Whats more surprising the fact that the Cleveland Browns have started and maintained a great season at 6-3 this late in the season or the fact that Browns Pro Bowl Corner Joe Haden has opened up his own co-signment sneaker shop in the downtown Cleveland Metropolis. It has been evident that Haden is a avid sneaker head with his collection spanning an entire room dedicated to his valuable and rare collection. His new sneaker shop aptly titled The Restock is the first to open in Cleveland. Haden will take consumers sneakers and re sell them back to other sneaker aficionado’s.
The reason why this is my best story I read this week is for multiple reasons the main one being my love for sneakers. As well as its always cool to see athletes who always seem to have ton’s of sneakers and always seem to foolishly not invest in the hobby that they enjoy so much. Its always cool to see how the love of a culture can push people to do things such as opening a business that can help boost the economy in Cleveland, especially with the sneaker industry being a billion dollar industry that many enjoy. Its also very cool to have. While further exploration of his store opening its internet presence can be traced back to social media. Haden hopes that the store will eventually get to the level that Flight Club a premier sneaker consignment in New York City receives.
Social Media in this day and age can get anyone in trouble no matter what status they have achieved in life. So when your are a rookie just drafted into the NFL trying to relive your golden college days anything you post on the internet can and will be scrutinized and used against you. The reason for this being one of the best articles i read this weekend because everyone loves a good gossip story. Rookie Ra’shede Hageman instagram page was hacked and his private messages were hacked and posted on the internet exposing his trouble trying to find woman as well as trying to find woman. It is quite amusing reading the screenshot comments as one woman turned him down as well as helping with football plays saying that he needs to continue working on the weak ass D-line.
I enjoy seeing when athletes handle situations involving groupie’s and dealing with the newfound celebrity and all of the things that come along with that. It is a story that is told many times and most don’t learn from these mistakes. One thing about being a rookie in this league they train you on handling your social media accounts. One thing that is specific to this article that i really didn’t enjoy was the correlation that it made between his character flaws that were questioned early before he got drafted. I really don’t think this a good sports journalism technique because of their referencing back to that situation similar to a tabloid. i don’t believe its necessary to have that in a sports journalism but all in all the article is a great laugh and stress relieve. you can check it out at http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2014/11/2/7145841/rookie-dt-rashede-hageman-tries-finding-marijuana-on-instagram
As no surprise to the rest of the world Ricky Williams recently said that if he could do it all over he would. Never one to hold his tongue when it comes to expressing his beliefs. He said if he could talk to his younger self he would do something else. He regrets not doing something else because of the career opportunities he had due to his academic success at the University at Texas. Williams went on to say that some people are built for the NFL and others are not. Williams admitted that he is one of those people who is not built for the NFL. The reason why this is one of the best things that I read this week was because of the vulnerability that William’s showed in the interview is one that a lot of younger athletes who have been faced in predicaments of making real life decisions as to pursuing their dreams or putting their degree to work and having a a gaurenteed job.
This is a great revelation as many young athletes find themselves in and out of the league on average three years with many not completing their formal collegiate degree and many find themselves trying to figure out their next move. Another reason for me enjoying this article is because of Williams at one point was one of my favorite running backs during his time in the league.one of the things that really enjoyed was that it noted that wiliams has since returned to school and now has his body in good spirits. While the article didn’t do much with the writing it was good to get this recorded and documented for sports history. It raises a deeper question of sports psychology and the psychological effect of playing sports at a professional level check it outhere http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/ricky-williams-miami-dolphins-baltimore-ravens-would-skip-nfl-103014
Forget the fact that this blog post has to be on the best thing i read this week, this has got to be the best thing i read all year. the reason for this being because of a story that really represents the grit and grime that unfortunately football has seemed to lose being a billion dollar industry on the collegiate as well as the professional level. Another reason why i felt this article was so good was because i can completely relate to it as I too have once considered plain for a JUCO as well as my best friend playing for multiple JUCO college’s in three states from NY, PA, and finally landing in Connecticut. Before i dive into what makes the story the best thing I read the story itself is one that deserves a motion picture rendition for or at least makes you want to revisit classic football movies such as “Friday Night Lights” or “Remember The Titans”. GQ takes us inside a small town of Mississippi that is home to a group of JUCO football programs specifically it concentrates on Scooba, Mississippi program East Mississippi Community College. EMCC has found itself becoming the haven for the unwanted with a reputation of winning and reformation. One hometown example finds all-american Buffalonian Chad Kelly the nephew of hall of fame quarterback Jim Kelly who was kicked out of Clemson for arguing with the head coach. But has worked his way back into playing football and is looking at offers to play at the next level.
The reasons for this article being one of the best one’s I read this semester are due to the fact the article that is in GQ had a connection to buffalo, which is always a good thing for the city. Another reason is this is the first feature story that I have read and I have to say it was very well written and focused on creating a feeling and establishing a story. Most of the stories that I have read this semester haven’t moved me quite like this one did. It also reminded me of my best friends struggles on continuing to play football at the next level. I also loved how the story focused on a few individuals who used to be stars or the potential to become stars and their struggles and used the city as a metaphor for their humbling experiences and struggles living in the shadows of something bigger similar to scooba mississippi. Check out the article over at GQ.com here http://www.gq.com/sports/201411/last-chance-university
Getting the cool opportunity to sit in and interview Buffalo News reporter Jerry Sullivan was a really cool experience. I came in with the mind state of not knowing who Jerry was as a writer or as a person. I came out of the interview knowing more of his work and feeling a bit closer to Sullivan as a person as opposed to a columnist. One thing that really struck me about Sullivan was his ability to let young and eager college students know a tested and almost cliché saying of try everything especially in journalism. The reason for this being was the ability to learn how to do many facets of journalism can help curate your skills especially if you plan to be a sports writer. With his easy demeanor and ability to captivate an audience verbally with his words i can see how it has been easy for him to transition as a writer to a radio personality as well as a TV personality. My favorite part of the interview process was his humble attitude of being a somebody in the city of buffalo and learning about his path that has led him to the position that he is in. The funniest piece of insight that he gave us was when he was threatened by multiple figure heads in the buffalo sports scene. Especially the situation that occurred with the president of the sabers waiting outside of the office for him. These tales are definitely a different perspective to journalism which makes me realize the power and the way that words and sports can make us feel.
Since its only been less than a week that the NFL announced a ban on any audio equipment other than BOSE audio to be worn by players when conducting interviews or anywhere that cameras will be able to view them, Colin Kaepernick became the first NFL player to be fined for not adhering to the rule. Kaepernick who was featured in a BEATS by DRE commercial last year was fined 10 grand by the league. What makes this article so great is the subject matter that the article is talking about. I personally think that it is cool that kaepernick chose to stand up for something he believes. This move reminds me of what Michael Jordan did when the NBA banned him from wearing his first signature shoe on the court. This type of billy badass attitude is necessary for the drama of sports. I personally don’t think that its cool that the NFL makes a deal and automatically have to influence what these players wear. The deal and the stipulations of it show that the NFL will essentially make players brand ambassadors or mules to market BOSE off of the talents of these individuals.
The coolest part of the article is during the interview when kaeprnick was asked if beats would cover his fine charges he responded in such great fashion saying“We’ll let that be unanswered.” A cool reference that the article did was compare former 49er’s quarterback Alex Smith when he was fined by the NFL for wearing a San Francisco Giants hat in which the NFL fined Smith 15 grand. This article was good for its light hearted almost sarcastic approach to covering the fine which is a horrible fine that the athletes have to unfortabetly participate in. you can check the article here http://www.sportsgrid.com/nfl/colin-kaepernick-fined-10000-for-wearing-wrong-headphones-continues-49ers-outlaw-headwear-tradition/
Before I write why this is one of the best articles i read for the week, my first introduction to Basketball came by way of one of the necessary items to play basketball and that is great sneakers. As a child i predominately only played football but I heard of Michael Jordan’s greatness one because of his shoes and two his ability to infiltrate popular culture which made it possible for someone like myself who didn’t know much of anything related to basketball. Now when i looked at this article I thought to myself that my first introduction of basketball was because of his shoes, is it crazy that Lebron James could do the same thing. While it is not impossible that this is occurring it may actually be happening before our eyes and we don’t realize. Since Lebron James is such a great player he will forever face comparisons to Michael Jordan. Like my earlier post the underlying theme was culture and the commodification of sneakers and cool.
Why this article is so great is because everyone loves a debate. Its even more entertaining when the debate consistently stands a firm neutral position with facts for both sides to help you make the best decision you feel but not influence you in their personal opinion. This is extremely powerful because most of the time articles already establish their biases and reflect their views upon the reader. Another reason for my appreciation of this article is to see how the times have changed as well as the era’s and how technology has made it different for athletes to permeate pop culture off the court. In 2014 Lebron has social media apps, is working on media production and just released his latest signature shoe with Nike. While Lebron has more outlets to permeate, Jordan did it with his play on the court as well as his Nike affiliation as well. But the difference that lies between Jordan & James in my opinion is their persona’s while James is more friendly and appealing while Jordan said what exactly was on his mind.
Another ideology that the author Grant Hughes uses to his advantage is the paying homage to the ones who blazed the trial before you. I enjoy this idea because it provoked the thought that in order for James to surpass Jordan, that Jordan must pass the torch to him. I don’t see that happening but i enjoyed the way he was able to throw that last thought provoking statement into the article. The criteria in which he uses to set the stage for the understanding of what is cultural impact consist of is a great range from profit,legacy,media, and charity work. Be sure to check out the article here http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2219388-could-lebron-james-ever-surpass-michael-jordans-cultural-impact
Easily the reason for this being the best thing i read has got to be because of the author’s headline which instantly grabbed my attention one because of my love for sneakers as well as my need for completing the homework assignment. While it is still sports related due to the release of Derek Jeter Air Jordan 1 sneaker which was released in part of the celebration of his retirement for those who don’t know Derek Jeter is a Jordan Brand athlete and this is one of the perks you get when you are the best representing the best. While Jeter’s sneakers retailed upon its release for $150 the resale values of the shoes have sky rocketed to $750 at some locations. The author Russ Bengston explains his frustrations while attempting to purchase the coveted item only to his dismay he realizes that he is unable to purchase the sneaker’s due to high traffic on the website. I myself have experienced this same struggle.
One writing tactic that the author did was draw a comparison between the sneaker world & the stock market stating that every new limited release was similar to an IPO. I thought this was a very smart comparison which is one that i have debated with other friends before so to see this in writing, made me realize i am not the only one who felt this way of the sneaker game. In Jeter’s final year sports memorabilia have done everything to sell any goods attached to Jeter’s name. Which is no surprise Bengston does present a few valid points, but struggles to bridge the gap between those points in literary context. while not connecting at s]certain points he does a great job of keeping the reading jovial and engaging the topics of discussion to three main points which by themselves are great stories but tying them all together makes for an incredible read. You can check it out at http://www.complex.com/sneakers/2014/10/sneakers-derek-jeter-and-the-commodification-of-everything
The best thing i read consisted of an interview in the new york times that NBA legend Kobe Bryant had with Co-founder as well as editor in chief for the Huffington post Arianna Huffington. Upon reading the headline of the article and both parties involved it didn’t take long for me to realize that both Bryant and Huffington came from different backgrounds in which made it more interesting to see how the author Philip Galanes would draw the comparison of the two. This article contained many “gems” as far as kobe’s ability to speak italian, how he was inspired by a cheetah to improve his jump shot, and how he dealt with adversity after his rape charge in colorado. This article was a great one because it acquainted me with Ariana Huffington as i said earlier is co-founder of the Huffington post something i never knew before. I also became interested in her story of how she wrote a best selling book at the age of 23, how she built her brand, as well as how she also destroyed her name and her brand by running for governor of colorado.
A few excerpts that really gravitated me towards the article being my favorite was when Bryant said “Michael Jackson tried to get me to meditate. He could sit in meditation for seven hours. But I couldn’t sit still for 20 minutes.” I found this to be an interesting fact that the king of pop tried to get kobe to meditate i wondered how that conversation may have taken place and how it was brought up. Also the fact that it took Phil Jackson to get kobe to do it and not the biggest pop star in the world. i also enjoyed the humbling fact of Huffington who was at the peak of her success found herself starting her spiritual journey which is a interesting parallel because i always assumed that most may deviate from being spiritual once the reach a certain plateau in their life. For me what made this a great article was its ability to teach more after i read it the first time. I immediately googled more about Huffington & shared some of the gems that Bryant said in a interview on my social media making myself seem very elite in the sports world and culture period for a day surrounded by tweets of nothingness. If you want the same feeling check out the article here http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/fashion/arianna-huffington-kobe-bryant-meditate.html?_r=0
While the buffalo bills came into the week three riding an emotional high as they picked up their 2nd win of the season admist news of learning that the team will be staying in buffalo, as well as their former quarterback Jim Kelly was declared cancer free. They came into the gaming rolling on optimism and ready to roll on the San Diego Chargers, who came into this game with a (1-1) record gaining their first win last week against the defending Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks. Chargers Quarterback Phillip River’s continued his ariel assault on opposing secondaries as he and his receiving corps’s completed 18 of 25 attempts for 256 yards and 2 TD’s. As receiver Malcolm Floyd said ”We’ve got all kind of weapons on the field. It’s pretty much just picking your poison.” While Floyd had two 49-yard catches that set up separate scoring drives. Royal finished with four catches for 42 yards, and backup tight end Ladarius Green had four catches for 64 yards.
Rivers adversary Bill’s quarterback EJ Manuel while he performed well statistically, he went 23 of 39 for 238 yards with 1TD the chemistry between the bill’s team was missing as they sporadically made offensive strides on drives in which they clicked well on all cylinders and sometimes never clicking at all. While in the previous week Manuel and Rookie Sammy watkins showed signs of greatness connecting for over a hundred yards while this week Watkins & Manuel only connected a dismal two times for nineteen yards. When asked on his performance Manuel said”I wouldn’t say it’s a wake-up call, but it’s definitely something that’s needed to get us back into that groove of winning.”
While the Chargers received the win they received a loss in their backfield just a week from losing starter Ryan Matthews they lost back up Danny Woodhead for what appears to be a season ending knee injury. Both team’s take on AFC conference opponents as the Bills look to change their luck against the Houston Texans as the Chargers continue to improve on their 2 game winning streak in Jacksonville as they face the Jaguars.
A look into the cultural movement captured by Kino Daniel using the platforms of the Internet,Radio, and Film
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