Bibliography
The focus of this website is quite simple: what are league officials doing to protect its athletes and are they going too far? Journalists like Perskey and Rubin take the pro-safety side of the argument, claiming that there should be no limits on the amount or content of rules intended to enhance the safety of athletes. On the contrary, journalists like Clos and Bechta side with the pro-integrity argument which claims that the rules being put in place are going too far and the integrity and nature of the respective sports induced are at risk as well as fan support. Both sides of this debate have very strong and logical arguments but there is simply a point where ‘enough is enough’. There should be a fine line between what is going too far and what is an appropriate level of protection. This debate is one of the more entertaining and rising global issues on the spectrum that sparks major implications for people all over the world. In conclusion, this website will highlight which enforcements are appropriate, which ones are taking it too far, and what aspects should be more strictly enforced.
(1)Gardna, Andrew. “Tracing the Evolution of Player Safety Throughout NFL History” Bleacher Report. March 21, 2012. Electronic. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1113196-tracing-the-evolution-of-player-safety-throughout-nfl-history
Gardna does an excellent job in summarizing the major milestones/points of emphasize in the history of the campaign of player safety in the National Football League. Gardna manages to provide the audience with interesting information, elaborating on key, ground-breaking events like the introduction of helmets, the defenseless receiver rule and the Colt McCoy Incident. Basically, what could be hundreds of pages of information is contracted into a brief summary that contains visuals that provide the reader with quality entertainment packaged with the factual knowledge. Gardna takes a neutral perspective, playing the role of an informer rather than someone sparking a debate, flying a banner of the side they favor. If anything, this leans towards the pro-safety by the description of the radical changes that the NFL officials have made to the game. Gardna concludes with food for thought by asking the reader if it will eventually be too much changes to tarnish the integrity of the game. This article basically provides a decent summary of the on-field safety debate, listing arguments for both sides of the disagreement.
(2)Geerts, Justin. “Player safety an issue in baseball” The Herald. April 1, 2013. Article. http://herald.cornerstone.edu/2013/04/01/player-safety-an-issue-in-baseball/
Geerts addresses the issue of head safety in the sport of baseball from an objective stance. Geerts lists an example of a Minor League coach that sustained severe head injuries from a line drive striking him in the head. This was an intimidation factor that could be convincing to the pro-safety side of the debate. Geerts addresses the propositions of lower level leagues requiring base coaches to wear helmets at all times and even requiring the very controversial act of making pitchers wear helmets. An interview containing a current college pitcher took the side of the pro-integrity side, stating that having a helmet on the mound would be uncomfortable for the majority of athletes. This concludes with an unclear side of justice, stating that the issue is only growing and soon there will be changes. All it would take would be one major injury to completely change the perspective of a mass group of people.
(3)Katz, Andy. “Blue Devils caught in fan surge” ESPN. March 1, 2013. Electronic. http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9001926/duke-coach-mike-krzyzewski-concerned-player-safety-fans-storm-court-following-loss-virginia
The issue faced in this article deals with off-the-field factors that can expose athletes to various amounts of harm and danger. Duke Basketball Coach Mike Kryzewski argues that fans should not be allowed to ‘court storm’ after upset victories because it puts his players in harm’s way. Katz does an excellent portrayal of Coach K’s side of the argument, describing that young teenage athletes can be verbally and physically abused at a vulnerable position that could lead to dumb decisions. Then there is the pro-integrity side that backs ‘court storming’, claiming it is one of the best traditions of college basketball that should be continued no matter what. Although Katz himself does not put in much insight as the majority of this blog is quotes of Coach K, the article defines a fine line between both sides, providing the reader with conflicting arguments that could be considered very controversial.
(4)Bechta, Jack. “Do the fans really care about player safety?” Yahoo! Sports. December 19, 2012. Electronic. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/fans-really-care-player-safety-233000773--nfl.html
Bechta takes a realist perspective when describing the average fan’s view on player safety. Bechta argues that some sports would be effected little but other sports would be completely damaged to the point of nonexistence. Those sports like UFC Fighting, NASCAR, and NFL Football have a lot more to lose than the likes of International soccer and Professional Tennis. Bechta takes the pro-integrity side, stating that fans want to see the action and the glamour. In their selfish ways, they really are not very concerned about the risk of injury but more concerned with being entertained. This is why decisions concerning this matter are extremely difficult because there is no fine line in which rules are too drastic to a particular sport. Bechta rounds up by proposing that it is possible that fans may adjust more gracefully than expected, considering substitute leagues for the major sports have not had much success in the past.
(5)Clos, Tom. “Balancing player safety with a full contact sport” The Daily Iowan. June 27, 2012. Article. http://www.dailyiowan.com/2012/06/27/Sports/28818.html
The author of this newspaper article addresses the audience with a very opinionated/biased approach that somehow proves to be convincing for those on the other side of the argument. Clos provides assertions that the NFL could be abolished within the near future due to the rapid rate of rule changes/proposals by commissioner Roger Goodell. Clos also argues that ‘enough is enough’, backing up his claims with quotes from current NFL players including Chicago Bears wideout Devin Hester. Clos uses his one-sided advantage to make logical claims however, that injuries are going to happen no matter what rule is enforced and that they should just ‘let the players play’. Clos continuously bashes the pro-safety side blatantly stating that the NFL is the “No Fun League” and that the excitement is going away from the game. All points made by the offer are backed up by tremendous background evidence and support which make this article a strong source of credible public opinion.
(6)Perskey, Anna Stolley. “Playing it Safe: Are Concussions Ruining Sports?” DC Bar for Lawyers. April 2013. Electronic. http://www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/resources/publications/washington_lawyer/april_2013/playing_safe.cfm
Perskey takes a professional viewpoint from someone not directly affiliated with sports, addressing a topic that proves that the concern of player safety in sports is an issue that is rising on the global scale. Perskey starts with interviews from retired athletes who have a history of head injuries and talks to them about their daily lives now. Unfortunately, a number of them have contracted CTE, which is a brain illness that leads to depression, memory loss, etc. Perskey sides with the pro-safety argument by taking the sympathy standpoint, making the audience aware that these former athletes lives have been forever changed by the brutal dangers they were exposed to in their playing days. By including this element, solid evidence backs the pro-safety side of this issue. However, this article is extremely biased as it does not include the numbers of the many retired sports alumni that went on to live healthy lives after their respective careers had come to an end. It would be difficult to take this article with the utmost credibility because quite frankly it is a completely one-sided affair. Nonetheless, the author does an exceptional job in presenting her case in a just matter that is well-backed by factual claims and evidence of long-term health concerns for athletes in contact sports.
(7)Rubin, Jesse. “Player Safety in College Basketball: When Will Referees Step Up?” The Communicator. April 11, 2013. Electronic. http://www.chscommunicator.com/sports/2013/04/11/player-safety-in-college-basketball-when-will-referees-step-up/
In this article, Jesse Rubin highlights an example of concern in the sports world, in this case focusing on college basketball. Rubin notes one particular incident in the 2013 Sweet 16 game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Kansas Jayhawks where rough, reckless play was taking place amongst both squads. Rubin continuously blasted officials for not properly enforcing appropriate safety procedures for the protection of the athletes. One particular incident noted was when Michigan Center Mitch McGary was intentionally harmed and nothing was called by any of the officials. Basically the author is just wondering when the officials will take initiative and start calling games with more concern for the athletes at risk. He makes an interesting point that at some point “players might fear for their safety”, and that it is important to not let the game get to that point. Although college basketball is not nearly as injury prone than football, baseball, or hockey, there are still obvious gaps that need to be filled to take a stand and ensure the athletes that excessive contact will not take place in an already hostile environment. As players become more athletic, bigger, and faster, Rubin stresses that there needs to be more protection of the athletes before careers get cut short because of reckless actions of players who are taking advantage of the lack of calls on the court.
(8)Mohrmann, Dan. “Safety focus is on the wrong sport” Mile High Sports. February 1, 2013. Electronic. http://milehighsports.com/2013/02/01/mohrmann-safety-focus-is-on-the-wrong-sport/
This article takes an unorthodox perspective on this global issue that really touches on a component of the debate that no one is talking about. Mohrmann argues that the majority of the player safety debate is locked in on the wrong sport. Most of the player safety debate deals with issues in the National Football League but the author claims that the X Games are what people should be concerned about. With backing up his claims with comparisons of the injury total and seriousness of those injuries, Mohrmann appears to have a legitimate argument. The X Games no only puts athletes at a high chance of injury, but injuries sustained by these athletes happen to be much more serious than those in any other sport. According to Mohrmann, “2 athletes have died in the X Games in the past 2 years”, which subsequently could stir a debate amongst X Games officials about the safety of this sport. However, Mohrmann claims that people will continue to ignore the safety factor of this sport because of the entertainment factor provided and those concerned with safety are preoccupied by the incidents occurring in the NFL due to its popularity. This touches base with another blank area in the debate of the role of sport popularity on the enforcement or addition of rules designed for player safety. Overall, Mohrmann sums up the situation by stating that the X Games is what should be the main focus in this issue and he has credible evidence to back up that bold assertion.
(9)Thomas, Sean. “An increase in player safety is a necessary evil” The Connection. March 13, 2013. Article. http://www.thecrcconnection.com/the-cheap-seats/2013/03/13/an-increase-in-player-safety-is-a-necessary-evil/
The primary focus of this article proposes that even though player safety rules may tarnish the game itself, it is a necessary component. By naming multiple circumstances of CTE diagnoses of professional sports alumni and apparent suicides caused by this illness, Thomas claims that it is necessary to open up the boundaries of these safety procedures. Thomas lightly takes the pro-safety side but does acknowledge that the pro-integrity side has strong arguments supporting its side as well. Basically, Thomas argues that he supports the protection of the integrity of the game, but it has gotten to the point where the importance of player safety has taken higher priority due to the level of severity these injuries have had on retired athletes.
(10)Hammond, Andre. “General Managers discuss player safety in Milwaukee meetings” Bettor. April 22, 2013. Electronic. http://blogs.bettor.com/General-Managers-discuss-player-safety-in-Milwaukee-meetings-MLB-Update-a112224
This report by Andre Hammond states that the GMs of MLB teams have made an extensive effort this year in discussing player safety at league meetings. Tactics like pitcher and batter safety, fan interference, and even offseason protection of players from unstable countries have been topics of discussion. Primarily focused on the latter, officials have been overwhelmed by the incident involving Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos, as he was kidnapped for ransom in his native Venezuelan home during the offseason. Officials are taking a stand at the off-field protection focus by figuring out how they can provide security to athletes in developing countries. Hammond claims that the last thing officials want to happen is the league to look bad by having one of its players killed in an off-field incident. Ironically, this can be more damaging to the league’s image than if something occurred in an actual game. Fortunately, Hammond later notes that Ramos was recovered safely and that the MLB is going to “go the extra mile to protect its players in the future”. These are very encouraging words provided by Hammond to provide relief to the audience from a sad story. Hammond takes a direct point on off-field player safety, which is one of the more debatable propositions in terms of what can be allowed to let the players have freedom. Although somewhat controversial, Hammond provides a thorough report on what has been done and agrees that the MLB did an excellent job in the recovering of Ramos after what could have been one of worst off-field tragedies the MLB has seen since the death of former Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kyle, which occurred on a team road trip.
(1)Gardna, Andrew. “Tracing the Evolution of Player Safety Throughout NFL History” Bleacher Report. March 21, 2012. Electronic. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1113196-tracing-the-evolution-of-player-safety-throughout-nfl-history
Gardna does an excellent job in summarizing the major milestones/points of emphasize in the history of the campaign of player safety in the National Football League. Gardna manages to provide the audience with interesting information, elaborating on key, ground-breaking events like the introduction of helmets, the defenseless receiver rule and the Colt McCoy Incident. Basically, what could be hundreds of pages of information is contracted into a brief summary that contains visuals that provide the reader with quality entertainment packaged with the factual knowledge. Gardna takes a neutral perspective, playing the role of an informer rather than someone sparking a debate, flying a banner of the side they favor. If anything, this leans towards the pro-safety by the description of the radical changes that the NFL officials have made to the game. Gardna concludes with food for thought by asking the reader if it will eventually be too much changes to tarnish the integrity of the game. This article basically provides a decent summary of the on-field safety debate, listing arguments for both sides of the disagreement.
(2)Geerts, Justin. “Player safety an issue in baseball” The Herald. April 1, 2013. Article. http://herald.cornerstone.edu/2013/04/01/player-safety-an-issue-in-baseball/
Geerts addresses the issue of head safety in the sport of baseball from an objective stance. Geerts lists an example of a Minor League coach that sustained severe head injuries from a line drive striking him in the head. This was an intimidation factor that could be convincing to the pro-safety side of the debate. Geerts addresses the propositions of lower level leagues requiring base coaches to wear helmets at all times and even requiring the very controversial act of making pitchers wear helmets. An interview containing a current college pitcher took the side of the pro-integrity side, stating that having a helmet on the mound would be uncomfortable for the majority of athletes. This concludes with an unclear side of justice, stating that the issue is only growing and soon there will be changes. All it would take would be one major injury to completely change the perspective of a mass group of people.
(3)Katz, Andy. “Blue Devils caught in fan surge” ESPN. March 1, 2013. Electronic. http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9001926/duke-coach-mike-krzyzewski-concerned-player-safety-fans-storm-court-following-loss-virginia
The issue faced in this article deals with off-the-field factors that can expose athletes to various amounts of harm and danger. Duke Basketball Coach Mike Kryzewski argues that fans should not be allowed to ‘court storm’ after upset victories because it puts his players in harm’s way. Katz does an excellent portrayal of Coach K’s side of the argument, describing that young teenage athletes can be verbally and physically abused at a vulnerable position that could lead to dumb decisions. Then there is the pro-integrity side that backs ‘court storming’, claiming it is one of the best traditions of college basketball that should be continued no matter what. Although Katz himself does not put in much insight as the majority of this blog is quotes of Coach K, the article defines a fine line between both sides, providing the reader with conflicting arguments that could be considered very controversial.
(4)Bechta, Jack. “Do the fans really care about player safety?” Yahoo! Sports. December 19, 2012. Electronic. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/fans-really-care-player-safety-233000773--nfl.html
Bechta takes a realist perspective when describing the average fan’s view on player safety. Bechta argues that some sports would be effected little but other sports would be completely damaged to the point of nonexistence. Those sports like UFC Fighting, NASCAR, and NFL Football have a lot more to lose than the likes of International soccer and Professional Tennis. Bechta takes the pro-integrity side, stating that fans want to see the action and the glamour. In their selfish ways, they really are not very concerned about the risk of injury but more concerned with being entertained. This is why decisions concerning this matter are extremely difficult because there is no fine line in which rules are too drastic to a particular sport. Bechta rounds up by proposing that it is possible that fans may adjust more gracefully than expected, considering substitute leagues for the major sports have not had much success in the past.
(5)Clos, Tom. “Balancing player safety with a full contact sport” The Daily Iowan. June 27, 2012. Article. http://www.dailyiowan.com/2012/06/27/Sports/28818.html
The author of this newspaper article addresses the audience with a very opinionated/biased approach that somehow proves to be convincing for those on the other side of the argument. Clos provides assertions that the NFL could be abolished within the near future due to the rapid rate of rule changes/proposals by commissioner Roger Goodell. Clos also argues that ‘enough is enough’, backing up his claims with quotes from current NFL players including Chicago Bears wideout Devin Hester. Clos uses his one-sided advantage to make logical claims however, that injuries are going to happen no matter what rule is enforced and that they should just ‘let the players play’. Clos continuously bashes the pro-safety side blatantly stating that the NFL is the “No Fun League” and that the excitement is going away from the game. All points made by the offer are backed up by tremendous background evidence and support which make this article a strong source of credible public opinion.
(6)Perskey, Anna Stolley. “Playing it Safe: Are Concussions Ruining Sports?” DC Bar for Lawyers. April 2013. Electronic. http://www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/resources/publications/washington_lawyer/april_2013/playing_safe.cfm
Perskey takes a professional viewpoint from someone not directly affiliated with sports, addressing a topic that proves that the concern of player safety in sports is an issue that is rising on the global scale. Perskey starts with interviews from retired athletes who have a history of head injuries and talks to them about their daily lives now. Unfortunately, a number of them have contracted CTE, which is a brain illness that leads to depression, memory loss, etc. Perskey sides with the pro-safety argument by taking the sympathy standpoint, making the audience aware that these former athletes lives have been forever changed by the brutal dangers they were exposed to in their playing days. By including this element, solid evidence backs the pro-safety side of this issue. However, this article is extremely biased as it does not include the numbers of the many retired sports alumni that went on to live healthy lives after their respective careers had come to an end. It would be difficult to take this article with the utmost credibility because quite frankly it is a completely one-sided affair. Nonetheless, the author does an exceptional job in presenting her case in a just matter that is well-backed by factual claims and evidence of long-term health concerns for athletes in contact sports.
(7)Rubin, Jesse. “Player Safety in College Basketball: When Will Referees Step Up?” The Communicator. April 11, 2013. Electronic. http://www.chscommunicator.com/sports/2013/04/11/player-safety-in-college-basketball-when-will-referees-step-up/
In this article, Jesse Rubin highlights an example of concern in the sports world, in this case focusing on college basketball. Rubin notes one particular incident in the 2013 Sweet 16 game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Kansas Jayhawks where rough, reckless play was taking place amongst both squads. Rubin continuously blasted officials for not properly enforcing appropriate safety procedures for the protection of the athletes. One particular incident noted was when Michigan Center Mitch McGary was intentionally harmed and nothing was called by any of the officials. Basically the author is just wondering when the officials will take initiative and start calling games with more concern for the athletes at risk. He makes an interesting point that at some point “players might fear for their safety”, and that it is important to not let the game get to that point. Although college basketball is not nearly as injury prone than football, baseball, or hockey, there are still obvious gaps that need to be filled to take a stand and ensure the athletes that excessive contact will not take place in an already hostile environment. As players become more athletic, bigger, and faster, Rubin stresses that there needs to be more protection of the athletes before careers get cut short because of reckless actions of players who are taking advantage of the lack of calls on the court.
(8)Mohrmann, Dan. “Safety focus is on the wrong sport” Mile High Sports. February 1, 2013. Electronic. http://milehighsports.com/2013/02/01/mohrmann-safety-focus-is-on-the-wrong-sport/
This article takes an unorthodox perspective on this global issue that really touches on a component of the debate that no one is talking about. Mohrmann argues that the majority of the player safety debate is locked in on the wrong sport. Most of the player safety debate deals with issues in the National Football League but the author claims that the X Games are what people should be concerned about. With backing up his claims with comparisons of the injury total and seriousness of those injuries, Mohrmann appears to have a legitimate argument. The X Games no only puts athletes at a high chance of injury, but injuries sustained by these athletes happen to be much more serious than those in any other sport. According to Mohrmann, “2 athletes have died in the X Games in the past 2 years”, which subsequently could stir a debate amongst X Games officials about the safety of this sport. However, Mohrmann claims that people will continue to ignore the safety factor of this sport because of the entertainment factor provided and those concerned with safety are preoccupied by the incidents occurring in the NFL due to its popularity. This touches base with another blank area in the debate of the role of sport popularity on the enforcement or addition of rules designed for player safety. Overall, Mohrmann sums up the situation by stating that the X Games is what should be the main focus in this issue and he has credible evidence to back up that bold assertion.
(9)Thomas, Sean. “An increase in player safety is a necessary evil” The Connection. March 13, 2013. Article. http://www.thecrcconnection.com/the-cheap-seats/2013/03/13/an-increase-in-player-safety-is-a-necessary-evil/
The primary focus of this article proposes that even though player safety rules may tarnish the game itself, it is a necessary component. By naming multiple circumstances of CTE diagnoses of professional sports alumni and apparent suicides caused by this illness, Thomas claims that it is necessary to open up the boundaries of these safety procedures. Thomas lightly takes the pro-safety side but does acknowledge that the pro-integrity side has strong arguments supporting its side as well. Basically, Thomas argues that he supports the protection of the integrity of the game, but it has gotten to the point where the importance of player safety has taken higher priority due to the level of severity these injuries have had on retired athletes.
(10)Hammond, Andre. “General Managers discuss player safety in Milwaukee meetings” Bettor. April 22, 2013. Electronic. http://blogs.bettor.com/General-Managers-discuss-player-safety-in-Milwaukee-meetings-MLB-Update-a112224
This report by Andre Hammond states that the GMs of MLB teams have made an extensive effort this year in discussing player safety at league meetings. Tactics like pitcher and batter safety, fan interference, and even offseason protection of players from unstable countries have been topics of discussion. Primarily focused on the latter, officials have been overwhelmed by the incident involving Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos, as he was kidnapped for ransom in his native Venezuelan home during the offseason. Officials are taking a stand at the off-field protection focus by figuring out how they can provide security to athletes in developing countries. Hammond claims that the last thing officials want to happen is the league to look bad by having one of its players killed in an off-field incident. Ironically, this can be more damaging to the league’s image than if something occurred in an actual game. Fortunately, Hammond later notes that Ramos was recovered safely and that the MLB is going to “go the extra mile to protect its players in the future”. These are very encouraging words provided by Hammond to provide relief to the audience from a sad story. Hammond takes a direct point on off-field player safety, which is one of the more debatable propositions in terms of what can be allowed to let the players have freedom. Although somewhat controversial, Hammond provides a thorough report on what has been done and agrees that the MLB did an excellent job in the recovering of Ramos after what could have been one of worst off-field tragedies the MLB has seen since the death of former Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kyle, which occurred on a team road trip.