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."