English Lit Final Paper Reflection Letter

Dear reader,

When I was about 8 years old, my grandpa Pete gave me his old set of Baseball Joe books. He implored me to read them, but like most eight year olds, I saw the aged cover and worn color and decided against it. For a few years Pete continued to ask me if I had read to books yet and eventually I said yes just to keep from disappointing him. I’ve kept the series on my dresser ever since but I’ve never touched any of the books. When Mrs. Romano assigned us this project I thought about reading one of them. I looked it up and found that of the books in the series that I had, Baseball Joe at Yale was the first that was written. Then I thought about a segment that I saw about a month and a half ago on Last Week Tonight  that really opened my eyes. It was about the mistreatment of college athletes. In eighth grade I wrote my end of the year research paper on why athletes are not overpaid. That is an argument I would like to take back now that I’m older and wiser, but I wrote a paragraph about college athletes not getting paid and this video reminded me of that. I decided that with the combination of Baseball Joe at Yale and college athletes not getting paid, that I had my topic for my expository essay.

At first I really didn’t understand the golden thread. Initially I made limericks to put in between each of my pieces, but that didn’t really pertain to my topic. Eventually I was able to put irony into all of my pieces. I used irony because the fact that college athletes don’t get paid at all and professional athletes get paid outrageous amounts is ironic. Also the fact that these colleges aren’t providing their athletes with an education is ironic because that is their purpose in this world. In my first piece (a villanelle) I include the line “The school just rudely kicks them to the street.” This is irony because a college is supposed to take every student in and nurture them in order to give them the best opportunity in the future, but these schools are just treating their athletes with no respect. The second piece I did was a venn diagram (without the diagram). The irony here is when I explained that athletes take courses like Swahili nowadays. Once again, this means the classes athletes are taking have no use for their future, when college is supposed to be preparing students for the future. My third piece was a recipe for how to make “College Athlete Being Paid Cake.” The irony I inserted here was that one direction that I have is to add a bunch of ingredients into a bowl and “stir thoroughly until many lumps.” Normally when stirring to make food, you would stir until there are no lumps, but here I’m saying in order to create conflict, stir until you make lumps. Finally the multiple choice test includes the irony of being in the format of a test when we are talking about college and the lack of education.

Despite the difficulty in understanding this project, I had a good time throughout the process and I hope to do something like this in college.

Thank you,

Gill Hurtig

English Literature final paper bibliography

Works Cited

Gutting, Gary. "The Myth of the 'Student-Athlete'" Opinionator The Myth of the StudentAthlete Comments. N.p., 15 Mar. 2012. Web. 22 May 2015.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: The NCAA (HBO). Perf. John Oliver. YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.

Morgan, Scott. "How Much Money Do College Sports Generate?" Finance. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.

"Should NCAA Athletes Be Paid?" US News. U.S.News & World Report, n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.

VisualNews.com. "Visualizing the Yearly Salary of Professional Athletes, NBA Players Average $5+ Million a Year." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.

English Literature Final Paper

Why it Sucks to be a College Athlete

The average professional basketball player earns $5.15 Million per year but the average division 1 college basketball player earns $0. Regarding baseball, the average pro earns $3.2 Million while again, college athletes never receive anything. There are many reasons the NCAA would explain as to why this is. For one, professional athletes are paid because they are a form of entertainment. People pay to see them play, businesses pay to have their commercials shown during games, fans buy their merchandise, and of course professional athletes are very talented, and work very hard at what they do. But wait, don’t college athletes do all those same things? They constantly work to get better in order to represent their school, and I know CBS and Forbes broadcasting made over $1 Billion from March Madness alone. This is not to mention the money the athletes’ schools get from their playing. While yes, it is important that college athletes are not spoiled rich from competing in their sport, it is still necessary for them to start getting paid for their hard work each and every day.

It is easy to make the argument that in a way these athletes are being paid. They are being given a college education at no cost (assuming they’ve earned a full scholarship). For many athletes, sports is the only way their family will be able to send them to college. For others, they do not earn the grades in High School to be able to go to college without sports. The one problem to this argument is that these Division 1 athletes aren’t actually getting an education. Athletes are so busy working to get better at their sport, or traveling because of their sport, that they constantly miss class and are behind. NCAA did a survey in 2011, and even in the off-season “a large majority say they spend as much or more time on sports.” With this said, the NCAA still has a baseline GPA an athlete must have in order to stay eligible for their sport. There is rarely talk of an athlete not being able to meet this requirement, so there must be some learning going on. Here is where the colleges really cheat. In order to keep their athletes eligible, colleges will place them in irrelevant courses such as Swahili. UNC was caught doing this. By putting their athletes in a Swahili course where nothing is taught, and the class is an easy A, UNC is admitting that they care more about their athletic reputation than their academic reputation. These colleges are simply setting their athletes up to fail later in life.

One might ask why college athletes even need an education when they can just go pro. Only 2% of college athletes continue on the professional level. For the 98% that do not make it, they are doomed without a real college education. Furthermore, the athlete can’t be blamed for this lack of an education. They came to college fully intending to get an education, but they want to work hard on their sport to represent their school well. In fact they help their school out more than just by bettering their athletic reputation. These athletes help to make money for their colleges. In 2012, the University of Texas’ football program generated over $95 Million. With colleges making so much money from their athletes, you would expect the athletes to get some money in return. Instead the colleges focus on giving money to the coaching staff, as well as updating facilities. So now it is becoming clearer and clearer that the NCAA and Colleges are using athletes to earn money, and not repaying them in any way.

With an increase in media, has come an increase in this unfair use of college athletes. Baseball Joe at Yale by Lester Chadwick details the life of a baseball player at Yale in 1913. A lack of media showing college sports is just one of many differences between those times for college athletics, and now. Another difference is the use of scholarships. There weren’t scholarships that were given out in 1913, which means everybody has a fair chance of making the team by having to try out. College sports were also less important at the time. The school would not gain much money from college athletics which in turn meant they didn’t have an incentive to put athletes in easy classes where they will temporarily succeed, but in the long run fail. The conclusion that can be made here is that if college athletics weren’t as big of a deal as they are regarded, then the NCAA would stop taking advantage of athletes, and for once in a very long time, school would come before sports.

There is no reason why the NCAA should be allowed to exploit athletes. In 2013 before the NCAA March Madness championship game, Shabazz Napier (star player for UCONN) talked about how some nights he goes to sleep starving. Despite this lack of money for food, everybody expects him to play at a high level. At that championship game, about 79,000 people attended, paying an average of $500 per ticket. This amounts in $39.5 Million dollars with none of it going to the players. It’s no wonder why so many of these players don’t do well in school. With practice, weight training and sometimes a lack of food, athletes must be way too exhausted to fulfill the “student” half of their life. When these athletes are caught receiving money, or special treatment, they are drawn out and ridiculed for what they’ve done. Really they are just accepting what they already deserve: help.  

College athletics golden thread

College athletes must realize there’s no aid

They go home hungry with no food to eat

This is why college athletes must get paid

With sports, their education will be frayed

They don’t know how to learn, just how to beat

College athletes must realize there’s no aid

NCAA’s position won’t be swayed

To them a scholarship is a fine treat

This is why college athletes must get paid

College athletes now realize they are played

They say things must begin to change tout suite

College athletes must realize there’s no aid

So far not all the options have been weighed

Athletes are students too from head to cleat

This is why college athletes must get paid

For after college when the fame does fade

The school just rudely kicks them to the street

College athletes must realize there’s no aid

This is why college athletes must get paid.

1913:

Athletes weren’t worshipped and followed the way they are now

Athletes were expected to keep good grades

A school wasn’t judged solely on their sport

Scholarships weren’t given out the way they are now

No video games that can use fake college athletes in their games

Media did not portray college sports the way it does now

No athletes would get paid on the side

Same:

Athletics is closely followed by school

People become professionals soon after college

Present:

Athletes arguing they should be paid

There is a recruiting process now (showcases)

A lot more money brought in by colleges due to sports

Much better facilities for athletes

Athletes take courses like Swahili

Recipe to College Athlete Being Paid Cake:

Ingredients:

• 20 years of Athletes getting fed up with the system
• One pint of Northwestern winning their right to a Union
• 35 cases of college athletes illegally receiving money
• $871.6 Million of revenue for colleges from athletics
• 2 quarts of realization from the public that athletes are being used.
• $1.64 Million per year to each coach of the team

Directions:

1. Preheat NCAA’s temper to 375 degrees F
2. Break $1.64 Million per year to each coach of the team, and $871.6 M of revenue for colleges from athletics into a dish
3. Add 20 years of Athletes getting fed up with the system, and One pint of Northwestern winning their right to a Union in a bowl and stir thoroughly until many lumps
4. Sift and add 35 cases of college athletes illegally receiving money into the bowl
5. Add contents from dish into contents with bowl
6. Put bowl in oven and continue to raise NCAA’s temperature until the bowl and all the ingredients inside boils over in rage
7. Take out of oven, and add icing of 2 quarts of realization from the public that athletes are being used.

Multiple Choice Test:

1. What is the ratio of college coach salary compared to college athlete salary?

1. 5M to 100K
2. 1 to 1
3. Not enough information given
4. Infinity

     2.   What percentage of college athletes turn pro?

1. 12%
2. 24%
3. 2%
4. What does prose have to do with sports?

     3.   How does College basketball/football rank in popularity of all sports?

 

1. 3rd
2. 10th
3. 5th
4. 25th

     4.   Which of the following statements is false?

1. A coach can not treat a player differently than any other student at the school
2. Colleges gain millions of dollars in revenue from sports every year
3. An athlete is required to keep a certain GPA to be allowed to play
4. Some athletes are allowed to be paid if they intend to go pro the next year

Baseball Joe at Yale #2

I have now finished my Baseball Joe book. One way it seemed to pertain to my essay topic is based on the competition of one team and fighting for playing time. Baseball is such a big deal for these Yale players (It’s their life) that they are willing to put their teammates in danger just to get the glory of playing for their college. The Yale pitcher at the beginning of the book is Ford Weston. Baseball Joe wants to take his spot as the starting pitcher. He does so successfully, but in order to get his job back, Weston frames Joe for a prank Weston did himself.

In Division 1 college athletics, players are given popularity, great facilities, and attention. The only thing this will do for the 98% of athletes who don’t continue to the professional level, is pamper them and misguide them about what the future holds. Fortunately for Baseball Joe, he is offered a professional job right after his big win against Princeton.

Another thing that is brought up in the book is the constant practice and overuse of athlete’s bodies. Joe’s arm begins to tire during a game, but he decides to continue to pitch because he doesn’t want the Yale fans to think he’s weak or that he’s making excuses. As just college kids, some athletes are faced with multiple practices per day, in which to impress their peers and the rest of the sports world, they will make the ill-advised decision to continue playing when they really shouldn’t.

A couple ways in which the book differs from real life, is that very rarely does a D1 athlete walk-on to their school team. And if they do, then they never actually play. Also the book seems to show that while Baseball Joe’s main focus is baseball, he still has time for class, where he doesn’t do spectacularly, but he does well enough. For the D1 athlete, there is almost no time for class, and all their focus is on their sport. Furthermore, since Baseball Joe is set in 1913, college athletics have become much more popular. Over the last century, the introduction of media has allowed everything (including college sports) to gain a lot more attention. At times, even more than the professional level.

For my project, I plan to mention Northwestern’s attempt to unionize the football team. They believed that they were acting as employees for the University. The NCAA attempted to reverse the earlier decision made by the regional National Labor Relations Board. I find it interesting that the school and the NCAA are both fighting this attempt to unionize. The NCAA makes so much money from these athletes, that they really should be considered employees of the school. In fact, in many cases, a student could have a paid job in the school bookstore where they sell the athletes jersey, yet the athletes still is not getting paid.

Baseball Joe At Yale

Gill Hurtig

Baseball Joe

I am reading Baseball Joe at Yale by Lester Chadwick. Thus far in the book Joe hasn't gotten to Yale yet. He is hoping he will be able to play baseball there because he eventually wants to become a major league pitcher. In fact, he really didn't want to go to Yale. He would have rather just tried to make the big leagues, but his parents wanted him to get a good education.
With this said, I have decided that my paper will be about college sports, and the lack of education that division 1 athletes have. I will compare and contrast Baseball Joe's experience with the experience of the modern day division 1 athlete.
From the research that I have done so far, I have learned that student athletes at the competitive college level are not really students at all. They don't go to class very often because they are constantly working for their sport. To stay academically eligible, the students will enroll in a class like Swahili that is designated for athletes. It requires literally no work. As a result, these division one athletes leave school without an education at all. If you think these athletes don't need an education cause they're headed to the pros then you are wrong. Only 2% of division one athletes reach the professional level.
Also I plan to make the argument that college athletes deserve to get paid. Yes it's true that they most likely get a full scholarship, so their education is free, but these students aren't getting an education. Furthermore, how could it make sense that other students at the same college get paid for selling their jerseys. The school makes so much money off of these athletes, that it is absurd for them not to pay the athletes back. In the NCAA tournament in 2013, Shabazz Napier a UCONN player made a tough game winning shot. He commented later that when he got home that night he didn't have anything to eat. College coaches get paid up to millions of dollars per year, so why don't college athletes get paid at all? NCAA makes it clear that there can be no benefits for college athletes. One example is that an athlete's mother died so the coach bought the athlete a plane ticket to attend the funeral. This was considered breaching the rules because a coach is not allowed to do anything for an athlete if he/she wouldn't also do it for a regular student. I plan to argue that by not paying their athletes, and also not educating them, the NCAA is exploiting college athletes for money.

One Hundred Years of Solitude Blog Post 4

Gill Hurtig

Blog Post 4

Romano 5

10.15.14

One Hundred Years of Solitude Blog Post 4

When Aureliano finally starts to die, he stops making the fish he had been making his entire life. It seems as though him making the fish is directly correlated with him living. That certainly could be a religious symbol. I reread the beginning of the book, and noticed when Marquez mentions multiple times that Aureliano took a liking to making metal fish. I would not have noticed the prevalence of the fish if I had not reread much of the beginning of the book (like Nabokov and O’Connor suggested). It seems as though while Christianity saved him, it killed his seventeen sons. Every son was shot right in the cross on their forehead. “His seventeen sons were hunted down like rabbits by invisible criminals who aimed at the center of their crosses of ash” (238). This isn’t the only time religion makes a significant appearance in the book. There are many more that I’m still trying to grapple with, such as the prosperity between Petra Coats and Aureliano Segundo. Another sign of Christianity is noticed through the ghosts throughout the story.

The continuous sight of ghosts in Macondo is a foreshadow of the eventual return of Macondo the way it was originally found. Completely uninhabited and isolated from the world. Marquez continues to bring back characters from the dead because he wants to remind us of what Macondo was like at the beginning of the story. There are many moments late in the book that resemble moments earlier in the book. For instance, when Remedios is lifted up in the air and taken to heaven, it resembles earlier when the Pope levitated six inches off the ground. Also, the sudden forgetfulness by the town of the massacre is very similar to when the entire town developed insomnia and couldn’t remember anything. These parallels between the beginning and the end of the book are Marquez attempting to draw us back to the beginning, to force us to remember when Macondo was first becoming a town. He wants us to realize that eventually it will return to it’s original state.

The theme of the book is the idea that with birth comes death. At the beginning of the novel, the town was safe from death because death had not found any of them yet. Eventually once one person died, it set off a chain reaction in which people started to die left and right. There is eventually no escaping the grasp of death, as Remedios did it partially, but then levitated up to heaven. Eventually, after everything in the town has been killed, the town itself seems to die, and retract back to it’s earliest stage when Jose Arcadia Buendia first found it. Just reading the book closely, and noticing all of the births and deaths that occur throughout the novel, the theme seemed simple to me. The very end of the book shows how the entire family/town went full circle, from birth to death. The town that had originally not been known by anybody, had now been completely erased from memory, and once again, not known by anybody.

At one point, even Macondo experiences rebirth after the five year rain. This downpour acted as a baptism for the town, although not necessarily a good one. It was the first real time when I began to notice that the town was retracting back to it’s earliest state. The banana fields washed away, and people lost their memory, as nobody had any recollection of the huge massacre. The Buendia family, who were the original settlers of the town, were the last ones left to see the town go. In my first blog post I mentioned ice being a possible symbol for rebirth, and while I’m still quite confident that ice is very important in the story, I have not figured out what it’s point is.

This is certainly a book that I would recommend reading if you are up to the task. It is long, and there are too many acts of symbolism to even count. It’s hard enough to keep track of them all, but connecting them in a meaningful way is nearly impossible. Usually it is easy to track a symbol. Just look for something that is repeated a few times and seems out of place. However, in this book, and magical realism in general, it seems as though everything is out of place. It certainly helped me to learn how to reread, and stay concentrated while reading, which are both things that Foster and others explained are necessary in good writing.