The men who take the blame for everything, who dress up in the same color as zebras, and are always down in the play of battle. Referees have the hardest job in sports. Hands down. They have to make the calls no one else wants to make, and then when they do make calls they get heckled by the crowd for it. All they are trying to do is make the game fair. Sometimes, and we can all probably attest to this, they make mistakes or they might have an uneven number of calls during a game. While watching, but especially while playing, that can be very frustrating and most of the time leads to even more calls called against your team. A rule of thumb is never argue with a referee because most of the time you're not going to win.
Most referees dress up in the traditional black and white uniforms, but umpires in baseball wear all black which differentiates them from the others. In football referees throw a yellow flag if there is a penalty, basketball they use a whistle, and baseball they use arms gestures or wait until the play is over to rule what happened on the field.
In football referees try and keep the trash talk and shoving to a minimum, doesn't always happen but that's their goal. Refereeing in football is so difficult because the game is extremely fast, there are so many things happening at one time, and there is a foul on every play but they can't call everything. For example the holding penalty is the hardest to call. Offensive linemen hold on every single play, but the refs are trained and taught to only call it if it's obvious or if it impacts the result of the play. In basketball the blocking foul is the hardest to call because it's hard to tell whether the player was set or shuffling before getting knocked to the ground. Baseball the hardest thing to judge is the thing that happens on every play. The call of balls and strikes. Every umpire is different with their calls which is common sense because all humans aren't the same. The problem is when umpires start to become inconsistent throughout the game and change their strike zone, which unfortunately happens all the time. This makes both managers and players upset and leads to ejections of people.
In my opinion people are too hard on referees. Do they make a lot of mistakes? Sure they are human everyone does, but for the most part they do their difficult job very well. With the new and upcoming instant replay method bad calls are beginning to be corrected more, which is both good for the fans and the game. The goal is to make all calls perfect but that is an unrealistic expectation. With the new technology given to refs and their training I think sports has changed drastically to the better, and each and every year it will continue to improve. Another key focus of refs are player safety. With the improvement of new rules and the lookout for calls to keep players safe, it will lead to less severe injuries and improve the game in that aspect as well. The world of sports is changing in a positive direction and referees are doing their best to imply that.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Mascots
Everyone loves watching mascots roam up and down the sidelines cheering on their team and pumping up the student section! The excitement a costume can bring to a fan base or to a school is very cool, and it is a symbol of unity between the team and the fans. Many times the power of the mascot is over looked, but who is the person who goes to the middle of the field, court, or ice, and gets everyone rowdy before the game take place. It's almost always the mascot! The energy that person can get from a fan base is humbling to me.
Mascots represent two things; they pump up the crowd before games and represent a school. As an Iowa State fan I've come close to the Cy the Cyclone. Since I was a little boy I remember him running through the tunnel at football games waving his "cyclone power" sign. Every time Iowa State would score a touchdown he would be the first one in the end zone running through it with a huge Iowa State flag. Most importantly he knows how to make 60,000 fans excited.
Mascots are also great with young kids. As a kid you watch TV and see mascots on the sidelines of games and wish to meet them or see them in person. I'm not sure why but there is a nostalgic feel around mascots. When I was a kid I would get a picture with the opposing mascots alongside Cy every football game, that way I was able to say I met all of them and could make a collage of all of the mascots together. I enjoyed it so much! They always came over super happy even though I'm wearing my Iowa State gear and were always willing to take a picture. That means they are doing their job. They keep little kids happy and represent their school at a top level, which gives great impressions on people outside of that college.
A mascot also represents your school nickname and school proud. At Kennedy High School we are the cougars and every time I see our mascot you get a sense of pride because he represents our school. I'm assuming mascots all around the country represent the same concept. I bet while people watch their team on TV they get a little bit of remembrance from their college days every time they see the mascot. I know I will remember my high school every time I see a cougar. The fact is mascots play an important role for the whole sports experience. They get people excited and all represent their own school in the most respectful way possible. Who would have thought bringing a cartoon to life would leave such an impact.
Mascots represent two things; they pump up the crowd before games and represent a school. As an Iowa State fan I've come close to the Cy the Cyclone. Since I was a little boy I remember him running through the tunnel at football games waving his "cyclone power" sign. Every time Iowa State would score a touchdown he would be the first one in the end zone running through it with a huge Iowa State flag. Most importantly he knows how to make 60,000 fans excited.
Mascots are also great with young kids. As a kid you watch TV and see mascots on the sidelines of games and wish to meet them or see them in person. I'm not sure why but there is a nostalgic feel around mascots. When I was a kid I would get a picture with the opposing mascots alongside Cy every football game, that way I was able to say I met all of them and could make a collage of all of the mascots together. I enjoyed it so much! They always came over super happy even though I'm wearing my Iowa State gear and were always willing to take a picture. That means they are doing their job. They keep little kids happy and represent their school at a top level, which gives great impressions on people outside of that college.
A mascot also represents your school nickname and school proud. At Kennedy High School we are the cougars and every time I see our mascot you get a sense of pride because he represents our school. I'm assuming mascots all around the country represent the same concept. I bet while people watch their team on TV they get a little bit of remembrance from their college days every time they see the mascot. I know I will remember my high school every time I see a cougar. The fact is mascots play an important role for the whole sports experience. They get people excited and all represent their own school in the most respectful way possible. Who would have thought bringing a cartoon to life would leave such an impact.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
The Scout Team
The team that doesn't get any credit. The team that works just as hard as the starters but never sees the playing field. The scout team. For those of you who don't know what a scout team is it's a team made up of second and third string players who face the starters. Their job is to run the opponents offense as fast and accurate as possible that way on game day the starters know what to look for and can perform at a high speed.
This past season I was a part of the scout team and was a part of it every day. I embraced my job on scout team because I knew it would make the starters better, but more importantly it made me a lot better going up against our starters every single day. I was the second team center so I played center every day on the scout team which brought a new challenge to me that I've never had before. I had to learn and know calls for the opposing team as well as my team, and make calls to the scout team line so everyone knows what is going on for the upcoming play. This is hard in many aspects. For one I got rotated in with the first team offensive line quite regularly so I knew what I was doing and had support alongside me. On the scout team everyone is not at the skill level of the starters and most of them don't know all of the plays because they never get reps, so I literally have to tell everyone what they do on every play. A second problem is that we will be out manned on every play. The defense is going to be bigger, faster, and stronger than we are and that's just the name of the game. Finally learning the other offense is hard. It takes a summer and the regular season to install and perfect our own offense, we have to learn and try and perfect another team's plays in one week. The leads to high intensity at practices because if we mess up then it's a bad rep and every one lets you know you messed up.
When going up against starters day in and day out you get better. I faced Mason Jacobs and Dalles Jacobus on every snap this past season and wouldn't have traded it for anything. My partner in crime was Gunnar Height. He was always the guard and with me at center we were allowed to double team most of the time. Scout team sessions made practices fun for us two. We made calls that only we knew, always knew what the other was going to do, and always got the defense fired up. How did we do that? We blocked them well, stayed on them until the whistle blew, and continued to block them after the whistle blew. Did this lead to problems? Well sure! Considering Gunnar and I are considerable smaller than both of the guys we blocked the outcome for us didn't always go well. Sometimes one guy would get thrown to the ground, or knock the other guy down and have a little tussle on the ground. No matter what though us four were always friends at the end of practice, and because of it we grew together as close friends throughout the year. I miss that. Some parts of the game aren't missed after the year is done, but that is one thing I would love to do again.
The scout team is important. Without them the starters wouldn't be as good and it correlates. Teams with good scout teams have success during the season and teams who don't prepare as well might not have as much success. I loved every minute of it this year and can't wait to be on the other side this year upcoming year.
This past season I was a part of the scout team and was a part of it every day. I embraced my job on scout team because I knew it would make the starters better, but more importantly it made me a lot better going up against our starters every single day. I was the second team center so I played center every day on the scout team which brought a new challenge to me that I've never had before. I had to learn and know calls for the opposing team as well as my team, and make calls to the scout team line so everyone knows what is going on for the upcoming play. This is hard in many aspects. For one I got rotated in with the first team offensive line quite regularly so I knew what I was doing and had support alongside me. On the scout team everyone is not at the skill level of the starters and most of them don't know all of the plays because they never get reps, so I literally have to tell everyone what they do on every play. A second problem is that we will be out manned on every play. The defense is going to be bigger, faster, and stronger than we are and that's just the name of the game. Finally learning the other offense is hard. It takes a summer and the regular season to install and perfect our own offense, we have to learn and try and perfect another team's plays in one week. The leads to high intensity at practices because if we mess up then it's a bad rep and every one lets you know you messed up.
When going up against starters day in and day out you get better. I faced Mason Jacobs and Dalles Jacobus on every snap this past season and wouldn't have traded it for anything. My partner in crime was Gunnar Height. He was always the guard and with me at center we were allowed to double team most of the time. Scout team sessions made practices fun for us two. We made calls that only we knew, always knew what the other was going to do, and always got the defense fired up. How did we do that? We blocked them well, stayed on them until the whistle blew, and continued to block them after the whistle blew. Did this lead to problems? Well sure! Considering Gunnar and I are considerable smaller than both of the guys we blocked the outcome for us didn't always go well. Sometimes one guy would get thrown to the ground, or knock the other guy down and have a little tussle on the ground. No matter what though us four were always friends at the end of practice, and because of it we grew together as close friends throughout the year. I miss that. Some parts of the game aren't missed after the year is done, but that is one thing I would love to do again.
The scout team is important. Without them the starters wouldn't be as good and it correlates. Teams with good scout teams have success during the season and teams who don't prepare as well might not have as much success. I loved every minute of it this year and can't wait to be on the other side this year upcoming year.
Turnovers
In every sport there are turnovers. A deadly, lethal, concept that leads teams straight to the loss column, or can make a team prevail and escape what could have been a close game. What is the cause to turnovers? Sometimes its pressure, other times it's because the other team just made a great play, or it was just a mistake by the offensive team. Regardless of how the turnover occurred, it happens all the time and impacts teams left and right. A general rule of thumb while watching and playing sports is that the team with the least amount of turnovers normally wins, and if they don't then the game will end up a lot closer than it should have been.
The concept of a turnover happens in every sport. In football the two main turnovers are interceptions and fumbles, in basketball it's the steal or block, in hockey it's steals. Now what do these things have in common? The three ideas listed from earlier. They all result because of pressure, great defense, or a mistake on the part of the offense. Why are they important if every team makes them? Turnovers cause wins but most importantly cause losses. If a team minimizes turnovers throughout the whole year and focuses on getting them then that team should be extremely successful.
I've lived through the heartbreak of turnovers. Last football season my team was in the championship game against West Des Moines Dowling Catholic. The entire year our turnover ratio was incredible as we committed about six and we received about fifteen. The deadly turnover took the ring right from our finger tips. It was our first drive of the game and we already trailed 7-0 and the second play from scrimmage was a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Our team was shocked as we have never trailed by so much the whole year, yet we trailed by that much within the first 3 minutes. Right before halftime it struck again. We trailed 7-21 and yet another fumble recovery for a touchdown occurred. That took the wind right out of our sails and caused a defeat the whole second half. That turnover broke the game wide open and caused our guys to semi give up at half time. Without those mistakes the championship is a totally different ball game and it would have been fun to see what would have happened.
In basketball the steals for dunks are always shown on TV. Each time one of those occurs the game takes at minimum a four point swing and could be five. Just think if the steal didn't occur and the other team scored. The scoreboard is way different plus it leads to a major momentum shift. Which is my final reason why turnovers are so costly. Momentum is everything in sports and each time a mistakes happens it leads to the opposing team and crowd to get a new source of life. I don't know how or why it works but it does. A team could dominate the whole first half of a game, commit a turnover in the opening minutes of the second half and lose the entire game because of the momentum swing.
Sports are a crazy deal. How could something so little have such an impact or change the outcome of a game? It's weird to think about but it's true. Next time you watch or play in a game focus on the turnovers. Think about which team commits more and what impact that leads in the game, and finally look at the final score. Nine times out of ten the team with the least mistakes will prevail.
The concept of a turnover happens in every sport. In football the two main turnovers are interceptions and fumbles, in basketball it's the steal or block, in hockey it's steals. Now what do these things have in common? The three ideas listed from earlier. They all result because of pressure, great defense, or a mistake on the part of the offense. Why are they important if every team makes them? Turnovers cause wins but most importantly cause losses. If a team minimizes turnovers throughout the whole year and focuses on getting them then that team should be extremely successful.
I've lived through the heartbreak of turnovers. Last football season my team was in the championship game against West Des Moines Dowling Catholic. The entire year our turnover ratio was incredible as we committed about six and we received about fifteen. The deadly turnover took the ring right from our finger tips. It was our first drive of the game and we already trailed 7-0 and the second play from scrimmage was a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Our team was shocked as we have never trailed by so much the whole year, yet we trailed by that much within the first 3 minutes. Right before halftime it struck again. We trailed 7-21 and yet another fumble recovery for a touchdown occurred. That took the wind right out of our sails and caused a defeat the whole second half. That turnover broke the game wide open and caused our guys to semi give up at half time. Without those mistakes the championship is a totally different ball game and it would have been fun to see what would have happened.
In basketball the steals for dunks are always shown on TV. Each time one of those occurs the game takes at minimum a four point swing and could be five. Just think if the steal didn't occur and the other team scored. The scoreboard is way different plus it leads to a major momentum shift. Which is my final reason why turnovers are so costly. Momentum is everything in sports and each time a mistakes happens it leads to the opposing team and crowd to get a new source of life. I don't know how or why it works but it does. A team could dominate the whole first half of a game, commit a turnover in the opening minutes of the second half and lose the entire game because of the momentum swing.
Sports are a crazy deal. How could something so little have such an impact or change the outcome of a game? It's weird to think about but it's true. Next time you watch or play in a game focus on the turnovers. Think about which team commits more and what impact that leads in the game, and finally look at the final score. Nine times out of ten the team with the least mistakes will prevail.
Athletic Trainers
The role of athletic trainers are so important, yet sometimes as fans and players we forget about how much time and effort they have to put into their job. Constantly at the school for all of the activities, involved in all types of sports, and always on the sideline. Injuries happen and in order to recover from them and stay healthy a great athletic trainer needs to be there for support.
Luckily at Kennedy we have a great athletic trainer. Her name is Lynn and I've never seen a woman more dedicated and more involved than she is. As previously read in my blog posts, I play football. In my career I've never gotten a serious injury due to the sport, but for the first time ever I had to see the athletic trainer this past season. At the beginning of the year I got a pretty bad turf burn on my knee and down the side of my leg. It was very painful and for about a week walking was hard for me because the burn was on my knee, which needs to bend in order to walk. Fortunately for me Lynn was there to tape me up before practices and help me heal my wounds that way I wouldn't have to deal with them the whole season. In you have ever seen football you should be well aware that it is extremely physical and incidents happen. After three weeks of taping my knee and leg up my leg was finally healed and my knee was very close, and then it happens again. I was making a block and somehow someone's cleat scrapped off my knee, and the previous three weeks all unraveled. The first person there for me was Lynn. We restarted my taping and over the course of the year my knee was healed and I was able to play at full speed again.
That was just my experience with Lynn but she does so much more. The amount of hours athletic trainers have to put into their job outside of the school day is crazy. Some nights they have to bounce around to different practices helping out with the injuries during practice, but some nights they just have to sit there, waiting patiently, hopefully not having to see anyone. That's the thing I find most intriguing about athletic trainers. They help people and treat people during injuries but their whole goal is to not see anyone get injured. Luckily for my team not a whole lot of people got injured last year, but that also means that Lynn sat on those bleachers on the side of practice for hours, with nothing to do but wait. That's dedication.
Athletic trainers are the glue that help hold sporting teams together but aren't the finished product that everyone loves and enjoys. They are the support that is always there for the team but sometimes forgot about or even taken advantage of. I appreciate all that athletic trainers do and without them sports wouldn't be the same and the care towards the players would not nearly be as great. You can't build a sculpture without glue and you can't have a team with a trainer.
Luckily at Kennedy we have a great athletic trainer. Her name is Lynn and I've never seen a woman more dedicated and more involved than she is. As previously read in my blog posts, I play football. In my career I've never gotten a serious injury due to the sport, but for the first time ever I had to see the athletic trainer this past season. At the beginning of the year I got a pretty bad turf burn on my knee and down the side of my leg. It was very painful and for about a week walking was hard for me because the burn was on my knee, which needs to bend in order to walk. Fortunately for me Lynn was there to tape me up before practices and help me heal my wounds that way I wouldn't have to deal with them the whole season. In you have ever seen football you should be well aware that it is extremely physical and incidents happen. After three weeks of taping my knee and leg up my leg was finally healed and my knee was very close, and then it happens again. I was making a block and somehow someone's cleat scrapped off my knee, and the previous three weeks all unraveled. The first person there for me was Lynn. We restarted my taping and over the course of the year my knee was healed and I was able to play at full speed again.
That was just my experience with Lynn but she does so much more. The amount of hours athletic trainers have to put into their job outside of the school day is crazy. Some nights they have to bounce around to different practices helping out with the injuries during practice, but some nights they just have to sit there, waiting patiently, hopefully not having to see anyone. That's the thing I find most intriguing about athletic trainers. They help people and treat people during injuries but their whole goal is to not see anyone get injured. Luckily for my team not a whole lot of people got injured last year, but that also means that Lynn sat on those bleachers on the side of practice for hours, with nothing to do but wait. That's dedication.
Athletic trainers are the glue that help hold sporting teams together but aren't the finished product that everyone loves and enjoys. They are the support that is always there for the team but sometimes forgot about or even taken advantage of. I appreciate all that athletic trainers do and without them sports wouldn't be the same and the care towards the players would not nearly be as great. You can't build a sculpture without glue and you can't have a team with a trainer.
The Thrill of the Buzzer Beater
I've never seen fans watch a basketball game with a buzzer beater and not enjoy themselves! Those crazy shots lead to a court storming, a standing ovation as the team goes into the locker room, smiles all around. Or if on the other side of the spectrum it could lead to defeat, tears, bending over and looking at the floor because they can't take the sight of the other team cheering. As a matter of fact I've only seen one buzzer beater in person before and have never actually been a part of one so I don't exactly know what it feels like to be on either of these sides from a player's standpoint. Fortunately the one game I was at that this occurred the team I was routing for was the team that performed it, and won the game for them.
It was an Iowa State game and I honestly can't tell you who it was against. All I remember is watching the ball float helplessly in the air as the backboards turned red, and then seconds later the sweet sound of the bottom of the net. The fans went crazy and it must have been an upset because the court was stormed and the players were lifted high into the sky. If there is one thing I've learned about being an Iowa State fan it's that Hilton Magic is a real thing; I've seen it happen.
When watching games on TV buzzer beaters happen all the time. Each time I watch one I am so amazed, whether it was a close easy shot or a half court launch, the thrill is the same. The reactions of the fans and players make the game worth watching! A couple weeks ago a couple friends and I were eating dinner at a sports bar and one of my friends has never played and doesn't enjoy the game of basketball. We watched this buzzer beater occur on TV, which was breath taking because it made that team win, and the look on his face was pure astonishment, mixed with a little bit of joy. He turned to me and said, "Austin, did you see that? I hate basketball but that was one of the coolest things I've ever seen." I think that comment pretty much sums this up. One shot can change a game, change the impression on people, and can ultimately lead to the greatest or worst memories of people's lives.
It was an Iowa State game and I honestly can't tell you who it was against. All I remember is watching the ball float helplessly in the air as the backboards turned red, and then seconds later the sweet sound of the bottom of the net. The fans went crazy and it must have been an upset because the court was stormed and the players were lifted high into the sky. If there is one thing I've learned about being an Iowa State fan it's that Hilton Magic is a real thing; I've seen it happen.
When watching games on TV buzzer beaters happen all the time. Each time I watch one I am so amazed, whether it was a close easy shot or a half court launch, the thrill is the same. The reactions of the fans and players make the game worth watching! A couple weeks ago a couple friends and I were eating dinner at a sports bar and one of my friends has never played and doesn't enjoy the game of basketball. We watched this buzzer beater occur on TV, which was breath taking because it made that team win, and the look on his face was pure astonishment, mixed with a little bit of joy. He turned to me and said, "Austin, did you see that? I hate basketball but that was one of the coolest things I've ever seen." I think that comment pretty much sums this up. One shot can change a game, change the impression on people, and can ultimately lead to the greatest or worst memories of people's lives.
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