The Natural- The Final Essay

Thesis: Roy Hobbs has changed over the course of the novel from positively to negatively.

1. Comeback Player- He is on a hot streak as soon he gets playing time, and all the fans begin to love him.
2. Selfish Player- Roy meets with Judge to discuss a new a contract. He wanted a contract like Bump.
3. Controversial Player- The story comes out that he had taken money to throw the playoff game.

Tar Heels close-to-unanimous No. 1

10/20/11

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7126832/north-carolina-tar-heels-no-1-preseason-coaches-poll

North Carolina was so close to being a unanimous preseason No. 1 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. They were one vote away from being a unanimous preseason number 1. UNC returns most of their top players, sophomore forward Harrison Barnes, John Henson, Kendall Marshall and Tyler Zeller. Kentucky ranked 2 and Ohio State ranked 3 also bring back some of their top players from last season including Terrance Jones and Jarred Sullinger (respectively). There are some great early season matchups including UNC v. Michigan State aboard an aircraft carrier. Kentucky plays Kansas and Duke plays Michigan State.


Tar Heels ranked one with Kentucky not far behind.

Will the Tarheels finish the season at number 1?

Big 12 Expansion: Notre Dame Considering Big East Exit, According To Report

10/24/11
http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/10/24/2509644/big-12-expansion-notre-dame-big-east

Notre Dame is going over the idea to pull out of the conference amid the prospect of the Big East evaporating. Notre Dame's football team remains independent, but the rest of its sports are played in the Big East. But with the future of the conference unclear. Sources told Orangebloods.com Notre Dame will decide in 60 days if it will move non-football sports out of Big East. If Notre Dame leaves this could be the final blow to the big east


Could This Be Another Blow to the Big East, Notre Dame thinking Big 12?

When will all pieces start to fall or come together for the Big east.

Athletes which commit Crimes

Plaxico Burress- Attempted criminal possession of a weapon
Jamal Lewis- using a cell phone to facilitate a drug deal
OJ Simpson- robbery, kidnapping
Donte Stallworth- DUI Manslaughter (Driving under the influence of alcohol)
Michael Vick- conspiracy, related to dog fighting
Darryl Strawberry- drug possession, solicitation of prostitution
Pete Rose- tax evasion
Doc Gooden- fleeing police, violation of probation (drug use)
Floyd Mayweather, SR.- Drugs trafficking
Javaris Crittenton- charged with the August 19 murder of Jullian Jones

I do believe that athletes should be allowed to participate and continue their sport. This can only happen if the specific athlete does not get off easy. As for Plaxico Burress and Mike Vick, they had done their time in jail and came out "new" men. For Donte Stallworth, he killed a man while driving intoxicated, but was not sentenced to life in prison because he made a deal with the victim's family. He really did not learn from the crime if he (not to be corny) did not do the time. As for the minor crimes, I believe that the athletes should be allowed to play. With the major crimes resulting in minimum sentences beginning with a year, I believe that the athlete should be suspended for the time even if a few months are dropped their sentence. This will show that athletes are not above the law with their celebrity status and millions of dollars.

Source: Big East Invites 5 Schools

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7101780/source-big-east-sends-invites-five-schools-hike-exit-fee
10/15/11

The Big East could end up replacing outgoing Pittsburgh, Syracuse and TCU with full-time members Houston, Southern Methodist and Central Florida, while adding Air Force and Boise State in football only. The Big East will tell the four schools that if all four agree to join the Big East remaining schools would agree to an increase in the exit fee from $5 million to the $10 million range to show a commitment. The Big East also is working on a separate deal with Navy. The two conferences affected by the Big East's expansion plans, the Mountain West and Conference USA announced Friday they would form a 22-team merged league in football only.


The Big East Stability, So Close, Yet So Far

Will Boise State accept the invite to join an AQ conference?

Run Ricky Run

I would describe Ricky as honorable. As we talked about last year in english, we talked about the american dream and one day fulfilling your life goal's while living with an abundance of money. Ricky, had the American Dream in hand and decided to give it up for something else he believed in. I feel bad for him, how the media portrayed him. They portrayed him as a person who loved drugs over football and his family, but in reality he was just trying to recoup his body and mind from the beating it takes from football. The media would portray him as a villain who had given up on his team and the fan base which loved him. I believe they got it wrong. He really had issues which he was trying to work out. It is commendable that he chose his health over the millions of dollars he would have received struggling with his identity throughout his seasons in football.

Big East considering option of expanding to 12 teams for football

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/10/big-east-football-expansion-12-teams/1
10/10/11

After the Big East got word TCU would not be joining and moving to the Big 12, the Big East commissioner has publicly set out to add six more teams. That would mean just six football-playing schools would remain when this move is complete. The Big East expansion plan could include service academies Army, Navy and Air Force in addition to East Carolina, Central Florida, Memphis, Temple and current Big East member Villanova, which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision. Army, Navy, and Air Force might just be for football only. The Big East will need to at least add 2-4 more teams to keep an automatic qualifying spot in the BCS.


Big East searching for 6 more teams

Will Memphis and Temple join for basketball also?

NBA Cancels First 2 Weeks of Season

10/11/11
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7085089/nba-labor-david-stern-cancels-first-two-weeks-nba-season

After nearly thirteen hours of negotiating and accomplishing nothing, commissioner David Stern canceled the first two weeks of the NBA season. Stern was showing real dismay at not getting a deal done by the Monday deadline. Stern was quoted saying, "I'm sure the players think the same thing, but the gap is so significant that we just can't bridge it at this time." Owners were pushing for contract limits of four years. There is promise that once games begin to be missed, players are going to want their money and agree to the deal.


How Long Can they Go? Stern cancels first 2 weeks

Will there be NBA this season?

Marcus DuPree

Marcus DuPree did things that could be considered selfish. Leading up to the Fiesta Bowl, Marcus Dupree did not work out, became overweight, and barely played (although setting records) so his team ended up losing. He also just hid out for a couple of days without telling anyone where he was and the FBI went looking for him. Marcus also used Southern Miss as a cover for a plan to get him into the NFL, with no real intent to play there after transferring.

I sympathize with Marcus Dupree. Everywhere he went from nearly his freshman year in high school, he had people telling what was best for him. He never really had a chance to figure out was best for himself. At the moment when he did, committing to Texas during his visit, he immediately changed his mind upon hearing his family's remarks. He had regrets going to Oklahoma from day 1.

I think I was most shocked at how good he really was. He was the best running back in high school and in college when he was motivated to play. Throughout the movie my feelings about Marcus kept changing. After getting injured and after seeing Ken pushing him in wrong directions I felt real sorry for him. But on the other hand, I was annoyed to see how he could have been even greater if he worked for it and didn't have such a lax attitude.

Selfish Athletes

I definitely do not agree with the article we read in class. Although athletes love collecting big pay checks, it is fans who pay large sums of money to watch them play and to purchase their memorabilia. There are some athletes who are selfish like Carl Crawford, Vincent Jackson, Albert Haynesworth and more who just love their money and want money first before the love of the game. I think with money and fame people some people will always be selfish but the same can turn someone into a real charitable person.

Will Theo Epstein Be Next to Leave

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7052661/theo-epstein-face-complicated-decision-boston-red-sox

After already letting Terry Francona go, Theo Epstein may be next to leave. A major league source talking about Epstein staying said there is a 50-50 chance. He also said he wouldn't be shocked if he left. Theo Epstein is still under contract so unless he gets fired, he will not be able to go and leave. Red Sox chairman described Theo Epstein as one of the best GMs in the league.

Theo Epstein One Foot out the Door.

Will Theo Epstein and Terry Francona join up again in Chicago (Cubs)?

Big East Presidents OK Expansion

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7051020/presidents-chancellors-give-commissioner-ok-expand-big-east-conference

The Big East president and the fourteen remaining schools plus TCU agreed to actively pursue discussions with certain schools about joining the conference. Some of the schools included Navy, Army, Air Force, Temple, UCF, and SMU. They also discussed possibly increasing the buy out for Syracuse and Pitt so they would be able to leave the conference sooner rather than the typical 27 month waiting period. The conversation went from discussing Television rights to expansion.

Big East Looking to Clean up conference mess

Why not go after Boise State?

Kobe Bryant

I do not believe Kobe's trial has affected the majority opinion of him in recent years. Although all signs may have pointed for him to be guilty, he still was not proven guilty in court. Also the NBA appeals to much younger fan base who may not have followed or been old enough to remember this incident. Since Kobe has done really well winning for the Lakers and the USA (olympics) people seem to have forgotten this whole event. As for me I do not really remember exactly what had transpired, as result of my young age, but I am sure there are some people who just cannot even look at him the same way,

Michael Phelps

I do not believe the media and sponsors overreacted to the situation with Michael Phelps. He was caught doing something illegal and should have been punished in the way he was. From the sponsors standpoint I am sure they did it because they knew they would lose some of their younger consumers. I don't think it would have been a significant loss, but they did receive free adverstising and were able to reach a larger group of people then with hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars they spend on campaigns for their products. From Phelps's work in the pool and athletically, he is a great role model for kids showing where hard work and persistency can land you. As a role model morally, he is not up to the status quo, partaking in illegal activities.