The hardship of Sean Taylor’s death

 

 

            One of the hardest things to ever have to go through is the death of a family member, friend or both, a teammate! One of the best players to ever play the safety position not only in collage but in the national football league as well was Sean Taylor.  Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder's said this was one of the hardest things he has ever had to go through. Not only for himself and because of the close relationship he had with Sean, but because of the leader and role model he was for the Washington red skins. Dan said one of the hardest things he has ever had to do was tell his brotherhood teammates that Sean would not be playing with them anymore because he was murdered. Dan said he has never seen so many grown strong men cry before. It was because they knew they had lost someone that no one els could replace. This is a huge event that I feel like will never be forgotten. There have been so many other incidences and tragedy’s that other teams have had to also try and push through. Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed in a drive-by shooting on New Year's Day, the day after the season ended in a playoff loss. San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Thomas Herrion died of a heart attack after a preseason game in September 2005. Minnesota Vikings tackle Korey Stringer died of heatstroke at a training camp practice in 2001. Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Jerome McDougle was shot in the stomach by three armed robbers in southwest Miami in July 2005 and missed the following season. So the question is how do teams, players or even franchises get over the death or something like this happening to one of there own. Or do they ever get over it?

            The teammates of Sean were asked how will they deal with the loss of their friend. I found there response to that question to be very interesting. They said no matter what anyone says you can never forget about that person. Because in one way or another they have influenced your life for the better and they will always be a part of you. If you think of it what would you want to happen if it was you that passed? Would you want people to be sad and depressed that your gone and not be able to move on from it? Or would you want them to keep you in there hearts and keep doing them. That’s what we did. The teammates of Sean said they will never forget and every time they play they play for him and his family. The Washington red skins organization showed so much compassion to the family and were there for them any way that they could be. The Owner Dan said he thought that because of this tragedy event it brought the Red skin organization closer and the fans as well.

 

By Justin Brown

Should high school kids be drug tested?   

 

It really doesn’t matter what level of sports you play in because it’s happening as soon as freshman in high school. Kids all over the world are taking supplements in order to enhance their performance as an athlete. It’s sad to see that kids as young as 16 are taking things that could harm there body’s permanently. But how would anyone even know if high school kids don’t get tested. In college there is something called NCAA random drug testing. It means that if the NCAA has any suspicion of any player in the NCAA taking anything that is not under the regulations they have a right to ask you to take a pee test. If you fail the drug test you will be suspended for the rest of that season and your year of eligibility will be lost. It’s the same for the NFL or any other professional organization. Now days you can’t even take certain pre workouts or protein. So its important to know what you are taking. High school is the only time when you can take things and not get tested for it. Is it ok for high school kids to be taking supplements or not?

For as many years as I have played sports I have never known people that were really good that didn’t take some sort of performing enhancement. I feel like that’s the only way to stay ahead of the game now days because if you’re not taking anything you are going to fall behind in strength and speed. So kids feel the need to start taking things in high school even more so because they don’t have to worry about any kid of drug test. Because of this it is leading to more injury’s than ever before. More kids in high school are pulling muscles and tearing ACL joints. If you don’t think that supplements have anything to do with injury please do your research.  So how can we prevent this from happening? I think that if the high school organization were to do Radom drug testing’s through the year not as many kids would be taking them. Witch would then lead to less injury’s.  kids now days feel like because everyone in the NFL take them they have to. It just puts a really bad look and it’s a bad example for the kids of this generation. I also feel like it would stop kids from doing drugs. I know that when I went to high school kids on my team were doing drugs a lot. Then when I made the transition from high school to the college level I hardly saw it at all and it was because of drug testing. It would be a really good idea and set a standard to work hard if high school kids were drug tested. If they make it to the next level they will be ready and smart enough to not take anything that will harm there body’s.

SHOULD NCAA STUDENT ATHLETES GET PAID WHILE THEY ATTEND SCHOOL?

One of the bigger topics today on ESPN and around colleges across the nation is should athletes that attend a D 1 school get any kind of income while they play a sport and go to school? This is a touchy topic because a lot of people don’t understand the life of a student athlete and how they have no time to hold a job to pay for anything that they might need. As a student athlete you are held to a higher standard than the rest of the students. You must uphold a 2.5 GPA attend all classes with minimal absences. As well as going to practice, workouts and film witch takes up majority of the day. When you finally get done you have 4 or 5 classes that you have homework in and have to finish that before the night is over. Leaves no time for a job or anyway of making a income. There are many times when student athletes struggle to eat or even buy cloths because they just have no money. I think the NCAA is aware of this situation and is hopefully trying to find a solution to this problem.

Then there are Student athletes that take advantage of the system and use the talents that they have for their own personal gain. For example there was a situation just this week that happened that blew up on ESPN. A college football Player by the name of Todd Gurley was caught celling his autograph. He was charging 8-25$ per autograph. I don’t know his situation but I do know how big of a school Georgia is. I also know that the bigger school that you play for the more help in money problems you get. For this young man to go against NCAA regulations just to gain a couple bucks blows my mind. You have someone who is a Heisman watch  food or whatever ets they need.  Its easy for people from the oulist player could easly make millions of dollars a year soon and he takes a chance of throwing that all away because he wants to take advantage of the system.  Is sad to see that there are so Many player across the country that could help others and make a good role modle for kids but are so selfish they only care about there own gains.

So there are two types of situations here. Maybe all of this could have been avoided if student athletes got money each month in order to pay fortside looking in to say that college athletes already have it easy. But do they really? Do those people saying that really know the life that they have to live. It is unacceptable to take advantage  of the system. But I feel like the NCAA needs to make a way so that student athletes don’t have to worry about money and can focus on a education as well as preforming as a athlete. After all sports teams are the ones who brand the university and make them money.

My blog is called the spot light is always on for a reason. When you make it in the world and you because a person that is well known because you ether are famous for sports, music, fashion or whatever it may be. You should know that wherever you go there will always be someone taking pictures and recording you. I honestly don’t know how stupid some of these people can be. I feel like because of who they are and because they have money they somehow become above the law. These are the people who kids now days are looking up to and in no way shape or form are any of the professional athlete’s good role models. Just a week or so ago a pro football player for the Minnesota Vikings beat his kid with a tree branch. Not only did he hit his kid in public repeatedly but they fact that he was so conferrable doing in in public. That makes me think that when he punishes his kid at home when no one is around if it’s even worse. But the fact of the matter is how far is too far when it comes to punishing you’re kids. I’ve heard everywhere form well it’s my kids and I can punish them how I want, to I think kids should get whippings because that’s the only way they will learn. I feel like there is a point when it is to far. And Adrian Peterson went too far. You know you have gone too far when you make you’re own kid have welts all over his legs and start to bleed. I agree that every kid is different and should be punished in different ways. I even think that a hand or belt to the butt is ok. But when you start to seriously hurt a kid then you have gone way too far and the law will now come into place for child abuse. People say that the times are different now and back in the day my parents used to give me a belt or anything they could find to my backside. If you do that now the cops are called. I feel like there is a middle ground. You should punish your kids if they act up. But you should never allow your punishment to get so out of hand to where your kid starts to bleed. Now days it is a serious thing that kids are getting beat up by their parents. That’s not ok and people that have no self-control should not have kids in the first place. No matter who you are in the world the law is for everyone. You should figure out a way to punish your kid without resorting to violence. People who have the spotlight on should know that the world is watching at all times. So take that and own up to the talents god has given you and be an example to the younger generation of this nation.