Opinionated Sports Commentary

2/10/16
Is Johnny Manziels football career and his overall mental and physical health in
danger? Quarterback for the Cleveland Browns seems to be the spotlight of attention
recently from not only his coaches and teammates, but from his family members as well.
Former NFL star Emmitt Smith says that the most challenging part of Manziel resuming
his NFL career will be finding a team that will trust him as the face of its franchise. From
showing up drunk to a practice in December, to getting put on concussion protocol and
missing his medical treatment, only to find out he was partying it up in Las Vegas. Of
course lets not forget the most recent headline about Manziels ex-girlfriend putting a
restraining order on him. He was accused of hitting her and bursting one of her eardrums
for crying out loud. Does any of that scream out role model or leader? How does Manziel
think a head coach in the NFL is going to want him being the starting quarterback, let
alone get paid a fortune when hes been acting in this absurd manor? Johnny Manziel
needs a wakeup call and fast before its too late.

Blog Post #1
9/8/16
During a typical full school day, I come across 50 to 100 different students driving a
scooter around the University of Arkansass campus. Every now and then I will see some
kids doubling up on a seat, and a few others with three to a seat. Owning a scooter is just
like having a big toy A toy that can weigh up to 325lbs. A toy that can catch speeds
up to 30 or 40mph A toy that doesnt have a seat belt, a roof, or doors because not
having these safety features is what makes each ride that much more exhilarating than the
last But its also a toy the UofA police department requires students under the age of 21
to wear a helmet with while driving it.
I mean lets be real here Who is going to wear one when you look around and see
majority of underage students deliberately choosing to not follow that law? The day I
bought my scooter I laughed while saying absolutely not when I was given the option to
buy a helmet with my purchase. If other people were getting by without wearing one, I
figured I would be just fine as well.
On the morning of Sept. 2, 2016 all of those helmet jokes and laughable thoughts of
wearing one completely vanished from my mind. I was informed that one of my best
friends, Cole Pangburn, was in a severe scooter accident the night before. He had been
put on life support and was also in a medically induced coma. He was driving on campus
late at night, lost control and hit his head on the curb. And did not have a helmet on.
After four days of fighting for his life, Cole was announced brain dead and passed away
on the morning of Sept. 6, 2016.

He will never have the chance to graduate college, get that dream job, fall in love, get
married and start a family. I will never understand why bad things happen to good people,
or the concept of being here for a second and gone forever the next. If there is one thing I
have a full grasp on now is safety should always come first, no matter what the
circumstances are. Wearing a helmet on a scooter IS crucial. It cant control when a freak
accident occurs but it CAN help prevent the individual from having extreme internal
injuries from happening.
Studies show that wearing a helmet reduces the risk of death by 30 to 40 percent, and a
traumatic brain injury by 69 percent.
Speaking as a 20-year-old college student, we are not invisible, as much as wed like to
think so. Please let this tragedy be a reminder that being able to wake up every morning is
a privilege, not a right. PLEASE help us spread the #helmetsaresexy hashtag and sign the
petition to make helmets at the University of Arkansas a requirement, no matter the age.

Blog Post #2
9/22/16
The Dallas Cowboys head coach has announced that Dak Prescott will continue to keep
the starting quarterback position after Tony Romo is back from injury. Now, I cant be
the only one who would pay money to see the reactions from crazed Romo fans if this
headline ever popped up on social media. The main question is: Would the fans start a
riot or accept change knowing its for the better?
Romo has had plenty of years in the spotlight from the various nail biting games and
smart plays made. But, if people would take a step back from being those over obsessive
I bleed blue and white and sleep in my number nine jersey every night fans to look at
the reality of the situation, change is the only reasonable answer for this team. No one
stays young forever and whether people choose to believe it or not, the man is aging. His
injures from the past few seasons are prime examples of the brain saying yes but the
muscles, joints, and bones saying no. When someone is young the body is able to bounce
back from injury, in what seems like a blink of an eye at times. However, when one is
older, like Romo, it starts to become a major concern. There has been a numerous amount
of examples from NFL history when a player acknowledges his time has come to hang up
the cleats, the jersey, and allow the new generation of the position to fill their shoes.
The new generation of the Dallas Cowboys is first year rookie quarterback, Dak
Prescott, and it is said with confidence. Throughout the two previous games everyone has
seen his leadership abilities stand out and flourish. The composed, poised, and mentally
tough mindset he possesses is one of the many major keys to have for leading a team to
victory Prescott showed the fans what he is truly made of last weekend when they

played the Washington Redskins. The Cowboys came out on top with a final score of 2723.
People may say its too soon to tell, but so far Dak Prescott seems to have a better head
on his shoulders and quicker eyes for the game. I think its about time to hang up the
jersey, Romo.

Blog Post #3
10/6/16
Isaiah Brock joined the Army in April 2012 and served in a unit whose job was to collect
the bodies of dead soldiers from war zones and return them to America for burial. He
served for four years and earned numerous awards before becoming involved in a
program called Troops First that puts on a tournament for veterans and service members
known as the Hardwood Classic.
Oakland University coach Greg Kampe spotted a 6-foot-8 kid who actually looks like he
can play, he knew he had to take a closer look Which was how Kampe and Brock
started talking, and what spurred Brock to eventually enroll at Oakland after he
completed his service.
All of it sounded like an amazing idea. Brock has already proven himself on the
battlefield, and on top of that achieved a solid B average on his classes so far. Hes even
mentoring and tutoring younger athletes. Doesnt all of it seem like the perfect example
of everything the NCAA values in student athletes?
Well for everyone who thought this was going to be a happy ending story for this young
man is sadly mistaken. The NCAA just ruled Brock ineligible to play basketball because
of his high school transcript.
This is a guy who did one of the toughest jobs in the military, sweated and bled to return
our fallen heroes to their native land. He served his country, hes virtuous enough to
balance out a dozen UNC and FSU scandals, and you wont let him play.
Why? Because of a grade scale from five years ago?
Theres nothing I despise in this world more than unfeeling policies and empty reasons
behind all of them. When you forget about the human element and refuse to be flexible,
you lose a part of your own humanity to the system. As a regulatory organization, the
NCAA is really only effective at two things: scoring massively lucrative distribution
deals, and making up stupid rules to justify their existence and ability to continue to profit
off college students.

Blog Post #4
10/20/16
Majority of the time sports media is more beneficial than not, especially for the viewers
who religiously keep up with everything going on. With that being said, there are still a
few things notorious for getting under my skin when it comes to the way media chooses
to go about broadcasting a story.
The uncanny amount of unnecessary information makes me cringe. Dont get me wrong
there is a plethora of great stories hitting headlines throughout the day and overnight, but
we have turned filler stories into the backbone of the sports world. This problem has
forced anchors and writers to create excitement for you out of thin air when in reality its
unnecessary news and not worth batting an eye.
It can be quite difficult to please a client from the sports business side as well, especially
when there is no end game. There is never a finality which makes it challenging and
doesnt give us much hope when we have an absurd amount of irrelevant stories sent out.
Its more distracting than anything else and takes away a great deal of importance from
the real news-worthy headlines.
Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter will either be the death of the sports industry
or miraculously reincarnate it as a whole. At this day and age, we as viewers could spend
all day reading through social media posts. I am guilty of checking my ESPN app without
ever thinking twice. Once my phone screen lights up and reads This Just In everything
else gets pushed aside and my attention is immediately directed to reading more about the
juiciest latest and greatest. At this point its become second nature, and I know Im far
from being the only one with the same brain trigger. On the flip side, it also has allowed
people to use their voice to express thoughts and opinions they feel passionate about. This
all comes down to how the individual personally thinks, and generation they grew up in.
When you break it down everything draws back to saying from Aristotles Nicomachean
Ethics Moderation in all things. You can choose to intake what you please but lets be
real youre never going to be able to cover it all. Majority of the sports stories you spend
your time trying to frantically read through just to stay caught up arent so important as
the media makes them out to be.

Sports Sidebar
10/27/16
With the anxiety levels at an all-time high the bleachers begin to rattle, the air gets thick
and a gust of silence spreads all around the court. Razorback fans jump from the edge of
their seats as senior volleyball player Danielle Harbin gets a beautiful set directly to her.
The 60 outside hitter nails a line drive straight down Mississippi States side of the
court, whips around to her teammates and screams YES.
In a blink of an eye the Razorbacks won the second set and on to the third with hopes of
continuing the winning streak. Glenn and Michelle Harbin, Danielles parents, from
Mobile Alabama, sit in the front row wearing shirts with the number three stamped on the
front and back while enthusiastically waving around a poster of her face.
I have so much faith in her, Glenn said. There is no doubt in my mind she will achieve
her goal tonight.
Harbin needed five more kills to become the 25th player in the University of Arkansass
volleyball program history to reach 600.
I could hear it in her voice when she called to tell us about the importance of this game
and just how close she was to this big of a milestone in her life, Glenn said. We
immediately jumped on the next plane to Fayetteville.
Harbin has been a key player on the volleyball team since her freshman year. Her talent
has continued to flourish throughout the past four years.
My baby girl works harder than anyone I know, Michelle said. When she sets her
mind to something, she becomes unstoppable. You can see it in her eyes and I can feel it
even from home in Alabama.
Five more, four more, three more, two more, one more For an instant after, Harbin falls
to her knees and just like that she did it. From this night on Danielle Harbin will be
recognized for holding a special title in the program and schools history.

Blog Post #5
11/2/16
One of our biggest faults as a society thus far has been to glorify athletes and certain
coaches by placing them on a pedestal they dont deserve to be on. Weve managed to do

a nauseating amount of sweeping scandals and court cases under the rug in attempt to
protect the player or coach from losing their position.
A great deal goes into the decision making process when offering a job to someone. Not
only are they making sure you will be able to successfully fulfill the duties at hand, but
also acknowledge your personality traits, type of work ethic and if you obtain integrity.
No amount of protection in the world could have saved former head football coach of
Baylor University, Art Briles, once a scandal of sexual allegations was made against
several of his football players. In the midst of the investigation, information surfaced
about Briles recruiting athletes with a past of performing such actions several times
before. Of course, he denied knowing anything about it, like any typical prideful coach
would. So, not only did he lack control of his players but also was caught in a lie to a
national audience.
A major part of being a head coach is knowing whats going on inside your program as
well as the background of the players you get. In Briles case, winning was everything and
clearly did not have a problem brushing aside anything which could get in the way of
doing so. After 38 years of coaching, he knowingly and willingly sold out his integrity for
men who just knew how to play ball.
Sadly, none of this is new and it happens all over the country. A winning football team
brings millions of dollars in donations and TV exposure so they will roll the dice and take
the chance. As a 20-year-old female, it disgusts me how easily it is to turn ones head
away from any kind of assault case if the person on the other end is idolized in any shape
or form. None of this should be acceptable, ever. The skewed mindset majority of the
population possesses is one of the many reasons why our world is corrupt. Its time to get
our head out of the clouds and start making a change.

Blog Post #6
11/27/16
Remember, whatever happens and whatever you say, dont tell the truth! is a typical
line said at the end of every pregame production meeting. This was put into action during
the Baylor vs. Texas Tech football game last weekend.
Baylor wide receiver Ishmael Zamora caught a pass and ran 10 yards for a touchdown in
the midst of this intense rival game. Fans along with ESPNs announcers treated him like
a world class player from this play alone. ESPNs announcers, Clay Matrick and Dusty
Dvoracek believed he was completely deserving of their admiration. Matrick separately
started to give more positive feedback in detail by beginning with naming Zamora as
one of the teams best receivers, despite missing three games with a team suspension.

Three-game suspension? For what exactly? Missing curfew? Skipping class? Not turning
in his library books on time?
Majority deliberately chose to turn away and ignore the small detail for the real reasoning
behind it all. Zamora was suspended after a home video showed him to have repeatedly
beaten along with kicking his dog. He pleaded to animal abuse; it wasnt as if it was a
matter of a rumor; thus ESPN protecting the wrong animal.
Who could be surprised at this point? The football program at Baylor has been and will
continue to be notorious for escaping shame as per the tell-no-truths of sports television.
TV refuses to touch it. Among all the growing hatred big-time, money machine college
sports inflict on society under the misleading front of higher education and among all
the emotional and physical scars left on the victims of big-ticket college sports Baylor
football may prove beyond all limits.