Fake It Until You Make It

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How does flopping affect the leagues?

Flopping has become a major issue in todays world of sports. Flopping is when a player fakes a fall or foul of any kind to try and get the referee’s attention for a free shot or in football get extra yard. Five time NBA champion Kobe Bryant calls this“chump ball”. This art of flopping is turning these professional athletes into actors. Flopping has been around for centuries, but has recently became worse then ever before in sports today. Although some players get their way when they flop, the leagues frowns upon it and agrees with the sports nation that something has to be done about it. Why is flopping a problem?

Players often flop when they are desperate for a win or has the fans excited and want to keep up the momentum. Although the NFL has its share of floppers, the NBA has the most and is more easier to spot, so the NBA has came up with a solution. Just recently the NBA passed a new rule called the Anti-Flopping rule which will fine the players up to $30,000 for flopping. Flopping takes away the fundamentals of the game and not only that but it also holds the game up. How effective will this rule be, and how will the refs in the league separate the flops from the real fouls? I hope this does change the league a little for the fact of keeping the game completely. Although flopping isn’t the worst thing you can do, but it is a desperate crutch a lot of players today use.

The new rule was enforced to make the game better, but ironically some players are opposed to it. According to NBA star Drew Gooden “flopping should just be ignored because it is hard to police”. News reporter Chase Kiddy says “Let the players police themselves. No code of conduct is required; just do what baseball does. Let the veteran players take over and institute a culture of no flopping.” Both could be right, the officials don’t always make the right calls and some even go overlooked, they can only see what their eyes will let them see. Although the veterans players should start to set the example and all the rookies and underclassmen in the game will follow suit. Some of the better known floppers of the NBA are players from the L.A. Clippers Team. One player that stands out from this team is dunking star Blake Griffin who gets the crowds attention from showing off his jumping skills. Griffin sometimes takes the momentum and run with it when he’s desperate for attention making flopping a natural instinct and feeding off the crowd.

The NFL is a sport that requires more contact and more players that has to be observed by the referees which makes it harder to spot the floppers. The NFL players hardly ever flop because there is a chance that the refs might not see them, but the camera will. When the floppers make it obvious that they have just flopped more than likely the camera will get it and expose the player. The floppers sometimes even result in desperate measures and act injured just to go to the bench to sell it to the crowd. One of the most famous flops of the NFL is when a player from the Pittsburgh Steelers flopped directly in front of the camera. The flopper was the defender that missed a tackle and gave up more yards than expected and flew backwards hoping for a flag.

As much as players would love to flop around and get free calls and go to the line for free throws all night, this is not the way the game was meant to be played. Flopping takes away from the game in so many different ways and players apparently don’t see the wrong in it because they continue to bounce around and fall all over the place. We all see how bad it has gotten. So bad to the point where they had to make a rule against flopping. Now we have to look at this 2 ways either we will start having better performances without acting or a lot of broke NBA players that can not following the rules. With this rule now active there is possibility players start to recognize and respect this rule. No matter how much money these super stars are making I doubt they would risk their money and spot on the court over one or two free points. Flopping is good acting not good sportsmanship and all the players know wrong from right and the best players don’t have to flop to be at the top.

Why Penalize The Players?

                Recruitment for future college athletes is a major event in their lives. For many, their junior and senior years of high school are spent visiting campuses and talking to coaches. For many, a sense of trust is built between them and the coach from the college they choose to attend. But, what if all of the hype, excitement, and trust is damaged when they find out a school is being sanctioned by the NCAA or they find out that the school, coach, or athletic department is not able or willing to provide them what they are promised? Does that mean a college athlete is set to spend 4 or 5 years attending a school and playing for a coach when they did not live up to their side of the bargain? I say it should not !College athletes should be able to transfer without penalty if the coach or school is punished, if a coach leaves the school before the player’s time there is up, or if they are not able to make the grade or have personal issues that would hinder them completing college.
                             

               College athletes can transfer from junior colleges without any penalty, according to the NCAA. Many recruiters and sports professionals state that this is allowed and beg the question, “why not for athletes who choose to transfer from a four year university to another?” According to the article from ESPN, “ Transferring juniors, seniors can play “,college athletes should be able to transfer from colleges if sanctions are placed on the school, a coach leaves or is fired, or if the lack of playing time, etc. will affect the player’s ability to play the sport professionally.
                             
               Take for example, players who attended or committed to the USC and Penn State football teams. These universities were hit hard with NCAA sanctions due to irresponsible and criminal acts committed by supporters, coaches, boosters, and other university officials. Why should the players be punished for acts they did not commit or for acts that occurred long before they arrived on campus? Yes, they should remain loyal to the school they chose, but they also have to look at their future and what the sanctions or lack of winning potential can have on a professional career where big money is at stake. Many believe and in numerous articles, like that in the article by Dan Wetzel, “NCAA should allow Penn State players to transfer without restrictions, an advocacy group says” that it is unfair to keep these athletes at schools that can not provide what was promised to them when they committed. Especially when the players have done nothing wrong. 
               
                 It is important to note that it is not only college football players who request transfers According to the article “A Difficult Move".  Each year it is estimated that 11 percent of all college basketball players (400 per month) request transfers. Yes, that is a high number, and it is a fact that some of those are just wanting to get to play and are not putting forth the effort to get to start. But, what about those who really are trying and are not given the opportunity for various reasons like coaching changes, personality differences, or other issues that are beyond their control? Why punish them?
               

              It is true that many college athletes are not happy and want to transfer because they do not get their way. Those athletes must learn to work harder and realize that nothing comes free in this world. That lack of effort is definitely within their control. However, the NCAA needs to find a system that will fairly weed out those athletes and help others who are truly cheated by sanctions, coaching changes, or other issues beyond their control. Without help from the NCAA, many athletes will be cheated out of opportunities they worked their whole life to achieve. The NCAA needs to step up and change policies to better serve college athletes

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Falcons 6-0 Hype or Legit?

With the best start in Falcons franchise history, it seems like the possibility of winning a championship is not out of reach. They are winning games easily but when it comes to other games they are having to work just a little harder. They are averaging 29.6 points per game and are in the top 10 in passing yards. With the tandem of Matt Ryan, soon to be hall of famer Tony Gonzalez,Roddy White, and Julio Jones, they are a force to be reckoned with from the passing aspect. Every Sunday thousands of people tune into the Falcons game to see if this week they will lose, there is some pressure in there, but if I was a Falcon that would make me want to keep winning that much more.

They started with a convincing win against the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-24, in which Matt Ryan threw for 299 yards and 3 Touchdown’s (TD), 2 of which were caught by Julio Jones and the other by Tony Gonzalez. The following week was a close game with the Denver Broncos, although Matt Ryan still threw for 2 TD’s. So to say the least, the falcons have had some close calls during the season, but one thing I can say about the falcons is they know how to finish. The first time that really started was in the Carolina Panthers game in week 3, when the Panthers took a four point lead halfway through the fourth quarter, the Falcons Matt Bryant made two late game field goals; including one with 5 seconds left to seal the win for his team. That was the first time I stopped worrying if the Falcons could finish and started being confident with it.

Due to the Falcons great start Mike smith went against his will and gave the team the whole week off for their bye week this week, but krqe.com reported, “Several dozen players came in to the training complex the day after a 23-20 victory over Oakland, but that was merely to get treatment and maybe look at a little film.” To me that shows that they want to get better and be the best in the league and will do anything to get there. What they are doing just proves that hard work and dedication will pay off in the long run, whether it be in sports or in life. In my opinion a lot of people should look up to this team and support them in what they do, they are a team full of role models.

There is only one thing that I can see that might end up holding the Falcons back. The running game which has been pretty stout the past couple years, is kind of struggling this year, with the changing of offensive coordinators they have switched to a pass heavy offense. Also, the total offense, rushing defense, and total defense is also down from last year. Mark Bradley states in The Falcons are 6-0, but certain other numbers don’t add up, “The 2012 Falcons rank 15th in total offense, down from 10th in 2011. This team is 21st in total defense, down from 12th last season. A year ago they were eighth in passing, 17th in rushing; this year they’re 10th and 25th. Last season they were 20th in passing defense, sixth in rushing defense; these Birds are 11th and 27th. For those keeping score, the 2012 Falcons have improved over 2011 in exactly one of those six major categories.” What this shows is that even the “perfect” have their faults, but it also shows that they are working past their weaknesses to become better.

In conclusion, we all know that this year hasn’t been the best statistically for the Falcons, but all you need to look at is the thing that means anything at the end of the day, wins and losses. Everybody has their ups and downs, and the good thing is the Falcons still have an unbeaten record. We are the only team in the league that can still say that. The Falcons still have quite a few more games, but if they keep winning like this, the Falcons will have their first championship ring in franchise history.

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A Career That Defined Dedication

Today, the term loyalty is a diminishing, if not almost impossible trait to find.  Many people take the important everyday things in life for granted, such as their own personal relationships as well as their weekly day-to-day jobs.  For instance, the trend between many couples today is not showing complete loyalty to their spouse.  On the job employees tend to slack off and not show up on days they are supposed to.  Complete and total devotion to a person or thing is truly a wonderful moral to have.  One individual that stands out as being the epitome of loyalty is the Atlanta Braves’ third baseman Chipper Jones.  Chipper displays dedication in numerous ways.

One way Jones displays dedication is by his inability to use performance enhancing drugs.  The game of baseball has been infected with players using illegal substances to better strengthen and boost their own playing ability.  Careers have ended in turmoil and records have been voided due to the abuse that drugs have had on professional baseball players.  Even though it is frowned upon, top notched skilled players still put their own careers and lives on the line to use these illicit drugs.  Chipper Jones is a prime example of how hard work is the ultimate way a player can become the best at what they do without the use of addictive narcotics.

Another way that Chipper Jones displays pure devotion is through his charity organizations.  Since Jones began his baseball career he has always remained humble and is never self-centered.  In 2006, he started the Chipper Jones Family Foundation which has given money back to the community in so many ways like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and  the Boys and Girls Club.  Also, the Field of Dreams Foundation has benefited the area youth baseball organization to renovate old damaged baseball fields for young ball players. Included in the Chipper Jones Family Foundation a side business called Take Em’ Deep Program they along with other businesses contribute to other organizations and charities every time Chipper hits a homerun.

A truly impressive way that Jones represents dedication is through his unfailing commitment to his Atlanta Braves baseball team. Chipper continued to stay with his same team for nineteen seasons, which is not likely for most baseball players, they tend to switch teams two or three times.  Larry Wayne “Chipper” Jones Jr. joined the ball club in 1999, and has stood by the franchise ever since.  Through the crushing heartache and glorious triumphs, Chipper’s unfaltering commitment to his team regardless of wins and losses has stood fast and never wavered.  To be entirely fixed on one team for such a lengthy period of time is just unheard of in baseball.  Both money and a teams leadership causes players to trade to other organizations normally several times over.  In his time with the Braves, he managed to become one of the greatest players in braves history. In Salute to Chipper Jones, Adam Rubin states, “ Chipper Jones was second in all batting categories in Atlanta Braves history to Hank Aaron.” Chipper Jones never second guessed nor gave up on a team that would ultimately define him as both a man and a player forever.

Most individuals find themselves striving to imitate others through their actions and demeanors in order to get a sense of what a person is actually like.  A man that is the quintessence of being loyal and dedicated to something would have to be none other than Chipper Jones.  From his ability to exclude performance enhancing drugs, to charity organizations that have shaped lives, and even to his ultimate commitment to the Atlanta Braves, Larry Wayne “Chipper” Jones Jr.’s legacy will forever be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play the game of baseball and someone who truly understands and lives by the meaning of dedication. photo credit: SD Dirk via photopin cc

Should College Athletes Recieve Compensation?

        Pay to play? That is the question being debated on many college campuses.Every school wants to be dominating in their athletic program; however, should the athletics receive compensation? According to Paul Daugherty , a columnist for The Cincinnati Enquirer, student athletes should not receive any form of funds outside of their scholarship. Daugherty believes that student athletes receive enough advantages and I agree."There are roughly 138,000 athletic scholarships available for Division I and Division II sports."

On average a student scholarships  is about $10,400. Only four sports offer full rides to all athletes who receive scholarships: football, men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball. If you remove football and men's basketball, the average scholarship drops to around $8,700. In my opinion there is pressure on the schools to have athletic achievement and unfortunately today winning a game is potentially beneficial due to the payoff and media coverage. When interviewing some of my athletic colleagues they argued that the scholarships they receive took care of their schooling expenses; however there personal needs were not included. For the most part, many of them instantly said they should receive pay since they represent the school and that is similar to a job. In any event, attending college is a privilege , to participate in college activities is a choice .

For this reason, I argue against college athletes recieving compenstaion. Receiving a scholarship is an advantage in itself, personal expenses is a personal issue. Another issue that arises is most athletic departments actually lose money year after year trying to fund programs. How are these struggling athletic departments supposed to cough up even more money per year to pay their athletes to play? Simple, they're not. Athletes already have their tuitions paid for, not to mention their room and board, meal plans, and all of the other “perks” they receive.

All in all, college athletes play a tremendous role in representing the university and its athletic department. If a student makes a commitment to participate in collegiate athletics he/she is given the responsibility by the university to perform at the highest level but they are not paid professionally.

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Should Amateurs Get Paid Like Professionals?

Should Collegiate Athletes Get Paid for Play?

There has been a discussion every year on if student-athletes should receive pay for their

performance in their sport. Most people agree that they should not because they receive a full ride and benefits as to being a collegiate athlete. Also, some people believe that universities and coaches make millions of dollars and the players are the ones that are out there playing. This issue could go both ways but it will always have its pros and cons. So, should they get paid if they are the ones bringing the money in?

Honestly, I feel that collegiate-athletes should not get paid because it would become a revolving door of issues. There will always be the larger universities that have more money to spend and smaller schools would not be able to hand out so much money. That's where the area of unfairness would come into play. If they were to start paying players, there would be a totally, big difference in how the more talented players are paid than the bench-warmers. In the beginning, athletes would probably like the fact that they’re getting paid and then some athletes will find a problem with the system and that will start complaints. Yes, they go out and win games, which bring money to the university but the school pay for all of their expenses, tuition, books, and room and board.In the article ”College Athletes Do Not Deserve to be Paid”  , author William Boor, stated that Penn State assistant Jay Paterno had this to say, “let me start the argument by making a proposal to parents and students alike...I am going to ask you to work no more than 20 hours a week for 21 weeks - with at least one mandatory day off every week. For another 23 weeks you’ll work no more than eight hours a week. You’ll get eight weeks off. (These are all NCAA-mandated time limits).”

Now even though students do not get paid for their performance, there have been scandals where schools have given athletes some improper benefits for playing at their school. So if schools are paying players under the table, why should they get paid like professionals? They shouldn’t and should keep things they way they are. Everyone doesn’t get caught but that doesn’t mean that its right. According to the “Washington Post ”,Cam Newton, a former star quarterback for Auburn University, had many people to believe  that he only attended Auburn because he received improper
benefits. So this issue would bring up plenty questions. Would players like Cam Newton get paid more than players that sit on the bench most of the game? I think, eventually there would become a difference on how much each athlete is paid because talented athletes will only attend a university at the right price.

Collegiate athletes with a full scholarship should be thankful.There are the normal students that will have to pay back loans that they received throughout their time in college. Athletes will not have to worry about that because everything that has to be paid for is done so by the university. Adam Robinson states in his blog post, “Bowl game and their gifts”, “Bowl are allowed to spend $500 on each player and the gifts continue to flow freely at the bowl games”. There wouldn’t be enough money to go around if they decide to pay all of the athletes a salary every year. Some sport departments may take hits because we all know that football and basketball would consume most of the funds. The sports like swimming, gymnastics, or maybe even field hockey wouldn’t be as fortunate as the top sports. The smaller schools wouldn’t be able to afford the cost. Alvin, states in his article “Should College Athletes Be Paid? Pros and Cons of Each Perspective Part 1”, “According to Title IX, a federally-mandated law, if conferences and schools decide to increase the value of student-athlete scholarships to cover living expenses, they have to do it for women’s programs as well.” School would have to take financial cuts in some programs like, swimming, gymnastics, and maybe even field hockey. We all know that football and basketball will call for most of it because those two sports bring in most of the money.  Athletes would be more worried about getting paid than their education. Education is key and if they work hard enough, then one day they can play professionally and get paid for what they love to do.

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Should Tebow get a chance?

The Quarterback situation in New York has plagued the jets offense and have left them with one of the worst starts in Jets history. With pressure on Head Coach Rex Ryan and 5th overall pick in the 2009 Draft, Mark Sanchez the Jets have no other alternative to turn then their most recently added Quarterback Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow has a history of winning, more composed than Mark Sanchez, and an overall great player. Although he has mechanics that needs improvement, Tebow is a quarterback who is fearless, stands tall in the pocket and has a very strong arm. In many ways Tim Tebow is the future of the Jets.

Tebow has always been a natural born leader and winner dating back to his High School career at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra beach, Florida. where he won a state championship. His senior he was ranked one of the top Quarterbacks in the nation and later chose The University of Florida to continue his career. His freshman year he was a situational Quarterback but still played his part to help Florida win the two thousand six national championship. In two thousand and seven, he was the first sophomore to ever win the Heisman Trophy. In two thousand eight he took florida back to the national championship and beat Ohio State University for the title. His senior he fell short of the national championship but still won the Orange bowl against Cincinnati. Many skeptics doubted Tebow that he would even get drafted to the NFL, but again proved them wrong by getting drafted first round twenty third overall to the Denver Broncos. Where he had a successful two years and now after being traded, he is now on the Jets.

Tim Tebow displays leadership, enthusiasm, and courage when he is on the field. If he was to start full time that would bring a new dimension the Jets Offense and even a spark for the defense. That new dimension would be a Quarterback capable of creating plays with his feet and keeping the play alive for more yards.Tebows athleticism, physicality, and mobility are the main reasons for his success. Him being the size that he is, its harder for defenders to take him down. Many people are still skeptic of him but he has proven himself time and time again. "Bring on Tim Tebow," Kevin Kernan wrote. "At this point Tebow, who saved the Broncos season last year, can't be any worse than the jittery Mark Sanchez. Perhaps the Jets will get some leadership from the most important position on the field."

Mark Sanchez has had little to no success in New York, getting to the playoffs as a rookie but not making it to the superbowl.He lacks focus in the pocket, tends to crumble under pressure at times, and lacks major arm strength and completing less than 50 percent.of his passes. According to Ryan Alferi, Sanchez may have his share of flaws, but unlike Tebow, he plays within structure of an NFL-caliber passing offense (albeit on the lower-end of the spectrum or aerial attacks). He has the throwing ability to make enough plays to give their team a chance to win every Sunday.

Many people doubted that Tebow would win state when he was High School but he won his senior year. Many people said he wouldn’t win a national championship but he won two in college. Sum said he wouldn’t be heisman but he won it as sophomore. Some said he wouldn’t get drafted but he was a first round pick. With all the controversy that Tim Tebow has gone through and all that he has accomplished he still pushes himself to be better thats why he would be perfect to assume his role as the new starting Quarterback of The New York Jets.