Sport and Society-Final Post

           

            Well, the journey has come to an end. First, let me thank you Dr. Spencer I have really enjoyed your course and particularly this blogging assignment. I never thought I would ever have my own blog where I could let my opinion be known. Second, let me thank my fellow classmates for providing insightful opinions and comments about my posts. The thought and time you put into your posts is greatly appreciated.

            When enrolling in this class I was not completely certain what my enjoyment level would be though now as it comes to the final week. I can say without doubt this has been my favorite class at Bowling Green. The wide array of issues we touched upon as well as well as the variety in assignments has really made me work and think. For example, I will take my epiphany and complete it as my master’s project.  My favorite discussion just occurred recently regarding weight and the athlete. Though I am still grateful for your efforts Dr. Spencer to get us to talk about race. I do know personally that as a result I am much more open discussing issues of race.

            I will remember many things from the course and continue to use them in my professional life. I do not really have any ideas or suggestions outside of making the blog assignment mandatory to add to the class. Also, please keep Jeopardy really think it allows the class to lighten up and have fun while also illustrating what they have learned. I am grateful this course is a part of the Sport Administration curriculum.

            On a personal note, I look forward to working with over the next several months as I finish my master’s project and earn my master’s degree from Bowling Green State University. Well there are no more until next times, so this is it, pretty simple.

From a Simple Man-Thank you and good luck to all of my classmates on their future endeavors.

What I have learned at Bowling Green thus far?

            I was hired in July of 2009 as the first ever academics graduate assistant for the men’s football team here at Bowling Green. I had no idea what I was doing and for the most part no one could help me as it was the first time anyone had such a position. Therefore, I spent most of the first fall running around like a chicken with its head cut off just trying to do everything. There were many long nights and a great deal of caffeine that first year. Constantly wondering what else I could do to make sure all the academic support was provided to the student-athlete at Bowling Green. I spent most of the year thinking to myself I am teaching these guys a lot about responsibility and maturity. Though now I look back almost two years removed and realize that the student-athletes taught me.

            Characteristics such as organization, preparation, and time management were all things I constantly harped upon to the athletes and now I realize that all that was also aimed directly at me. As a result, of this experience I have learned a great deal about time management to avoid pulling all nighters and also about knowing where exactly everything I need is at. Further, the players have taught me a lot about who I am becoming both as a man and now that my role has changed as a coach. I have always been a quiet and reserved person. Though having experienced several situations that required action and a stern voice have developed these attributes in me.

            From the football side having to recruit athletes has improved my communication abilities as well as my public speaking skills though there is still great room for additional improvement.  Also, having to be accountable not only to the older full-time staff members but also to the student-athletes who remarkably do not forget a word you say has improved my follow through and attention to completing assignments.

            So what have I learned at Bowling Green? I came here thinking I would learn more about the game I so dearly love and I have do not get me wrong. My knowledge base compared to when I arrived has improved tenfold. Though I have also learned social, organizational, and institutional rules that I will carry with me no matter where my next stop may be. Not bad considering I came out here not even knowing what I was doing.

The New Yankee Stadium Friend or Foe?

            “Olympism is a philosophy of life calling for the holistic development of the body, will, and mind. It is a fusion of sport, culture, and education within the acceptance of universal and ethical principles. Its goal is to contribute to world peace through sporting competition, competition that is to be non-discriminatory and participated in in a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play” (International Olympic Committee, n.d.).

            The philosophy of Olympism has undergone a vast transition over the past decade as a result of the severe environmental damage caused by these mega events on their host cities. It does seem quite illogical to spend millions to earn a bid and in return have to spend millions once the games have finished to counteract the negative damage done. The 1998 games in Nagano, Japan marked the first games in which the IOC or International Olympic Committee invested it environmental protection to attempt to ensure environmentally friendly games. This trend is a growing one as in order to win an Olympic bid you must now clearly illustrate your cities plan to incorporate sport, culture, and now the environment as the three tiers of the Olympic movement. This is of the utmost importance when concerning all mega projects. An example I experienced firsthand was the construction of the new Yankee Stadium.

            Yankee Stadium is located in the South Bronx, an already depleted area in need of dryer help, rather than investing in developmental projects to enhance the area, New York City and Mayor Bloomberg felt in appropriate to greatly finance the monster project. The construction of the new stadium only furthered the devastation surrounding the South Bronx, and as a result furthering the poor living conditions for local Bronx residents. Similarly to the Olympics I believe that if a professional sports franchise was to create a new stadium they must do so in an environmentally friendly manner as well as adding to the existing environment that they plan to erect their new home. Until forced to do so teams will continue with plans similar to the Yankees and local residents and the environment will be the only things hurt. A change needs to be made and now!

Sad Thing is: I ould have to let him play

Janoris Jenkins a senior cornerback for the Florida Gators football team was arrested for the third time in 23 months on April 23, 2011 at 12:35 for possession for marijuana. Florida's new head coach Will Muschamp will now be forced to make a decision get rid or arguably one of the best players in the country? Or sent a precedent that behavior like Jenkins will be tolerated? Recently Sports Illustrated did a study on the high rate of arrest in college football citing that University of Pittsburgh for having the highest arrest percentage 1 and every 4 players has been arrested. Though what happened on the field this season was a direct reflection of their off field behavior and as a result Pittsburgh’s staff was fired. Furthermore, supporting this claim is unfortunately Bowling Green when head coach Dave Clawson arrived the image of a Bowling Green player was extremely negative and best summed up in a mug shot. As a result, coach brought in a set of rules that would apply to all regardless of importance to the team. This set of rules and Coach Clawson’s word was unfortunately tested his first year when our best player violated a serious team rule and was suspended for 6 games. Had we had this player in all likelihood we would have won the conference title. Though Coach is a man of morals and sticking with his guns the image of the Bowling Green football has undergone a transformation. So what will Muschamp do with Jenkins? In all likelihood give him a 2 game suspension and the kid will play 10 games before getting drafted next April and making millions of dollars in the NFL. However, should he let him play? If not playing Jenkins risks winning and losing I imagine Muschamp will let him play.  If I were a coach in my first season at Florida I unfortunately would probably have to let the young man play. I would suspend him but ultimately coaches are judge by one number and that is the number of wins.

April 23, 2011

Kyle Maistri
InsidetheGators.com Senior Writer

Related Links:

Janoris Jenkins cited for marijuana possession

Talk about it in Alligator Alley

The second arrest in the Will Muschamp era was the same as the first.

Getty Images
Janoris Jenkins was arrest for the third time in 23 months Saturday morning.

Florida senior cornerback Janoris Jenkins was arrested for possession of marijuana for the second time in three months early Saturday morning. It's also Jenkins' third arrest in the past 23 months.

According to a Gainesville Police Department report obtained by the Florida Times-Union, a GPD officer noticed Jenkins sitting in a car in a parking lot at 104 N. Main St. smoking a marijuana cigar at 12:35 a.m.

Jenkins was given a notice to appear in court on May 12 for being in possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis.

Jenkins recently plead to a misdemeanor charge for possession of marijuana, and on March 18 he was ordered to pay $316 in court fines and had adjudication withheld.

Muschamp said the team would discipline Jenkins for that first possession incident internally, and UF has not yet commented on Saturday's arrest.

Jenkins was also Tasered and arrested on May 30, 2009 for resisting arrest after being involved in a fight. He signed a deferred prosecution agreement and had the charge lifted from his record after paying the fees and staying out of trouble for six months.

Jenkins decided to return to Florida this offseason rather than declare for the NFL Draft and skip his senior season because a shoulder injury would have prevented him from being able to workout for NFL teams before the draft. He had surgery on his shoulder and missed all of Spring Practice, just recently getting cleared to start football related activities. Jeremy Brown, Cody Riggs and true freshman De'Ante Saunders would be the three candidates likely to benefit the most from a possible suspension of Jenkins for the start of the season.

Baker-Baker the Basket Maker

“As early as 1986, a study of 496 randomly selected Ontario adolescents in their last  year of high school showed that two-thirds of the girls were preoccupied with weight and dieting, compared with 15% of boys" (Robinson, 2002 pg 125, para2).

            This study just reinforces the concept that our society has become too focused on weight and further becoming too big. It is sad when a young man or lady will take drastic measures to ensure that they maintain what society has told them is a proper look. My cousin Caitlin a very good prep basketball player had also been a very well proportioned girl, having to play in the post required her to keep her weight up she was constantly eating. During her career I would call her the baker-baker the basket maker on account that our grandma had given her the nickname caker-baker. Throughout her high school career you could tell she was not happy that she had to be so big. So the day her career ended she began a crash course diet that ultimately took a turn for the worst. Caitlin is 5’10 and at weighed 168 pounds her senior year (she would kill me and her mom who told me if she know I admitted her weight). Caitlin began to work out 3-4 hours every day after school and initially saw great results losing 15 pounds. Though unfortunately it didn’t stop her weight loss began to plateau Caitlin took a drastic measure and began to not eat. She was very good at hiding that she wasn’t eating. Either finding a way to get rid of her meal or pushing on someone else. I remember it had been about three months between visits to see her and in that time she went from around 150 pounds to about 128 it was scary she wasn’t my pretty cousin she was pale and grossly looking. It didn’t stop there Caitlin got all the way down to 118 pounds before we as a family decided that we had to stop this. So last fall she check into a food counseling center and in the past year has done really well her weight is back to 130 pounds which is still way to small. Though she is eating and gradually gaining healthy muscle back. I can’t believe our media and society have reinforced such a belief that Caitlin would push herself to such extreme lengths to lose weight. I am just really happy she has stopped. When I asked her it if alright to write about her, she was said yes you never know maybe it will help someone avoid the mistakes I made. So I want to thank her and say that I am lucky to have such a great cousin and couldn’t be happier she is on a positive track.

Group Olympic Bid-The People Project at least to me!!

            As we approach our Olympic group bid presentation I have realized that as much as this project is about doing research and being active fact finders. It is more so about working as a cohesive unit and being trustworthy enough to depend on your group partners. I was hesitant at first getting into a group with all members of the athletic department as I have learned that the professional demands of athletics graduate assistants can be quite demanding leaving very little time for academics. Though this process has not only taught us how to further manage our time but also how to design a group project so that each individual’s best assets contribute to the project as a whole. For example, Asil in my personal opinion is extremely good with computers as a result he was in charge of all things computer and graphic related on our project. In addition, Antonio (a.k.a Tony) went to Columbia so by default he was selected as one of the final editors along with myself. Austin did a great deal of internet searching and preliminary research. Mike who properly citied his initial citations became our expert on proper citation and this was a huge asset as our rough draft was rough in large part due to an inability to properly cite. In terms, of an enjoyment level I think we had a great time from me trying to send emails of pictures to judges and not really knowing how, to Asil asking if we should dress up in Toga’s for our presentation,  to Austin suggesting that we paint his sisters dog the colors of the Italian flag, it was an overall enjoyable experience. As I get prepared to enter the professional world I will look back to this experience and realize the benefit it played as I will be dependent upon others in the future to dictate the group’s overall performance. I want to thank my fellow group members for all their efforts and despite winning a bid or not I had a great deal of fun making this project and do look forward to presenting it too my peers. I also want to wish the best of luck to all the other groups on finishing their papers and presentations.

Can Athletic Women Win?

Our class discussion concerning weight and the healthy and unhealthy athlete caused me to think for quite some time. With the exception of Matt Weight I can say I have had the most experience with changing my body as a result of sport. As I have mentioned I have weighed as much as the mid 300’s and as low as 189 pounds. Though my thoughts arose at the comments made by the females in our class, I really had never given thought to the fact that it must be a hard balancing act between maintaining the feminine look that most females desire and having a body effective for their sport. I found Sarah’s and Dr. Spencer’s insights to be particularly interesting concerning size and women’s basketball. Mainly because the other sports discussed did not require weight gain. As women, I would imagine it is difficult to be told to gain weight especially after growing up in our society that often preaches that skinny is the way to be. O had never thought of it before in large part because I just did what my coaches told me, though I did understand that once I reached 310 pounds it was definitely non attractive and I really disliked having to be that big though as athletes do I did what I was told. Further, can women win if they reached the ideal athletic body for their sport and position they are often labeled as too masculine or muscle bound. Furthermore, if they maintain a sleek though it may bit be best for the performance, though will it matter. For example, in our society female athletes are often glorified for their looks and not enough for their talent. Take Brittney Griner, an incredible player who is often charged with being too manly due to her physical stature. Can women win?  I am not sure but I am glad we had that class discussion as it opened my eyes to a concept that had unrealized existed.