Free Writing – March Madness

March Madness. This is the time of year when millions of women resign themselves to the fact that their significant others will be situated in front of the television every day for a few hours (some guys probably do this anyway, but at least now they have an excuse) watching college kids play hoops. This activity is a yearly ritual that represents everything that is right with sports. The Men’s College Basketball Tournament is an event that throws away the money, endorsement contracts, and selfish look-at-me attitudes in favor of good old-fashioned teamwork. Anyone who has watched it can attest that the emotions emitted by the players cannot be matched anywhere in sports. It is always fun to cheer for the underdog (since BYU never fails to deliver a first-round loss), and this year tiny Davidson College fits the bill. This school has an enrollment of two thousand students (two thousand!), but they have beaten the likes of Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin. Their “we may be small but we’re not going to back down no matter what” style of play is inspiring. They lost a nail-biter today against the heavily favored Kansas team, but they provided a great deal of enjoyment to the aforementioned couch-potatoes the past few weeks. Yep, I can’t wait until next year.

Technique Analysis – Potential Introductions for Paper C (Media)

Introduction #1

Violence is nothing new to society, but it is being promoted and accepted like never before. This is in large part due to the easy access many people have to the advanced technology of our age. Movies and video games are popular forms of entertainment, and often contain some type of violence. Some researchers have found that exposure to violence, both pretend and real, leads to more aggressive behavior in children. On the other hand, supporters of this kind of entertainment argue that children are going to be exposed to violence anyway, so their products inflict no additional harm. With such conflicting approaches, we are left with the question – what are the true consequences of media violence?

Introduction #2

Advertisements are all around us, and, whether we recognize it or not, play a large part in our daily lives. Some advertisements are for products that are helpful or necessary to many people, but most are for silly things that are a waste of both time and money. One area of advertising that is especially hurtful is the focus on superficial physical beauty, no matter the cost. Many products, from fast-food to hygiene products, tell people that true worth is found on the outside rather than the inside. What kind of affect does this attitude have on the consumers who make up our society?

Rhetorical Analysis - "Traffic"

WATCO: The rise and prominence of illegal drugs on our society?

Claim: The rise and prominence of illegal drugs hurts our society because young people’s focus on buying, selling and becoming addicted to these drugs provides a shaky foundation for the future of our country.

Implicit Assumption: Whatever provides a shaky foundation for the future of our country also hurts our society.

Audience: Parents and other figures in authority who could possibly monitor or otherwise regulate the dangerous habits of youngsters

The movie Traffic is a social drama that focuses on the drug trade both on the streets of our country and with Mexico. It features several different settings that rotate throughout the show. One is in Mexico with a brave cop (Benicio Del Toro) who is unafraid of the drug cartels that have such a strong influence in his country. Another is in San Diego, where undercover cops (Don Cheadle & Luiz Guzman) are trying to take down several drug dealers and their contacts (Dennis Quaid & Catherine Zeta Jones). The final setting switches between Ohio and Washington D.C. where the nation’s drug czar (Michael Douglas) is trying to find a balance between fighting the war on drugs and helping his own addict daughter. Though the show is an obvious dramatization, it powerfully relates the feeling that this problem can occur anywhere, anytime, and to anyone. Rarely has a mainstream movie been so blunt with such a large issue. The problems portrayed are real and occur every day all across our country. After watching the show, one is left with a strong emotional sense of catharsis that the war on drugs must be started from inside the home. Everyone can reach out to those who are close to them and really make a difference in their lives.

Technique Analysis – Random Introductions

Introduction #1

I never thought it would take me close to a decade to graduate from college, though I guess my life is filled with lots of things I hadn’t thought about before. I knew I wanted to go to BYU since I can remember, but now that I’m here my main goal has gradually turned into developing an effective way to get out of here. It seems that many people know exactly what they want to do with their lives from a young age, and college is just a quick stop for them as they proceed with the rest of their lives. Me, I just knew that I wanted to go to BYU. And as much as I love it here, that particular dream has extended its welcome a bit too long. Is it better to map out your life while you’re still a young teenager, or should you let experience and time decide what route you should take?

Introduction #2

My Grandpa Bagley is the smartest person I know. He knows just about everything there is to know about apples. And about chemistry. And about Africa. And about chickens (which absolutely terrify me, so I won’t talk much about them). One thing I’ve come to learn over my 25 years of life is that there isn’t much that my grandpa doesn’t know about. He worked as a physicist for the government, makes the best apple cider in the world, taught chemistry at the University of San Francisco, and served as a mission president in Zimbabwe. Regrettably, he has also had chickens for as long as I can remember. He is kind, gentle and charitable, and he would claim that he is no different from anybody else in the world, but I know better.

Rhetorical Analysis – Beer and Circus

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.

Free Writing – Parents, Kids and Sports

Approximately 42 million kids play youth sports every year. The majority of children who participate in sports play because it is a good form of exercise and a good way to socialize with their peers. Beyond the rare exception, they do not sign up at a young age with the hopes of someday becoming a professional athlete. Most kids want to become skilled at the games they play, but often not for the same reasons as their parents. Many parents want their kids to be the best, while many kids simply want to be good enough to fit in and enjoy the game. Parents have big dreams for their kids, but it is important for them to keep those dreams in check and help their kids define an appropriate line between fun and competition. Parents and coaches who put winning as the only standard of success significantly diminish the kids’ chance to grow and have positive experiences with athletics.

For parents, encouraging their kids to participate on athletic teams is a serious commitment of time and energy. Dedicated parents spend hours on end driving their kids to and from practices and games. Many parents also serve the dual role of parent and cheerleader at their children’s games. All the time and effort, though, is worth it for parents because of the end results. Being part of a team gives kids confidence and teaches them about responsibility and accountability. They are motivated towards both individual and team goals, and don’t want to let the team down by slacking off. For parents who are worried about how their children spend their free time, sports represent a wholesome way that kids can spend their time after school. Kids who want to participate in sports are forced to manage their time to find a balance between all their different activities. In general, sports benefit both parents and their children and help them to grow in unique ways.

Rhetorical Analysis – Athletes as Heroes

WATCO: Professional athletes on American society?

Claim: Professional athletes help the American society because professional athletes work hard and serve as role models for others.

Implicit Assumption: Whatever provides society with role models also helps society.

In his essay "Sports Heroes and American Culture," Steven A. Riess tries to convince his audience that sports players are larger than life and serve a greater purpose than just playing games in front of spectators. He claims that they are heroes that people can look up to and emulate, not just in how they play their respective games, but in how they lead their lives. This may have been true during the early part of the 20th century, but definitely is not true today. Riess is correct that athletes served a great purpose in the past. He cited the fact that athletic heroes such as Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey and Bobby Jones helped many Americans define their own personal sense of identity. They also helped people escape from the rigors of daily life. His information to back up his claims is substantial and historically accurate, and it is doubtful that many, if any, other historians would disagree with him. One glaring omission from his essay, however, is how commercialization and technology have changed how Americans view athletes. Athletes are no longer heroes, people who symbolize the American working man and lead moral and ethical lives. Rather, sports stars of today are paid outrageous amounts of money and generally show complete disregard for the mantle of role model. People cannot relate to athletes as they could a hundred years ago. The premise behind Riess’s essay is interesting, but his point that athletes are heroes in society represents and ideal that is far in the past.