Tuesday, March 18, 2014

African Americans in Sports

Being a African American and a athlete I know all what sports can do for a young man growing up in a poor or middle class family. For some kids that are blessed with athlete talents it gives them a way to possible get out of the current situation that they are in with their families. Along with getting a good education while doing their sport. Like william in "Hoop Dreams" his school tuition was paid for and he was surrounded by teachers that put in the time to help him with his school work. But it doesn't come that fast from all African American kids because most have to go to the schools that don't have enough books or teachers not caring much about them, so they have to wait until college to really get help because their parents can't afford a tutor for them while in high school.

In Blindside you see basically a homeless boy that gets taken in by a white family that pays for his high school tuition and does what it takes for him to get into college on a football scholarship. While doing it out the kindness of there heart people looked at it as they did what they did to get him in to their favorite college Ole Miss so that he can play for them.

The biggest that sports can do to young black kids is get there hopes up that they will make it and then it doesn't work out. Depending on what coaches and other people see in a kid depends on how much they will invest in them and as you get older it becomes a business. So players are getting used for what they can do and once you show no use to the team anymore then people slowing stop doing all the things that they were doing when you were at your best.

Gender Advertising

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWzwmm4Fg38

I like this commercial here, nike took LeBron James and showed the world a different side coming from athletes. Usually you see the athlete in there domain but here LeBron is in a family atmosphere spending time with his wife and kids. Showing him not just as a basketball player but a father and husband. By showing this side of them it shows young people the opposite of which athletes are portrayed, as in having a lot of women around them and such. This plays a big influence to young peoples lives showing them that family is important.