From CNN Review by Danielle Colassard in SRM 334 (section 2) Caroline Pla is an 11-year-old girl who has been playing football for the Catholic Youth Organization since she was in Kindergarten. For the past two years, she has been dominating the league and knocking down her opponents. Out of 2,500 participants within in 46 football programs, she is the only girl playing for CYO. Unfortunately she stopped playing last season because the Archdiocese started enforcing the “no girls policy.” Her coach Chip Ross said she is more than capable of holding her own on the football field, as she had been doing it since she was five years old. He thinks she should be able to play because it “calls out players that can hang or not hang” and she can. Caroline’s story was kept under wraps until the season ended. Once the season ended and she was kicked out of the league, the story hit major news sources.
The media grasped onto this story, and she had many articles written about her, as well as interview requests. Huffington Post, Forbes, MSNBC, ABC, CNN, Yahoo Sports, and other Philadelphia area blogs wrote about this story. According to http://www.philly.com, she has become a “media darling” and has done interviews with Ellen Degeneres and Headline News. People find this situation to be infuriating because she should be able to play this sport. She knows she is not going professional, but she should be allowed to play in the CYO especially because she can hold her own. The media is showing the CYO that she is a strong girl and can hold her own by knocking down boys. This story shows that girls can do almost everything boys can do. Just because she’s a girl playing a “boy’s sport,” doesn’t mean she should not be in the league. --- Review by Chelsea Weber in SRM 334 (section 2)
Our current event is on a young 11 year old girl, Catherine Pla, who has been playing football for 6 years and recently found out she would be banned from the team. Catherine Pla was inspired to play football after watching her older brother play, and eventually began her football career when she was five in the Pop Warner league. She then signed up to play tackle football with the Catholic Youth Organization in fifth grade. During her second season of playing with the CYO, Pla was told that she would no longer be able to play, because according to the CYO handbook, football is a full-contact sport, which meant no girls allowed. Caroline’s family and friends, disturbed by the rule, decided to start a online petition to encourage the CYO to change its boys-only rule. This story has caught the attention of many, including TV talk show host Ellen Degeneres. Right now, Catherine is waiting for a final decision on the rule that will be made in March.
After reading this article, I believe that in this world we should be past determining who gets to play what sport according to gender. Catherine Pla has every right to fight for her right to play tackle football with the CYO. People need to stand up against this type of discrimination, and I think the media is a perfect way to get voices heard and stories out to the public. This story relates to our sports media class because the media is getting Catherine’s voice heard and that of thousands of others supporting her. People like Ellen Degeneres are encouraging her millions of followers to sign Pla’s petition and hopefully get the CYO to change its rule, but also get many other sport organizations that are still implementing boys-only rules to change their ways and let there be gender equality in sports.
From ESPN.com Review by Jazmon Gwathmey in SRM 334 (section 1)
Throughout his career Kobe has been a power house player that has dominated the league in different ways. Though his career has been very successful, this season has been one of the toughest seasons that he has had to deal with thus far. From getting new players traded to his team like Dwight Howard who dominated the paint for the Orlando Magic to Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns. The whole controversy with Kobe making remarks about his team and if there fair of foul remarks. The way that he goes about confronting his teammates and then the way that the media takes those comments have given a lot of people different feelings about Kobe. He bad mouths his teammates and coaches out of anger and it is not only effecting Kobe but his teammates too. The media has played a crucial role by making the situations more than what they really should be. For example when Kobe was talking about Howard's shoulder issue most of what he said was out of anger saying that Howard either needs to suck it up and play or stay off the court and stop trying to play and not contribute anything for the team. In the second video about Pau Gasol, Kobe thinks that Gasol should be the one stepping up and being more aggressive when he can’t get and open shot. The Lakers should be dominating the west coast they have one of the greatest all-around players on their team with one of the best point guards and power house players in the paint.
Kobe had made remarks to the media about his team not to down them or make them feel like nothing but he makes the remarks because he knows what is takes to win a championship and how hard everyone has to work to get there, and that’s why the media is trying to show if its fair for Kobe to say the things he says or is it foul should he have kept the comments to himself instead of saying them out of anger. ---
Review by Crystal Ross in SRM 334 (section 1) This article is about Dwight Howard’s response to Kobe’s comment about his injury. Dwight does not believe that Kobe should have anything to say about his injury. He thinks the only person that should have anything to say is the doctor, who has decided that his shoulder was messed up.
I do not think that Kobe should have said what he said about Dwight Howard to the media. I think that if Kobe wanted Howard or thought that Howard was capable of playing that he should of went to him as a man and a teammate and said what he had to say to Howard. Kobe should of went to Howard in private and spoke his mind. Even though I do not agree with what Kobe said to the media, I understand why he said it. Howard is one of the key players the Lakers need to have a winning season and to make it to the playoffs. During this season, Howard really hasn’t been dominating like he should be. He’s been hurt a lot. I think a lot of what Kobe did was out of frustration. I also do not think that Kobe disrespected Howard, he was just explaining that Howard has not been on a championship team therefore he do not know what it is like to work for a championship.
This article is related to our class because it deals with what a NBA player told media reporters. He spoke out to the media, which shows the fans that there are some disputes within the team. It also gives the media a chance to make things seem worst then what they actually are. If there was controversy within the team, it is most likely worst after this.
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. --- 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.
