Final Reflections

I had an interesting perception of US sport before I took this class. I really love football, a lot. And I still hold my favorite sport in high regard, but this class has made me think critically about the sport in ways that I had not before. I looked at US sport as a model for hard work, determination, physical excellence, and of course as a form of entertainment. I love watching sports, and I will continue to turn on Sports Center every morning before I go to class. But now I will be noticing how sports are portrayed on ESPN. Who is presenting new information, if the players are being represented in a specific way, the number of female athletes that are mentioned in top plays, and the discourse used to present sports and athletes. I will always love watching football, but this class will make me look a little deeper into how it is presented, as well as the social and cultural influences that have come to shape my perceptions of US sport.

I really liked learning about disabled bodies. I know a decent amount about the paralympics, but I was unaware of the different sports available for disabled athletes. Murderball was an incredibly informative film, and it made me realize that disabled can also mean "abled" as well. The men in the movie participated in wheelchair rugby with the same tenacity and passion as any other "able" bodied athlete. I enjoyed watching the games and the suspense that the film created.

I will start asking (at least to myself) more critical questions about the sports world. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes of sports. Whether it is coaching, the obstacles faced by athletes, the structure of the institutions that control the sports we watch, or the media, I will be looking differently at the sports that I normally did not investigate too deeply before.

I am wanting to go into a career of environmental justice, seeking justice for people of color and poor groups of people and communities who bear disproportionate amounts of environmental toxins and waste. This class has shown how the intersection of race, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation all factor in to how certain groups of people are treated and the opportunities that they have. I want to challenge the institutions that oppress certain groups of people, and this class has shown me that not only is it possible and necessary to demand change, but that it is an incredibly difficult uphill battle.

I would definitely recommend this class to a friend. I found this class to be engaging, informative, and interesting. I did not expect to take so much from this class, and have my perspective on US sport be so drastically affected by this class. It is important for us to ask critical questions about sport, because it is such a valued pastime for Americans. Our understanding of sport needs to be evaluated critically, and this class has taught me to look deeper than the surface of the sports that I am watching.

Why the Man's Man's Game is an Insult to Men

We have come a long way in addressing and recognizing LGBTQIA rights in America. We have several states that now allow same sex marriage, and larger institutions are now implementing policies to protect the rights of those who do not identify as heterosexual. We may pat our backs for these accomplishments, but the reality is that homophobia is far from being a sentiment of the past. People are fearful to reveal their sexual orientation because of potential backlash, slandering, physical violence, or career-ending decisions made by institutions or people in power.

Sport is certainly one institution that does not provide a safe space for the LGBT community. As documented in "Training Rules", blatant homophobia is oftentimes ignored and athletes who identify as lesbian or gay face scrutiny and criticism for their sexual orientation. People like Rene Portland are able to use intimidation and remove scholarships from student athletes because they are in a position of power. Schools claim to take care of such issues, or turn a blind eye to homophobia in their athletic departments. This can be because Portland and others are the coaches that win championships and have excellent records, and by removing them from their position, the school may lose donations from alumni. Another reason may be because homophobia is an incredibly large issue that is multidimensional and intimidating. This issue is larger than college sports, and it is bigger than the case Rene Portland. The NFL reports of a pro athlete considering coming out as gay in the near future. This individual is only considering revealing his sexual orientation, because he fears for the potential (probably inevitable) backlash that he will receive. Sports is not a safe place for the LGBT community, and we need to make some serious changes to remedy that.

I would suggest implementing stricter sanctions for those who engage in homophobic behavior and threaten those whom they believe to be gay or lesbian. This can be accomplished by having players anonymously reporting such behavior to a higher authority, or sending in professionals to observe team dynamics and evaluate the safety of the athletic department. Awareness should be spread to athletic teams both in the NCAA and in professional sports on what homophobia looks like, how to address homophobic acts, and who to contact if players feel threatened or unsafe. Athletes need to feel safe and accepted for who they are and the groups they identify with. This takes a paradigm shift, but it is a necessary movement we need to take for human rights.

Sports and Ethnicity

Sports are incredibly important for African American culture. They are often portrayed as a ticket out of the difficult and oppressive lives that they endure and a way to live meaningful lives outside of poverty. It is popular for Hollywood to portray the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" image while telling stories of African American success in sports. This is, after all, part of the American Dream. Pop culture and news sources often choose the select few stories of black males who come out of the depths of poverty and achieve successful careers as sports superstars. The reality is, these stories are few and far between, and it is incredibly difficult to break the cycle of poverty and oppression that many African American communities face. Hoop Dreams is a prime example of this. Both of the young boys featured in the film were given rare opportunities to play basketball in schools outside of their lower class neighborhoods. Hollywood would take their stories and conclude that the two young men went on to play professional sports and have very accomplished athletic careers. The reality of the situation, however, was that neither were able to pursue professional sporting careers once they graduated. Their adversities persisted, and both found it incredibly difficult to leave their lower class standing. The images portrayed in Hollywood of successful African American athletes who overcame adversities could be seen as detrimental to preserving the myth of race. Racism still exists in America, and Hollywood puts a lot of effort into creating images that argue otherwise. Leaving your socioeconomic standing is difficult in itself, and stories of Black Americans achieving extraordinary feats that allow them to rise from the depths of poverty and oppression are incredibly rare. Yet, we still see many movies suggesting otherwise. I believe it is incredibly important for us to realize that we are putting pressure on Black Americans by making claims that anyone can become a successful athlete if they put in the hard work.

Gendered Sports Commercial

I've selected a series of commercials aired to promote Reebok and increased participation for Fantasy Football. The commercial can be seen here: Pick Me

The commercials are incredibly entertaining, while sending the message that if you are to wear Reebok shoes, you will be able to perform at the same level as the featured athletes. The "Pick Me" commercial is meant to be taken lightly, as it is clear that the various stunts performed are not entirely possible. Regardless, the "Pick Me" commercials clearly communicate gendered messages and ideals of what it means to be an athlete and a man. The messages sent through the commercials are straightforward. Chris Cooley punches through drywall in order to catch a football he cannot even see. This demonstrates that real male athletes have the physical strength and pain tolerance break the physical and metaphoric barriers faced in sport activity. Along with promoting any of the ads feature physical quickness and agility. The men are all physically fit and clearly fit the hegemonic model of masculinity. Professional athletes are expected to deliver outstanding performances during their games, and the men featured in the advertisements perform nearly impossible feats. This creates an intangible standard for aspiring athletes and men alike. They are professionals, but their athleticism is clearly superior as portrayed in the commercials. Jacquelyn Cuneen and M. Joy Sidewell write, "Gender-defining messages in advertising photographs may have an especially profound impact on children because children understand meanings in pictures before they understand meanings in text" (39). If this is true, then advertising on television cannot deviate too far from causing the same impact on youth's perception of gender norms. The "Pick Me" advertisements are entertaining and meant to be light-hearted. To an adult these messages are clear, and it is understood that the athletes featured in the commercials are not actually performing the seemingly impossible activities shown. However, to a younger viewer, these men are role models, and they may strive to be in their shoes one day.

Source:
Cuneen, Jacquelyn and M. Joy Sidewell. 2012. "Research and Reviews Gender Portrayals in Sports Illustrated for Kids Advertisements: A Content Analysis of Prominent and Supporting Models." Journal of Sports Management 12(1):39-50

Interrogating inequalities in Sports Media: Examining gender/race representation in ESPN

I've decided to investigate the presence of gender inequalities in ESPN's sport coverage. I looked at the website and investigated the different top stories for each sport, paying close attention to sports where women have a greater presence.

To begin with, the homepage of ESPN has a sidebar with breaking news/headlines. Each and every single headline had to do with professional sports, all involving men. There was no coverage on women's sports or women athletes. There are different sections that cover sports of all kinds, but they are not immediately available on the home page. You have to click on the option "more sports", which directs you to a wider selection of sports. There you can find the WNBA, women's tennis, and other sports where women are professional athletes.

From my findings, ESPN's coverage of women's sports is far from lacking. The sport pages where women are featured presents a great deal of information and articles examining players and games/matches. It is clear that women's sports have not been pushed to the sideline for ESPN. The only critique I have is that there is no mention of women's sports on the homepage. This demonstrates that ESPN's viewers/readers are more interested in sports such as the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, and the MLB. They readily offer links to the sports, and feature headline articles about players pertaining to the aforementioned sports. This conveys that what is most popular to ESPN's viewers is what is proudly displayed on the home website. My findings support current academic research that claims that females are underrepresented in sports. Women's sport does not claim the same amount of followers and support as men's professional sport. It is clear that women are underrepresented in sport, but ESPN's website does at least make some sort of effort to provide coverage on women's sport. It is a small victory, but the current coverage of women's sport is nowhere near where it should be. Readers should be wary of this coverage, and understand that while we are making some headway in gaining support for women's sport, the battle has not been won yet.

Reflecting on the Shame of College Sports: Should NCAA Div 1 Basketball and Football players get paid?

There are two separate sides to the argument on whether or not D1 college athletes should be paid. Both sides provide compelling arguments and should be considered equally, as this is a hot topic of debate currently.

For those who support paying college athletes, they argue that NCAA's current treatment of players is a form of indentured servitude. College athletes generate a significant amount of revenue for the colleges they play for, yet do not see any of that money themselves. It is argued that the athletes should be compensated for their hard work and dedication to their school and sport, and that it is unfair to withhold the wages earned by them. Another argument is that college athletes do not have the time to work a job, considering that school and their sport consume nearly all of their time. Since so much is being asked of them, college athletes should at least have some sort of allowance so that they are able to feed themselves and live comfortably. Some argue that college athletes' health and safety is put at risk during their participation in sports, so they should receive compensation for engaging in a sport that is high risk. That way, if they are injured, they are able to pay for the medical bills that occur with their injury.

For those against paying college athletes, they argue that the students are already given scholarships that pay for their tuition and part of their housing and food, so they do not need further compensation. The school is giving them opportunities that they would not otherwise be able to have had they not decided to play for the school. Those against paying college athletes argue that receiving free education and support from the school is payment for their participation in college sports. Another argument is that students voluntarily choose to play for their college team, and therefore their time and energy spent playing for their team is in a sense like volunteer work, and therefore they should not expect to be paid for something they are electing to do themselves.

I am caught in the middle of the debate on whether or not college athletes should be paid. I think that since so much money is being made off of the students, that there should be some compensation for their hard work since they are the ones out on the field/court putting in the work. On the other hand, I do believe that receiving a full-ride scholarship in exchange for playing on the college's team is an incredibly generous trade-off. Not only are the athletes gaining recognition for their athletic abilities, but they are also receiving a quality education that will help them for the rest of their lives. I am curious to see how this situation plays out in the future.

High School Sport

High school sports emerged in the early 20th century. Schools believed that physical education would be beneficial to students and that learning should not only involve the mind but the body as well. The social context in which high school sports emerged was peppered with racism and sexism as outlined in the novel Friday Night Lights, a true story based off of a town called Odessa in Texas. The town was completely dedicated to the success of the high school football team, and perpetuated racial and gendered stereotypes. Men were considered "women" and weak if they did not hit hard enough and practice constantly. Blacks and Mexicans were blamed for any and all misfortunes that came to be at the town. Women were expected to attend games and be on the sideline, encouraging the male athletes and catering to their needs.

Objectives of high school sport vary based on who is asked. Men tend to view sports participation as a gateway to achieving a masculine identity, gaining acceptance among their peers, and claiming recognition as an adult. Women tend to view sports as less of an indicator of their identity and more as a part of their larger project to achieving their goals. Parents and teachers believe that participation in high school sports will lead students to become more disciplined and obtain better grades. Some students play sports to gain popularity, others to facilitate sexual experiences. The desired outcome of sport participation is incredibly variable.

High school sport is valued in American culture because there is a widely held belief that participation in sports builds character and the student will benefit greatly from playing. As mentioned above, high school sports can also bring communities together and bring a great sense of pride among not only the students but the parents and fans as well. High school sports brings prestige to those who participate, among parents, administrators, teachers, peers, and the local community. Large events are held in honor of the teams and players, and brings the players a sense of pride and autonomy.

There are, however, many problems associated with high school athletics. Coaches are not held as accountable as teachers, and therefore have more leniency in their coaching methods and the way they treat their players. Unethical practices may be utilized and coaches may not face the same repercussions that teachers and other authority figures would if they were in the same position. Gendered stereotypes are also perpetuated in interscholastic sport. Men are expected to be aggressive, physically fit, and violent. Women are reprimanded for sharing the same characteristics, and are oftentimes bullied by being labeled as masculine or have their sexuality questioned. Finally, socioeconomic differences are highlighted in high school sports. Student athletes in low income areas are identified as good students because sports are seen as a ticket out of poverty. In upper-class areas, sports are often criticized as interfering with students' academic abilities.

One solution may be holding coaches accountable for their actions towards their athletes, and reviewing their conduct seasonally. Coaches can also be asked to limit who plays and how frequently based off of their grades and school participation. Coaching conduct should be very important to school administration and be monitored closely.