Sports in the United States are not only looked at as entertainment, but a way of life. Baseball once looked at as Americas pass time has taken a back seat. College football changed American culture by opening doors for masculinity, feminism, race diversity and the, disconnect between athletes and the general population. Building on turn-of-the-century passions for the game among college alumni, no American sport better capitalized on the opportunities provided by new electronic media than football, in both its professional and collegiate forms. The annual Super Bowl has become late-twentieth-century America's single-greatest televised sporting event—indeed, its single-greatest television event, period, with workplace water-cooler talk the following Monday as likely to concern the new advertisements debuted in 30-second, one-million-dollar advertising slots as on the game itself. Like the Thanksgiving Day college games in New York during the 1890s, football today is as much a spectacle as a sporting event. Football is not just a televised marketing and entertainment vehicle, however. While it trails other sports as a recreational activity for youths and adults, football is the cornerstone of extracurricular life at high schools nationwide as well as college. In some areas, local "football fever" is so prominent that entire communities' identities seem to be wrapped up in the local football teams—places like Stark County, Ohio, where the legendary Massillon High School Tigers draw more than 100,000 spectators per year, or Midland-Odessa, Texas, where the annual Permian-Lee rivalry draws more than 20,000 partisans. Football's popularity helps make the sport a symbolic battlefield in American "culture wars." For it... ... middle of paper ... ... the difference in race but allows them to learn how to play with each other on the field for the same team. Many college players thrive to be the next icon or next millionaire thus ending racial disparity in sports. College athletics has also closed the racial gap as coaching is concerned. Texas known for its particular ways now has its first black coach in Charlie Strong as well as helping to push the NFL to hire minority coaches. Pittsburg known for its blue-collar mentality hired its first black head coach in Mike Tomlin who has guided the team to one Superbowl victory and 4 yds. Short of another, Performance is what’s looked at in our society today showing the tolerance that has been created through one sport. Once racial barriers are knocked down the general public then looks at masculinity and creates a standard for all men.
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Show MoreAbstract: High school football in the state of Texas has become out of control. The sport is no longer played for the sake of the school but rather has become a Friday night ritual to these small towns in Texas. The players are no longer just high school kids inter acting in school sports but have now become heroes to these small town communities. Communities simply no longer support their local high school team but rally in pride of their hometown rivalry against another team. School administrators and coaches no longer are teachers and mentors for the kids but are the equivalent to what in professional football are team owners and "real coaches". Parents have become agents and sacrifice their jobs and homes so that their child may play for the right team. Finally the fans, the fans have lost the sense that it is just a high school sport and changed the game to a level of professional sports. I plan to prove and show that for all these reasons Texas high school football has become out of control. It is no longer the game that it was originally meant to be.
Historical and sociological research has shown, through much evidence collection and analysis of primary documents that the American sporting industry can give an accurate reflection, to a certain extent, of racial struggles and discrimination into the larger context of American society. To understand this stance, a deep look into aspects of sport beyond simply playing the game must be a primary focus. Since the integration of baseball, followed shortly after by American football, why are the numbers of African American owners, coaches and managers so very low? What accounts for the absence of African American candidates from seeking front office and managerial roles? Is a conscious decision made by established members of each organization or is this matter a deeper reflection on society? Why does a certain image and persona exist amongst many African American athletes? Sports historians often take a look at sports and make a comparison to society. Beginning in the early 1980’s, historians began looking at the integration of baseball and how it preceded the civil rights movement. The common conclusion was that integration in baseball and other sports was indeed a reflection on American society. As African Americans began to play in sports, a short time later, Jim Crow laws and segregation formally came to an end in the south. Does racism and discrimination end with the elimination of Jim Crow and the onset of the civil rights movement and other instances of race awareness and equality? According to many modern sports historians and sociologists, they do not. This paper will focus on the writings of selected historians and sociologists who examine th...
Football is a full contact sport that millions of fans watch every season even though it is not a worldwide sport yet. Baseball may be America’s past time but football is America’s obsession. It is played on a field but the athletes seem more like gladiators fighting for blood in the arena for the amusement of their fans. The sport has changed drastically over the years into an event unlike any other, from gaining fans to implementing new rules and regulations in order to keep players safe.
Sports played and continue to play a pivotal role in American history and culture. Baseball provided an escape from the stress and frustration of WWII, a beacon of light during hard times and later helped influence integration. Athletes became symbols of what being a true American meant and many sports enhanced American culture. One of the most prolific changes sports brought to our society was the beginning of racial equality on the field. It encouraged and aided the fledgling equal rights movement that evolved in the 1960s. African American athletes were considered second-class citizen until sports provided the first taste of equality. Teams life the Indians, Dodgers and Giants led the way for all teams to accept black players on equal footing. More sports then followed, helping to pave the way for the equal rights movement. African American athletes provided a spark of social and cultural change as America was at the emergence of the civil rights movement.
Men and women from all walks of life in the United States watch sports and identify themselves with a team. Fathers and sons watch the big game together and talk endlessly about the outcome. This American culture has developed over the course of generations.
In the article titled, “Dear Americans: Whatever You Do, Don’t Ban College Football,” published May 26, 2012 on pjmedia.com, Michael Van Der Galien endeavors his audience the influence of football, and how banning the sport within schools will take away the uniqueness of the sport. Van Der Galien compares football players as “gladiators”; how gladiators are known to entertain the crowd while hurting one another. No matter how dangerous the sport may be, Van Der Galien is confused on how analyst are shocked about the man injuries in football. Coming from England, Van Der Galien believes that football is freedom for America, and how “the freedom to pursue your happiness, regardless of what know-it-alls thinks.” (Van Der Galien, 2012, para. 6). Mr. Gladwell, interviewer from Slate, argues about how college football needs to be banned because of its health issues, and how it does not benefit the academics whatsoever.
Growing up in America sport is a vital part of everyday life. From childhood to adulthood some aspect of sport pertains to virtually everyone. As a child one is looking to find a hobby so they play sports. As a parent fathers look forward to coaching their child’s little league team. And as tens and young adults sports are an opportunity to become a “somebody” and do something amazing. The general perception in high school and college is that athletes have it all. If you’re good at sports then you don’t have to worry about schoolwork or popularity and essentially you have but not a care in the world; you are invincible. Although it is great to see some succeed and become professional athletes many others do not have the same fate. The fate of these athletes, which happens to be the majority, is what drives my opinion on college sport.
H.G. Bissinger’s Friday Night Lights brings to mind the cold, autumn nights of 1988 where a town, just like any other rural town in America, was brought together in such a raw and emotional way. From the rise and fall of Boobie Miles to the push for the playoffs, it is clear that 1988 Odessa was swept up in the glory of football to replace the grandeur of the 1950s, which seemed to deteriorate throughout that hectic decade. While a modern reader may view Bissinger’s masterpiece as a tale from a dated and faraway place, several factors have kept it in the public’s eye. What is it about Friday Night Lights that still resonates today? The answer can still be found in the same rural towns of America. Though it may seem incredible, Texas is still football crazy, and it may be fairly concluded that emotions have only slightly receded from the obsession they once held towards high school football. People’s inability to analyze themselves, the impact a community can have on younger generations, and the way priorities can easily be warped all struck me as subjects that have stayed true in Texas culture over the past 26 years. I will be discussing these topics throughout this dissection of Friday Night Lights.
Over the past 20 years, college athletics has gained in popularity. College sports has become a household entity. Every child growing up has their favorite college team. Whether it be from family relations with alumni, geographic orientation or simply watching the sports colleges provide. In the world of college sports, there are three that stand out above the rest. Football, basketball and baseball are among the NCAA’s top-grossing sports. Billions of dollars are generated through marketing contracts, ticket-sales, and merchandising. Intercollegiate sports have boosted revenue as well as increasing the popularity and public image of their respective Universities.
Even though football and soccer often share a name, the two sports are vastly different: they both contain their own merits though; each has its own athletes, rules, and fan base. Athletes in both sports are incredibly fit and in control of their bodies although they can differ. In soccer, all positions require speed, agility, and leg dexterity in order to out run their opponent and maneuver the ball while in football the variety of positions require different attributes. Height is only beneficial in soccer for some defenders and mid-fielders in order to gain an advantage to jump for heading while it can act to slow attackers who need speed and quickness above jump height. Speed, in both running and ball control, is required above all else to chase or lose the other team. To wrestle control of the ball from opponents, defenders in soccer must simply be stronger than the lightweight sized attackers. Only goalies need hand-eye coordination while the rest of the team needs only foot finesse. In football the many positions require their own set of needs. Quarterbacks must be tall to see the field over the lineman and have a good arm to throw the ball. Lineman must be as large and strong as possible to block or move the opposing line man. Runningbacks need speed and quickness to out run and dodge while having enough strength to break tackles and hold on to the ball. Receivers are similar except that they also need hand-eye coordination to catch passes and height to outreach the defense. Linebackers must be the most versatile, with strength to take down ball carriers and a combination of speed and coordination to keep up with receivers. Defensive backs need to keep up with receivers to stop passes. Mentally, it is demanded that players...
Pappano, Laura. “How Big-Time Sports Ate College Life” Norton Sampler: Short Essays for Composition, 8th ed. Pages 591-600. 2013.
Football is said to have originated from the Han Dynasty in China, from around two or three B.C. Although there is no specific creator of Football, there is evidence that the Chinese ‘dribbled’ balls made of various different animal skins filled with light-weight materials. After dribbling the ball, they were to kick the ball into a small net. Along with being a leisure activity for the ancient Chinese, evidence has been found that they also used it for training their vast army, the only difference in the training was the height of the nets. The balls were to be kicked into a net that was thirty feet or higher off the ground in order to make the Chinese army ready to move and also to make them stronger in the legs. Since the Chinese played ‘Football’ there have been many advancements in the game around the world and the rules have also changed greatly.
Sports have been played all around the world for hundreds of thousands of years. Its help shaped the way we live as human beings. Everything reveals around sports these days. Take baseball for example, it’s has grown to be known as Americas past time. Mainly because it has help shaped America. How? Why? You may ask yourself. Baseball has been a sport that has been around for a long time all the way it roots date back to the late 1800. However it didn’t really get popular until the 1860. During this time America was going throw some difficulty’s because of World War 2 with Germany becoming an ultimate power house and African Americans not having equal rights. People turned to sports to put their minds to ease however African Americans wanted to be equal as well but people weren’t not giving them the respect they wanted to revise.
Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, but so Cassius Clay, Jackie Robinson, and Bill Russell. Long before King’s famous “I Had a Dream” speech or Rosa Parks famous stand came something much simpler: sports. Sports have always had the ability to open people’s eyes in a way that is more impactful than words or actions. The way that athletics can shape a persons mind, or open their eyes to something beyond what they already believe, is incredible. They can get everyone to root for a common purpose, a common goal. And for some, that was freedom. The integration of professional and collegiate athletics not only changed sports history, but helped shape American history.
Athletes who play football share the same goal as athletes who play soccer: score the most goals to win the game. In football, there are two areas on opposite sides of the field where one can score points by bringing the football over the goal line. Soccer shares this same concept by having two nets on opposite sides of the field where one can score a point by kicking the soccer ball into the net. Also, both sports share the concept of having an offense and defense, and both sports each have eleven players on a team on the field at a time. These are only few of many similarities between these two sports, but in actuality, they are significantly different. The rules, rituals, and concepts of both sports distinguish themselves from each other.