Sports are a prominent pastime in American history and a popular hobby for millions of Americans today. Sports play many roles in today’s complex society, one of which is held at the university level. College sports is a huge money-maker for large universities, but some experts claim that the same sports that bring in millions of dollars and thousands of new students every year have an adverse effect on the educational level of universities. Others would claim that sports have the positive effect of attracting incoming freshmen and building school pride and unity. It is certain that large universities sacrifice a lot for their sports teams, but the question is how far they will go to find success on the playing fields.
Sports represent one of the world’s most popular pastimes, and yet what we call sports in our society is very different from what sports used to be. Sports started out as a way people proved their worth and status, both physically and financially. While this is partially the case today, our society puts a higher premium on the advertising space associated with large sporting events that on the actual events themselves. Today’s fans are not simply fans, but consumers participating in commercialized activities that suck them of their money and love of the sports they’ve grown up with.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Review of "Beer and Circus," by Murray Sperber
In Beer and Circus, Murray Sperber argues that the level of education of major universities in the United States is quickly deteriorating. He argues that big-time college sports play a large roll in this decline.
WATCO: Big-time College sports on the level of education at large universities?
Claim: Big-time College sports hurt the level of education at large universities because the focus on socializing and partying distracts students from their studies.
Audience: Critics of modern higher education who ignore the student population in the reviews and critiques.
Sperber is very persuasive in his arguments against college sports. First, he is a highly credible writer, having published numerous books about similar subjects. He has also been an English Professor at Indiana University for the past three decades or so. His book appeals to anyone who is frustrated with the state of modern education, citing large class sizes and high tuition (among other things) as components of modern student life. Students, parents and critics all feel frustration at these trends. His research is very extensive, and he provides sufficient evidence of his claims throughout the book. One area in which his argument is unique, however, is in relation to other critics’ views of education today. Many critiques focus on the university presidents and professors, but spend little time on the students. He feels that the students are the key to a university and makes his argument from their perspective. Though different, this view is effective in his argument.
Beer and Circus is an intriguing book. Though it does not read like a novel, the subject matter is interesting and very thorough. Sperber makes his argument well and relates sports to educational failures in ways many people have not even considered.
WATCO: Big-time College sports on the level of education at large universities?
Claim: Big-time College sports hurt the level of education at large universities because the focus on socializing and partying distracts students from their studies.
Audience: Critics of modern higher education who ignore the student population in the reviews and critiques.
Sperber is very persuasive in his arguments against college sports. First, he is a highly credible writer, having published numerous books about similar subjects. He has also been an English Professor at Indiana University for the past three decades or so. His book appeals to anyone who is frustrated with the state of modern education, citing large class sizes and high tuition (among other things) as components of modern student life. Students, parents and critics all feel frustration at these trends. His research is very extensive, and he provides sufficient evidence of his claims throughout the book. One area in which his argument is unique, however, is in relation to other critics’ views of education today. Many critiques focus on the university presidents and professors, but spend little time on the students. He feels that the students are the key to a university and makes his argument from their perspective. Though different, this view is effective in his argument.
Beer and Circus is an intriguing book. Though it does not read like a novel, the subject matter is interesting and very thorough. Sperber makes his argument well and relates sports to educational failures in ways many people have not even considered.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Free Writing – Grandpa Bagley
My Grandpa Bagley went to the hospital today to have a minor surgery done to help his tear ducts drain properly, but 20 minutes into the operation his heart stopped beating. Thanks to modern medical technology and proficient doctors my grandpa is still alive tonight. He is in the ICU, and they will spend tomorrow monitoring him and doing tests on his heart, but he is alive. I’ve never had anybody close to me die before, and the news this morning that my grandpa might not make it came as a shock. My grandpa is getting old and his health isn’t what it once was, but he’s always been around and it is hard to imagine what life would be like with him gone. I guess you just never really know when tragic things are going to happen, so it’s difficult to be prepared when they do. My family has bonded together today through a constant exchange of phone calls and text messages, and we have been able to comfort each other through a roller-coaster of emotions. I guess the thing that I realized most today is how often I take meaningful relationships for granted. I’m surrounded each day by people who make my life wonderful. I don’t know what I would do if I lost my wife or someone in my immediate family, but I do know that from now on I’ll do a better job of loving them while I still can.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Rhetorical Analysis – Buying a Suit
I had heard that Mr. Mac’s was having a special sale this last week, so I recruited my brother to go with me (for moral support and to give me someone to talk to) to the mall and check out what they were offering. It turned out that their deals weren’t so special after all, but that didn’t keep Ryan (that was the salesman’s name) from trying to get me to buy something I didn’t really want.
WATCO: Buying a suit on my sense of self-fulfillment?
Claim: Buying a suit will increase my sense of self-fulfillment because buying a suit will help me to look stylish and professional.
Implicit Assumption: Whatever helps me look stylish and professional will also increase my sense of self-fulfillment.
Audience = Me
Ryan used several different techniques in his attempt to persuade me to purchase a suit, or socks, or pretty much anything else from the store. First of all, he presented himself well. He let us browse for a bit before asking if there was anything specific that we were looking for. I hate it when salesmen jump on you the second you walk through the door. He was also dressed very nice in a dark blue suit with a light blue pinstriped shirt and yellow tie. His appearance gave him credibility that he actually knew how to dress stylishly and pick out clothes that matched. I feel that these are very important traits for a suit salesman. This is about where the positive things ended, however, because he started being very pushy after the initial greeting. Instead of bringing out the suit I was considering, he brought out five completely different styles. I still can’t figure out why he did this. Maybe he had other issues he was dealing with at the time, but he just didn’t really seem to listen to what I was saying, and he wasn’t particularly nice about it. His whole attitude seemed to be, “Our suits are very nice, so you should pay lots of money for them without complaining about it.” It may not be his fault that the store wasn’t having a very good sale, but there was no way I was going to spend $300 for a new suit. I’m cheap, and he didn’t help me overcome that concern very well. The best deal he could think to offer was to give me $15 off a new shirt if I were to purchase the $350 suit. That’s it? He didn’t try to build any emotional or logical connection between me and the suit(s) he was offering, and while his arguments were sufficient, typical and accurate – that is, he knew his stuff when it came to suits – nothing he said was relevant to how I was feeling.
As you can tell, Ryan was completely unsuccessful at selling me a suit. I expect people who are paid on commission to be pushy and maybe a bit cranky sometimes, but he just seemed to be off his game when I came in. His complete lack of regard for what I wanted turned me off to the idea of buying a suit from him.
WATCO: Buying a suit on my sense of self-fulfillment?
Claim: Buying a suit will increase my sense of self-fulfillment because buying a suit will help me to look stylish and professional.
Implicit Assumption: Whatever helps me look stylish and professional will also increase my sense of self-fulfillment.
Audience = Me
Ryan used several different techniques in his attempt to persuade me to purchase a suit, or socks, or pretty much anything else from the store. First of all, he presented himself well. He let us browse for a bit before asking if there was anything specific that we were looking for. I hate it when salesmen jump on you the second you walk through the door. He was also dressed very nice in a dark blue suit with a light blue pinstriped shirt and yellow tie. His appearance gave him credibility that he actually knew how to dress stylishly and pick out clothes that matched. I feel that these are very important traits for a suit salesman. This is about where the positive things ended, however, because he started being very pushy after the initial greeting. Instead of bringing out the suit I was considering, he brought out five completely different styles. I still can’t figure out why he did this. Maybe he had other issues he was dealing with at the time, but he just didn’t really seem to listen to what I was saying, and he wasn’t particularly nice about it. His whole attitude seemed to be, “Our suits are very nice, so you should pay lots of money for them without complaining about it.” It may not be his fault that the store wasn’t having a very good sale, but there was no way I was going to spend $300 for a new suit. I’m cheap, and he didn’t help me overcome that concern very well. The best deal he could think to offer was to give me $15 off a new shirt if I were to purchase the $350 suit. That’s it? He didn’t try to build any emotional or logical connection between me and the suit(s) he was offering, and while his arguments were sufficient, typical and accurate – that is, he knew his stuff when it came to suits – nothing he said was relevant to how I was feeling.
As you can tell, Ryan was completely unsuccessful at selling me a suit. I expect people who are paid on commission to be pushy and maybe a bit cranky sometimes, but he just seemed to be off his game when I came in. His complete lack of regard for what I wanted turned me off to the idea of buying a suit from him.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Free Writing – Thoughts on President Hinckley
I don’t think I’ve spent as much time the past few weeks thinking about President Hinckley as other people have. It’s not because I won’t miss him sometimes or because I don’t believe he was a prophet or anything like that, but I haven’t let my feelings dwell on his passing like so many others have. My wife and I attended church with my family last Sunday in Sandy, where we were visiting for the weekend. It was fast and testimony meeting, and, not surprisingly, many people stood at the pulpit and spoke about President Hinckley. Sunday School and Elder’s Quorum proved to be no different. Instead of having normal lessons, the teachers set aside the time for everyone to share memories of and reminisce about our former prophet. Many people cried, but I just didn’t feel it. In fact, I haven’t shed one tear since hearing of his death. I was recently comparing these reactions to my feelings about Heath Ledger’s recent death. I did not cry when I found out about the popular actor's passing either. In fact, the first thing that popped into my mind was, “I hope they finished filming The Dark Night.” This was very shallow of me, I know, but my next reaction was one of sadness. I don’t know the man or even know very much about him. I don’t know if he was a good person or not, but I was sad that he died so suddenly at such a young age. I think his family and friends will have a much more difficult time finding comfort than those of President Hinckley. I was happy when I found out President Hinckley had passed away. He knew where he was going and who was waiting there for his arrival, and I cannot imagine anything else making him happier. It would be selfish for me to feel sorrowful because someone else got just what he wanted.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Technique Analysis – Originality
I'm sitting here recounting yesterday's activities, one of which was walking around the library listening to a sometimes entertaining but mostly annoying recording of people trying to make the experience of taking a library tour more interesting than it really is. While I did learn that the largest open-access computer lab on campus is in the LRC, the tour on a whole seemed like a waste of a half-hour. I transferred here from another college and (thankfully) did not have to take the tour as a freshman like many other students. Even though I haven't taken the tour I still know my way around the library. I know how to do research and I know how to look up books and find what area of the library they are in. I made it all the way to my senior year without taking the tour, and I honestly felt a little bit ridiculous walking around the entire library with my headphones on and the map in my hand. I'm just glad it’s done and I don't have to do it again.
I had a very busy day yesterday, and yet I still found time to walk around the library listening to a mildly entertaining but mostly annoying recording of people trying to make the experience of touring the library more interesting than it really is. BYU requires each student to take a library tour sometime during their time here, and my time just happened to be yesterday. While I did learn that the LRC contains the largest open-access computer lab on campus, the tour as a whole seemed like a grand waste of time. As a transfer student, I made it all the way to my senior year before they caught me and made me take the tour, and I don’t feel any more knowledgeable than I was last week. I already knew how to study. I knew how to do research. I knew how to look up books. I even knew how to find the books that I looked up. I felt more than a bit ridiculous walking around the library with my headphones on and the library map in my hand. Everything about me screamed “I’m a freshman!” I didn’t like that, and I’m glad that I don’t have to take that tour ever again.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Technique Analysis – Tone
To: Our Landlord
About: The large pile of ice in front of our door
My wife and I have already mentioned this problem to you in addition to submitting numerous maintenance requests, but our abundant concern has obviously not been as clear as we would have hoped. WE HAVE A HUGE FREAKIN’ PILE OF ICE IN FRONT OF OUR DOOR! As we talked to you about last week, a leak in the gutter above our apartment has led to an ever-growing pile of ice that creates a miniature lake on our doorstep by day and a healthy sheet of ice by night. If it weren’t winter right now then I’m supremely confident that a family of ducks would call our entryway their home. We’ve tried to clear the ice ourselves, but that solution is only temporary because the leak is still there and a new pile of ice forms within a day or two of us clearing the original pile. It is both a safety issue and an eyesore, as we are the only apartment in the entire complex with an abundance of water collecting at our doorstep. We love our apartment and everything else has been great, but we would greatly appreciate your help in solving this problem.
Sincerely,
Matt Payne
This is an example of a letter with an angry tone.
About: The large pile of ice in front of our door
My wife and I have already mentioned this problem to you in addition to submitting numerous maintenance requests, but our abundant concern has obviously not been as clear as we would have hoped. WE HAVE A HUGE FREAKIN’ PILE OF ICE IN FRONT OF OUR DOOR! As we talked to you about last week, a leak in the gutter above our apartment has led to an ever-growing pile of ice that creates a miniature lake on our doorstep by day and a healthy sheet of ice by night. If it weren’t winter right now then I’m supremely confident that a family of ducks would call our entryway their home. We’ve tried to clear the ice ourselves, but that solution is only temporary because the leak is still there and a new pile of ice forms within a day or two of us clearing the original pile. It is both a safety issue and an eyesore, as we are the only apartment in the entire complex with an abundance of water collecting at our doorstep. We love our apartment and everything else has been great, but we would greatly appreciate your help in solving this problem.
Sincerely,
Matt Payne
This is an example of a letter with an angry tone.
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