Referees: An Injury with a whistle

If you have ever played or watched a sport you have encountered the referee. A player and a referee is definitely a love hate relationship. One second you two are in love, the next your saying words to him that your mom would stick a bar of soap down your throat. Referees will always be part of the game, even in this technology world when the instant replay seems to get the call perfect every time, but the whistle blowing zebras will always stay around.

Basketball refs have it tough. It maybe one of the hardest games to officiate. This year was my first year in the TVL, and I have never had so much anger with the refs in my whole life. At some points of the season, I felt like I wanted to go up and strangle the refs. They simply call too many fouls. Touch fouls. This isn't pee wee league, and I don't see anybody running around in diapers, whining. The refs call absolutely everything! If it looks like you touched his arm you will hear the high pitched whistle that was anticipating the baby foul. It is awful and takes players out of the game. This year, multiple times a ref would call a foul and the kid you got fouled would say "really ref, I dont know about that one". When playing against Norton a player hit it out of bounds. The ref yelled "Norton ball" even though the player told the ref it was out on him. Really? Something has got to change.

I understand that there needs to be fouls that need to be called. But some games it feels like every two seconds the ref is stopping the game because he believes a player touched another player resulting in a foul. Take the whistle out of your mouths! Nobody wants to watch kids shoot free throws all game, especially if they are getting called for touch fouls. I know the fans and players would have more fun and the game would be better if the refs were not there. Most of the players have been playing for awhile, and they can take a little push here and there. As a point guard I enjoy someone playing defense right in my face. Its a challenge and its competition. But when the ref calls him for fouling he backs off 2 feet. Takes a player right out of there game. Its the same as an injury, a player wanting to play but simply can't because he picked up bull crap fouls.

The NBA referees are excellent. They let the players play the game of basketball. It is more enjoyable to watch and the pros love every second of it. When I watch some college games the refs seem like they are trying to play a melody with there whistles and calling a "foul" every other second. I seriously get pissed off. I scream at them, "Nobody wants you. That's awful" and many more things (that I probably shouldn't type on a school blog). It ruins the game, and the referees can be a disease to the game. So all the refs out there feeling like they messed up if they didn't blow the whistle, let us frigen play!....please.

Word Count: 522

Being a Hero vs. Being Stupid

Coaches love to see heart in their players. The athlete that simply loves the game is an ideal player to have on your team. You know he will hustle and will always give it his all. Most sports have a physical side to it. With this physicality comes injuries occasionally. What if one of those players with heart gets injured? Well, this is when a problem occurs.
Over the years I have never broken a bone (knock on wood). I have been blessed and feel very fortunate to be this lucky. Many of my friends have obtained multiple injuries that are very difficult or even impossible to overcome. This is when things could get messy. If a player who is injured pushes themselves things could become more severe. They are risking their recovery time and in some cases their lives. Although I have never broken a bone (knock on wood once again) I have had multiple concussions. Every time I feel almost fine after the hit or whatever caused the impact. I want to get in. I beg and beg for coach to let me in. You see it on t.v. all the time. NFL players getting crushed. Slowly getting up like they were shot. Wincing in pain but trying to hide it from the trainers or coach. But athletes today need to realize that they are risking their sporting career or even life if they are playing injured. Its really not worth finishing one football game when it could save your life if you sit out after being drilled by the 200 pound linebacker straight in the head. "Its just a dinger" "I got my bell rung, I'm fine" Most of us are guilty of it, I know I am but this matter needs to be addressed more publicly.
Athletes, especially teenagers, think in a way their are invincible. When they get hurt they might not think, or want to admit, that they truly are in pain. If the games on the line it gives them even more reason why they NEED to stay in. That trainer whose telling you you need to sit out, could be the person saving your life or body from further damage. Everybody wants to be a hero, and nobody wants to sit out, but sometimes an athlete needs to face the facts and realize he is in no condition to preform and should sit out.
At my old school we were requierd to take a brain test that would be able to tell if we had a concussion. You would take the test before the season and then retake it after you think you have got a concussion. It seems to easy. Why isn't it expanding to more schools? Why isn't it becoming a requirment? I am sure trainers around the country are puzzled as well as many parents. And for the athletes it may show the trainor they are not actually concussed and are allowed to play.
There are safe solutions and things that can be done to help an injured athlete return to the playing field. Rushing is not the answer and will actually generate more problems.

Word Count: 526

Mascots Keep Racism Present

Why are sports commissioners allowing racism to stick around in professional sports? Why are towns allowing their youth teams to represent segregation? As a 16 year old sports fan, I have no clue. Yes there was a time where discrimination based on one's culture, gender, or race existed, however, in America those times should and COULD be long gone.
When watching a NFL game involving the Washington Redskins racism might not come to mind. However, when you think about it, it is just like calling a team "the Washinton N words". A term that allows racism to stay present in our society, but why wont people do something about it if it getting rid of it is such a doable task?! Just because the fans watching the game don't take offense to the mascot makes it OK? Absolutely not. Nobody would want a team to represent a negative term towards their own race. This issue is not just in professional football either, the Cleavland Indians, Illinois Fighting Illini, and many other colleges still obtain a mascot that is racist. It is a known issue to the sports world, which leaves me wondering why nobody is making changes.
Racism in sports isn't just present in the big leagues. Look right here in the TVL. Millis Mohawks. Seriously? How can you represent a negative stereotype of Native Americans. And for what? To make your school look tough with a bad ass mascot? I just don't see it. Yes there has been other schools in the area changing their mascots because they were thought of to be racist, but why isn't there a chain reaction. Its time to have a nation wide discussion, or a poll, or something that would generate this overlooked matter into a bigger proportion.
Native Americans have lost their voice in the U.S. if they don't have a right to claim that the present day mascots are injustice to their culture. They take a slap to the face when the bright red, feather headed Indian pops up on ESPN. It wont change the sport if the mascots are changed. People barely notice the racism now, why would they care if the mascots were changed. Many people thing the new president will bring change to this country. I know he has numerous tasks to accomplish and obtains hardly any free time, but all it would take is him to say racism has got to go COMPLETELY and people would follow. Change is good and changes need to be made.
Ask yourself this question. Would you play for a team that still carried a racist mascot? Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't. What if that mascot was directed at your culture, would you still play for them? Probably not. Just because these mascots do not effect you, doesn't mean they are right and innocent. The mascots do hurt people and carry racism years after it was said to be terminated. Come on America. It is time to truly unite.

Word count: 502