"Meet Titus, the ultimate basketball trick-shot artist…oh yeah, he's 2 years old"

From RYOT

Review by Calvin Parson, Jr. in SRM 334 (section 2)

Countless videos of individuals performing trick shots have been posted on the web over the years. Whether it’s professional athletes taking full court shots after practice, a group of Notre Dame football players and their rendition of water pong, or a Heisman Trophy winner throwing a football from ridiculous heights into a basketball hoop, these videos are always amusing to the public. Media outlets always seem to be on top of these types of videos. Footage like this has a tendency to spread through social media sites, and ultimately land on major news television networks.

In the case of two-year-old Titus Ashby, his quick trip to fame was no different. What started as a trick shot he made to impress his grandmother, turned into over 7 million YouTube hits and counting, and numerous interviews on national television. People across the globe are wondering what the next step is for young Titus in regards to diaper endorsements, his future with basketball, and when he will start being recruited by college coaches. However, most people are overlooking one very important fact: he is only two years old. Titus is still three years away from entering the public school system. At two years old, some children have not yet been successfully potty trained and Titus is still six months removed from baby food.

This is yet another example of how the media can exploit individuals in lieu of a great story. Hopefully, this early stardom will have no negative effect on the life of young Titus and his early love for the game of basketball.
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Review by Danielle Poplawski in SRM 334 (section 2)
Titus Ashby is a two-year-old boy who has become a YouTube sensation after his dad posted a three minute long video showcasing his basketball trick shots. The video was posted on February 3rd and currently has over 7 million views. It was so popular that he was interviewed on the TODAY show this past Thursday and also received a shout out on Good Morning America. 

In the video titled Unbelievable Little Kid Does A Trick Shot, Titus is shown making baskets effortlessly from a variety of distances and places such as from the bottom of a staircase and at Chuck E. Cheese. The clips used were shot during a six month period beginning when Titus was only 18 months old. His dad, Joseph Ashby, posted the video in the hope of it going viral. Most recently he has been contacted by the Dallas Mavericks along with other various members of the media.

This video is relevant to the course because, without social media and communications, the video would not have been such a success. Videos such as this one are often used as feature stories for media outlets. Given that Titus is only two years old, it could be debated that the media is exploiting him. Because he is so young, he does not really understand what is going on or why he is receiving such attention.

A major concern about the media attention Titus is receiving is that playing basketball and shooting hoops could quickly change from being a fun activity to become more of a job or task that he feels he is required to do. As of this moment, it is evident that he enjoys making baskets. However, if people continue to ask him to do it, he may grow tired of the game and move on to something else.

"Nike's new marketing mojo"

From CNN Money

Review by Chris Wyvill in KIN 332

Nike has spent the time and resources to make sure that they adapt and take advantage of the opportunities that the future holds. They have anticipated a shift in marketing and have created products that their customers desire. Through the sale of these products they allow their consumers to help market their product as they connect with other customers and provide Nike with data they can use to further meet the needs and wants of their customer.

I think that this has been a very good investment for Nike as they continue to lead their industry into the future. Through various innovative and interactive technologies, Nike makes their own lives as marketers and the lives of their customers more enjoyable. Their products give them feedback about their customers while social media provides a greater connection as well; whether it is through Facebook, Twitter, or the sites their athletes track performances.

"Head Injuries in Football"

From the New York Times (1, 2) and NBC Sports

Review by Matthew Kaiser in SRM 334 (section 2)

For our current event, Ryan and I chose to write about how concussions have impacted sport and the media’s role in that impact. Of the articles we used as evidence for our topic, the two that apply best were the articles on Bernard Pollard’s comments on how the NFL is changing the rules to try and remove such injuries and how he subsequently feels the sport will not last much longer as a result. This article basically talks about what Bernard Pollard said during the Super Bowl Media Day and how he feels that players getting faster and stronger completely contradict the direction the league is going in regards to player safety. The other article being President Obama’s comments about not letting his son play football because these injuries are so prevalent. In the topic of the Super Bowl, President Obama chose to speak on his worries about the game, specifically college. He feels the game should gradually change to ensure the health of its players.

I feel as though concussions will always be a part of sports, particularly football. There are subtle changes that can occur in other sports, but football there cannot be much without ruining the game. The emphasis on power and speed is greater than ever, so as players only continue to get bigger so will the collisions. Taking too much of the collision factor out of the game is basically turning it into flag football. This topic is relevant because it shows how big a role the media has played in changing the different sports. New rules are being pursued constantly in just about every sport, when a few years ago the topic was practically nonexistent. As the media stepped up its coverage of concussions and the long term effects that former athletes struggle with, we suddenly saw these games being altered to try and remove such injuries. Without the media, I’m not sure this topic is ever directly confronted like is today. 

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Review by Ryan Fitzgerald in SRM 334 (section 2)

Our current event was on the impact of the media on the portrayal of concussions in sport. Recently many players have filed lawsuits against the NFL for negligent actions concerning concussions and the long-term effects. Starting in the early part of the 2000’s the media began to cover the issue and started causing rule changes in professional sports, due to the concerns expressed from players and fans. The media played a large part in speeding up the process of rule changes and how people viewed continuous blows to the head. As a result of multiple players committing suicide and realizing the long-term effects of blows to the head, the NFL has started a brain bank for players to donate their brains to be examined after they pass. This has allowed the media to pick about the findings in these situations and express their concern to the public. Without the media, the topic of concussions would not be seen as a serious threat to athletes. 

As an athlete with multiple concussions, I feel the increased media coverage on the topic and the changes being made are important. Throughout the past decade or so, the media has picked up their coverage on concussions and the health concerns associated with them. Moving forward I feel many aspects of contact sports will change in order to eliminate constant blows to the head. My hope is that parents of young athletes realize and take into account the true damage concussions place on a developing child’s brain. I hope to see changes in adolescent contact sports and more research done on ways to help monitor when an athlete suffers a concussion.