If I Had It My Way...

There is one thing I can not live without watching every year, and that is the big dance. 68 of the finest Men's College Basketball teams are selected to play on the biggest stage to bring home a National Championship to their respective schools. I love filling out brackets with my friends, seeing who makes the most accurate predictions as to who will win each game and how far each team will go. It is by far my favorite sporting event to watch, and I will always relive my dream of playing in it every year I watch it.

One thing that I can do without is the head coach of my favorite NBA team, Erik Spoelstra. Every single Heat game I watch, I am forced to see camera shots of Erik Spoelstra trying his best to control a team that he can't. I have a long list of coaches in mind that I think would fit better with this team, and nowhere on that list does the name Erik Spoelstra show up. There have been too many occasions in which I see players or even refs just ignore Spoelstra on the sidelines. He doesn't have that veteran coaching savvy that is vital for teams that have superstars such as Dwyane Wade and Lebron James. 

We're Back

It's a beautiful day for both NBA and Men's College Basketball alike. To be blunt, the NBA is back! I thought for a moment that the season was actually going to end, and my Miami Heat wouldn't be the world champions until 2013. But alas, the season is upon us and by the end of 2013 the Heat will have won back-to-back titles.

Now to what is even more important. Tonight at approximately 9:30 pm the #2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes host my #5 Duke Blue Devils in a Big Ten-ACC challenge match up. Austin Rivers and the squad have been playing well, coming off a nice victory in the championship game of the Maui Invitational. Duke is 15-0 all-time in Maui Invitational games. If you want my opinion, Duke will edge it out in the closing seconds of the game. If you want my unbiased opinion, sophomore sensation and future NBA star Jared Sullinger absolutely dominates the wiry Duke big men, coming out victorious. But really, Duke is going to win.

Trouble On My Mind

The NBA lockout has stolen my attention at this current moment in time. The players rejected the deal that the owners proposed to them, and it was thought that the rest of the season was lost. But now, both the players union and the owners are meeting as we speak. They are trying to work out a deal to save would could become a 78-game season, if a deal is done soon. The ball is in the owner's court right now. They need to realize they should be happy with the players taking a more split-revenue deal, and stop being so greedy. Let's get this 2011-2012 NBA season underway.

This happens to be my favorite class I am currently taking this semester. It is hard to think of three things I think could be improved on in this class. I would like a +5% added to every grade I earn in this class. I would like to be able to turn in my work on any date I choose. Finally, I would like extra credit to be available so I can bring my grade up if I somehow fail to get an A with the assistance of the previous two suggestions. On a serious note, maybe having a private student-teacher conference for the final paper would be better. But I may have said this because I only want a 10-15 minute English for another week.

Corruption. Just Do It.

This ad represents political controversy as well. Allegations towards Nike are brought up in regards to the production of Nike products in Indonesian sweatshops. Time after time, the government seems to "look the other way" and Phil Knight never has to face any charges. The Indonesian government allows this as well; Nike is practically safe-proof. One has to question Phil Knight's hypothetical political connections within the governments of the United States as well as politicians among the Indonesian government. Money is power, and Knight appears to have plenty of both. The perception to the public is absolutely vital as well. All of these iconic, heroic athletes could not possibly be wearing clothes and shoes that come from places like these sweatshops in Indonesia. These stars simply would never endorse it. The term "above the law" being displayed in it's finest fashion.

Adbuster

This adbuster is about the controversy over how Nike manufactures their products through the means of cheap "slave" labor. Indonesian kids are hired at the bare minimum wage to make a product that is then turned over and sold for a much higher profit. For example, it costs Nike $5 to manufacture a shoe that they can sell to the general public for over $125. These young Indonesian children (Anywhere from ages 10-16) barely make any money, and the money they do make helps them just get through the next day, yielding harsh conditions for these workers. They are getting paid only a few cents an hour to make these products that sells for hundreds of dollars. As the adbuster states, "Air Jordan factory workers in Indonesia earn less than two dollars a day."

Remembering the Titans

I have seen Remember the Titans more times than I can remember. It takes place in the 1970’s, and an all-black school and all-white school are integrated to form T.C. Williams High School. The head coaching job is taken by an African American coach. Tensions between teammates arise due to the different races of teammates. After going to a training camp together, the team forms a brotherhood and can now look past all of the issues around them and their city at the time.  It raises the issues of racial inequality; how segregation caused hatred towards African Americans and how the team overcomes this adversity.

Taking a Step Back to See the Bigger Picture

Obviously, education is the reason people go to college.  But do colleges really emphasize education for their athletes?  The schools with the elite-tier football and basketball programs have struck gold. By giving a student-athlete a scholarship, the services of these athletes yields far more profit than the small amount they lose for awarding scholarships. Colleges that have good football or basketball teams tend to reap in many benefits that your typical college could only dream of.

Kids usually begin considering their college choices in high school. Colleges are very alluring to kids when they have these elite-tier athletic teams that are nationally renowned for their success in regular and post-season play.  This was the case with me, for it was ultimately my deciding factor in deciding between Florida State University and the University of Central Florida. The publicity of these athletically thriving schools brings in more applicants. This makes it harder to get into these universities, which results in a generally better overall quality of students.

These universities not only reap benefits from kids deciding where they want to go, but from former alumni as well. With winning comes prestige, and nobody is more proud of their school than the people who graduated from there. Alumni will donate lots of money to their schools if they are excelling in the sports they partake in. 

Bleeding Blue...Duke Blue...

College basketball is by far my favorite sport of all time. My favorite teams are the Florida State Seminoles and the Duke Blue Devils. Yes, I realize they are both in the same conference (ACC). This is because I am currently a student at FSU, while I have always been a hardcore Duke basketball fan. I have been both a basketball fan and player since I was about eight. Despite this fact, I didn't go to my first college basketball game until I was about thirteen years old.

For about five years I lived in Virginia. This means I am very close to Maryland. This also means that I am very close to the University of Maryland, if you catch my drift. If you're a Duke basketball fan, you know where I'm going with this. Rivalry. After North Carolina, Maryland is Public Enemy No.2. 

My mom drove us there, and I couldn't have been more thrilled as we pulled onto the campus. Thousands of drunk Maryland fans huddled into the stadium. I think they decided to get this drunk to ease the pain after the beat down that was about to ensue. I knew I was in for one of the best times of my life.

Kickoff to College Football

Last night, the Maryland Terrapins (a sworn enemy of mine) defeated the Miami Hurricanes. Being a die-hard Duke basketball fan, I am absolutely repulsed by Maryland. Today however, I have to give credit where credit is due. Maryland started off the season in a very flashy manner, displaying the first of thirty-two new Under Armour uniforms they will be suiting up in this year. The shoulder pads and helmets displayed the state flag (as shown above), and they were more intriguing than the fact that the Terps actually won. What do you think of the new uniforms?