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.
Frank Deford argues that it is alright for an athlete to be imperfect or not positive. He argues this point for Ben Roethlisburger. After Roethlisburger sexually assaulted a twenty year old woman he was suspended from the first six games of next season. Frank's only reaction was that yeah, the steelers will be losing out but it was not a big deal because at least another team will benefit from his suspension. This is not a clever argument because it is saying that people of the upper class should be able to display bad behavior and have it be acceptable. Role models are not perfect just like anyone else but that does not mean they should be able to display their faults. If it were acceptable for professional athletes to show their bad side, think of all of the children and fans that would start taking after their favorite player. To me, Deford would only be arguing this point because it is Roethlisburger. If someone else had done it, it would have been a complete different story. As Wise demonstrates by placing a person of color in the situation of a white person, it changes what people think. If we were to do this or something similar with Roethlisburger it would have the same affect.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that made the most sense to me in this course was the topic of homosexuality in sport. It was very easy to understand and relate to. I understood most of everything in the course, one thing that surprised me though was how diverse inequality in the sport world can be. The thing that is most memorable is the inequality that comes along with sex and race.
I believe that Frank Deford's argument that all high-profile athletes are not role models is slightly off. He is forgetting the fact that sport is a site that is constructed and has a profound influence not only on sport itself, but society as a whole. So even though he might want us not to hold athletes in the regards of role models, they have already been thrown into the realm of being role models through their sport. A great example of this was Michael Jordan. He has come out to the public in his interviews and autobiographies that he was not trying to be a person whom kids should look up to and want to be as a person. The reason he was a role model for everyone was because of his incredible basketball talent that he possessed and that's what made him so appealing. Also relating to this rebuttal is how George Sage talks about in his book he mentions how the mass media helps promote athletes as being influential towards shaping our society. He says, "it engages in the social construction of information that conveys and promotes dominant political-ideological agendas that appear to be the dominant interpretation of events, persons, and values. (Sage, 164)
ReplyDeleteThe concept that made the most sense to me was how the mass media has a profound impact on how our society views the world of sports. I notice how much it has an impact on my life as well. The concept that took me the most to grasp was the way hegemony operated and was maintained in sport. For some reason it took me longer to fully understand it but now I think I'm starting to really get a grasp of what it's about. The concept that was the most memorable to me was when we watched that video about the brown eyed and blue eyed kids being discriminated against in school and how shocking the results were. It was amazing to see 3rd graders could be so cruel and demeaning towards the discriminating group at such an early age.
Frank Deford argues that we should not hold professional athletes to such a high standard. They are going to screw up so he asks why we expect them not to as much as we do. Football is one of the sports that is found in the center. This means that football holds a lot of power. With power like this comes a high amount of responsibility. When athletes become professionals they become societies role models whether they want to be or not. Every move they make will be monitored and for this reason athletes need to watch every move they make. This case specifically relates to McIntosh’s article speaking of white privilege. One could make the argument that white athletes are not held to as high of standards as black athletes due to white privilege. Black athletes have to act better than their white counterparts or else issues may occur that may not have with a white athlete. It is sad that this can happen but it is something that society has not seemed to fix yet. In the past black athletes were not even allowed into sport. White people were the ones that could openly participate in sport as well as receive payment for their efforts. I believe this goes to strengthen the natural defense that Ben possesses. As I wrote in last weeks blog “White people are shown as the ones that have made America the way it is so for this reason that makes them more powerful in society.” This is what I mean by a natural defense. Since Ben is a white, powerful male he has privileges that were previously made in the history of sport and the United States that help him in ways many don’t even see.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that made the most sense to me in this class was white privilege and the whole race unit in general. Even though I did not know some of the specific terms and ideas being used at first, I could quickly create examples from the world and from my own life. The McIntosh article was very interesting to me because it was so plain and simple when concerning privileges that white people experience without knowing it. Conversely black people experience the effects of those privileges without knowing it sometimes too. This topic along with the movie “A Class Divided” also happens to be the most powerful and memorable for me as well. Finally something that took a few times to appreciate was how almost the entire world of sport deals with hegemony. I had no problem memorizing it and reciting it on a quiz or test but to truly understand how it relates to almost every aspect of sport is an ongoing process, and I believe it always will be for almost everyone due to the new ideas and events occurring all of the time.
Whether we like it or not, athletes in our society are role models for many people, children and adults alike. Because they are glorified by the media and in a constant spotlight, people care about what they do, both good and bad. Therefore, whether fair or not, professional athletes are held to a higher standard by the people who view them as role models and by their respective sport teams and affiliations. By arguing that high-profile athletes are not role models, Deford fails to acknowledge the social and cultural significance sport has had and continues to have in our lives. Sport has been a place that has both perpetuated and challenged the status quo. For example, Roberto Clemente, (as described in Regalado’s article) challenged our society’s status quo when he came to the United States from Puerto Rico to play professional baseball in the 1950’s. Throughout his career, he was able to alter the negative profile of his people and help bridge the gap between white and non-white Puerto Ricans, not only in sport but also in society. Another example of sport’s connection to society is that of the Play Day era in the 1920’s. Women were viewed as inferior to men in society, and so were treated as such in the sport world as well. They were not allowed to compete against each other or participate in vigorous activity like the men, but instead were forced to be content with playing for fun at a suitable moderate level of physical exertion. This helped perpetuate the status quo of male patriarchy and hegemony in our society. Finally, due to the ideology of white supremacy in our society, participation of African Americans and other races and ethnicities in sport was prohibited for a long time and still today favors whites. Although other races can now participate, whites are the ones who have the highest likelihood of advancement to managerial and ownership positions; where the money is. This perpetuates the status quo and reflects the dominant ideology of white supremacy in our society.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that made the most sense to me was how social class affects our sport choices, opportunities, and chances for upward mobility via the American Dream. Amateurism is a concept that took me a few attempts to grasp, but now that I do it makes a lot of sense and I see how it functions in our society and culture. One concept that remains memorable to me is that of white supremacy. I’d heard it before numerous times but I’ve never been in a class that discussed it as much as we did. I never really realized the privileges I receive because I’m white, and how it still remains a dominant ideology in our society today.
Deford is off in his argument that an athlete is not there to be a role model. The fact is sports have become such a prominent force in society that being a role model comes with the territory of being a high profile athlete. Many athletes are willing to protect their role model image because it is often a means to a gracious second income through endorsements etc. Of course Roethlisburger will be missing out on that opportunity now with his recent charges. However, Deford fails to acknowledge that many athletes are being paid to be role models through their endorsements. A prime example is Mark McGuire and his presence on a box of Wheaties before his discovered use of steroids. When someone is paid to do something they should do it or else face the scrutiny that comes from not doing it (i.e. not being a good role model). In Roethlisburger’s case the result is a misuse of power because as Sage notes, sports have become a way for youth to develop socially and morally in our society, which means when athletes fail to be good role models it puts the youth in our country at risk who look up to these athletes (259).
ReplyDeleteOne thing from the course that makes the most sense to me is that there should not be Native American symbols for sports teams. Even if it is not the intention of the organization, it does not change the fact that it is a racist stereotype they are promoting. One concept that has taken me a while to grasp is the concept of gender; specifically when it comes to who people that do not identify as male or female should be allowed to compete against. This concept also remains the most memorable and soon to be controversial in my mind because in sports you want things to be fair among competitors but at the same time it is important not to discriminate against someone or not include them in competition because they do not fit inside the box society has drawn.
Deford’s argument claims that high profile athletes should not be regarded as role models. However, professional athletes will always be considered role models. Deford doesn’t understand what sport truly symbolizes. Sport can be a way to acquire wealth and success. Sport can be a form of social mobility. Its just like the American Dream, you work hard to get ahead and everyone has equal opportunity. We see a perfect example of this in Regelado’s article on Roberto Clemente. Many professional athletes went from “rags to riches” from their success in sports. Why wouldn’t we consider them role models? What about people in other professions? In the news you hear about teachers, priests, and doctors committing crimes too, but does that mean they can’t be role models either? Deford says “Let the thugs play,” but how is that fair? You can’t consider athletes like Tim Tebow to be thugs. Just because a few players made mistakes doesn’t mean they all will.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that made the most sense to me is how sport is a way to express masculinity. Sport became so huge in this country because wars were farther away and manifest destiny was complete, and sport was the new frontier for men to express how manly they really are. That is also why homosexual athletes are forced to hide their sexuality, because they are threats to masculinity. One thing that was hard to understand was hegemony. I was amazed by how this ideology affected sport, media, and more. The most memorable part of this class was “A Class Divided.” It was shocking how a bunch of third graders could be taught to be so mean and hurtful.
Meghan Teske
ReplyDeleteThough most athletes should not be role models, they will always be idolized and even viewed as leaders in America. Because of this, athletes that commit crimes should at least be suspended and athletes should always be aware of their actions. “Letting the thugs play,” as Deford says should happen, would definitely not be an effective way to send positive messages to America’s youth. America puts such an emphasis on sports and on achieving the American Dream through it, that if a child sees on the news that their favorite athlete has committed a serious crime and is not convicted, the child will think it is acceptable to act inappropriately. In addition, he will think that he does not need to work hard in order to get where he wants in life. Deford argues that athletes are held to a higher standard when they should not be because they too are human. However, athletes should be held to a higher standard because all of America-especially American youth- is idolizing them and watching every move they make in their athletic career and personal life. Unfortunately, some athletes seem to not care about the image they are portraying as long as they get to play and get their paycheck. Despite those types of athletes, other athletes are capable of being great role models and Walter Payton is an example of one of them. The reason why he was looked up to was because of his incredible athletic abilities which seemed to even defy the laws of physics and his ability to achieve the American Dream. Playing professional sports and having incredible skills are a dream that many Americans share, therefore, numerous people looked up to Payton. Americans will always look up to talented athletes, and because of this, the athletes must be aware of their actions. According to Sage, “sport is seen as an arena in which society’s collective interests are promoted and sustained through the socioculteral attitudes, values, and beliefs promulgated in sporting activities” (Sage 29). Because sport is an arena that holds these socioculteral attitudes, values and beliefs, and exemplifies the American Dream, if athletes are seen committing crimes and being dishonest, it could become socially acceptable for athletes to do so without punishments.
One thing in this course that made sense to me was that sport is a social stratification, where the athletes are the working class, the coaches are the middle class, and the team owners are the capitalist wealthy class- or in Marx’s term the proletariat petite proletariat and the bourgeoisie, respectively I never saw this relationship before this class, but it completely make sense how sport works in that system. I understood most of the concepts presented in class, but I never realized how much discrimination actually did take place in the sports setting. I knew it defiantly existed, but I had no idea to what degree. A memorable moment in the course was we discussed transgendered people in sport, and whether or not they should play on men’s or women’s sports teams.
Mr. Deford’s argument about high-profile athletes as poor role models focuses on the negatives and misses all the great work the majority of these athletes do. Yes, it will happen that some of these athletes will make life choices that do not agree or go along with how we see them on their high pedestals but they are only human and all humans are bound to make a mistake here and there. Unfortunately, the majority of the athletes in the center of sports are over looked for all the good they do, like sport camps, charity work, signing autographs, and using their power as a talented athlete to attempt to make a difference in this world. Is it because this is almost expected of them? And we by pass these deeds as normal for them? Instead we focus on things like the Tiger Woods scandal, Michael Vicks dogfights, and other high-profile athletes wrongdoing. It is so easy to nit-pick them apart and truly for fills the say of one bad critique throws out all good ones.
ReplyDeletePeople idealize these athletes and look up to them because they have achieved greatness that most cannot. (Personally, I feel they are better role models then all the movie celebrities we seem to love and focus on that are so great.. ha) So we should embrace them and focus on what is great about their talent and what they do but not in the lime light that we see them in but to see them in a more realistic way.
It is also interesting how patriarchy plays a strong role in how they come down from these mistakes, and that the color of their skin still plays a role in punishment. Ben R. only got the equivalent of a slap on the wrist while Michael V. was bent over and given the boot! Both of their crimes were wrong but why the difference in punishment? And Women... well it as though they are still swept under the rug.
Throughout class one thing that made the most sense to me was the material surrounding the American Dream because growing up that is what you are sort of lead to believe. The beginning terms and ideas like hegemony and Karl Marx and how sports apply to American society (didn’t realize how much it really did) One of the most powerful (maybe because I’ve seen it before) was the Eye of the Storm video and discussion. It still rings true and the knowledge from the experiment is significant to the entire U.S.
Frank Deford makes some pretty good points in his article, “Not All Role Models Need Be Positive”. He’s right, why does our society choose to revere athletes to such a high degree while virtually ignoring the individuals who have achieved the American Dream through other means such as business and finance. All people who have achieved a high level of success in their chosen field should be acknowledged. However he fails to comment on the fact that even if young Americans do look up to athletes for the wrong reasons, they are still an intrepid force to society. Their decisions and behaviors have far-reaching consequences. Sport is a site for many life lessons for American children and it is important that the people they watch to model the rules of the game are also appropriate guides to modeling rules of society. With visibility comes accountability. If these athletes choose to be professional players they are choosing to live in the spotlight and they are choosing to be an influence on our society. We can’t expect them to be perfect but I think it’s more than a little sad to just “let the thugs play”. They shouldn’t be placed on a pedestal, but they should, at the very least, be expected to conform to society’s most basic norms. For example, I don’t expect Tiger Woods to have a perfect marriage with absolutely no conflict. But I don’t find it acceptable that he had relations with multiple women while still committed to his wife, Elin. I don’t find it acceptable for him, and I wouldn’t find it acceptable for any of the men in my life either. It is not a case of expecting these athletes to be superheroes; it is just expecting them to behave in a respectable, humane manner. Sage dedicates a whole chapter to character building in youth sports. He says that many youth programs, “emphasize lessons about fair play, self-discipline, cooperation and respect for human rights” (270) and that “well-organized sport programs [are thought to] promote social and moral attributes and thus contribute to the goal of a particular interpretation of good citizenship” (259). With these kinds of beliefs in place, parents, teachers and the media will continue to encourage children to participate and follow sports. Their involvement will perpetuate sport and professional athlete’s effects on American culture, politics and the status quo. As long as sport is a site for cultural norms, athletes will be role models for appropriate behavior, whether on or off the field. They need to be aware of that and they need to respect the responsibilities that come with their level of success.
ReplyDeleteI was a little nervous coming into this course as I have very little sports knowledge and am not very familiar with many players or teams. So, I really appreciated how the majority of the class focused on the broad picture of sport and sport’s interaction with other systems in the U.S. Marx’s economic theories and their relation to sport and modern society was pretty straightforward and easy to grasp. However, it took more work getting all the rhetoric correct and knowing which words were appropriate for which situation. Knowing when it is appropriate to use Bourgeoisie, Petite Bourgeoisie and Proletariat vs. upper, middle and working class takes some more thought. The most powerful thing I think I will take from this class is what we learned about the American Dream ideology and its immense presence in American sport. Once that idea was pointed out to me I started to be aware of it in so many situations and sport stories. It is something that I will probably always be aware of from now on when I hear about a rags to riches player or the latest sports superstar. I will also be more aware of their path of upward mobility and obstacles they may face due to the inequities many athletes still face today.
Personally I feel Deford's claim about athletes being placed at a level that is too high to maintain a role model standard as all people make mistakes is a bit off base from reality. I feel that the athletes understand that if they do happen to have a mishap as Ben Roethisburger has, there will usually be consequences that could result in loss of game time or endoresments that they recieve. Though it may not be a fair way of judging people, but it is true that we as people have set atheltes on a higher pedastool then others, social sports play a large impact in our lives of this generation, thus the fact we have formed idolization for the athletes. A current example of this would be Tiger Woods and his current sex scandal. He had many endorsements prior to his scandal, but as soon as his affairs were revealed, he lost many of his endorsements such as Gatorade and Tag Heurer dropped him as they felt he was not living the appropriate image that they wanted their company's face to uphold. Personally I feel Deford's claim about atheltes being placed at a level that is too high to maintain a role model standard as all people make mistakes is a bit off base from reality. I feel that the atheletes understand that if they do happen to have a misshap as Ben Roethisburger has, there will usually be consequences that could result in loss of game time or endoresments that they recieve. Though it may not be a fair way of judging people, but it is true that we as people have set atheltes on a higher pedastool then others, sociall sports play a large impact in our lives of this generation, thus the fact we have formed idolization for the athletes. A current example of this would be Tiger Woods and his current sex scandal. He had many endorsements prior to his scandal, but as soon as his affairs were revealed, he lost many of his endorsements such as Gatorade and Tag Heurer dropped him as they felt he was not living the appropriate image that they wanted their company's face to uphold. Just as Sage explains, "becasue the media are such a powerful force in the presentation and interpretation of information, they help to share our perceptions of social reality." (page 165) Thus even the media can bring down an athlete if given negative publicity instead of positive, the media is our median.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the concept that made the most sense to me during class would be when we discussed the hegemonic image in sport and how only a small percent have the concentrated power. Personally I understand this because I have immediate family who has become professional athletes and I have watched and learned that a lot of the time to get onto the sport world without being an athlete, it is because of who you know and the connections you have. I feel that the movie the "Class Divided" will be the most memorable to me for future referance, as it applied what we had been taught to a real life situation. It is crazy to think that third graders would treat others a certain way just because they were cited as differnt then one another.
High-profile athletes are role models, even if they choose not to be good ones. The way that our country displays professional sports, through the media, and especially the center of sport, there is now way around saying professional athletes are not role models. One historical example of two great players, who many young fans looked up to, were Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1998 when they were in the homerun battle. Both of them surpassed Major League Baseball’s single season homerun record. Every little kid wanted to hit the ball like them growing up. Sammy Sosa was from the Dominican Republic and Mark McGwire was from the United States, so people all around the world saw them as role models. The media was all over their homerun story. As for a reference to a class reading, Roberto Clemente, another baseball player, was a great role model. And, he wanted to be one for the young boys and girls growing up in Puerto Rico. He became to the United States in the 1950s and challenged the status quo by playing professional baseball. Baseball in Puerto Rico, as opposed to the U.S., was a platform for racial integration both on and off the field. As a result, Roberto wanted to create this type of atmosphere in the U.S. He set a perfect example for Puerto Ricans and over time the bridge between whites and Puerto Ricans was fixed. He was a great representative for future Puerto Rican professional baseball players.
ReplyDeleteOne topic that made the most sense to me was upward mobility and the American Dream. The American Dream is important to sports because an athlete can achieve it through acquiring an education or turning pro. An athletic scholarship offers an athlete a chance to go to a school they may not have been able to get into otherwise, and forces them to pass classes in order to play for their team. Therefore, most earn some sort of degree that helps them to gain upward mobility in the future by finding a decent paying job. One concept that took a few attempts to grasp involved Marx’s theory of capitalism. I understood what capitalism was, but not what the base and superstructure represented or how they worked together. The one concept that remains the most memorable, though we didn’t talk about it a whole lot, was rugged individualism. Rocky was a great example of this ideology, he was always “pulling himself up by the bootstraps” no matter what problems he faced. He didn’t give up and eventually he earned a better life for himself. Vivian Stringer was also a great example of this, and all people really should take the idea to heart. Pulling yourself back together after some sort of failure and working hard always pays off in the end.
Deford did manage to make one valid point in his article, that not all athletes are good role models. However, his condoning of this is not only wrong, but harmful to our society. Sport in our nation is only as big as it is because we have built it up that way as a culture. Football, of course, is in the Center of sport, and Ben, being a quarterback (and a white male), is in a very central position. Because of this, he is probably one of the most easily viewed athletes. Very few people in the world have the opportunity to be so easily seen and influential, so for Deford to say that it is ok for such caliber athletes to set such bad examples doesn’t even make sense.
ReplyDeleteThe autobiography I used for my project provided a great example of the opposite occurrence. Alonzo Mourning was an NBA player who used his status and wealth as a way to reach out and create opportunities for others, while still being able to maintain a tough guy persona on the court. By doing this, Alonzo managed to set a positive example for anyone watching him, making him a positive role model for anyone needing someone to look up to.
Sage reinforces this idea that athletes, in their high status within our society, can help to create and perpetuate societal norms. He says that “modern sport, rather than being merely a diversionary entertainment, is considered to be an important popular cultural practice upon which dominant ideologies are constructed, maintained, and reproduced; sport thus plays a broad social reproductive role in American society” (Sage, 30). Surely the messages given and maintained in our society should not be that such actions are in any way acceptable.
The concepts that I had the most trouble with were hegemony, power, and ideologies, basically all the stuff we did at the beginning of the semester, because I hadn’t realized how much those are actually a part of sport. One of the ideas that I had the easiest time understanding was the different levels of involvement in sport and consumption, and how classes relate. To me, one of the most powerful ideas was discrimination within sport, through sex/gender and race/ethnicity.
Frank Deford made a good point when he said “Why, pray, of all people, are athletes, pretty much alone in our society, expected to be sweeter than the average angel? It is politicians and clergy and those maestros of finance on Wall Street who ought to be held to a higher standard. Why aren't they ever called "role models?" Athletes are role models to those little kids who dream that one day they will be a professional athlete. If professional athletes are going out and “sexually assaulting” a female, or carrying a firearm with them, what does the show the younger generations? That these things are ok to do? I agree with Roger Goodell, all athletes in the NFL, and any other professional league, should be held to a higher standard. There job is to play whatever sport they are supposed to. Yes, they are allowed to have lives, but come on. They should know that there are kids out there idolizing them. Big Ben and Tiger should really have been punished a lot more than they were. “The average American does not view or perhaps refuses to view professional sport as a business. Instead, professional teams are seen by as a kind of extension of the local high school team” (Sage 191). Sage hit this right on. We don’t view professional sports as a “business”, but as the next level of competition in sports.
ReplyDeleteOne thing from this course that made the most sense to me was the fact that media has a tremendous effect on our daily lives. Sports news is always being updated and always changing. It took me awhile to grasp the concept of hegemony. It wasn’t registering in my mind at first, but now I understand it a lot better. The one thing I will remember from this course would be the Class Divided video. I didn’t realize that exercise would have such a big impact on 3rd graders.
No one is perfect, especially over paid athletes who feel they are invincible and can break the law because they have a get out a jail free pass that came with them being drafted by a professional team. Frank Deford seems to think that enough athletes have screwed up being perfect role models so we should just accept their wrong doings and let them do whatever they want, like Ben Rothlisburger and his apparent disrespect for women. Frank Deford is wrong however, and we should not let these athletes slip by with every crime they commit. Whether they like it or not, athletes are role models to millions of men, women and children. Athletes can not opt out of being role models because they feel superior to all. I'd be willing to bet that almost all the current NFL players, including Rolthisburger, had professional football role models growing up. Rothlisburger, and other current players, tried to emulate their every moves and be just like them, because after all that is what a role model provides, as Deford says "a role to model." Well now imagine if Ben's role model was a heroine addict, either in the NFL or not; I think it's fair to say that Ben Rothlisburger wouldn't have made it to the NFL. What I'm trying to say is that it's unfair for these current athletes to use avenues, like role models, to get to their success and then try and block those same avenues for others trying to become successful. I think Frank Deford's argument would have been different if it were his twenty year old daughter that Ben had violated. A historical example to strengthen my side comes from Kobe Bryant's 2004 sex scandal with a twenty year old female in Colorado. Kobe Bryant was found not guilty of any type of crime, but he did cheat on his wife. Kobe publicly apologized to his wife in an interview in which he cried. One could argue that he faked his tears, but to me he seemed sincerely apologetic and has yet to make any more mistakes. Bryant knows that he is a role model and since that incident he has stayed out of trouble and has become a great role model because you never hear about him being arrested or hanging around the wrong crowd of people who get arrested. The McIntosh reading also supports my side in the rebuttal of Frank Deford's comments. Deford makes this comment after a white athlete got in trouble, not an athlete of color. This implies that white athletes, according to Deford, should be able to chose if they want to be seen as a role model or not, and if not then they shouldn't be criticized for their actions. Black athletes have been in trouble recently, like Michael Vick, and for some reason Deford didn't come to his rescue. White athletes get the privilege of more lenient social standards, like being a role model, simply because they are white and that is something that needs to change. The status quo of how we look at our athletes should be the same and based off character, not skin color or race.
ReplyDeleteThe concept that made the most sense to me was the concept of the American Dream for the fact that it is commercialized and portrayed in our everyday lives in some form or another. The lectures over sex, sexuality and gender took me a little longer to understand because there were associated definitions. This section also took me a while to understand because there is a lot of debate out there between sex/sexuality/gender and sport. The idea that remains most powerful to me is the idea of hegemony and the power it plays in our society today.
To me, Frank Deford's argument is incongruent with reality. I agree that we may put professional athletes on a pedestal, but I do not think that expecting them to follow laws is too much to ask for. For example, what Ben R. did clearly violated laws as he exerted violence against another human being; I do not see how expecting athletes to follow laws that every other American is subjected to is asking for too much. I find that athletes are especially important as role models because they are always in the limelight and as sports play an important role in reflecting important values in our country's culture. Since professional athletes are seen as achieving the American Dream, many children and adults look up to them as role models. If the professional athlete acts unlawfully without much repercussion, people who look up to the athlete will think that it is acceptable to break the law. For example, Tiger Woods was once seen as a charming young man and a perfectly good role model because of his extraordinary talent in golf until the news of his scandal came clean. Hopefully people that once looked to Tiger Woods as a role model will not think it is acceptable to have extramarital affairs. On the other hand, our Regalado article described Roberto Clemente who proved to be a wonderful role model and helped shape Puerto Rican identity. Examples of professional athletes as role models are everywhere due to the strong influence sport has on our society, and thankfully not all of these athletes are negative role models.
ReplyDeleteThe concept that made the most sense to me from this class was the concept of patriarchy, because I feel like I can relate to it and that I feel the effects of it every day. On the other hand, the concept of hegemony in sport was not as clear-cut to me, because I was used to the thought of sport as a meritocracy. For me the most powerful message in this class came from reading the Zirin article about Ben R. I was shocked with the treatment he received for his crime while Michael Vick was treated so differently. That thought of wealthy white male privilege is haunting to me.
Frank Deford suggests that our athletes should just be considered role models and that no matter what they do they are role models because of their position "So once we understand that and accept that all our athletes are role models, we can stop fretting and get back to the games." He's saying that not all role models have to be positive. My argument is that it is extremely rare that anyone would want their child to look up to an athlete that isn't a positive role model. My question is simple; if you want your child to grow up and be a positive role model themselves, does it make sense for them to look up to an athlete who is a negative role model? While my question seems to be quite conceptual in itself, I will also state that literally Ben's actions of multiple run-ins with the law proves that his ability to be a role model is suspect at best. Dave Zirin eludes to this in his article that Big Ben has been no more than lucky that they could not prove him guilty and that he is the son of Pittsburgh which instantly makes him a role model but his run-in with the law has made him a negative role model.
ReplyDeleteI understood Title IX really well and the hierarchy of sport and how hegemony plays into that idea. Something I didn't understand was patriarchy and how it played in sport. While I realize that patriarchy is a male dominated hierarchy in the world I don't know how this plays into sport. I'd say hegemony is the most powerful thing that I took away from this class. It was something I had never heard before so it is now something I understand in how it pertains to sport.
Over time, sport has presented our society with a way of life that has been embraced and supported. It is silly to believe that professional athletes are not role models. In fact, they might be the most reliable role models that our society is presented with. They are seen in many different sports, in many different countries, coming from many different backgrounds. Sport has constructed a status quo that has been perceived by countless amounts of Americans and has created a cultural significance that pertains to everyone in some shape or form. Sport has come a long way over time, and as we see sport change and accept new ways, it is easier for society to conform to the changes being made. In class we learned about the play day era in which women were not allowed to compete or participate in a sport that required too much physical activity. It was not deemed womanly to have an opponent that one team was supposed to beat; instead teams were distributed to avoid competition and unwomanly characteristics from occurring. Men were superior to women in every way at this point in time, however, we have seen changes since then because women are now allowed to participate in countless sporting events. We also read an article that pertained to the privileges of white people over those who were not and the benefits and preferential privilege that whites receive just based on the color of their skin. Sport has helped society accept that other races are just as worthy of receiving the same benefits as whites do. Although our society has not fully equaled out the distribution of privilege between different races and ethnicities, we have come a long way. Finally sport “preserves” the male privilege through ideological means by valuing and validating male values such as strength, muscle mass and aggression. With this men continue to hold hegemonic dominance over women in sport and in turn create numerous role models.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that made the most sense to me was how social class directly relates to ones involvement within sport as well as the amount of production or consumption that results from it. Hegemony was a term that took me awhile to understand but I now can grasp how it directly connects to everyday life and society. One concept that remains memorable to me is the idea of the American Dream and how it serves as an ideology. I can see how this topic is so greatly stressed to middle class children growing up and how it suggests that successful or dominant groups in society deserve their positions and how it suggests that there is equal opportunity for everyone through sport.
Sports play a huge part in our society today. As Sage states, “one of the most compelling roles of sport is to serve as a symbolic expression of the values and beliefs of the broader society” (30). Sports are widely covered and talked about throughout various media outlets. Because of this it makes athletes role models whether they like it or not. They are shown in the public light and they need to realize that they have the platform to reach a wide variety of people and what they do can have an impact on a child’s life. An example of an athlete knowing he has a platform and using it in the right way would be Albert Pujols and the Pujols Family Foundation. Pujols created a foundation to help those living with Down syndrome in which he actively participates in and makes sure raise awareness about the foundation. Pujols understands that as an athlete he has a chance to make a difference in peoples lives and because of who he is he can make a difference.
ReplyDeleteThe concept that made the most sense to me was patriarchy. I have always felt like we live in a patriarchal society I just didn’t know what it was called. The concept that took me a while to understand was hegemony. The most memorable thing from this class that I will always remember is the video “A Class Divided”. After first viewing it I remember asking friends if they had seen it and explaining it to them. I found the video very interesting and it made me wonder how I would have acted as a child had I been put in the same position as the children were.
Deford's argument when it comes to role models concerning Ben Roethlisberger is flawed in a couple of ways. Athletes are seen as huge role models in our society and many kids look up to them. His claim that Ben is a role model, just not a good one, is off because what kind of parents would want their kids to look up to a bad role model? With his recent behavior, I do not believe any parent would want their kid to look up to Roethlisberger, which is where Deford's argument about every athlete being a role model still is flawed. Role models are supposed to display positive traits so that kids can dream to be like them. A great example of a positive role model is Drew Brees. Brees has spent countless dollars trying to help New Orleans rebuild after Katrina, and is still engaged in rebuilding efforts to this day by donating time and money to help the cause. Brees is using his status for good reasons, which would make him a good role model for kids to look up to, unlike Roethlisberger. A good role model that we learned about in our readings was Roberto Clemente. Clemente eventually paved the way for black Latinos to succeed in baseball by doing things the right way, and even when he died, he died trying to help victims of an earthquake. Clemente embraced the fact that he was supposed to be a role model due to his high-profile athlete status.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that I understood really well in class was patriarchy. I had seen in society that women are consistently seen as being below men, and this class helped reinforce my prior conceptions about this topic. Marx's theories took the longest for me to understand, as I had known the basics behind them, but I was not quite sure how all the parts fit together in his system. The most powerful thing in this class to me was the concept of hegemony in general. It is amazing to see that our society restricts people from becoming successful, while in turn keeping the same system in place, even when it is met by a large series of challenges. It has endured class, race, and sexual attacks, but it is still maintained to this day, which is proof of its strength in America.
Frank Deford argues in his article that not all athletes are role models. He says we need to accept that fact and expect it. I believe he is wrong in the way that sport itself is constructed by our society in itself and this reflects also the way society views the famous athletes we watch everyday. When people watch the Olympics they watch people they aspire to be, just like when they watch people in any sport. These people appear to even be heroes in some ways. When Michael Phelps won all those medals at the Olympics people began to look up to him. When the picture came out of him smoking marijuana it was a shock to people who thought of him as higher up role model. Even after this happened time past and people still respect and look up to him I don’t think that will ever change. It’s ridiculous to say that we shouldn’t think of people in sport as role models because they do things that we can only dream of doing which already makes us think higher of them. George Sage describes how we think of sport and it’s athletes, “sports serves as one means of winning the hearts and minds of subordinate classes and of instilling their respect for conformity to society’s power holders (pg 31).” and this is just one good quote to explain how people view these people higher up in their minds.
ReplyDeleteOne concept we discussed that made the most sense to me throughout our class was the concept of gender and sport. I took a class on gender, sex, and sexuality so I already had some background information, which made it easier for me to understand how the idea worked in sport and why it was important. I also find the topic very interesting. The way that gender issues exist for both males and females in sport when it comes to sexuality. I also found the process through which women gained respect (or some respect) in sport very interesting. The video we watched in class explained this very well. One concept that was harder for me to grasp was the main ideas of ideology and structure. Now that it’s the end of the semester it’s easier to understand but through the class it was harder to think of these things relating to sport and just the basic idea of what they mean. I missed the first class, which also made it harder for me to understand the basics of these terms. One moment in class that really stuck out to me was the video we just watched about the U of I mascot. My sister goes to U of I so I already knew some about the issue but watching the video made me realize how things can be racist and offend people that I never even thought about before. It was really interesting to see how having this mascot offended these people I just thought of as an everyday thing. I still somewhat feel that they’re taking it a little to far but I can now see and understand where they’re coming from.
When athletes make it to the professional level, they become role models whether they like it or not. Sports are so influential to Americans today that as a child it’s easy to pick a professional athlete as a role model, having no older brother, I know I did. When Deford says athletes responsibilities are not to be role models, I somewhat agree and disagree. Yes, high-profile athletes need to portray themselves professionally and successfully. But I also agree in the fact that all athletes shouldn’t have to worry about everything they do just because it’s not the “role model” thing to do. Just because an athlete has talents through the roof, doesn’t mean they should start hanging around your kids.
ReplyDeleteJust like Wise had done, putting a black quarterback in Roethlisberger’s situation would definitely change what people think. Since this had been Ben’s first incident with NFL regulations, I believe Roger Goodell took it pretty easy on him. Considering the fact that he denied Adam “Pacman” Jones to ever returning to the NFL after one of his bodyguards shot and killed a bouncer at a strip club. I’m not saying that Pacman Jones was or should be anyone’s role model but I think it’s difficult enough for anyone to take on the responsibility of being a role model when so many eyes are waiting to criticize everything you do, and spread the word like wildfire.
One thing that made to most sense to me is how the media can change the image of anything. I recently saw a 30 on 30 documentary on ESPN about Ricky Williams. It showed clips of PTI hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon as they repeatedly ripped on Williams for failing his 3rd career drug test in 2004, Wilbon quoting, “He’d rather sit around and smoke pot, than utilize the talents that were giving to him in the NFL. This guy is a disgrace to football.” 5 years later in 2009 after Williams’ returning breakout year, Wilbon ate his words saying, “Ricky is running with all-star talent, he may be one of the most dominating backs in the league at age 32.” I learned the media can and will change to more hegemonous images if it means them attracting your attention for better ratings.
Sport is and continues to be a place where societal values and roles are constructed. Each participant in high level athletic competition is responsible for upholding acceptable behavior because of their status. Being a role model is not a choice, it is a responsibility that is tied tightly to the multi-million dollar contracts athletes receive to compete in what most refer to as a “game.” Behaving in a way that reflects negatively on themselves or athletics in general down plays the power of upward social mobility. Michael Vick and his current legal troubles are a good example of this concept. Despite being athletically gifted, Vick was indicted on dog fighting charges, an event usually only seen in the most hostile of human environments. His actions send a message to younger fans, especially in low income areas, that this behavior is an acceptable and is still possible after becoming successful.
ReplyDeleteDuring the course, I learned a great amount about the connection between societal roles and the roles of individuals participating in competitive athletics. The lecture/textbooks tie to government frameworks helped me think critically about the athletic landscape that we currently observe. On the other hand, recent discussions about the differences between athletes with regards to race have confused me. My lack of experience with the topic and an overall lack of understanding of genetics is likely the cause for this confusion. Despite the minor setback, this course has taught me to think critically about sport and question current societal norms. I have gained respect for women and people of ethnicities other than my own through interpreting their struggles in the athletic arena.
I know we were supposed to type a rebuttal to Defords article, but I totally agree with his arguments. All the men who play professional sports are not role models. To believe this would be absurd. We can’t even look up to the men who run this country, and believe what they are doing is right. People of the United States cannot even look at the most powerful church in the world, the Catholic Church, and believe what the men who hold powers here are upstanding human beings. I understand that sports are in the spotlight and it is what the media likes to portray, but everyone is human and everyone makes mistakes, no matter if you are poor or rich. It is the duty of the parents of children to lead them in the right direction to choose their role models wisely. Society says that children and people should look at professional athletes as role models. This is like saying that when you buy a child a GI Joe doll, you are saying grow up, be like this man, and kill people. It is absurd to believe that all professional athletes are role models.
ReplyDeleteThe concept in class that made the most sense to me was the one of centrality. It is easy to believe and understand which player in each sport would be at the center of the respective profession. One of the concepts that took awhile for me to grasp was that of patriarchy. In today’s society and the one I grew up in women were not treated unfairly to the human eye. It took me awhile to understand this argument and see the deeper meaning of it. The most memorable concepts of class was that of the class systems. This is because class systems are tied into everything.
I completely disagree with Frank Deford’s argument that popular athletes should not be viewed as role models. Anyone can be a role model, as long as someone believes in the person. Many athletes have gone from “rags to riches” and achieved the American Dream, so why shouldn’t they be a role model. Of course some athletes have problems and traits that might show they shouldn’t be a role model, but that goes for everyone. Whether you’re a teacher, lawyer, or athlete, you can be someone that children should look up to or should not look up to. Dez Bryant was recently drafted in the first round of the NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Even though he was kicked off his college football team for lying to the NCAA, he can be viewed as a role model. As a child, his father was a pimp, and his mother was a drug addict. Yet, he achieved the American Dream by attending college on scholarship and getting drafted into the NFL. Dez Bryant should be a role model to anyone who is in a similar situation he was. In our class text book, Sage talks about how the media helps portray athletes as role models in society. Because of the success athletes have, they are and always will be role models.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that made the most sense to me was the in class video on the growth of women in sport. I always knew that women had many struggles and problems in sports, but this video gave the whole history on women’s sports. I found the stories of the Tigerbells, Alice Coachmen, and Billy Jean King to be extraordinary. The video showed how patriarchy has changed and how the mainstream ideologies of women in sport evolved. I found it very interesting how society viewed women’s sports and how these famous athletes changed the whole worlds view on female athletics.
Roethlisberger
ReplyDeleteFrank Deford questions why Ben Roethlisberger is considered a role model. So why is he considered a role model? I would say because it is very unlikely that you make it to the level he is at living a wrong or bad lifestyle. Sage talkes about this when he is describing how athletes are viewed as high in society can create positive and good cultural practices through which we get our ideaologies.(Sage,30)In order to rise to the highest levels of sports you have to live a good morally right life. Of course there are a few exceptions to this philosophy but if you really think about it, it is true. You can’t be the best if you are always partying, smoking, drinking, and abusing your body with drugs, it just doesn’t happen. You can’t be the best if you beat your wife, girlfriend or whoever because you will wind up in jail. Most athletes know that to be the best they have to live the right lifestyle. So this means doing everything right from the way you practice to what you do on your free-time to how you treat your girlfriend. This is why athletes are looked up to as role models. They are also because they are superb examples of hard work and perseverance. I can use myself as an example of this. Going through high school I was faced with a lot of situations where I had to make choices. These choices were going to directly affect my academic and athletic performances. I looked at the Brands brothers as an example. They believed that if you slack in school you will slack in your athletic performance too. Also they don’t believe that you have to party and live those types of lifestyles in order to have fun and be normal. So I chose to stay away from the drugs and alcohol and spend more time focusing on wrestling, my faith and academics. I ended up graduating in the top fifteen in my class, won a state title, and got recruited here.
The material that made the most sense to me would most likely be the American dream. I enjoyed this material the most because it is what our country in truly based on. It is also my favorite subject we discussed and learned about. The concept of Title Nine took me awhile to appreciate not because I believe it is wrong but because of some of its outcome. It is not the meaning behind Title Nine but just the way it is sometimes carried out. By this I mean often times if a school has to cut a sport they cut wrestling. I may just be bitter but it is the way I was brought up. What is most memorable to me is probably the time we spent on Native Americans because they are sort of the forgotten race, culture, and people.