Concluding Thoughts

Dear Class,
For this last blog it is imperative that you bring a hard copy to class. I only give you half credit for it if you don't. Ok, with that positive start let's get to work. This week Frank Deford wrote an article about Ben Roethlisburger. I promise I am not attempting to revisit Big Ben again, but Deford's argument strikes me as the antithesis to the project that this class engages in on a weekly basis. Deford says that we need to embrace the fact that all high-profile athletes are not role models. To me this smacks of a type of sensibility that does not understand or respect the cultural power that sport holds in American society. Sport is a site that is constructed, but still remains a place to resist, transform, and perpetuate the status quo (not just of sport, but of society in general). In the first part of your blog pretend you are providing a rebuttal statement to Deford as an NPR affiliate/ sport pundit. Use at least one conceptual example, one historical (time/incident specific example) and one reference to a reading from our class to make your point. It doesn't need to be very long, just very clear and convincing.

Second, in under 250 words, discuss one thing from the course material that made the most sense to you. Discuss one concept that took you a few attempts to grasp or appreciate, and one concept or incident that remains the most powerful or memorable to you. Please take care with this section as we will use this part of your blog to conduct our class's closing activity.

Wise, Zirin, Coakley

Tim Wise’s main and strongest argument is centered around white privilege. He plays a game where he compares situations where white people engaged in violent or questionable acts and were seen as being patriotic, and not a threat. And then shows the opposite, when a person of color does similar things, even on a smaller scale, they are feared, criticized and seen as anti-American. This difference arises purely because of skin color. 

Zirin’s main argument with respect to the Ben Roethlisberger’s sexual assault case is that Roethlisberger should thank his lucky stars that he is white. He has been accused of raping a 20-year-old student in a bar. Thanks to lawyers, wealth, fame and his skin color, Roethlisberger may escape jail and even a trial. Comparing this to the Michael Vick case, Vick was suspended from the NFL for his conviction of fighting and abusing dogs while Roethlisberger may walk away with no charges for possibly raping a woman.

These white privilege-isms tie to McIntosh’s examples from “Unpacking the Knapsack” because white people are so used to conveniences in life due to skin color that it becomes normalized and expected. White people are equipped with many things automatically. Vick had the lawyers, wealth and fame like Roelisberger, the only difference: Vick is black, and Roethlisberger is white. Roethlisberger is automatically privileged.

With respect to patriarchy, supremacy and classism, supremacy and particularly white supremacy is most evident in the Zirin article. Vick was charged and convicted while Roethlisberger escaped conviction. In Zirin’s article, patriarchy is the result once again of skin color. Both males are wealthy, but Roethlisberger is a byproduct of white privilege putting him higher up than Vick. As far as classism, that is most evident in Wise’s article. White people can get away with more socially unacceptable acts because of their skin color. When white people reciprocate these actions, they are reprimanded.

Coakley’s argument of black athletic destiny is that many young black, men, grow up believing the black body is superior when it comes to physical abilities in certain sports (286). They believe that the only way they will be recognized in society as being successful is through athletics. Coakley notes a great difference between black and white athletes. Black athletes are driven in athletics due to biological predispositions. They have the genetics to make them successful largely due to their history, whereas white athletes, particularly men, succeed in sport due to cultural and social influences. This is why scientists do not conduct studies to identify genes that would predispose a white person to succeed in sport. The white hockey players and white skiers grow up with skates or skis on when they are taking their first steps. They have the environment to thrive in their skill, without having the genes to make it possible. 

zirin, wise, coakley

Zirins article emphasizes strongly that being white, wealthy, and having a high athletic ability can ultimately save people from prosecution. This can be seen when comparing Ben Roethlisberger to Michaels Vicks criminal trial. Ben Roethlisberger was acquitted of all charges when he was accused of raping a 20 year old. It was said that he was acquitted because he was white, rich, and extremely talented at football; and that he should thank god for his ‘whiteness.’ When compared to Michael Vicks trial about regarding dog-fighting charges, he was convicted and sentences. Some argue that this shows how inferior women are in comparison to dogs and how being white comes with privileges (being acquitted of charges).

Wises article argues that whites should be punished just as blacks would in the same types of situations. Being white is not a free pass to threatened act violent towards others and should come with equal consequences. If blacks were to do the same crime as a white individuals, the black would be punished more sever. Wise alludes to role reversals in regards to certain situations (if a black did this, do you think a white would be treated the same if he were to do it too?). These two articles relate to “Unpacking the Knapsack” because whiteness and privileges that follow are everywhere around us without society even realizing it. It’s when we think about those -what if?- situations that we bring these differences to light.

Coakley’s argument in his article refers to blacks and their “athletic dynasty” and obligations to play sports as their means of upward mobility. They feel that sport favors them because of cultural and biological influences are superior to whites. These actually can aid blacks in their success in sport. For blacks, people believe genetics play the major role in success; they can jump higher and run faster and have a better overall athletic ability. But for whites, it’s their social and cultural aspects that result in success as apposed to biological and genetic forces. I see it this way, white success athletic ability doesn’t lead to questioning but when a black succeeds in sport, people are constantly analyzing and trying to reveal why they succeeded.

1. Zirin article

· Zirins main argument in the article he wrote about Ben Roethlisburger was that if he were anybody other than himself this case would be treated totally different. He makes the point that if he wasn’t white and a rich pro football player the circumstances would be much different. He compares his case to that of Michael Vick and makes a good point by saying that Vick was in trouble for mistreating dogs and got suspended and had to go through a lot to make up for it. Zirin says that we’ll see how important the NFL thinks of mistreating women by the punishment Ben gets. The case against him was very strong and if he wasn’t a famous football player there would most likely be no question about what would happen to him at trial but instead the case won’t even go that far. This relates to “Unpacking the Knapsack” because Peggy talks about the privileges whites get and many of them are applying the Ben in this case. He has the privilege to not get in trouble and have it be based on his race. He also has the privilege to have legal help if needed and not have his race work against him. If under any other circumstances it is clear things would be much different. This case is also another example of patriarchy. The man over powering the women and getting away with it. He has more power than her and in the case she wouldn’t have been portrayed in a good way, which is part of the reason why she decided against it. The whole situation is totally unfair and promotes the hegemonic ideology.

2. Wise article

· In Tim Wises article about white privilege he makes his point and main argument very clear. He basically says that to be white you can get away with so many things compared to if you did the same things but were of another race. I like how every paragraph is a really good example to prove his point. Every example starts off with what if a black person did this when really a white person did it. It’s easy to see how people would have reacted if someone black did do that but most don’t consider it a big deal that whites are actually doing or saying those things. One good example was about President Obamas wife. He says what if a black person was saying insulting things about a white presidents daughter because a white person actually did that about Malia Obama. It’s really sad that these things are accepted and not thought of as offensively as they would have been if it was turned around. This relates to Peggys article where she says “I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.” This article totally shows the idea of white supremacy. It gives many examples where white people are thought of as superior to other races. It’s really a sad truth to face.

3. Coakley Chapter

· Coakley talks about the idea that many black men have through their lives that they are destined to be athletes. They believe their bodies are superior and made for this reason. Many believe that there are few other ways they can gain as much respect other than in sport. Many black people feel as if there aren’t many opportunities for them in other fields compared to the opportunity they have in sport. They strive to be better than everyone when it comes to athletics. These ideas actually help some black men to succeed in sport. It doesn’t give the opportunity to all though. Many don’t succeed and end up feeling like there are no other options. It’s a common belief among them that in a white world sport is made for blacks. This also causes problems for black men that don’t want to compete in sports. Many people try and say that a lot of achievements blacks have in sport is based on their genetic abilities like being able to run fast and jump high. When white people succeed in things people don’t think of it like that. With whites it based on social and cultural things to help them win but with blacks it’s thought of as biological and genetic. People don’t feel the need to question whites on their abilities but when it comes to blacks they feel a need to research and have an explanation. Experts criticize these ideas and say that ability like jumping can’t be linked to one specific gene.

In Zirin's article about Ben Roethlisburger, he argues that legal action should be taken against Roethlisburger and he should be punished according to his crime. Even though he's not yet been convicted, Zirin argues that sexual assault is a serious-enough accusation that punishment from the NFL should be issued, in the form of suspension and various other atonements. He argues that Roethlisburger is getting off easy because he resides on a "white pedestal of wealth and fame," and that if he were black he may not even make it to trial before being sent to prison. The evidence against Roethlisburger seems overwhelmingly convincing, but because of his race, fame, and wealth, he's not yet been convicted. Zirin compares this case with that of Michael Vick abusing dogs, and notes how seriously he was punished. Zirin firmly believes Roethlisburger should be punished accordingly, without our society's ideology of white supremacy working in Roethlisburger's favor and playing a role in viewing him as innocent.
Wise argues a similar view, that whites should be treated and "punished" as blacks would be when doing the same things. He argues that white supremacy shouldn't be a free pass to threaten others and act in violent manners without consequences, because if black people did the same things they'd likely be punished, and in a far more severe manner than if whites were even punished at all. Wise gives several examples of racist acts performed by whites, and asks readers to imagine what would happen if blacks did the same things to white people. If roles were reversed, the reactions and punishments would be quite different. However, thanks to the ideology of white supremacy, whites can "get away" with such actions without facing dire consequences.
The two arguments in these articles are compatible with McIntire's "Unpacking the Knapsack" examples because white privilege is so widespread and normalized that often our society doesn't even realize its effects. It only becomes evident if we compare white experiences to black experiences and look at their differences that we realize how biased our society is. If we think of role reversals, like in Wise's article, then we become aware of white privilege, but this happens far too infrequently to be able to start trying to change the status quo of white supremacy.
Coakley discusses the myth of black athletic destiny, and how it is explained by how blacks, especially men, are raised to believe they are superior when it comes to physical abilities and certain sports, and that it is their destiny to excel. This belief pushes them to train harder in their specific sport, yielding incredible results and success. This myth of black athletic destiny is further perpetuated when they feel that their chances of gaining respect and prestige are small in other contexts and realms outside sport, and when they experience restricted opportunities in other potential occupations. All these factors preserve the myth of black athletic destiny, and heavily influence the choices blacks make in regards to sport choice and beliefs that they can achieve superiority and success.
Sociologists make several critiques about the genetic explanations of black athletic achievements. One of them is that human actions can't be reduced to the effects of particular genes, and that environmental factors play a huge role in activating and suppressing genes. Various chemicals and hormones also play a part in gene regulation, which are in turn influenced by the environment as well. Sociologists also critique that athletic ability and success in a sport requires a great many genes, and that this only provides a partial explanation of athletic ability. There is no evidence that shows that specific sport performances are enhanced by skin color, and to say black athletic achievements are based solely on genetics is ridiculous.
Studies similar to these aren't conducted on white athletes, because when whites succeed in athletics it's viewed as a result of cultural and social factors. Skiers from Austria, for example, are good because of their environment and the opportunities they had growing up to ski with friends and family. This is a readily simple explanation, and one that would be boring to study.

In Zirin’s article, he makes the argument that money, whiteness, and athletic ability save people from court persecution. Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, was accused of raping a 20-year old girl, and was not convicted of any crime. Zirin states that this is because he is white, rich, and is extremely talented at football and that Roethlisberger should “thank the heavens” for his whiteness, wealth, and talent because those three things make him able to get out of tough situations (Zirin 1). The strongest argument Zirin makes is when he compares Roethlisberger to Michael Vick. Michel Vick was not only convicted for dog fighting, but also he had to educate youth on the harms of dog fighting in addition to his punishment. These two happenings seem to show that dog fighting is more important than women, and that being white gets one things he did not earn or deserve, like in the Vick/Roethlisberger example, not being convicted of crimes.
Wise’s argues that white people are rewarded for their inappropriate behaviors through positive reinforcement of being called brave or defenders of the country when protesting political happenings or certain people in office, like Obama for example. He also argues that if black people were to do the same they are strongly sanctioned for their actions and are said to be acting their color. Wise strongest arguments come from a “game” in his article where one is to imagine what would happen in certain circumstances if colored person were to act or say racial slurs just as a white person would and actually has already said about President Obama. His conclusion was that the black person would be punished, when white person would not. One of examples was: imagine hundreds of blacks marching to Washington, armed with guns and spoke of wanting a political revolution. They would not be viewed as “brave defenders of the 2nd Amendment” but instead as acting their color by being violent. (Wise 2) Through the imagination game, it can be clearly seen that black people are strongly sanctioned for trying to protest, while white people are praised when they protest or say racial slurs about Obama.
These arguments are related to McIntosh’s specific example of unpacking the knapsack because she claims that white people are equipped with certain things automatically, for example bank accounts, credit cards, jobs, attorneys and status. Vick was convicted of a crime for dog fighting, while Roethlisberger was not convicted of any crime when accused of raping a girl. Dog fighting is a less serious crime than rape, so this shows that Roethlisberger, a white man, was equipped with good lawyers likely due to color of his skin, in addition to his wealth. These concepts are related to our discussions of White Supremacy because each article displays an example of how a white man escaped punishment while a black man could not. In the Zirin article, this was shown when Roethlisberger was not convicted of a crime, while Vick was, and displayed in the Wise article when white protesters were not sanctioned, while black ones usually are. Classism and Patriarchy are not as relevant to the Zirin article when comparing Vick and Roethlisberger because they both are upper class and they are both male. Therefore, they are both extremely privileged, but Roethlisberger is more so than Vick due to his skin color. Classism applies to the Wise article because white people tend to be in a higher class than white people. Because of this, it makes it acceptable for white people to act inappropriately, and even have their behaviors deemed as “brave” or noble because they are the privileged class. Unfortunately, if these behaviors came from a black person, they would be sanctioned (Wise 2).
Coakley’s argument of black athletic destiny is that young blacks, especially males, feel that they are culturally and biologically obliged to participate in sport. They feel that sports are the only way that they can gain wealth and status. The critiques that socialists make about black athletic achievement is that blacks attribute all of their achievements to biological factors, when if a white person is successful athletically, it is attributed to cultural and social influences. Blacks feel genetically superior to whites, so they feel obligated to successes in the athletic arena. This idea of being biologically superior could cause increases in motivation to succeed, contributing largely to why they are so successful. Studies are not done on NHL hockey players and Skiers from Austria because few are interested in studying the white athlete due to the fact that white successes are attributed to social and cultural factors, rather than genetic or biological ones. Another reason is that white hegemony creates a world where white success is seen as socially normal, so very few people see the need to study them. (Coakely 10).

Correlation and Causation Video

Revisiting Constructions and Ramifications of Race

The last two weeks we have explored the social and historical construction of race in the US. The legal construction of whiteness in the nineteenth and early twentieth used to deny people citizenship and the Federal Housing Act were used to perpetuate structural inequalities. This week, Dave Zirin of The Nation wrote a searing article about the privileged treatment of quarterback Ben Roethlisburger of the Pittsburg Steelers's after being accused of sexually assaulting a young woman in Milledgeville, GA. The NFL Commissioner has yet to make a decision regarding suspension. Zirin makes a compelling comparison to Michael Vick's treatment after his conviction for running a dog-fighting operation in the same state. This same week, white anti-racist writer and educator Tim Wise (see ICON), used a similar argument to indict white conservatives' actions and rhetoric against President Obama. Regardless of your athletic or political affiliations summarize each author's main argument and provide their strongest or most compelling piece of evidence, example, or sub-argument. How are these arguments compatible with McIntosh's specific examples from "Unpacking the Knapsack"? How are these concepts related to our discussions of Patriarchy, White Supremacy, and or Classism?


Next, review Coakley's chapter (on ICON). This should provide a good reinforcement for the remainder of our lecture and compliment the documentary In Whose Honor? that we screened in class last week. Summarize Coakley's arguments about the myth of black athletic destiny. What are the critiques that sociologists make in regards to genetic explanations of black athletic achievements? Why are these studies not conducted on white goalies in the NHL or skiiers from Austria? As always I appreciate your questions in class and critical inquisition of the existing sport studies scholarship. I think it is important to revisit this topic this week since bodily destiny is something that is damaging, but seems real when reviewed out of context. It is also important to remember that correlation and causation are two different relationships. It is important to understand the differences when dealing with codifiable yet flawed constructs like skin color and race. Correlations are relationships of variables that are either positive (both variables increase and decrease at the same rate) or negative (one variable increases and the other decreases). Causation is harder to prove, but often incorrectly concluded. For example, if I die in a collision while driving my manual transmission VW Beatle while eating an ice cream cone one might claim there is a correlation between fatalities driving stick-shift cars and eating. We could collect data on that and try to figure out the strength of the relationship of the variables. However, it would be wrong to conclude that ice cream kills stick shift drivers. However, correlations can lead to proving causation, but there has to be a lot of evidence. This cheeky video does a better job of explaining this I do.

This week you need not post your blog publicly. I would like you to use the following questions as a guide to the last four readings assigned. Some of them are a bit more complicated than others but I think they are all really interesting. Type your answers to the questions and bring in a hard copy for me to next week's class. Next week's lecture we will begin by finishing up the last ten minutes of the video as it concludes by discussing the absurdity of colorblindness in a structurally and historically racially stratified society. In our lecture we will discuss structural inequities in sport as well as racial representation in sport through the media. These readings touch on all of these themes to a degree, but also push us to consider how identities, even racial ones are a bit unstable and how we often do not have control over other people's perceptions, reactions to, and appropriations of identities.

Sam Regalado "Roberto Clemente: Images Identity and Legacy"
How does Roberto Clemente contribute to providing Latin ballplayers a mouthpiece in which to disrupt the status quo in baseball?
How are race and class defined differently in Puerto Rico in the 1960s?

C. Richard King and Charles Fruehling Springwood “Body and Soul: Physicality, Disciplinarity, and the Overdetermination of Blackness”
How does intercollegiate sport act as a space that reflects white supremacy through racial signification? Where do white, black, and red bodies fit in this world according to the authors? Where and how is power located? How is this connected to the hegemonic political and or economic structures? The media?

Katherine M. Jaimeson “Occupying a Middle Space: Toward a Mestiza Sport Studies”
What is the population that Jamieson is studying in her research? What do they have in common? What is variable?
Identify and explain the modes of consciousness that Latinas utilize in their collegiate softball environments.
How does this article enhance your knowledge of the fluidity of “subjectivities” (identities)? Do you have an experience with a fluid identity or performance thereof?

C.L. Cole and Dave Andrews “America’s Son: Tiger Woods and America’s Multiculturalism”
Explain Berlant’s concept of “American Citizenship”? What does it hinge on or require? What threatens it?
How is this post-immigrant American image mapped onto Tiger Woods without being threatening to white America?
How did Nike refute Wood’s self-proclaimed multiracial status through the Hello Word?
How did the Hello World fail to challenge the racial relations in sport?
How is anti-affirmative action rhetoric and the fall out of the Hello World campaign used to recode Woods as a multi-cultural sign of colorblindness?

Race as a Site of Power in Sport

What is Sage's critique of the the myth of upward mobility through athletics for black men? How is his critique of intercollegiate sport as a "mixed blessing" related to an athlete's power in a sporting system that uses amateurism as regulatory ideology (98)? How does the "ol boys" network or the lack of African American administrators in intercollegiate sport relate to your understanding of hegemony? Keep in mind the four ways that consent is maintained.

Peggy McIntyre lists several examples of white privilege. Briefly respond to a time where you have benefited from one of these privileges or explicitly been denied these privileges. How is Peggy McIntyre's arguement in "Unpacking the Knapsack?" rejected by SI writers in the article "What Ever Happened to the White Athlete?"