Sports Stars Becoming Larger Than Life?

Throughout the history of sports we have witnessed numerous accounts of increasing status of famous athletes.  They have become celebrity icons which are visible by the entire world.  For instance, athletes get more recognition then politicians.  Is it right that sports stars get more attention then people leading our country?  Probably not, however, that is just how our society is.  We have seen countless times that professional athletes have gotten out of crimes that in all reality they probably commited just because of their icon status.  Speaking about icon status... Lebron James in now the central focus of a business class at Havard University.  The most prestigous school in our country has a class entirely devoted to the marketing aspect of Lebron James.  I love sports, but our societal views are out of whack.

Welcome Back Kid

Sidney Crosby came back with a boom last night in a 5-0 victory over against the New York Islanders.  The last time we saw crosby on the ice before last night was 320 days ago.  He was out almost an entire 10 months with concussion symptoms.  Widely considered the greatest hockey player on the planet right now Crosby's return has been highly enticipated by not only the Penguins, but the entire world.  Needless to say he didn't let anyone down.  Showing that he is already back in his prime form, he scored 4 points last night; 2 goals and 2 assists.  It only took Crosby 5:24 minutes to score his first goal since his season ending injury last year on January 5.  Only one hockey player in the world can put on such a spectacle and thats Sid the Kid.   Pittsburgh is happy to seem back, the world is happy to see him back, but opposing players are not so thrilled.  Good Luck Crosby!

The Tiger Back on the Prowl?

For nearly two years the man who once dominated golf with an iron fist has been silenced.  He has not won or even been competitive for that matter recently.  However, this weekend may have changed that.  Tiger Woods finished 3rd place at the Australian Open this weekend.  After a long absence from the tour before this weekend, many critics believed the rein of Tiger Woods was over.  He has once again proven them wrong.  His stroke seems to be back in form.  He showed the true Tiger form by not being happy with 3rd place been stating that he should have won.  Only one golfer in history could not win in 2 years, but still expect to win every time he plays.  Golf needs Tiger back, let's hope this is his start.

Are you kidding me?

Penn State's absurdity is overwhelming.  They are firing college football's winningest coach with three games left before he was set to retire.  Did Joe Pa not do everything in his power to help stop the terrible acts done to those poor 8 victims?  The answer is simply no.  I was shocked to hear that knowing that Joe Pa is known most importantly for his high values.  However, one time he slipped up, maybe he was protecting a friend, his beloved program, whatever it was he made ONE mistake.  Think about how many lives that have been benefited by Joe Pa's presence.  There have been numerous players who have been quoted that Joe Pa saved their lives.  He didn't just teach young men how to play football, he taught young men how to live.  Everyone makes mistakes, I feel it is absolutely absurd Joe Pa is being fired.  The legend of Joe Pa is now tarnished forever.

Defensive Classic: LSU vs. Alabama

If you're a college football fan you were most likely tuned into last night's game between LSU and Alabama.  These two teams were ranked #1 and #2 in the country, respectively.  Many sports journalists were saying things such as "best college football game ever," and "national championship in November."  It would be hard to argue against the opinion by many that these two defenses are possibly the best we have ever witnessed in college football.  This game didn't let us down.  It was one of the greatest defensive battles ever witnessed in college football.  There were no touchdowns and the game was decided by a mere 3 points.  Neither of the two best teams in the country could score double digits; with the final score being 9-6 in favor of LSU.  This game will undoubtedly go down as a defensive classic.  For all those who witnessed this game we saw two titans clash on the grid-iron.  If all the pieces fall into place we may be able to see these teams meet once more in the national championship.  If we are lucky enough.

Can The Kid Make a Miracle Again?

October 16, 2011

Theo Epstein the miracle kid.  The man who broke the Bambino Curse.  The youngest ever MLB general manager ever.  Can he move from the powerhouse Boston Red Sox's to the recently lowly Cubs and turn around what used to be one of America's favorite baseball teams?  Still considered a kid by many of his peers in the baseball world for his young age of 37, many believe he is already one of the most smart and confident GM's in the business.  The Cubs don't have the same talent that Epstein inherited when he took over Boston, however, if he anyone can turn the Cubs around it is him.  He is relentless, smart, and has a great eye for talent.  It might be a few years before he can put all the pieces in place to make the Cubs a perennial powerhouse again, however, he will do it.

Athletic Directors Becoming CEO's

October 6, 2011

I recently read an article from USA Today about the increasing salary of college athletic directors.  My career goal is to become a college athletic director.  Therefore, this topic not only interests me, but also enourages me.  Let's be honest, being an athletic director is one of the hardest jobs you can hold.  At a D1 level you are in charge with 30-40 teams at least.  That means you are responsible in the long run for hundereds to thousands of student athletes a year.  With all the recruiting scandals of college football and basketball being scrutinized, being an athletic director has become even more stressful.  Why shouldn't athletic directors make as much as CEO's?  There responsibilities are just as daunting as many CEO's.  I believe athletic directors should be making more than coaches.  Soon enough maybe colleges will too.

The Tiger has been Tamed

October 4, 2011

There was a time in golf not too long ago where a man played golf like a tiger looming over its prey.  A man with such intensity and skill that other men were afraid to come out of his shadow.  He ruled golf without question; no man walked onto a course with the eye of the tiger like he did.  What happened to Tiger Woods?  For the first time in 778 consecutive weeks he has fallen out of the top 50 golfers in the world.  How did his downfall come about?  Many speculators cite difference reasons.  Many believe it was the sex scandal that ruined Tiger's reputation.  Some believe it is his nagging injury of the knee.  Some believe age is finally catching up to him.  I am not sure what the reason is.  The one thing I do know is we havent seen the end of Tiger Woods quite yet. 

No More Steelers of Old

September 27, 2011

What has happened to the Steelers we are used too?  Yes, the steelers have still been for the most part dominant over the last three seasons.  However, the Steelers play we used to expect from them no longer exists.  The Steelers used to be a ground and pound team with a tenacious defense.  This style of play represented the city of Pittsburgh and its blue collar workers.  However, now the Steelers rely on passing plays and athleticism instead of the things that have made them the most respected and storied franchise in the NFL.  If you ask me it's a shame.  Many might say the NFL has evolved and teams must evolve with it.  However, the Steelers ground and pound game was never broke we simply let it slip away.  Now it will take us years to get back to the way the running game was because they have let their offensive line be dismal.  Will we ever see the Steelers of old?

ACC Almighty Powerhouse in College Basketball

September 20, 2011

The ACC has obtained the Universities of Pittsburgh and Syracuse to their already dominate conference.  What does this mean for college basketball?  In my opinion it is a good thing.  Pitt and Syracuse are undoubtedly two of the top 10 or 15 basketball powerhouses in the country.  They are now joining fellow powerhouses such as Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest, and Maryland.  There has never been a conference such as this.  I believe this obtainment will bring more excitement to college basketball during the regular season.  More fans are going to be drawn in for the regular season to witness who will become champion of the biggest powerhouse conference in basketball ever created.  The move by Pitt and Syracuse will also be very beneficial to them.  The ACC is known for being able to recruit high school players better simply based on the conference's notoriety.  Also, there will be a lot more revenue created for both universities due to the added viewership the ACC receives.  I believe this is good for Pitt, Syracuse, and college basketball.

Sport Still Signify Everything Good In Us

Last weekend one of the most heated rivalries in college football met to play one another: Notre Dame vs. Michigan.  Tempers and the heat of passion of fans and players could be felt all throughout the stadium.  These two teams have been hated rivalries for decades upon decades.  However, when 69 year old Leo Staudacher (a Notre Dame fan) fell into cardiac arrests the very people he was just rooting against came to the rescue.  Numerous Michigan fans came to his aid and performed CPR and were quick to find an electronic defibrillator for him.  These men saved his life.  I find it remarkable that no matter how much fans can hate one another during a game, when it comes time to do the right thing they were there for another.  No matter what some may say sports no longer instill positive morals in us because we have become to competitive, they are wrong.  Sports still instill the very morals we hold dear in this country such as respect, family, honesty, and leadership.  I truly believe sports above anything else will always be a #1 contributor to uphold the morals we hold dear.

Umpires and Referees Evolving Along with Sports

There was a time when the umpire’s decision was final. For good or bad, he wasn’t questioned.  However, that is no longer the case.  Sports have been constantly evolving in recent years due to the tremendous increase in our advancement of technology.  As these sports have evolved the way we watch the game has as well.  In past decades umpires and referees had the absolute final call, but now we expect perfection even if it means changing the game.  The task of being a professional referee has almost become a sport of its own.  There is no longer room for human error, they must be as perfect as possible if they want to retain their job.  The question I want to ask is: Are these technological advances really making the game better?  Humans are not perfect.  Referees are not perfect.  However, games at their purest form are perfect.

It's All About the Money

Money, money, and more money is the only thing on the mind of NBA players and owners.  They disregard the fact that thousands upon thousands of employees would be jobless.  The USA Today article I just recentley read said they are finally beginning to come to terms that could end the lockout soon.  This is good news for employees of the NBA due to the fact that training camp is set to begin on October 3rd and preason games the week later.  I simply find it ridiculous that millionaires are fighting even bigger millionaires when there are employees of the NBA who have to get by on possibly just the minium wage salary they earn throughout the year.  Some families depend on the salary they earn from their NBA jobs to survive.  The players and the owners need to put aside their egos and solve this for the families who dont have millions of dollars to sit on until this is settled.

Introduction

Hello Everyone,

My name is Tim Drury.  I am currently a senior at Slippery Rock University.  I'm majoring in Sport Management.  Therefore, my blog will be entirely about the sporting world and the various aspects that are involved.  Sports have been a huge part of my life since a very young age.  Being apart of sporting teams has really help mold me into the person I am today.  I look forward to being able to pursue a career in the one thing I haved loved all my life; which is sports.