Competitive Balance

Throughout the history of sports, there have been numerous athletes that earned the title of being controversial. Some athletes create controversy because of their attitude, while other athletes seem to never stay out of trouble with the law. In class Tuesday, we talked about Richard Raskind who is now known as Renee Richards. I never heard of Renee Richards before learning about her in class and I really thought that she was a unique person to talk about. She is the first person that I know in sports to do a sex change. I know alot of tolerant people may consider Raskind to be a cheat just because she is actually a male playing a woman’s sport. I believe that if a man chooses to have gender reassignment surgery, that's his own decision, but I believe they ought to then forfeit the right to compete in women's sports. I mean if a male chooses to become a woman and they feel as though they should have the right to play in a women’s sport, I think that is unfair. I have nothing against people who wish to do a sex change, but when it comes to then playing in sports, I disagree. I don’t know why or how people could get upset about that. Being male gives distinct physical advantages (size, muscle build, and ability to gain muscle mass) that are an unfair advantage against actual females, so of course most males would be dominate in a women’s sport unless the women is like a BEAST (which is always cool for a woman to beat a man J). But then I think to myself, what if a female did a sex change to become a male. Should they be denied to play a male’s sport? Then as I was reading in the PowerPoint slides from class, "that at the time she fought for the right to play women's tennis, she suggested that due to loss of strength (from taking hormones) , she was more like a woman" (N. Spencer, Personal Communication, November 20, 2012). Should that be taken into consideration? I believe to keep everything fair, men who were born men should play in male sports and the same goes for women and if they wish to pursue sports after having a sex change that they should forfeit.

Alicia Jefferson

Notre Dame Back on Top - Pat McFall

As many of you probably know, I can be seen sporting a Notre Dame pullover along with a Notre Dame hat almost every day in class. With their recent success this season, they have secured the #1 spot in the BCS rankings and will most likely play in the National Championship. While I am most happy for them because I am a die-hard fan, I also think this is one of the best things to happen to college football in a while. There are two kinds of people. People who love Notre Dame, and people who hate them. I'll be honest and say that Notre Dame really hasn't been relative since the 80's, winning their last National Championship in 1988 against West Virginia. There was a spurt between 04'-06' where we were on the right path, but took a wrong turn somewhere and got smacked by Ohio State. We have had some close games this year against Michigan, Stanford, Pittsburgh, and BYU. However, we are the only team that can be ranked in the BCS ( Ohio State ) to have played a full schedule and remain undefeated. This is good for college football because Notre Dame has one of the biggest fan bases in the country. The National Championship will get so many people watching the game because of our storied tradition. It also seems like the powerhouses of college football are returning to glory. These teams being Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State, etc. I just wanted to throw this out there, and see what everyone else had to say about this situation. I know it might seem like we can't stack up against the SEC in Alabama or Georgia, but stranger things have happened. No one expected Ohio State to beat Miami in 2002, Alabama to lose to Texas A&M, or Ohio State to go undefeated this year. Hopefully when the game is all set and done, Manti Te'o is holding the crystal ball.

There is also a pretty good article I found that will explain how the T.V. ratings for this game will be the highest in some time.

http://sports.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981776940

Patrick McFall

Aaron Crouse - Turkey Trouble

The Thanksgiving holiday can largely be summed up into the three F’s: Family, Food, and Football.  At my typical family Thanksgiving, we usually attempt to time it so the turkey is finished cooking right when halftime of the Detroit Lions game is set to take place so we can miss as little of the game as possible.  The NFL has scheduled its Thanksgiving games to include games being played by the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, and a third primetime flex game that features different teams on a rotating basis.  These games have become traditions in many households across the country and events that families build their holiday around.  While the NFL has made a conscious effort to preserve these traditional games, the same cannot be said for the NCAA.  Much to my disappointment, this year marked the first time in a while that Texas and Texas A&M did not face off on Thanksgiving night.  Even though the “Lone Star Showdown” was one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in the country, money has gotten in the way of providing this matchup.

            In 2010, the University of Texas signed a 20-year, $300 million deal with ESPN in order to produce the Longhorn Network.  This deal (in my opinion) was the first step that lead to the NCAA seeing conference realignment explode out of control.  Much like the Notre Dame situation with NBC, members of the Big 12 Conference were extremely upset at the idea of the Longhorn Network, especially considering its advantages in media coverage and as a recruiting tool.  As a result, we have seen massive movements of teams throughout the country.  Texas A&M (who still would like to have Texas on its schedule) along with Missouri moved to the SEC, TCU (who Texas played this Thanksgiving) and West Virginia take their sports, the WAC, Conference USA, and Mountain West losing many of their top teams (Boise St, San Diego St, UCF) to the Big East, and most recently Maryland and Rutgers joining the Big 10.  There is no longer a geographical sense to college football conferences.  The whole landscape of college football has become all about who can land the largest TV deals, highest ticket prices, and automatic bowl bids and less about maintaining rivalries, being feasible for fans to attend games, and making travel for athletes realistic.  As I turned on Texas vs. TCU for a brief moment on Thanksgiving night, I could not but help being disappointed in thinking that I could have been watching Heisman favorite Johnny Manziel and #9 Texas A&M battling it out against their arch rivals in a game that could have had huge BCS implications.  Instead, I am left to hope that the NCAA bowl committee may matchup up these two teams in the Cotton Bowl so that their storied tradition can be continued.  What is going on right now in college football is just not right.  As much as I loved watching the sport, it is getting frustrating to see money and greed getting in the way of putting the best product on the football field.

Who Gave Magic Johnson HIV?

Did you ever think to yourself, “who was the person who actually gave Magic Johnson HIV?” If someone knows this answer I would like to know. I could not find anything off the internet that said who gave him HIV. It's surprising that we don't have any good enough answers as to how Magic Johnson ended up getting this disease or at least I don’t know. You would think that the answer would have been solved by now or that lady would have stepped forward to say that “hey, I’m the one who did it”. But Magic Johnson has done a great job to keep the story focused on his incredible triumph in the face of what many people assumed to be a death sentence. The hows and whys of how it all started have surely been forgotten, but somewhere out there, there's someone who has a good idea of just how this whole thing came to pass. There are some people who argue that men absolutely can't get HIV from women, saying that Magic contracted the disease from another man, but it's much harder for men to get HIV from women, but it does happen. HIV can enter at the opening of the tip and through cuts or sores. I'm sure there are people out there who think that they gave Magic the disease, but I think he purposely never went back and tried to find the answer because he didn't want to put his wife and family through any further embarrassment, but I hope he does.

Alicia Jefferson

Magical Support - Aaron Keyer

Everyone now knows the different ways of attaining the HIV/AIDS virus. However in 1991, not everyone was as educated about the disease. Back then, attaining the disease was thought to of come from only a few ways, gay sex and excessive partnerships. Both of these things were not highly supported in the early '90's when Magic came out with his disease however, somehow he received incredible support after announcing his retirement. Why did he receive such incredible support from his family, friends and peers at this time when in today's society, a miscue of that magnitude by a celebrity of his stature gets completely torn down.

When Magic announced his retirement and disease he was one of the most recognizable sports figures in the United States. He was married at this time and had already had one son with another one on the way. Magic openly admitted that he tried to "accommodate” as many women as possible, even while he was married. So why wouldn’t he get reprimanded by the public in the same ways that Tiger Woods and other professional athletes have gotten reprimanded. Tiger Woods was found to be cheating on his wife with several women, just as Magic Johnson admitted, however as Tiger Woods was faced with undeniable scrutiny, Magic Johnson was garnered with incredible support. Was it because Magic had attained the HIV virus which trumped his infidelities and created a sympathetic feeling for him having to give up the game he loved?

            The ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “The Announcement” is a story which gives the whole background of Magic from his playing days at Michigan State, to the aftermath of his retirement announcement. It is quite revealing and shows just how Magic came to be Magic Johnson. He was no different than any other athlete of his same popularity, but for some reason when he made a mistake and was forced to leave the game, he received support and sympathy where as other athletes received scrutiny and get labeled as selfish and not worthy. Magic did not deserve the support he received, he was a great player yes but was also a married man who contracted the HIV virus from someone other than his spouse.

Do You Believe In Magic? Not Everyone Did... - Marc Horwitz

Magic Johnson is remembered as an extraordinary player on the court before his 1191 announcement that shocked the sports world when he declared that he had contracted HIV, the precursor to the AIDS virus.  While he may be recognized more for his phenomenal play and now his work with HIV advocacy as he continues to live prove that the disease can be overcome, now more than 20 years after the announcement, he should also be recognized for overcoming incredible stereotypes and his lasting impact on the NBA in regards to safety.

One highlight of the entire Magic Johnson HIV announcement is the fact that from the beginning, he received incredibly positive support from the media, teammates, and fans. This, however, was challenged fairly early on, especially following his personal reinstatement to the Lakers organization.  It was Johnson’s perseverance, however, that I feel should be highlighted in this blog, as he overcame many harsh words that were kept out of the media as to not take away from the incredible feat that he was looking to trounce.

Just about every story that was published regarding Johnson’s return to the NBA was positive, filled of inspiring words and encouragement from fellow Lakers and others around the NBA.  There was, however, some very harsh words that Magic had to endure as he made his return in an effort to make a statement for all people infected with the disease that there is no threat those surrounding them, a common fear.

Although doctors quickly made efforts to disprove this theory at the time Johnson announced he would like to return, a common fear was that others involved risked contamination from being in contact with Johnson.  In an independent study of readers of the Los Angeles Times, when asked if Johnson should play in the NBA All-Star game, “the newspaper reported that 2,941 responded no, 1,810 yes” (Almond, 1992).  The majority of the respondents gave the reasoning that Johnson could transmit the infection to another player through physical conduct, even though experts stressed the unlikelihood of an occurrence.  While that same article said that “all the players talked to said they support Johnson’s return to the game,” (Almond) there was still another side of the argument that wasn’t as publicized, especially on the West Coast.

Karl Malone, All-Star forward for the Jazz at the time, was one of the most outspoken regarding Johnson’s return.  In an interview with the New York Times published one year after Johnson’s HIV announcement and just before his efforts to return to the NBA, Malone made it known that he was challenging the widespread belief that a return was universally welcomed.  Malone’s main argument, much like the LA Times reasoning for their disapproval to his playing in the All Star game, revolved around the possibility of contamination through contact.  “Look at this, scabs and cuts all over me. I get these every night, every game. They [doctors] can’t tell you that you’re not at risk, and you can’t tell me there’s one guy in the NBA who hasn’t thought about it. (Araton, 1992)  This statement is not only saying that he is against a Johnson return, but that his feelings aren’t isolated, and perhaps he was right.  Gerald Wilkins, who was with Cleveland, was quoted in the same article in agreement with Malone, stating that “everybody’s talking about it. Some people are scared. This could be dangerous to us all, but you’re dealing with Magic Johnson, so people are handling it with white gloves. They’re not going to say how they really feel.” (Araton)  The article goes on to say that although there was great support from many players around the league, there were countless players, many who requested to remain anonymous, that expressed emotions from concern to fear of playing against Johnson.

With the concern of playing against Magic being voiced by many, there then comes the question of the game’s legitimacy, as many players voiced that they would be backing off from defending Johnson because of the virus.

When looking at these arguments, many which come from Johnson’s NBA peers, I think it is even more extraordinary that he had the courage to make a comeback to the NBA, and actually make an impact.  In his 1995-96 NBA return, Johnson recorded 468 points, averaging just over 14.5 over 32 games, with 9 starts, numbers significant lower than his pre-HIV playing days, but still impressive with the controversy that stirred around him and his return.

Another aspect of Johnson’s return that is not frequently highlighted is his impact on the game from a behind the scenes aspect. Not only was Johnson making headlines for his return to the game, paving the way for HIV patients to live a more “normal” life as Johnson’s return may disprove the common theory that the virus could be caught as easily as the common cold, but he also had a lasting impact on NBA medical staff regulations.  Following Johnson’s announcement, the NBA implemented several precautionary measures regarding player safety when handling injuries.  These measures, which seem like common sense to most, are really thanks to Johnson’s return efforts. Had it not been for Johnson and his advocacy, player safety may had gone on to be at risk due to the lack of strict rules regarding player injuries on the court.  “Among the precautionary measures [enacted following Johnson’s announcement] is the rule that players who get cut during a game must immediately leave the court.” (Araton)  In addition to this rule, another which is hard to believe that it wasn’t enacted far sooner is that trainers were now instructed to wear latex gloves while treating players, and that they must handle each player’s towels and items such as water bottles separately.

Of course, Magic’s ability to overcome the HIV virus and live a very lengthy and strong life despite contracting the disease is commendable, and the work he has done off the court as an advocate for the virus is remarkable as well, but it should be noted that his return to the league was not welcomed by all. It was this perseverance that should be noted, as many forget that for all the positive encouragement he received from teammates and the commissioner, there were countless players and fans opposed to his return, a lot to overcome for a player that was in such a spotlight his whole career. He also changed the way the game was handled, and how injuries were dealt with on the court, leaving a lasting impact on the game for many reasons.

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/01/sports/basketball-johnson-s-return-to-league-isn-t-welcomed-by-some.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm

http://articles.latimes.com/1992-01-29/sports/sp-888_1_magic-johnson

Aaron Crouse - Magic Longevity

Earvin “Magic” Johnson shocked not only the NBA community and the entire world when on November 7, 1991 he announced that he had tested positive for the HIV virus.  Johnson was not only the first major sports star to contract the virus, but he also did not fit the common description of someone that would have been though to contract HIV, being a wealthy individual with a straight sexual orientation and no know drug additions (he later admitted the virus was contracted due to having numerous sexual partners during his playing days).  While contracting HIV at the time was almost considered a death sentence, Magic’s longevity and ability to overcome this virus has proven just how far medical research has come in the past 30 years.  One of the top advocates of HIV and AIDS prevention today, Johnson founded the “Magic Johnson Foundation” in 1991 and continues to be a major spokesperson for HIV awareness today.  However, Magic Johnson has had some financial and medical benefits that many other HIV patients are not afforded during his fight with the virus.  While it is truly remarkable what Magic Johnson has done in staying healthy (yet alone alive) and helping spread awareness about the HIV virus, a 2008 South Park episode featuring Magic Johnson did highlight some important stereotypes and issues with HIV prevention on a worldwide basis.

South Park has featured episodes around athletes including Tiger Woods, Ben Roethlisberger, and Magic Johnson within the past few seasons.  While this show is in no way, shape, or form educational, their comical take on serious life issues can often shed light onto a side of a story people fail to consider.  In the episode “Tonsil Trouble”, Eric Cartman becomes infected with the HIV virus following a blood transfusion during surgery at South Park hospital.  While most of the others characters are concerned about his health, his friend Kyle finds it to be ironic and funny (because Cartman has made many AIDS jokes in the past).  Angry, Cartman plots revenge by drawing some of his own blood with a syringe and injecting it into Kyle as he sleeps (because this is South Park, again not always realistic).  As Cartman and Kyle are both now infected with HIV, the entire town now believes that the two of them are “two brave lovers”, exploiting the stereotype that most males that contract the HIV virus are homosexual (as many skeptics believed Magic Johnson was at the time of his announcement).  Seeking help, the boys fly to Los Angeles to meet Magic Johnson and figure out his secret to neutralizing HIV.  Upon their visit, they discover that he has a personal medical team working 24/7 in an attempt to find a cure for AIDS and that Johnson injects himself with a concentrated dose of $180,000, meant to symbolize that the only true way to prevent HIV from spreading once it has been contracted is to have the money available for drugs, treatment, and research from a highly skilled medical staff.  The show claims, “The success (fighting HIV in Magic Johnson) may eventually be able to be replicated in others that suffer from HIV, but it will likely be very expensive” (Tonsil Trouble, 12 March 2008, South Park).  The point being made here is that while Magic Johnson is the most notable spokesperson from HIV who has accomplished great lengths towards advocating awareness, he is far from the typical patient.  Most people with this disease do not have the money, name recognition value, or medical team that Magic does in order to fight HIV.  South Park makes a point that there is still no cure for HIV or AIDS and that many individuals still suffer from the disease.  Just because Magic Johnson has done so well combating it does not mean that others around the world are having the same success.  While I personally applaud what Magic Johnson has been able to do, we cannot forget that HIV is still a huge problem in many parts of the world and that not everyone is fortunate enough or has the resources to fight against it in 2012.

The Growth of NHL Goaltenders - Marc Horwitz

Throughout class last Tuesday, we discussed what we considered to be the "ideal" body of an athlete. There was plenty of discussion as to whether there should be a body steal more ideal for an individual sport, or even more specifically for a certain position.  This discussion led to me looking at the sport I am most familiar with, hockey, and thinking about the "ideal" body style of those at the most elite level of the game, the NHL.

It is fairly easy to say that there is an ideal size for certain positions among those in the league, with defenseman easily towering over the other players on the team, and forwards being of shorter stature, providing them with the ability to be more quick and agile.  The position that has seen the most change over the years, however, has been that of the goaltender.

In the early decades of the National Hockey League, goaltenders were known for their standup style, with their smaller stature and less pronounced padding not taking up much of the net. In today's game, simply standing in the net and relying on a kick save or a pad stack is not going to cut it. Today's goaltenders are much more quick and agile, with the game evolving into something that would not even be recognized by earlier competitors.  Not only are these goaltenders much faster, but they have become much larger.  A lot of debate has circulated around the league regarding the size of the goaltender's equipment, but regardless of the argument, it is easy to see that it is not just the size of the equipment getting larger, but more importantly it is the actual height of the goaltenders.

According to The Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper that often has extensive NHL coverage consuming their sports section, the goal frames are being taken up by larger goalies each year.  According to a 2011 article titled, "NHL Goalies are Getting Bigger and Bigger," goaltenders averaged  just under 6 foot 2 inches in the 2010-2011 season, an increase of 5 inches over the past 20 years (Mirtle, 2011).  A prime example of this constant goaltender growth can be seen when looking at the Nashville predators, who roster Pekka Rinne and Anders Lindback at 6'5" and 6'6" respectfully, the tallest tandem in the league.

There are many reasons why taller goaltenders are being preferred by NHL scouts in today's game. Much of that has to do with the butterfly style being more prominent, with taller goalies having an advantage because they are still able to take up plenty of net while still covering the base of the net along the ice.  Taller goaltenders also have an advantage when it comes to fighting off screens as they are able to see through more traffic in front of them.  When it comes to goaltenders being scouted, if a taller goalie has the same skill set as one of shorter nature, the taller one is generally going to be chosen simply because of the natural advantages they will have for the position.  Nashville goaltender coach Mitch Korn is an advocate for the taller goaltender evolution, making the prediction that "within the next five years, we won't seen any goalies under six feet, and we might not see very many under six one or two" (Mirtle).

Chris Osgood, known as being one of the smallest goaltenders to play in today's game at 5'10" and see success, says in an interview that he isn't surprised with the new phenomena of the taller goaltenders getting all the attention.  He states, "I talk to my friends I used to play against that are scouts now in the league and they say that they can't look at somebody that is under 6'1" now.  These guys are all big huge guys, but they are athletes and train to be a goalie since they are 8 and 10 years old, where we were always just told to stop the puck" (Hutchison, 2010).  Osgood also mentions that the athleticism in part with the taller stature is what is helping the taller goaltenders become the norm in the NHL, mentioning that "it's not the equipment.  It's the guys, they're bigger and they are good athletes, whereas you used to have a big goalie but he couldn't move.  Now you have the 6'5" guy that can move and play goal and that's the biggest difference" (Hutchison).

With the average height seeming to be increasingly on the rise for the average NHL goaltender, who knows what we may see in the future.  It will be interesting to see to what level the league restricts equipment size with the goal frame being taken up more and more due to natural height.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/nhl-goalies-are-getting-bigger-and-bigger/article587724/

http://ingoalmag.com/general/nhl-goalies-have-grown-a-lot-over-the-last-decade/

Preference for Male Coaches

In class Thursday, we talked about the different variations of apologetic responses to the lesbian bogeywoman image. There were eight different variations; silence, denial, promotion of feminine heterosexual image, promotions of heterosexy image, search for heterosexual-only space, attacks on lesbians and acknowledgement and disassociation from lesbians. The variation that I mostly found interesting was the preference for male coaches. When asked do you think focusing on not hiring lesbian coaches is actually safer for the team or the team’s image, I really did not know how to answer the question. I think that it all depends on how good the team actually is. I know of head a coach personally that is gay, not lesbian and still gets a hundred percent support from family, friends and fans and have no problems with people downgrading him or his team, but his team is also very high ranked. I think it varies on the situation. I think that with him being a male he kind of has more leeway. I think that it would different if it were a lesbian being the head coach of a women’s team, because your players are women, so that may cause some problems. I do believe that men have more experience playing sports, just because a lot of the sports started out with just men and not women, for example sports like volleyball. Plus, you don’t see many women that are head coaches of football teams or wrestling teams, because women just don’t play those types of sports, so therefore men do have that advantage of being more experienced.  I know for me, I never had a female coach for track and field. I don’t know how that would go for me personally, but I know most of my teammates do not like female coaches, just because of the different emotions that women go through, that it would cause too much trouble. Personally I prefer a male coach, just because that is what I have been use to, so why change.    

Alicia Jefferson 

Aaron Crouse - The Larger Than Life NFL QB?

This past week, we discussed what it means to have the “idea sports body”.  It was largely determined that not only the sport, but also the gender of the athlete along with the position an athlete plays should play a role in determining an acceptable body type.  Following the Washington Redskins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game on October 28 (a 27-12 PIT win) ESPN radio personality Colin Cowherd, who is also a co-host on the show SportsNation, criticized the body type of Redskin quarterback Robert Griffin III on his show, The Herd. Cowherd suggested that RGIII would not last long in the league given his slender, cut build and tendency to be a running quarterback.  He claimed that players such as Brett Favre, Jay Cutler, Ben Roethlisberger, and Matthew Stafford have “ideal” bodies for NFL quarterbacks as, “In the NFL, you WANT your QB to have a little pudding in the middle” (Cowherd, 29 October 2012, The Herd: ESPN).  Cowherd argued that these bigger bodied quarterbacks are able to absorb big hits to a better degree than a quarterback who would be said to have “all muscle”, giving the example that “2 years ago Peyton had a nice little “pouch” and it didn't hinder him (I don't if it protected him any though either)”.  He used the statistic that the average NFL QB has a body fat percentage of around 14-15 (with deviations of +/- 9%). While he explained that there is a difference between appearing a bit “pudgy” such as Roethlisberger and Stafford do and eating yourself out of the league like in the case of Jamarcus Russell, Cowherd still argued that carrying a little bit of extra weight is better than having the body of a lean, cut track star like in the case of RGIII, Michael Vick, or even Jake Locker (he used and explained this example to prove his point had nothing to do with race).  While there is no scientific reasoning or evidence that can back up this theory of the Pillsbury Doughboy NFL QB (as Roethlisberger, Stafford, Vick, and Locker have all battled injury), Colin Cowherd’s argument is an interesting take on the ideal sports body.  While NFL fans generally conjure up an image of teams having a strong, imposing, fit quarterback, maybe an extra trip to the buffet line or a late night snack once in a while for an NFL quarterback isn’t the worst thing in the world in the long run.

Comparing Muscle & Fitness Magazines

After reading a study about how advertisements are comprised in fitness magazines (White & Gillett, 1994), we got into groups and analyzed these findings with findings of our own. We looked at two different magazines, one for men and one for women. The men’s magazine we looked at was Flex from 2008. We found that 77% of the ads were for dietary supplements; 16% were for knowledge systems, 2% for body building equipment, and 5% for competitions. In the study they found that dietary supplements made up 52.7% of the ads, 19.7% for body building equipment, 12% for knowledge systems, 8.5% for clothes, 2.6% for cosmetics, and 5.3% for competitions (White & Gillett, 1994). Our findings were a little different than the articles. We both found that dietary supplements make up for most of the advertisements but we didn’t find very many ads for body building equipment, clothes, cosmetics, or competitions. This could be the case because of the differences in years the magazines were published. Since the article was written in 1994, it’s hard to compare findings from a magazine published 14 years later. Also we just analyzed the advertisements from one magazine which differed from the study, which analyzed ads from 12 different issues and took the average.

After analyzing the men’s magazine, we looked at the ads in a women’s magazine. The magazine we analyzed was Women’s Health from 2007. We found there to be far less ads than the men’s magazine. Flex had 155 ads, while Women’s Health had only 42 ads. In the end we found that dietary supplements made up 23% of the ads; 7% for knowledge systems, 28% for clothing, 23% for cosmetics, 2% for competition, and 17% were ads for water.  These numbers differed from the study but shouldn’t be surprising seeing how advertisements in women’s and men’s magazines should be different. Men are looking to add muscle, which helps by taking supplements, and women are looking to tone and look good.

The main themes of men's magazines are positioning the reader as inferior, promise of transformation, and hegemonic masculinity. We found examples of all of these in Flex. An ad for No-Explode had a muscular male sitting over large amounts of weight. This is an example of positioning the reader as inferior. Next, an ad for Whey Protein was an example of promise of transformation. Lastly, an ad for Jet Fuel with Jose Conseco in the advertisement is an example of hegemonic masculinity.

Two main themes we found from the women’s magazine were physical transformation and appearance. Physical transformation showed up in ads that were promoting low calorie foods, and eating healthy. There was an ad for lean cuisine which promoted lower calories. An ad for blueberries/fruit promoted eating healthy.  The 2^nd main theme was appearance. 51% of the ads were for appearance (clothing & cosmetics). Appearance showed up in ads that were promoting makeup, shoes, and clothing.  An ad for Puma shoes and Loreal skin lift are examples of appearance themed advertisements.

The findings from the women’s and men’s magazines were mostly different. The biggest percentage of the ads in Women’s Health was for clothing and cosmetics; while dietary supplements comprised most of the ads in Flex.  Men’s magazines promote masculinity which deals mostly with weights and gaining muscle. On the other hand, women’s magazines promote femininity which deals mostly with being fit and trim, and outer appearance such as clothing and makeup.  Men and women are different from one another when it comes to fitness and working out, and their magazines reflect this. 

Michael Berti

Matt Pitzulo

Mike Frank

Aaron Keyer

Joey Durant

Comparing Muscle and Fitness Magazines

When we examined the Men’s Fitness Magazine and compared our results to the White and Gillett article, our percentage for Men’s dietary came up to 65% in the Men’s magazine compared to the article’s 52.7%.  The percentage for men’s equipment came up to 11% in the men’s magazine compared to the article’s 19.7%. The percentage for men’s knowledge systems came up to 24% in the men’s magazine compared to the article’s 12%. When examining the Women’s Fitness magazine, women’s dietary came up to 37%. Women’s bodybuilding came up to 10%. Women’s knowledge systems came up to 12%. Women’s clothing came up to 56%. Women’s cosmetics came up to 25%. Women’s competitors came up to 11% and our group did not find any “other” categories. For the positioning reader as inferior theme, our example was the ad of Ronnie Coleman flexing and having an intimidating look on his face advertising for mass stack. For the promise of transformation theme, our example was the super pump ad, where the ad showed before and after pictures of men and in the after pictures the men were all fit and tan after taking the supplement. For the hegemonic masculinity theme, our example was Darren Charles posing in front of a few luxurious cars and a nice home. Charles was basically showing the “American Dream.” Two themes that our group found in the Women’s Fitness Magazine was the eating healthy nutrition theme, where the ad told women what they should eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The second theme that our group came up with was, the weightlifting body building theme, where the ad provided directions on how to lift weights. When comparing our findings between Men’s and Women’s Fitness magazines, the men’s fitness magazines contained pure masculinity and no ads of clothing, cosmetics, where as in the women’s fitness magazines there was.

Alicia Jefferson
Khiry Kelly
Dom Harris
Danielle Miller
Casey Daulbaugh

Crosby, the face of the NHL - Marc Horwitz

I am by no means a Crosby fan, but I am an avid hockey fan, and Crosby’s impact on the game is undeniable. Even if you aren’t a fan of Crosby or the Penguins, if you have even the slightest amount of interest in the sport of hockey you will know the face of Sidney Crosby.  For the reason, I feel as though Crosby could be considered the face of the NHL. As much as it hurts to admit it, being a Philadelphia Flyers fan, between his skill on the ice and his impact on the game off the ice, Crosby is without a doubt the most recognizable figure in the sport.  For this reason, I would say that Crosby is comparable to Gretzky, as discussed in the classroom, and perhaps you could connect his contribution to the sport in a similar way that Jordan changed basketball, the impact on the game both directly and indirectly is remarkable.

For one, there is Crosby’s on-ice contributions.  Even as of late, while battling back from a concussion and missing a considerable amount of time, Crosby has put up quite impressive numbers.  Before being restricted from the ice, Sid the Kid had scored 32 goals and recorded 66 points in just 41 games, a span which included a 25-game point streak.  Immediately following his injury, the Penguins were a dismal 21-11-9 after beginning the season 26-12-3.  This past season, with Crosby missing a substantial amount of time, the Penguins once again struggled to find a consistent source of offense.  The absence of Crosby from the Penguins lineup was not just significant to the team, but also to the NHL.  Sid still had a stronghold on the media headlines, with fans checking on the status of Crosby with each passing day awaiting his return.  Television numbers were also down, as previously slated matchups with the Penguins playing host to NBC’s weekend matinee were considerably less meaningful, especially when Crosby was absent for the matchups between the Penguins and Capitals, a rivalry that has been a water-cooler debate topic when deciding who is more superior between Crosby and Ovechkin.  Clearly, Crosby presence on the ice was missed by all, and his return was equally as significant, putting up a strong opening argument for his place as the face of the NHL.

Crosby would arguably be the face of the NHL with solely his on-ice contributions to the game, but what secures his place of NHL cover boy is his additional impact on the game off the playing surface.  His impact on the youth in both the United States and Canada is undeniable.  If you were to walk into any rink in North America, you would most likely see the number 87 plastered on the back of a jersey. Whether you are in the vicinity of the city of Pittsburgh or even in America, there are thousands of young hockey players who see Crosby as their role model.  He has a substantial influence on youth hockey nationwide, but his impact on the Pittsburgh-area youth registration has been phenomenal.  According to USA Hockey’s regional registration numbers on USAHockey.com, Western Pennsylvania’s hockey membership was at 8,665 in 2005, Crosby’s first season in the NHL.  Membership rose very slightly, by just 27 players in 2006.  With Crosby putting up big numbers and the Penguins finding more success, membership rose to 8,986 in 2007.  The following season, coming off an NHL finals appearance, membership continued to rise to 9,512.  Fast-forward to present-day, with Crosby’s impact on the game constantly increasing and his on-ice contributions leading the team to a Stanley Cup and Crosby finding even more success in his individual statistics, youth numbers have correlated.  To date, there are 12,311 youth players registered in Western Pennsylvania.  Aside from his impact on the youth involvement, Crosby has also been an influential figure for the NHL throughout the labor discussions and in research and development regarding concussion studies.  After suffering the concussion that led to a significant loss of playing time over the past two seasons, Crosby has been an advocate for increased concussion testing league-wide and more studies related to head contact and equipment.

Between his on-ice contributions and the impact he has had off the ice, it is undeniable that Crosby is the poster child of the National Hockey League.  As much as it hurts to say as a fan of the Penguins cross-state rival, Crosby is great for the game of hockey and his impact on the game has been very beneficial.  I am sure that as he continues to flourish in the league, youth numbers will certainly increase and he will be an even more significant advocate for player safety concerns. Crosby is without a doubt the face of the NHL.

Comparing Muscle and Fitness Magazine

As a group we compared the Men's Fitness Magazine, the percentage of ads compared to White and Gillett (1994) found in original study. We found the dietary supplement (83% to 52%) had a higher percentage compared than what was found in the original study. Body building equipment and knowledge system were below what White and Gillett found. While examining the Women's Fitness Magazine (Shape), we found in all three of the women's categories we were below what White and Gillett originally found in their study. For example, we found in our magazine predominately advertised dietary supplements just like the men's magazines did but did not go above the average found in the original study. We did not find it necessary to create other categories for the women's magazines because the ads we found fit the three main categories used to describe the men's fitness magazines (dietary supplement, body building, and knowledge systems).

We found in the Men's fitness magazine we examined three main themes; positioning reader as inferior, promise of transformation, and hegemonic masculinity. The first theme, positioning reader as inferior, we found on page 37, the advertisement is consider to be inferior because it shows a man lifting a cow over his head. This advertisement showed that if you use the product ProComplex then you will be able to be strong enough to pick up a cow. By showing the strength of the model used, they are displaying there strength in an unique manner. The next theme men's fitness magazine focused on was promise of transformation. Promise of transformation represents the before and after image after the use of a product. For example, on page 185, the ad shows a before and after image of the male models. Despite what may or may not be the truth of these images the advertisement shows the completely transforming after using the supplement. Finally, the last theme we found throughout the men's fitness magazine is hegemonic masculinity. Throughout the magazine, our group felt from the cover of the magazine to the very last page the majority of the magazine was hegemonic masculinity. We felt this way because constantly we as the audience was exposed to anything from big, bulky unrealistic muscles on the males to seeing sexual dominance ads with females,all were seen throughout the magazine.

The themes found in the women's magazine were different than what we found in the males. First like the men's fitness magazine, we saw a lot of transformation ads. We noticed compared to the men's ads there were more transformation advertisements used for dietary supplementary products and were bigger displays compared to men's. For example, on page 31-33, there were two pages completely covered of just transformation (before and after) pictures of females that used the dietary supplement. By using the transformation theme, the advertisers were able to show the effectiveness of the product on the actual body. This theme our group came up on our own was sexual appeal. We found sexual appeal was a predominately theme throughout our magazine. We saw ads from girls trying to seduce to guys with their body after using the dietary supplement. We saw on page 21, the advertiser used an attractive male and female to sell their product. We saw this from the way the models were dressed, their facial expression and body language to draw in the audience to the product.

Throughout both magazines we found similarities and differences based on the theme, advertisement and images used. In both magazines, we found transformation was used to show the effectiveness of the product on a male or female body. We saw differences in the images used in the transformation theme, in the men's fitness magazine, the after images were of men showing off there muscles, being stronger and bigger. In the women's magazine, in the after images presented the females were skinny and many of the images stated the amount of weight the women lost which we never saw in a men's ad. Overall throughout both magazines, the men's fitness magazines focused on becoming big, bulky, stronger compared to the females were focused on losing weight, being skinny but not too muscular.

-Chelsea, Paxin, Tyler Clifton

Gretzky and Canadian Identity Ryan Viselli

As a Canadian Wayne Gretzky has helped Canada bring their identity to the forefront of North America.  Gretzky was our superstar and national treasure that the whole world knew about.  I wasn’t born when Gretzky got traded from Edmonton to Los Angeles but when talking to my dad about the trade he told me that everyone was shocked.  Gretzky was going from the hockey-crazed city of Edmonton to the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, which wasn’t known for their hockey culture.  When growing up in Canada in our generation in the 90’s, every kids dream was to be the next Gretzky, just like most Americans grow up to be Michael Jordan or Derek Jeter.  Gretzky is a hero in Canada because he posses the qualities Canadians try to portray which is hard working, humble and modest people.  He wasn’t flashy but had the will, skill and passion that made him the greatest hockey player of all time.  When Gretzky was traded it felt like he was a traitor and became part of American culture.  It felt as Canadians we lost him and part of our identity because Canada is known for hockey their and best player is now playing in a city that is opposite to the culture of Canada.

     With Gretzky being traded to Los Angeles it helped build the game of hockey in North America.  It grew the popularity of the game in California and United States as teams expanded in California, Texas and Florida.  More kids wanted to play hockey growing up in places that weren’t familiar with the game.  It is more evident in todays’ game where a lot of players from the NHL and College ranks are coming from different parts of the United States.  As Canadians we believe this is good for the game because it brings the best competition for hockey.  With Gretzky becoming a part of American culture I don’t think as Canadians we lost our identity.  He is still Canada’s pride and joy and will always be because he made a name for Canadians and did it the Canadian way through class and using his fame to be a role model for kids.  Gretzky has paved the way for superstars across the NHL, letting new players inspire a generation of kids playing hockey.   Wayne Gretzky is more than just a hero to Canadians, he is a hero all over the world and I am proud that we can call him one of our own.