Skateboarders = Dangerous Athletes

Skateboarding is a passion of mine that has changed my lifestyle ever since I began three years ago. Many of my friends and family asked me why I wanted to skateboard, because they felt that the sport was considered a "manly sport"! I'm here to tell all of those people today, that there are just as many women out there who are willing to risk their safety, reputation, and even pride in order to prove the statistics wrong.

This sport isn't all fun and games all of the time. A lot of the practicing that takes place to master the craft of skateboarding becomes very dangerous as the skills continue to rise to the next level. Simple places like a neighborhood are an example of the fact that there is more that meets the eye. An average person would look at a steep-sloped street as just a road with cars driving on it in the neighborhood, but the skateboarders see it was a really nice ramp to skate down with the dangers of cars to evade as they make their way to the bottom. It doesn't always work as we skateboarders expect it to. There was once a similar accident that scared the "living daylights" out of a mom to the point that she wanted to stop her own son from skating.

Although more and more injuries are happening regarding skateboarding each year due to the lack of safety gear, it's still an enjoyable sport once people get the hang of it! Like I've said before, it takes much, much, much practice, but the reward of landing tricks will have a person smiling for days! It teaches discipline, commitment, and gives all kinds of people a way to get up and get out of the house. Another benefit is being able to enjoy a hobby that doesn't put a hurting on your pocket. Skateboarding comes off as a totally negative sport, when in reality, it has helped people through much in their lives and keeps a smile on their faces. Plus, it keeps people fit, because of the extreme physical toll it has on people.

Skateboarding is a sport that has lived and thrived through the test of time. It's definitely dangerous. Yet, it's definitely fun as well. I suggest everyone to try it. So, grab a board, and just...Kick...Push...Coast...

Miami Heat, Contender's or Pretender's? (part 3)

            With all of the hype surrounding the Miami Heat this off season, most sports fans want to know if this team is a legitimate threat to knock off the Los Angeles Lakers as the next NBA champions. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this team, there are too many egos, they don’t have enough supporting players, and they don’t have a coach with a back bone who can hold them together. All of these are great reasons to bet against the Heat, but will they hold up when the season finally comes around. There are some people that pose the argument that if the Celtics “Big 3” could do it in 2008, why cant the Heat? Just like the Heat, the Celtics brought together three superstar players to try to win a Title.  Although this worked out perfectly for the Celtics, there are a few main reasons why it will not work as well for the Heat. First, the Celtics were built with three veteran players that were willing to do anything to win. The Heat’s superstars are still in the beginning stages of their careers, which means that they are still all about themselves. One day they will wise up and play together, but this will not happen in the upcoming NBA season. The next reason that the Celtics were a success is the fact that none of their big three had ever one a Title. They had all been in the league for many years giving everything they had, but getting nothing in return. This fact tells us that they would have done anything just to win something before they retired. The Heats “Big 3” is a talented team with all the ability in the world to win a title, but although they might think they are, they are not willing do anything and to give up everything to win. So in the question of contenders or pretenders, the Miami Heat are most definitely pretenders for the 2011 NBA Championship.

Miami Heat, Contender's or Pretender's? (part 2)

The Heat are a NBA team loaded with talent. Much like the new era "Dream Team" the Heat have many superstars that are going to be expected to play together and play together well. In the 2008 summer olympics, the USA had an amazingly talent basketball team, a "Dream Team" of sorts. This team had every ego in the book, but they were brought together by the great Coach K ( Krzyzewski). Coach K is known to be one of the greatest basketball coaches of all times, but when he took the national job he knew it would be a challenge. Despite all of their diversities and the clashing ego's, Coach K rallied these superstars to win the Olympic Gold medal. Looking at the roster of this medal winning team, we will find all three of the Heat's supertars. This would tell some people that they can play together and they will succeed because all of them know how not to be selfish. If you look deeper into the situation you will find some flaws in these facts. First of all The had the great Coack K, who has been known for allways bringing the purity back into the game of basketball. The Heat have a coach by the name of Erik Spoelstra, and although he is a NBA coach, he is no Coach K. Coach Spoelstra may be able to keep the Heat going for a few weeks of the season, but eventually someone will get unhappy and coach Spoelstra will lose controlof his team. The second flaw that we find in the Heat's so called championship run is in the length of the season. In the Olympics the big ego's of the "Dream Team" were only together for a few months, meerly a fraction of what the NBA season consist of. So, looking back at all the evidence we know that the Miami Heat are stacked with talent, but we also know that they will not be proceeding past the first round of the playoffs, if they even make it at all.

Skateboarders = Dangerous Athletes

As noted in my first post, I provided much information that proved that skateboarders are very dangerous athletes. They endure daily challenges that test their abilities as professional and street skaters. Even though there are many dangers, that didn't stop me from deciding to skate.
There were many fair, argumentative, key points made in the response to my blog. Overall, the argument was, "Would this sport be as dangerous if everyone wore the proper protective gear?". My answer? Yes, skateboarding is still a very dangerous sport. Regardless of the amount of protective gear, skaters are still able to fall in the wrong position and/or injure parts of their body that aren't covered. The reader stated that the careless injuries that I mentioned in my first blog could be avoided by having more skateboarders wear protective gear. Though, the truth is that many of us are not willing to do that. According to a retrospective study done by a district hospital in the UK, the distal radius was the most common fractured bone and most skateboarding-related injuries happened during the summer. They also found that out of 50 patients, most of them were males under the age of 15. The results explain how the protective gear takes away from the "dare devil" aspect of skateboarding.

I feel as though skateboarding is a constantly evolving extreme sport that will continuously catch others eyes. Yes, there is much practice needed to master it and to not make careless mistakes. Yes, it's fun and helps with meeting others with your same interests socially through skating. Yet, no one is to ever under estimate the power of skating. No one knows how badly some skaters are treated by police and other city officials. Just see ihateskateboarding.com! It's in the name. This guy has been harassed and has even gotten a "skateboarding ticket" for not wearing a helmet at a skate park. Well, we'll save that for another day. Just keep in mind that us skaters have a right to this sport just as any other sport. Who cares if some of us don't wear helmets? It's our own fault...whatever the result is.

The Miami Heat, Contenders or Pretenders?

There is a new mindset in Miami and that mindset is to never lose. If you dropped almost 50 milllion dollars for just three players annual salary, you would expect to win too. In the 2010 NBA offseason the Miami Heat aquired two more superstars to add their roster. These two stars include Chris Bosh, formally of the Toronto Raptors,  and, potentially the best player of all time, LeBron James. These two will team up with Dwayne Wade to run through the 2010 regular season with ease and win the NBA Championship, or so people would say? These three players are all superstars in their own respects, and have known nothing in their NBA tenyer, but to carry their teams on their backs. Each one of these players scored all of the points on their former teams and where never told to take a "back seat" in a game. Now they are all on the same team, which means two of the three will no longer be at this superstar status. A championship team always consists of two types of player, a superstar and a bunch of role players that just help the superstar win the game for them. The question is can these former superstars embrace this role player status or will this whole season for the Heat go down the drain? The Heat are to big, they have too many assperations, and their dreams are out of reach. These players will play well together for a couple of games, but then they will start to get greedy. Each one of them feels as though they have the right to be the superstar, which cooks up a recipe for disaster for the Heat. The Heat have all the talent iin the world, but they have no team and it takes a TEAM to win an NBA championship.

NCAA Throws The Book, The Gavel, and The Kitchen Sink!

 



coolclips.com

 By now, I am sure that most of you have heard about Reggie Bush returning his Heisman Trophy due to an ongoing investigation by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).  All summer long, the media covered the NCAA’s investigation and was chomping at the bit to release their findings and sanctions (punishment).  After reviewing the case, the NCAA found that Reggie Bush had received improper benefits during his collegiate career at the University of Southern California (USC).  Now the NCAA has strict rules that make receiving improper benefits, mainly money, illegal.  I am not arguing the rules; I am arguing the sanctions.  First of all, why is the NCAA punishing USC?  They did not accept the benefits for Reggie, yet they receive strict sanctions that place them on a two year bowl ban and loss of multiple scholarships.  That is just flat out ridiculous.

ncca.org

Another example is the A.J. Green situation at the University of Georgia. The NCAA suspended the University of Georgia wide receiver for a total of four games because he sold his Independence Bowl jersey to someone who could be classified as an agent under NCAA specifications.  Honestly, I see no problem with someone selling their personal belongings.  However, it is against the rules. Green along with numerous other college football players was being investigated for illegal contact with agents at a party in Miami, Florida.  While under investigation, the NCAA found a deposit for $1,000.  First of all, why is the NCAA reviewing someone’s personal bank statements?  Secondly, another collegiate player accepted almost $2000 worth of improper benefits directly from an agent and only received a two-game suspension compared to Green’s four-game suspension.  Is it me, or does it seem that the NCAA has their priorities backwards?  There is a fine line between strict punishment and being over the top, and I believe the NCAA has crossed that line.  As stated before, I am not arguing the rules; I am just arguing the outrageous sanctions.   

Skateboarders = Dangerous Athletes

Skateboarding is not just a fun past time of rolling on a piece of wood nailed to four wheels. I would know, because I enjoy it way more than most would think! This sport has evolved very much from being a fun hobby. It has become an extreme sport phenomenon that can earn a living for a lot of people. Today’s skaters are some of the most talented athletes. They have a superb skill level, deal with high levels of danger and difficulty, and include variety in their tricks. All those awesome aspects of this sport are what attracted me to it and made me want to start skateboarding.
Hockey players and basketball players may be versatile, but their range or play and/or action are limited compared to skateboarders. Hockey and basketball players have one set area to play in wherever they play, but skaters can run free with no boundaries anytime they want! Plus, they don’t need other people in order to participate in the sport. Some styles and tricks of skateboarding are life-threatening. In 2007, there was an estimated 16,477 head injuries treated due to skateboarding. Helmets don’t seem to be much of a trend anymore. As more tricks are invented, the less “cool” it becomes to wear helmets. Honestly…I’ve never worn one either!
Before any competition, skaters need to warm up and stretch, just like any other athlete. It is just as easy for them to pull a muscle or catch a cramp while participating in the sport. They have to stay in shape too. Skateboarders are beginning younger and younger every year, raising the bar for careless injuries that could be avoided, due to kids not knowing much about skateboarding. According to the AAP, kids 5 and under shouldn’t skate. I think the younger the better. They’ll learn the “dos and don’ts” way earlier. The main reason for the popularity of the sport is the celebrity status of many skaters. It’s fun, exhilarating, and isn’t that hard to learn. Yet, it’s still dangerous. So, if you’re not afraid of a challenge, jump on board…a skateboard that is!