Women Making History in a Man's World

     Danica Patrick. When most people hear her name they think of the super sexual Go Daddy commercials that air on television. If I had to guess, most people remember the Go Daddy name more than the athlete's. I am sure Go Daddy has no problem with this whatsoever. If they didn't know before the commercial aired, most people can infer that she is some sort of race car driver. What a lot of people don't know is that she is making history within the sport industry.

     There are few sports where women compete directly with males under the same rules and during the same event. Most often there are separate leagues for each gender. People have and will continue to compare the men's and women's leagues to each other. The typical stereotype is that men always have been and always will be the superior athletic sex. Men are always considered the dominate gender. Because of this, people also generalize that men's sports are more entertaining than women's. Danica is now forcing people to reconsider these stereotypes.

     On Sunday, February 17th, Danica Patrick made history when she became the first woman in history to win the poll in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. What made this feat even more impressive was she qualified first for the famous Daytona 500. The top qualifying spot for this particular race for a woman previous to Patrick was 18th. Danica beat out 44 other drivers, all male, to grab the top spot.


 

     What does this mean for women in sports? Danica is proving that not only can women battle with men in the same competition, but they can be extremely successful while doing so. She may be carrying on the same theme of portraying women in sports in a sexual manner; however, she is also reinforcing the fact that she is more than just a pretty face. She is an athlete who deserves recognition and credit where it is due. She is forcing people to reconsider the female role in athletics.

Harlem Shake

The Harlem Shake has made its way down south from New York and taken the UGA camus by storm. Even the swim team has joined in on the action. Check out their underwater rendition!

February: Black History (and Future) Month

     For as long as I can remember, February has always been known as Black History Month. I am more than happy to say that all of our professional sports in the United States are fully integrated. Jackie Robinson would be proud to see what today's baseball culture looks like. Even though we have come a long way since Mr. Robinson made his debut in 1947, there is still much work to be done.

 
  Certain racial groups are profiled and stereotyped to play certain positions. African Americans are typically thought of as your wide receiver or your running back in football while Caucasians are thought to be better at the quarter back position. This theme is reinforced through media coverage of games. It is not uncommon during live coverage of games to hear an announcer say "That was a smart play" or "To play this position you have to be very smart" when referring to a white quarterback. It is also not uncommon to hear an announcer say "What an athletic play" or "He sure is fast" when referring to a black running back or wide receiver. 

    The problem does not just stop with players. The issue continues up the ladder to coaches as well as General Managers. There are only 3 African American head coaches in the NFL and only 5 managers in the MLB. There are no majority owners in the NFL or MLB. This a trend that needs to be addressed and stopped. We say that these sports are fully integrated when in reality there is still a long road ahead. Until a young boy of any race can have realistic dreams of whatever career in sports they want, we will not have fully integrated sports. 

Superbowl = Super {Power} Surge

     As I am sure you all know, last night was the Superbowl. Before the game even started, anyone who knows anything about football knew what the majority of coverage outside of the game was going to entail: the Harbaugh brothers. This was the first Superbowl featuring brothers as opposing head coaches. What people were not expecting was a power outage at the beginning of the third quarter.

   
     The Superdome was constructed over thirty years ago with major reconstruction after hurricane Katrina. This outdated facility lost power and delayed the Superbowl for thirty minutes. This will likely hurt the city's bid to host future championships as well as solidifies the trend of hosting major events in the newest stadiums around.

    What does this say for the city of Atlanta? I think it proves that if Atlanta fans and residents want to see a Superbowl or any other major championship game played in this great city, a new stadium must be in the plans for the future. Arthur Blank knew this truth before the blackout on Sunday night. With talks of LA wanting a NFL team and a team owner who is pushing for a new stadium, if Georgians want to see the Falcons stay in their home state, it is inevitable for the city to build a new home for the team. 

College Hockey: No Lockouts Allowed

      Many NHL fans were left disappointed when October came and went along with the start of the 2012-2013 NHL Hockey season. Here in Atlanta, fans are not exactly recognized as being the most dedicated. This is obvious with the departure of the Atlanta Thrashers to Canada making it the only city to lose a major sport team twice. Even with the relocation of the Thrashers and an extended lockout, one thing remained for these fans to hold on to: college hockey.

   
     This past weekend was the Savannah Tire Hockey Classic held in Savannah, GA. The tournament consisted of four ACHA Division III Hockey teams including University of Georgia, University of Florida, Georgia Tech, and Florida State University. Over 10,000 fans were in attendance for the two day event. ACHA hockey does not allow for scholarships or any additional funds to support the players. Each player must pay to be allowed to represent their team and wear their schools' jersey. 

    Although hockey is not a typical southern sport, there was a great turnout this weekend to watch these young kids play hockey. It is great to see such a large crowd gather to cheer on a sport that seems to be "dying" in this region of the country.