The NFL is keen to expand overseas because sports and especially in America are all moving towards this idea of Globalization of the sports world. Sports nowadays are hugely dependent and focused on money and viewership. As much as it bothers me to say it, it seems that all the people in the sports world care about is making money. I think the NFL chose London for several reasons. One being that Wembley stadium houses enough fans and is a good location geographically for the NFL. Also, London has a big concentration (from the recent popularity and attendance at the last games) and in terms of money it has been successful for the NFL, which is why some people think it should be a permanent thing. The previously mentioned aspects are factors that are facilitating the NFL overseas and for good reason. However, I think social media is also playing a big part in the increased amount of NFL fans and popularity in London. One London newspaper writes about how Facebook, Twitter, and Google all have offices in Shoreditch and are helping the popularity of American Football. One blogger in London Jamie Cutteridge and his friend David Dickson started an NFL blog called Any Given Sunday Night that was originally planned to just give people information about the game and what was going on in general. However, the blog spiraled out of control and is now one of the main sources for fans to find out instantaneous scores, highlights, and updates. The blog and much social media in and around London has this mentality of "no fan gets left out". This is the type of snowball effect that has been happening since 2007 when the games started in London. Some drawbacks to the expansion to London were brought up perfectly in the article by Bill Barnwell in which he brought up everything from travel time, affects on the players from traveling, players not wanting to live abroad, the cost of living abroad, should the teams abroad be allotted more cap room, should players get cost of living pay, players refusing to play for teams abroad, and will they even sell out the stadium eight times a year? All these points are very valid and I think most of them are too important to try and make adjustments. And if these adjustments were done then the game would change radically and personally I would be disappointed with Goodell and the NFL. This dark-side aspect of the game that has been brought up before, is really apparent in the expansion talks. This league is called the National Football League for a reason, it is an American game in which American teams play each other. The NFL has really seen ultimate low for me personally with trying to put a team in London. The reason this is a low is because it is another reminder that the NFL is really all about money. And not for that love of the game that most of experienced when we were little. The game is supposed to be pure and in the greatest sense a form of art. The game now in the NFL is so much about money and expanding and making it so extraordinary and amazing. However, I think the game itself is both extraordinary and amazing but its hidden behind the shadows of money, expansion, and greed.
How Social Media is Helping the NFL Grow in London
Friday, January 31, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
The Sociogenesis of Cricket
The first documented cricket information was approximately somewhere around 1550 in Guildford, Surrey. Without actual documentation it is assumed that cricket started somewhere in northern England sometime after the Dark Ages. From the research I couldn't find one specific person or group of people responsible for the start of cricket. However, I did find a couple cricket clubs that were supposed to be at least partly responsible; they were The Hambledon Club and the Merlebone Cricket Club (MCC) (Brittanica). Earliest records of cricket have exclusively men playing the game and specifically aristocrats and business men. Cricket diffused to North America through the English colonies in the 17th century. Cricket later diffused to West Indies, Austrailia, New Zealand, and South Africa then followed by the rest of the world by the beginning of the 19th century. The first recorded rules came from The Duke of Richmond and Alan Brodick in 1728 were known as the Articles of Agreement. In 1774 the rules were amended things like the maximum bat width, middle stump, and giving authority of in-game decisions to the two 'umpires'. The amendments were done by the Star and Garter Club which were made up of the same men who started the MCC. The original equipment was a bat that was usually a sturdy curved tree branch that resembled modern day hockey sticks. The ball that was used was usually a roundish rock that wasn't too heavy to break the branch. The equipment slowly evolved to more handcrafted elegant bats and balls.
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| http://neweraofsports.blogspot.com/2013/06/history-of-cricket-starting-of-new-era.html |
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| http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GandM_Purist-Grace_match_cricket_balls.jpg |
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| http://hockeygods.com/hockeys/15-Bandy |
1844 First official international match: Canada v United States.
1853 First mention of a champion county: Nottinghamshire.
1873 WG Grace becomes the first player to record 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a season.
First regulations restricting county qualifications, often regarded as the official start of the County Championship.
First regulations restricting county qualifications, often regarded as the official start of the County Championship.
1900 Six-ball over becomes the norm, instead of five.
1910 Six runs given for any hit over the boundary, instead of only for a hit out of the ground.
1971 First one-day international: Australia v England at Melbourne.
1975 First World Cup: West Indies beat Australia in final at Lord's.
1976 First women's match at Lord's, England v Australia.
1975 First World Cup: West Indies beat Australia in final at Lord's.
1976 First women's match at Lord's, England v Australia.
2005 The ICC introduces Powerplays and Supersubs in ODIs, and hosts the inaugural Superseries.
The sport now faces current issues of dealing with serious misconduct like Pakistan a few years ago being accused of ball tampering. There are also some problems with getting an international league and regular season system that we see in so many other sports. It also faces trouble with making sure that women's cricket is seen as just as important as men's on national levels as well as internationally.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Sport in the Ancient World
Coakley addressed a few games that were especially popular at the time, wrestling, boxing, javelin, discus throwing, foot racing, archery, and long jumping were all popular in Ancient Greece. The most popular ones were especially wrestling and foot racing as we saw in the YouTube videos for Ancient Greece. However in Ancient Rome, the games were more used for training soldiers that doubled as spectacle for the Roman people. There was a big focus on creating and honing individual skills that would be used in battle, according to Coakley. As far as the characteristics, the Greeks were very particular about the time and place of the olympiad games. The games had to take place after the third or fourth full moon after the summer solstice. Modern sports are often controlled by some sort of bureaucracy that makes the rules and any changes to the game or the rules. In ancient times it is best to look at the Greek games in which they had what they called a 'gymnasiarc' that was in control of each gymnasium in each Greek city. These gymnasiarcs would act as the bureaucracy and adjudicate the rules and the games. In Roman sports they an official governing body known as the guild of athletes that adjudicated the rules of the game and even established what tools would be used in each game or what the the athletes would wear. In the beginning the games took place for a single race, as years went on they got more and more elaborate to more chariot races and even to boxing and wrestling (Guttman). The games started and ended with elaborate festivals to celebrate the games and the athletes and especially the athletes that won. Based on the explanation you can infer that these games often played a role more in the lines of entertainment than some religious ceremonies at all. The entertainment was generally for the upper class while the lower class men would compete.
The Roman games however mocked the Greek games because they took place, as previously mentioned, as a preparation to war or to train warriors. In Roman society gawking over Greek games was considered agains the views of the nobility (Guttman). As far as sport as religion, in comparison to modern sport the Roman model is more akin to the sports we now see (Guttman). The Romans even saw their games a possible ulterior to war. The Greek olympiad games and the Roman war training games were often seen as games for lower class. There were certain games that were more aristocratic, such as tennis and bowling. From the Guttman reading in Greek games like tennis and bowling the government ruled them as only available to aristocrats and nobleman. These games were considered for such nobility that gender did not matter anymore. Furthermore, there were many women that were actually considered to be far superior than some men at the game. These were really the only games that women could participate in, most games in Greek and Roman cultures were exclusively created by and played by men. Considering specialization/professionalism of the athletes it was highly recommended and pushed for in Greek sports. However, in Roman sports they thought professionalism in a sport dampened the building of an all-around person.
The Roman games however mocked the Greek games because they took place, as previously mentioned, as a preparation to war or to train warriors. In Roman society gawking over Greek games was considered agains the views of the nobility (Guttman). As far as sport as religion, in comparison to modern sport the Roman model is more akin to the sports we now see (Guttman). The Romans even saw their games a possible ulterior to war. The Greek olympiad games and the Roman war training games were often seen as games for lower class. There were certain games that were more aristocratic, such as tennis and bowling. From the Guttman reading in Greek games like tennis and bowling the government ruled them as only available to aristocrats and nobleman. These games were considered for such nobility that gender did not matter anymore. Furthermore, there were many women that were actually considered to be far superior than some men at the game. These were really the only games that women could participate in, most games in Greek and Roman cultures were exclusively created by and played by men. Considering specialization/professionalism of the athletes it was highly recommended and pushed for in Greek sports. However, in Roman sports they thought professionalism in a sport dampened the building of an all-around person.
Sport, Society & Me
Sports, for me, have always been the one I can turn to or focus on when other things weren't going the way they were supposed to. Other than the deep meaning of escaping problems sports are something that relieves stress and eventual relaxes me. I started sports very young and being in a family where sports are important gave me a competitive side very early. I was never a kid with a lot of video games so I was always outside playing street football, baseball, or basketball. I admit now that sports are not as prevalent in my life today as they were four or five years ago. However, when I can find the time I never turn down a fun pick-up game or time to the throw the baseball or football. This connection started young and will never really be out of my life.
I think in American Society sport plays a very important role and I believe this role can be positive and negative. There are many negative aspects to sports in society that come from steroid abuse and all the other aspects that were brought up in Eitzen's chapter. I also believe there are positive aspects in sports in America, it can teach perseverance, strength, and character. However, sports in America tend to get incredibly overly sensationalized and I think most people get caught up in the sensationalization that they forget what values we are actually supposed to get out of sports. I believe sports are supposed to teach you something outside of the basics rather than how to abuse steroids and make the most money possible. I think I came to this conclusion through the losses and disappointments in sports, a bad game, a bad play, not starting, and not making it to the next level. These tough times taught me that sports aren't everything in life and even when the competition is over I had still learned valuable lessons and that I will always have that "love for the game" if you will. Athletes in America are very respected, even more so the more popular or well known they are. The 'best' athletes are more respected, for example Peyton Manning is more respected than say a lower level of quarterback like Josh McCown. However, if a quarterback like Josh McCown came to a high school clinic to coach some quarterbacks he would be very respected by those players are being coached by a player who made it to the highest level of the sport. I know this because of my level of respect for lower level quarterbacks because of the coaching I have received from them.
I think in American Society sport plays a very important role and I believe this role can be positive and negative. There are many negative aspects to sports in society that come from steroid abuse and all the other aspects that were brought up in Eitzen's chapter. I also believe there are positive aspects in sports in America, it can teach perseverance, strength, and character. However, sports in America tend to get incredibly overly sensationalized and I think most people get caught up in the sensationalization that they forget what values we are actually supposed to get out of sports. I believe sports are supposed to teach you something outside of the basics rather than how to abuse steroids and make the most money possible. I think I came to this conclusion through the losses and disappointments in sports, a bad game, a bad play, not starting, and not making it to the next level. These tough times taught me that sports aren't everything in life and even when the competition is over I had still learned valuable lessons and that I will always have that "love for the game" if you will. Athletes in America are very respected, even more so the more popular or well known they are. The 'best' athletes are more respected, for example Peyton Manning is more respected than say a lower level of quarterback like Josh McCown. However, if a quarterback like Josh McCown came to a high school clinic to coach some quarterbacks he would be very respected by those players are being coached by a player who made it to the highest level of the sport. I know this because of my level of respect for lower level quarterbacks because of the coaching I have received from them.
The Sport Ethic
The Sport Ethic is this rough guideline of what it means to be a 'real' athlete. Furthermore, it comes from the coaches and players that are closest to the game and knows what it means to make sport as important as it is. There are four categories that describe the Sport Ethic. The first is being an athlete means making sacrifices for the game, this basically means that athlete will do anything to keep up with the demands of the game and the competition. The second is being an athlete involves striving for distinction, this means that athletes will do whatever they can to get better and get closer to perfection, winning and successes help immensely here but this is usually an ongoing battle. The third is being an athlete involves accepting risks and playing through pain, this means the athlete plays through pain, risk, and fear, essentially an athlete will play through pain or make the play that has a lot of risk because it needs to be done for the team and to succeed. The fourth is being an athlete involves refusing to accept limits in the pursuit of possibilities, which means that an athlete doesn't accept a situation without trying to change it.
Athletes conform to these beliefs because they crave the exhilaration of the sport and the positive reinforcement of succeeding from coaches or other players or fans or anyone who shows praise to an athlete. I have encountered some of the criteria, the first criteria I did everything I could do to play football in high school and start on varsity. I was trying to stick to a three to four thousand calorie diet with mass amounts of protein to put on weight. On top of all that I was trying to get faster and throw harder and more accurate that I worked myself into lower back problems. Which leads me to the third criteria of playing through pain. My lower back pain came from scoliosis which from the doctors told me to fix it completely at that time would've meant sitting out my senior year, I decided to play through the risk and pain and finish my senior year. Looking back on it now it sounds more dangerous than I thought at the time but I guess that is where the over conforming to these beliefs comes into play.
Athletes conform to these beliefs because they crave the exhilaration of the sport and the positive reinforcement of succeeding from coaches or other players or fans or anyone who shows praise to an athlete. I have encountered some of the criteria, the first criteria I did everything I could do to play football in high school and start on varsity. I was trying to stick to a three to four thousand calorie diet with mass amounts of protein to put on weight. On top of all that I was trying to get faster and throw harder and more accurate that I worked myself into lower back problems. Which leads me to the third criteria of playing through pain. My lower back pain came from scoliosis which from the doctors told me to fix it completely at that time would've meant sitting out my senior year, I decided to play through the risk and pain and finish my senior year. Looking back on it now it sounds more dangerous than I thought at the time but I guess that is where the over conforming to these beliefs comes into play.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Sports In The USA
Here in America we have several popular sports which are American Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, and Soccer. One characteristic that all these sports have in common is that they all have some sort of professionalized level in which the best adults in each of these sports play for teams representing their respective states in the United States. In general, each of these sports has different divisions within all the teams that divides them into two sides. All the teams on one side play each other until the last two from each side are left to play to see who is the best out of the entire country. This type of competition, for the most part, extends through all non-professional levels. Furthermore, sports in America are obsessed with determining who is the best out of everyone.
A Typical Game Day:
A Typical Game Day:
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| AP Photo/Mark Humphrey |
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This is probably what most people think of when they think of a game day. Game day for fans of the popular sports in America usually means tailgating and grilling hot dogs and hamburgers on the back of their truck or SUV and drinking beer. Of course not all people can go to the actual game so most people do the same sort of things just at their home. Athletes in America however have their own unique rituals that "gets their head in the game" or in other words gets them focused on what they need to do to win. This isn't something that can be boiled down to burgers and beer, each athlete or even coach has their own way of getting ready for the game. During the actual game athletes still have their own ways to stay focused on the entire game. In America we are obsessed with the big hits, big plays, last minute scores, overtime games, and the most extravagant wins. We place so much importance on the best that we even want to see the best games, which means close games that come down to the last minute. We value competition over anything else, blowouts are not as valued as other close games.
As previously mentioned, in America we measure success by wins and by who is the best. In America, winning means success, and the ultimate success is to win the final game or the championship. As for the athletes we associate the characteristics such as the best, champion, or the person who overcame great lengths to win. In America, we love to see a person overcome some great lengths or injuries to come back and win and be the best. One of the biggest stories in America right now is about Peyton Manning and how he had several neck surgeries a couple years ago and sat out an entire year of football and everyone thought he wouldn't come back as good as he ever was. Now, he is in the championship game and has had an incredible year. These are the stories and values we use when we think about sports in America and being successful.
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