The Roger-Rafa Rivalry: Wimbledon 2007

It has been a while since I last updated my blog, but here I am again. The upcoming posts will be more concise in nature; nevertheless, I hope they continue to be thought- provoking and enjoyable. Well, after last week's epic five-set final between (who else) Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, I feel compelled to talk tennis.

First of all, hats off to the Swiss champion for retaining his throne as King of Grass for a fifth consecutive victory– one that will go down in history books, as he has tied the legendary Swede, Bjorn Borg and also achieved sporting immortality. However, his competitor and biggest rival, Nadal, was not eliminated with ease, to say the least. The second seed sent his opponent scrambling for returns, led the defending champ to a series of unforced errors, and even peeved Federer with a number of challenges (courtesy of the newly implemented Hawk-Eye technology) that turned out unfavorably for the world number one.

Other than the fact that grass is Federer’s favorite surface, it was the demon-like serve of the Swiss that spelled the difference between the two competitors. With a remarkable twenty-four aces, compared to Nadal’s measly one, it is safe to say that these free points ultimately gave the top seed that extra edge. If the master of clay had served like he had in the quarterfinals against Tomas Berdych (with 6 aces and a 75 first serve percentage), Federer's tears probably would have been a result of dissapoinment, not relief. Although the twenty-one year old fell just short of ousting Federer and finally claiming his first Wimbledon title, it can no longer be said that Nadal cannot play on grass. Perhaps the underlying question is – who performed better, Federer in the 2007 French Open final or Nadal in the Wimbledon final? While both players emerged victorious in the surface of their preference, in my opinion - the Spaniard performed better overall.

MATCH TIME
- The young Nadal won the 2007 French Open quite convincingly in four sets in 3 hours and 10 minutes
- Federer was pushed in a 3 hour and 45 minute five-set final at Wimbledon

UNFORCED ERRORS
- Federer lost on the French clay with an uncharacteristic 59 unforced errors, 32 more than Nadal
- Nadal finally succumbed to the clutched of his Swiss rival, but with only 24 unforced errors, even less than Federer's 34.

IMPROVEMENT
- Nadal appears to have improved more than Federer. In Wimbledon ’06 he lost in four sets, however, one year later he eventually succumbs to the top seed in a nail-biter final taking the Swiss champ to two breakers in five sets.
- Federer loses in four in both ’06 and ‘07, unable to even take Nadal to a single tie break set.

Let’s not forget the Battle of the Surfaces, where Nadal finished triumphantly in a custom made court for the world’s top two players - one that is half grass and half clay (pictured to the right). The Roland Garros champ proved to be more masterful of the different turfs, winning the exhibition match in three sets.

Through this year's Wimbeldon tournament, Nadal has established himself as an all-around tennis great. Even Federer would concur to this, as he admitted just after sealing the Spaniards fate in the grass final, that Nadal; “Because he came so close...I think he deserves a title here as well.” Lawn tennis might just see a new champion in '08.

The Deans Prize: Improvements for Annenberg's Journalism Department

The core mission of the University of Southern California is the “development of human beings and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit.” Considering the volatile educational environment, the university is constantly seeking to enrich their learning atmosphere to cope up with this dynamic. According to the 2004 USC Strategic Plan, the institution “intends to become one of the most influential and productive research universities in the world” The USC College Dean’s Prize is an attempt to ameliorate the undergraduate experience by calling upon students to submit potential improvements. In response to the institutions appeal, this week’s post will highlight upon possible enhancements the Annenberg School of Communication, particularly the Journalism department (my field of interest), could implement to better its academic opportunities not only for its students but also the larger community.

According to Director of Journalism at Annenberg, Michael Parks (pictured below to the right), “students learn clear, concise writing and develop reporting skills that provide a strong foundation for a wide array of careers... Our unique curriculum encourages students to learn by doing.” As a former Communications major, I have been fortunate enough to have the “Annenberg experience”. However, my criticism lies in the fact that these opportunities are not made available to all, especially in the journalism department. The doleful lack of a broadcast journalism minor fails to provide students who do not wish to major in journalism, but simply desire to gain some background experience in broadcasting news writing and reporting with an opportunity to do so. Undergraduates are also unable to take such courses as electives because it is limited to journalism majors. If a minor cannot be added to the curriculum, perhaps the journalism program should hold news writing and reporting classes just for non-journalism majors who have an interest in the discipline. Although Annenberg Television News is open to all, there is not much motivation for those pursuing a degree outside of journalism to attend regularly since the student is not receiving a grade for it and also because the student cannot contribute significantly due to a lack of experience (the workshops provided at the beginning of the year do not suffice). Finally, the fact that summer school does not exist for journalism majors prevents new or late comers to the major from graduating earlier and/or catching up to their peers.

Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism (their logo is displayed on the left) is the top program of its kind in the nation. I believe one reason for their success is due to a hands-on internship program called Teaching Media, which places students in a professional newsroom for 11 weeks as a working journalist. It is an undergraduate educational requirement, therefore granting the student academic credit and a stipend should they be relocated. The program includes over 100 news outlets all over the nation and a few even outside American borders, such as New Delhi and Cape Town. This academic internship is truly valuable as it presents students with the opportunity to gain first hand experience in a bona fide professional setting while also providing them “with contacts and work samples for a competitive edge in the job market.” Furthermore during their junior year, when most students search to gain internship experience, these students will already have one completed. Northwestern students can instead spend their time pursuing other endeavors of their choice or gaining even more journalistic experience.

Annenberg (pictured on the left) prides itself in the ability to “foster dynamic synergies and multidisciplinary approaches to the study of communication and journalism through unparalleled access to the nation's and the world's entertainment, media and technology industries.” If USC could emulate such a program in the near future, it would undoubtedly make the academic experience more effective and perhaps even catalyze an upward movement for Annenberg in national rankings. In addition the highly regarded curriculum present, a program of such caliber would endow students with a very enriching, memorable and well-rounded educational opportunity which will send out experienced and better trained Annenberg alums into the job market and also attract an intelligent incoming class of journalism students to USC.

Louis Zamperini: My Nominee for an Honorary Degree

With commencement approaching next month in universities across the nation, I decided it would be timely to discuss my nomination for an honorary degree at the University of Southern California.

I was recently introduced to the work of James Freedman , former President of Dartmouth College and University of Iowa. He mentions that, “in bestowing an honorary degree, a university makes an explicit statement to its students and the world about the qualities of character and attainment it admires most.” According to the USC Honorary Degrees website, this recognition is granted to those individuals “who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary achievements in scholarship, the professions, or other creative activities, whether or not they are widely known by the general public.” Past recipients include Neil Armstrong, Robert Zemeckis, and Andrew Viterbi. The recipient of this degree is also to speak at commencement and impart their insight and advice to the graduating Trojan class.

I imagine Louis Zamperini (pictured below) as an ideal candidate for this degree not only because of his success as a runner, but also for his humanitarian efforts. I believe that Zamperini exemplifies the qualities of faith, skill, ambition, courage, and scholarship highly regarded by the Trojan family. Quite frankly, it would be a shame if a former Trojan with such heroic like accomplishments could not even address the graduating students of his own alma mater.

Zamperini a Southern Californian native, is an All American runner, two-time NCAA champion, Olympic athlete, a survivor of war, and now an inspirational speaker. The “Tornado from Torrance” as he was nicknamed, participated in the 1936 Berlin Games wherein his speedy finish commanded the attention of none other than Adolf Hitler, who singled out the runner and shook his hand. “Aha! The boy with the fast finish!” Hitler said to Zamperini through an English interpreter. After the Olympics, Zamparini was enlisted and served as a bombardier in World War II. During a mission his plane crashed into the Pacific waters, leaving him and two other men (one of whom passed away in the raft) stranded on a small life raft for forty seven days with nothing to consume but chocolate. The duo finally reached land starving, dehydrated, and unable to walk, only to find themselves in the hands of the Japanese army as prisoners, for two years. During his time as a POW, Zamparini was subjected to starvation, physical abuse, medical experiments, and threats of being beheaded. For Zamperini to survive consecutive catastrophic situations is truly miraculous, and unexpected of someone outside of a Hollywood blockbuster film. He finally returned home feeling understandably estranged, lost, and revenge seeking. After attending a lecture series about religion, Zamparini was a changed man. He then dedicated his life to becoming an inspirational speaker.

Perhaps even more significant than Zamperini’s athletic accomplishments, is the unwavering service he has provided for humanity, and this is why I nominate him. As an inspirational speaker to the youth, he bestowed hope upon the dejected sharing the lessons he has learnt through his journey as student at USC, Olympic runner, and prisoner of war. In addition Zamperini visited the guards who had abused him during his time as a prisoner. He informed them that he had forgiven them and moved on. “I threw my arms around him [the former Japanese guard],” Zamperini recollects. His ability to transcend the extreme negativity he experienced as a POW, and channel it into a positive outlet is indeed very motivating. Zamperini also wrote a book entitled Devil at My Heels, a memoir which reveled the austerity of war and also the persistence of our human nature. Moreover, he is the founder of the Victory Boys Camp, “an organization that each year brought life skills and confidence to thousands of high school dropouts through outdoor skills such as repelling, skiing, water-skills and horsemanship.”

While others may argue that the man is rather archaic and will neglect to captivate or relate to his young audience, I beg to differ. I have had the privilege of meeting Mr. Zamperini and can say that the 88 year old is still as sharp and witty as ever. Today Zamperini reaches an estimated 30,000 youngsters yearly, communicating his themes of resilience, a positive attitude, and forgiveness as he leads by example. The values Zamperini imparts through his discussions are both timeless and universal. His boundless energy is contagious, and I honestly believe he will be a terrific commencement speaker who will motivate the graduating class of 2007 in their endeavors.

The Empowering Ability of Sport: This I Believe

This week’s post again involves a slight variation; one which is more personalized yet provides an overall explanation for the reason behind my chosen blog topic of sports. The entry is inspired by the This I Believe (their logo is displayed on the left) national media project, which is based on a radio series by renowned American radio broadcast journalist Edward Murrow. The series aimed “to point to the common meeting grounds of beliefs, which is the essence of brotherhood and the floor of our civilization” during a time of potential atomic warfare, increasing consumerism, and moral decadence. Today, the project has gained significant momentum and evolved into one that promotes written expression of individual core beliefs. In the spirit of This I Believe, I would like to say that many of the principles by which I lead my life by have been acquired over a variety of experiences, but most notably through my exposure to athletics.

The rush I experience from sport is unparalleled. Some have likened me to the testosterone charged, borderline rowdy men present at sporting events. I grew up playing sports and have been competing internationally since the third grade. Whether derived from an emphatic kill, an ace serve, or simply the roar of the crowd, that fleeting yet powerful charge of emotion I receive from sport, has yet to be matched. This passion is a virtually indescribable feeling; it cannot be quantified or weighed, but it is undeniably real. According to Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal, passion is the driving force of the $194.64 billion dollar sports industry. It is the reason why fans spend hundreds of dollars on their USC gear, arrive at games as if they had just swum in a pool of cardinal and gold, or travel nationwide to witness their Trojans fight on in a sporting event.

It was through sport that I discovered my true potential. I had been relatively idle for half a year, simply breeding anger and contempt, till I saw a sign for the annual Manila Polo Club Tennis Championship Tournament. I set a goal for myself–to be the new champion for the tournament in August, a good six months away. I had not touched a tennis racket in years, and when tournament time had arrived; I was nervous but well prepared from months of rigorous, daily training. I ended up qualifying for the finals, which is where I faced defeat. I was sad to be the runner up, but the fact that I had qualified after a five year hiatus was very uplifting. It was the first tie in a long time that I had set a non-immediate goal for myself and achieved it for the most part. I did it by myself too; there was no teacher hounding me, no grades, and no parents. It was then that I became truly aware of the empowering ability of sport. It has provided me with a better understanding of the relationship between dedication and achieving results and led me to believe in the fantastic capabilities that sport evokes from we human beings both physically and mentally.

These beliefs have influenced my career path and aspirations. Like athletics, I find journalism empowering as it involves not only being aware of global affairs, but also the responsibility of accurately and objectively informing the public. Blame it on my curious nature, but I relish being in the know. However, reading or merely listening to the news does not suffice. Only through first-hand experience is one truly appreciative of the gravity of a news situation, which is why the journalist is of utmost importance as he/she sheds light on such events to those of us that are not present. In other words, it is poles apart to hear about the World Cup finals and the infamous Zidane head butt (shown on the right), and another experience to be one of the thousands of screaming fans in the arena witnessing arguably one of the greatest sporting events. However, since not all of us are fortunate enough to attend such an event, the journalist brings this news to the forefront serving as a liaison between the events and the people. So this is why I choose journalism, and why I believe in sport, both have that awesome ability to empower.

2012 Olympics Recruitment: Height is Might

The 2012 Summer Olympics is a well anticipated event for which nations across the world are intensively training. Great Britain has taken unique measures in order to ensure it has the best possible teams representing it in the upcoming games, particularly for the sports of volleyball, basketball, and handball. The process known as systematic talent identification for tall athletic individuals has been initiated in the host city, London. Females that are 5’11” or above and males that are 6’3” or above are being encouraged to register and undergo the screening process to perhaps become a competitor in 2012.

UK Sports, a high performance sports agency, has commenced this innovative program encouraging these segmented individuals to participate, provided that they are considerably athletic and have participated in sport before. According to Chelsea Warr, UK Sport talent identification lead officer, “statistics show that typically around 1% of those that set out to become an Olympian actually make it. But in order to maximize our chances ahead of London 2012, we're asking people to take on that challenge and it can start here today, simply by visiting our website." Due to the fact, that the most prestigious international athletic event will be held in London, the region wishes to produce more winners and also display an improvement in the various athletics teams, most notably in the sports aforementioned.

Systematic talent identification has proven to be successful in basketball recruitment. Members of the Dinka tribe in Africa are often procured to play the game of hoops professionally because they are on average the tallest tribe in the world. Houston Rocket's center Dikembe Mutombo initially came to America to pursue an education as he had received a medical scholarship. However, due to his height of 7’2”, coaches advised and goaded him to alter his career path. Mutombo was then molded into a center, and now enjoys a successful career as a professional athlete. South Korea has also enjoyed the success of this innovative strategy by transferring ready-made athletes to sports such as hockey and handball that better suit their physical assets. This tactic paid off as the South Koreans grabbed the gold and silver in handball, and a silver in hockey. According to the Scottish Athletic Organization, the island country “moved from 15 to 5 in the Olympic medal table between the Sydney and Athens Games, largely as a result of a targeted and systematic talent identification programs.” It usually takes approximately six to eight years to produce an elite athlete able to perform on the grand athletic stage of the Olympics, however if the athlete has already been involved in a high performance sport, this time span can be cut in half. The Sports Journalist Association writes, “so we’re now trawling through around 1,200 world class athletes we have funded who didn’t quite make it in their chosen sport, to find suitable candidates for a quick transfer. If another sport suits, their Olympic dream may well not be over.”

Systematic talent identification is not limited to individuals that are tall, but extends to those that have the physical characteristics that are ideal for a certain sport. While I must admit that “talent identification” is an avant garde and seemingly promising approach to recruitment for Olympic success, the message being conveyed by UK Sports is downright discouraging for those with other physical qualities. The specific program stipulates the recruitment of only tall individuals, therefore projecting a disheartening message to persons whom may not be of a lofty stature. This program may shatter the dreams of many young aspiring athletes, some of whom may actually possess the skill and talent required to perform in elite sporting events, but simply lack the height. In fact, a number of athletes are vertically challenged, yet still cross over to become professionals. Mugsy Bogues, shown on the left, was a mere 5’3”, however this point guard managed to defy critics and maximized the utility of his small stature. He was easily the fastest player in the NBA at the time, and he also established himself as a superb stealer and passer. Physical limitations can be offset and overcome by skill and dedication, therefore the selection process should not be based on height, but talent.

Wimbledon Tennis: Leveling the Playing Field

Once again, the posting for this week will involve other engaging blogs within the sports realm. I have composed comments in response to a pair of interesting blogs that I have discovered within the hidden internet. As I have previously mentioned, I wish to further engage myself within the blogosphere in order to gain some visibility and authority for my website. This week’s post pertains to the Wimbledon prize money which has finally been leveled for both male and female tennis players. The first post I commented on is from a reputable socio-political blog called "The Lede" by Tom Zeller Jr, a New York Times blogger. The second entry is by an established British political commentator, Iain Dale. My responses are posted below as well as the permanent links of the source post. I encourage you to peruse through these blogs because of their insightful and interesting nature.

Mr. Dale, while your post brings about valid points; I disagree with your stance. Women are finally being placed on a level playing field in tennis by receiving equal pay, and rightfully so. We are in the 21^st century, there should be no discrimination between men and women period. Match time aside, the amount of hours women spend preparing for Wimbledon and the other Grand Slam events is in all likelihood equal to men. Secondly, women’s tennis is definitely not dull. While indeed men’s tennis involves more power, the quality of their play is not necessarily superior. The entertainment value spectators’ gain from women’s tennis can be equal to, if not greater than men’s tennis. Many points in men’s matches are won all too quickly, through aces because of their commanding serves. Also, Roger Federer depicted on the right, performs at a caliber which is next to perfect. It does not take a rocket scientist to predict the winner of a match involving the Swiss champion. One the other hand, the women’s game has no one dominant player, which leaves the game interestingly unpredictable. Also, there tend to be more rallies in women’s games because of fewer aces. Although it is definitely enjoyable to watch an ace serve, when it starts to displace potential rallies (which often occurs in men’s tennis games) it becomes boring. Lastly, I am quite perturbed by your final comment “who on earth would want to watch a couple of women slugging a ball from baseline to baseline for an hour? It's about as exciting as watching paint dry.” This reflects a lack of comprehension and appreciation for women’s tennis in its entirety. I understand that a woman’s game may not be as powerful or fast paced to that of a man, yet ultimately, it boils down to the quality of the game. According to the Columbia University news service, “ratings for women’s matches are on par with men’s matches and rising faster. The men’s and women’s finals of this April’s Nasdaq 100 Open in Miami drew the same number of television viewers. But that represented a ratings increase of 50 percent over last year for the women’s match, and only a 25 percent increase over last year for the men’s final." Women's tennis can be a thrilling showcase of athletic adeptness and sheer talent. Television rating records have been broken especially with the likes of Maria Sharapova – the Russian Wimbledon champion at 17, with glamour girl looks to compliment her already superb tennis prowess. The William’s sisters are not to be condoned either. These robust siblings can serve and hit nearly as powerfully as some male players, with a serves speeding up to 130mph.

Permanent Link

I could not agree more with your post, Mr. Zeller. After 123 years, the indolent All England Club has finally arrived at decision, which should have been obvious to them many years ago. It is about time that the female Wimbledon champions receive the same pay as their male counterparts. The quality of the women’s game is just as good, if not better than the men’s because rallies are not frequently replaced by a powerful serve which often translates into an ace. Also, professional women’s tennis does not have a principal player who wins virtually every match. The men’s professional circuit however does have a player of such finesse and excellence – Roger Federer. The twenty five year old holds 46 singles titles and has won Wimbledon, the world's most prestigious tennis tournament three years consecutively since 2004. The only other player that actually has a chance of defeating the Swiss champion is Spanish sensation Raphael Nadal. However, Nadal (shown on the left) is only a threat on clay courts. On grass and hard surfaces, Federer is simply unstoppable. Moreover, female tennis players provide the same amount of input as male players into their games in terms of preparation which warrants equal prize money. Although their male counterparts play two sets more, the entertainment value women provide is undoubtedly no less than that of men. Besides, many female players in their less than conservative tennis attire are viewed as eye candy, further contributing to the entertainment aspect of the game. Lastly, we live in the twenty first century, a supposedly modern era. One would assume that by now a gender disparity would cease to exist.

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Gay Athletes: John Amaechi's Wise Revelation

There has been a recent uproar of homosexuality in the sports media–the Snickers Super Bowl commercial, the identification of former center John Amaechi with homosexuality, and his former teammate Tim Hardaway’s anti gay remarks in response. The tale of homosexuals and homophobia in athletics is a controversial and engaging issue because of the popularity of sports here in the United States. In fact, it is through sports that most young boys are socialized, particularly in America. John Amaechi, pictured right, is the first NBA player to publicly announce his homosexuality, and elaborates his experiences through his book entitled Man in the Middle, a memoir from his days growing up in England till today a retired, gay athlete. Amaechi's revelation was met with ambivalence, whether it be reverence, shock, disgust, and even hope to closeted homosexual athletes. Many were stunned to discover that the muscular, 6 foot 2 basketball center playing in the world’s most elite league was gay. Homosexuals were not meant to exist in the NBA, nor in professional sports for that matter. The NBA, like the NFL and military, is a “testosterone riddled” environment. Leigh Steinberg, a prominent NFL agent notes that, “it would be much easier, in many senses, to be convicted of robbery and serve time, then come play in major-league baseball or the NFL, than be gay.” His statement reflects the conservative nature of professional sport which demands bonafide masculinity. According to Amaechi, professional athletes share a philosophy similar to the ancient Greeks; they are supposed to be “the pinnacle of man.” Amaechi’s choice of disclosing his sexual orientation reflects the former center’s courage and integrity. His emotional fortitude will not remain unrewarded however. In the words of Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, “You would be an absolute hero to more Americans than you can ever possibly be as an athlete, and that’ll put money in your pocket…When you do something that the whole world thinks is difficult and you stand up and just be who you are and take on that difficulty factor, you’re an American hero no matter what.” I could not agree more with Cuban. However, Steinberg mentions that announcing homosexuality publicly is virtually endorsement suicide, because marketing involves an “attempt by a company to appeal to the broadest possible audience.” Even if certain endorsers do drop a gay athlete, other endorsers would in all likelihood sign him in. Of greater importance is the fact that being honest about ones sexuality would be a liberating experience. Naturally, the former center is currently coping with the expected anti gay flack. Tim Hardaway, former point guard of the Miami Heat revealed his mindset when questioned about Amaechi's homosexuality, "You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I'm homophobic. " These horrific remarks left many aghast, yet Amaechi responded that he was glad that finally he was hearing honest words from someone. Although the British retiree is dealing with animosity from those opposed to gays, he has garnered respect from not only homosexuals, but heterosexuals alike, including athletes.

The strong antigay views in professional sport needs to subdued, because at the end of the day the athlete is performing in his profession. There are many notorious athletes that are more and actually rightfully deserving of such flack, instead of those that are homosexual. For instance, Dennis Rodman, the former Bulls forward was infamous for his ways both on and off the court. In fact, Rodman had been suspended for eleven games because he kicked a court side cameraman. "Dennis the Menace" has been ejected, arrested, and much more. Amaechi on the other hand, was not a troublemaker - he was scoring baskets and rebounding.

Martina Navratilova (shown on the left), perhaps the most famous homosexual athlete today, has broken records and has been the victor of numerous grand slams, including the most prestigious Wimbledon tournament. These athletes were performing on the job, sexual orientation is irrelevant.
The former tennis champion commends Amaechi for his decision not only due to his inner strength but also because of the lives it can save. Navratilova emphasizes the importance of homosexual athletes to disclose their sexuality due to the increasing phenomenon of young gay and lesbian suicides. According to the former tennis champion, "It's hugely important for the kids so they don't feel alone in the world. We're role models. We're adults, and we know we're not alone but kids don't know that. He will definitely help a lot of kids growing up to feel better about themselves."

In my opinion, Amaechi would make a remarkable spokesman for the gay athletic community. He is not only eloquent, but intelligent and mature. If an increasing number of athletes come out, perhaps it will help curb the number of homosexual suicides and also ameliorate the homophobic nature of America. Meanwhile, these openly gay athletes will generate significant amounts of money through endorsements and other sponsorships. For instance, Bruce Hayes a gay Olympic swimmer has been recently endorse by Coors Light (the advertisement is displayed on the right), while Corey Johnson, a openly gay high school football captain gave a pitch for Mitchell Gold Furniture. According to the furniture company, "if someone doesn't want to buy our furniture because of our use of gays and lesbians in advertising, that's OK," They want their "brand to stand for style, and for doing the right thing." Although publicly announcing one’s non heterosexuality requires courage, hopefully it will become an option closeted individual’s turn to. In the future, perhaps it will be commonplace for there to be publicly gay athletes, which would undoubtedly broaden the horizons of our society.

LA Superstars Sit Out: Do Basketball Officials Have Too Much Power?

For this weeks post, I have altered my methodology slightly in order to become more engaged within the blogosphere. Instead of the usual editorial discussing a recent sports issue, I have written comments pertaining to two other insightful blogs. Hopefully, this will encourage and direct some traffic towards my fledgling blog and improve the overall authority of my website. While the topic for this week is about related events that occurred at the beginning of February, these are events are of utmost importance because many believe it delegitimizes the sport of basketball. During my allocated research time, I discovered two blogs from Slam Online and AOL’s Sports Blog which I found to be particularly appealing due to their thought-provoking observations. Firstly, about two weeks ago, high school hoops hero O.J. Mayo was suspended from two upcoming basketball games after unjustly receiving two technical fouls from referee Michael Lazo. On the professional scene, Kobe Bryant was forced to sit out without pay for the LA franchise’s one match in Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. Bryant was punished for elbowing Spurs’ Manu Ginobli in a prior game. My comments are available below for your reading pleasure, as well as the permanent links to the related blogs.

The unwarranted suspension of OJ Mayo (as shown on the left) for the upcoming two games is very much unreasonable. In less than a minute, referee Mike Lazo had penalized Mayo with two technical fouls for rather questionable reasons. Mayo was obviously infuriated by Lazo’s officiating and approached the referee presumably to demand an explanation for his bogus calls. In doing so, the high school hoop star made slight contact with Lazo who in turn came crashing down to the hardwood floor. The flop was exaggerated, to say the least. This incident displays the excess power basketball referees hold in this sport. It is nonsensical for a single individual to possess nearly absolute authority on such important decisions. This power needs to be better distributed. The implications from Lazo’s crooked calls are noteworthy, as it could jeopardize Huntington High’s top spot because of Mayo’s absence in upcoming games. Moreover, if evidence is found that Mayo intentionally bumped Lazo, he could be suspended for up to a year. Also, this event has somewhat tarnished Mayo’s image for no legitimate reason. In my opinion, it appears that Lazo disliked the 19 year old to begin with. Lazo wished to use the immense power included in his job description to his advantage, and perhaps even make money from the incident even though Mayo is still an amateur. Although he currently does not have much money to offer, as an extremely high profile athlete, Mayo is sure to become an instant revenue generator in the near future from endorsements and eventually the NBA.

Technology is undoubtedly improving the monitoring of sports, and basketball should capitalize on this advantage in order to foster an environment of fair play. However, this is still only high school basketball. The NBA needs to initiate a movement towards better officiating by categorically following other sports in their use of technology to settle debatable calls. The NFL boasts some of the best referees in sport, which can be partially attributed to the fact that they rely on technology for some of their calls. Tennis is yet another example of a sport that uses technology to make close line calls; as such athletes and critics are for the most part silenced by the digitized replays.

Permanent Link: Slam Online

In my opinion, Bryant was unfairly and harshly punished for elbowing Ginobli on the face. The Spurs are not known for playing the cleanest defense, and in addition to that, this type of foul happens quite frequently in basketball. The foul happened in the final 2.7 seconds of the game, as Bryant (depicted below) was attempting to make the basket and also draw the foul, but by no means strike a player in the face. Furthermore even Ginobli concurred that the foul was inadvertent. Interestingly, the two partakers in the incident believe that it was accidental; while Stu Jackson found it unsportsmanlike enough to render a one game suspension, claiming it was an “unnatural motion.” Great basketball players often make such unnatural motions, and this in fact, contribute to the entertainment factor of basketball. It is another reason fans watch the game. The punishment was a tough blow on Bryant since Madison Square Garden is his favorite place to play. As the teams lead scorer, Bryant’s absence was definitely detrimental to the outcome of the game, resulting in a Laker loss by five points. Not only did the NBA commission perform a disservice to the Lakers, but also to the fans. There is no doubt that people love to watch Kobe play, even haters secretly enjoy his exceptional talent. Fans were expecting to witness the superstar in action, but were left disappointed due to the poor decision making capabilities of Jackson. This incident also leads one to question the consistency in officiating of the NBA. In a recent game versus the Miami Heat, LeBron James of the Cavaliers clotheslined Dwayne Wade, but was called only for a flagrant foul. Perhaps, if James was suspended for this, it would somewhat legitimize Bryant’s punishment. However, upon analyzing the situation - James would be playing on national television the next day, which translates into high viewer ratings, so obviously he could not be suspended. Clearly, officials have too much weight in determining NBA rules and regulations, because unfair calls can cost important games. With the advancement of technology, the NBA, like the NFL, should turn to some of this machinery to contest debatable and controversial calls which will prevent the transformation of basketball into a cheap sport.

Permanent Link: AOL Sports Blog

The Super Bowl: A Sporting Spectacle or a Corporate Concern?

The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event here in America. An estimated 91 million viewers watched the 2006 national championship, which also means that the business opportunity it provides is vast. Unfortunately however, critics argue this has transformed the event into a more of a corporate affair, instead of one that caters to sports fans. It appears to have become a business junket in which sponsors and clients occupy many seats. There are about 70,000 seats at the February 4 game, but the NFL is stringently controlling distribution. An article from the Los Angeles Times specified that, “the Bears and Colts each receive 17.5% of the tickets, while the host Miami Dolphins distribute 5%. The remaining NFL teams split 34.8% of the tickets and the league held back 25.2% for its sponsors, VIPs and other lucky souls.”

The NFL supplied tickets costing $600-700 at face value. The statistics aforementioned reflect that these tickets which are virtually impossible to find. The next sources of these sacred seats are secondary ticket markets wherein tickets are extravagantly expensive. Prices on StubHub, a San Francisco based online ticket retailer, “ranged from $3,000 for a seat in the corner of Miami's Dolphin Stadium", which is shown on the right, "to $170,593 for a 16-person private suite.” Clearly, Super Bowl tickets are not for the average aficionado. Football fanatics are willing to go to all sorts of extremes in order to get their hands on ticket. According to Sports Illustrated, some fans have agreed to exchange sexual favors, strip-club memberships, personal ad space (pregnant belly), and HD plasma screen televisions in order to get a hold of a pair of tickets ofcourse.

Due to high spectatorship of the national football championship, companies have been attracted to shell out large sums of money for airtime further contributing to the corporate atmosphere of the Super Bowl. Other than for the spectacular displays of football prowess between the nation’s two top teams, the event has come to be known for another craze - commercials. Interestingly, this year several of the commercials will be user generated. With the phenomenon of 'youtubization' or the swell in user generated media , a few companies decided to incorporate the public into their advertisement scheme as it would not only harvest numerous ideas with less work, but also promote their product amongst contestants. While General Motors chose to use an advertisement idea from contestants, Doritos took an even larger risk and will use the actual commercial, produced by the contender, as displayed on the left. In fact, it costs a record breaking $2.6 million dollars for a 30 second slot this year. That is $86,666 a second. As the most highly viewed show in America, firms are aware that the reach of these commercials is immense. Although it is not always worth the enormous investment, for the most part companies found it to be highly profitable.

Indeed there are all sorts of revenue streams and corporate transactions for enterprises during Super Bowl season. At the end of the day however, it boils down to the fans appreciation and passion for the sport of football. According to former USC safety and recent Colts recruit Scott Ware, “significant amounts of money are spent on commercials during the Super Bowl because it is the top and most watched sporting event. It stems from a large fan base, so when taking this into consideration, it is still a sporting event.” Obviously, if not for the support and spectatorship of the fans, none of these businesses would even think of spending millions on air time. The Sunday that the sports program airs has turned into an unofficial American holiday partly because all across the country, citizens are glued to their TV screens. Such a large number of fans are tuned in, that as they rush to the bathroom "before the Super Bowl's second-half kickoff, they'll flush enough water to fall over the Niagara Falls for 39 minutes." The Super Bowl and athletics in general is sustained and driven by fans. Although it has become increasingly business oriented, ultimately, the Super Bowl is a sports spectacle which showcases the incredible athleticism possessed by the gladiators of our era, in the game of football.

College Sports: The Athletic Arms Race

Oregon State University spent more on renovating its stadium in 2005 than the annual US government effort to prevent AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. To be more precise, 80 million dollars were used for the expansion of the Reser Stadium (displayed on the right). Two years later, OSU has recommenced its athletic development program. This time the figure is 35 million dollars, a fairly colossal price tag for phase two of the project. The new money will go towards full time nutritionists for athletes, further expansion of the stadium, and a larger than life video screen. The screen will be the largest screen in the Pac-10 Conference, measuring 30 by 120 feet. Frankly, this may just be overkill.

OSU is not alone in this venture of big budget investment in their athletics. Oklahoma State is spending $165 million on an athletic village, while the University of Southern California’s newly opened Galen Center costs a hefty $143 million. These facilities are viewed as “infrastructures to success” and are intended to help enhance and perhaps even change athletic programs. Already, Trojan Basketball looks to have a promising season because for the first time, the men’s team is ranked number 25 by the AP Polls. Moreover, top high school recruit O.J. Mayo (shown on the left) will be joining the Trojan family next year, and Brandon Jennings the year after that. Interestingly, Mayo scouted USC out instead of vice versa, due to its new athletic facility and more importantly because of its proximity to the Hollywood limelight which should generate further buzz about the young athlete’s superstar potential for the NBA. However, state-of-the-art complexes are not a prerequisite to victory. Duke University’s basketball team practices in a modest facility across campus, yet they have managed to win three national championship titles since 1991. The University of Miami also enjoys a successful football program without having spent large sums of money on a new stadium.

According to Greg Johnson of the Los Angeles Times “NCAA data show that spending at big-time college athletics programs has increased at two to four times the rate of spending elsewhere on campus -- even as the rate of revenue increases slows.” Colleges devote a large part of the budget to athletics for a variety of reasons. In college sport, winning is everything. Top teams generate a substantial cash flow and the athletic departments of college sport powerhouses earn the most money compared to any other department. Moreover, since most of the other academic institutions are investing in their athletics, it is difficult to simply put a halt to development of their sports programs. To cease funding could mean never winning a basketball or football game again, which in itself has many implications such as depleted school spirit, insignificant revenue or even losses from athletics, and perhaps a drop in national rankings. Another reason for an enormous athletics budget is due to Title IX which required equal representation of both sexes in sport. Women’s sports do not make nearly as much revenue as men’s. Therefore, institutions choose to heavily invest into their money making sports in order to facilitate the less popular sports. Institutions that decide not to partake in this athletic arms race must search for other monetary solutions to Title IX.

In fact, in large sports colleges, the coaches are better recognized as the face of these institutions than the institutional leaders. This is also reflected by the disparity in their salaries. For instance, Coach Pete Carroll earns approximately $2.5 million per year, while President Steven Sample receives about $762,000. Should coaches be running the universities? Clearly the answer is no, but their paychecks tell a different story. Another example would be University of Alabama’s Nick Saban (pictured on the right), who earns a cool $4 million while President Robert Whit pockets a relatively modest $572,620. Soon, it will be the norm for coaches to be earning about $5-6 million dollars. Yet this facet of the arms race is yet less worrisome than the explosion of stadiums and arenas.

Many benefits await a university with a championship sports team, namely increased applications and eased recruitment of athletes. This phenomenon is known as the “Flutie Effect”, which according to the LA Times refers to a “jump in Boston College admission applications sparked by quarterback Doug Flutie's Hail Mary pass in 1984 that gave his team a last-second victory over the University of Miami in a nationally televised game.” Students and athletes alike choose to apply to universities that win. An increase in applicants to a university translates into increased admission selectivity. It is not unreasonable to say that success of the Trojan Football
team has contributed to the surge in applications and also USC’s increase in national rankings according to US News and the World Report . Academically however, some institutions are suffering as athletes are accepted at the opportunity cost of more intelligent and diverse students. Furthermore, because of the high training demands of a student athlete, these individuals cannot maximize the educational and extracurricular opportunities (other than athletics) that colleges have to offer. Finally, the money could be better spent on research and improvement of academic facilities. team has contributed to the surge in applications and also USC’s increase in national rankings according to

As a rather rambunctious and extremely devoted sports fan, I most definitely concur that college sports deserve to hold a treasured and even revered position in a university. In fact, sport is often the crux of an institution’s identity. However, it appears that the primary purpose of academic institutions – to educate and research, is being eclipsed by the desire to develop and invest in a premiere athletics program.