Tarrafal

Can Pro Football Be Made Safe?

In
countless arenas across the nation, modern day the pro players takes to the
football field in attempt to show power, perseverance and often pure brutality
for the sake of entertainment. While millions of fans settle down each week to
witness the carnage, many do not think about the numbers amount of injuries
that occur on a weekly basis. The NFL is attempting to make changes to provide
safety to those that enter the arena, but can professional football be made
completely safe? That is considered an impossible task much as it would be in
any full contact sport due to the nature of the game, the nature of the players
and the nature of the fans.

The
NFL is a money-making machine that makes billions of dollars in income each
year. This revenue is primarily generated through advertisements and retail
sales focused on a specific demographic that enjoys the excitement and brutality
of full contact sport. Many enthusiasts compare professional players to
Gladiators or Gridiron Giants and are excided not  only by the big plays, but also by the big
fights and the even bigger hits. “Football by its nature is animalistic, raw, a bloody piece
of meat. That’s what fans want, as close to the bygone days of the Roman
Coliseum as we can position ourselves. It also sells” (Bissinger, 2011). The
only way to completely safeguard players is to change the basic concept of how
the game is played, alienating those that watch in the first place. The NFL and
those associated with the NFL will not to precede   billions of dollars for the safety of the
players. When was the last time you saw a fan wearing a jersey number belong a
flag football player?

Football is a dangerous game and even the
developments in helmet design are not going to guarantee the safety of players,
especially if players continue with their current mentality. “Although helmet
manufacturers have made advances to reduce force to the brain, no helmet can
prevent a concussion” (Morey, 2010). Helmets have prevented many concussions
and brain injuries but it has also “given our players a false sense of
security” (Morey, 2010).  When asked if
he would play differently with the best helmet ever made, former NFL tight end
Don Hasselbeck responded, “Oh, no question. I think what you do is you end up
using that helmet as weapon” (Dubner, 2010). The mentality of some players is
to win the game, even if that means injuring a peer. Additionally, football
players are aware of injuries and often pride themselves on playing through the
pain. If players are self-reporting that everything is okay, how does the NFL
contradict those statements ensuring their safety? Because professional
football is a full contact sport, there is no way to guarantee the full safety
of its participants. “Experts have estimated the force of some of their
collisions at above 120 g-forces, which is comparable to a car crashing into a
concrete wall at 40 miles per hour” (Sack, 2011). There isn’t a helmet,
shoulder pad, mouth guard or any other preventative piece of equipment that is
going to prevent all injuries, whether it is head or hamstring.

Many
believe that we can safeguard the present and future health of players. The NFL
is attempting this great feat by changing rules and regulations, fining players
for what are considered illegal hits and changing some of the basic structure
of the game (i.e. banning wedge on kickoff return, kickoffs moved from 30 to 35
yard line). But even with these changes, there are a staggering number of
lawsuits that have been filed by former players stating that “the NFL and in
some cases helmet manufacturers deliberately concealed information about the
neurological effects of repeated hits to the head” (National Football League
labor dispute, 2012). Today is clear that football injuries may increase the
risk of concussion and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, but we must also
consider that players, some who have been playing organized football for over
10 years, are aware of the risks of injuries when entering the stadium .

Others
would argue we should change our youth programs so that “we can most
effectively reduce the risk for cumulative brain trauma going forward for pro
players” (Nowinski, 2010). This is a wonderful concept but is like comparing
apples to oranges. Yes, it would reduce the number of head injuries throughout
a player’s career, but it will not change the outcome of safeguarding a
professional football player. Youth programs should be required to have
stricter safety rules and regulations due to the ages of the players, but to
require those same rules and regulations for a professional league is asking to
change the basic nature of the beast.

In
conclusion, professional football cannot be made safe without changing the
basic structure of the game by completely eliminating contact. “Despite the
injuries, violence is why we like the sport – and that if the game is stripped
of its physical cruelty, it will no long be football” (Bissinger, 2011).This
would be unsettling for the players who have make un effort to be the best at
their profession as well as the fans who take pride in their home teams and
beating their rivals. “Professional football can be made ‘safer,’ but to be
made ‘safe’ depends on your definition of the word” (Nowinski, 2010).

Can Pro Football Be Made Safe?

*That is considered an impossible task much as it
would be in any full contact sport due to the nature of the game, the nature of
the players and the nature of the fans.

* The NFL
is attempting to make changes to provide safety of the player’s.

*Many
believe that we can safeguard the present and future health of players.

Journal 6

The NFL’s bad boys

The article is about NFL’s bad boys that have committed crimes throughout their careers. However, fans just happen to forget about what they did, because there are famous players. For example, they brought their team to super bowl, play like MVP, or had a strong playoff game. The question about the article, what is going on with NFL’s fans and the player’s?

The article is very informative; I learned some information that I didn’t know, like the O.J Simpson. Also, in 1995 Dominick Dunne reporting on the infamous Mendendez trial. The thing I like about the article is the topic sentence “the NFL’s Bad Boys “but in this article the fans seem to like and not take it serious.

JOURNAL 5

The article is about the highlight NBA player “Blake Griffin”. Most NBA superstars pay their dues in the highlight economy before graduating the bullet proof status of being “champions” and when it doesn’t happen he is branded a selfish disappointment; because highlight economy and the championship  economy has become both steeper and shorter. However, Blake Griffin could be the one who will change the game. He had recently completed his 100^th career NBA game, and he is the number one fan favorite highlight in the game. Also, every week he has some highlight in the sport center top 10. The question the article raises “Does Blake care more about dunking than winning?”, so how can Griffin graduate from being the prodigy of the highlight economy to actually becoming one of the NBA  ten best players?

Thing I like about this article is the introduction; I like the way when it start give some info about some background of some player’s. Also, the structure was very organized and the detail was very strong.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=5997194&type=story

Brady, Manning and the rivalry

The article is talking about rivalry in the sports. In this case, it is about two quarterbacks in the game. Two former friends turned mortal enemies. Two fundamentally different people who grew up in different ways, had different life experience and just seemed different in every way; one was picked 199^th looks like a movie star but had to fight for everything. One has been considered the best at every level since high school. Two of the greatest in their field, not just at the time, but ever. They are in the top 10 QBs of all time. Two unique skills sets that lent themselves to separate. Which let to argument, which skills you value more? And who had the better career? Also a few seminal moments that directly affected the rivalry. Head to head matchups. Twists and turns throughout the rivalry, with both people grabbing the upper hand. A rivalry so heated that it killed them both because they never spotted working in their skills and they trying to be better every year.

Things that I learn in this article are all those numbers and all the records that they brooked and the head to head matchups. Also the history of them that Manning was number 1 picked and Brady was the number 199^th. About the author I believe he is Brady fan and he is not happy about the rating between Brady and Manning. In his point view Brady should be high.

I article is a good article in my opinion. I like the way the author start by give the seven hot topics about the article in the first paragraph. Also it was easy to read.

Ethnography

I work at the residential program “Crossroads”. We work with male teenagers the ages 12 – 20 years old. Crossroads is a behavioral treatment residential program that provides services for male adolescents with a history of sexually abusive behavior. We strive to deepen the adolescent’s capacity to reflect critically, respond empathetically and live responsibly.  Like all the teenagers they have their own routine, but when you are in the program, your routine is most likely to be monitored. One of the favorite parts of their routine is free time which they spend most of the time playing different types of sports.  I enjoy playing with them and studying their behavior. The way they interact with their peers and how they behavior during in sports. The central position of positive peer culture is that young people can develop self-worth, significance, dignity, and responsibility only as they become committed to the positive values of helping and caring for others. This philosophy appears to be missing in many of today’s educational and treatment program. They hear every day by staff, “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely help anther without helping himself.” There is one word that best describes the subculture in my job, “sports”. I have been working at Crossroads for six years and sport is the best way to interact with the residents. Some of them displace their negative behavior through sports. However some use sports as a coping skills. Sports are more positive than negative.

Sport and aggressive behavior: Do the sports create aggressive behavior, or attract people who are already aggressive? Aggression and sports have gone together as long as sports have been around, be it from the player themselves, from the parents, coaches, or spectators; sports and aggressive behavior just seem to be inseparable. Some of my residents display this type of behavior to fit in. That’s why in Crossroads you have to be on level to play some type of sport just to keep everybody safe. Crossroads program works with a level system. For example, Level Six is the highest level and the Level One is the lowest. Also Level One and Two we “call off level”: that means you can’t go on off ground activities; to participate in any you have to be on Level Three up. At Crossroads, when a resident is on Level One, they only can pass the football around or dribble the basketball by them selves. However, yesterday was a beautiful day and we tried a different routine by allowing the Level One kids to play football because we had two extra staff on the field. The game was running normally and everybody seemed to b having fun. After a while, we started to see some frustration in the losing team. They started to trigger and provoke each other.

TC was one of the residents on   the winning team and MC and JR were playing in the losing team. They were playing the tag football we call two hand football. Those three residents have problems with each other. MC and RJ always go after the TC; that’s why staff always has to keep eyes on them all the time. They are the ones that use sport to displace their aggressive behavior on the field. On the residents’ word, they always “force it “. For example, the other day they were playing a shooting contest. Everybody takes ten shots and the others get the rebound. However, when the TC turned, they didn’t go for the rebound and TC got frustrated because he was shooting and going for his own rebound.

                        TC:  “What f#### Why I have to go for my own rebound? “

                        Staff: “Watch your language! One more time and you are going to take a time out!”

                        TC: “Whatever … but you knows they are forcing it … you know that’s not fair”.

                        Staff:” I understand, TC, but it’s not a reason to swear.”

                        TC:  “Aye ok … you guys suck. I’m going to play soccer by myself”.

TC is a good soccer player. He is 14 years old, 5’11” and 150Lbs. I remember last year when I brought him to sign for the Taunton youth soccer league. He was one of the taller kids on the team. He was even taller than the coach. After he signed for the team, I brought him shopping. Like the entire soccer team, TC’s favorite store is Dick’s Sport. It was his first stop. We walked in; he went to the soccer section. That day they had a good deal on soccer items. He found one deal, for soccer cleats, socks, shin guards and a ball for $35. He was so happy. After that he bought couple of soccer jerseys. One of the jerseys was of his favor player, Cristiano Ronald, who plays for his favorite team Real Madrid. On the next stop, he went to “Champion “and bought a nice pair of navy blue Jordan shoes and one t-shirt to match. Today, all teenagers want to match. In the way back, I was trying to have a conversation with the resident. I couldn’t because he was so focused on playing his new Fifa12 one of his favor video games on his PSP. This is one of the negatives of the technology: today parents can’t even have a simple conversation with their children without been interrupted. When they are off level and they not playing video game, the best way to interact with them is one on one or playing sports with them. However, sports can go either ways, positive or negative special for TC. Every time he is outside playing basketball, he always gets kicked out of the game. He has anger issues he gets in every argument that’s going on, on the court. All the behavior I think is because he has been in the program for so long, and he got used to it.  His behavior on his soccer league is completely different than the one in the program.

The poor behavior always affects them in the short term or in the long term. When they are off level, they can participate in any activity to protect themselves and the community. Last year, JB had to quiet the basketball team because of his behavior. He is a very talent basketball player. He made  the Taunton high basketball team, but he didn’t play in the tournament because he was off level all the time. He missed the freshmen year, but on that same summer, JB started to pick up his behavior we signed him to some church league and he was the MVP.

Yesterday I was driving JB to a doctor’s appointment; I was quizzing JB about his basketball opinions.

“Who’s the best basketball player ever?”

“Come on Odas …. MJ. “

“Who has the most rings in the NBA? “

“Hold on un MJ, no, I think Bill Russell. “

“What’s the best sport?”

“Basketball without discussion like 1+1 =2 “

“Why do you wear green head band all the time?”

“Because I want to be the next Rondo… also to mach my shoes. “

“Why do you use sports as a coping skill for you “

“Since I was young, I used to play basketball all the time. In Crossroads, the best way to get out of trouble is going outside and shooting some hoops. When I’m playing basketball, I forget my entire problems…. Like why didn’t mom call today? Why my DSS worker didn’t didn’t approve my visit? Also, when I’m outside playing, I’m not deal with TC and fucking arguments. You know basketball is my life. It is the only thing I feel confident in and I’m good at”.

“What’s your plan for the future?”

“I have a lot of stuff going through my mind. First, I want to get out here and find a job because you know … I want to buy couple Jordan’s and also help my mom. Another is finishing high school and my biggest dream is going to college in North Carolina to play basketball. But right now, I want to focus on my therapy and my level. Yo, when we get home, can we finish our game?” Last night after you left, I stayed late and I was practice some moves. I think now I can beat you, “O”.I learned some new moves on 2K12 that are killer. You can’t stop me with Kobe. I have some crossover and new dunks I will smack you; I’m L.A and you will be the Miami Heat.

However, sports at Crossroads have always been a key to success in their treatments. Ninety   percent of the residents use sports as a coping skill. During the summer, they spend more time outside playing basketball, soccer, football, softball, skateboarding, four square, etc, because they don’t have too many options. They are in the program with rules to follow and surrounded by adults with it are not their parents or family. Also, playing sports is the easy way to get out of trouble or pass the time. JB “When I’m angry about something that I don’t have control of, I usually go outside and shoot some basketballs or ride my skateboard, because that keeps my mind clear and I just focus on positive things”. Also I use sports to communicate with them. Some residents don’t really talk or process well; the best way to making them talking is playing a one on one game. Most of time, when they are talking to staff is during the time- out home process, when they lost their level. The only conversation is about what they did wrong and why they are there, but when the staff is playing sports with them, they tell you what is going wrong or what is going through their mind. They tell their future plans and you see different types of kids. On the other hand, they see different aspect of staff, not a bad side, not just the one who takes away their level or visits. I remember one time when I asked one resident “What is your favorite day of the week? “ The answer was Monday. And I said,” Why?” TC said “because Monday is the mandatory activity. Is the only day we feel like normal kids? We have a chance to play with staff and we pick the game we want. Also, we feel like a family; everybody is out having fun, laughing, joking around, having few arguments and doing what we like the most.

Most of the residents are using sports to get out of the house. When they are off level, they don’t have much to do. They stay in the house bored and when they are bored is most likely when they do bad things. That’s why they focus on getting back on level to play what they like. Also, when they are on level, they can play after school events or sign up for different leagues. Some kids don’t have a lot of family involved in their life; they use sports to make friends or to create family. We have one case that the coach set up a visit to reassure one resident. I remember that  sad day when everybody had to go “on visit” and one kid had to stay in the house because he didn’t have place to go or family to visit, sport gave him somebody to look for or a family.     

Cross roads family had a focus cookout and slam dunk contest. Like a move out of an NBA competition, the Crossroads champion JB leapt over two bikes and another youth to dunk a half court shot, impressing more than 50 people crowded round the basketball court. The hoop shoot contest and pick-up games delighted the youth, family, friends and Community Care Services’ staff who attended the first annual crossroads family focus cookout. “We wanted to bring family and friends together for the kids at crossroads, “said (Yemi), assistant director for Crossroads, “Almost every youth had a family member present” And just about everyone invited showed up. Invitation that designed as movie tickets drew guests to the Hollywood –themed celebration, which featured staff dressed in costumes depicting popular personalities like Lady Gaga. Staff helped to transport many family members, driving to Quincy, Randolph and Fall River to pick-up mothers, siblings, and cousins. Even mentors, tutors, and DCF worker joined the entire residential staff, including off-duty counselors and former employees, who judged the talent show, manned the grills and enjoyed the festivities. Guests enjoyed great homemade food – pasta and specialty rice dishes, baked beans, salads, macaroni and cheese, along with grilled sausages, hot dogs, burgers and steaks. People paired up for the spade tournaments, a favored card game by Crossroads’ youth and staff.

The cookout was a great opportunity to bring families together to meet staff. It was nice to see family members advocating for each other, and to see that they got to know each other better, and even to see the friendships that youths had developed among themselves. It was eye-opening for the staff to see the kids in different light. Yemi said, “A youth who typically acts tough, seems like a young boy talking with their Mom or Uncle.” While everyone was thankful that the weather held out, the rain coming only after the party wrapped up, Crossroads residents were grateful too. The kids thanked the staff for putting the party on. “They were excited to spend time with family and friends,” commented Yemi…

journal 3

They call it football, we call it soccer

The writer is talking about of two nation one spot with two different names. One calls it soccer and other calls it football. However they planning to play against each other on May this at that time it will soccer because it will be in USA field. It is always a good mach because like we know Brazil is one of the best soccer nations and USA is always a competitive team. After this mach the USA team will travel to the North of American to play against Mexico and rematch with Brazilian football player. USA is the only nation who calls this sport soccer. I believe we call it soccer because we have another sport that we call football just to be destining the two sports. I don’t think is others reason; name football because it is use I with foot and ball. However when the sport arrived on our shores in the 19^th century (the US National team played its first game against Canada in 1885 it was called Association football). Only after the second war world the sport commonly referred to as soccer. Year’s gone soccer stared to popularize after one of the best soccer player from Brazil; the name PELE who decided to sign with New York cosmos back in 1975 -77. After that soccer was the sport of choice for parents everywhere particularly those who harbored suspicious that their children had no athletic ability whatsoever. Times passed by children stared to drop it and soccer became less popular. After the world cup in 2002 when US played the best cup ever it start to win the field back. Now a lot player from Europe is coming to play in MLS, for example David Beckham, T. Henry vv American player going to Europe. That’s mater what we call it but we play it. I believe ten more year we will be in the top of soccer nation.

journal 2

Scary; isn’t she?

          Protect your sons Jaime Nared is on the court what happens when a 12 year-old girl is just a little too good. The author said “scary; isn’t she “. This is the first time being too good is scary on negative way. Because, this 12 years old girl 6-foot-1 can be in predominantly white Portland, Ore. She is too good to play with her on age. She was playing with boy’s team on her age. She’d been kicked off a boy’s basketball team for been too well. At young age she is suffer discrimination and sexism on the sport. When Jaime’s mother Reiko Williams, heard that her daughter had been kicked off the boy’s team, she said that she felt she needs to act. She had three daughters and the two older daughters’ like to play basketball. She felt it’s her job as a parent to help her daughter be the bet they can be at what they choose to do. She went to TV station aired Jamie’s story. After that a lot question was in the air… why do we separate boys only, girl only? We say boys are stronger, faster, but that’s a generalization.

          Scary, isn’t she? Everybody appreciated her presence on the court. After all, every minute she played in front of the coaches was a minute another girl. “It just wouldn’t be fair “she can play with on age players. She is good not because she is taller than everybody. She is good worked hard she stared following Jacklin ‘her grandmother “to basketball practice at 4 years old. She grew up on a court watching her grand father and mother coach the game. Isn’t fair don’t let her play because she is too good. Also isn’t fair every time she did some thing to their son, like crossover and stuff like that. Sometimes when the game is too intensive and she foul or catch the ball and pivot, and one of the boys fell out the parents would be outraged. “Get that girl a way from him”    She has dream to become first female to play and coach in the NBA.

          Finally, those girls are facing a nasty combination of sexism and jealousy on the court and off. I wish them the best of luck I defeating the Dianna Moon Glampers of the youth basketball scene, who seem determined to penalize their hard work and talent instead of appreciating.

Memory cliff diving

I found my self “daring the nightmare “while on vacation in Negril Jamaica in 2006. We decided to make a fun-filled booze cruise to a cliff diving destination and dared each other that we would dive off the highest cliff available we felt invincible surrounded by other inebriated guests, also included in betting their lives. I enjoy the thrill of heights and didn’t think that jumping into the crystal clear water would be problematic. We disembarked off the rocking boat having consumed enough Jamaican rum to sink a whole fleet of ships and made our way a long the path up the side of the cliff.

                As I shuffled closer and closer to the side of the cliff where the jump would take place, I could hear the screams of those who went before me. My heart raced in my chest as I thought of every conceivable thing that could possible goes wrong. What if it hit the bottom? What if I could make it to the surface before I ran out of air? What if I swam down instead of up after I crashed into the water?

                Finally, it was my turn and I placed my toes on the edge of the cliff. I peered over the edge and the 40 feet between me and the water seemed like 400 feet. My heart palpitated in my chest, but at this point there was no turning back because of the way the twisting line of the people was formed on the side of the cliff, the only way to get off the cliff was to jump. A young Jamaican boy hollered encouragement from an opposing cliff as I jumped and screamed my way to the unforgiving water.

                After taking in that first breathe of air after surfacing I had an extreme sense of freedom and weightlessness. My fears of plummeting to my death and drowning were washed away by the warm blue water and the applause of the crowd. I had taken the ultimate leap of faith, faced the night mare and won filled with exhilaration, I dashed up the cliff to jump against with less fear in my heart .

Killing chickens

Main idea

The author write about having killing chickens but the main point is what happen after the marriage is ending. Also killing the chickens mean who will take the responsibility of the kids? Now she needs to be strong and responsible because she is now a single mother getting divorce and raising two children. The most challenge task she had was how she will break down the news to the children about the divorce. They was started to ask question about their father why he wasn’t there. Also it was her b-day she was sad; the depression was started to kill her and the kids were doing something especial for her. First her plan was to go out but she changed her mind to stay home and enjoy her b-day with them. Another thing she was worried about the tomorrow morning… what she will do …what she will says to children … who she will call … and she wish today was yesterday. She didn’t have to kill the chickens.

The author had high strategies by hock the readers with killing the chickens