Tag Archives: Sports and sports journalism

Journalist denounces Obama’s visit

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By KATIE HOVAN

This week, President Obama made a monumental trip to Havana, Cuba, a sign that the diplomatic relation between the U.S. and Cuba is gradually stabilizing.

Obama is the first sitting president to visit Cuba in almost 90 years, according to The Miami Herald. Officials have also said Obama plans to be very candid with Cuban president Raúl Castro about his hopes for the future of the Cuban people.

In a further effort to improve relations, the Tampa Bay Rays also took the field alongside Cuban baseball players in an exhibition game on Tuesday. Cuban baseball players will now have the opportunity to continue their careers with the MLB.

Unfortunately, many Cubans and Cuban-Americans have anything but positive feelings toward the baseball exhibition and Obama’s historic visit, especially within the Miami and South Florida area.

In a beautifully penned open column in The Miami Herald, sportswriter Dan Le Batard, who is of Cuban descent and a UM School of Communication alum, shed some light on the background of the political situation that is unfolding.

“Obama and Jeter and ESPN head toward communism like it is another cruise port, so many symbols of Americana descending on a rotting island stuck in the 1950s, and it doesn’t feel quite right back in Miami, like watching a funeral morph into a party,” he writes. “The history of my own people feels like it is either being ignored or trampled here, and I’m not quite sure which of those feels worse,” Le Batard wrote.

Le Batard speaks on behalf of countless Cubans with his article as he explains just how strange it feels to watch the U.S. praise small actions that are doing so little to compensate for Cuban injustice.

“Fidel Castro outlived my grandparents. His regime continues to haunt my old-exile parents. My pain might be borrowed. But, damn, as that sting returns to my eyes, I can assure you that it is real,” he continued.

While President Obama’s visit to Cuba is an historic one, I must side with Le Batard in this battle of responsible reporting.

Prior to reading Le Batard’s article, I had not understood the extent of the political turmoil that uprooted so many Cuban citizens. He provides his family history and the challenges they themselves experienced in the face of communism, an unlikely opinion with slim chances of survival amidst the conventional news stories.

With this new progress in the U.S.-Cuba relation, it’s even more important for the mainstream media to educate people on the history of the situation and the major changes that still need to be made in Cuba before any justified celebrations can take place.

Miami men earn No. 3 seed

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By WYATT GELLER

Players, coaches and fans gathered at The Rathskeller on the University of Miami Coral Gables campus for a celebration to watch Selection Sunday on CBS.

Selection Sunday

The Canes wait for the tournament bid to be extended (Photo by Wyatt Geller).

Before the show started, head coach Jim Larranaga stood up and told the crowd to cheer loudly when the team got announced on the big screen that can display up to four sporting events.

Even when a team knows that it will be in the tournament, it is always exciting to hear your name called while 67 other teams are waiting for their placement. In addition, the Canes were shown on screen getting fired up when they found out they were heading to Providence.

As projected by ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team  received a No. 3 seed for the NCAA tournament or what is most commonly referred to as “March Madness.”

The road ahead will not be easy for the Canes, as they were placed in the South Region that is arguably the most difficult section of the draw led at the top by Big 12 champions and the No. 1 overall seed in the entire tournament Kansas.

Miami will be up against the No. 14 seed Buffalo in the second round and fans can watch that game on Thursday at 6:50 p.m. on TNT.

I see an experienced Miami team that is capable of controlling this game and winning by low double digits.

If they win Thursday, the third round action on Saturday is where the Canes will face their first true test where they will play the winner of Arizona and Wichita State.

Arizona, who made the Elite 8 last season, battled top seeded Oregon in the PAC 12 semifinals but fell in overtime. Wichita State is led by seniors Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet, as they made it to the Elite 8 in 2013 and finished the 2014 season 35-1 after losing to Kentucky in the third round.

The Canes should be able to overcome a tight matchup and advance to the Sweet 16 for the second time in team history.

I predict they will square off with No. 2 seed Villanova in an instant classic and win this one in overtime.  The Canes will be able to withstand the pressure and reach the Elite Eight for the first time in team history.

Many people believe a championship run is possible for this team, and I do think the Canes have the tools to compete for the title.  However, Kansas has shown no weak point on their team for Miami to take advantage of.  Hopefully, my projection is wrong and the Canes can advance to the Final Four.

It is complicated to put together a formula for success in March.  Tenacity and determination is what drives many teams toward success during March Madness.  That is what builds so many upsets along the way.

The Canes will need to be prepared to play their best basketball every game now, because there is no tomorrow to improve after a loss until next season.

It is win or go home.

Soccer star donates brain for research

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By ROXANNE YU

Articles concerning topics on both sports and science tend to either be doping focused or either too scientifically written, exclusively catering to a selected few. Rarely are there sport science stories that appeal to a larger audience, and so when there happens to be one that catches public attention it’s always worth taking a look why articles like these draw so much attention.

Screen Shot 2016-03-03 at 2.48.24 PMBrandi Chastain, former U.S. national soccer team member, just announced that she will be donating her brain to Boston University for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) research.

Chastain rose to fame after scoring the shootout goal in the 1999 World Cup, ousting China in the final match.

Currently, in her late 40s, Chastain is assuming the role of a mother as well as that of a soccer coach in her community.

After the announcement, Chastain has become the second national soccer team member to donate her brain for research. Soccer players, similar to other athletes like boxers and football players are prone to concussions and minor impacts in mild traumatic brain injuries that result to CTE. With Chastain’s contribution to CTE research, it will be of significant value for the entire soccer community.

It was The New York Times that released this story on Chastain and I commend The Times for being able to present the article to its audience in such an empowering manner.

The article does not only shed light on how Chastain willingly wanted to contribute to her sport in her own little way, but also puts into context different issues relating to CTE risk, all by doing so in an educational way.

The article also included a question and answer response, which did enhance and strengthen the article content all the more.

The issue of woman empowerment was taken onto another step when it was linked onto how recent developments are made to benefit female sports icons like Chastain herself.

Andrews testifies in stalker, hotel lawsuit

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By KATIE HOVAN

Earlier this week, Fox sportscaster Erin Andrews finished testifying in a $75 million lawsuit against a stalker and the owner of a Nashville Marriott hotel.

Andrews claims that the hotel allowed a stalker to occupy the room next to hers in 2008. The stalker, Michael David Barrett, recorded nude footage of Andrews through a peephole and leaked the videos onto the Internet. Barrett has since served time in prison for his crime.

Andrews believes both the hotel and her stalker are responsible for emotional damage.

In her testimony, Andrews also alleged that ESPN, her employer at the time, refused to let her continue reporting on college football until she spoke publicly about the matter. Andrews said that the network wanted her to clarify whether or not the incident had been a publicity stunt.

In a field like journalism, where the “truth” is of the utmost importance, Andrews’ situation begs the question: when is human compassion more important than an accurate story?

If you ask me, ESPN undeniably overstepped its boundaries by asking a woman who was a victim of sexual exploitation to relive the incident on national television.

Whether or not it had been a publicity stunt, ESPN should have treated the statements of a fellow employee with the highest respect and consideration. Forcing any person, male or female, to speak about such a sensitive subject is a tasteless invasion of privacy.

I truly hope that Andrews is exaggerating the way ESPN addressed the situation. It would be a shame to learn that such a respected sports news network lacked the basic human compassion necessary in dealing with sexual exploitation.

As a note for other networks in the future: sometimes “getting the story” just isn’t worth the damage to a person’s mental and emotional health. Always be cautious.

ACC titles still up for grabs for Canes

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By WYATT GELLER

The ACC regular season title is at stake in the final week of regular season play for the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team.  The Canes enter this week with a 12-4 mark in ACC, which is a half game back from North Carolina and a half game up on Virginia.

In order to win the regular season outright, the Canes must win their last two games and UNC must lose in Durham on Saturday against Duke.  This is quite possible, if you ask me.

If Miami wins out and UNC beats Duke, then they share the ACC regular season title.

Packed in one of the best conferences in the country, the Canes have been able to come up with signature wins against Virginia, Duke and Louisville.  They have been virtually unstoppable at home going undefeated in the ACC at the Bank United Center.

Senior Day against Louisville brought out the loudest crowd of the year and a resume booster for the Canes, as they still have a chance to get a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Washington, D.C., will be a tough test for the Canes, as they look to win the ACC tournament.  They will likely receive a double bye into the quarterfinal round, as Louisville will not be competing.

The Canes have been flawless in neutral site games after dominating the Puerto Rico tournament where they beat ranked Utah and Butler.

I would like to see if the Canes can surpass their accomplishments from the 2012-13 season where they won both the regular season and ACC tournament and made it to the Sweet 16.  This years team has the tools for a March Madness run, and it will be their best chance yet.

Miami squeaks by Virginia

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By WYATT GELLER

They were on their heels for the entire game, but the Miami Hurricanes were able to stay in front most of the game as they held off the University of Virginia Cavaliers 64-61.

Virginia guard London Perrantes missed a game tying three pointer from half court as time expired to secure the victory.

Players wait for the refs to resume play in the first half.

Miami and Virginia players wait for the referees to resume play in the first half (Photo by Wyatt Geller).

The hero from the game was Junior forward Davon Reed who had a career high of 21 points on 5-6 shooting from the three point line.

He got the Canes going offensively early on with two 3s, and he hit two more at the beginning of the second half.  Reed also sank two free throws to safely put the Canes up by three late in the game.

After a slow offensive start for both teams, Miami led 30-25 at halftime thanks to a floater from three point range by Sheldon McClellan as time expired.  McClellan would finish with 11 points.

The story of the second half became a catch up game for Virginia when Miami would go up by more than two possessions.  After Miami went up 39-29, Senior guard Malcolm Brogdon helped Virginia cut the lead back down to a one possession game with 15 minutes to go.  Brogdon, who is a candidate with McClellan for ACC player of the year, finished with a game high 28 points.

At the final media timeout with under four minutes to play, Miami led 60-52 and seemed to be in control of the game.  Brogdon then hit two shots and Perrantes made a layup to make it a 60-59 game.

Miami could had put Virginia away a little sooner, but it only shot 60 percent from the foul line going 12-20. Free throw shooting along with poor rebounding allowed Virginia to continue to creep back into the ball game.

If I were Coach Jim Larranaga, I would work to formulate a plan for interior post defense when Tonye Jekiri goes to the bench. Kamari Murphy seems likes the best option to cover the other teams’ center’s, as he finished the game with 11 rebounds.

Monday night’s win was a statement victory for the Canes, as they moved within a half game of North Carolina in the ACC standings and continue to battle for the regular season title. We will see you Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. for the home finale against Louisville.

SI debuts plus-size swimsuit model

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By SIDNEY STERLING

Every year, males and females alike, anxiously await the release of the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit Issue. This year, the magazine is set to hit stands on Feb. 17. However, this year the aura surrounding the launch is different from the past.

In the 1990s, women craved to look and dress like Kate Moss. Her size zero physique and luscious blonde hair consumed the minds of women and men around the world. Girls wanted to be her, guys wanted to date her.

Flash forward to our digital society in the 21st century; out goes Kate Moss and her tiny frame and in comes Kim Kardashian taking up the entire lens with her behind.

Bottom line, with our constantly evolving society our idea of the ideal body type rapidly changes and with that, so does the Sports Illustrated magazine’s swimsuit edition.

Screen Shot 2016-02-12 at 12.11.55 AMThis year’s magazine will feature the first plus-sized model in all of Sports Illustrated swimsuit history. Ashley Graham, a 28-year-old Lincoln, Neb., native and seasoned plus-size model, will show her voluptuous curves inside the coveted yearly edition.

When she heard the news, she immediately declared her excitement and anticipation for her big break on Instagram.

However, others were not exactly “welcoming her with open arms.”

Screen Shot 2016-02-12 at 12.13.49 AM

Graham is no rookie when it comes to modeling. Her resume includes modeling for Screen Shot 2016-02-12 at 12.24.42 AMmagazines such as Vogue, Glamour and Latina. She has also appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Entertainment Tonight” and “CBS News” with regards to her career in modeling and breaking social barriers.

Many news outlets like ABC and CNN speak positively about Sports Illustrated’s decision to revamp its image and stray away from the stereotypical skinny swimsuit models.

Sports Illustrated and Graham fans seem supportive of this progressive move.

Do you think society is headed in the right direction based on this move by Sports Illustrated? Do you think it was simply just a publicity stunt or will it continue to have plus-sized models in every yearly issue?

Giuliani criticizes halftime show

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By JEAN-PAUL AGUIRRE

This past Monday, Rudy Giuliani stirred up some controversy over the Super Bowl halftime performance by Coldplay, which featured Bruno Mars and Beyoncé.

The portion of the performance by Beyoncé referenced ongoing social issues being confronted in the U.S., such as the Black Lives Matter movement, while also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panthers.

The performance proved to be quite divisive as both proponents and opponents advocated their positions on the various platforms, from online-opinion articles to morning shows on national news networks.

The former mayor of New York, Giuliani, expressed his deep offense by Beyoncé’s performance on “Fox and Friends” on Monday morning. He said that it was “outrageous” and that it was an attack on law enforcement.

The story has not made major waves in the form of newsworthy topics on local or national news stations. I feel that it is appropriate that news stations have not blown the story up to extreme proportions, as they have been known to do recently. I feel that it may be worth mentioning as a tidbit during segments, but the nation should not concern itself with an insignificant feud.

The nation is immersed in the presidential campaign, especially now with the presidential primaries and caucuses in New Hampshire and other states. Following the campaign to try and figure out which of the candidates might take the lead in the race for the White House is more important.

This is one instance where I feel the media took the right approach with covering the Beyoncé-Giuliani story. It contains the news element of prominence, which would permit it to receive some attention, but not enough to allot more time than is necessary — like what we have seen lately with some stories, such as the woman who pulled over the police officer, or if you watch ESPN, the ongoing saga with the Cleveland Browns and Johnny Manziel.

Big boys don’t cry?

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By BREANA ROSS

When the final seconds on the clock ran out at Super Bowl 50, not everyone was smiling and celebrating. The CBS Sports camera switched from an excited, smiling Peyton Manning to a devastated Carolina Panthers player. This player was Cornerback Josh Norman and he was less than thrilled by the outcome of the game. The camera zoomed in for a close-up shot as Norman bawled into his hands, realizing his hope of winning the Super Bowl had now vanished.

As soon as the camera showed Josh Norman, devastated and in tears, everyone with whom I was watching the Super Bowl yelled, “Why are they showing him like this?” and “They should leave him alone!”

To an average viewer, it seems outrageous for the news media to show someone in such a state of distress, especially someone normally portrayed as tough. In many ways, it can appear disrespectful and even invasive for the news media to have a camera in the face of someone who is crying. After all, the news media could have shown other members of the football team who were, perhaps, not quite as upset as Josh Norman. However, as a journalist, I began to reflect on the other side of the argument.

The goal of the news media is to show a story from as many aspects and angles as possible. Only showing the excited and celebratory Denver Broncos players would only be showing half of the story. In any championship game, there are winners and losers. As much as people want to see the reactions of the winners, they also want to see the reactions of those who lost. Josh Norman’s reaction was a visual manifestation that summed up the emotions of most players on the Carolina Panthers team, thus golden for the news media’s coverage.

Cam Newton — Leave the man alone

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By WYATT GELLER

During the past few weeks, there has been much talk about the Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton as his team cruised to a 15-1 regular season record and is now squaring off against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.

Many people criticized Newton for his touchdown celebrations where he “dabs” in the end zone, which is his signature dance move, along with giving footballs to special fans that wear Panthers gear, mostly kids, after the team scores a touchdown.

The idea I cannot seem to understand is where all this criticism comes from.  Other than stealing a laptop back in college over six years ago, Newton has not had any off the field issues.

Langer Research Associates produced a survey for ESPN Wednesday to ask fans what the big deal is about Newton. More than 62 percent responded that it was due to his style of play on the field, 14 percent said it was a race issue as Newton is black and the other 24 percent were uncertain.

I definitely fall in that 24 percent category, as I do not even know the source of all the criticism.  Maybe they are not used to the recent success the Panthers have had since they became a recent playoff team.  Another suggestion would be the magnitude of the Super Bowl and that Newton is only the 6th black quarterback to play in the Super Bowl, but I do not see a race issue at all.

Michael Rosenberg, who writes for Sports Illustrated, stated that, “I’ve never met anybody who felt that way. I’ve never heard anybody talk about it. I hear people criticizing his critics, but I don’t see the critics themselves.”

This is what other notable people have mentioned including former quarterback Warren Moon and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.  Moon is an African-American and he had never faced such backlash as Newton is now.

The media has gotten players and fans opinions, but no exact answer has been given.  That is what bothers me the most, as they need to stop talking about the criticism against Newton, as he does not deserve it.

There is no best case scenario to why there is hate towards Newton, but he knows that none of the reports that the media put out about him will matter on Sunday.

Little respect for small-market Raptors

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By COLIN DAVIS

The Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors are the only two undefeated teams left in the NBA.

Truly at a unique place, the NBA has seen many small market teams see time in front of the national media. Everyone is familiar with Stephen Curry’s amazing shooting ability, how loud the Bay Area gets during their home games, so why then, as the only team representing all of Canada, can the Toronto Raptors still not get the attention they deserve?

On the home page of NBA.com there is one article mentioning the Raptors surprise success, and even then there is no mention of the Raptors in their top 10 stories. Coming off a great win against the championship contending Oklahoma City Thunder, one would think that the Raptors were finally going to get some attention. Yet the video highlights of the game primarily showed Thunder highlights with a few Raptors plays mixed in.

It is understandable that the majority of fans would rather hear about Kobe Bryant’s shooting woes than the stellar play of a team located in Toronto, but in today’s day and age of media being the ever present force it is, the coverage should not be so slanted.

Ultimately, the NBA is entertainment and wants to make money over all else, providing content that the majority of viewers want. In a perfect world, the teams playing the best get covered the most, but the current system does not look to be changing any time soon.

Wake injury leaves Miami fans empty

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By COLIN DAVIS

Cameron Wake is an NFL success story.

After playing his college ball at Penn State, he was overlooked by every team in the NFL. Going undrafted, he decided to continue pursuing his athletic career in the Canadian Football League, always hoping to one-day break in to the NFL.

In 2009, the Dolphins finally gave him a chance and he took full advantage. According NFL statistics, Cam racked up five and a half sacks his rookie season, solidifying his position on the team. Cameron Wake had finally made it to the NFL.

Now in his seventh season with Miami, Wake is a part of the most talented Dolphins team in the last decade. But on Thursday night, when the eyes of the nation were tuned in to watch the Dolphins play the Patriots, Cameron Wake tore his Achilles.

As a 33-year-old speed rusher, the injury is devastating to Cameron Wake as well as the Dolphins. Cameron Wake’s most important physical asset is his speed. After tearing his Achilles and having to sit out the rest of the year, a sad thought creeps into the minds of Dolphins fans everywhere: Have we already seen Wake’s last sack celebration?

The media are playing the injury off as just another unfortunate consequence of playing such a violent game, discussing the injury as a season-ending one and not a potential career ender. It is hard for the national media to understand what an impact Wake has had on the Dolphins and the ray of hope, albeit fairly dim, that he has provided fans with, that maybe things will start to turn around.

As Wake was helped off the field in last night’s 36-7 beating the Dolphins suffered at the hands of the Patriots, as Tom Brady celebrated with teammates over another dominant performance, as the commentators discussed whether or not Brady could play another 10 years, a familiar feeling came over me — a feeling that only lifelong Dolphins fans could understand.

To inappropriately quote the late President Gerald Ford, “The light has gone out of my life.”

First gay rugby team turns 20

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By ELAYNA PAULK

There has always been the idea of hyper masculinity in contact sports, such as football and rugby. The first rugby team originated from England in the first half of the 19th century and was composed of all men and now, the first gay rugby team celebrates its 20th year as an organization and discusses the homophobia they’ve experienced.

CNN reports that the fear of contracting AIDS in the 1990s was a limitation on the all-gay team playing non-gay teams, since AIDS was often associated with death.

According to CNN, Mark Bithell, the capital of the rugby team, says that the fear of contracting AIDS and homophobia limited who they played with.

“A lot of teams just didn’t want to play us,” he recalls. “And you can never be sure why they declined.

“But I certainly experienced it as a player in particular when there was a blood injury. They would react in a completely hysterical way and start screaming ‘Blood! Blood!’ and screaming at the referee to get us off the pitch because they were afraid.”

But now, with a more informed society, we praise teams such as this one, who are brave and proud enough to organize as a team, regardless of their individual sexual orientation.

NBA champ Odom deserves respect

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By COLIN DAVIS

Lamar Odom is a two-time NBA champion. He was the sixth man of the year just four years ago. Currently, he is fighting for his life in a Nevada hospital and, although he is showing some positive signs, his outlook is not good.

There have been many reports on the Lamar Odom story by members from all walks of the media due to his relationship with Khloe Kardashian. Yet instead of referring to Lamar as an NBA champion, he is simply referred to as a reality television star as if he has only earned his celebrity through his interactions with the Kardashian family.

There have been very few media members that have given Lamar Odom the respect he has earned, and even less have done it as succinctly as Scott Van Pelt. After recently returning to SportsCenter, Scott Van Pelt did his minute and a half long segment, “One Big Thing” and assessed the situation through the lens of a sports fan.

While Scott Van Pelt makes a few jokes during his monologue, he makes a serious and simple point. Lamar Odom is more than just a plot line in a sad story; he has earned more respect than to be referred to as a Kardashian reality star, in such troubling times for Lamar Odom it is important to remember he was a star before he ever met Khloe.

Tip off for news media covering NBA

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By COLIN DAVIS

Today marks the start of NBA Team Media Day. NBA teams all across the league are starting their preseason training camps, with four teams meeting with news media and the remaining 26 meeting Monday.

During these media days “At least 16 of the NBA’s 30 teams will have video streams of their media day activities live on their team sites.” according to nba.com.

As part of their coverage, the NBA will cover media day on NBA TV for four hours, then host a recap show later on in the evening.

It has been a long summer break from the NBA, especially as a Heat fan whose team did not make the playoffs, but with the start of NBA Media Day, the 2014-2015 offseason is officially over and it is all in the past.

There is no better professional sports organization in the world in terms of media accessibility and relationship with the players than the NBA.

According to CBS Sports, NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, believes the NBA has the best relationship with players out of any sport. Adam Silver notes “the warmth of the personal relationships” he has made with everyone from players to officials to team general managers.

This mutual respect and collective partnership between Adam Silver and the players has benefited the media that covers the association tremendously. With former players making up much of the NBA media, the current players are much more likely to open up and have more revealing interviews.

While the season has not officially started, with the terrific media coverage of the NBA, it is at least one step closer.

Brazilian superfan dies at age 60

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By XIAO LYU

According to the Brazilian media Gaucha, on Sept. 16, the world’s most famous fan in football, Clovis Acosta Fernandes has passed away at the age of 60.

His name may not sound familiar to you, perhaps you may wonder who is this “famous fan”? But if you are a fan of the Brazilian national team, you would notice on TV or in an online photograph the face of an old Brazilian World Cup fan with a white beard wearing a bowler hat, even carrying his replica trophy in the bleachers.

Fernandes gained further popularity in the last year’s World Cup. When he saw Brazil collapsed to a 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany, the image of him clinging on to his replica trophy with tears in his eyes drew many attention from international news media. It later emerged that Fernandes had passed his replica trophy on to a German fan, apparently telling her to “… take it to the final. As you can see, it is not easy, but you deserve it, congratulations.” The photograph immediately exploded on social media and Fernandes became something of a celebrity.

Fernandez had followed the Brazilian national team to more than 60 countries. He watched more than 150 tournaments of the Brazilian team and made sure his face and his trophy were on camera at every World Cup since 1990.  He witnessed his beloved team become champions twice. People call him the “Brazil’s 12th player.”

Sadly, he was diagnosed with cancer nine years ago and was taken away by the disease on Wednesday. He was known to be a friendly man and he liked to be interactive, such as share his selfies and pictures with his fans via his Twitter account.

FIFA made a tribute via Instagram on Wednesday saying: “…Innumerable fans snapped selfies with the good-natured Gaúcho during Brazil 2014, while the sight of him crying during the Seleção’s semi-final defeat was one of the most iconic images of the tournament. We’ll miss you, Clóvis.”

Many fans from all around the world are still leaving messages under FIFA’s tribute, and tweets are currently circulating on Twitter to his well known account @Gauchodacopa. They talked about his background story and expressed condolences through the social media. This time, social media play the role of disseminating the story and uniting people through remembrance.

No respect so far for an all-time great

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By COLIN DAVIS

Peyton Manning is a first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback. After playing 18 years in the league at such an elite level, it would seem ridiculous to challenge his abilities after two weeks in which his team went 2-0, but that is exactly what is happening.

The news media climate around football is that of a feeding frenzy. Whatever hot take a media member can present, or bold prediction they can make for later on in the season will be consumed by one of the hundreds of millions of avid football fans in the United States.

This is why Peyton Manning is such a story currently. After two less-than-impressive games, many of the talking heads in the media have deemed his career over citing his decline in grip and arm strength as the main reasons.

While many media members can make a valid argument for why Peyton Manning is declining, whether it is arm strength, injuries catching up with him, or simply old age, it seems as if the media is forcing the argument.

With all this being said, here are the reasons why saying Peyton Manning is done is a bad idea:

  • He is just one year older than Tom Brady who won the Super Bowl last year using a dink and dunk passing attack very similar to Peyton Manning’s.
  • He is recovering from an injury to his quad, neck, and fingers.
  • His team is 2-0 after the first two weeks.

Peyton Manning is certainly winding down his career. But for the news media to count him out so early is a mistake that is a result of the constant hot take climate today’s media has created.

Mr. Untouchable back at work

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By COLIN DAVIS

Sept. 10, 2015, marked the start of the NFL regular season with a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots.

As an avid football fan, this was music to my ears, but still something was unsettling.

The big story in the NFL offseason was the Deflategate scandal where the Patriots were accused of playing against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC championship game with intentionally deflated footballs so that they would be easier to catch and throw. Most importantly however, Tom Brady was presumed to be aware of the cheating in some form or another.

Add this on to the growing list of suspect behavior for the Patriots in the last decade and suddenly there are questions that need to be answered.

Why does Tom Brady get a pass from the general public for his involvement in scandal after scandal?

Tom Brady is a great quarterback, arguably the greatest of all time. He is an inspiration for the underdog, a source of pride for kids being overlooked all across the country, but it is undeserved.

Brady has been involved in scandals throughout his storied career. Most recently and notably Spygate and Deflategate have demonstrated that the Patriots organization is about winning at all costs even if it means ruining the integrity of the game. Yet somehow, through all these scandals, Tom Brady remains unscathed. Still Brady is looked at as Mr. All-American, and still he is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

Tom Brady goes to show that the American public loves a winner. The Boston Brady fanatics are some of the most loyal in the world, and as long as Brady keeps winning championships, he will always have a place in America’s heart.

Timeliness required in sports reporting

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By MADISON CRAMER

It’s one of my favorite times of the year in the sports world: March Madness. From the days filled with exciting games, one after another, to the upsets that shock the nation, there’s nothing better. But with this “madness” comes the need for fast-paced reporting.

Especially as the tournament kicks off and so many games are played in a row, quick, efficient reporting is essential. Much of the public wants to know the score, what happened, and who did what, all almost immediately. There’s no time to wait. In today’s world of social media, word spreads fast, and that’s what we’re used to. That need for immediate knowledge is what makes timeliness so essential today.

These days, it’s easy to find hundreds of articles about a game right as it ends. The public relies on and expects this, so journalists must deliver. The time crunch on journalists is surely stressful, but it’s necessary in such a fast-paced world, and especially during such a fast-paced event as March Madness.

So, while accuracy is obviously the most important component in reporting, timeliness follows soon after in importance, especially during this crazy month of college basketball.

Without research, there is no story

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By MADISON CRAMER

As I sit here working on an article for a sports website I write for, I’m realizing just how important it is in journalism to conduct thorough research. I often read articles that have only one source and/or very little information. What good does that do?

Research is vital.

The article I’m currently working on profiles an athlete and, if I wrote it only using my knowledge, I wouldn’t have much of an article at all. I’d have a few sentences at best. While gathering all of the information needed to write something like an athlete profile can be a long and tedious process, it’s imperative. So, I read information about the player on several Web sites and I conducted interviews with people who are very knowledgeable on the topic. By the time I was done with my research, I was ready to write. I finally had more than enough information to begin the actual writing process, which brings me to this current moment.

This process has made me wonder how a journalist could possibly write an article without first gathering relevant facts. And not just the basic facts that scratch the surface; I’m talking about the in-depth facts that have to be dug up from the depths of several resources. Every article needs some meat to it. Without it, the article is most likely going to be bland and ineffective in delivering the necessary information.

Therefore, an article isn’t actually an article until proper research is conducted. Journalism relies on research and without it, the industry would be practically useless.