Tag Archives: Sports and sports journalism

Deflate-gate — Scandal or overreaction?

Posted on by

By NADIA BACCHUS

Football fan or not, everyone has heard about the latest National Football League controversy commonly called “Deflate-Gate.” But is it really worth all this recent media coverage?

For those who have yet to hear, “Deflate-Gate” is a recent scandal in which the New England Patriots were found to have used underinflated footballs in the recent AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots beat the Colts 45 – 7 giving them a spot in this weekend’s Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.

But what’s the real scandal here? The fact that it may be cheating? Or that no one can decide whether a little less air in a few balls makes an actual difference? Unlike the real scandal of Spy-Gate in 2007, also dealing with the Patriots, Deflate-gate is a little harder to prove because the evidence is literally thin air.

When previous sports scandals have come to light in the past, physical evidence is usually already found before the media becomes frenzied. Lance Armstrong had been accused of doping years before he was actually investigated and found guilty, yet the media didn’t give it real coverage until an investigation began. The media covered the story of Ray Rice, NFL football running back, assaulting his then-fiancée in an elevator than dragging her out by her hair only after a video was released.

So, if something as simple as defective balls or weather conditions could be the real culprit of underinflated balls, why is the media so concerned with who to blame when there is no real proof of foul play?

Reporting on UM special events

Posted on by

By GABRIELLA SHOFER

This week marks the all-important and long-awaited rivalry football game where UM will take on FSU. It is no surprise that all the major campus news publications are focusing on this story. However, it’s interesting to see how news principles are impacted by the focus on this story.

In particular, from reading the news publications such as The Miami Hurricane, one would be led to believe that the only thing occurring this week on campus is the football game. In maintaining this focus, the paper fails to recognize that there are students and faculty members who are not wholeheartedly interested in the game. Therefore the lack of reporting on a wide range of news topics this week, has compromised the ability for these people to gain news information about other events on campus.

Additionally, while in general an important news principle is the removal of bias from reporting, this event poses an instance where bias is actively integrated into stories. It is an intrinsic part of creating excitement for the event through stories and building suspense for the campus population.

However by favoring one side, due to the publication’s affiliation with UM as the major campus news publication, the newspaper is ignoring its responsibility to remain objective throughout their news reporting practice. Yet, this may not be such a terrible thing and perhaps it is even something that is called for in this circumstance.

One thing is for sure, it is interesting to see how the reporters develop fresh and unique perspectives on this topic. Despite the repetitive topic, the articles vary in their focus in order to provide students with a wide range of information on the game. From safety precautions to team preparations and even the history of the rivalry, these articles don’t fail to provide intriguing insights into an event that can most definitely be called the highlight of the semester.

UM men’s basketball looks ready

Posted on by

By MICHELLE BERTRAN

The 2014-15 University of Miami men’s basketball team seems to be very confident about its upcoming season, which started Nov. 6.

With transfer Angel Rodriguez from Kansas State University having to red-shirt last year, Deandre Burnett having to sit out as well because of a medical red-shirt (wrist injury) and Sheldon McClellan red-shirting after transferring from Texas, these three are expressing lots of excitement and anticipation for a successful season.

From hashtags on their Instagram pictures’ captions saying #TheReturn or #returnofthemac to their ambiance walking around campus, Miami basketball fans are expecting an expecting to see lots of talent and execution on the court.

Kristian Brown, junior majoring in sports management said what she expects out of this season. “I don’t know, there’s a lot of hype about Angel, Sheldon, Dre and the team as a whole,” Brown said. “That’s what’s getting me to want to go to the games; I gotta see this!”

On Instagram about two weeks ago, when the basketball team was getting ready for its first game, Rodriguez posted a picture of him and McClellan in their uniforms with the caption reading, “Yo Mac! It’s almost that time #TheReturn”

Also, as far back as 13 weeks ago, McClellan posted a picture of himself posing under the Miami sun with the caption, “Beautiful first day of the month in the 305!!! Life is good right now…. In case you ain’t heard, it’s almost that time #3monthsleft #WaitIsAlmostOver”

Who isn’t going to get pumped when seeing something like this? Fans are wondering what they are referring to when they say things like this, what wait? What exactly are we waiting for?

Chantz Mack, former Miami baseball player and senior in criminology, is interested to see what this team is all about.

“I’m hearing a lot of good things about these guys, I want to see what they’re all about,” Mack said. “I hear Dre was third in the nation in scoring in high school!”

The Miami Hurricanes will be playing Howard University at 7 p.m. in the Bank United Center on Friday, Nov. 14.

Let the teams decide who’s best

Posted on by

By DYLAN WEEMS

There has obviously been a lot of controversy in the news lately about everything from Ebola to athlete conduct. Something has been rarely talked about however, is the new college football playoff system.

Personally, I think it’s a great idea. The Southeastern Conference is not as dominant anymore as teams from all across the nation begin to land top recruits and coaches. There’s more of an even playing field. Every conference gets an opportunity to prove its worth.

However, there are a couple things I am not thrilled with. The sportscasters seem to lose their minds every week whenever a team gets upset. All they can talk about is how it will affect the playoffs. They need to relax and actually analyze past and future match-ups because, as we see literally every year, it all works itself out. The cream rises to the top.

The other issue will be the post-season fallout. If one team gets blown out in a game, the entire year’s conversation will be about how undeserving they were to be in the playoffs and how they didn’t play a strong enough schedule. This will affect the playoffs for years to come because analysts will reason that since one conference was destroyed in the playoffs before, history will repeat itself. This leads to an imbalance in conferences once again and the cycle will repeat.

Gives other teams a chance.

Reporter too attractive for athletes?

Posted on by

By MICHELLE BERTRAN

Katarina Sreckovic, a 25-year-old sports reporter, found herself in some sort of trouble with the Red Star Belgrade soccer club for distracting its players while reporting on the sideline.

“I admit it was a problem at the start, but I think they’ve got used to me now. It was tough, though, because for a while it seemed as if they might not be able to work with me at all,” Sreckovic told CEN. “I was also asked to go away a couple of times because I was a distraction on the pitch and players complained that they couldn’t concentrate.”

This is ridiculous to me because as long as Sreckovic (or any other “attractive” reporter) is doing her job, strictly reporting, being professional and not doing anything purposely to distract these athletes, then she is in good standing. Maybe The Red Star Belgrade soccer club needs to focus more on its players and making sure their heads are in the game, rather than sitting there, checking out the reporter.

Also, the fact that the players complained that they are incapable of concentrating is astounding. They must be hormonal teenagers seeing a woman for the very first time. These players either do not care about the game or are just very immature.

Sreckovic worked very hard to keep her job because, according to her, it is her “dream job.” In my opinion, she should not have to sacrifice her dream job for some men that cannot seem to control themselves.

Jameis Winston is a person, too

Posted on by

By DYLAN WEEMS

This weekend’s Saturday night football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Florida State Seminoles drew a television rating of 8.5, the highest of the season. This beat last year’s Florida State versus Clemson game by 130 percent.

Obviously a top 5 match-up between these two storied teams will naturally draw attention, especially due to the playoff implications. However, the massive ratings boost came largely due to ESPN’s coverage of the polarizing Florida State Quarterback Jameis Winston.

Winston has been in the spotlight recently and it isn’t because of his Heisman Trophy or his ability to win, it’s because of his off-field troubles.

Winston has come under fire for multiple allegations beginning with his alleged rape case in 2012 and most recently for allegedly taking money for autographs.

It is safe to say that ESPN has had a lot to talk about, but the analysts seem to be becoming biased. The sentiment among the masses is that the ESPN panel loves the SEC and wants to see Florida State fail so that they can tear into the FSU quarterback more while also touting the greatness of the Southeastern Conference.

I feel that fans need to understand that every time ESPN shows a picture of Winston in his FSU uniform, they are advertising for the school. Winston is undefeated in his past two years as the Florida State quarterback. That brings positive attention to the school despite his off-field antics.

The point is this: Winston is innocent until proven guilty and although Florida State may not have handled his investigations in the most timely or thorough manner, he should not be ridiculed by the media simply because he wins.

Whether he committed either crime that I mentioned above, I cannot say. What I can say is that it is unfair for the media to will Jameis Winston to be a criminal just so that his football team can lose. It’s just a game.

Adrian Peterson back in spotlight

Posted on by

By SHAWNA KHALAFI

On Wednesday, Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson had a court appearance at Montgomery County, Texas, courthouse for his arraignment following his recent child abuse case. Peterson is out on $15,000 bond since he was indicted last month of child abuse for spanking his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch.

Before getting a urinalysis drug test, he allegedly admitted to the employee administering the test that he “smoked a little weed” while on bond, therefore violating the terms of his bond. The district attorney’s office wrote: “In light of this statement, and the fact that it was made during the urinalysis testing process, and the term ‘weed’ is a common slang term for marijuana, the state argues that the defendant has smoked marijuana while on bond.”

Adrian Peterson has been in the spotlight for weeks now and not in a positive way. His child abuse case involving his son sparked a swarm of media attention and scrutiny. This scandal has gone the same way in just two days.

On ESPN’s Mike and Mike, two completely different perspectives on the situation are expressed. Mike Golic argued that it was just a stupid decision made by Peterson. He talks about how everyone always wants to tie these stupid decisions to bigger issues and reasons, such as serious addictions or frequent concussions.

Mike Greenberg argued that Peterson has probably been getting away with smoking weed, among other things, for most of his life as a star football player. Mike says that because of this early pattern, lots of athletes, Peterson includes, adopted the mindset that the rules don’t apply to them.

Georgia star suspended indefinitely

Posted on by

By MICHELLE BERTRAN

According to recent rankings, Todd Gurley was a front runner to win the Heisman trophy this year, but that’s probably out of reach for Gurley now that he violated NCAA rules.

It appears to be that Todd Gurley was charging $8 to $25 for his autograph through the company James Spence Authentication (JSA). It was over 500 items that he signed, which included more than 300 jerseys, more than 30 mini-helmets, more than 70 photos and even 10 baseballs, and nine Nike cleats.

As stated on sbnation.com, university officials found out through an e-mail that was sent to them by an autograph dealer. The e-mail read:

I have video of Todd Gurley doing a private autograph signing ***. He has been paid thousands of dollars for his stuff over the last 18 months. I personally paid him for this signing on the video. I have bought and sold game used equipment from him.

I want no compensation. Just want someone to leak this story that’s deserving. If you have any interest, give me a call or email. I attached a photo of him in my car signing a mini helmet that I just sold last week on my eBay store.

All I ask is some privacy until we can touch base.

I live on Georgia and would crucified if my name was released.

The video is about 5 minutes long but doesn’t show the money exchange.

My cell is **********

I believe this would be the lead story on sports center if ESPN got their hands on this. Hope to hear from you soon.

As of today, Georgia is no longer selling Gurley No. 3 jerseys on its official website. Gurley holds a school record of 293 all-purpose yards in their season-opener against Clemson, which they won. He also only needed 86 yards in order to pass Garrison Hearst for second place on Georgia’s all-time rushing yards list of 3,147 yards.

According to ESPN, Gurley might not be cleared by the end of the season. However, he is only a junior and could still have one more year to play.

The news media: Are we hypocrites?

Posted on by

By MEAGHAN McCLURE

An article published by The American Spectator on Sept. 23 raises an interesting point: Journalists are just as at fault in domestic violence cases as the NFL players they have been recently criticizing.

During the month of September, the news media have had a frenzy with all of the domestic violence and child abuse cases surrounding the NFL. With the release of the second Ray Rice surveillance tape, Adrian Peterson’s child abuse scandal, combined with notable cases against Greg Hardy, Jonathan Dwyer, and Ray McDonald, media during the month of September have put the NFL on blast for all of these domestic violence issues.

The article by The American Spectator, however, asks the question: Are the media skewing these problems out of proportion, just because the NFL is a high-profile, very exposed institution?

It is possible that the NFL does not have more domestic violence cases in ratio than the rest of the country. Actually, in studies, it is found that the NFL actually has lower crime rates than the rest of the general population of the same age group. The difference is the media puts more of a spotlight on professional athletes’ faults, rather than the average Joe. Not saying this makes the NFL violence cases okay, but it is fair to point out that it may be overemphasized by the media.

While the media have been constantly criticizing the league and painting it as “a veritable athletic Evil Empire of domestic abuse,” according to the article, The American Spectator points the finger back at those same journalists, who are not in positions to be putting the blame on others.

Five NFL cases, as mentioned before, have put the pressure on the NFL to better itself from the violence-ridden entity it appears to be now. As the article points out, however, ten cases can be found within the media recently. This is twice as many as the NFL.

These cases range from ESPN to ABC, CBS, NBC, and The New York Times. The difference between these cases and those of the NFL? Domestic violence cases by the media aren’t lumped together for the public to over-scrutinize and cast a shadow over all of the media.

I’m not saying at all that the NFL shouldn’t be concerned about its role with domestic violence. It should be. Domestic violence is never okay, and with so many fans looking to the NFL, it should make a good example of these cases, taking measures to punish the offenders.

However, maybe the media should do the same and take a second look to try to better itself, before pointing fingers at others.

You can read The American Spectator article mentioned here: http://spectator.org/articles/60468/when-journalists-commit-domestic-violence.

After arrest, Kevin Olsen departs UM

Posted on by

By MICHELLE BERTRAN

The University of Miami’s third string quarterback Kevin Olsen started off the season rocky by being suspended from the season opener game because of a failed drug test. He is now suspended from the team and is no longer a student at the university as a result to a DUI and a stolen or fake license arrest that occurred early Monday morning. To make matters worse, this is his second DUI charge. Olsen’s first came when he was in high school.

Monday morning he was caught with six licenses. One belonged to teammate Ronald Regula, another was a fake license from Maryland, and the others were from four different states. Olsen refused to take a urine test and failed a breathalyzer test by registering a .04. He was released on a $6,000 bond that same day.

Al Golden released a statement Monday night on Olsen’s departure.

“Right now, this is about Kevin and his family and we need to respect that,’’ Golden said. “He needs this time to look at himself and move forward, and I have no doubt that with the support of his family, his brothers, his mom and dad, and obviously those of us that know him really well, there’s no question that he’s going to have the right ending.… He’s going to win in the end.’’

Olsen had an opportunity at being Miami’s starting quarterback when Ryan Williams tore his ACL this past spring. Olsen’s scholarship can now be given to someone that will make the most out of the opportunity of not only playing for “The U,” but also being a student here.

Journalism and social media’s influence

Posted on by

By AUTUMN ROBERTSON

This September has been a great news month for many journalists. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has captured more towns and oil fields in Syria and President Barack Obama has made an executive decision to soon deploy troops into the area to fight ISIS. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa continues to spread and the president made executive decision after the ISIS news to deploy troops to the area to “fight” the disease.

However, I heard more about certain news stories than others and I can’t help to think that the result was from social media. I saw more articles and think pieces on both NFL stars Ray Rice, who was accused of domestic violence, and Adrian Peterson, who is facing child abuse charges, than any of the executive decisions that President Barack Obama made and many other political policy news.

Is it because they monitor what people are talking about on social media and chase the more dramatic, sensationalist stories in order to sell papers and get page clicks?

The “trending meter” on Twitter and Facebook are important tools for a journalist. They can see what people are talking about from a regional, national and worldwide standpoint. I sat and monitored what people were talking about on twitter these past two weeks, and I saw more tweets about the athletes than tweets about politics.

Why is it that generally we are more concerned about scandals than issues that can directly affect our nation? Because we are more concerned about these shocking events, stories about national government issues are being flooded out by the journalists who write about those shocking events. I am not saying that the Rice and Peterson stories lack importance; personally, I am glad that the stories were reported because each lead to powerful discussions about domestic violence and abuse. However, more and more people know every detail about those stories, but lack proper knowledge on ISIS and the affect they have on our country. Is social media more of a clutch for journalists than a useful tool?

Social media play an important impact on journalism and what news the media feel is more important to cover. However, should journalists be so influenced by the people that use social media that they choose to write stories based on what’s trending?

News under the radar

Posted on by

By EMILY JOSEPH

After analyzing the news this week, I found that the overwhelming majority of stories focused on sports (particularly the NFL domestic abuse scandal) and ISIS.

While I personally have an interest in sports and have been keeping up with the ISIS crisis, I’ve also read many other stories that I consider very important. What concerns me is that these stories are very under-the-radar and I’ve seen them get pushed to the end of the news segment. That, or they don’t have the amount of coverage I think they deserve.

For example, this week President Obama announced that the U.S. will be sending troops to West Africa and investing $88 million to help fight the Ebola virus. Also, I’m sure you’ve heard about the wild weather on the West Coast, but did you know just how severe the flooding has been? How about the wildfires in California?

These are just a few examples of recent headlines. Now I don’t blame the journalists or reporters who cover these “smaller” stories because I actually think the American public is generally to blame for what makes the top headlines. The journalists are just giving the public what it wants: drama. 

Americans gravitate to stories involving drama. The NFL scandal and ISIS crisis are both very pressing and important issues, but they just so happen to have a rollercoaster of events. Not one domestic abuse case but several. Not one beheading but more. These topics would make headlines regardless of the public interest (because they are important!), but it’s the every minute coverage that detracts from the other news.

Maybe if Americans showed interest in and concern for other topics, the news headlines would follow. I don’t know if this is a problem or just over-analysis, but nevertheless, the top news stories all do an oddly good job at maintaining drama.

49ers’ case tests new NFL policy

Posted on by

By SHAWNA KHALAFI

San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Ray McDonald has been arrested on felony domestic violence charges following an incident at his 30th birthday party late on the night of Aug, 31.

McDonald allegedly assaulted his 10-week pregnant fiancé, leaving bruises on her neck and arms.

This incident occurred just three days after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell modified The league’s personal conduct policy. The new policy carries a six-game suspension without pay for first-time domestic violence offenses and a life-time ban from the NFL for second offenses.

The policy also states that length of suspensions may be increased in the following cases: if the employee was involved in a prior incident before joining the NFL; violence involving a weapon; choking, repeated striking, or when the act is committed against a pregnant woman; or in the presence of a child.

If found guilty, McDonald could face even harsher punishments since his victim was pregnant. He is due in court Sept. 15. This is just one of several scandals in the NFL right now, as the Ray Rice video recently surfaced and star running back Adrian Peterson is  accused of child abuse in Texas.

Media exposes Ray Rice scandal

Posted on by

By MEAGHAN McCLURE

Social media play a huge role in the lives of everyone today. More importantly, when a breaking news story is released, it is almost impossible to not hear of it on Facebook, Twitter or any similar social media outlet, while everyone gives out their own opinions.

This is why social media played a key role in the termination of a football player’s contract and indefinite suspension from the NFL.

Ray Rice was caught on camera dragging his unconscious fiancee out of a casino elevator way back in February. So why did it take almost seven months to give him a punishment fit for his horrifying act?

When the first video was released and widely covered by news and sports media, there was public shock, but of a relatively small scale. People were disgusted, but forgot about it in due time, and Rice only suffered a two-game suspension.

It wasn’t until TMZ released a second video, making the attack more visual, that the NFL and Ravens alike stepped up Rice’s punishment.

What is the difference between the release of the two videos? Public backlash.

After the release of the first video, it was a trending story for no more than a few days, quick to be forgotten in a league where crimes like this aren’t that foreign. However, it has been a week since the second was released, and new developments in the story are coming out everyday.

The public became so outraged, it took to social media, making this story a trending topic on Twitter and Facebook for over a week. In a society where the average internet user’s attention span is minimal, this was a long time. The public influence concerning this story was strong enough to end a man’s career, and make NFL reconsider policies.

It is clear the effect social media and the public’s opinion had on this Ray Rice situation. What is not clear, however, is the reason why it took this high level of intensely bad publicity to make the NFL take appropriate measures in the punishment.

Although social media is a blessing, allowing powerful entities like the NFL to hear the voices of the public, it should not have been the driving force to ultimately force the NFL to suspend Rice indefinitely.

The NFL leadership claimed to not have seen the second video until Monday, although law enforcement officials confirm it was sent to the league office in April. Even still, everyone knew what had happened on that elevator and the NFL should have taken appropriate measures then, rather than wait to see if the situation would blow over.

With all these facts known, the NFL has portrayed itself in a horrible light and the influence and backlash of social media are not going to help the league out or lead people to forget about it anytime soon. Let’s just hope the league handles the next situation better than it did this one.

NFL handles Ray Rice scandal poorly

Posted on by

By MICHELLE BERTRAN

Ray Rice, who was a running back for the Baltimore Ravens, has been banned from the National Football League because of an incident that happened in an elevator when he knocked out his then-fiancée. I would now like to address how poorly the NFL has handled this situation.

It is not certain yet, but supposedly, the video of Rice violently assaulting Janay Rice (now his wife), was given to someone in the NFL office back on April 9.

When the video was supposedly seen by this individual, not yet by the media, the NFL’s punishment to Ray Rice was only a two-game suspension. Then, as soon as the raw footage got released by TMZ on Monday,  the NFL banned Rice. Therefore, it is being speculated that the league went (or tried) to go under the table here.

In my opinion, banning Rice from the NFL is an extremely lenient punishment for what he did; he should be grateful he is not behind bars. The NFL is trying to clear the situation up and see who saw what and when, but NFL spokesman; Brian McCarthy released a statement to CNN on this speculation.

“We have no knowledge of this. We are not aware of anyone in our office who possessed or saw the video before it was made public on Monday. We will look into it,” McCarthy said.

It is not a coincidence to me that, then, Rice’s punishment was only a two-game suspension when the media had not gotten hold of the video, then as soon as the media gets the video and a huge controversy arises over this is when the NFL decides to make a bigger move.

If this is the case, it will only prove that the NFL is solely about its money and has no type of ethics. The NFL sets the example for many different groups of people, even children, and the example it is setting right now is sickening.

I would argue that the NFL is in need of new leadership that will handle these kinds of situations in a proper manner and how they deserve to be treated.

The real problem in the Ray Rice scandal

Posted on by

By EMILY JOSEPH

On Monday, the National Football League announced the indefinite suspension of Baltimore Raven’s running back Ray Rice after new video footage surfaced of Rice punching his then-fiancée in an elevator.

But more than just the NFL’s disciplinary action against Rice, the media coverage of late has been focused on one person: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. From opinion articles, to interviews and tweets, many people are calling for the resignation of Goodell because of how he handled the domestic violence situation.

While I think the NFL did an awful job at initially reprimanding Rice by ordering only a two game suspension, I don’t necessarily think Goodell is the one at which the public should be mad. Yes, I personally think the first video was more than enough evidence to penalize Rice more severely and send a strong message against domestic abuse, but many people are forgetting that Goodell wasn’t the one who beat his wife.

He is not the problem. Ray Rice and the thousands of other domestic abusers are the problem.

Goodell may not have done a good job the first time at implementing punishment, but he and the NFL at least admitted to their wrongdoing. Unless more evidence surfaces that shows they definitely had more inside knowledge of Rice’s actions, then that may change the situation. But the continual discussion of Goodell’s handlings is overshadowing the main issue here: domestic abuse. I hope that, as this story develops, the public attention moves toward combating the issue of domestic violence because it is not just the NFL’s problem, it’s society’s.

What the World Cup may cost Brazil

Posted on by

By VIVIAN BRAGA

We’re now only a month and a couple days away from the World Cup and games have been scheduled, stadiums built, tickets sold and teams determined. The first game will happen on June 12 between Brazil and Croatia and preparations for it continue.

The visuals and expectations for this major event are high and promising but, despite the government’s daily efforts to make it a successful and safe World Cup and all our hopes that the event will thrive, as a Brazilian, I believe it can go wrong in many different aspects.

As of now, four stadiums are completing their delayed construction and, in cities like Manaus and Belo Horizonte, new transportation projects have been cancelled or postponed and won’t be ready by June. Government investments in security aren’t enough to guarantee a safe environment for visitors and, on top of all that, there’s a frustrated and angry Brazilian population demanding for more meaningful changes to the country rather than simply a World Cup.

The inequality between classes, large contrast between public and private education and crime happening at the doorstep of my home were problems I grew up watching in Brazil. At times, it angered me seeing a country with so many improvements to make, investing so much money in an event that will last less than two months.

The past World Cup, which happened in South Africa in 2010, had less than 12 stadiums. So why does Brazil have to build more? The pressure made by FIFA, the organization behind the World Cup, to build these on time made the working conditions horrible, killing several workers.

It has been estimated that this year’s World Cup will cost approximately $30 billion. That is the cost of the three previous World Cup tournaments added together. All this money, if invested in education, health and infrastructure, would have been much more valued by us Brazilians.

While politicians argue that the World Cup is exactly what Brazil needs in order to improve, the situation isn’t so simple. The revenue generated by the games, tourism and shopping won’t necessarily become the budget that will be used for all these improvements. Part of this money will go directly to FIFA and a significant other, into the politicians’ own pockets.

Last year, Brazil was faced with protests that broke out after a rise in bus fare and brought millions of civilians to the streets all over the country. The protests symbolized the dissatisfaction of Brazilians towards the government’s work and their lack of concerns with Brazil’s current social problems. These are still happening on a smaller basis.

Seeing that Brazil has all these issues going on should it really be hosting an event this big? Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of the World Cup myself and as a true Brazilian I love a good soccer match, but the government’s lack of commitment to our current social problems and focus on this large-scale event could only lead to further disappointment, frustration and revolt from the population.

Why bad mouth aspiring NFL stars?

Posted on by

By JOHN RIOUX

With the NFL draft approaching on May 8, the dissection of young athletes personal lives has once again came to the forefront of sports reporting.

Whether it is Johnny Manziel attending the Masters with his dad or Jadeveon Clowney deciding to not participate in individual workouts, everything these athletes do is carefully analyzed.

The ridicule player’s take for making personal decisions regarding their future is laughable.

If Manziel wants to attend the world’s most famous golfing event to get away from his preparation for the draft for a weekend, who are we to tell him he is wrong? Millions of people watched the Masters from their homes, but because Manziel has the means to attend he should be ridiculed?

In Clowney’s case, he has not only played three collegiate football seasons but has also attended the NFL Combine and a personal pro-day held at The University of South Carolina. Teams have more information than they need to evaluate him, yet when he decides to sit out due to the risk of injury his “heart” and love of the game is questioned.

The decisions these athletes make are based on their own moral values and what they believe to be best for them. They are not making decisions that are detrimental to anybody else yet they are repeatedly questioned.

Before reporters write an article dissecting Manziel’s personal judgment, think back to when you were 21 years old. If you had millions of dollars coming your way, do you not think you would partake in the endeavors these athletes choose?

NCAA proposes food rules change

Posted on by

By ADRIENNE MOTLEY

Shabazz Napier, a University of Connecticut men’s basketball star, recently told sports reporters during the NCAA tournament that sometimes he “goes to bed starving because he can’t afford food.”

Following Napier’s comments and all the media attention that they drew, the NCAA proposed a rule that college athletes can receive unlimited meals and snacks. Division I schools could provide athletes additional meals covered in a student-athlete’s scholarship if approved. The new rule would apply to scholarship and non-scholarship athletes.

The current rule is that NCAA athletes may be provided three meals a day or a food stipend.

I believe that it is ridiculous that an athlete had to step up and say that he sometimes starves just for the NCAA to propose a rule that athletes should get unlimited meals.

Student-athletes should have already been given the opportunity to have unlimited meals. The way their schedule is set up we don’t have the opportunity that regular students do to get food we want, so having unlimited meals when we can eat would be very helpful.

A lot of athletes come from poor families, with them being the only person in the family that has been to college. When the athlete runs out of the monthly food revenue, they start wondering how they are going to eat. The new rule would be useful in that the student athlete would only have to worry about school and their particular sport; not their next meal.

NFL faces a moment of change

Posted on by

By TAYLOR HOFF

Sam Michaels tackles the slow attempt at change in the NFL and forces the league to deal head on with the long-time controversy of unspoken homophobia.

With gay marriage being legalized and acceptance of LGBT alliances higher than ever, why is it okay that one of the biggest sports leagues in the world is still the most anti-gay and least accepting of change?

Whereas this problem was easily swept under the rug because there was no case in which the NFL was immediately forced to deal with regarding the controversy, the coming out of Sam Michaels catapulted the issue to that of top priority.

In the most “manly” business in the world, built around physical strength that is supposed to represent the macho alpha males of the world, coming out only months before the draft is a very risky decision.

However, the news and sports media attention has been more positive than many would have expected. This could in fact be at the fault of his risky decision. Being the first male to come out, gain Michael’s a title of courage and bravery.

Many teams have released statements of support for Michaels.

New York Giants owner John Mara said:

“As Patrick Burke and Wade Davis constantly remind all of us, regardless of who you are, what your background is and what your personal or sexual orientation is, if you can play, you can play. Michael’s announcement will not affect his position on our draft board.”

The question of how the NFL will react remains a mystery for now, but it’ll be hard for one of the largest and most influential businesses to support any direction other than in that of the modern change. The entire business will need to reposition itself but, in order for the business to progress, it must be progressive.