World Peace Vs. Ron Artest: Interpreting Intent

A malicious, devastating strike to the head or an unfortunate accident while caught up in the emotion and celebration of a great play. That is the hot topic this week after what took place in the midst of a great game between two of the top teams in the western conference of the NBA- the LA Lakers and OKC Thunder.

After a great dunk over Serge Ibaka and Kevin Durant, Metta World Peace skipped back down court pounding his breast in triumph. James Harden, who plays for the Thunder, was coming up court and brushed against MWP and slightly impeded the path MWP was taking and directly following the chest pounding MWP cocked back and threw a big elbow which landed firmly in the back of Harden's head sending him plummeting to the ground. It was later discovered that Harden received a concussion. From the video you can see the whole incident play out, but its not what you can see that is in question here. Its what you can't see that has everyone up in arms-

Intent.

In a sports age where the line between analyst and reporter has been blurred and nearly erased, this is a perfect opportunity to show where a news story and an editorial both differ and relate to each other. In one aspect you have the news story of what happened and the game as a whole. Very factual and straight to the point. Highlights of the amazing double overtime game between two great teams full of superstars, emphasis on the return of Derek Fisher to Staples, and the elbow and ejection of Metta World Peace. This type of sports journalism is the backbone. This is pure journalism. There is an event, and the facts of that event are displayed. When you watch this, you know what happened. But now what?

Well now is everyone's favorite part, now we get to say what we feel about this. We get to come up with implications and answer those questions of the unseen. We get to become experts and psychologists and doctors and judges. We make sides and then choose which one we are on. All in the name of objectivity, fairness, and balance, of course. After all we are honest journalists. So we find evidence to support our theory and debunk the other "side". In this story we make our editorial about how Metta World Peace went back to his Ron Artest days where he has been suspended 13 times in his career and has a knack to end up on the giving end of violence. Or we talk about how he hasn't been suspended in nearly 4 years, recently won the citizenship award, auctioned his championship ring to earn money for high risk youth with mental health issues, and yes changed his name to Metta World Peace (metta meaning "goodwill or nonviolence)

Editorials are important don't get me wrong. If News stories are the backbone, editorials are the meat and flesh. This is where we start to "see" beyond just the obvious facts. This is where we delve into the world of "why's". Opinions are great but what makes an editorial more than just opinions are reasons. They aren't just blind assumptions, they are derived from facts. Carefully done editorials can give a story more life and explain to laymen why something is significant or important. Improperly done, editorials are where a journalist will lose all of his or her credibility. If people disagree that is fine as long as you have reason to defend your points, if you are just off base and don't have valid reasons no one will want to listen to you or trust you.

In this story editorials have gone wild. Below is a great example of what I feel is a form of editorial on this same subject. Although not a traditional editorial, the video holds an example of what editorials do. And you get both "sides" presented all in one show. A perfect example of how people can watch the same thing and see two different outcomes. Did MWP mean to hurt Harden? Did he deserve a more or less severe punishment? The only person who really knows is Metta World Peace. Intent like anything else can be interpreted in many ways and none are fully right or wrong. Credibility doesn't get achieved by merely stating facts alone, it can also be achieved by sound opinions and educated guesses. Editorials go beyond the facts and get inside the story. And often raise more questions than they answer.

Interpreting intent - your guess is as good as mine... but do you have as many reasons to back yours up as I do?

ESPN First Take Does Punishment fit the Crime for Metta World Peace

Sports Are More Than Just Games

Sports are more about life than just about playing a game. Sports teach children how to work together, they give people something to look forward to and they give the people playing them a sense of value or worth. Sports aren't just about winning a game, they are about winning in life. The New York Times had an article about a day school in Tennessee operated by the Carrol County Juvenile Court, Carrol Academy. Online the the Times had posted an audio slideshow that reaches out from the computer screen and clutches a readers heart in its grasp.

The Lady Jaguars

This slideshow introduces you to a coach and players that you may never have had interest in and lets you know how important sports can be. With the use of natural sound, it brings you into the games and locker rooms. With its images of not only the basketball play but of the security within the school, of the struggles some of the girls face and the emotion shared between them all; It holds you close and shows that some of those delinquent kids you drive by on your way to work with a scowl on your face and disgust in your mind aren't what you think they are. In a brief time and through this slideshow you are introduced to troubled young ladies living hard lives, that just needed someone to give them hope. They had nothing and no one, but thanks to the Carrol Academy they leave with hope and a sense of camaraderie and accomplishment.

This is news to us all because most of us wouldn't have agreed with or thought a good idea to have children sentenced to juvenile facilities play organized sports against local high schools. This slideshow gives emotion to the Times' article and opens peoples eyes to the humanity of these young girls. They did an excellent job at taking us from just seeing some basketball players to seeing troubled young ladies on a journey from hardship, with the use of sports, to a sense of redemption.

We saw that for these girls winning on the court wasn't the only goal, winning in life was.

Fishing For Comments

Questions to ponder, comment answers below:

What is the most exciting sport?

Will Soccer ever catch on in America?

Does NASCAR count as a sport?

Who is the greatest athlete of all time?

American Pop Sports: NBA Power Rankings

With the playoffs looming and all kinds of story lines brewing, its time to look at the top power teams contending for the belt. The Bulls and Lakers winning without their superstar, the Heat struggling, OKC with their constant battle of who's in control, and the Spurs and Celtics making strong pushes but getting little recognition. Only one team can be standing at the end. Here is my list of the best of the best:

1. Chicago Bulls - The Bulls have had the best record in the league for most of the season and have done so in large part without their superstar and reigning MVP Derrick Rose. They are 15-7 without their starting point guard and play strong defense and unselfish basketball. There is never any drama coming out of the locker room or a question about their team unity. On the court they play hard and strong, off the court they are smart and have all the intangibles necessary to win a championship. With Rose getting plenty of rest in time for the playoffs, this should be the team to beat.
2. San Antonio Spurs - The surprise team of the year. This team has every intangible a team could need with a champion coach and leaders on the court. Tony Parker is a sure MVP candidate and Coach Popovich is a strong contender for coach of the year. With combining the veteran play of its former champion players with new, young, and fresh guys this team is a definite threat to any team fighting for the title.
3. Los Angeles Lakers - With Kobe Bryant getting some much needed rest before the playoffs and his team excelling in his absence, the Lakers have become a valid team in the hunt for the championship. Players like Matt Barnes have stepped up to show a presence off the bench and have proven to Kobe that they are talented and ready to go. Andrew Bynum has solidified himself as arguably the best center in the game. As Kobe returns and trusts his teammates more, he can feel the boil in his blood as he longs for his 6th ring, finally putting him truly side by side with Michael Jordan.
4. Boston Celtics - The best team since the all-star break and surging at the right time. With the MVP caliber play of Rajon Rondo this team showed that they are not done yet. The leadership of the big 3 is still there and this team knows what it takes to win. Doc Rivers has done an amazing job of coaching and the Celtics have played well against the other top teams in the east. This team like the Spurs could really surprise a lot of people come playoffs.
5. Miami Heat - Although having one of the better records for most of the season, the playoffs are a whole new animal. The lack of intangibles in Lebron James and the poor leadership of the coach could really hinder this mega talented team. Behind the champion qualities of Dwyane Wade this team could easily get on a hot streak and make a run for the title but this guy believes in the importance of intangibles and mentality. This team just isn't ready for the big stage and pressure that brings. 
6. Oklahoma City Thunder - Another mega talented team but similar issues as the Heat will plague this team. As great as both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are individually they struggle to gel together at times. Poor play of Kendrick Perkins will cripple this team against teams like the Lakers or Spurs. And any incidents like last year, where Westbrook was benched the 4th quarter of a playoff game, and this team will have an early exit. Similar to the Heat they have all the talent to win it all and could surprise me, but I will have to see it to believe it.

Any of these six teams have a real solid chance to win it all. I would be absolutely shocked to see any other team in the finals. Although, I will give special attention to the New York Knicks, the Memphis Grizzlies, and Indiana Pacers. The Magic should be on here but with such extreme lack of leadership both by players and coaching, they are a waste of talent. Intangibles can never be forgotten.

Predictions: Western Finals LAL over SAN 4-2; Eastern Finals CHI over MIA 4-3; Finals LAL over CHI 4-3; MVP Andrew Bynum

MMA's rise to legitimacy and the thanks it owes UFC

What once was, and still is, perceived to be a modern day gladiator sport is on its way up the mountain to what could be called the pinnacle of legitimacy. Recently the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation IMMAF was formed with the goal and intent on "growing the sport globally and standardizing it". Long term goal and what would be possibly the final step towards legitimacy is the Olympics. That's right, the actual Olympics! As a long time supporter and fan of MMA, I can only imagine the day when you see Anderson Silva, George St. Pierre, and Rashad Evans standing on the podiums representing their countries and receiving both a Gold medal and true world wide recognition. There is an enormous amount of hoops to jump through to get there but the possibilities are definitely there.

           One major facet would be to standardize the sport worldwide, which includes well trained judges. For many years MMA has used judges from the boxing commission that, although trained, have shown extreme inconsistencies and flaws in scoring. Part of standardizing the sport globally will have to include, judges trained just for MMA fighting. Also governing bodies need to be set in place in more countries around the world, right now in many of the countries the UFC visits for fights, such as Brazil, there are no governing bodies for MMA so the UFC has to bring its own judges, referees, and hold it's own weigh-ins. Much change will come and it will take a lot of time to find the best way to standardize such a young sport globally.

            The sport itself will also have to continue it's push to show the world it isn't the gruesome, "human dogfighting" display it has been purported to be. This is where thanks to the UFC needs to be given. And if one day there is MMA in the Olympics credit will have to be given to Dana White and the UFC also. Although individual schools of fighting have been holding tournaments worldwide for many years and some underground "no holds barred" tournaments have existed, it wasn't until the UFC put MMA into the homes of Americans that it really took off. In 1993, the UFC held it's first tournament (later renamed UFC 1: the beginning). There were no weight classes and the fighters fought until there was a victor. Rules were extremely limited. Since then the sport has grown into a true art. Weight classes had to be introduced as fighters became more rounded in all schools of fighting, many rules and drug tests have been incorporated for fighter safety. The introduction of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV in 2005, which continues now on FX, was one of the biggest hurdles and greatest accomplishments of UFC president Dana White's career. This put MMA in the homes of every American and introduced them to the fighters as real people with families and lives. Over the course of the show, White has reigned in the violent outbursts and has worked hard to show the world that MMA fighters aren't brutes with no brains or hearts. As sports channels such as ESPN start to accept this sport as legitimate and safe, its popularity will only continue on the rapid path it has been on. According to the BBC over 80% of professional boxers will have brain damage. This is do to the constant padded blows to the head, which don't occur during MMA. As this fact enters the minds of Americans, MMA will enter their hearts. A safer and more pure sport with less long term injuries than Baseball, Football, or Boxing.

            The soon to be biggest sport in the world. The most pure form of competition. The Olympics are on the horizon and without the UFC none of this would be possible. Thank you UFC and job well done.

Related Blogs and sites:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/olympics-long-term-goal-newly-formed-immaf-steep-190845287.html#more-14983

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/

Social Media in the Sports World

Even above politics, the sports world may have been impacted the most by journalism venturing into the realm of social media. The do's and don'ts and people acting them out have contributed to some of the biggest stories coming out of the sports world. The line of ethics is hazy and what line there is seems to be crossed continually. Then benefits have been wonderful and -at times- wonderfully terrible.

When used properly social media is a terrific source and a way to connect and directly interact with community. Remembering that nothing is ever private is a great start, always being straightforward about who a journalist is and who they are affiliated with leads to a more honest relationship with community. Credibility is key when using social media, a thousand accurate posts can be discredited by one that is proven false. Given the skepticism surrounding authors of online posts, online reputation is all one has. Immediacy is a wonderful aspect of social media but without careful thought, a hasty post can crush a reputation. A person should never post anything without verification of its accuracy or at least a disclaimer of the source. Ethics need to be remembered since there are no "editors" in most social media forums. A quick tongue is a double-edged sword and a harsh word against another could cut you worse than its subject.

Twitter has been amazing within the sports media genre. Now, not only can you get instant updates of scores, videos, or behind-the-scenes information; but you can get instant reactions of fans and- more interestingly- players or coaches. Some of the most amazing quotes have come from the unbridled fingertips of players. And as quickly as these players were able to spew their guileless thoughts over the web, they learned that nothing that goes out can truly be erased. With the use of hashtags any subject, any quote anything will be near instantaneously connected and transmitted throughout the world. Twitter has taken the rapid speed of media over the Internet and doubled it. Now instead of searching for the top stories, they search for you and call it a trend. The limits are endless and the information is at everyone's fingertips, the key is to know what is and isn't of value.

Social media has been a great tool for all people and in the sports world especially. Every trade, every analysis, scores, rumors, quotes, etc. Everything is available. Connection to coaches, players, agents, reporters, news sites its all there. In our world knowledge is power and communication is key... Social Media made it easier and faster to attain both.

Update:
Well isn't this perfect timing. Just as I pointed out above, with the addition of Twitter, things can be said and taken in and out of context with immediacy like never before. Then from that tweet, poor blogs or articles can be written and the cycle begins again. Here is an example of a professional athlete saying something a little uncouth and a blog writer voicing his opinion on the matter, something that 10 years ago wouldn't have been possible.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/roddy-white-apologizes-bizarre-tweet-sexual-preference-054422911.html;_ylt=AtfTCoCXsHrQ7B_ZE.6QzwlDubYF

Baseball Season Too Long

Should anyone really care about MLB before June? Not really. In a season that has 162 games and where in the last 12 years 8 different wildcard teams have made it to the World Series, the arguement that the first 30 to even 50 games don't really matter. Five years ago the New York Yankees fell behind the Boston Red Sox 21 games early in the season, only to come back and make the playoffs that same year. With so many games the law of averages benefits the more talented teams and makes the value of a regular season game diminshed.

Now with the addition of an extra wildcard team, the beginning of the season matters even less. A team could start the season terrible just to rebound and have a strong summer and make the playoffs. In the NFL, since 2000, only one team to start the first part of the season 3 games under .500 have even made the playoffs and none have made it to the superbowl. In that same period of time, there have been 3 World Series teams that started their first 30 games with less than 50% of their games won. Thats not just making the playoffs, thats going all the way to the World Series! This includes the 2005 Houston Astros who started the season a dreadful 11-19. Now with a second wildcard team, even more teams who start the season unprepared or pitiful will have opportunity to comeback.

I say lessen the games by half! This will put more emphasis on the regular season and people will care more about the playoffs when the teams they've watched fight so hard make it. The numbers for TV ratings over the past 30 years are evident that "America's Pasttime" has passed. (http://sels.blogs.wm.edu/2011/10/24/mlbs-television-ratings-or-is-baseballs-audience-too-old/) It is the age of the NFL and UFC now. People need excitement, they need instant gratification, and with a season so long nobody cares to watch games 1-30 when you have 132+ left to watch change must come.

Less is truly more. To save baseball we need less baseball, simply economics... too much supply dwindles the demand.

MEDIA vs ATHLETES

A heated debate has been in the process on the popular show First Take @ESPN_FirstTake and in the twittersphere between Skip Bayless  @realskipbayless and Jalen Rose @jalenrose. This was initiated by Rose calling out Bayless on what he is saying was a lie. Bayless claimed to have started for a high school state championship team and that he was a shoot first point guard who had to learn to pass first. Rose did some research and found that Bayless didn't start Varsity until his senior year and averaged only 1.4 ppg. He also only started a minimal amount of games.

All of this is irrelevant and none of it makes Bayless a liar. He could have been a shoot first PG on junior varsity just the same. And his ppg lead to his point of needing to be a pass first PG. This debate has spread into a hotter debate of whether the media has the right to criticize professional athletes if they themselves have never played. What do I think of this...

ABSOLUTELY the media has that right. The media makes people stars. Time and again when things start to go bad these athletes hate the media, but when that same media is praising them and spreading their name across the land they love them. How ridiculous is this? Less than a third of current NBA general managers have played professional basketball. GM's may arguably be the most important critics and many of them haven't been players, so why can't media rightly critique these players?

I see this as another case of spoiled and pampered athletes who aren't used to being told something bad about themselves trying to whine their way out of being critiqued. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if we see an ugly game we will be quick to put the truth out there. To the athletes I say: Suck it up, practice harder, and don't be afraid of a little constructive criticism!

Lamar heading back to LA, done with the NBA year

Today's top story was Lamar Odom and the Dallas Mavericks amicably splitting ways. In what could have been one of the biggest steals in NBA history the reigning Champion Mavericks traded for the reigning 6th man at a cost of next to nothing. After a career low season filled with a multitude of off-the-court personal problems, Lamar is finished for the year. Speculation will rise as to where he will end up at the beginning of next season, with the heavy favorites being the Clippers. This guy believes that he will be back in the purple and gold of the Lakers. True Lamar felt betrayed by management, but after seeing how this year has played out for the Lakers and after what I believe will be a very heartfelt conversation with Kobe Bryant. It wouldn't be a shock to see Lamar return to the team that helped him get a ring. It will take an awkward few meetings but it will happen and all will be shiny again in the land of purple and gold.

This blog will feature commentary on the current events in American Popular Sports. This will not be an extensive analysis of specific sport related events, but a reaction to those events. This is for popular sports, a blog about what the "people" are talking about. Stories from actual game news to players personal lives to fans reactions to anything that is popular in the American sports world.