Sporting News 03.06.12

The Saints have admitted to paying bonuses fro injuring specific players

• The New Orleans Saints' big money "Bounty Program" comes to light Wall Street Journal
• New NHL project targets homophobia in the league Huffington Post
• Seventy-years-young: Septuagenarian qualifies for the London Olympics Washington Post
• Go for it: Judge blocks latest attempt to block 49ers stadium in Santa Clara San Jose Mercury News
• Floyd Maryweather: Boxing's number one fans are Mexicans BoxingScene
• Six months in jail for the rugby player who broke an opponent's jaw Daily Mail

Reflection 04: Out of the Loop—The Plight of the Non-Sports Fan

What is a non-sports fan to do in this country?

Though it may come as a surprise to some, not every American is a sports fan. In fact, a good number of Americans don't care about, even hate, professional sports. Still, ours is a country in which sports fans call the shots. From Super Bowls to Tebowing to the World Series to Linsanity, it's difficult to escape sports' reach in our culture. But, what of those who refuse to buy into our country's obsession with sports? Are there social ramifications for opting out of sports fandom? And what of men who aren't into sports? Is their plight more socially treacherous than that of women? How do they navigate through certain social situations, such as the workplace? What is it like to be a non-sports fan in America today? If you are a sports fan, what frustrates you about the non-sports fan? Likewise, what is the most challenging part of being a non-sports fan?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

• "Sports Guide: For the Non-Sports Fan" (Urban Plains)
• "The Non-Sports Fan’s Guide to Maybe Enjoying the Super Bowl" (Gawker)
• "Why I Hate Sports" (InterestingIdeas)
• "A Non-Sports Fan’s Guide to Talking about Football (The Sport Hole)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Must be exactly two-full pages in length
• A Works Cited page

Due: Mo 3.12

Week 07: Michelle Kwan, Figure Skating

Kwan has two Olympic medals, five world titles, and nine US titles

Mo 3.5
Read” FEVER—“1976 – 1986”
Class: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

We 3.7
Read: FEVER—“1986 – 1992”
Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Preview—Literary Analysis / Short Answer Responses

Upcoming:

Week 08: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Basketball
Mo 3.12
Read: MONEY—“The Curse of Talent” – “The Enlightenment”
Class: SHORT ANSWER RESPONSES
Due: REFLECTION 4

We 3.14
Read: MONEY—“Field of Ignorance” – “The Jeremy Brown Blue Plate Special”
Class: Reading discussion; Presentations