Nobody Loves You

From: kimandjason.com

My standard response when I see a cell phone: "Put your cell phone away--nobody loves you!" I've taken phones, deducted points, sent kids to detention, everything. Yet, students still use phones in class, taking calls from parents, even.

So I had mixed feelings when I saw a post from a blog I follow about using cell phones as part of the curriculum. It seems like a give-up play to me: we've decided that since we can't stop, we're going to kowtow to the students. I also think districts would run into problems with the kids that don't have cell phones, period. What do those kids do?

It's gotten to the point that the Boston Globe published an article about the problem of phones and laptops in college classrooms. Yes, it's great to be connected, but I can't imagine teaching a class and getting eye contact from 20% of my students.

What Next?

From: opposingviews.com

After the ruling yesterday to lift the NFL's lockout of its players, is anyone clear on happens now?

It sounds like the players can come to team facilities...but they can't work out. Players want to sign as free agents; owners don't want to sign anybody. Other than the draft going on as usual, I don't see where the judge's ruling does anything other than allow lawyers for both sides to rack up more billable hours.

Smallville

From: supermantv.net

I don't follow the TV business with the eagle that I used to, but with teaching Sports and Entertainment Marketing, I still try and stay informed with the comings and goings of TV shows.

That being said, I was shocked to see that "Smallville" is going off the air. Shocked, because...I didn't know the show was still on. Sure, there was the JJ Redick look-a-like that played the Man of Steel, and a Lex Luthor character, and the show generated a lot of buzz in the early years of its run. The lack of buzz made me think that the show was already gone.

In any event, a tip of the hat to Smallville. It's no "Small" feat to stay on the air as long as they did.

Bud Selig, Batting .500

From: The Los Angeles Times

I've never been a fan of Bud Selig, with interleague play, removing the distinction between the NL and AL (except for the DH rule, of course), the All-Star Game fiasco in Milwaukee, the owning a team while being interim commissioner and expanded playoffs. Wait, what?

There are murmurings that MLB will be expanding the playoffs again. One of the reasons I like baseball is that it used to be you had to be first to get to the postseason, unlike other professional sports. I've been deadset against the wildcard since they started that in '95. Please, Bud, there's too many teams in already! Make the regular season count for something!

On the other hand, I have to give Selig kudos for taking control of the Dodgers this week. That's a bold move considering that all of these owners have a very special fraternity. The McCourts must've really screwed up to make Bud do this. I guess it makes MLB mad when you go behind the commissioner's back to get a loan to make payroll.

Lockdowns and Pepper Spray, Oh My!

This being an educator is so "exciting": last week, a student was pepper sprayed by our School Resource Officer after resisting arrest. The aroma of cayenne wafted through the halls for quite some time.

Yesterday, we went through my first real lockdown. As reported by my former employer, a trio of miscreants robbed and shot a man in an apartment complex near our campus. Fortunately, we were on lockdown for less than thirty minutes. Of course, we still had kids wandering the halls--unbelievable!

Stumbling Into the Truth?

From: backseatcuddler.com

We were talking about Nicholas Cage's recent legal troubles in New Orleans today. I've been to New Orleans a couple of times, and it seems pretty hard to get in trouble there. Anyway...

One of my students commented that people with fame and fortune skate on charges like this. I guess I was surprised that this particular student would make a comment so insightful, but apparently he's right. The rest of us would be living in fear of the repercussions of an arrest like this, but celebrities seemingly brush off anything like this. Is there a fair way to mete out celebrity justice?

The High Price of High School Football

Watch the full episode. See more FRONTLINE.

I showed parts of this video to one of my Sports Marketing II classes on Friday. It's a fascinating look at big time football in Arkansas and Texas. One of the schools profiled had over 200 players on the team!

Later in the video, topics such as concussions and heat stroke are covered. My students seem resigned to the fact that concussions being part of the game, but I'm not sure that we want a bunch of brain-damaged 40-year-olds walking around after they played their last football game 20 years ago.

Parent Conference

One of the most truthful videos I've seen in a long time! Must've been done by a former/current teacher!

It's Just a Game

The current version of Sports & Entertainment Marketing I has a section on security, which gave me a chance to discuss famous security incidents at sporting events, from the Munich Olympic games to the Monica Seles attack.

In the last week, my classes have discussed two incidents involving fans at Major League Baseball games--the beating of a Giants fan into a coma at Dodger Stadium and fan at PNC Park (in the video above) who was tasered and clubbed after refusing to leave the park.

I don't quite get the thinking behind these incidents. In the first case, how does a fan get so worked up about his (professional) team that he feels it necessary to send a fan of an opposing team to the hospital? In the second, why wouldn't you just leave when the police tell you to go? There were interesting comments from my classes regarding both of these cases.

Charl in Charge

I don't normally watch golf, but I caught a little bit of the Masters on Saturday and Sunday. Many of my students don't know any golfers (other than Tiger Woods) and it was pretty cool to see all of the story lines unfold over the weekend.

To me, Rory McIlroy was the story of the tournament. The 21-year-old Irishman played brilliantly the first three days, leading from Thursday through Saturday. On Sunday, though, he had a monstrous bad day, falling from 1st to 15th. Money-wise, that fall cost him the $1.4 million the winner gets--now he ends up with less than $130,000. And, of course, no green jacket.

The other question: is Tiger Woods back? He charged back on Saturday and Sunday to finish fourth. Tiger had a great Masters in his return last year, then fell the rest of the year. Will this year be different?

The Sage of St. Anthony

"60 Minutes" is always a go-to when looking for great storytelling, and the piece last month on Bobby Hurley, Sr. is no different.

The name Bobby Hurley always conjures up the old Duke point guard from the early '90s. I was aware his father was a successful high school basketball coach, but I didn't know much about him or his school.

I showed my class the video embedded above, and asked them what they thought about Coach Hurley. They all agreed he was a great coach. When I asked my class about Hurley's contract (which requires players to swear off drugs, alcohol, tattoos, etc.), I was surprised at how many of them thought the contract was a good idea. There was a little resistance to the tattoo ban, but I guess that's to be expected at my school.

That Was Ugly

For a game between the supposedly best two teams in basketball, at least by March Madness standards, it was one ugly game. It was interesting to see Rece Davis argue with the basketball boys over March Madness vs. the BCS in the ESPN pre-game show. Can someone really tell me that the Final Four teams were the best four teams in basketball?

Like I've thought for a long time, the longer a postseason is, the less the regular season matters. I'm a fan of the regular season: BCS and Major League Baseball do it right.

Race to Nowhere

From: gsc.edu

I hadn't heard of the documentary "Race to Nowhere" until I read Jay Matthews' blog. Apparently it raises questions about the amount of homework students do today.

I hate to comment on a movie I haven't seen, but if the film's producers are concerned about the amount of homework students are doing, please come to my school, where students won't even study for final exams.

After working in this high-poverty school for five years, it's clear to me the difference between success and failure is hard work. If only our students could see that...

The Long Reach of UNC

From: hydroponic.com


I know I should expect Carolina to be everpresent in any store in North Carolina, but I don't understand what I've seen on my recent trip to Tennessee.

Wednesday night, we pull into a gas station in Monterey. While I'm waiting for my girls to come out of the bathroom, I check out the Pez dispensers with the football on top. They have three schools to choose from: Michigan, Ohio State and... UNC?! Give me a break! I'm in Tennessee and UT isn't one of the choices.

On Saturday night, while headed back home, we stop at a gas station in Crossville. While I'm waiting for my girls to come out of the bathroom, I check out the merchandise. Now, this store has several shelves devoted to Volunteer gear (as expected), but when I look at their hat rack, the first two caps I see are Penn State and...UNC! Then I look on the wall, and there's a poster of hats: UT and...UNC! I don't get it, at least in Tennessee. Are the Tar Heels really that popular around here?