Final Reflection

Before coming enrolling in this class, I considered myself a good researcher when it came to finding and breaking down sources to use them in projects. I was surprised to realize that I wasn’t going deep enough into the actual meanings of my sources and so I was missing some crucial details. Learning about the writer’s project and then learning how to find it helped me tremendously to better evaluate sources. I was able to read a little bit of each source, then I was able to find the writer’s project and then I would determine if it was useful or not. Initially it was difficult to do if I didn’t have any background knowledge on the topic. For example, in the first unit, it was hard for me to figure out what some of the writers were arguing because I wasn’t aware of the background of the topic and so I wasn’t able to specifically identify the problem at hand. This made it tougher for me to synthesize articles. Once I got used to identifying the claims, I was able to get more out of my sources. Accurately identifying the claims also gave me more terms and keywords that also aided me in my research. I thought that the “Quick-n-Dirty heuristic” was especially helpful with regard to finding new keywords and terms because it forced me to search for different things. I even tried researching things that didn’t seem important initially and I obtained a few good sources based off of those key words. I had the realization that if I can’t find any major key terms, I could still be just as successful using seemingly less important words. I no longer needed ten sources to write an article or an essay; I only needed like four of five because I could now extract more necessary and useful details. I also cut down the time it took to conduct research because I was able to cut out the time that it would normally take me to think of things to research.

When I learned about the unit two and three assignments, I already knew what I wanted to research and talk about because I already had a strong interest in the subject. I knew a lot about the topic already and I already had a stance on the issue without doing any research. In my research, my goal was to find sources that were interesting, that identified the controversy, and that backed or opposed my claim. I already liked the topic so reading about it and learning more about it was joyful to me but I knew that not everyone shared the same passion as me. The group work where we had to briefly explain our topic, and take a stance, and then have my partners share their view helped me put myself in the mind of my audience. I was also fond of the posters that we made where we put our controversy on it and then the entire class critiqued it for the same reason. I learned a lot more through research than I shared because it wasn’t as important as some of the other information. My topic was very complex so I know that there is still a lot to learn and I want to still learn about it. I want to continue to research about the future of the nuclear energy, specifically in the case of power plant designs, and I also would like to delve a little deeper into the history surrounding nuclear energy that created the misconceptions that most people mistakenly believe in today.

I would share my unit 3 piece with really anybody that was willing to listen to me. I would choose this piece because I care very deeply about the topic that I chose to write about. I put a lot of research and a lot of effort into understanding and conveying that information in a way that would make sense and be convincing to whoever was reading it. I provided several specific claims and I also provided evidence to support my claims. I would hope that after reading it, the reader would have a different outlook on nuclear energy. I strongly believe that nuclear energy is the energy of the future and I did my best to share this belief to my audience. My goal was to just encourage my audience to maintain an open mind with regard to nuclear energy because with the ongoing energy crisis that is among us today, no options should be ruled out without proper research being done first.

This topic came of great interest to me being a civil engineering student who’s currently taking a class in water resource engineering.  First of all, the research I had to do informed me of the problem they had in Flint, and also caused me to realize the importance that sound infrastructure engineering has to the citizens it will effect.  Policy plays an important factor in the decisions made which will ultimately result in the final decisions.  I became empathetic to the citizens of Flint, and grew contemptuous for the powers that made these disastrous decisions.  I did appreciate the other side however.  It is a tough task to balance a budget with minimal dollars in a failing economy.  But the more I see about the topic, the more it looks like the emergency manager was just trying to be a hero, rather than suck it up and declare bankruptcy (like so many other cities in their position have done).  As far as the actual talk; I felt great.  I was comfortable in front of my classmates.  I felt that they were engaged.  And I tried to go up there with a lot of energy, so as to not lose their interest.  It really made me appreciate the John Stewarts andJohn Olivers of the world, and how much preparation they put in and how great their delivery is.  So far this was my favorite project of the semester.

Brandon Wright

WRT 205

Unit 3 Reflection

1. The title focuses the reader’s attention very well as it presents a big topic that is surrounded by controversy. The lede also does a good job getting the reader engaged. The lede is a basic overview of the topic by being creative and authoritative. It also provides the reader insight into the issue at hand. However, the lede does not give away too much information, but just enough to get the reader hooked into the article.

2. The introductory section of the article does a good job inviting the reader into the paper. The intro is very straightforward and has an urgent tone to it, which helps the reader understand the importance of the issue in today’s world, not in the future or in the past. It locates the problem by providing background information and statistics within he first paragraph to show the reader how big an issue this is, while also explaining to them what should be done to fix the issue.

3. The writer does a good job offering up strong ideas. For example, in the article, one of the main arguments is where the World Cup profits go and how that is affecting FIFA. I stated that argument then supported it by showing stats of where the money went and how much of it went to each nation. The reader would have no idea that a British territory the size of Houston are receiving the same amounts of money as the United States, and if that does not upset the reader, then what will?

4.I think I did a good job in the way I presented the topic and all the facts relating to it. FIFA and corruption was a very broad subject, so I had to narrow it down to specific issues within the organization, and I felt I did a good job with that. Also, the way I presented the evidence to back up my arguments was done well. I provided stats, quotes, and pictures/graphs in order to get my points across to the reader. Having all three of those is a great way to keep the reader engaged.

5. The writer did a good job recognizing what a New York Times Magazine audience entails and how it challenges the ideas that are overgeneralized. FIFA is a massive organization and not many people know the details about its corruption scandal and investigation. Many people know that FIFA is a corrupt organization, but that’s about it. The writer does a good job going into more detail while also developing strong points and sequences that keeps the reader focused and interested.

6. I feel that I did a tremendous job researching the controversy that is FIFA and its corruption scandal. I also did a good job persuading the audience about how urgent and badly an issue this is. I felt that the audience got a good understanding of this topic based on my article and an understanding of its importance.

7. The writer met research expectations of this assignment. I had six secondary resources that included newspaper articles and websites. I also included five pictures/graphs in order to help illustrate my points. Plus, I used one academic journal as well, therefore meeting the research expectations.

8. I did a good job integrating the secondary and primary sources to my text. By adding information and hyperlinks throughout my article, it gives the reader important information throughout the entire article, not just in the beginning or end. The way I spaced out the article is also a good reason how well I integrated my sources.

9. I think I did a good job persuading the audience to consider my claims based on the sources and facts used to back up my argument. With the combination of scholarly sources, pictures, and newspapers articles, the reader has a wide variety of information that helps cement the argument. I was also very effective in my use of the rhetorical tools (ethos, logos, pathos).

10. In order to keep the reader engaged, you have to strategically place pictures and hyperlinks throughout the article. I felt that I did a good job with this. I placed graphs and pictures at the ends of paragraphs to help back up what I wrote in said paragraph. The visuals are very helpful because it gives the readers a quick break while still learning more about the topic at hand.

 

11. I think I did a good job expanding from my original draft to the final product. The biggest thing my peers told me was to have a much more powerful conclusion, and I thought I did that well. Another thing was my subtopics were too condensed together and I needed to separate them better while being able to relate them all to my main argument, which I thought I was able to do better from my first draft to my final article.

 

12. The use of hyperlinks in the article is very effective based on what they are. Many of the hyperlinks are used from quotes said by people and used on subjects that the reader may not know much about. For example, Sepp Blatter, former FIFA President, has made numerous inappropriate statements during his tenure regarding female soccer and females in general. I touched on just a few of those statements, but the hyperlink attached to it goes to a website where you can see every inappropriate quote from Blatters time as President

 

13. The writer did a very nice job editing for grammar, style, and usage. The article is written very urgently because the issue needs to be fixed ASAP, and the reader needs to understand that. The writer’s attention to sentence level issues helps him establish much credibility on the issue at hand. He has a lot of facts to back up his claims, and knows the topic very well.

UNIT 3 REFLECTION

1. I attempted to create a very interesting and creative title by including sports, racism, and superman. As funny as that sounds, Superman is a nickname that Cam Newton (one of the subjects of my article) has been given due to a celebration that he does when he impersonates Superman. I thought that this little detail would be an eye catcher and that the reader would feel inclined to check it out.
2. I started the article with a very intriguing quote from NPR which pretty much sums up the basis of my article and gives a little context. I included historical context, a dictionary definition, and a controversial opinion to draw in the reader.
3. I gave my strong opinion. I used a variety of different topics to back up what I said as well as one that goes against my personal belief. I also tried to raise questions and point out that we need change. Finally I thought back on everything and summed up my final thoughts.
4. I used historical information as well as a scientific research project from Smith College to give some context as clearly as I could. I tried to be as unique as possible by opening my article with a quote, by using an unordinary title and by using pictures too.
5. I was fully aware that my idea is very controversial and that not everyone would agree with it so i made sure to stay true to my opinion no matter what. I tried to organize and develop my ideas as well as possible so that everyone gets the same reading experience no matter what side you’re on.
6. I did a lot of research on all aspects of the topic to generate an opinion as well as use my morals and beliefs in life to build a firm stance. I utilized my research to get a better understanding to see all aspects of the controversy, negative and positive. I joined the debate by clearly stating my opinion and by sticking to it.
7. I had all of the required sources, however some were used in the article and others helped myself get a more detailed historical context to insure that I really knew what I was writing about. Some of the sources excluded didn’t exactly fit the flow and structure of my article and I didn’t want some of them to take away from the article’s train of thought, therefore, confusing the reader.
8. My primary source of Smith College was very instrumental in setting down scientific information on the topic of race and sports. My secondary information basically highlighted those theories by giving examples of the research findings  that relate and happen in the current year of 2016. For example, the study explained how white players feel as if their spots are being taken. I used secondary source articles to show how players still feel that way (used quote from Charles K. Ross about white players being the franchise players and when a player of color comes along to take that traditionally white spot, controversy sparks).  I also tried to include a devils advocate source because it’s important to show both sides of the argument.
9. I used Logos to show that this problem is logical and that many people aren’t thinking logically, kinda like a wake up call to the reader. I think Ethos is pretty relevant because the sources that I used are respected and trustworthy plus they are accurate. For the Pathos aspect I tried to get my emotions out of the way but towards the end I kinda let myself go and used words like idiocy and used the sentence : “Stop worrying about whose playing in the games and start worrying about whether your team will have a good season or not “ as a backhanded ending. I think I was able to keep my opinion strong without really letting my emotions get the best of me.
10. I gave a number of visuals. The first was Cam Newton looking sad( kinda speaks for itself because he’s the topic and its about racism in sports that is targeted towards him). The second was Newton hitting the dab, because the paragraph next to it was about his dancing. The next was Warren Moon talking with Newton because Moon mentored him and it was mentioned in the paragraph next to it. The trend is kind of a formula, I tried to use pictures to visualize the emotion of what I was talking about along with what I was literally talking about ( dancing,mentoring). I don’t think relying on the visuals alone could portray my article’s message correctly. They are used more as aids or support beams to visualize and give examples of that I’m talking about as i go.
11. I wrote two drafts. I grew a lot from my first draft in a sense of more content but as well as a better structure. During peer-review and editing my first draft I noticed that I was writing in a very essay like formula so I tried to change that in my second and final drafts. I broke up paragraphs and tried to seem more casual while remaining engaging. 
12. I didn’t use any hyperlinks. I didn’t find that they were completely necessary but I could have included them.
13. I tried to pay close attention to language and grammar. I attempted to not repeat words but instead use variations or synonyms of the previous similar word that I was trying to use again. I also tried to utilize grammar so that I wasn’t left with huge run-on sentences.

WRT 205/Spring 2016                                                                                  Grading Rubric: Unit III NYTs Magazine

 

[1]  How well does the title provocatively focus the reader’s attention, as well as the lede? Is it thoughtful, creative, clever? Does it lead the reader into the text and provide some insight into the issue?

The purpose of the title is to grab a person’s attention in order to attract them to the article. I think my title does a good job doing that because all people want answers to their problems and I proposed a solution to a problem that affects all people.

 

[2]  How well does the introductory section of the article invite the reader into the paper, as well as offer up exigency?  How does it locate a problem or controversy within a context that provides background and rationale?

The introduction starts by asking a question assuming the reader already was wondering. I then go on to explain what nuclear energy is. I started with this because it is the basis of the solution so I provided it for some background. I then proceeded to ask another question about the energy that was meant to provide the problem and then briefly provide an overview of the solution before I went into more detail as the article went on.

 

[3] How well does the writer offer up a strong ‘idea’ that requires analysis to support and evolve it, as well as offers some point about the significance of evidence that would not have been immediately obvious to readers.?

The basis of the entire article involves a very complicated and technical process so it must be explained. It is something that most people aren’t aware of so it needs to be put into terms so the non-technical readers can understand it.

 

[4] How well does the writer show clarity of thought; uniqueness of presentation; evidence of style; and historicized topics?

I’m not sure how I unique or stylish I was but my intention of the article was to present it as if I was having a conversation with the reader and I was answering the questions that they were asking.

 

[5]  How well does the writer recognize that a NYTs Magazine audience will challenge ideas that are overgeneralized or underdeveloped or poorly explained? (that is, did the writer avoid cliché and vagueness or address points/issues readers are likely to have?)  How well did the writer decide about how to develop, sequence, and organize material?

The topic is very controversial because of its past so I needed to provide proof that it can be the answer to a problem by making the proof about things that people care about, such as economics and safety.

 

[6]  How well does the writer research a controversy, develop a persuasive stance, utilize research about the topic,  and join the ‘debate’ by making an argument of importance?

I took a strong stance by claiming that nuclear energy is the answer as long as people embrace it and develop it. I provided details such as the economics and safety in order to relate with the reader and be more persuasive.

 

 

[7]  How well does the writer meet or exceed research expectations of assignment requirements (6 appropriate secondary sources, 1 visual source, (or more) and primary research? ).

I did extensive research into my topic and this is shown in the amount of evidence I provided. The topic is not a basic one so I needed a strong understanding from a variety of sources if I want to persuade my audience to share my view.

 

 

[8]  How well does the writer integrate secondary and primary sources (that support and complicate the topic) effectively into the text, introducing and contextualizing them, and “conversing” (i.e. no drop-quoting) in ways that deepen and complicate the analysis?

I used my sources as a way to simply prove that I wasn’t making stuff up and that real, highly educated people have proven time and time again that the view I have is a more common view than most people realize. The audience just needs to accept it.

 

[9 How well does the writer persuade an audience to consider claims made from a particular position of authority on which you have built your research?  How strong and effective is the writer’s use of rhetorical tools (ethos, logos, pathos)?

I used questions as titles as my article progressed as a way to direct all of the information that I obtained towards a specific question. It allowed me to craft my paragraph in a way that wasn’t repetitive and so it also answered any potential questions the audience may have.

 

 

[10] How well does the writer select appropriate, interesting, revealing visual?  Has the writer placed a visual strategically in the essay and provided relevant commentary on and/or analysis of them?  Do the visuals contribute to the essay in meaningful ways (i.e. would the essay be affected if the writer took the visual away)?

I used a nice picture of a power plant as a way to make the plant seem more safe. I provided reasons why they are safe but I included the picture in order to allow people to visualize a safe plant. I also used a graph to back up some of the arguments that I was making and I was hoping that by showing the proof, more people would believe it.

 

 

[11] How well does the writer show development of final article using various drafts, in-class peer editing and workshops, and/or teacher comments?

I changed the order of my paragraphs a few times in accordance with the recommendation of my class mate who proof read and edited for me. I believe that he helped me tremendously to make my article flow and be more persuasive and casual.

 

[12]  How well does the writer use hyperlinks—are they effective/appropriate?

I used hyperlinks on a couple important claims I was making because without the claims, my argument wouldn’t stand and I wanted people to be able to physically see why I was making those claims.

 

[13]  How well did the writer edit for grammar, style, and usage effectively? Does the writer’s attention to sentence level issues help him/her establish authority or credibility on the issue?

I tried to stay away from big words and I tried to use words that I would normally use in everyday conversation so that I could continue my goal to make the article seem like a conversation between me and my audience. I of course had to use some words that I wouldn’t normally use because the topic was complex and there was no way to better explain it without some of the phrases and terms that I used.

1. Reflect on your work over the semester. What were some of the highlights, surprises and/or challenges you encountered as a researcher and a writer? Why might these experiences be important to your development as a research writer? Provide specific examples.

I think that overall this semester I became a much better writer through research and analysis. From the first unit, I was able to gain an understanding of what the writer’s project is and how to analyze it. From there I was then able to translate that into my own work especially with the unit II assignment. I found myself taking secondary sources and using them as my own to provide support for my take on the controversial topic of paying college athletes. I also was not really aware of the online library databases that were available and after the workshop with Patrick, I was able to find much better and more credible sources that I found necessary for the type of controversial topic I had. People don’t want to see that you got your sources from opinionated sources, the better articles provide the facts behind your stance, and I believe that I did that very well.

 

2. How do the practices for research and research writing we have been doing this semester contrast or relate to other research work you are encountering or may encounter in the future (think across contexts–school, professional or personal research and writing)? Are there practices, learning or ideas from WRT 205 that you believe may be useful in current or future research writing situations? Have you developed any new understanding about the differences among and between research writing situations? Try to be as specific as possible. Include examples.

I would have to say that the library databases was the most helpful lesson that I learned. It allowed me to gain access to so many sources that I could also potentially use in future classes. In the business school we are always writing and doing case studies that involve scholarly sources and references. It is always necessary to make sure that the information is from the most credible sources and there is not fraudulent or incorrect numbers involved. This summer I will also be working for an investment bank in which I will need to put together presentations and analysis of my own. I have learned the importance of purpose as well as Kairos and exigency and how important there are to the relevance of the topic being discussed.

 

3. Reflect on the topic of inquiry: Food Politics and Social/Political Controversies. How did research and writing impact your engagement, interest or understanding as you worked within this inquiry?  Provide 2 or 3 examples.

For the first unit and working with Food Politics, it allowed me to explore an avenue that I wasn’t really aware of before. I was like most consumers who believed that food was out of our control. As the unit developed, I began to realize the importance of food safety and how corrupt the food industry actually was. I began to research articles on my own and visit websites that provided information on what consumers can do to spark change in the industry and regain control of our food system. As we moved into the political controversies in unit II it was difficult to choose a stance on my topic. The debate about paying college athletes is not an easy one, but as a student-athlete myself it made it even harder. As the evidence began to pile up against the NCAA and large institutions that pointed out the amount of money that they were hauling in, and the difference between the expenses on scholarships being given out, I made my claim that college athletes should be paid. My understanding of each of the topics grew immensely throughout each unit and I feel as though I am knowledgeable about each.

 

4. If you could continue working on one of your pieces, which would it be, and what would you want to do? Why?

I would definitely continue working with my political controversy. I feel that I found a substantial amount of information on the topic, and was definitely able to take my stance and get my point across about why student athletes should be paid, but I would have like to explore a bit more into how it would be possible. By this I mean some methods that could be used for the distributions of stipends beyond that of a scholarship. With the limitations of the length of the article I found myself focusing more on the why aspect and less on how it would be done.

5. If you were to choose one of your pieces from this semester (Unit I, II, III) to share with someone outside our class, which piece would you choose and with whom would you share it? What reaction would you hope for or anticipate? Why?

I think I would definitely like to share my ted talk with someone. I feel that it would be most beneficial to share it with someone that is not a student-athlete already, and maybe someone that has a significant amount of power in regards to the topic. I would hope that they would understand the amount of exploitation that is occurring and they corruption and unequal treatment in college sports. People are unaware of this issue of the NCAA generating nearly $1 billion in revenue off of the college athletes’ hard work. It takes a tough individual to play division I college sports and to be able to balance the long 40 hour weeks dedicated to that sport, and keep up with the demands of being a full time student. The institutions have allowed the incentives of money and greed to take over the true people that matter in this case, the athletes themselves.

Philip Davoli

Unit 3 reflection

[1] The lede in my paper is provocative, and leaves the reader asking why? It lacks somewhat on cleverness but makes up for it in efficiency.

[2] The intro is something that I’m most proud of.  It gives the historical context of the story, so as to get the reader to care, because its told like a story, and that begs the reader to want to continue.

[3] I took a strong stance in this topic that evolves as the piece continues.  There is no shortage of evidence from which to form an opinion.

[4] Putting it in historical context is the strongest part of this, however, I made compelling arguments and seem pretty convincing.

[5] The piece could have used some pictures and maybe a hyperlink or two, but I think I got the gist of melding an opinion piece with a research piece. (in the style of NYT mag)

[6] I felt after reading this again that the research was in depth, and the reader would have to be devoid of emotions to not feel something after spending a few minute investing in it.

[7] Expectation on research have been met.  I am an expert on the topic now.

[8] I think it might be a little tough to identify the primary source, however, a lot of secondary sources were used.

[9] Given that the research was so thorough, I think the reader would probably read this feeling that the writer was pretty credible.

[10]  The two pictures I used did a great job to capture the readers attention before they read.

[11] This paper certainly progressed through the process.

[12] No hyperlinks in this one

[13] I didn’t fing any mistakes in grammar my last read through.

Will Bradley-Villarini

Professor Barone-Phillips

WRT205

4/24/16

                                                                

                                         Race and Sports: Can Superman be Black?

Disclaimer for understanding: Cam Newton’s nickname is Superman based on a touchdown celebration that he performs where he pretends to rip open his jersey like superman does when he reveals his identity to go fight crime.

“To many whites, men of my vintage, men I knew, there was a sense that their game was being stolen. It was a very visceral racism.”- Frank Deford, NPR

Sports have been around for thousands of years in human culture. They date as far back as the early hundreds, or as long as military training has existed. Sport(s) is defined by dictionary.com as : “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature”. Many white athletes feel as if there are spots are being taken by African-American players or players of different races (the quote above from Frank Deford). It’s quite ridiculous to think that because the definition of Sport says that it “requires skill”, therefore, no matter what skin color you are, if you’re skilled then you should be playing. In the modern 21st century, the argument of race in sports is still very present and it has a history, especially in the last 100 years or so with events such as the Civil Rights movement. Football is a great example of the ever-burning flame of racism that still exists in sports for a few reasons.

Historically, the franchise players or “star players” on the football teams have been the quarterbacks. At the beginning of the 2015-16 NFL season, only 6 starting quarterbacks out of the total 32 were of color (19.2%). Cam Newton, the MVP quarterback that led the Carolina Panthers to an 18-1 record and a Super Bowl is the spotlight of this article due to the attention he brought to the issue of racism in football. His unique set of skills, arrogance, and impressive dancing extracted a lot of hatred from white America. The issue of racism in sports is very present to this day, I’m going to cover the history of racism in sports and compare it to Mr. Newton and his story in the current time of 2016.

I personally believe that racism is currently alive and well in sports, especially in football. It’s not good for American culture along with sports and the industry as a whole. The sports industry in the United States makes $495 billion yearly, making it one of the biggest contributors to the U.S economy. If racism keeps causing debates in the sports world then it will continue to move backwards.

When looking into the history of race and sports it is crucial to look at the statistics of when players of color graced the field for the first time in each major sport. The NFL’s first black player was Marion Motley back in 1946. The MLB’s first was Jackie Robinson in 1947. And finally, the NBA’s first player of color was Chuck Cooper in 1950. Based on those statistics, there were exactly 0 players of color in America’s most popular sports before 1946. That statistic is baffling without a doubt and it’s concerning as well. Scientists from Smith College believe that this absence was due to a couple of factors. The reasons surround the idea that minorities are different from whites and that they are “inferior”. The first reason that Smith College gave was in regards to physical prowess. The belief that African-Americans have a physical superiority (running faster, jumping higher, increased reflexes) is “closely yoked to an anti-intellectualism that permeates black male culture” (Smith College, Page 2). This ideology of physical inequality leads to the caucasian player creating more inequality because of their resentment toward their own personal abilities. That comparison correlates with another discriminatory categorization of African-Americans by saying that they’re also not as “intellectual” as the white players. These ideologies are poisonous and they are still prevalent today.

Cameron Jerrell Newton is a 26 year-old black male who is going into his 6th season as the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers. In the 2015-16 NFL season, Newton led the Panthers to an 18-1 record, even adding a Super Bowl appearance. The Panthers were the favorites to win after a dominating season, however, the Denver Broncos’ unbreakable defense ruined what could have been a legendary season for Newton and the Panthers franchise. Newton received flack as the season progressed for a handful of reasons and he took it as an issue of racism. Newton came out in an USA Today article to say “I’m an African-American quarterback that may scare a lot of people because they haven’t seen nothing they can compare me to”(USA Today, Gluck). What makes Newton so “incomparable” is his ability to be dangerous both in the air and on the ground. Standing at 6’5” and 245 lbs., Newton was able to rush for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns, an incredible statistic for a QB, as well as throw for 3,837 yards and 35 touchdowns. Newton ended the season with a QBR of 99.4, a number viewed as off the charts, and earned the title of MVP. Cam saw the issue as White America being threatened by him because he was putting up Tom Brady-like numbers. However, the problem here is that Tom Brady is white and Cam Newton is black. In Cam’s eyes, that means that people are resorting to stereotypes and discrimination because a black man is putting up amazing statistics in a predominantly white position. Throughout history, the franchise player of NFL teams have been the quarterbacks. Charles K Ross, a professor and author on black culture’s input on this topic was stated as : “Who was going to be the face of your franchise and your product? A white man” (New York Times, Powell).

Some of the other aspects that make Newton a “threat” refer with how he behaves on the field. If you are familiar with Newton’s story, or if you have ever watched him play then you would know that the quarterback loves to dance, and perhaps too much. After every first down, every touchdown, and pretty much after any successful play, one can find Newton “hitting the dab”. The dab is a dance move where the person bends their head into the bend of their elbow in a swift motion. This dance was introduced to the public thanks to the Atlanta based rap group “Migos”. During a game against the Tennessee Titans, Newton rushed for a touchdown and proceeded to celebrate for around 15 seconds. His dancing was so extra that a defensive lineman by the name of Wesley Woodyard ran up to him in anger, followed by the referee running over to break the altercation up, however,  Newton kept going even as the ref yelled and pushed him away. In the post game conference Newton addressed the altercation. He explained how someone told him that they weren’t going to let him “hit the dab” anymore and he swiftly followed up by saying: “If you don’t like it, then don’t let me in (the end zone)”(Cam Newton, ESPN).  That statement comes across as pretty arrogant and it is understandable why that would enrage someone who is quick to rush to stereotypes, but Newton isn’t incorrect. Newton’s celebrations got Seattle Seahawks fans so mad that they started a petition to ban Newton from their stadium. Another on-field activity that Newton likes to partake in is the distribution of footballs to young fans after he scores a touchdown. Many spectators see Newton’s actions as distracting and time wasting. The fact that giving a ball to a kid that can’t be older than 10 years old can make somebody mad  shows how easy people rush to barrage Newton and his image.

Warren Moon, a legendary black quarterback went through a lot of the same hardships as Cam Newton, leading him to mentor the young QB in his time of need. Moon started in the NFL in 1984 as one of the first black starting quarterbacks in the history of the game. Moon broke plenty of boundaries, however, he was very talented and deserved to play. He received a lot of hateful  comments and death threats which makes one wonder how bad it must have been back in the 80’s compared to 2016. It made complete sense for Moon to mentor Newton and he had a lot of choice words about the NFL and racism along with advice for young Newton. In a recent article for the New York Times, Warren referred to the black players roles in the NFL by saying : “We were good for the athletic, reaction positions: run, jump, block” and followed up by saying : “ I felt like I was going out there half the time representing my race as opposed to representing my team and teammates”.(New York Times, Powell) These words by the legendary player proved very powerful. The difficulty of having to focus on representing your race in a sport instead of your team really exemplifies the importance of racial difference in sports at that time. Moon went on to explain that if he hadn’t been focusing on representing his race the whole time then he would have had an even better career.

     

Charles K. Ross, a history professor at the University of Mississippi and the author of “Outside the Lines: African-Americans and the Integration of the National Football League “ had some thoughts on the NFL from what he had learned throughout his career as a researcher of black culture. Ross analyzed that the franchise players have historically been the quarterbacks, and white ones at that. Therefore the business of the NFL and their teams’ money makers have historically been a white man in the pocket with the ball, with no room for a black man to take the helm. That reason led Ross to say : “Football was not ready to move into the 21st century”. (New York Times, Powell) The reason for saying that is because there were so many great talents of color that were ready to come into the NFL but the business model of the NFL as a corporation would get in the way of that.

Brandon Marshall, a wide receiver for the New York Jets holds a different position on the Cam Newton debate. Marshall stated : “I don’t think it’s racial. I just think that there’s a box that we put our quarterbacks in and we say, ‘This is how you’re supposed to be” .(New York Daily News, Walder)  Cam Newton is definitely a unique character. He’s loud, wears crazy outfit, and loves “dabbin” all over the place so it makes that he doesn’t fit the description. However, he then continued to say: “This is how Peyton Manning did it, this is how Joe Montana did it, Tom Brady, so you do it the same way”.(New York Daily News, Walder) Marshall coincidentally compared Cam to three of the most famous white quarterbacks in the NFL who are cardboard cutouts, in a sense that they all act in the same quiet and “professional” way.

I do not see why dancing and crazy outfits would make people so mad if it weren’t a race thing. If Tom Brady did the same things would everyone really be mad? I don’t think so, I think that the white fans would eat it up and that the African-American community would be the ones taking offense to it, once again making it a race issue. No matter what direction it travels, this seems to be a race thing.

Racism in U.S sports needs to be addressed publicly. There needs to be a campaign to end the problem, because it’s taking away from the entertainment of the sports and the consumers who keep the industry alive. A great example of a campaign to end racism is in Fútbol, better known as soccer in the United States. As some might know, soccer is the most popular sport in the world. There are an estimated 2.2 billion fans in the soccer world. There have been campaigns worldwide and even in the MLS (Major League Soccer, the American soccer league) to try and combat racism in the “beautiful game”. These campaigns go by the names of “No to Racism” and “Fútbol for Hope”. They have millions of supporters and are successfully moving to eliminate racism by increasing public awareness of intolerance and discrimination in fútbol, as well as developing ideas and strategies on how to fight them. 

This movement is fantastic for the fight against racism, but why aren’t America’s most popular sports taking actions like these to combat racism? This issue is huge and it is changing the game. These actions are surely being taken in some form by the NFL, however, if a corporation as powerful and wealthy as the NFL hasn’t even attempted to create a campaign as dynamic as European Fútbol has, then some questions could be reasonably asked. Maybe it’s because the other big corporations linked with the NFL are against it, or maybe it goes against their business ideas. Nobody really knows, but something needs to happen because we can’t keep living like the world was 100 years ago, as well as ignoring the issue as a whole.

Cam Newton is a great delegate for this everlasting issue because his story is relevant and shows the true colors of some people in American sports today who still see pigmentation as a dividing factor. Everyone is subject to their own opinions, however, I see this as a real matter of discrimination by White America who feel like all of the white players are being kicked out of sports. I can see why that would enrage some but lets go back to the definition of sport. It clearly states : “ an activity requiring skill or physical prowess”. If you are more skilled, black or white, then you deserve to be playing. The better you are, the more interesting the sports will become. People need to stop caring about the skin color who is taking who’s spot and start realizing that the better players are the ones making the sports that they love so dearly more amazing.

If you’re from Philadelphia and you’re an Eagles fan, whose team happens to be entirely filled with black players (or white, or mixed) and you win the Super Bowl, then there should be no problem at all. Your team was the best, that is all. Other teams, and their supporters shouldn’t decide it’s because their kicker is white or “It’s because their defense is full of big black guys”, they should applaud them because they were the best. Hate them for being good, be jealous, just don’t make race the issue to throw your stereotypes at.

The sports world is filled with stereotypes, jealously, hatred, and idiocy. We need to come together as a country to enjoy the sports that we love and not argue over other pointless issues that really don’t have anything to do with sports. People are getting mad because they feel insecure or because they need someone to blame, so why not go with the classic “blame the black guy” approach from 200 years ago? The sports industry is important to the economy and to the enjoyment of the hundreds of millions of viewers that keep the industry alive. Stop worrying about whose playing in the games and start worrying about whether your team will have a good season or not.

The Panama Papers Have Shown Us that Nobody Can Be Trusted

By Evan Becker

Lionel Messi, arguably the best soccer player, and a person who made roughly $731,579 dollars per game for his club team in Barcelona is not a man who needs more money. Honestly, if you were to ask most people, they would be content if they made that much money in a year and considering that the median household income for an American family is $81,000 dollars per year, Lionel Messi is not short on cash compared to the rest of the world. The fact that Lionel Messi is that rich shouldn’t be surprising, he is the best player on the best team for the most popular sport in the World. For the entertainment that he brings to fans, I would say that he is adequately paid. But, On April 3^rd, 2016, Lionel Messi was named as a conspirator in the Panama Papers, indicting him on hiding his money in an offshore account in an attempt to avoid paying his taxes for what he has earned.                                                                                                             The Panama Papers is a huge collection of documents and other information being investigated by the ICIJ, an international team of journalist’s intent on showing the world the truth about all of these elected officials and other incredibly rich people who need to avoid paying taxes. This accusation is damning because not only does it show the amount of greed that Lionel Messi, it shows that he went through the time and the work, away from the game, to shield his money in an offshore company. Is Lionel Messi an evil person for what he has done? Probably not. But, being named in the Panama is not a good sign for him since now his name is connected to Vladimir Putin, Mauricio Macri and the now resigned, Prime minister of Iceland among many other corrupt government officials. Each of these people had their own reasons for setting up an offshore account, but all of these officials need to be held accountable for what they have done. The Panama Papers have given us concrete proof for the first time that worldwide leaders and businessmen are stockpiling wealth while avoiding paying their taxes. These leaders need to be punished correctly for their actions.

According to the Panama Papers, creating one of these off-shore shell companies is in fact very easy. All these people would have to do, is to visit the local office of a “little-known but powerful law firm based in Panama, Mossack Fonsenco.” At there local office, you can create your own company, must likely under the name of a family member, and instead of using that company to do things, you just deposit your wealth into it, and avoid paying your taxes. To go along with not paying taxes, nobody will even know that this company exists, so all money deposited there has no background or trace, meaning it can come from anywhere. It is for that reason that the Panama Papers is so damning because not only are these officials not paying their taxes, but we also have no idea where they got their money from. An ancient Chinese proverb says “If you want no one to know, don’t do it” which in the context of the Panama Papers means that since they didn’t want anyone to know where they got their money from, it most likely comes from somewhere bad.

The number of world leaders named in the Panama Papers is actually shocking, but it is only one piece of the pie. According to the ICIJ, Mossack Fansenco has set up over “214,488 offshore entities connected to people in more than 200 countries and territories.” This number is astronomical, since it is not cheap to set up these companies, so the fact that over 200,000 people thought it would be necessary to set up an illegal off-shore company to hide the evidence of their wealth is abhorrent. By having over 200,000 people on their roster for people who have created these companies, it is evident that this type of activity is extremely commonplace for business men and other rich people around the world.

With over 200,000 clients, that means there are over 200,000 people or companies that needed to hide the evidence of their wealth. The firm has helped everything from “Africa’s diamond trade, the international art market and other businesses that thrive on secrecy.” to “The firm has serviced enough Middle East royalty to fill a palace. It’s helped two kings, Mohammed VI of Morocco and King Salman of Saudi Arabia, take to the sea on luxury yachts.” All of these organizations are shrouded in secrecy, so it would make sense for each of these industries to be involved with these offshore companies. But, having kings and princes involved in this scam indicates that people do use these companies to hide their wealth.

 

The reaction to the release of the Panama Papers has been extremely varied from country to country. The most encouraging country to take action has been Iceland. In 2013, future Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson ran for Prime Minister on the platform of not being corrupt. But when he was named as an owner of an offshore company in the Panama Papers, Iceland’s citizens were less than pleased and the very next day, an estimated 10,000 citizens of Iceland rallied in Reykjavik, Iceland. The photo above shows the central downtown of Reykjavik. Edward Snowden said on Twitter that “The population of Iceland is only 330,000. Largest protest by percentage of population in history?” Following this protest, Gunnlaugsson initially denied any and all allegations against him, by saying ““I have not considered quitting because of this matter nor am I going to quit because of this matter.” But after 3 straight days of complete protest, The Prime Minister resigned in disgrace, and democracy had worked again. Clearly Iceland had a very strong and coordinated response to the allegations against its leaders, but unfortunately not every country has the kind of free flowing information that Icelandic citizens.

In China, “Family members of at least eight current or former members of China’s Politburo Standing Committee, the country’s main ruling body, have offshore companies arranged though Mossack Fonseca. They include President Xi’s brother-in-law, who set up two British Virgin Islands companies in 2009.” But, the difference between China and Iceland, is that China is not a true democracy, and in response to the corruption allegations against the leaders of China decided to censor the online discussion of the Panama Papers and “Checks by the BBC found that by the end of the day many of those posts had disappeared, with at least 481 discussions deleted from the hashtag’s Weibo topic page, and other posts shared on Wechat also deleted.” By not allowing free discussion of their people to discuss this critical issue, not only are the leaders of China insinuating their guilt, again if they had done nothing wrong, then there would be nothing to censor. So in an attempt to quell the masses, they have resorted to censoring logical discussion and not allowing the tales of their corruption to reach the ears of their own citizens.

The leaders of Russia have resorted to questioning the reporters’ credibility and the truth behind some of their actions in addition to shamelessly censoring all conversation. During a radio broadcast where Putin was questioned about the Panama Papers, he said that “They are just trying to cause confusion” By questioning the intentions of the journalists, he himself is trying to cause confusion on what to believe. Clearly, the State run news outlets of Russia are not going to question whether Putin is fit to run his country if he is connected to an offshore company. Instead, they will attack the credibility of the journalists who uncovered these documents and in doing so, they will persuade the public masses to just let this type of scandal go unaccounted for. Putin knows exactly what he is doing when he says these types of comments, and it is purely a smear attempt to distill public out cry so he can continue to stay in power.

The Panama Papers though, have yet to name any Americans, which is a large reason that they have not garnered the type of reaction and outcry that has been seen throughout the rest of the world. By not naming any prominent Americans, the ICIJ must not have uncovered their names yet, or they are withholding the information to release it at a later time where the news would have a greater impact. If the ICIJ has not released any American names by election day in November, then there must not be any names on the list worthy of note.

The Panama Papers have opened the window for the people of the world to see exactly how the wealthy retain their wealth without giving it back to the people. The 1% have stolen, racked up assets, and then hid them all in off-shore companies to avoid any government knowledge of what they have done and it is thus imperative for the people of the world to stand up to this type of corruption. It really feels like the Panama Papers have changed how everyday people view the world. This controversy is more complicated than it would appear because we don’t know where they get their money from, they could even be using their stockpiled wealth to do great things around the world. But, if you are a leader of a major country in this world, you can not afford to be corrupt because of businesses are corrupt and the government is corrupt, who do the people have to look to in times of distress? The answer is in the end it must come from the people to insist that there is a worldwide institutional change. More countries need to take the actions of Iceland and peacefully protest against their leaders so that the world can become a fairer place. The Panama Papers will end up being either the most effective avenue for change in world history, or the most depressing if nothing comes of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The average salary of a Division I men’s football coach is $1.64 million, and $1.5 million for their counterpart, men’s basketball coaches whose team makes it to the NCAA tournament. Yet, the NCAA a “non-profit” organization had an annual revenue just shy of $1 billion in 2014 according to USA today, with 90 percent coming from March madness alone. With major college sports generating this type revenue year-in and year-out it’s difficult to grasp where all of this money is truly going, and why hasn’t it been returned to the stars of the show, the athletes. A majority of people may be unaware of the reality of this grueling business and its corruption. Throughout this piece I would like to bring forth the issues behind the scenes and discuss the potential, but controversial, topic of paying college athletes. Although division I college athletes are legally amateurs by the NCAA rules, they are acting as full-time employees to the university and generating millions in revenue of which they are not seeing a penny of. In the big picture, scholarships are not adequate compensation for the revenue being produced, and therefor college athletes should receive stipends beyond their scholarships.

Discrepancies among the NCAA

With an annual revenue of $912.3 million in 2015, the NCAA is considered a 501(c) (3) organization. Meaning that they are tax exempt under the IRS, and are pooled among other organizations such as Red Cross and the Salvation Army. But, in economic terms, the NCAA would qualify as a monopsony. This means that they are one buyer within a market of unlimited sellers, and in this case the sellers being the athletes selling themselves to colleges and receiving zero for their labor. The organization has made it clear that they will not condone the paying of college athletes that they consider to be “amateurs.” The term amateurism is expressed on NCAA.org and described as being the “bedrock principle of college athletics,” and “being crucial to preserving an academic environment in which acquiring a quality education is the first priority.”

In 2012 the NCAA signed a 14-year agreement with CBS and Turner Broadcasting System for the rights to March Madness worth $10.8 million. In 2016 this contract was extended to 2032 in another $8.8 million deal. $1.5 million is the cost for a 30-second advertisement spot during the tournament. (Read more about revenue breakdown)

 

The underlying statement being made here is that these are “student-athletes,” with an emphasis on the student. However, graduation rates may tell a different story. There are two measures to ensure that an athletes earn a degree. First the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Graduation Rate, and second the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate. According to the NCAA, 100 percent of the members of the Duke men’s basketball team who entered as freshman in 2007 graduated. But, the federal measurement, which takes into account the percentage of full-time college student-athletes who enter as freshmen and finish with a specific degree within six years, calculated that only 67 percent of male players during that time period actually graduated. There is a large discrepancy among these numbers that may be due to the NCAA failing to take into account the “one-and-done” players, career ending injuries, or even drop outs. As long as these players were in good academic standings before their departures, they are also added to the positive graduation rates.

Where is all the money going?

               Coach Krzyzewski, head coach of the Duke men’s basketball made a whopping $7,233,967 last year, along with another $5,400,000 made by John Calipari, Kentucky men’s basketball coach. Clemson University have written plans to build a $55 million complex solely for men’s football that includes sand volleyball courts, laser tag, movie theatre, barber shop and other amenities. Combined 48 of the schools from the wealthiest conferences spent $772 million on all athletic facilities. But, according to CBS News, only 3 percent of men’s basketball programs turned a profit last year. This may be due in part to cost pressure from the top schools to pay the coaches extremely high wages. Also, a report released by Delta Cost Project found that Division I universities on average spend about three to six time as much per athlete than they do on academics per student. Reminder, the NCAA’s main opposition to paying athletes is that they are “students first.” It’s hard to believe that these college athletes aren’t considered full-time employees that putting in over 40 hours of work just related to their sport each are students-first. After practice, film reviews, and scheduled lifting the players can finally get to their schoolwork. Such high demands of being an athlete have recently been linked to pooling athletes’ into general majors together. Evidence shows that the majority of college athletes have chosen a major in general studies. This due to a lack of ability to maintain the balance between their sport demands and school, or even because the coach told them to in order ensure eligibility. What does this say about the universities and the employees (coaches) who are supposed to be looking out for the best interests of the student-athletes? This situation has been corrupted and solely geared towards maintaining eligibility for top players in order to win games, rather than planning and pursuing a career for the future. The matter of fact is that college athletes being exploited for their work, or in this case their athletic performance while continuously turning nearly $1 billion into a yearly loss by wastefully spending money on extreme facilities that are exclusively geared towards athletic benefits and not academics. The NCAA and institutions pride themselves on the notion of having the best interest of the student-athletes in mind, but I’m not so sure this is the reality.

Reality of Full-rides

Not only is the money being generated by college sports an at-large issue, but the cost of being a full-time student-athlete on a full scholarship is often misleading. People often assume that there is a surplus of full-scholarships, or that scholarships are more than enough to “hand out.” However, the average amount of money awarded to division I athletes was $13,821 for men and $14,660 for women. Also just about 3 percent of all high school athletes will receive a complete full ride to play in college. There are also strict rules that have been put in place by the NCAA that establishes how many scholarships each team at a university can receive. Only six sports, commonly referred to as “head-count” sports, which include football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s gymnastics, volleyball and tennis, have enough full-scholarships to cover the team in its entirety. On the other hand the rest of the collegiate sports teams are limited by the NCAA as to how many full rides that they receive.

This is the breakdown of full-scholarships per team allotted to the non-head count sports by the NCAA

Yet, this organization has an annual profit of about $145 million and is only returning about $12.3 in expenses for scholarships to the universities. This could be the biggest discrepancy for the NCAA and one of the main reasons that player’s unions and other people are demanding reform. In the 2011-2012 fiscal year, a study was conducted by Ithaca College researchers that reported the average expenses that a college athlete was required to pay beyond their scholarships was about $4,000. “Free rides” fail to cover the cost of living for a typical college student, but these athletes are still students before anything. Cell phone bills, gas money, groceries and rent for housing off campus are just a few of the additional expenses that a college student may see. These expenses may be taken care of if the players were able to have a part-time job, but once again the NCAA bans in-season work. Often it can even be difficult for athletes to find the time or money to get in three meals a day with their schedules. Recently University of Connecticut basketball start Shabazz Napier spoke out about this issue and stated, “there are hungry nights that I go to bed starving.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFdRk2DYolM)

Opportunity for Reform

The NCAA has a significant issue that must be attended to within the near future. With the multimillion dollar enterprise claiming itself as a non-profit organization through the IRS, it has come to a point of college athletic exploitation. The organization continues to fight off any efforts to find more money to pay student-athletes directly through stipends, but also wishes to leave the gap between their profits and the limited number of scholarships allotted to the non-head count sports. Also, they are holding onto their belief that these athletes remain students-first, when there is an abundance of evidence that points directly to men’s basketball and football simply being farm systems for the professionals to pick from. It seems that there needs to be a re-evaluation as to how much money is being spent on facilities and coaching, and more time spent of finding ways to bring the money back directly to the athletes themselves. After all, these college athletes are indeed the money-makers.

References

Deford, Frank. “Deford: Paying College Athletes Would Level The Playing Field.” NPR. NPR, 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 5 Apr. 2016. <http://www.npr.org/2014/04/02/297898279/deford-paying-college-athletes-would-level-the-playing-field>.

“NCAA.org – The Official Site of the NCAA.” NCAA.org – The Official Site of the NCAA. NCAA, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. <https://www.ncaa.org/>.

Nocera, Joe. “Let’s Start Paying College Athletes.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 31 Dec. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/lets-start-paying-college-athletes.html>.

Sanderson, Allen R. and John J. Siegfried. 2015. “The Case for Paying College Athletes.” Journal of Economic Perspectives, 29(1):115-38.

Strachan, Maxwell. “NCAA Schools Can Absolutely Afford To Pay College Athletes, Economists Say.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 Mar. 2015. Web. 12 Apr. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/27/ncaa-pay-student-athletes_n_6940836.html>.
Zirin, Dave. “An Economist Explains Why College Athletes Should Be Paid.” The Nation. The Nation, 27 Mar. 2015. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. <http://www.thenation.com/article/economist-explains-why-college-athletes-should-be-paid/>.