The Great Debate: We Are The Champions…Right?

The old saying goes: “To be the best, you must beat the best.” College football’s current system represents the antithesis of that philosophy. The epicenter of controversy, college football’s current post-season system fails to challenge its superior teams and often leaves others out of the fold. With the amount of contending teams, college football decided to turn to the Bowl Championship Series, a formula, to determine its best teams. While the Bowl Championship Series formula initially produced successful results, its recent controversial projections suggest that the institution of a playoff system is essential. I propose the addition of a sixteen-team playoff system that will add legitimacy to college football by producing a true champion and create a money making frenzy founded upon a heightened level of excitement, while still maintaining a schedule feasible by players, teams, and fans.
Like a rite of passage, every time college football season rolls around, a heap of literature gets published discussing the NCAA’s controversial post-season system. Of the published work, there is an equal balance between the amounts of studies versus journal articles. A majority of the work, however, comes in the form of blogging. Just like most controversial issues, the published literature attacks the controversy in many different angles and represents a variety of different opinions. There are more articles and studies that call for the implementation of a playoff system, however, there is still a great deal of work calling for a status quo, as the debate remains highly competitive. Those in favor of holding off on change cite the excitement of each game as a major incentive, while also attacking the feasibility of a change. On the contrary, many refuse to believe the current system accomplishes any sport’s goal: crowning a true champion. Regardless of whether the literature calls for a playoff system or not, one thing most everyone agrees on is that a change, in some form, needs to be made.
Leagues with imbalanced schedules—those in which teams do not play each other an equal amount of times—use the regular season not to create a champion, but to identify post-season participants. With over 100 teams, it is impossible for college football to implement a balanced schedule. This makes determining the “best team in the land,” a nearly impossible task without a post-season tournament. Division 1-A, NCAA’s highest level of football, is unique in that it does not have a post-season tournament. For most of the sport’s history, the champion has been crowned based on the votes produced by two human polls: the Associated Press (AP) poll of reporters and the ESPN/USA Today (E/U) poll of coaches. The polls began in 1936 with the establishment of the AP poll. By 1950 the United Press International poll was created, known today as the ESPN/USA Today poll (Stern, 180). Many refer to college football’s final top-ranked team as a “mythical” national champion because it is determined by polls rather than on the gridiron. For instance, in 1997, both Michigan and Nebraska finished the season with undefeated records. Michigan finished the season ranked first in the E/U poll, while Nebraska finished the year atop the AP poll. The “split” National Championship created huge controversy as the system in place had no way of pairing these two teams up to determine who stood atop the mountain. The controversy led to the creation of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) system.
After years of working with the BCS and making minor improvements, impactful holes still exist, most notably its “slotting” system. Major bowls slot pre-determined participants. For instance, the Rose Bowl pairs the champions of the Pac-10 and Big Ten Conferences. If the number one team in the country was in the Pac-10, but the number-two ranked team was in the Big 12, the system in place prevented them from playing each other. Though the BCS rankings were more precise than a system that included only human polls, it still did not allow for a true championship game. A minor makeover took place to alleviate the problem. The NCAA added a “National Championship” game that pins the two highest BCS ranked teams together and allows the participants’ conferences to send its second best team to its contracted bowl game, removing the conference champion from its obligation. The site of the additional game rotates between each major bowl every year, even though the hosting major bowl still has its original game.
The renovations to the system improved the BCS, but did not perfect it as it relies on two teams to separate themselves each year. In 2003, the system’s added vulnerability was exposed. The regular season produced three once-beaten teams from major conferences: Louisiana State University (LSU), Oklahoma University (OU), and the University of Southern California (USC). Rankings had varying combinations of those three teams. Ultimately, it was decided that LSU and OU would participate in the “National Championship,” leaving an equally deserving USC out of the equation. USC won their “BCS Bowl Game” in a dominant fashion, while LSU beat OU. The BCS crowned LSU its national champion, while the writers, not bound by the BCS, nor official, crowned USC its national champion, fueling the controversy. Unlike in the past, the NCAA has no way to prevent this problem from occurring in the future other than by instituting a playoff system.
While many journalists and even political leaders like President Barrack Obama and Senator Orrin Hatch agree on the necessity to institute a playoff system, there is a lot of debate about the structure of such a system. For instance, Hal Stern includes a discussion at the end of his article that includes proposal from six credible authors, all of which are different in structure. My proposal creates a system that crowns a true champion, provides a great opportunity to generate more money, and maintains the traditions and integrity of the long-standing bowl system.
I propose that the NCAA institutes a playoff consisting of sixteen teams. These teams include the champions of each conference—major and minor—as well as five at-large teams. Each conference determines the way they select their champion, either with a conference championship game, or simply by regular season conference record. The five at-large teams will be the five teams highest in the BCS rankings without a bid to the tournament. A particular bowl will sponsor each game in the bracket-style single elimination tournament (example displayed at bottom). The BCS bowls will claim the two quarterfinal games that involve the two top-ranked teams and both semifinal games. The National Championship game will be independent, but played at the site of a BCS bowl on a rotating schedule. Bowls not a part of the tournament can still hold games, extending bids to teams not a part of the tournament with an eligible record. Each team will play at home during its first two rounds, even those a part of a BCS Bowl in an effort to reduce the travel for both the teams and the fans, while the semi-finals and finals will take place at the site of the particular BCS bowl game.
Scheduling is one of the main obstacles in moving to the playoff. I propose a more efficient way of scheduling that does not alter the season’s window. In 2009, the season began during the first week of September. There are fifteen weeks of regular season football that ends during the second week of December. By moving the schedule up one week and removing one bye for each team, the regular season could end during the last week of November, with conference championship games taking place during the first week of December. The very next week, the first round of playoff games will start. One week later—the third week of December—the second round games will occur as will the bowls for teams that do not qualify for the playoffs. By the fourth week of December, the semifinals will occur, and the remaining bowls will be played. Following a bye week, the championship will take place and then the season will end. This schedule allows the season to finish at the same time and avoids games during the peak of exams week for many schools.
NCAA football fails to determine a true champion on a consistent basis because they rely on computers to select participants for a sport whose victors are determined on the field, and not in a hard drive. Pollsters and computers have to predict and project more than they let team’s determine rankings on the field. After a three year study, David H. Annis and Samuel Wu presented various examples of the system’s ineptitude, ultimately concluding, “It is clear that the NCAA’s constant ‘tweaking’ of the BCS system has not been able to determine a champion reliably or equitably” (Annis & Wu, 1). Last year, the University of Utah finished its regular season 12-0. However, the BCS rankings placed two one-loss teams into the championship game. Instead of going to the National Championship game, Utah played Alabama, a championship contender throughout the season and beats them handily, 31-17, calling many experts to say their performance was the most impressive in the country. Utah finishes a season 13-0 yet they do not even get an opportunity to become a champion. A playoff system gives them the opportunity and puts the onus on their shoulders to prove their worth. Additionally, too often teams are at the mercy of their opponents after they have already played them. Kenneth Massey’s study identifies the 2003 season in illustrating this point: “Two of USC’s opponents…lost during the last week of the season. The effect was enough to propel LSU into the title game instead of USC” (Massey 186). USC lost out because of their opponents’ ineptitude.
Even when comparing teams who do play each other, it is nearly impossible to determine a fair ranking system that properly. Last season Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech were involved in a Bermuda triangle of sorts. Each team finished the regular season with one overall loss, each of which coming in conference. The losses were woven amongst the three teams: Texas beat Oklahoma, Oklahoma beat Texas Tech, and Texas Tech beat Texas. Somehow, the BCS determined Oklahoma was ranked higher than both, particularly Texas, which beat them head-to-head, and gave them an opportunity to play in the National Championship and not the other teams. This example is so much more telling because Texas and Oklahoma did sort it out on the field and Texas won, yet they still got snubbed! A similar situation occurred in an example presented earlier between LSU, OU, and USC in 2003. The consistently controversial endings to the season even upset President Obama: “I'm fed up with these computer rankings and this, that and the other. Get [a group of teams]—the top teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a national champion” (Lazo, CNN). Utah Senator Orrin Hatch has been trying to pass a bill to change the format since 2002 and he joins Obama, players, coaches, and fans who resent the absence of a playoff: “The system is fundamentally unfair” (Schroeder, Sports Illustrated). Most people agree that a playoff system is the fairest way to determine a champion and the movement puts pressure on the NCAA. The NCAA claims the bowl system brings in too much revenue to alter the system, yet studies show that a playoff system would generate even more revenue than the current system.
Sponsors are the driving force behind college football. Each bowl game is attached with various sponsors. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the Nokia Sugar Bowl, the Meinecke Car Bowl, the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl…the list goes on and on. It is from these sponsors and additional advertisements that the NCAA and each program makes tons and tons of money. Money is also generated through television advertisements. Costs of these advertisements are based solely on viewership. A higher rated program demands more money than a lower rated program. For the NCAA to claim they would be losing money a switch to a playoff system is a very untrue and flawed rationale. For one, the bowls would remain—whether they were attached to a playoff game or stood alone—as would their accompanying sponsors that give out the money. The variable is the television ratings. For a separate project conducted over the summer for my job, I was asked to poll 300 people who described their college football post-season viewing habits as moderate or higher. Of these people, 87% (261 people) said they would watch more of the college football post-season if a playoff system was in place. Additionally, of 100 people who said they never watch the post-season, 61% said they would watch if a playoff system was in place. These smaller samples represent what would become a growing trend: a playoff system would increase ratings. The more viewers, the more money generated from advertisements. Keep the sponsors, add the higher ratings, and it is plain to see that college football would generate more money from a playoff system. According to a USA Today investigation, “The most recent playoff plan…would have grossed nearly $376 million a year, more than double current bowl payouts” (USA Today, 1). University of Texas Athletic Director, DeLoss Dodds also sees the opportunity for growth when he commented in that article about how football’s revenue growth is much slower than NCAA’s basketball growth, which is growing at a rate fives times as much (USA Today, 2). Instituting a playoff system, while keeping the current bowl structure, is a financial upgrade over the current format. The television ratings of games a part of the playoff system will create so much revenue for the NCAA and its programs that turning against the system is almost an injustice to, not only the fans, but each school, as well. Critics suggest school, and each athlete’s studies, create another obstacle against having a playoff.
Athletes are provided with an endless amount of available assistance, allowing them to balance both their athletics and academics. The addition of a playoff system would not be detrimental to their studies. Division I-AA football has run a playoff system for multiple decades and they have not had problems intervening athletics and academics. Kenneth Peacock, the Chancellor at Appalachian State, one of most successful Division I-AA programs, testifies to this point: “[Academics] has never been an issue.” He cites the school’s athletic-academic services as a major tool in creating a balance (Kilgore, 2). Louis Amato dedicated a study to the issue, analyzing the academic effects of the current bowl system. After analyzing his study’s findings, he concluded that, “the NCAA should consider abandoning the current bowl system in favor of a playoff system for Division I-A football” (Amato, 193). Using statistical analysis comparing graduation rates of schools participating in either form, Amato’s findings suggested that those participating in a playoff system do better, academically (Amato, 189). Providing added tutoring, or having to take exams off-site are minor accommodations that can easily be made, allowing for the playoff system to work effectively.
Despite the popular demand of a playoff system, skeptics continue to suggest problems exist. One of the arguments against a playoff system is that it would be too difficult to determine playoff participants. In my proposed format, it would simply be the eleven conference champions and the next five top-ranked BCS teams. Even if the NCAA elected a more subjective route, I would much rather support a format that creates controversy deciding which team is sixteenth or seventeenth best, than which team is second or third best. With the current system, teams are constantly skating on thin ice. The added importance of every game certainly makes the season incredibly interesting and dramatic. Skeptics propose that a playoff system would create too many meaningless regular season games, stripping fans of the on-the-edge-of-your-seat feeling before every game. With the proposed system, one loss can certainly end up eliminating you from playoff contention, and two would almost certainly knock you out. Even if it did eliminate a bit of regular season flare, the exhilarating post season showdowns would more than make up for any regular season daze. Though the issues present valid concerns, none of them create impenetrable barriers for the creation of a playoff system.
When all is said and done, the best teams are those that find ways to win, regardless of how pretty they make it look or who it is necessarily against. The computers cannot take the concept of ‘finding a way to win,’ into account, among other characteristics of a champion. While the Bowl Championship Series formula initially produced successful results, its recent controversial projections suggest that the institution of a playoff system is essential. The addition of a sixteen-team playoff system will add legitimacy to college football by producing a true champion and create a money making frenzy founded upon a heightened level of excitement, while still maintaining a schedule feasible by players, teams, and fans.

Works Cited
Annis, David H., and Samuel S. Wu. A Comparison of Potential Playoff Systems for NCAA I-A Football. Diss. 2004. Print.
Bradley, Rand. "The Method of Paired Comparisons." Biometrika 39: 324-45. Print.
Fréchette, Guillaume R., and Alvin Roth. "Unraveling yields inefficient matchings: evidence from post-season college football bowls." The Rand Journal of Economics 38.4 (2007): 967-82. Print.
Frederick, Jeff. Career in Crisis: Paul 'Bear' Bryant and the 1971 Season of Change. 1st ed. Vol. 61. University, 2008. Print.
Glickman, Michael E. "A State-Space Model for NFL Scores." The American Statistician 93 (1998): 25-35. Print.
Guenin, Louis M. "The Myth of the Best." Michigan Quarterly Review 31.1 (1998). Print.
Harville, David. "Linear Model Methodology." The American Statistician 72 (1977): 277-89. Print.
Jacob, Matthew. "Coaches Cashing In." Dallas Morning News [Dallas] 10 Jan. 2006, Sports sec. Print.
Jones, Jeffrey M. "Most College Fans Endorse." The Gallup Poll Dec. 2006: 13-14. Print.
Leonard, James M. "The Geography of Visitor Attendance at College Football Games." Journal of Sport Behavior 28.3 (2005): 231-51. Print.
Massey, Kenneth. "The BCS Challenge." The American Statistician 58 (2004). Print.
McCallister, Matthew P. "College Bowl sponsorship." Critical Studies in Mass Communication 15.4 (1998): 357-81. Print.
Mease, David. "A Penalized Maximum Likelihood Approach for the Ranking of College Football Teams Independent of Victory Margins." The American Statistician 57.4 (2003): 241-48. Print.
Sports Illustrated, comp. The College Football Book. New York City: Sports Illustrated, 2008. Print.
Stefani, Ryan. "Least Squares Prediction Method." Cybernetrics 7: 117-21. Print.
Stern, Hal S. "Statistics and the College Football Championship." The American Statistician 58.3 (2004): 179-96. Print.

Big Mac, Hold the Sauce

Mark McGwire has come out from hiding. It was announced on Sunday that he would return to Major League Baseball as a hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals. General manager, John Mozeliak, decided it was best for his team to hire one of the poster-children for the modern steroid era.

I’ll never forget watching “Big Mac” pelt home run after home run in the late 90’s and early 00’s. It was magical. Breathtaking. It glued people to their TVs, especially in August as the race for the home run record heated up. After breaking the record, his reported use of steroids leaked. After a few years, when McGwire retired, the big friendly giant who endeared himself to America, drifted awkwardly into the sunset. He was not forgotten, just chose not to take part in the game any longer…until now.

It is interesting that he was offered the job. What can he teach young hitters? McGwire, steroids or no steroids, was one of the game’s best home run hitters. He had a gnack for the long ball. But, by no means was he ever labeled as a pure hitter. One’s ability to coach is not always connected to their playing ability. Catchers, for instance, make good pitching coaches. McGwire, however, just does not strike me as a guy who has mastered the most pure, fluid, fundamentals of hitting.

What’s more interesting is that McGwire took the position. Why now? Why did he choose now to get back into baseball. He is surely going to be interrogated heavily about his past. Why is he subjecting himself to this? Does he need money? Something is fishy. If he truly loved baseball, would he have walked away so easily eight years ago? Maybe it is a rekindled love, and if that is the case, more power to him. Still, baseball is keeping the steroid era flame lit but bringing guys like McGwire back into the game’s bloodflow. Should they prevent him from being hired? No. Not at all. But there is no way they can be happy about it. Alterior motive? There has to be!

You're Still the One

Part 1

Brett Favre is my favorite football player in the world. He might even be my favorite athlete period. It used to be awesome to be a Brett Favre fan…now all everyone does is hate. Haterade central.

Brett Favre was once known as the “All-American Athlete.” He played the game with a passion—a kid-like smile and joy—and with the skill and fire as good as anyone that has ever played the game. Now, he is the always in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. The off-season period of the NFL always meant it was time for Brett Favre to publicly deliberate his future with the Packers and in the NFL. He kept coming back and coming back and being successful doing so. People were upset, but it would fade away. Then, he retired. March 6, 2008. I cried. No, wait…I balled.

Most were skeptical why Favre would retire after a very strong 2008 campaign. Their hunch was right. A few months later he said he wanted to come back—unretired—and that is where the downward spiral began.

Almost a year and a half later and, as a basketball announcer might say, ‘Brett Favre can’t buy a bucket.’ Nothing he does is recognized positively. All because he did what he felt was best for him…unfortunately; it wasn’t best for the public. It upsets me. My idol. A hero turned villain in the court of public opinion. I am venting. Why is it Joe Couch Potato’s right to pass judgment on a person for a situation they know nothing about? Favre legacy? I hope not tarnished long term, but for the time being, his name is sacrilege. Favre makes Fuck the other F word.

Professional athletes are human. They deliberate. They make mistakes. They do their best—most do. How can you turn your back on someone whom you loved for 18 years? A person that brought smiles to your faces and made you drop your jaw every week, amazed at his talent.

This is a ‘What have you done for me lately?’ world. It is scary. It is unfair.

…To Be Continued…

Heart of a Champion

A champion is the king among its people. The best of the best (and the worst). It stands above all as number one, right? The NCAA’s football season is the only such sport and season that I can remember for which such is not always true. Yeah, a “champion” is always crowned, but never accepted. Sure, some teams sneak their way in as champions in some sports, whether it is an easy path or a conveniently timed hot-streak, but, while their might be arguments as to whether or not that they actually the “best” team, there is never any argument as to whether or not they are deserving champions. But with the NCAA’s BCS Ranking system, some teams never get an opportunity to be crowned a champion.

The playoff format in college football—or, lack thereof—is a hotly contested issue that is discussed from January 1 to December 31 every year. It is one of the few sports debates that perpetually survives its sport’s off-season. Searching for a topic to discuss, I was browsing through one of my blog feeds, The Bleacher Report. I found a couple of blogs dedicated to this topic and thought, especially being in season and attending a football-heavy school like USC, such a topic was very relevant.

The debate is not limited to the over-eager student or the couch potato. For those of you rolling your eyes at our so-called “issues” in sports, realize that it has become political. Utah Senator Orrin Hatch has made a big deal of the issue and so has our President, Barrack Obama. This is not just an “I broke my nail,” type issue. Whether or not people want to acknowledge it, sports play a very integral part of our society and this is a very hot issue.

Crossing the Line

It still hurts to think about it. I can smell the gym. I remember where my dad was sitting. I remember where my girlfriend was sitting. I remember where my best friend’s hot sister was sitting—don’t worry, I never cheated on my girlfriend. January 17, 2007…we were down two points to TCA. Three seconds left in overtime and there I was, standing thirteen feet from the basket in what seemed to be one of the world’s loneliest places…the free-throw line. Three attempts to make two. I missed the first two and I made the third—the one I was supposed to miss to give us a shot to tie the game. I felt like a goat…like a fucking failure. An all-conference point guard, I wasn’t used to failing in the clutch. As a matter of fact, I had a penchant for making big shots in the clutch. Not that night.

Leodis McKelvin is a Pro Bowl cornerback for the Buffalo Bills. Outside of his defensive responsibilities, McKelvin is a phe-nomenal (imagine Frank Caliendo saying phenomenal in the way he impersonates Jim Rome) return man. In the season’s opener, McKelvin fumbled a kickoff late in the game that ultimately allowed the Patriots to win a game they had no business winning, and forced a loss upon the Bills who had no business losing. Tough turn of events for the Bills. Heart goes out to McKelvin…hate when that happens..when a player makes a bad mistake that basically shines a spotlight on him or her that shouts: “I fucked up!”

The difference between me and Leodis? We both took it pretty tough—I would assume, at least. I still showed up to school the next day…my family, my friends, my girlfriend…they still loved me. Teacher’s still greeted me. My car went unchanged through the day. Yeah, it sucked, but life went on.

Leodis? He came home to a vandalized house—broken windows, wrecked front yard, and a messed up car. The works. All because of one mistake that cost his team one measely regular season game. I hate stuff like this because his play, if it happened in the second half, would have long been forgotten. Bad timing, I guess. But does bad timing warrant such a penalty? Yeah, for a lot of people, playing pro sports would be an awesome “job.” As tough as it is to associate playing sports with a job…it is. That game? A bad day at work for Leodis. How would you like to go home to vandalized house if you fucked up an order or didn’t complete a sale? Fans will get upset…that’s fine. But putting someone’s life in danger—and their family’s life, not to mention—is absolutely absurd.

C’mon people…don’t you get it? I don’t think these people are in the majority but still. Back in YEAR, N let in a goal in the World Cup for the Colombian National Team, costing them the game versus USA. What happened to him? He was murdered…all because of one mistake at work. Awful.

Maybe athletes should face scrutiny for poor performance—no, not that performance—in their private lives because they are “public figures,” but they should face no repercussions from the public for poor performance on the job. (Shaking my head).

Two weeks later I hit a three to beat that very same team at the buzzer…On December 20th, Leodis will have a chance to redeem himself…I hope he doesn’t worry about what will happen if things don’t go his way.

I Do.

I have been worried about it for so long. Would I ever find my one and only? Would I ever find the one that would make me a better person? The one that could interest me? That could teach me? Well…I have. I have found my social bookmarking soulmate. “Themvf” and I met on the internet one aftenoon. Our romance began when I found out he actually did not enjoy long, romantic walks on the beach, but, rather, he preferred sitting on his ass watching boors, being somewhat proactive about his life. Just kidding…sort of. I don’t know anything about my soulmate other than that he likes sports…which is definitely a good thing in terms of our compatibility.

In all seriousness, Themvf and I met on the social bookmarking website del.icio.us. As a matter of fact, we actually met through a mutual friend. Interestingly enough, this mutual friend actually does not talk. The mutual friend is actually a website. The website through which we connected is the sports culture blogsite, The Sports Culture. Oh, and on a sidenote…I have no idea what Themvf means or stands far…our relationship has not progressed nearly to that level where I feel comfortable asking such a question.

Themvf is much more thorough and into the social networking scene than I am. He consistently comments on the blogs of which he is fan. His comments range from critiques of the content to humorous statements poking fun at an appropriate subject. His “friends” come from a wide variety of genres, although his largest circle of friends is in the world of sports. However, Themvf also has friends in the advertising and pre-law circle. His total number of friends—and by friends I mean bookmarks—are just under 1500! Specifically, he has 1482 bookmarks. Themvf is pretty well immersed in the social networking and web world and therefore is not nearly as active as other bookmarkers. He has not bookmarked since June 22, 2009. Before that, it was a whole another month that he bookmarked, on May 14, 2009.

Organization is a little bit of an issue and something that themvf and I need to discuss before we start talking about moving in together. I am very organized…themvf, eh, not so much. For instance, his most popular tag is simply ‘sportsblog.’ Great. Sports blogs. That narrows it down. I mean, I love all sports, but some nights I just might not want to read a football blog. Maybe I’d like to read a baseball blog. On those nights, I don’t want to have to scroll through 50 blogs until I get to a baseball blog—I’d like to be able to find it way quicker.

Nonethless, ‘Themvf’ does have some hidden gems. For instance, the website Hardcore Sports Radio is one I had never heard of, yet it provides a lot of valuable and interesting information. The talent on this site know what they are talking about and do a good job of conveying their ideas. Thanks to ‘Themvf,’ I have found this site. I also found Gear Up For Sports, a website dedicated to sports blogs. It simply compiles a bunch of sports blogs into one website.

I am really looking forward to spending time with ‘Themvf,’ my social bookmarking soulmate. He is really going to add to my blog and can really serve as a resource to the readers of my blog. The content he tags most frequently is the same content my readers would be most likely to read. I mean, isn’t it clear? Our interests overlap. That’s why we are together. I got to go work on the pre-nuptial…OUT!

Athletes Do the Darndest Things...

You heard of Kids Do the Darndest Things? Hear is my remix…Athletes Do the Darnbest Things. This is episode one…

Athletes do some of the dumbest things. Actually, people in general do, but athletes are in the spotlight. I stick up for them whenever I can but I don’t know how I can possibly defend this one. I don’t know if the tag team of Tom Cruise and Demi Moore in A Few Good Men could win this case in the court of public opinion…

Delonte West, a point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, was arrested for speeding on his motorcycle in mid-September. No big deal. We all speed. Speeding is more of a rite of passage than a sin. In Dallas—as in other places—you get your drivers license and then you speed…so long as you are still in control. Anyway, when they pulled him over, the cops found it interesting that he had a guitar case. Maybe he is a music aficionado? Who knows. I don’t think the repeating sound of POW POW is music to anyone’s ears. The cops found a fully loaded shotgun and two handguns in the case. Hey! Don’t have to tune the chords on those bad boys, right?

Why, Delonte? Why? Listen, I strongly believe that people in the public spotlight need protection. I do. Have a gun. Get security. Fine with me, so long as the protection is for, well, protection…and not criminal activity. It is not my place to speculate so I won’t. But, Delonte, if you are in possession of highly illegal paraphernalia, why are you going more than 30 miles per hour over the speed limit!? That’s just common sense.

All I know is that next time I am packing major heat, I am going to go 200 miles per hour to make it worth, it. No regrets, right?

Athletes Do the Darndest Things...

You heard of Kids Do the Darndest Things? Hear is my remix…Athletes Do the Darnbest Things. This is episode one…

Athletes do some of the dumbest things. Actually, people in general do, but athletes are in the spotlight. I stick up for them whenever I can but I don’t know how I can possibly defend this one. I don’t know if the tag team of Tom Cruise and Demi Moore in A Few Good Men could win this case in the court of public opinion…

Delonte West, a point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, was arrested for speeding on his motorcycle in mid-September. No big deal. We all speed. Speeding is more of a rite of passage than a sin. In Dallas—as in other places—you get your drivers license and then you speed…so long as you are still in control. Anyway, when they pulled him over, the cops found it interesting that he had a guitar case. Maybe he is a music aficionado? Who knows. I don’t think the repeating sound of POW POW is music to anyone’s ears. The cops found a fully loaded shotgun and two handguns in the case. Hey! Don’t have to tune the chords on those bad boys, right?

Why, Delonte? Why? Listen, I strongly believe that people in the public spotlight need protection. I do. Have a gun. Get security. Fine with me, so long as the protection is for, well, protection…and not criminal activity. It is not my place to speculate so I won’t. But, Delonte, if you are in possession of highly illegal paraphernalia, why are you going more than 30 miles per hour over the speed limit!? That’s just common sense.

All I know is that next time I am packing major heat, I am going to go 200 miles per hour to make it worth, it. No regrets, right?

Trifecta

Yo, World! Whatup?

Welcome to the stadium! May I please see your ticket?

…Section 48, that’s right over there. Enjoy the game!

Stepping into a stadium, an arena, a ballpark—what have you—is one of the coolest feelings I get inside. I get tingly, knowing I am inside a building filled with history—both good and bad—and about to watch a sporting event. I get to watch the same athletes that many consider “God-like” perform in ways that only they can. You never know what you are going to get at a sporting event. Inside the lines, anything can happen. Every day or every night, you might be a part of history.

Sports is a passion of mine. I come from a sports family. My dad played professionally. My brothers played at the college level. I passed up an opportunity to play at smaller D1 schools to advance my desire to make it in this world as a sports broadcaster. I am still a fixture in the intramural world and still practice with the baseball team. I am constantly talking about sports, playing sports, thinking about sports, or watching sports. While I am not an ‘ESPN’ expert, I have worked in and around sports since the age of 13, and at the age of seven had a weekly radio segment at Dallas’ #1 Sports Radio Station, KTCK Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket, in which I was interviewed about my sports knowledge. I don’t have official credidation yet, but it’s coming.

Sports fascinate me in so many ways. I could go toe-to-toe all day long talking about strategy, free agent signings, who’s hot and who’s not, among other points of interest. But there is more to sports than just what goes on inside the offices and within the boundaries of their respective athletic venues.

However, in this blog I am going to bring up the cultural impact of sports—the athletes and their actions.

Reporter: Did you visit the Parthenon while in Greece?

Shaquille O’Neal: I can’t really remember the names of all the clubs we went to.

Athletes are incredibly interesting—among other descriptive labels—inside the lines, but more so, outside the lines. They do some of the most caring, intelligent, incredible things, and other times some of the stupidest, cruelest, darndest things. These actions stir all sorts of emotions and impact all sorts of people, including those who don’t know what a touchdown, slam dunk, or home run even is. Whether people want to acknowledge their presence and power or not, sports play an incredibly significant part of our society and have a tremendous impact.

For instance, the Michael Vick fiasco had such a tremendous effect on people that have never even seen a football game. Steroids is a polarizing issue that eats away at every baseball fan, but has an external impact that many people don’t consider, or that parents don’t realize until it is too late. However, for every story with a negative undertone, there are a variety of stories involving athletes that are uplifting inspirational, and put athletes in a good light. How about Hurricane Katrina? Want a list of all the work—not just money donated—put in by various athletes in the effected parts of New Orleans and beyond? Or what about the superstar athlete who stands up for a cause and boycotts an opportunity to make money in support of what he believes in as it pertains to global issues. These are the types of stories and issues that will be covered in this blog. Stay in your seats. You never know when you will come across something special.

A Word Is Worth A Lot...In This Case $30,674.80

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites, killing between one to three million people every year. The disease is especially prevalent in Africa, taking the lives of many youth before they ever get the chance to shine as human beings. Scary, huh?

Rick Reilly—not scary—is an award-winning sportswriter recognized as among the best in his industry. He typically incorporates a hysterical level of humor, poking fun at athletes for their annoying intricacies and their disrespect towards “us lesser beings.” However, he does sometimes illustrate his serious side, writing articles focusing on themes of family, heroism, and human spirit. Recently, Reilly wrote about a young group of kids battling a serious illness, getting to carry out a dream at Yankee Stadium, getting to hang out with the New York Yankees, including star-pitcher A.J. Burnett.

On May 1, 2006—my birthday—Reilly requested donations for these nets. This request—this seed, a simple 815-word article—has bloomed into over $25 million of support. The Nothing But Nets Foundation was created in 2006 to try and combat malaria by providing nets to children in Africa to help give protection.

The influence of this simple column—the effect Rick Reilly has had on a fight for humanity and safety—is truly remarkable and inspiring.

Formerly with Sports Illustrated, Reilly currently writes for ESPN. His columns are linked to a blog that archives all of his work. His contributions can always been seen on the front page of ESPN.com as well as ESPN’s bi-monthly publication, ESPN The Magazine. His columns/blog-posts come out around once a week and always have either a profound impact or provide a great laugh.

His academic work relates specifically to my blog topic and my passion of sports. I am among a whole slew of sports fans who are avid followers of his work, even though his writing extends to an audience that goes beyond just the simple, big-time, or hardcore sports fan, especially with his human-interest stories that reach out to anyone that has a beating heart.

With my blog, I would like to take a similar approach as Reilly. Through his blog and his work, Reilly acts as an anonymous mentor to me and other writers. I admire his work and the way he go abouts business. I do not plan to shadow his writing or copy his ideas. I plan to learn from him and use his work to help mold my style and to make my blog something worth reading.

Eight-hundred and fifteen words led to over $25 million dollars, money going towards an honorable, life-saving cause, Money inspired by one idea…one column…one man. I don’t know if I will ever write anything, say anything, or do anything that will save lives or help out a cause to such a strong degree. However, I do know that I will always write what I believe and not write what I think people want to hear. I will stand up for causes and people and hope that one day I can impact a single life with my actions the way Rick Reilly impacted thousands upon thousands of lives helping the fight of malaria in Africa.

Hear Me Out

When was the last time you ever heard someone talk like this?

The devastating effect of the Tim Donaghy scandal will send a ripple through professional basketball that will be felt for ages based on how baseball dealt with a similar occurrence, The Black Sox Scandal.

Never.

At least, not when I talk to my friends. Maybe you do, I don’t know. I can only speak for myself and those I have come in contact with. Writing papers and writing a blog feature two totally different styles of writing. A paper is supposed to be formal, structured, and very academically influenced, either through word choice, formatting, or both. A blog can choose to adopt similar writing, but they usually our written in a conversational voice. This doesn’t mean they have no credibility or their messages are not valid, but they rebel in all that they learned in high school and college.

One of the most controversial bloggers is Will Leitch. Some wake up every morning and add a little humor to their lives on his successful blogsite, Deadspin.com. Others know him for his fight on Bob Costas’ sports show with acclaimed author, Buzz Bissinger, when debating the credibility of blogs. Bissinger, who has made a very successful living off of writing “the right way,” condemned Leitch, and other bloggers, for the casual approach they took to writing.

Leitch, who typically touches on controversial issues and adds fuel to the fire, blogged on the Erin Andrews video scandal just over a month ago. In his blog, Leitch uses his traditionally casual style but it is through this voice that he successfully reaches out to his audience.

Voice is developed through word choice, structure, and phrasing. Leitch conveys a conversational approach by using phrases such as, “As far as I’m concerned,” “I mean,” “You know,” and words like, “C’mon,” and “Umm,”—strategically placed, of course, effectively relaying the idea of though. And that’s another thing…Leitch adds a conversational aspect by frequently going off on tangents mid-thought. His writing isn’t organized to perfection. He does this in his opening sentence:

In the wake of the awful video that hit the Web over the weekend—actually, it had been hanging around for months, apparently, but no one had seen it—everyone is pointing fingers. It's blogs' fault for objectifying her.

By going off on tangents and simply writing what is on his mind, Leitch develops a conversational voice. Think about how many times in conversation you will go off the linear structure and make an off-topic comment because it suddenly pops into your head? I do it a ton. It is normal. It is natural.

Leitch also has uncensored writing in this blog, and others. He describes the guy who filmed Andrews as an “Assbag,” a comical, ‘boys will be boys,’ description. He engages me because he makes me want to talk back to the article, as if it is some kind of a conversation. Leitch develops an edge in his writing with his use of vulgar language. At the same time, this style is still inviting of response and makes me feel like I am having a conversation with him.

Another style Leitch employs is his usage of the first person. He has no qualms about using “I” or, when appropriate, using “we,” allowing him to connect with his audience. Additionally, Leitch uses italics to emphasize points and to add emotion to his writing. When restating that the nude video featured Erin Andrews, a “sex icon,” he re-emphasized by writing, “It’s Erin Andrews!”

Writing sometimes comes across as monotonous but with his creative use of italics, Leitch creates emotion in his writing. I can almost hear his pitch raise or drop with certain comments based on the way they are formatted within the context of the blog.

In a blog about Michael Jordan, Leitch touched on the death of Michael Jackson for whatever random reason--see? Tangents!--and talked about how shocked he was at the worldwide period of mourning for the legend. "That weirdo? C'mon!" The italics help the reader feel and understand the emotion of his writing and the sense of his personality.

In another of his articles, chronicling the first decade of this millennium, Leitch employs many of what we have already discussed, including ellipses and hyphen-notated tangents that increases the level of conversation.

Through his voice, Will Leitch creates a persona that is edgy and emotional, while maintaining an inviting conversational tone throughout.

Regardless of your stance of blogs, it is almost undeniable that blogs bring out a writer’s personality and unique styles more so than most forms of writing. It allows a writer—or a blogger, to develop his or her voice. It allows us to say fuck, shit, and I’m out, bitch!

Blog Titles: Boy, That Decade Just Flew By, Didn’t It? & Erin Andrews and Guilt, Imagined and Otherwise

Fandamonium

Kevin, I totally agree. There is nothing like football season and all of the passion and intensity that goes with supporting a football team—especially a college team. After just having spend an entire day and a half donning the Cardinal and Gold in Buckeye country, I faced the wrath of a lot of that passion. Luckily, my gameday outfit requires unbiased clothing in the form of a suit, meaning four or so hours free of harassment. It was all in good fun, except for one person who took it a bit too far in calling us some vulgar terms, then deciding to charge us after we did not respond. It was honestly a bit scary—a big, drunk guy charging after four Trojans in enemy terriroty. As the closest one to him, I was going to be the subject of his anger—and Ohio State hadn’t even lost, yet!—and I was unsure whether we would be outnumbered by many other Buckeyes joining the side of their “brother in arms,” or if they would side with their morals and defend the enemy. Luckily, the group of people surrounding us chose the latter, but the fact I even considered otherwise was scary. Football is awesome. The passion at the Horseshoe made it an unreal experience—one of the best fucking experiences I have ever had. But there are people who need to realize at the end of the day we are all people. We are all Americans. We are all human beings. I am an enemy in fun and in spirit, but not in reality. To pester and poke fun at someone for liking a different team is okay, but to berate that person and make them feel small, either through physical or verbal intimidation…that’s just not cool. I hope L.A. fans, though not very passionate, are a little but more welcoming…Whatever, can’t knock the passion.

Ready...Set...Fight...For a Second Chance

I didn’t want to do this. Fuck. I told myself I wasn’t going to fall into this trap. Agh, but I gotta. I can’t ignore this. Michael Vick doesn’t deserve every ounce of scrutiny he is receiving. I gotta stand up for him.

Let me preface the remainder of this blog by stating that I do not think anything Michael Vick did involving dog fighting was right or justified. I wholeheartedly think what he did was wrong.

People make mistakes, right? I mean, no one is perfect. I know I am not perfect and if people did not forgive me for mistakes I have made, I would have no friends. Michael Vick made a mistake—a big one…no, a MAJOR one. Financing and taking part in a dog-fighting ring is terrible. It makes me cringe when I think of dogs fighting until death. Michael Vick messed up. He served his time. Yet, people don’t seem ready to give him a second chance. By giving Michael Vick a second chance, no one is conceding that his actions were acceptable. By offering him a second chance, we, as a community, are not even fully forgiving him, yet. We are extending him the opportunity to make up for his actions.

Prior to the dog-fighting scandal, Michael Vick had a virtually clean slate. Constantly in the public spotlight, everyone around him loved Michael. He was a role model and the face of the Atlanta community. He played father to a troubled younger brother, Marcus, who simply could not find his way in the NFL. All the while, he was messing up big time in his private life. Eventually, he got caught. He served over two years worth of penalties and will forever serve the penalty of being the famous man involved in the scandal in which he financed the killing of dogs. That label is something he can never shake. No community service can strike that from the record of public perception.

In about a month, Michael Vick will officially return to the NFL when he plays in a regular season game for the Philadelphia Eagles, following the completion of the three-game suspension issued by Roger Goodell. That week will no doubt be another media circus covering Michael’s return. His return will also be very controversial.

But I love dogs and what he did was despicable!

I love dogs, too. I am definitely a dog-guy, and not a cat-guy. Cats are okay, but I love dogs. I, however, am willing to forgive Michael Vick for what he did. Many of Michael’s peers even stood up for him, saying he is one of many that take part in such activities. Does it make it any more right? No. But rumor has it, Michael grew up in a culture in which such activity was relatively acceptable. My father’s high school friend in South Africa grew up in a culture that called for the treating of black people poorly. That friend—Rob was his name—refused to talk to my father ever again after he saw him talking to one of his black friends. My dad, a forgiving person, contests that Rob was not a bad person, rather, he didn’t know any better.

But he knew it was wrong!

I know it is wrong every time I drink a beer because I am barely twenty years old. I still do it. Not that they compare in severity, but the point is, people sometimes neglect what is wrong and right. Plus, he was punished. Let me tell you something…I spent 13 hours in jail this summer for trying to use a fake I.D. It was miserable. One of the worst nights of my life. I never ever want to go back...not even for a minute. Michael Vick spent over a year in a cell. That is a severe penalty. He deserves an opportunity to make it in this world. He deserves his chance.

Hopefully Michael Vick has learned his lesson. Hopefully he can go on and be a role model to those who have also fucked up in their lifetime. He can represent those trying to recover from mistakes. Isn’t part of what is great about our world—our society—the fact that we are granted a second chance? Give Michael Vick that chance. One thing is sure: Michael Vick will fight his way through this adversity.

Hear Those Voices?

When was the last time you ever heard someone talk like this?

The devastating effect of the Tim Donaghy scandal will send a ripple through professional basketball that will be felt for ages based on how baseball dealt with a similar occurrence, The Black Sox Scandal.

Never.

At least, not when I talk to my friends. Maybe you do, I don’t know. I can only speak for myself and those I have come in contact with. Writing papers and writing a blog feature two totally different styles of writing. A paper is supposed to be formal, structured, and very academically influenced, either through word choice, formatting, or both. A blog can choose to adopt similar writing, but they usually our written in a conversational voice. This doesn’t mean they have no credibility or their messages are not valid, but they rebel in all that they learned in high school and college.

One of the most controversial bloggers is Will Leitch. Some wake up every morning and add a little humor to their lives on his successful blogsite, Deadspin.com. Others know him for his fight on Bob Costas’ sports show with acclaimed author, Buzz Bissinger, when debating the credibility of blogs. Bissinger, who has made a very successful living off of writing “the right way,” condemned Leitch, and other bloggers, for the casual approach they took to writing.

Leitch, who typically touches on controversial issues and adds fuel to the fire, blogged on the Erin Andrews video scandal just over a month ago. In his blog, Leitch uses his traditionally casual style but it is through this voice that he successfully reaches out to his audience.

Voice is developed through word choice, structure, and phrasing. Leitch conveys a conversational approach by using phrases such as, “As far as I’m concerned,” “I mean,” “You know,” and words like, “C’mon,” and “Umm,”—strategically placed, of course, effectively relaying the idea of though. And that’s another thing…Leitch adds a conversational aspect by frequently going off on tangents mid-thought. His writing isn’t organized to perfection. He does this in his opening sentence:

In the wake of the awful video that hit the Web over the weekend—actually, it had been hanging around for months, apparently, but no one had seen it—everyone is pointing fingers. It's blogs' fault for objectifying her.

By going off on tangents and simply writing what is on his mind, Leitch develops a conversational voice. Think about how many times in conversation you will go off the linear structure and make an off-topic comment because it suddenly pops into your head? I do it a ton. It is normal. It is natural.

Leitch also has uncensored writing in this blog, and others. He describes the guy who filmed Andrews as an “Assbag,” a comical, ‘boys will be boys,’ description. He engages me because he makes me want to talk back to the article, as if it is some kind of a conversation. Leitch develops an edge in his writing with his use of vulgar language. At the same time, this style is still inviting of response and makes me feel like I am having a conversation with him.

Another style Leitch employs is his usage of the first person. He has no qualms about using “I” or, when appropriate, using “we,” allowing him to connect with his audience. Additionally, Leitch uses italics to emphasize points and to add emotion to his writing. When restating that the nude video featured Erin Andrews, a “sex icon,” he re-emphasized by writing, “It’s Erin Andrews!”

Writing sometimes comes across as monotonous but with his creative use of italics, Leitch creates emotion in his writing. I can almost hear his pitch raise or drop with certain comments based on the way they are formatted within the context of the blog.

In a blog about Michael Jordan, Leitch touched on the death of Michael Jackson for whatever random reason--see? Tangents!--and talked about how shocked he was at the worldwide period of mourning for the legend. "That weirdo? C'mon!" The italics help the reader feel and understand the emotion of his writing and the sense of his personality.

In another of his articles, chronicling the first decade of this millennium, Leitch employs many of what we have already discussed, including ellipses and hyphen-notated tangents that increases the level of conversation.

Through his voice, Will Leitch creates a persona that is edgy and emotional, while maintaining an inviting conversational tone throughout.

Regardless of your stance of blogs, it is almost undeniable that blogs bring out a writer’s personality and unique styles more so than most forms of writing. It allows a writer—or a blogger, to develop his or her voice. It allows us to say fuck, shit, and I’m out, bitch!

Blog Titles: Boy, That Decade Just Flew By, Didn’t It? & Erin Andrews and Guilt, Imagined and Otherwise