Question 1
In his article, Sokolove criticizes the role that football plays in the universities. He paints a bad picture of football in the American universities. In his argument, he says that football has put the financial resources of universities at a strain. More over the fun that comes from football destructs everything around the learning institution.
Sokolove based his observation and arguments on the University of South Florida. He describes the war to create the most lavish football facilities between the universities in the United States of America as an ‘’athletic arms race.” It has actually become very expensive to finance football in the universities. Money is now being directed or channeled to creating state of art football facilities such as plush carpets and cherry-wood lockers. The remainder goes into paying the coaches, the most praised, of who currently make over $2 million in a year.
He describes the current sports setting as even meaner than before and commercial, the winner taking almost everything. Sokolove compares the state of sports in the universities to the rest of the economy where the economic disparity between the rich and the poor is widening.
The descriptive paragraphs detract from the thesis of the article. In the introduction, he first paints a picture of a rather disorganized university of South Florida with a lacking of admirable scenery and environment. He also touches on the academic aspects of the university. In his descriptive paragraphs, it would be hard to know if Sokolove was going to talk about football. In first paragraphs of the article touching on football, he paints a bad picture of the sports but later in his article, he sees or points out the positive side of football. This means that the article is not consistent to his thesis.
Question 2
In my opinion, I think that Adrienne rich will criticize the value that football is associated with in the New York magazine. Adrienne tends to look at the value of football in the universities at a negative angle. She believes that football is not very necessary in the university as she points this in a bad light.
On the other hand, Adrienne will support that football in the universities will generate dignity and fame, build a high-spirited institution and attract money through the viewers. This also risks the position expanding the costs in the schools.
I think that Adrienne will be against football in the university because it is a source of financial drain to college institutions. The college football needs huge amounts of funds to finance the sports by preparing good fields and buying all the sports equipments used in the soccer sport. Adrienne wonders why football is taken with much seriousness in the universities whereas she thinks that football can crash the operations of a college. As a suckers game, the high costs associated with football does not deserve the need to support football in the universities.
There is a high probability that Sokolove will not agree with the opinions of Adrienne. This is because sokolove argues that the sports program is useful as they open the doors to the underprivileged individuals to join college and come out of poverty in the society level.
Question 3
According to Sokolove most USF football players come from humble backgrounds, many come from small towns in Florida. He describes them as very respectful and humble. Despite the fame of the players, both inside and outside the university-there is no much swagger.
Marquel Blackwell –quarter back of the Bull’s star, says that his mom and dad had him when they were in the 11th grade. He was thus brought up by his two grandmothers. He says that the main thing that his grandmothers taught him was to respect people. Football gives many students like Marquel a chance to access the expensive university education through scholarships and sponsorships. The article points out that 70% of U.S.F footballers are blacks, in a campus where more than 70% are whites. The football players appear to be poorer than other students and more in want of academic help. These students use football as their source of livelihood and means to finance their education.
Question 4
Spayde claimed that formal education was not enough to learn but there was an importance in using the entire life to get more educated. He advised people to utilize the experiences encountered in everyday activities so that they could be more educated. Spayed emphasizes on the need for formal education but advises the entire society to incorporate different social activities that will help them to think out of the box. He says that football is among the games that open an individual mind to create an avenue of learning more. Spayed said that,” everything you know is a product of all different parts of the society, not just what you learn in the classroom.”
Personally, I support the thoughts, views and opinions of sokolove, rich and spayed. The three tries to bring to surface the importance of student participation in sports and games. The games are important in an individual learning life as they help one to be directly involved in social activities. Participation of students I games must be made compulsory to all students in learning institutions.
Reference
Michael sokolove (2002). Football is a sucker’s game. New York Times.
