Sporting News 04.07.12

The Saudi Olympic team: Women need not apply

• Saudi Arabia to Olympics: We will not be sending any female athletes to London Chicago Tribune
• New book: OJ Simpson's son was the real killer Fox News
• April 19th: Groundbreaking for new 49ers stadium in Santa Clara San Jose Mercury News
• Boat protester raises questions about security at the London Olympics Associated Press
• Playing from the bench: The Sharks' Ryan Clowe cheated? TheHockeyWriters
• President Obama think Augusta National Golf Club should admit women Fox News

 

Reflection 06: Team Colors—Race and Pro Sports

The Knicks' Jeremy Lin is a trailblazing Asian pro athlete

Traditionally, professional American sports have had a complicated relationship with race. Early pro leagues routinely excluded athletes of color, and many sports didn't sanction them until the mid-20th century. In fact, it took pioneers, such as Wilma Rudolph and Jackie Robinson, to eventually break down many barriers for non-white athletes. Today, the country's major sports leagues are much more integrated, yet certain sports—and certain attitudes—remain as roadblocks. For example, the recent success of the Knicks' Jeremy Lin highlighted both a breakthrough in racial representation and the deep divides of race in professional sports. As much as Lin was heralded for his success, he also faced a barrage of often racist criticism. How far have we come in our views about sports and race? Does there still exist the perception that some sports are primarily for whites? (Or that some sports that are primarily for non-whites?) And what of athletes of different races criticizing one other? For example, was Floyd Mayweather right when he said that "Jeremy Lin is a good player but all the hype is because he's Asian. Black players do what he does every night and don't get the same praise"?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

• "Quiz: White Men Can't Jump and Other Assumptions About Race and Sports" (UnderstandingRace.org)
• "Breaking Down ESPN’s Race and Sports Survey" (GoodMenProject)
• "Jeremy Lin and the Failure of Sports’ Racial Stereotypes" (ThinkProgress)
• "Blacks, Sports and Lingering Racial Stereotypes: A Q&A with Sports Sociologist Ben Carrington" (Shelf Life @ Texas)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Must be exactly one page in length
• A Works Cited page 

Due: Mo 4.09

Week 11: Walter Payton, Football

A Pro Football Hall of Famer, Payton is one of the NFL's most iconic players  

Mo 4.2
Read: MONEY—“The Human Element” – Postscript: Inside Baseball’s Religious War”
Class: Reading discussion; Presentations

We 4.4
Class: Reading discussion, Writers workshop
Due: CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY (DRAFT 1—BRING 3 COPIES)

Upcoming:

Week 12: Greg Louganis, Diving
Mo 4.09
Class: Reading discussion, Writers workshop
Due: REFLECTION 6; CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY (DRAFT 2—BRING 3 COPIES)

We 4.11
Read: eR—“Why the WNBA Isn't—and Will Never Be—a Popular League” (Sports Illustrated), “Has Women's Soccer Gained Any Respect?” (Baltimore Sun)
Class: Reading discussion; Presentations

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

As we wind down, I have decided to mix things up a bit in class. In lieu of the upcoming essay on women's pro sports, I am offering my two sports sections the opportunity to arm wrestle for points. If you agree, you will be paired with someone of the same gender and of similar weight. If you win your match, you automatically gain the full 20 points of the assignment. If you lose, you gain only 10 points, or half the value of the assignment. If interested, leave your name and section number in the Comments section below. All entries must be in by midnight on 04.01. Good luck!