Urban Liar?

"If not for the coaching position at Ohio State, I would not have coached this year" Urban Meyer said after accepting a job with the Ohio State Buckeyes less than a year after resigning from the University of Florida citing health concerns and a desire to spend more time with his family and children.  For the past few weeks, sports media has been rife with speculation that Meyer would come out of retirement to coach the Buckeyes, the best team in his home state of Ohio, and where he worked as a graduate assistant to start off his career.  The nail in the coffin that all but proved Meyer would be taking the new position was when he was supposed to broadcast the Ohio State vs Michigan game this past Saturday, and ESPN decided to pull him from the booth.  The move leaves Gator fans outraged that a man they looked to as a hero, who brought them two national championships in the past five years, could jump ship to a team that has become a recent rival to the Gators for no other reason than the fact that UF faced them in a basketball and football national championship just since 2006.  Angry fans seemed to think that he had used the excuse of health concerns and spending tome with his family as a chance to get out of Gainesville and be ready when the Ohio State job came calling.

No man who has been able to provide for his family should ever be criticized for leaving work to spend more time with his kids.  I don't think we are there as a society yet.  Although the thousands of Gator fans across the country may have been disappointed that Meyer left his coaching position in the prime of his career his initial desire to seek better health and spend time with his kids and family are all but the best reasons someone should leave a coaching position while they are still relatively young and healthy.  But staunchly denying that you would be coaching anywhere soon and then taking a job with a program that was clearly in turmoil at the time of his resignation (that had just lost their head coach) does raise an eyebrow.  I empathise with Gator fans (as much as I can't stand them) at first losing their leader and wishing him well, to eventually having him turn their backs on them and now becoming one of the most hated rivals of Gator Nation.  Soon enough, time will heal the wounds and Meyer will be recoginized for all he did for their program. In the mean time, I cannot wait for the next Ohio State versus Florida match up to cement this as a top new NCAA rivalry.

Bacardi’s Approach: A Tennis Player

I arrived in Mexico City last week, and was amazed to see the amazing campaign Bacardi launched in Mexico. Buses, flyers, TV spots, and posters around the city have been placed trying to promote responsible drinking.

As part of the global campaign Champions Drink Responsibly, Bacardi is making it possible for fans to have a day in the player’s hometown, Mallorca, and make it possible for them to play with the tennis superstar.

The campaign includes a You Tube channel and a Facebook page that informs consumers about responsible drinking and the choices they make. Nadal relates to the audience as he goes through the challenges of being young and wanting to have fun.

Being one of the most successful and charismatic athletes worldwide, the attention and interest any of his campaigns gather, most of all in the Spanish speaking countries is amazing. A lot of young people are inspired by his work inside and outside of the tennis courts. In Mexico, his campaign has reached everyone, because it is almost impossible to go out on the most important streets of the main cities and not see the promotional adds placed everywhere, and for everyone to see.

It is very interesting to see the approach that Bacardi has chosen for the last years, since becoming publicly responsible about informing the consumers about the effects alcohol has in them, and choosing athletes to promote this cause. It is an idea that has convinced several sportspeople to be involved in a campaign that, while promoting a product, such as alcohol, it is also making people understand the problems that may turn an excess in consumption into a serious problem, in this case alcoholism.

 Rafael Nadal is now part of many industries, as his endorsement deals go from Emporio Armani to Babolat and Nike, but it has shown the public, through Bacardi, a more human and normal side of a regular young person that has fun when he is not in working hours.

Written by: Alejandra Diaz Valdes

Bacardi’s Approach: A Tennis Player

I arrived in Mexico City last week, and was amazed to see the amazing campaign Bacardi launched in Mexico. Buses, flyers, TV spots, and posters around the city have been placed trying to promote responsible drinking.

As part of the global campaign Champions Drink Responsibly, Bacardi is making it possible for fans to have a day in the player’s hometown, Mallorca, and make it possible for them to play with the tennis superstar.

The campaign includes a You Tube channel and a Facebook page that informs consumers about responsible drinking and the choices they make. Nadal relates to the audience as he goes through the challenges of being young and wanting to have fun.

Being one of the most successful and charismatic athletes worldwide, the attention and interest any of his campaigns gather, most of all in the Spanish speaking countries is amazing. A lot of young people are inspired by his work inside and outside of the tennis courts. In Mexico, his campaign has reached everyone, because it is almost impossible to go out on the most important streets of the main cities and not see the promotional adds placed everywhere, and for everyone to see.

It is very interesting to see the approach that Bacardi has chosen for the last years, since becoming publicly responsible about informing the consumers about the effects alcohol has in them, and choosing athletes to promote this cause. It is an idea that has convinced several sportspeople to be involved in a campaign that, while promoting a product, such as alcohol, it is also making people understand the problems that may turn an excess in consumption into a serious problem, in this case alcoholism.

 Rafael Nadal is now part of many industries, as his endorsement deals go from Emporio Armani to Babolat and Nike, but it has shown the public, through Bacardi, a more human and normal side of a regular young person that has fun when he is not in working hours.

Written by: Alejandra Diaz Valdes

Happy Thanksgiving!

            We all know there are several wonderful things about Thanksgiving, and they all happen to start with the letter “f”: family, friends, food, and football.  After the enjoyment of a wonderful meal with those close to you, it’s always a tradition, or at least in my household, to watch the football games.  This year’s games were dominated by sibling rivalry, a last second win, and the stomp heard around the league.  The Lions/Packers game started off the holiday with a tremendous win by Green Bay.  However, despite this so-called blowout, the dominating feature of the game was by far was Detroit’s Ndamukong Suh’s ejection from the game.  Fans of football have been in constant contact with the hard and unsportsman-like hits made by the defensive tackle.  But with the inappropriate head smashing and stomp, it is undoubtedly obvious that this goes beyond the team’s control.  The league has to step-in with either a fine or suspension to put a stop to his improper behavior.  Listening to the commentators after the game was a whole new side of football I have never witnessed.  These experts of past football players and coaches were appalled by Suh’s behavior during this game, even believing that a harsh punishment would be the best reaction.  I have never heard such negative words said about one player by a whole panel during pre and post game shows.  And in this case I believe every word that the CBS crew said. 

            The world of football has been exposed to many eccentric characters through the decades.  These players mainly showboat their talents on the field and off, sometimes talking their fame into the public, non-football spectrum.  In this case, personal problems seem to have reached the field.  It’s obvious that Suh needs to either figure out the exact rules of football, such what is considered a legal and appropriate hit, or realizes that he may never play again with the way he plays the sport.  Football players crave the spotlight, but this is not the kind of spotlight any player would want to be in. 

Written by Nichole  

Short Dilemma

I have always been a female in a man’s sport.  I’ve played sports with the male figures in my life since the beginning of time.  I was probably the perfect definition of a “tom-boy.” But, outside of sports or outdoor activities, I was always the first girl to put on a dress and heels for dinner.  My femininity has never kept me down when it comes to sports; I just have two personalities. 

A recent article by Bonnie D. Ford on ESPN.com brings to light a silent controversy that not too many people even consider.  There is a motion by the AIBA, the International Boxing Association, to force female boxers to wear skirts rather than shorts during competition.  The absurd reason behind this movement is because viewers sometimes have a hard time distinguishing whether the boxer is a male or female.  So, the solution is to put women in skirts? I understand that sports such as field hockey have had skirt uniforms since the beginning.  I get that. Although I never played any sports that required me to wear a skirt, I understand that it was how the sports like that were established.  That is completely reasonable.  However, forcing women to switch from a uniform they have trained in to a skirt just because it will define them more as a woman is ridiculous.  Ford interviews several women from boxing and other sports about this issue and several reveal that they prefer skirts because it highlights how they can still play a tough, man’s sport while still being feminine.  Wearing a skirt while playing sports doesn’t define you as a tough woman; it’s the way you play and interact.  I don’t consider myself a feminist in the least bit, but my feminine instincts came to life after I read this headline.  This is the 21^st century, and women don’t need to be commanded to be women.  We have already proven ourselves… What more do you need? 

Written by Nichole Antilla

The Penn State Scandal

The outrage surrounding Happy Valley, Pennsylvania has spread across news outlets nationwide, with fury and passion on both sides of the issue.  On one hand students and die-hard fans cannot believe that Joe Paterno, who has reached god-like status for Penn State fans after serving it for more than half of a century, could be fired after he did inform his superiors that there was something alledgedly going on with Joe Sandusky and the children from his charity.  It seems silly to consider Paterno's feelings when there were children in need who were taken advantage of and sexually abused.  The feelings from both sides just seem to be fueling the fire. 

It seems to me that Joe Paterno was fired by Penn State to prove that the school was much more than a football team.  While he is the head of the team and therefore bears resopnsibility, he did inform his superiors who did nothing.  The head of the university police was fired because alegedly he decided to stop the investigation by the university police.  The president of the school was fired for covering it up also.  But why was Mike McQueary, the man who supposedly witnessed the abuses taking place not fired? Doesn't he bear just as much, if not more, responsibility to go to the police instead of just his superior since he was a direct witness to the event?

McQueary later resigned, while Paterno took the fall and shame of a public sacking in a Caesar-like fashion. Brutus and the Conspirators sneak took down a man to show that they had "done something" because he now had too much power, and was bigger than Penn State University itself.  In the end they all are guilty.  Men sat idly by as they know that children's lives were being ruined and a terrible man was walking free every day.  However it is upsetting to see a man like Joe Paterno, who put more into a university than almost everyone ever has (and not just atheletics, he has donated millions to the schools many libraries), not even be consulted by tyhe Board of Trustees to find a way to exit in as dignified as a way as he has held himself his entire career.

By Kevin

Note: I am not a Penn State fan whatsoever.

DAVIS CUP DILEMA

Throughout the years a struggle for power in the Tennis professional circuit between the ITF (International Tennis Federation), and the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) has been happening. The first one is in charge of the four mayors and the Davis Cup, while the second one deals with the rest of the tournaments played throughout the year.

During the last couple of years, the Davis Cup has been huge issue of disagreement between the two institutions that control the sport. The ITF argues that the Cup should continue to be played as it has through the Open Era to keep tradition; while the ATP, in an effort to protect the payers, has proposed different alternatives that go from playing it, as the Soccer World Cup, every 4 years to making it a tournament played as a Grand Slam in a two week period.

There is a lot of sacrifice that comes with being able to play the Davis Cup, and a great amount of pressure that is put in the players by their respective Federations. The ATP calendar demands a great amount of time inside a tennis court, and the Davis Cup adds more weeks to the already busy calendar, giving reasons to several players to keep from playing for their countries and focus on their singles careers.

Many top players have rejected the invitation to be part of their Davis Cup alleging, among other things, the demanding calendar they face and the pressure and lack of understanding and considerations the ITF gives them in their tournaments. In an effort to promote the Davis Cup to top players the ITF and the ATP have reached the agreement to give points in the ATP Rankings for those who play the Davis Cup; the amount of points given depends on the result the team achieves in the year.

The income received by the Davis Cup goes to the ITF responsible of the Federations of each country. The players are all to receive the same quantity of money as the rest of their teammates and the decision comes directly from the Federation’s President in their country.  

It would be interesting to know how will the competitiveness of the tournaments the Davis Cup increase if there are adjustments made to the competition.

Written by: Alejandra Diaz Valdes

Sports is a Business

            With such an eventful week in college sports, mainly the scandal that has erupted in the Penn State community, I decided to take a small detour away from all the commotion in the world of football…

            Baseball season has officially ended with an emotional and exciting World Series.  Although the season is over, it’s that time of year when the front offices of teams start planning for the future.  Meanwhile, free agent players remain in limbo.  As I was browsing through the MLB section of ESPN.com trying to get away from the hullabaloo of Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions, I selected an article about Jorge Pasada and his career end with the New York Yankees.  Most people associated Posada as a Yankee just as Albert Pujols as a Cardinal (not for long).  However, with the season over for the Yankees and Posada on the market, I was curious about the inner-workings of the organization.  As I was reading the article, a noticeable quote stuck out to me made by Posada.  In his talks about leaving the franchise and his remembrance of “always being a Yankee,” he proceeded to say that “at the end of the day, it’s a business.”  This automatically made me stop and think.  At first, it made me angry.  It’s a game!  You are a player who should be playing for the game itself, not the politics or the money behind it all.  I have always believed that the love of the game should always come first before materialistic wants.  But, as I thought about Posada’s point, he is right.  I may not agree with it, but truly at the end of the day, teams and leagues are all just businesses.  The players play the game to win because it translates to money.  Teams acquire big name and big money players in order to turn a profit.  It really is a business.

 I guess my immediate reaction was based on my experience as only a player.  I have chosen my future career to be in the business of sports, and now I need to start thinking along those lines.  The age of playing for “fun” has ended.  Now it’s time to learn the business approach to sports that was never present in my life before.  It may be a challenge, and my conscious may resist, but in order for me to have a career with my passion, my mind set ultimately needs to be reset. 

-Written by Nichole Antilla 

TENNIS RANKINGS MADE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND

One of the reasons football (or soccer as called in the USA) is the most followed sport worldwide is the easiness in understanding it. What happens with tennis is completely the opposite starting with the big number of lines in relation to the space, the complicated way of counting it, the display of the scores on TV, among some other things.

The ATP World Tour has never been the most followed in sports one of the inconveniences the tour used to have, and was changed in 2009 when many adjustments were made to the system, was that every tournament gave different amount of points and they counted for two different rankings. One, “The Race” used to determine who the best player of the year was based on the number of points he won throughout the year, every player would start at zero at the beginning of the year, the best 8 players would qualify for the Tennis Masters Cup, a round robin tournament. The events that were counted were the best five results of the year, Grand Slams and Master Series events. The second, the ATP Entry Ranking, which used a year to date ranking that, determined the qualification for entry and seeding, the period consisting on the past 52 weeks was considered and points were accumulated.

Some tennis players were highly ranked in the ATP rankings, but were not in the Race. Some, the best, would only participate in the Grand Slams and the Master Series they would be those who had the best results, but played a limited amount of weeks. People who followed the sport would notice how every week the same players would be in the small tournaments and did not advance as much in the big ones. Even the players did not understand as much the rules in which the ranking was based.

In an effort to promote the sport and gather more followers, the ITF and ATP made some of the complex rules easier to understand. As part of the changes that came in 2009 for the world of tennis a new rankings system was introduced merging “the Race” and the rankings into the South African Airways ATP Rankings.  It changed the name of the tournaments and they now reflect in their classification the number of points they give to the winner, 1000, 500 or 250.

The strategy followed has certainly benefited those of us who are close to the sport and enjoy having complete understanding on what goes on inside the Tour, and made some more fans along the way because it is easier to explain to non-fans.

Written by: Alejandra Diaz Valdes

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Rankings-FAQ.aspx#race

TENNIS RANKINGS MADE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND

One of the reasons football (or soccer as called in the USA) is the most followed sport worldwide is the easiness in understanding it. What happens with tennis is completely the opposite starting with the big number of lines in relation to the space, the complicated way of counting it, the display of the scores on TV, among some other things.

The ATP World Tour has never been the most followed in sports one of the inconveniences the tour used to have, and was changed in 2009 when many adjustments were made to the system, was that every tournament gave different amount of points and they counted for two different rankings. One, “The Race” used to determine who the best player of the year was based on the number of points he won throughout the year, every player would start at zero at the beginning of the year, the best 8 players would qualify for the Tennis Masters Cup, a round robin tournament. The events that were counted were the best five results of the year, Grand Slams and Master Series events. The second, the ATP Entry Ranking, which used a year to date ranking that, determined the qualification for entry and seeding, the period consisting on the past 52 weeks was considered and points were accumulated.

Some tennis players were highly ranked in the ATP rankings, but were not in the Race. Some, the best, would only participate in the Grand Slams and the Master Series they would be those who had the best results, but played a limited amount of weeks. People who followed the sport would notice how every week the same players would be in the small tournaments and did not advance as much in the big ones. Even the players did not understand as much the rules in which the ranking was based.

In an effort to promote the sport and gather more followers, the ITF and ATP made some of the complex rules easier to understand. As part of the changes that came in 2009 for the world of tennis a new rankings system was introduced merging “the Race” and the rankings into the South African Airways ATP Rankings.  It changed the name of the tournaments and they now reflect in their classification the number of points they give to the winner, 1000, 500 or 250.

The strategy followed has certainly benefited those of us who are close to the sport and enjoy having complete understanding on what goes on inside the Tour, and made some more fans along the way because it is easier to explain to non-fans.

Written by: Alejandra Diaz Valdes

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Rankings-FAQ.aspx#race

A Woman in a Man's Sport

I could not be more jealous of Amy Trask.  She has the job that I could only dream of ever having.  With the death of Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis just last month, Amy Trask is now the CEO of the team.  The whole team!  Probably the best part of this new appointment is that she is a woman, undoubtedly making her the most influential woman in the National Football League. 

As a woman myself trying to pursue a career in sports, more specifically professional football, this is truly a dream.  I would give my left foot to be Amy Trask right now.  Yes, this is a huge position, especially following in legendary Al Davis’ footsteps, but I truly believe that a woman is just as capable.  Not any woman, but a woman that has the strength and endurance to keep up with a man’s sport.  Her personality is described as tough, and an even better description is “Al Davis with ovaries.”  Maybe it’s her legal background, but being a prodigy and right-hand woman of Al Davis could not prepare her more for this new job. 

With graduation looming upon me, applying for jobs has become one of my main priorities outside of my academics.  I have always known that a job in sports is highly competitive, especially among women.  But with Amy Trask as a role model, I feel that anything is possible.  Someday I will be a Amy Trask, you can count on it!

-Written by Nichole Antilla