Downey SPMT Blog

This week, we discussed the practices of ableism in a sporting context. Per the textbook, ableism is "an ideology that assumes the world should be tailored to those without disabilities." We then also discussed the case of Casey Martin v. PGA Tour, which was an example of a professional sports league discriminating against someone with a disability. Casey Martin had a serious medical condition that caused major difficulty for him to walk. Martin requested to use a golf cart as a reasonable accommodation, but the PGA Tour had a rule that players must walk. Long story short, Martin won his court case, which forced the PGA Tour to allow him to use a golf cart. As someone who went through childhood with a chronic illness, the notion that sports, or the world, should be tailored to those without disabilities is something I strongly disagree with. I also feel that the criteria to be considered "able-bodied" can be argued as well. In Martin's case, I would argue that h...

This week, we discussed the relationship between sport and politics. As we discussed, there is a prevailing belief amongst some that sport and politics "do not mix." That could not be further from the truth. Sports and politics mix all the time in various ways. In Chapter 8 of the textbook, sportswriter Dave Zirin is quoted as saying, "However you slice and dice it, politics are an enduring, constant, and historic presence in sports." A recent example of sport and politics intertwining was a few years ago with Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem. This causes a national uproar, and while Kaepernick's methods are still argued to this day, he certainly sparked meaningful conversation in the NFL community. People have the right to argue whether kneeling during the anthem is appropriate or not, but the point is that players can use their platform to ignite conversation. There will always be purists who want politics to stay far away from sports, but ...

 After reading Chapter 7, Race and Ethnicity in Sport, I watched the NFL Combine with keen interest. In the text, the concept of "stacking" is discussed. Stacking is "the placement of people in roles that closely fit social expectations of identity groups." In NFL contexts, stacking has led to a disproportionate number of black defensive backs and white kickers and punters. In the past, this also led to a disproportionate number of white quarterbacks. Quarterbacks were seen as leaders, hard workers, cerebral types, qualities more attributed to "white" players than black players at the time. Fortunately, things have changed for the better, with the increase in minority quarterbacks and seeing white defensive backs such as Cooper Dejean, Riley Moss, and Reed Blankenship finding NFL success. It was always odd in the past how white players were referred to as blue collar, sneakily fast, first one in/last one out, cerebral, and players with moxie. White receive...

I was thinking about the element of sport communication when it comes to press conferences for players and coaches. Everything they say is magnified and put under a microscope. It takes a concerted effort to make sure that each answer cannot be misconstrued or create drama or controversy. Some players and coaches are really good at managing the questions from reporters, even in very tense or hostile situations. On the radio, a show host mentioned a point that I found to be very interesting. He mentioned that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has NEVER added fuel to the fire in such a high-drama football city.  He is ALWAYS cool, calm, and collected. He understands his role in being a leader, weathering the storm, and tuning out the outside noise. In such a volatile environment, it is very impressive for a player to be so well-spoken, calculated, and composed to be able to keep the focus on the main thing: getting better and winning games. We have discussed sport fan cultu...

In class, we discussed the ritual-like experience of the NBA Draft. We discussed the question, "Would you want the commissioner to mix it up a little bit?" For me, it is a vehement NO!!! Back as a kid, I attended the NFL Draft in person because I was a bit tired and fed up with all of the extracurriculars that come with draft coverage. That's how passionate I am about the draft process. During the second and third rounds of the NFL Draft, it bothers me when guests announce the pick and decide to indulge themselves first. Just announce the pick! The rituals are what makes the draft special. "The NFL Draft is officially open" is an iconic line. Commissioner Goodell getting booed every year is a part of the ritual. Seeing "The Pick is In" is a part of the ritual when watching on TV. The bearhug that players give to Goodell is all a part of it. I had never really thought about how ritualistic the whole draft was, but that's what makes it so special! Ov...

 After reading Chapter 4 of the Brown & O'Rourke text, regarding the Cleveland Browns, it got me wondering how I would truly react if my favorite team (Philadelphia Eagles) announced they were relocating to somewhere like St. Louis. My fandom is not tied to the location of the team, but I do not think the Eagles would ever be the same if they were not in Philadelphia.  As the text mentioned, the Cleveland Browns have an extremely loyal and passionate fanbase. I feel that the Eagles may be one of the few other teams in the league that could rival Cleveland's level of passion and loyalty. The text notes that there were protests around the nation due to the relocation. I can only imagine the protests if the Eagles left Philadelphia. Perhaps they would rise to a full-on riot. We have learned that sports teams help people with their self-esteem and are a part of their identities. I feel that way about the Eagles, regardless of where they are located. With that said, I do not th...