International Competition

America is a melting pot, so they say, of many different types of races and cultures. This is very true with sports as well. Recently there has been a boom in players from foreign countries coming to play in American professional sports. Some examples would be Yi Jianlian from China, who was picked 4th overall in this year's NBA draft, and David Beckham. This shows the global influence of American sports. I have no problem with these players from overseas but should we go overseas and compete in international competition? I say "Of course we should!". Not only does it improve, to an extent, our diplomatic relations with some countries but it gives the US bragging rights. Who doesn't want to say that their counry is the best in the world? Remember the feeling when the underdog USA Hockey team upset the heavily favored Soviets in the 1980 Winter Olympics? Ok, maybe that was before your time. How about the 92' Dream Team with Jordan, Barkley, Bird, Ewing and Magic dominating and taking home gold? True, US teams haven't done as well in recent years but that doesn't mean that we should stop playing internationally all together. Some athletes are hesitant to compete in international competition because it may tire them out before the next season. Take LeBron James for example who said, commenting on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, "Right now, I'm 50-50... Health is always an issue. You have to re-evaluate things, go through the season, go through the playoffs and then look at it afterward." I'm no professional athlete but I would think that international play gives you a chance to work on your game. All I'm saying is that I think international play is not only good for the world of sports but also good for the world period. There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition, right?

Soccer???

The first time I heard that soccer was the most popular sport in the world, I didn't believe it, but it is. If you don't believe me, head to England or Spain and you'll be amazed. Amazed how crazy the fans are for this game they call "football". You gotta ask yourself though, "If soccer is so popular around the world, why has it not caught on in the U.S.?" I've tried to come up with a reason why, but I just can't figure it out. Although soccer is popular among the youth, ranked 2nd in the nation with 7.7 million kids playing, it is almost forgotten in the U.S. when it comes to the professional ranks. There are multiple theories as to why it's popularity is decreased in the U.S. According to www.soccersucks.net, it's a cheap sport to play which appeals to many lesser-developed nations. With football, you need at least 22 sets of pads, helmets, and a football. With hockey, you need twelve sets of sticks, skates, and equipment. With soccer, all you need is twenty or so participants and a ball, which in many countries is made out of scraps of trash, and you’ve got a game. Also, soccer fields are huge. This means that real estate is super cheap where soccer is played. In more developed countries, indoor soccer has emerged because property is more precious. I personally enjoy soccer. Too bad the rest of the country doesn't feel the same way. What do you think about it?

Just Say "NO"

Adam "Pacman" Jones. When I say that name, what do you think of. Four hundred and forty punt return yards and three punt return touchdowns in 2006, which tied for the NFL-high? I highly doubt it. You probably think of the fact that he's been arrested 5 times since being drafted, most notably for an incident outside of a Las Vegas strip club. Or how about the whole Cincinnati Bengals organization? They are definitely not the first nor will they be the last professional athletes to get in trouble with the law. Why is it that these athletes can't seem to stay out of trouble? You would think that they would appreciate the millions of dollars that a lot of them make instead of throwing it away on high-end lawyers and court fees. Is it because they're rich and famous that they feel like they are above the law? I also feel that the Leagues and Associations that these athletes play for aren't doing enough to prevent these off-field or off-court mishaps from happening. Also, it's attitudes like Dan Lebatard's of "The Miami Herald" when he said, commenting on pro football, "There are plenty of thugs in each huddle on Sunday, and you need a certain amount of thug in you to play a game this violent", that give the wrong impression about sports and what it takes to play professional sports. Sure, it does take some aggresion to play a sport like football or any sport for that matter, but leave the aggresion on the field or court. You don't need to go beat the crap out of a stripper. When will this madness end. Maybe never. It's hard to understand the mind of a pro athlete. All you can do is sit back and say is "Man, he's stupid!"

Words and I

Writing for me is more than just taking a pen and paper and jotting down some words. It's a method of expression. I have never been a very talkative person so writing has always been one of the most effective ways for me to get my thoughts across. Throughout my years of schooling, English has always been one of my strongest subjects. I have always had a love for writing things like poetry. My only problem with my writing is elaboration. I like to get straight to the point discuss the topic in as few words as I can. I find that if I try to elaborate on a subject, I end up straying from the topic and rambling on and on but I aim to correct that.