"London Calling: The Globalization of the NFL"

Globalization of the NFL would be cool in London. But it seems that it would be a realistic idea. The reason being is it hard to expand a sport all the way across the world. The reason that this would even be an idea is that the NFL would be looking to receive more revenue then what it is already getting.
London would be an ideal spot is because although the English premier league is big over there has been a pretty good turnout for the NFL games that have taken place. Although the stadium would not fill like it would in the US the NFL believes it would generate more revenue by expanding. One of the facilitators of this is that NFL owners have stakes owned in English Premier League teams. One of the disadvantages of expanding that comes to mind is traveling. The amount of time that it would take to travel overseas to play a game every week would be ridiculous. That would not be beneficial for the opposing team to have to travel that far. Athletes would not be willing to travel that far to play a single every year maybe even twice a year if they have to go there during the playoffs. I like the idea of playing a game there once a year but, I do not agree with trying to have an expansion team over in London.

"Sociogenesis of Boxing"

Boxing first originated when a person first lifted their fist against another in play. Ancient Greeks believed boxing or "fist fighting" was a sport played by the gods on Olympus. This was the reason that it became apart of the Olympic Games in 688 BC. During the Roman period boxers wore leather bands around their fists and sometimes metal-filled leather hand covering called "cesti". This would sometimes result in bloody, duel-to-death fights. Early on boxing resembled street fights. It wasn't until 1743 that modern rules were established such as eliminating hitting below the belt line. Rounds were limited to 3-minute rounds and the use of gloves were mandatory. The increasing popularity of boxing has lead to weight classes being developed. Boxing has become a controversial topic. The reason it has become a issue is because of its violent nature and its identification with betting. Even though it has become an issue boxing still remains internationally popular.



Early Boxing




Modern Boxing

"Sport in Ancient World"

The Olympic games of ancient Greece was considered the "ultimate athletic event". They fought naked because their bodies were considered to be glorified and perfect. Religion was considered a big part of the Olympics. Those who earned the championship title were considered to be favored by gods. The Olympics were a form of entertainment for all the citizens. Some of the events were boxing, wrestling, sprinting etc.

In Rome Gladiators fought until death. I kind of knew this based on watching the movie gladiator. They would participate in these games in order to regain their freedom that was once taken away from them. These games were a form of entertainment which audiences admired.

"Sport, Society & Me"

Sports have always been a big part of my family. From my dad to my brother and sisters down to me. Sports is a connection and similar interest we all share. Football is a big part of my life. I did not start playing till my junior year in high school but ever since then I have fallen in love with the sport. Football has blessed me with the opportunity to attend this school to get a great education as well as do what I love to do. Football came about one day when I was talking to some of my friends and they convinced me to try out one day and everything just seemed to fall in place after that.

I believe that sports plays a positive role in US society. I think it creates traits such as teamwork, friendships, hard work, self discipline and many other things. It brings people of all ethnicity together. I've come to this conclusion because as an athlete myself I can tell that  I have developed some of these traits. Athletes are thought of as highly in society. I think they are looked to as role models among younger individuals. I think that they are respected but some people believe that athletes are spoiled and that they get paid way too much to play a game.

Sports Ethic

According to Hughes and Coakley sports ethic refers to defining what it means to be a real athlete. There are four dimensions of this concept:

1. Making sacrifices for the game
2. Striving for distinction
3. Accepting risks and playing through pain
4. Not accepting any limits in pursuit of possibilities

Hughes and Coakley talk about how athletes conform to these dimensions and these dimensions begin to become a norm and become a distraction or a disruption to the everything in their lives. Their personal lives such as family, relationships, even their own health suffer from these norms. The reason this happens is because athletes love their sport, for some it is their life. Some athletes are so attached because they have been playing the sport at such a young age. I have experienced one of the four dimensions, I've experienced making sacrifices for the game. During the year I only get to spend about a month and a half at home the reason being is because I am at school training getting ready for the up-coming season. I do it because I love and care to much about my sport.

Sport(S) in the US

There are a lot of sports that go on within the US. But there are a few popular sports that most of us watch. Those sports are football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. All these sports share similar characteristics. They all involve competition where athletes go against one another. They all involve training where athletes push their bodies to the limit in order to be physically prepared for their upcoming season. I am a division 1 athlete and game day to me is a unique experience. Usually there are tons of fans tailgating before the game. Both teams are represented on game day. Before the game commentators are previewing key match ups that they believe will help dictate the outcome of the game. Success in sports in measured on how much someone wins. By that I mean how many championships he/she wins or how many individual accolades someone wins. A trait I would associate a successful athlete is commitment. I believe you have to be committed to yourself first. That means that you do the necessary things in order to give yourself the best opportunity to be successful. I think it is important to entertain your viewers and keep them interested in viewing the sport.