Transgender athlete

1) How should the authorities in the MMA handle a fighter like Fallon Fox?
2) Do transgender athletes have a distinct advantage in sports? Why or Why not?
3) Put yourself in the position of her opponents (or any opponents of transgender athletes). How would you feel competing against transgender athletes? Would it motivate you to work harder or discourage you from competing?
4) How should this be handled in the future?

1) If it were 15-20 years ago, there is no way the authorities in the MMA would have let this transgender woman, Fallon Fox, compete against other women. Today however, they wouldn't really have much choice other than to allow her to fight them. 
2) Whether or not the ahtlete has an advantage depends on the sport the transgender athlete is playing. Say it is this example, the former man is fighting other women, which i would constitute as an advantage.
3) I would want to work extremely hard to beat them. I am very competitive, so if they are my same skill level, bring it on. But if I were to say, beat the transgender opponent easily/ destroy them, I would not want people saying they had a disadvantage because it would be their choice to oppose me.
4) The only way they can handle it is to allow the person to compete in the sport they desire, but allow potential opponents to choose if they will go against them or not

Prefontaine questions

1) How is Pre portrayed as a person and as an athlete?
2) Does he appear to be a likable character?
3) What arrogant thing does Pre do to one of his teammates?
4) What lesson does Pre teach a 9 year old boy?
5) What current controversy with college athletics is introduced in this movie?
6) What was one of Pre's goals in High School as a runner?
7) What are the living conditions in the Olympic Village? What do these conditions remind us of?
8) What Olympic scandal took place during the Munich Olympics?

1) As a person, Pre is a very laid back and determined person who likes to get what he wants. As an athlete, he did whatever it took to win. He was the ultimate competitor, but was also very confident and cocky which was just what he needed.
2) If you like people who can be laid back yet still passionate and can show a cocky side, then yes, Pre was a likable character. But to some of his teammates, Pre just seemed like a talented showoff which was not something they liked.
3) Takes a lap and steals the attention after he had just won a discus event.
4) All I remember is him slowing the kid down and saying something like you won't have the speed to beat me yet or something.
5) The player's union issue was introduced in this film. Pre was filmed saying he was begging the ATU for food stamps just to get some food.
6) To make it to Munich and win gold in the mile, although he got there, it was for the 3 mile and he didn't win.
7) The living conditions in the village are really poor and terrible. It was as if they were not ready for anybody to be there, which reminded me of Sochi, Russia this past winter.
8) Israel had athletes at the games taken hostage and killed during the night in the Olympic Village by an Arab terrorist group.

Bruins and Their Playoff Hopes

After beating the Buffalo Sabres a few days ago, the Boston Bruins clinched the Presidents Trophy, an award given to the team who had the best regular season record. This is the first time in 25 years they have had the best record and their Stanley Cup hopes are higher than ever. Their first round match-up is no push over in the Detroit Red Wings, but the Bruins are the best overall team in the NHL by what I think is a pretty wide margin. I think the Bruins will handle the Red Wings in five games and their next opponent would either be the Tampa Bay Lightning or their biggest rival the Montreal Canadiens. Again, the Bruins are better than both of these teams so I think they would beat either team in no more than six games. In the Eastern Conference Championship, I think the Bruins will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rematch of last year's series. Although they will not sweep the Penguins, the Bruins will beat them in five or six games. In the Stanley Cup Final, I think the Bruins will face the Chicago Blackhawks, in another rematch of last year's Stanley Cup Final. On this point I agree with Barry Melrose, the hockey guru, but disagree with who he has winning. He is taking the Blackhawks in seven games, but I have the Bruins winning in five. I hope and believe that the Bruins will have their revenge for last year's defeat.

Lance Armstrong: The Cheater

7 times. That would be the amount of Tour de France victories that Lance Armstrong had in a row. But those are all void now. He cheated the race by using PED's for all of his 7 wins. He robbed the second place winner each time, who was truly better than him. Sure, you still have to train with PED's, but what about that person who trained ten times harder, still could be suspected of doping as well, but still absolutely should have beaten you and become internationally famous? How can this one man be so selfish, so ignorant, and so careless that he took so much pride away from others only because of cheating? Taking money away from others through cheating... Does he not have a conscience?

Here is a list of the second place finishers that should've won each of Lance Armstrong's wins...

1999: Alex Zülle (confessed to EPO use)

2000: Jan Ullrich (suspended from 2006 Tour; banned this year and stripped of all results from 2005 on)

2001: Jan Ullrich

2002: Joseba Beloki (kept out of 2006 Tour while under doping investigation, later cleared)

2003: Jan Ullrich

2004: Andreas Klöden (accused of illegal blood transfusion in the 2006 Tour)

2005: Ivan Basso (confessed to attempted doping, suspended)         \

Found on: http://deadspin.com/5937591/all-seven-of-lance-armstrongs-tour-de-france-wins-would-now-go-to-cyclists-with-doping-scandals-of-their-own

All of these people who came in second committed violations as well... but after these races. Cycling is far more than just tainted by drugs and PED's, but these 2nd place finishers were cleared of no wrong doing at the time of each race. And while these people came in second fair and square, the person who beat them out for the top spot was cheating and only admitted to it once he was found absolutely guilty. Even after being accused of cheating, Armstrong made poor excuses for his failed drug tests.

Initially, probably due to lawyer consent, Lance Armstrong said that the source of his failed tests came from under cooked steak. Are you kidding me? Did you really try and say all the drugs in your system came from a bad piece of meat. That is a ridiculous excuse, and nobody bought it. Nike decided to cut all ties from Armstrong with endorsements. His world famous campaign through Nike, Livestrong, which was made due to his insane comeback from cancer became tainted. Everything about Armstrong, including his comeback from testicular cancer was tainted. It's good that he is alive and well, but everything about this man is terrible and he deserves almost no respect. 

Seabiscuit Reflection

Seabiscuit was more than just a horse to the Americans at this time in history. He was more than a moneymaker and great racing horse. He was an icon that in more than one way represented hope and optimism for the people in America during the Great Depression. The public related to this horse because it was a small, lowly regarded animal that had not yet had any success. After tons of hard work however, Seabiscuit was gaining popularity and rising in stature. The gain in popularity, fortune, and overall happiness of the horse and its team enlightened the public and made their spirits and their hope for things improving much better. Although this horse was once so popular, I do think it would have the same poularity today as it did then. These are much different times, but Seabiscuit was an inspiration to so many people. He gave the lower class hope that things would get better if you worked hard and today it could have a similar effect.

Lessons that can be drawn from Seabiscuit's successes are how the values of hard work, perseverance, and patience can help you through tough times. Seabiscuit was all but given up on before Howard came into play. Once Howard's horse trainer showed patience and brought the horse back to nature, it regained its peace and normal horse's aggression. After true hard work and perseverance, Seabiscuit trained and trained and became a race winning horse despite its size. People who are low on the social ladder should be following these same concepts. Nothing in this world is free and nothing is just handed to you, you have to earn everything and Seabiscuit exemplified this better than most during his time.

Reaction to Sandusky Article

I think that there is no chance that Jerry Sandusky is innocent. Sure, he might have been a good husband and family man to his wife and others, but he did terrible things behind the scenes. One case of him sexually abusing a little kid, is enough to know he did this more than once, along with all the other evidence piled stacked up against him. I do think money was a contributing factor in the families, and now grown men, stepping forward and admitting to what happened, but that does not mean their claims are fake. I think Mrs. Sandusky may just be so in denial that her husband would do such bad things, that she refuses to believe any of it. Professional athletes and coaches are above the law in a way; they could care less about any fines because they have the money to pay for them. They are so much less cautious a lot of the time and make awful decisions because they have the security of the best, and most expensive... lawyers in the country. When it all comes down to it, there are many noteworthy exceptions to this, but the ones who commit the worst crimes, end up in jail.

Top Eastern Conference Teams Reeling

With the Pacers on a 4 game losing streak, the heat on a three game losing streak, and both teams star players struggling, does any Eastern Conference team have a chance to win the NBA Championship? Paul George scored only two points in a game against the Bobcats; Lebron scored 61 points against them. Lebron has been held under 25 points every game since, and under 20 twice. Along with the top East teams struggling, the top at the West are looking stronger than ever. The Houston Rockets in particular are 25-6 in their last 31 games, and James Harden has been on fire. Do any Eastern Conference teams have a chance?