The NFL is considering expanding the league overseas to London. I think this may be a good idea. American football is becoming extremely popular all around the world. Taking it to London would result in more marketing and more revenue. London is a premiere location so the NFL has the right idea. However there are some issues with this idea. First of all traveling to london would be a complete hassle for players. frequent Long flight hours is not good on the body.The different time zones will have a big affect not only on the players but on the TV companies and their ability to sustain viewers. Another issue would be competition, London teams may not be as talented as the teams here in the US given the fact that is is not as popular out there. AS a result filling the stadium to generate the number they hope may prove to be a difficult task.
The idea is there, it may take a little more planning though. If it is proven to be successful many more opportunities would be available for thousands of people. The money that could be generated would be substantial, which is why this is even in consideration. I would like to see it work myself so hopefully the NFL can find a way to resolve some of the major issues.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
Sociogenesis of American Football.
American Football can be traced back to rugby in Great Britain in the 19th century. The major difference between the sport of rugby and football are the first two rule changes; which were the development of the line of scrimmage and down and distance. These rules were implemented by who we consider the father of american football, Walter camp. Later a group of men implemented the forward pass, which changed the game drastically until this day. In 1892 was the first year football was considered a professional sport. In 1920 the National Football League was formed, and 40 years years later there was a merger between the NFL and the AFL which was a rival league of the NFL but with less popularity, and that is the reason we now how the super bowl.
Challenges and issues that have now been raised revolve mainly around player safety and sportsmanship. New rules have been added to protect players from concussions and other injuries. AS a result these rules have changed the game making it an even more difficult game to play. The list of things you can and cannot do get lengthier each and every year.
Below is a picture of football's earliest uniforms
Above is a picture of the 2014 pro bowl uniforms.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sport Society & Me
From the day that I was born, you could say i was destined to play sports. My dad was a football player at the University of Nebraska and then went on to play in the NFL for a little bit. At a early age I was pretty much forced into sports starting with baseball then on to football at the age of 6. I played baseball up until high school, and in high school I decided to run track and play football. Now I play football here at the university. I can honestly say that through all of the lessons learned from being heavily involved in sports I am who I am today. Sports have molded my character, developing my toughness, work ethic, leadership and teamwork. These types of things cannot be taught by a teacher in a classroom, even at a prestigious university such as this one.
The celebrity status of the athletes who partake in these sports have shows what our society values. Athletes are put on a pedestal , and are held as the pinnacle of American society. Whether or not all athletes should be viewed as the role models we make them out to be is a topic for another discussion. I have noticed an interesting shift of values in American sports that has taken the value we place on winning at the professional level, and slowly shifted it down to younger and younger groups. An interesting new show recently appeared on the Esquire Network called "Friday Night Tykes". The show is a documentary on youth football in texas. It expresses the coaches obsession with winning at all costs and throwing out the past methods of giving all kids at young ages an equal shot to play and have fun. The values that can be learned fro sports in our society teaches children in a healthy way and gives them a path to where they can be successful.
The celebrity status of the athletes who partake in these sports have shows what our society values. Athletes are put on a pedestal , and are held as the pinnacle of American society. Whether or not all athletes should be viewed as the role models we make them out to be is a topic for another discussion. I have noticed an interesting shift of values in American sports that has taken the value we place on winning at the professional level, and slowly shifted it down to younger and younger groups. An interesting new show recently appeared on the Esquire Network called "Friday Night Tykes". The show is a documentary on youth football in texas. It expresses the coaches obsession with winning at all costs and throwing out the past methods of giving all kids at young ages an equal shot to play and have fun. The values that can be learned fro sports in our society teaches children in a healthy way and gives them a path to where they can be successful.
Sports Ethic
1. Making sacrifices for the game.2. Striving for distinction3. Accepting risks and playing through pain4. Not accepting no limits in the pursuit of possibilities
These are the 4 dimensions that truly define an athlete and the ethic they must possess to play the game according to Hughes and Coakley. Sports ethic refers to the criteria of defining what it means to be a real athlete.
Hughes and Coakley talk about how athletes conform to these dimensions and these dimensions begin to become a norm and become a distraction or a disruption to the everything in their lives. Their personal lives such as family, relationships, even their own health suffer from these norms. The reason this happens is because athletes love their sport, for some it is their life. Some athletes are so attached because they have been playing the sport at such a young age. I have experienced one of the four dimensions, I've experienced making sacrifices for the game. During the year I only get to spend about a month and a half at home the reason being is because I am at school training getting ready for the up-coming season. I do it because I love and care to much about my sport.
These are the 4 dimensions that truly define an athlete and the ethic they must possess to play the game according to Hughes and Coakley. Sports ethic refers to the criteria of defining what it means to be a real athlete.
Hughes and Coakley talk about how athletes conform to these dimensions and these dimensions begin to become a norm and become a distraction or a disruption to the everything in their lives. Their personal lives such as family, relationships, even their own health suffer from these norms. The reason this happens is because athletes love their sport, for some it is their life. Some athletes are so attached because they have been playing the sport at such a young age. I have experienced one of the four dimensions, I've experienced making sacrifices for the game. During the year I only get to spend about a month and a half at home the reason being is because I am at school training getting ready for the up-coming season. I do it because I love and care to much about my sport.
Sport(S) in the US
There are many sports that go on within the United state. But there are only a few sports popular enough that most of us watch. Those sports are football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. All these sports share similar characteristics. They all involve competition where athletes go against one another. They all involve training where athletes push their bodies to the limit in order to be physically prepared for their upcoming season.
I am a division 1 athlete and game day to me is a unique experience. Usually there are tons of fans tailgating before the game. Both teams are represented on game day. Before the game commentators are previewing key match ups that they believe will help dictate the outcome of the game. Success in sports in measured on how much someone wins. By that I mean how many championships he/she wins or how many individual accolades someone wins.
A trait I would associate a successful athlete is commitment. I believe you have to be committed to yourself first. That means that you do the necessary things in order to give yourself the best opportunity to be successful. I think it is important to entertain your viewers and keep them interested in watching the sport.
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