telephone companies.
-The F.C.C. under the Obama administration is moving to add a fifth principle that will prevent Internet providers from discriminating against certain services or applications.
-The F.C.C. had formally voted in 2008 to uphold a complaint against Comcast, saying that it had illegally inhibited users of its high-speed Internet service from using popular file-sharing software.
-The court case, which the federal appeals court ruled on in April 2010, centered on Comcast’s challenge of the 2008 F.C.C. order.
Personally, I agree with the companies that are against net neutrality. Basically, it takes away the opportunity for a powerhouse to thrive. Its just like anything, there's always someone better. The nation's largest telephone and cable companies, including Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and Time Warner Cable, want to be Internet gatekeepers, deciding which Web sites go fast or slow and which won't load at all. These companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to get rid of Net Neutrality, putting the future of the Internet at risk.
Monday, November 1, 2010
MS Blog 1 - Barstow's Article
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/
Here is David Barstow’s April 20th, 2008 article. His lengthy article explains how the Department of Defense recruited over 75 retired military officers to basically lead interviews and discussion on major news channels. Some if these experienced retirees still had numerous ties to what had been going on at that point which was to remain undisclosed. At fault, is the Bush Administration for knowing, and allowing this. This was referred to as turning the media into some sort of media “Trojan Horse.” Information that was supposed to be concealed was released into the public through the media, which just adds onto the cause. Although the Pentagon initially issued a statement exonerating the program, the Pentagon inspector general's office later said it was flawed, and the statement was withdrawn.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/business/media/21barstowqa.html
This is a New York Times Q&A with Barstow, as he is questioned about the article he had previously wrote, his life and how he feels. I agree with what Barstow has to say by all means. As confidentiality is detrimental and very important in life.
http://mediamatters.org/research/200904210002
An NBC article/video clip discussed on media matter's about Barstow's article. This is somewhat of the immediate reaction to the situation and how people felt once they saw what was going on.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/apr2008/med-a25.shtml
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2008/04/20/nyt
Two in depth article's about the Pentagon and story itself among what had been going on. All specifics are released as the story has blown up.
Here is David Barstow’s April 20th, 2008 article. His lengthy article explains how the Department of Defense recruited over 75 retired military officers to basically lead interviews and discussion on major news channels. Some if these experienced retirees still had numerous ties to what had been going on at that point which was to remain undisclosed. At fault, is the Bush Administration for knowing, and allowing this. This was referred to as turning the media into some sort of media “Trojan Horse.” Information that was supposed to be concealed was released into the public through the media, which just adds onto the cause. Although the Pentagon initially issued a statement exonerating the program, the Pentagon inspector general's office later said it was flawed, and the statement was withdrawn.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/business/media/21barstowqa.html
This is a New York Times Q&A with Barstow, as he is questioned about the article he had previously wrote, his life and how he feels. I agree with what Barstow has to say by all means. As confidentiality is detrimental and very important in life.
http://mediamatters.org/research/200904210002
An NBC article/video clip discussed on media matter's about Barstow's article. This is somewhat of the immediate reaction to the situation and how people felt once they saw what was going on.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/apr2008/med-a25.shtml
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2008/04/20/nyt
Two in depth article's about the Pentagon and story itself among what had been going on. All specifics are released as the story has blown up.
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