Conclusion

The semester is winding down and its time to reflect on the time I've had blogging. Sports gender has really made me think about issues that I really have never thought about before. I have learned a lot over the semester and enjoyed blogging. Blogging is a fun and easy way to express your opinions on issues in the world of sports. I hope in the future I have a job or take courses that require me to blog because I love hearing other peoples opinions on topics and giving people feedback. My favorite article to write about this semester was the WWE article. I just thought it was hilarious that professional wrestling was referred to as masculine. I believe wrestling is a joke and its funny how older men are chasing each other around in their underwear. My favorite topic to learn about was homosexuality in sports. I just thought it was ridiculous how badly homosexuals are looked upon especially in the world of sports. It is unfair that women don't get scrutinized as badly as men, but homosexual men are heavily criticized. I also thought it was bad how most NFL, NBA, and MLB teams didn't respond to the surveys they were sent. I believe everyone should be accepted for who they are but the fact is no professional athlete will come out of the closet because of all the negative attention they will get. I just thought overall blogs really let classmates communicate with each other and is a great alternate to homework. I hope I get the chance to do blogs in the future.

The Tale of Two Undefeated Teams

As the end of the regular season is nearing in the NFL two teams are doing the unthinkable and attempting to chase NFL history. The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints are both 13-0 and undefeated heading into week 15 of the NFL season. Only one team has ever finished the season undefeated when the Miami Dolphins went undefeated and won the Super Bowl in 1972. The New England Patriots of 2007-2008 finished the regular season undefeated only to lose the to Giants in the Super Bowl. What the Colts and Saints are doing in this day and age of the NFL is amazing. So many teams are competitive in the league and there is now a lot of parity. The one question looming is should these teams play their starters in the final month of the season? Both teams have locked up divisions, conferences, and home field advantage so resting their starters may make sense. If the ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl then resting players may be the wise choice to make but going for the undefeated season is the popular choice among NFL fans. Either way both of these teams are having amazing seasons and it would be something special if both teams finished undefeated and faced off in the Super Bowl.

Is the NBA one big Hollywood Movie?

One story that interests me is the issue of referees and gambling in the NBA. Tim Donaghy's interview with 60 Minutes really could hurt the image of the NBA. Donaghy claims that numerous referee's are involved with gambling on NBA games, in which as referee's they alter the outcome of the games. David Stern has come out and denied these allegations explaining how the NBA monitors the activities of the referee's. Donaghy went to jail for gambling on NBA games while refereeing for the NBA, in which he was working with the mob. Donaghy admitted to altering outcomes of games by the calls he made. San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich said he wouldn't want to coach in the league anymore if any other referrers were doing this. Whether you believe Tim Donaghy or not this is a big issue for the league. It makes you wonder as a fan if these games are being altered just like a script of a Hollywood movie. As a big time fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers I really hope these claims by Donaghy aren't true because the NBA is one of my favorite leagues to follow and the last thing I want is referee's determining outcomes of games. The NBA needs to monitor referee's closely so actions like this never happen again. If multiple referees are found guilty of gambling and changing outcomes of games this could be permanently damage the reputation of the NBA.

The Fall of Another Star

Tiger Woods for years has been the blueprint for how to be a respected person and athlete. Woods has had a squeaky clean reputation and is one of the most successful and famous athletes in the world. Lately however this has drastically all changed. Multiple stories have surfaced indicating Tiger Woods has committed adultery and has had numerous affairs on his wife. This new is very sad because it destroys Tigers credibility as a role model, father, and husband. Woods was also involved in a car accident in his own driveway where some theory's hint at it having to do with a domestic dispute with his wife. Tiger has since taken a leave of absence from golf and lost some endorsements. This is bad for golf and the world of sports. It's a shame that such a successful athlete and person like Woods could commit these actions. The good thing for Tiger is that in the world of sports, all people care about is "what have you done for me lately"? I believe Tiger needs to take a brief break from golf to get his personal life back in order but must return in the near future so he can start winning again. Once he starts to win tournaments again some may forget these acts Woods has committed. I personally will never look at Tiger the same again and am very disappointed in him. If Tiger Woods is lucky his image will eventually be repaired in a similar manner as Kobe Bryant's.

Hiding In The Closet

In Tuesday's class we discussed the topic homosexuality. We talked about if it was a good thing for players who are homosexual to come out of the closet during their playing career. Most homosexual athletes are too scared to publicly confess their sexuality and often wait until their playing career is over. My firm belief on sexuality has always been to be honest and express yourself. I believe athlete or not, if you are homosexual you shouldn't be afraid to let everyone know it because that is who you are. When it comes to sports however I have a different opinion. I believe if you are a professional athlete it may not be the best idea to come out of the closet. With all the media attention surrounding sports today it would just become a huge distraction and controversy for the player and the team. I believe this can be a huge distraction for a team because of homosexual males are looked at in the sports community, and could make things awkward in the locker room and off the court. When baseball and football were polled about homosexuality only one team responded and gave their input. Former NBA player John Amaechi came out of the closet following his playing career which promoted criticism with some saying that was a cowardly act. Another former NBA player Tim Hardaway hit headlines when he commented on the issue by saying he "hates" gay people. Shaq however said he would protect Amaechi if he were on his team from outsiders. A statement that bothered me was how in class we talked about how many athletes believe being gay is worse than being a felon. That is an awful thing to say because someones sexuality shouldn't matter, and has nothing to do with being a felon. Breaking the law is one thing but your sexuality is another. I believe athletes need to accept homosexual teammates like the Corey Johnson situation is Massachusetts. It is embarrassing that Mike Piazza needed to call a press conferene to shoot down rumors he gay. The world of sports and athletes need to accept the fact that there are homosexual athletes all around them, just "Hiding In The Closet".

Hegemonic Masculinity

One topic we discussed in class that caught my attention was hegemonic masculinity. I really enjoyed the activity when we went through the fitness magazines. I agree that it is important to get plenty of physical exercise but when does the line get crossed? In society today women prefer men that are toned or ripped. I just think these magazines that are meant to help men get fit are completely ridiculous. To achieve results of masculinity seen in these magazines numerous supplements are required or even steroids. It is not natural for somebody to be as big as men in these magazines. If you go to the rec center and see people who have huge muscles they tend to have a lot of acne and stretch marks over their body. This is a common sign of steroid use or working out too much. I believe society has built this image of Hegemonic Masculinity that a man is supposed to look like and it isn't realistic. A man should still be considered inferior if they are in shape and work out. You shouldn't have to have muscles bulging out of your shirt to be considered inferior. Since muscles are such a sign of dominance there will never be a limit to how big someone should get which will cause many people to take steroids and other supplements that will eventually hurt their bodies.

Boys and Girls

One topic we covered this semester is the debate should girls be able to play with boys when it comes to sports. I hate to be sexist but I truly believe for the benefits of all parties girls should NOT be able to play with boys in sports. A good example I have experienced personally is playing basketball at the rec center. Whenever a girl is playing with the men it is obvious that the game takes on less meaning and less effort is made by the men. If a man goes to steal the ball or block a girl it is considered a cowardly act and other male players will even laugh. This is why in recreational sports there is a men's league and co-ed league. In flag football at the University of Bowling Green the mens flag football division is considered competitive, while the co-ed league is considered just for fun. I just think girls will get hurt or discriminated if they play with boys. There was a case at the University of Colorado that a girl kicker on the football team was sexually harassed and discriminated against. I just think men are a lot more competitive and rough than girls. I believe girls can be good at sports and competitive but it it just a different level. Boys should play with boys, and girls should play with girls.