Race in Sports

The movie Salute presented a very interesting narrative in the lives of three runners. Two were African American and one was white. I was impressed by the way they came together to stand up for equal rights for all. Equality is a difficult dimension to create in sport. Everyone has a different idea of what is fair. For example doping, gender rights, and racial issues all fall under this category.
    Is it fair for one athlete to take a drug to enhance his performance while his competitors do not? Of course not. One of the toughest parts of ensuring equality in sport is determining where to draw the line. How much substance is too much? Daily vitamins and prescriptions are not illegal, but even just take these simple things can enhance one's performance. Mentioned before is the concept of gene doping. If in the future we have the ability to create children before they are even born with ideal genes there will be trouble when it comes time to compete with children who are not made in laboratories.
    Equality also touches on sexual and gender issues. It is an accepted belief that boys are better suited for sports than girls and that is why they compete in different divisions. It is clearly evident boys are stronger than girls, have more muscle, and are faster.  What about the people who change genders. I feel that if a man has a sex change to a woman he should have to compete in the field with the men, even though he calls himself a women. Women who have sex changes, however I feel should compete with the men after a sex change. They have been taking testosterone and therefore will have different body types than the normal women. Last class, we talked of gender testing. I do not believe that is something we need to do until at least the elite level of sport is hit.  I remember on my youth soccer team there was a girl with short hair. One game the opposing coach demanded to see her soccer card to prove she was a girl. My poor 8-year old teammate was humiliated and hurt.
   Race also plays an interesting role in equality. I believe African Americans are better than whites in numerous sports such as distance running and basketball. That being said I still believe we should compete on the same field. In my eyes they are fortunate to have that added ability and should no way be taken away from them. It is the same idea of a tall versus short basketball player. We do not need to create two different leagues in basketball: one for the player over 5'6 and one for the players under it. That is getting ridiculous.
   What makes sports exciting is to see fair competition. Drawing the line for fair competition though is getting harder and harder. If regulations try to divide up sports into more equal playing fields based on every different category lines just get messy and there is difficulty determining a true champion. Lets keep the fields as open as possible and if someone is born with a natural gift so be it. What I do not want to see though, is someone after the fact taking a drug or getting a sex change to better themselves in sports.

Promoting Women's Sports with Sexual Appeal

Its a shared belief by many that men are just plain better at sports. Although I am a female I will not argue this. I would much rather go watch the skillful of a men's professional basketball team than a females. Popularity of women's sports has grown in recent years, although it still lacks far behind men. In order to raise popularity, I feel sports have been sexualizing female sports. Skimpier uniforms and hot shots of models on sports magazines are a common occurrence. Now young girls are able to cheer on the new, hot soccer player they idealize. And men of course, are attracted to the toned bodies of elite athletes.

Is this wrong though? These females work hard for their bodies. I don't find it wrong when Brandi Chastain ripped off her shirt in celebration after scoring the winning goal. If the females are comfortable showing their bodies to the public then I feel its fine. Its the 21st century. Pornography is oh so popular nowadays, so the athlete promoting their bodies in sexy shots is not nearly as scandalous.

McDonalds is Guilty??

    I have seen the movie Supersize Me before and am not a big fan of it. The movie I feel wants to place blame of the obesity epidemic on McDonalds. McDonalds is just another business trying to bring in as much money as possible. Some people try to say its McDonalds fault they are fat and unhealthy. But McDonalds just like every other big business is swayed by demand. If people demanded healthier foods they would provide it. They offer salads and fresh-fit meals, but the hamburger and fries are still more popular. Put simply, people just do not want to take responsibility for their own actions.
    Americans can eat out and be healthy. They can also stay at home, and eat a more fattening, calorie-dense meal than if they were to go out. It is all what a person contentiously decides to put in his mouth. Nowadays, we are educated from a young age that fast food is not good for us. Therefore, when we overindulge in greasy, fried foods we cannot blame the company that made it. It is the same as if one began smoking, got lung cancer and blamed the poor farmers growing tobacco. He knew the consequences when he smoked those thousands of cigarettes. The farmers are just trying to make ends meet by providing what society demands. Also note that he would have to smoke thousands of cigarettes before reeking the consequences of tobacco. It is the same for fast food. One hamburger is not going to make you fat, but eating them day in and out will. My point being, you are contentiously deciding time after time again to make the unhealthy choice. You have plenty of opportunity along the way to change your habits.
    I wish Americans could take responsibility for their actions and for the good of themselves to eat right. It seems as if it is in our culture its easy to point fingers. Hopefully, the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle will catch on. When citizens begin demanding nutritious foods the fast food joints in response will offer healthier options.

Different Fields of Kinesiology

    Kinesiology is a broad field. It is defined as the science of movement. Many people connotate kinesiology with health promotion and physical fitness. However, I believe there are two different world within Kinesiology. One that is beneficial to the good of all. This is the one I mentioned above, helping individuals do be more active and live healthier, more quality lives. The other side I am not as supportive of. I feel there is a side in Kinesiology that focuses on self-interest. This is a new concept that was revolutionized in the 20th century.

     Greed has become a large part of sport nowadays, and in turn has become part of kinesiology. Americas are paying a person millions of dollars to run around a base.  In this quest for publicity, we have been sexualizing sport. Girls and boys alike are idolized for their bodies and not even necessarily their talent. Many of these athletes are on steroids and drugs to make themselves more appealing. What kind of example is this setting for society? I want to be a nation about more than looks and statistics. In this sense, sports have lost the values of teamwork, perseverance, and hardwork.

     Additionally, the greed comes out in the sport business now capitalizing our market. I consider the major of sport management less respectable than other majors.  People involved in this aspect of sporting world are not interested in helping society. They are in it to make money, or to create power for themselves. I dislike this world within Kinesiology, and wish rather we could have a greater focus on helping an individual and thus improving society. I do not want to be the field that brings the world into a greater focus on consumerism and commercialism. I feel we need retract a bit to where Kinesiology started: the study of movement not amplifying greed.

New Emphasis on Money

    We discussed in class the new themes emerging in sports. Originally, intended as a display of power and strength, sports have come a long way in our society. Their popularity has grown dramatically. Physical education is now a requirement in school, and it is the accepted norm to try a range of sports in your youth because everyone it seems has some "natural talent".
    Media has capitalized on this increased popularity. As Janice Todd noted, the 2010 Superbowl drew in more spectators than has any other television event. With over a hundred million people watching one sporting event how can we overlook the influence of sports to our lives, particularly in America. Everyone knows how expensive commercials during the superbowl are.  I feel association to a team or successful athlete is important. Clothing apparel, car decals, cups, posters, all highlighting sports exist. There exists an increased demand for sporting objects. Companies are capitalizing on this. Athletes are one of the highest paid people than America. Successful ones easily make more than doctors, lawyers, or actors. Tiger Woods became the first athlete a few years ago to earn over a billion dollars. That is a tremendous amount of money.
   New technologies are always being created to better enhance the athlete in whatever the sport. I would argue every 3 months a new line of golf clubs emerges claiming to drop one's golf score by 5 strokes. Having the best available equipment is fundamental to the athlete. Research and development must be creating a large share of money.  The modern sporting world is definitely a capital business. Revenue is a characteristic of the sporting world.

Steroids in Sporting Events

     Prior to taking this class, I must admit I was a little niiave to the steroid use in sports. First off, I did not realize to what extent steroids were in use to enhance performance and additionally, to what a wide-range athletic enhancing drugs had spread. There is no clear distinction between steroids and numerous other drugs such as the Human-growth hormone, cocaine, or beta-blockers. After watching the video today in class, my stance on steroids has changed. I initially condemned them, as short-cuts, ways to avoid hard-work. But I now feel those athletes who use steroids are the ones most dedicated.

    I would not go so far as to say steroids should be legalized in all sporting events. I still feel it undermines the core aspects of sporting events. But times are changing. The things our "founding fathers" anticipate never end up the way they plan anyway. For instance that is why we created the Constitution. The Articles of Confederation did not allow for change in America, which we now see is so clearly needed. Why then should the same concept not be applied to sports? I think people need to be able to reason with the idea of steroid use in sports. However, I think regulation of these steroids must increase. If governmental regulation is not increased, I feel people are more likely to get hurt by the effects of steroid use.

    A large number of people take steroids. These range from professional athletes to local gym enthusiasts; from both old to young. One would think since steroids are illegal people would have trouble getting their hands on them, but that is not true. High-school students even are getting them. And with all the pressure from coaches and parents to get stronger and bigger faster, they see steroids as a quick turn to. I mean its your football season junior year, one of the last opportunities your going to have to make yourself known to college coaches. Why not injects some steroids, bulk yourself up to stand out against everyone else. For many people, I feel the problem of steroids is the worry of health problems. This is valid concern. Yet, most of the results show steroid has more short-term effects than long-term, and these short-term consequences are reversible if someone stops taking the steroids.  Others may say, injecting yourself with drugs is cheating. The whole concept of sports is competition and creating an advantage against you and your opponent. Steroids are not alternatives to hard-work and practice. They may actually help an athlete to work harder because they allow them to see the effects more rapidly.

  In conclusion, I am not necessarily saying yes let us legalize steroids in sports. I am now much more open to the idea, and I think others should at least view the argument from both sides. It is so easy to take the route saying steroids are drugs and drugs are cheating. However, I think the steroid world needs to be viewed from two different angles. If it was greatly regulated I feel any potential long-term consequences of the drugs would be realized and we could exclude that product from the steroid. Now doing it all illegally and behind closed doors, humans are more likely to hurt themselves.
  

Doping Allowed in Sports?

There was talk today in class of making two worlds for sports. One for the athletes who take drugs and steroids, and one for those who chose not to. I do not like this option. To be a top athlete one is acting as a role-model. Taking drugs does not depict a good image for youth. How can others admire an athlete for their superiority if those desired qualities are not even natural?
If two different federations were made to govern every sport I am fully confident the federation allowing doping will be lost and overlooked. As mentioned above, spectators cannot lookup to a "fake" athlete. As our knowledge of medicine expands more and more drugs will be developed enhancing athlete performance. I refuse to believe any of these enhancements actually help the human body, and as more are created it will just serve to hinder health. So by creating two worlds of sports humans will just be supporting this unnatural, harmful lifestyle.
Also, even if two worlds were created there would be tension between the two divisions. I believe the athletes on dope would be envious of the "natural" athlete. The "natural" athlete would become a sport champion the old fashion way: through hard-work and dedication. That diligence is what makes athletes so admired. Few would admire anyone taking the short-cut to get to the top. Therefore, creating two worlds for sports would only further progress the issues surrounding doping.