The Scarring Effect of Stereotyping

We all live in an enormous world filled with diversity. We are human but diversity is what separates us. I truly believe that because we have so many differences in this world, it has become a natural habit to label and classify certain individuals into categories. This is what's known today as Stereotyping.
It’s a sizzling hot day and you decide to go inside and grab a cold drink and watch some television. You hit the power button and find a football game on. The clashing of helmet to helmet, lightning speed, miraculous plays that you thought were never possible are all catching your eye. “How is this Possible?” may be a question that you ask yourself. I know of, and have heard many individuals state that the “stuff” they see on television is not natural. They say athletes who are increasingly improving their performance must be taking steroids or some kind of enhancement that doesn’t give the athlete credit for their hard work. This is a major pigeonhole that occurs in the world of sports.
In my years of high school football, I was able to perform with and against great athletes. One of the greats I played with was my own quarterback. He was phenomenal on the field and had every great feature of the game. We were both fortunate to become all-state performers at our position. There was a big controversy stating that he might have been using illegal substances; when in reality he was the last person on earth who would even consider taking them. It became clear that he was never involved with the crime and he deservingly received the award. That controversy has scarred him ever since and has even frustrated his friends and families. In return, it's negatively affected his overall play. That is why I am a strong believer that people just need to know and understand that greatness can be inherited from hard work. Not everyone who succeeds in their field of choice got there by cheating. Don’t attack too quickly, because immense scars can be left. I know there are many today who have fallen captive to illegal substance abuse, but more important than questioning someones integrity is looking for the good the individual has accomplished. Too many people are looking for the negative these days and its becoming a cancer to society. I know the world will be in good hands when I see the majority of people recognizing the greatness within each individual.

Michael Jordan and Small and Simple Things

I've recently completed an amazing work by Walter LaFeber entitled: "Michael Jordan and the New Global Capitalism." It's triggered many thoughts in my head, specfically the impact of small and simple things in our life, specifically in a sociological perspective. In this day and age we live in, many have come to understand the value and importance of “small things.” When looking at an enormous redwood tree, one may marvel that it began as a “small” seed. When beholding a massive ship on the coast of the ocean, many tend to forget that a “small” anchor is keeping the monster in place. Imagine how the people in biblical times felt when they beheld the gargantuan Goliath was defeated. They must have doubted that it was a “small” man in David who knocked him down. Think of the fatal disaster that commonly occurs in dry climates: wildfires. It usually takes a “small” match or a “small” cigarette thrown out the window to burn thousands and thousands of acres, homes, and innocent civilians. These are just a few examples of the effect that little things make in this world. When thinking on a sociological perspective and a global picture, specifically in advertisement, how can one forget the impact that Michael Jordan has made on the world today. Because of the “small” decision Michael Jordan made to play basketball, we as an earth, can see Global Capitalism in its full effect.
In the book Michael Jordan and the New Global Capitalism, Walter LaFeber conveys a very persuasive message that the global fame of Michael Jordan has caused major markets to boom and leave a massive impact on a worldwide level. Arguments can sway both ways after reading this book. One may finish thinking LaFeber is an extremist, or he hit every point right on the nose.
LaFeber does an outstanding job on explaining the history of basketball, its growth, and how Michael Jordan came into the picture. He gives a detailed outline on Jordan’s youth, to his league play, and life today. He paints a clear picture on the effect Jordan’s made on the globe. I believe the greatest example was the conveyed story of a college student Max Perelman. In an uncivilized village in Tibet, lied a group of human beings who seemed to have never stepped foot outside of their dwelling place. The groups of these Tibetans were mind boggled at the camera Max owned. Amongst this amazement came the shocking conversation about Americans and specifically the question on how Michael Jordan was doing.
Many may wonder why Michael Jordan? Lafeber explains how Jordan’s unexplainable grace, art, and talent on the floor caused him to literally be worshipped. There has never been anyone in the history of sports to catch and capture attention like Michael Jordan. There are endless moments he has provided for everyone to remember him for. I feel the growth of basketball had very little to do with the explosion of this athlete and the different markets that followed him. No matter what sport he plays, it’s more the magic and unbelievable skill he possesses that causes the marvel. The growth of the sport may have boosted the fame microscopically, but when one can capture the unexplainable effort on the court, it’s clear to see why everyone marveled at him. After explaining the childhood of Jordan, to the invention and growth of basketball, and the effect Jordan made on the world with his skill alone, LaFeber then stresses his main point throughout the book. Michael Jordan is the perfect example of how American corporations use someone or something to sell their products to the world.
Phil Knight seemed to be the major factor of this spread of global capitalism. LaFeber explains the process Knight took to make this happen. Who knew that a simple assignment at Stanford Business School would turn this hopeful business man to one of the most successful to ever walk the earth? It seemed that Knight had a pretty detailed plan on how he could make a shoe that would become much more than a shoe, but a world renowned symbol and company. It was clear that Knight was determined as ever to make a success out of this shoe. Traveling to Japan and bringing home the Tiger shoe to sell in America boosted that determination to keep with the shoe sales. Once he noticed Japan could’ve easily taken over the sales he was making off their shoes, he started the journey of his own creation. Once the shoe was created, along with ideas from his students, and with the help of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman, Knight launched arguably the most famous slogan in the world: Nike.
LaFeber touches on many sociological topics throughout the novel, and the effect it has had on a national and global level. He seems, however, to expend a good amount of time on the history of Michael Jordan, rather than the full effect he’s made with his appearance and performance. LaFeber in a cloudy way touches on the topic of functionalism. Its apparent LaFeber explained Jordan’s upbringing thoroughly to the audience, so they could see the effect he’s made on the lower class group. The most striking part of LaFebers writing was the shocking news of murder cases that happened, which seemed to be over material things (such as Jordans shoes). The battle of fashion is found almost everywhere you go. One will most likely find the latest Jordans and Nike gear in the ghetto or suburb of any big city. The constants battle of who’s got the nicest Jordan gear continues to boost the income of Michael Jordan and Nike. Overall, LaFeber could’ve directed more of his writing towards the effect Michael Jordan and Nike have made on a sociological perspective, but credit is given to him on writing a persuasive essay on the impact he’s made on the globe.

Former athletes at the pulpit

This post is more of a curiosity factor for me. I'm not here to judge anyone, just simply curious. I've been researching pastors who were former athletes, and the increase in their congregation size upon arrival at whatever church their involved in. There has been a significant increase in attendance and money earned. Do you think this is due to the actual sermons being preached or simply the fame that has entered the building? Granted, many of the sermons may be warm and heartfelt, but I know if I were head of a church that needed to pick slack up, why not recruit a star? I've had the opportunity to listen to Deion Sanders (one of the most conceited football players ever), who I actually admired growing up, give a sermon to a congregation. Let me just say football is his avenue. The building was packed full and the "Amens" were reaching other countries, but it was not a type of sermon you would expect with such a crowd.
This doesn't mean famous athletes have no right to be a religious leader, but I must say if they do, it has to be for the right reason. Listening to good ol' Deion was very entertaining for me. He is an amazing and talented football player, but I wasn't feeling what I look forward to feeling when awaiting a spiritual message. This has made me grateful for the individuals who have inspired me throughout my life. They aren't people who have acquired worlwide fame, they are just humble individuals looking to touch the hearts of those who genuinely want to hear. This teaches us a great lesson that spiritual and uplifting things can come from any single alley of life. It doesn't have to be from a celebrity. When you sincerely want to know truth or become inspired, Your higher power will deliver it to you in whatever way they see fit.

Sports: A major cause of the misconception of women in the work field

I hope the beginning of this blog doesn't throw any women off for a loop (I'm actually on your side here):

The other day I was having a conversation with my sister. It was about men and women in sports. Quickly into our conversation I was called a "sexist." Now my immediate reaction was shock because I had a good point, but when I would retract what I said, I can see she was just sticking up for her girls. I do not believe I am a sexist though, and she knows I'm not. I did grow up with a house full of just girls, and have come to truly appreciate the value and worth of a woman in this world. That outlook has only intensified since my marriage to such an amazing wife!

Our conversation was triggered by watching a brief highlight of a womens basketball game. I tend to speak whatever is on my mind to my wife and sisters. I had made the comment that it's a lot more fun to watch the guys play. I made mention that they are more athletic and the game is much faster. My sister immediately then made the "sexist" comment. I told her it's only true. In every single sport the men showcase a little more speed and athletic ability than the women. Even in the sports labeled as women's sports: Figure skating, gymnastics, dance, etc..... I made sure that my point wasn't to demoralize the woman; I was just simply making a statement. I still mentioned the fact that those women could destroy me in whatever sport they specialized in, but when it came to the best woman and man in that sport, the man would showcase the most ability.

This brought me to my next point that I firmly believe is taking place. It involves a true case of misconception and misunderstanding of women. There are probably many that may disagree with me on the above statement about women vs. men in sports, but it's true. However, many people have carried the women vs. men ability in sports, into the work field. This is where I step in and say it's completely wrong. Sports have been a big part of my life and is a major passion of mine, but I've seen the hurt and misconception it's brought into the workforce. Many have come to overlook the ability of women. If there were a basketball tournament going on and a big prize was involved, I'd obviously pick men to be on my team, but that doesn't mean I'd pick a man over a woman in the workforce. Some of the most talented and productive individuals in the workforce are women. Thank goodness for those women who still understand and know the influence they can have on this world. Unfortunately there are many women out there who have fallen prey to the insane assumption that a man is greater than a woman, and therefore are slowly deteriorating their own self worth. The other day I needed a tutor for 2 of my classes. As I looked around, I saw that 4 of the 5 tutors were women. They offered tremendous advice and tools to help me for my finals. It was a reaffirmation of the equal talent we share as human beings, and not as men and women. If I could send a message out to all corporations across the world, it would be to heavily incorporate women in the field. Too many people are participating in gender discrimination and it is killing our society. It's not only men to women but vice versa. We are all created equal and bring different talents and skills to the table. Who cares what gender you happen to be, you have a purpose and a special selection of talents and they are needed in this world, so let's use them!

Fame and money make you a walking target

I just got done watching sportscenter and as always something stuck out to me. Most of the time it's a dazzling highlight by an all-star player, or an outstanding performance from a team. But today the most recent news on Ben Roethlisberger (Roth-lis-burger) stuck out to me. Ben Roethlisberger, also known as Big Ben, has been accused of sexually assulting a 20 year old college girl at a night club in Georgia. Several months ago he was also accused of raping a woman and has denied both claims. Now I'm not here to give my opinion on what I think he did, or to judge his actions in any way. It's just not my spot to do that, and zero evidence has been laid out yet. The reason I'm writing on this topic related to him is becuase it has to do with my title and my reasoning behind it, particularly with athletes. The picture above clearly depicts the point I am trying to make.
Ben Roethlisberger is not the only man in trouble with sexual assault. It's an ongoing occurence that continuously happens everyday. But the cases where athletes or celebrities are involved are usually the ones that are blown up and made bigger then the everyday ones. Whether Big Ben really committed these crimes or not, I can't imagine how frustrating it is to see such a horrific broadcast about himself that the world now has access to.
Many other athletes have been in the same situation. Some have proven to be falsely accused and others were simply caught. I'm not one to immediately judge someone of a mistake they commit. Particularly with athletes. However, there are many famous men who sleep around with other women becuase it has just become a part of their life. Many think it's the "pimp" game and figure the more women you sleep with, the more of an "OG" you are. Some have never thought they would fall into such a trap of immorality, but fell into temptation, and now find themself stuck. There are many women out there who have very little respect for themself, and becuase of that self-disrespect, claim themselves as hunters, and are searching for their prey. Why? Think about it. Take Kobe Bryant for example. He makes around 22 million dollars (give or take) a year. If there is an attractive woman who has little concern for her welfare and desires to just sleep around with men, is she going to find a homeless man around the corner? (maybe if she's desperate enough), but in reality, NO! She won't even settle for a middle class man with a decent income. She might as well go for the big fish in the game becuase in her mind she has it figured out that sleeping with a famous man may get her good money. But, a pregnancy is even better! If a woman were to get pregnant from a Kobe Bryant type player, she'd be getting anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000 a month! Most likely it would be towards the higher amount. It's no wonder the Colorado scandal happened with Kobe Bryant. I think that woman was studying her child support calculator. It's clear that there are thousands of athletes who can make a millionare out of a sly and sneaky woman. I don't mean to label all women who have kids with athletes like the prior example, but that is the group who is working the hardest. Here are a group of phenomenal athletes in their sport, who have fallen into the trap of illegitimate children:

Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets- Five children with four different women
Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams- Six children with at least four women
Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens- Six children with multiple women
Antonio Cromartie, San Diego Chargers- Seven children with multiple women
Travis Henry, Buffalo Bills- 9 kids by 9 women. All of this by 28.
Evander Holyfield - 9 illegitimate kids. Has more kids than brain cells left.
Shawn Kemp- 7 illegitimate kids by 6 women.Supposedly up to 11 kids by 9 women now.

It's not a surprise that almost all these men are struggling financially, because every one of them pays a sick amount of child support.

I admire all athletes who can stay away from such a disgusting trap, and continually minimize the targets on their back. I don't hate or despise those who do fall into the trap, but I just wish that they could use their brains a little bit more. This is just an example of this occurence on a larger scale, but it can't happen at any level. What I used was an extreme example, but is still very true. However it still applies to every single person. You must watch your back and properly judge the intentions of others. Whether your the popular boy or girl at high school, the captain of your sports team, the owner of a successful company, or even just a regular civilian going about your business. There are so many rotten and shameless people out there who will target you for the very wrong reason. Many are told not to judge, and I agree with that statement to a certain point. But those who have never used their judgement are perfect examples of why we do need to judge at the appropriate times. Your heart is your greatest tool of how you should carry yourself and approach any given situation. If you are in the right state of mind and living your life to the fullest, your judgement should be no concern. But if you are setting yourself up for a failure or temptation by putting yourself in the wrong atmosphere at the wrong time, then your judgement becomes cloudy, and you may fall subject to a lifestyle that so many are suffering from right now. Live the life you know is right, slowly minimize your target, and eventually remove it off you.

Is knowledge really power?

My mind has been constantly occupied by one question recently: Is knowledge really power? This question has been on my mind because of a comment I heard from a group of "nerds"(I'll explain why I call them that). I was eating a quick lunch before heading to class as I happened to stumble upon a conversation these fellow colleagues of mine were having. It was impeccable timing on my part! They were having a discussion on athletes, and how undeserving they are of possessing power. I happen to be an athlete myself so this discussion was of great interest to me. I decided to get comfortable, and that sandwich I was ready to scarf down was no longer a necessity. I was going to take all the time in the world to eat my food and hear what these "intelligent" individuals have to say.

I obviously can't remember every word of the conversation but I can definitely remember the content. The statement that stuck out to me the most came from a young woman who said, "I can't stand jocks!(that's why I call them nerds). She went on expressing her feelings by saying, "they think they are so powerful, but they don't know anything! Knowledge is supposed to be power, and they don't know anything, so why are they so famous and have so much money?" I decided to keep my cool and avoid any confrontation, so I kept my composure and continued listening. The group continued to ramble on about how everyone needs to stop admiring athletes, or people who don't go to school, and should start looking up more to those individuals who complete many years of school and earn every dollar they receive because of their education. Now I can see can see where they are coming from, but I can completely disagree on another one of their points.

When answering the question is knowledge power, one has to define what power is first. It is clear that the young woman thought money and fame is what gives you power. That is completely false! It is a rotten misconception that so many have fallen prey to believing. Yes, there are many powerful individuals who could use benjamin franklins as toilet paper, but that is not what makes you powerful. And fame is just a result of power, but not everyone who is famous is powerful. So what makes someone powerful? Knowledge is the answer. But it's not the knowledge that the young woman at the table, and many other humans believe. There is admiration to be found in those who highly value their education and devote all their time to learning and gaining knowledge. But if that was the only way to have power, than there would be very few role models. It takes more than just attaining knowledge. The difference maker is how someone uses their knowledge. If you were to look at anyone today and throughout history that is known as a powerful person, not only did they have knowledge, but they knew exactly how to use their knowledge. This principle is analogous to a bank account. If one were to save up and store all the money they receive into a savings account and never touch it, what good is that money? Or if one were to store up money for a period of time and just blow it on something useless, what good is that money? Knowing how to spend money is what separates the rich from the wealthy. The rich have all the money but very rarely know what to do with it. It is the wealthy individuals who know exactly what to do with their money.

Here is a list of several individuals who are powerful in my eyes:
-Albert Einstein
-Andrew Jackson
-Princess Diana
-Bill Gates
-Walt Disney
-Thomas Edison
-William Shakespeare
-Bill Cosby
-Malcolm X

You may wonder what made me pick out these individuals? I could've listed many more people, but these great human beings all have something in common. Every single one of them dropped out of school. From elementary to high school. There are many more that could fit into this group but for the sake space and your time I will spare the list. This is just to prove to those who fall into the misconception of believing that following the outline of educational progression to the T is the only way you'll become someone of great power or influence, is not always the case.

Michael Jordan is an extremely powerful man. Many people(once again, like my friend at the table) may feel Michael is undeserving of such power. But he proves he has knowledge. He may not have read and mastered every textbook throughout his education, but he has knowledge in his craft. It is knowledge that the regular basketball player doesn't have or is aspiring to attain. It is the knowledge he has in his art that makes him great and powerful. Bill Gates sits at the top of one of the worlds largest monopolies not because he got his degree at harvard, but he has mastered the knowledge necessary for his field. Even Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G are men of great power in their field. So to my friends who entertained me with an unexpected experience at lunch, I thank you for making me engulf myself in one of the most profound statements out there. So with all respect to the founder of the quote, may I add my two cents and say that: Knowledge is power....IF you use it right.

Will America forgive Tiger?

What perfect timing to express my feelings on the recent apology of Tiger Woods on national television. My first post was on how confession will bring forgiveness. In that example I was specifically speaking of steroids. However, I made it a point that it applies not only to illegal substances, but anything, including infidelity. Now some may probably think I'm contradicting myself after Tiger's apology, but I still stand 100% behind my point. There will always be a group of the "unforgiving" who could care less about a public confession. Even though millions found it in them to forgive A-Rod of steroid abuse, there is still a large amount who will never forgive him. The same applies to Tiger.
In the beginning of his apology he said, "everyone has the right to be critical of me." And many have taken advantage of that. Since his apology, I've heard countless opinions on Tiger's sincerity and I respect every single opinion. In return, I hope mine is respected. So here it is:
I've watched his entire interview 5 different times. Each one for a reason.

1st- Live. Just wanted to listen
2nd- His body language and gestures
3rd- Counting how many times he looked down
4th- Understand his targets for the apology
5th- Listen to the word usage and tone of voice

The first encounter was interesting. I pulled out plenty of observations but it was too much to come to any conclusion of my final judgement. From his body language I only pulled out one gesture in the 14 minutes. He put his hand on his heart. Every other word expressed had his hands on the pulpit. Counting the number of times his head went down was a big surprise. To be exact I counted 200 times he looked down at his paper and back up! That means he averaged looking down every 4 seconds. While apologizing he made it a point to say sorry to his family, friends, fellow golfers, sponsors, fans, parents of children, and himself. So basically, everybody. And my last time listening I came to the conclusion that he used weird words and emphasized words at weird times. I also found very little emotion in his overall apology and it just seemed robotic. With all this said and observed, many may think I throw the bull crap flag on Tiger. But even with all the negativity I can pull out, I forgive him! I'm sure my forgiveness means nothing to him. He doesn't even need my apology! But he publically asked for it, so I might as well give it. Yes, he could've improved on so many aspects. In my opinion, he should've written down bullet points, and then expressed his feelings on the spot, giving him a chance to show a little more emotion. He could've been better with the body language and the word usage. He could've taken questions for a little bit. He could've cried. He could've looked directly into the camera more. He could've done so much more, but he didn't. And guess what? Who cares! Tiger may be different than many people. He just may not be that emotional. Yes he may show extreme emotion on the golf course, but that's a completely different emotion at a completely different stage. We're all the same as well. We have some emotions that our stronger than our others. The best thing Tiger did was to repeat over and over that the personal issues are between him and his wife. He did his part in apologizing and we should do our part in accepting it, or at least believe in him. We have very little room to criticize the way he speaks or looks and base our judgement solely on that. If he happens to fall prey again to such an immoral act, then there's room for questioning his integrity. But for now, I feel it's the best to just give him a chance and believe that he can improve. He's the most dominate ahtlete in his sport on this earth, and there's a lot on his plate. I enjoy watching him in his craft and I know that my acceptance of his apology may have little, if any, meaning to him. But with the help of millions of people on the earth in believeing, we can help restore feelings of confidence, hope, and excitement back in the life of a HUMAN BEING who makes mistakes, just as we do.

If you confess, America forgives!

When you think of steroids and sports, you can't help but picture the images of certain athletes in your mind: Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Marion Jones, and Reggie Miller (okay, maybe HE needs some). But there are many more athletes who've fallen into the trap of steroid use. Now pause for a second and think: Suppose you were one of the top athletes in the world at your sport, and you had millions of people anticipating your performance at least once a week. There's a lot of pressure on you right? Now you just had a breakthough year and almost got personal records on all your stastistics. The question may run through your head, "How can I get better?" Of course anyone can say,"just train hard!" Yeah, much easier said then done when half of the sports population's satisfaction depends on your performance. On top of that stress factor, let's say your agent just came out with a monster deal and has nearly doubled your salary (and it's only going to get higher if you keep getting better)! The question "How can I get better?" must go through the mind of any athlete in this dilemma. Unfortunately, because of the burden so many great athletes face, the answer is steroids. Now I'm not being Mr. Judgemental and criticizing people who use steroids, that's their choice. But with every action comes a consequence, and when the rules have been set that no steroids are allowed, that means NO STEROIDS! So when an athlete takes steroids and is caught, fans across the world will most likely be turned off from the athlete and become angry, because their performance was enhanced by a drug, not naturally. So an athlete takes steroids and is now faced the with the decision to confess or not. What should he/she do? Take a good look at this picture of Barry Bonds (Yes, both pictures are of him).

Now either he has consumed 10,000 calories a day for the last 20 years, and eats a dozen raw eggs a day, or he took steroids. One of these options seems a little more plausible. Steroids right? Wrong! Not to Barry Bonds. To this day he has not confessed his personal use of steroids, when almost everyone seems to think otherwise. There are still those individuals who think he's never used steroids, but those are the people whose mind only think like the court room. They think that the only two ways we can know for sure if Barry Bonds took steroids is either a DNA test of some sort, or confession. But with the world we live in today, there is much more substantial evidence that can prove he took them. Now because the majority of sports America believes Barry Bonds has taken steroids, and because he hasn't confessed, we are bitter towards him. His statistics may be recorded somewhere, but to millions they are deleted and forgotten (until he confesses). So until that day of confession, Barry Bonds will just be a Pee Wee Herman to Hulk transformer who held a bat in the MLB for 21 years.

Now Alex Rodriguez has proven to every athlete (especially the non-confessors), that if you confess, America WILL FORGIVE! He too, had America on their toes for years, wondering if he was an all natural player. He even sat down with down Katie Couric from 60 minutes and blatantly denied the use of steroids. However, on February 9, 2009 Rodriguez came clean and admitted his mistake to America. There were many disappointed (including myself) and left to question his integrity. But it seems as time went one, the confession was the only thing that stuck out. Even if someone questioned A-Rod, they couldn't help but remember that at least he confessed. Now when sports America hears steroids and A-Rod in the same sentence, we're all over it, because he CONFESSED! There's a drastic difference between A-Rod and Barry Bonds and their integrity. One has confessed, one hasn't. And because of that, there's a drastic difference on how America views the two. One is forgiven, one isn't. Is it any wonder that when Alex Rodriguez was set free from his personal trap of guilt, that Mark McGwire came out and confessed? Many say it's because "he's a batting coach now and needs to get that off his chest." I say wrong. It's because he realized that America WILL forgive you if you confess your wrong.
It's a life lesson we all need to implement in our lives. This is not just a principle for athletes and illegal substances. This principle of forgiveness rings true in any scenario of life. It's easy for us to point our fingers at these athletes who fall short and make human mistakes, but there's times we need to take a step back and analyze our own lives. We obviously don't need to appear on television and admit our faults, or even tell our closest ones. Sometimes we just need to confess to ourself the wrongs in which we make, and as a result we'll forgive ourself. There's no greater feeling then living a life without the pressure and burden of self guilt. Confess and be forgiven!