Goodbye Mr. Brandon

Protests revolt against Dave Brandon’s practices

David Brandon, the now former Athletic Director (AD) here at the University of Michigan, recently resigned from his position on Friday, October 31st 2014 in the face of massive student protests and criticism regarding his poor management of the athletic arm of the institution. Marc Schlissel made the announcement stating that it was a mutual decision to fire Brandon in order to return to the normal activities of the program without the day to day distractions that had arisen.

David Brandon, Former Athletic Director and the face of a failing franchise

Although the Athletic Directors are not elected by the majority to lead, University of Michigan acts as a commonwealth for the people and its Athletic Department is a branch of that leadership. Hobbes states in Chapter 17 of the Leviathan that, “the only way to erect such a common power” that will “keep [the people] in awe and direct their actions to the common benefit” is to “confer all power and strength [of the people] upon one man, or upon one assembly of men”. Ultimately, a commonwealth can only stand strong if the majority of people are behind it’s actions.

Government’s purpose is to curb the Selfish Man

I grew up in a small community where the teachings of general welfare and morality were preached by Rabbis every saturday morning. My Private Jewish Day school was rather conservative, and themes of morality consistently flooded the halls and the ears of my student body. Even high school was relatively sheltered to the cold wind of reality that beats my face every morning on the way back from Central Campus here at the University of Michigan. I am not speaking solely on the weather, although that too has been an extreme adjustment, but rather on the selfish tendencies of man in a state of Nature as described by Thomas Hobbes in Chapters XIII and XIV of the Leviathan.

Barriers Broken by Coach Hammon

Becky Hammon, first female NBA coach

Our in class discussion of Professor LaVaque-Manty’s book “The Playing Fields of Eton”, covered gender norms and the misconception that women are expected to be nurturing, gentle figures. It is this misconception that created the institutional barrier that keeps women out of the coaching staff of major men’s basketball programs.

Trapped Within the ‘Magic Circle’

The Kansas City Royals, as I’m sure many of you know, are a professional baseball team who compete in the American League’s Central Division. At this point, many of you probably realize that the Royals are currently playing the San Francisco Giants in the world series, which could arguably be one of the most important sporting events in the world. Now onto something many of you might not know, videogames, more specifically Clash of Clans almost destroyed the Royals season! So the real questions are, how could seemingly a seemingly innocent game, destroy a professional sports team?

How an accomplished NFL QB Overcame his Disability

Second String McCoy (#12) standing next to starting QB Brandon Weedon (#3) in his time on the Browns

Colt McCoy was a promising QB from the University of Texas drafted in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft to the Cleveland Browns. He had a solid collegiate career and once he got the starting position in Cleveland he showed the world that he may have what it takes to start in the NFL. But then “disaster” struck. He started throwing picks and incompletions and in 2012 he rode the pine behind the recently acquired Brandon Weedon, the new starting quarter back, .

Then he was traded twice in two years to the San Francisco 49ers then to the Washington Redskins this past year. This is where things become interesting.

Barrier

Colt went from being a second string QB on the Browns to a second string QB on the 49ers to a 3RD STRING QB on the Redskins. It was a tough go for Colt. As a usual starter, I would equate being a back up to being a “disabled” player, similar to Mika Lavaque-Manty equating being a woman in sports to being disabled in his book The Playing Fields of Eton. Although controversial, Lavaque-Manty talks about the value barriers and the traditional barriers of women being excluded from higher level sports. Because of NFL teams’ hierarchy, it is very hard, if not close to impossible, for a back up QB to get more than a few snaps a game.

Colt was barred from the starting position for two and a half years before he was finally given the chance to start after the starting QB, Robert Griffin III, was injured and the second string QB, Kirk Cousins, played horribly.

At half, it wasn’t looking so good for the Redskins. They were trailing 10-6 and Kirk Cousins had just committed his 10th and 11th turnovers of the season. Colt came out of the locker room and, with his first pass in the NFL after two years, heaved a 70 yard touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon. It was magical to say the least. This seemed to be the turning point in Colt’s NFL career so far.

It was great to see such a great collegiate QB finally make some headway in his professional game. After being “disabled” as a back up QB and being barred from starting in in the game he loved because of the value barriers of the teams he had played for, Colt finally overcame his disability to bring his team to a victory over the Titans.

Even though it was great to see him play well again, the real test had just begun. This past sunday, the Redskins were to take on the 6-1 Cowboys in Texas, Colts home state. With his parents and most football fans watching, Colt went to work. The game started off with a field goal from Washington and even though there were some bumps in the road, the Redskins went into the locker room at half time with the 10-7 lead.

Colt started to get his footing a little better in the second half and to top off his 45 yard completion to Desean Jackson, finished the drive by running the ball in for a touchdown. With time running down and Tony Romo, the Cowboys’ starting QB, being injured, who else but Colt’s former teammate, Brandon Weedon, stepped into the game for Dallas. He threw a touchdown to tie it up.

Overtime. Colt drove down the field and the Redskins kicker punched one in for the win.

In his home state, with his parents watching, and his first start in over two years, Colt brought the Redskins to victory against the high powered Dallas Cowboys. Oh, and he has the highest pass completion percentage of any QB in the NFL the past two weeks.What a way to recover from his “disability.”

Do the Weak Always Suffer?

One of the first readings assigned in Political Science 101 was The Melian Dialogue written by Thucydides. Through reading the story, we learn that “The strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must.” However, this is not always the case, as in some circumstances the weak rise up and surprise everyone around them.

World Series Matchup

In order to understand this, one must simply look at the matchup in the MLB World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants.

Disabilities In Youth Sports

After reading the chapter, “Being a Woman and Other Disabilities”, from Professor LaVaque-Manty’s book, I found a plethora of relations to youth sports in the United States. Stemming from my own experiences with the sports I played growing up, and the knowledge I have of other sports, I find that opportunity and equality do not seem to coincide for youth athletics. The biggest, and rightly most important, factor for youth athletics is the necessity of safety. That’s great and all, but this commitment to safety actually hinders young players from reaching the aspirations they may have for themselves internally. The rules of youth sports don’t present children with equal opportunities to grow as athletes.

Sportsmanship Lacks on the International Stage

Players line up and congratulate each other by saying “good game” every time they clap the hand of a competitor

After almost every little-league game around the country, no matter the outcome or score, you’ll see the same one thing happen: the kid players line up with their team, and clap hands with the other team. This is a symbolic gesture of sportsmanship.  No matter who won or lost, a certain level of respect always remains for the competition and for the game itself.  And even on the national professional stage, congratulatory remarks are not uncommon.  

Caste-ation without Representation

Women are worth less than men. At least according to average salaries at this time. People with disabilities get less opportunities. This is true not only in the job force but extending as far as sports. Acts like the Americans with Disabilities Act are established on principles of social equality, yet injustice still prevails. Mika LaVaque-Manty’s book The Playing Fields of Eton expresses his belief that the ADA sets up an anti-caste system. I disagree. In a society based on merit, it’s impossible not to establish a social strata. Problems only arise when the realization of this merit is misinterpreted.

Lebron James: From Prince to King

Throughout his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, between 2003 and 2010, Lebron James was seen as a god in Cleveland, Ohio. He grew up there, played there, and thus everyone in the city adored him. There was even a giant poster of him hanging in downtown Cleveland, for all of the residents of Cleveland to look up to, as if he was their king.

Lebron “We Are All Witnesses” Poster

Despite numerous trips to the playoffs and an NBA Finals appearance in the 2006-2007 season, no matter how hard he tried, Lebron was unable to win a championship title in Cleveland.