Final Project: Blog Component

Watching a Game in Iowa City:
My running dairy of watching a game in an Iowa City establishment with a pack of mix matched fans.

3:10: I walk into the bar to catch the afternoon batch of games. There are a smattering of inhabitants scattered amongst the tables and half the bar is full. I slide into a booth and am followed to my seat by an Adrian Peterson jersey wearing waitress....a safe choice since the Vikings played at noon.

3:14: Talk of Tennessee and Vince Young's legitimacy is drifting away from the bar. A couple of disgruntled Bears fans are leaving the conversation and give parting words defending how good the NFC North is compared to the Titan's division. A leather coated man in his mid-50s spouts at them, "if everyone in that division had to play the Colts twice a year you would agree with me." The Bears fan dismisses this comment with a wave and walks out of the bar.

3:19: "All this is hindsight," the same man at the bar has finally restarted the earlier conversation that was interrupted. They sum up the Titans and especially their defense as "spotty" which makes my confidence for my fantasy defense this week slip, everyone looks down into their drinks.

3:22: A table of four men suffer in silence, all watching the muted pregame show noiselessly. The only sound is of them drinking at a feverish pace attempting to pass the time till the game as the FOX crew laughs inaudibly.

3:26: The banter at the bars turns into a chorus of flirtatious teasing directed toward the bartender, 1 of 3 girls in the entire place. Wait hold that 1 more with her entire family just walked in haranguing her son about something he just did to her suede shoes. The bartender is wearing a #4 Brett Favre Green Bay jersey, apparently trying to show her lasting support and cause every single person to comment. Lots of smiling and awkward laughing as she tries to walk the line between being interested enough to get tipped and not come off as interested in anything but conversation.

3:35: Quiet table of 4 suddenly turns on it's head as the game starts and is now the rowdiest area in the establishment.

3:40: So far have attempted to ignore the couple behind me, but can't any longer. Obviously a first date, which begs the question why would you bring someone to a place this seedy. Isn't the whole idea to show your potential or merit, a place that is running a deal on Jaeger bombs on a Sunday doesn't exactly exude. Not going well though, they are cycling through obvious questions (school, work, etc.) at breakneck speed and this exchange just happened,:
Her "So where do you work"
Him "Summit"
Her "That sucks"

3:45: Packer and Bear fan find common ground ripping USC and calling them cheaters. Always can count on Iowa pride to come out at some point during the night.

3:47: Vincent Jackson bobbles then brings in a 30+ yard reception, causing most of the bar, unfortunately including myself, to inhale and let out a ooooh ahhhhh. And this ditty from somewhere behind me, "The mother fucker can catch."

3:51: Obese family arrives, which I would not usually comment on except for the fact that they are plastered in Under Armor gear. The rest of the bar consists of Packer,Bears, and Vikings fans lingering after their teams are done, talking absentmindedly about everything not on TV, enthusiastic Cowboys fans, still transfixed on team's game, and a mixed bag of other teams.

3:56: Group of Packers fans playfully harass the Adrian Peterson waitress, resulting in her fake laughing and turning around with a grimace on her face.

3:58: Alex Smith vs. Aaron Rogers/ Matt Leinert vs. Vince Young conversation starting at the bar. Sounds like a boring ESPN podcast with mostly irrelevant stats that nobody knows for sure or cares about and are probably being made up by a guy with an obnoxious bright orange Bears hat.

4:01: Conversation for the date behind me has turned to the guys insomnia........

4:02: The anxious drinking during the awkward silences has spread to me. I just cught myself slurping down beer like I'm racing someone.

4:09: Tashard Choice just freaked out on his offensive line....possibly the first time I have seen that from a 3rd down back who will get 2 rushes this game. Camera cuts to Jerry Jones who looks comatose.

4:15: Somehow the bar conversation just went from how awful Jason Campbell is to James Cameron being awesome....I know they have similar names but I don't know how that just happened. "I mean everything he is involved with is successful. He is just good at what he does." This is hard for me to accept, but decide to stay unnoticed and project my frustration into faster drinking.

4:17: Bar conversation changes to Pittsburgh's playoff chances, "statistically they are one of the best teams out there," this goes unchallenged, "Big Ben has something.....that....it just gets done."

4:20: Wade Phillips enthusiasm is draining

4:21: Dallas interception, guy on date behind me reacts by running over to Dallas cheering section and slapping hands. Gets back giggling, "There we go. I wish you were a Cowboys fan."

4:26: Tony Romo still holds kicks? Seriously, how is that a good idea. Just saying doesn't he have better shit to do during practice, and that works as an excuse so you don't have to tell him he lost his holder job when he dropped a 20-yard field goal attempt to win a playoff game. I mean every punter gets demoted after doing something like that.

4:30: At the point were I pee after every beer, which is making my entire experience less enjoyable. Halftime of Cowboys game, they are down 7 but feels like more.

4:33: Guy in Raiders wind suit is gushing about how he would fix the Redskinds franchise as he drinks Busch Light from a bottle.

4:41: Guy just told me that "Keystone Light and Coors Light are brewed by same company, just Keystone sits for a day longer," this seems puzzling to me.

4:47: "Can't hold onto the ball that long son" and "Taking way to much time" are a sample of the insults following Gradkowski around the television screen for the last 5 minutes

4:51: Obnoxious level for Cowboy fans has subsided. Only short loud bursts of profanity and occasional table slaps seem to be coming from them now

4:54: Watching highlights of Chad Henne spike the ball after a touchdown run are completely satisfying

4:58: Lull in coversation at the bar makes an awkward silence where everyone simultaneously checks their phone

5:04 Second Oakland fan appears out of nowhere and finds the first guy. They sit and share in the misery talking about draft fuck ups and stock options

5:06: Three different carry out orders just left.....who orders out from a bar like this. Am I just missing out on a huge section of the population

5:10: Jamarcus Russell enters the game sporting a 46% completion percentage, not quite as much bitching as I expected but maybe that is what happens when your soul has been ripped out

5:18: Alvin and the Chipmunks trailer just appeared....am not trying to bet the guy next to me that Tom Arnold is trying to make a comeback in this

5:26: Entire family decked out in Colts gear enters, immediately Raiders fans starts berating them, "Colts loss. Didn't you see? They changed some calls so they lost." No one laughs but him as he sips on his warm Busch Light

5:34: First real heated argument in awhile. Raiders fan and someone else are talking about the tuck rule in the AFC championship all those years ago. Neither clearly wins and they both look away and talk to other people at the bar for awhile. This doesn't work well for the other guy because he turns to talk to me, as I am scribbling down his conversation while trying to not appear to do so

5:36 Cowboy player is carted off. Only comments are about how long it is taking and how refs still miss calls even after challenges

5:50: Oakland chances start slipping away, along with fans ability to articulate or remain unbitter

6:05: Talk turns to Iowa including this little exclamation, "Oranges, Oranges, Oranges, Where going to smell like oranges no matter how we play."

6:19: As the game ends the pace of conversation remains unchanged. Even as the highs and lows of the game unfold the mood remains rather numb today. Also, when is everyone going to stop thinking Tony Romo is good.

Pick'em

Green Bay 27 Chicago 13- Chicago appears to have given up on the season, while Green Bay has become more and more enthusiastic about their chances at making a run not just to but in the playoffs. Look for this one to be a 10+ point lead for most of the contest.

Minnesota 24 Cincinnati 27- I feel the Bengals have circled this one on their calender. Both teams are comfortably in control of their divisions, but the Bengals still seem like they play like underdogs most weeks. I feel they throw a lot into this game and Carson Palmer will be surprisingly affective.

Detroit 10 Baltimore 34- Ravens offense will be clicking against this rag tag group on defense. I still feel like the Ravens see themselves making a run to make the playoffs and I do not expect a big enough hang over from last week to put Detroit over the top. Matthew Stafford will probably have 4 tackles on the day.

Don't mean to say I told you so....but

Minnesota went up early during there game last night in Arizona. They also scored a late meaningless touchdown with little more than a minute remaining. In between this time most of the game was played and they where outscored 30-3.

Now before we start analyzing this blowout loss, lets put it into some perspective. The Vikings are 10-2 and still are almost guaranteed the second seed in the NFC. With their remaining schedule it was unlikely they would catch the Saints even with a win. Brett Favre is still having his best statistical season of his career. They were playing a inconsistent but good football team that does not need to focus on division games the way other teams do because of the competition.

With that said, how much has everyone's opinion of the Vikings changed overnight? Favre played poorly, and showed signs of his youth forcing throws when made to play from behind. It was almost as if the team has played in a bubble for the last several weeks and the Cardinals where the proverbial scissors.

The usually daunting defense also struggled, giving up large chunks of yardage (although they did play relatively well in the red zone) and had no sacks and only 3 qb hits. Kurt Warner's ability to get the ball away quickly allowed his much more athletic athletes on the outside to manipulate the Viking secondary.

That is what happened but what does it mean and what does it say about the team? Look at the schedule, most impressive win is either Green Bay or a 6-5 Ravens team on the road. Not that these wins should not garner respect, but the Ravens appear to be the only consistent top tier defense they have faced. Especially if either Philly or the Giants, and now Cardinals become the second round opponents of the Vikings they have to be worried about productivity.

All three of these teams have defenses that thrive on quarterbacks who force the ball and Philly and Arizona both have athletes on the outside that will be difficult to contain.

Not that the Vikings are doomed, but a fairly convincing blueprint was just laid out as to how to beat them. Still Adrian Peterson rushed for less than 20 yards, which will likely not happen again, but if i am a Viking fan I do not see Favre going through a playoff team against any of those teams without a few picks.

Tweet, Tweet

It has been awhile....enjoy

RyanGrant25 -This movie Boondock Saints 2 is terrible.. But I'm going to gut it out lol
Comment: Professional athletes really are like the rest of us

RayRice27-Just landed in green bay it's pretty cold out here and very depressing I guess Monday night we will spark a fire in this town
Comment: Depressing? I don't know a worse insult for a town, especially for one where people put cheese on their head

D_Hest23 Fans n family keep your heads up we coming back, bear down baby!
Comment: I'm not sure if I want that pun to be intended or not

OGOchoCinco http://twitpic.com/sedv5 - I better score 3 times today because--see for yourself
Comment:.......no comment

drewstanton I just posted a new blog at www.drewstanton.com.

Comment: Tweet itself not all that interesting, but his website was terribly awkward. All the pictures are him standing uncomfortably with the ball and blogging about how he wants Matthew Stafford to be hurt.....ok he did say he was kidding

Percy Harvin

GatorKing12 Gators National Championship + Vikings Super Bowl
Comment:oops

Bernard Berrian

B_Twice Pullin up to the stadium and seein more purple than cardinal red. Lovin it!!
Comment: Loving his profile picture more.......maybe not

Pick'em

Chicago 31 St. Louis 13- I think Brian Urlacher's comments will cause a change for this team, and if not his comments then the Rams defense. Early success for Jay Cutler and the offense will lead to a successful and productive day. Bears fans will be remind why the team made such major sacrifices to acquire their franchise quarterback and all will feel right in the Windy City.....at least for a day.

Detroit 13 Cincinnati 24- The Bengals have to much on the line not to take this week seriously. Couple this with the fact that despite having the lead early Matthew Stafford is passing more than Tom Brady and look for at least 4 turnovers.

Minnesota 17 Arizona 21- If Warner doesn't play obviously this turns into a 10 point night for the Cardinals offense with roughly 12 turnovers, but if he plays they have a chance. Although the Vikings have had a dream season, the schedule has been extremely easy and included a hail mary win over the 9iners and a missed game winning field goal by Baltimore. This is the week they come back down to earth a little and Favre touchdown to interception ratio inches closer together.

Green Bay 24 Ravens 21- The highly touted Ravens defense are not what they used to be. Still good but nowhere near their talent level of even last season. Now the Packers will not be able to run the ball, but they can't do that against much of anyone. I believe this game will be the most telling of how the Packers will play in the playoffs (I'm begging for another Vikings rematch in playoffs.....hearts would break no matter what happens) and I think they come to play.

Brian Urlacher.....

The disappointing Bears host a constantly struggling St. Louis team this week. This gives them an opportunity to right the ship, which has recently been lost out in lake Michigan. I personally won't be surprised if the running game is the focal point for most of the day. Brian Urlacher's comments might have painted him in a negative light temporarily, but it was something that everyone knew and nobody would say. And if I am not mistaken that is the job of a leader.

Thus far it seems painfully clear that Jay Cutler has not elevated himself as a leader within the locker room. In the public he has become a polarizing figure which further isolates the voice that so desperately needs to be in a leadership role. In steps the long time leader of the team, whose injury has been shuffled toward the back of the deck in concern to the hardships of the season.

What he said and how he delivered that message are important, but finally not everyone is pretending that all is well. Obviously no person within the organization has been happy with the results this season, but nobody has seemed to address them in any serious way, at least in public.

What Urlacher has done is put the cards upon the table. This is what used to work and this is what we do now. The ball is now in the court of people like Lovie Smith whose job is on the line. Will he respond to the public statement about his team with a different game plan than the script the team has followed this season. Or does he completely ignore the giant elephant that now looms around his injured his superstar and running back who seems to have dropped off the map unexpectedly.

Urlacher did not so much give an answer to the problem, but acknowledged the fact that it is not just fans and sports writers who are conflicted by the new persona of the team. This game is very much a challenge now, either to prove that they can make this work or that they are going to commit to what Bear's football has been said to be about.

It does help that it is the Rams though.

(Photo from espn.com)

Robert Lapchick

In Robert Lapchick's articles, based on gender and race hiring practices of media institutes that cover sports and professional and college sports organizations, the information forces the reader to realize the reality of discrimination within the sports community.

Gender roles and stereotypes affect every member of our society. From the moment of birth restrictions and expectations, some subtle and others loud, are placed upon the shoulders of each person. Although some members of society seem to partially shed these notions, the majority overwhelms much of what is accepted as our culture and radical labels appear to place these outcasts into a conflicted group with the vocabulary dissolving into the mainstream. In this study Lapchick creates statistics that anchor sports into a crossroads. Although lip service has been paid to taking the more difficult path and creating a more fair environment, it is still to early to tell how serious the sporting world will take this problem.

The most obvious flaw for me within the study was the lack of accounting for visibility. For example, the NBA received a B+ rating for gender. What major and visible female figures within the league however are acknowledged or even known about by the public? There are a few referees, which are the only female's associated with the NBA that I, as a consistent fan could tell someone about.

Without active, visible members a league is not promoting diversity, but only seemingly filling a quota. This statement is wildly unfair because I am sure women have a vital role in positions all over male dominated sports that are incredibly important and valuable to the league as a whole. Unfortunately, these institutions give us no evidence of any kind to support these facts.

Football is widely perceived as the most masculine sport within our culture. Only a tiny fraction of the female population ever plays the game and the boundaries to overcome for those who do are immense. Unthoughtout stigmas and stereotypes about girls in "contact" sports further perpetuate themselves, creating more and more history of what femininity is in sports, which in turn creats a more and more difficult challenge to overcome.

How then do these stereotypes become broken? Great moments of broken barriers are prevalent throughout the history of sport, Jackie Robinson, Babe Didrikson, Tony Dungy/Lovie Smith Super bowl, Tiger Woods, if his reputation survives, Woody Harrelson in White Men Can't Jump (maybe a stretch), etc. These are remembered however as apparitions instead of a culmination of smaller events that slowly changed the mindset of a few and then a whole.

What sports organizations and the media that cover sports should attempt to examine is their day to day small, unnoticed acts of generalization, racism, sexism, homophobia, and overall close mindedness that everyone creates within their own individual lives. Without these small checkmarks that allow us to hold onto our unchallenged ideologies, new monumental achievements will open up creating more breakthroughs in the field of sports.