Friday, October 31, 2014
Read "Why I Love My Job" - by Rick Reilly
On page 658 in your textbook, read "Why I Love My Job" by Rick Reilly. After reading, write your personal feelings about the article and relate it to your own ideas on the subject. What would you say about the writer? Who is his audience? What is the main point to this article? This can be taken in many different directions.
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I loved this article. The fact that the writer chose to pursue an occupation thought to be inferior, despite the dissuading of his professor, was truly inspiring. Aside from that, the majority of the points made by the author were used excellently in support of his argument. Each of the points brought about a new perspective on the way that many people view sports in general. It is true that sports are much more than just a competition. There are, however, a few specific points that I, as a sports fan, disagree with.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I disagree with the author's claim that "Sports are real, they cannot be faked." After making this statement, the author goes on to explain a variety of times when favoritism and cheating has been used in politics and in business. However, as unfortunate as it is, there are a variety of instances in sports when this same favoritism and cheating has existed. For example, I consider myself a big fan of the NBA (National Basketball Association). Over the past few years, a prominent topic of the NBA has been the partiality shown towards the Miami Heat, as well as their star player (up until this year), Lebron James. Due to the fact that Lebron James was considered "the best basketball player in the world," many people believed that in order to keep the fans happy, the NBA officials "rigged" the games so that the Miami Heat would remain the champions by calling obvious calls in favor of the Heat. There was no official proof of this, but it was certainly viewed as questionable when observing the contests of the Miami Heat. In contrast, the favoritism shown by the association towards Lebron James was evident. When turning on the television to watch a quick rundown on Sports Center, I could not watch for more than ten minutes without them mentioning Lebron James - and his greatness - at some point. It seemed that every headline, program, and highlight revolved around Lebron and his team. I believe it was unfair to the other outstanding athletes, and their teams as well.
The next notion I disagree with is that which claims "You may change religion or politics, but not teams." Once again, I will turn to Lebron James and the Miami Heat as a prime example. Prior to James being signed with the Miami Heat, he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, a few years ago, he made the decision to leave Cleveland and sign with the Heat. This caused an uproar in Cleveland, as many fans who were loyal to the Cavaliers burned Lebron's jerseys and pledged their loyalty to their Cleveland team. There were a select few, however, that decided that wherever Lebron goes, they would go as well. These people were degradingly referred to as the "bandwagons." I believe that these bandwagons are a valid argument against the notion that fans do not switch teams. Just this past year, Lebron made the decision to return to Cleveland. Many of these bandwagons who pledged their loyalty towards the Heat following Lebron's decision to sign with them, were now calling themselves Cavalier fans once again.
Finally, I highly disagree with the statement "Sports is Oprah for guys" for the sole reason that sports are not only for guys, as Oprah is not only for girls. I grew up watching basketball, as well as playing it with my dad and brothers. Sports were always a large part of my childhood. My dad has been a Boston Celtics fan since he was a kid. As a result of this, my brothers and I grew up watching the Celtics, and rooting for them as well. I still consider myself a Boston Celtics fan, and never in my life have I watched Oprah. I do not believe that the author intentionally implied that girls do not watch sports, but it was still out standing to me, regardless.
Mary, I agree with you basically on all of the points presented. I know many girls who love sports. But I believe he did not intentionally imply that sports are only for guys. Still, sports are for everybody, regardless of gender. I also agree with you on your point about bandwagon folks. I know plenty of people who converted their allegiance from the Indianapolis Colts to the Denver Broncos when Peyton Manning left Indy to go to Denver. It is really annoying, because you have to pick a team and stick with them. I am a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and I have been for a very long time. When the Pirates finally started winning in 2013, it seemed all these Pirate fans started appearing out of nowhere. These people are not real Pirate fans, because they did not endure the suffering that occurred from 1992-2012. The fact these people called themselves Pirate fans really annoyed me. But...that's the way things go I guess. And yes. It seems whenever Lebron James sneezes we here about the possibility of him having a cold. Just...ugh...It's really annoying. But, yes. I will welcome the day Lebron retires.
DeleteMary - I remember all of the furor over Lebron's move to Miami. Actually not long before his move, I was presenting a paper at the College English Association in San Antonio, Texas where Cleveland was playing against San Antonio. I went to the game and was excited to see this "famous" figure making his way around the court. I was quite happy to know that he is going back to Cleveland.
DeleteI also do not believe that the Reilly intentionally meant to come across as sexist. I believe that sports just are a common ground among most men. This is a topic that all men can relate to. I think sports are a great thing for girls. I have always been a tomboy throughout my life because of sports. My father had an obsession with football, which he passed onto me. As a child, I always played football with the boys. Although, it never struck me as weird. Sports and things commonly associated with boys have always been my forte. Today, if you were to ask me who the biggest names in fashion were, I would have no idea. However, if you were to ask me what a spinning fullback were or the entire plot of Star Wars, I would have no problem answering that.
DeleteThe way that Rick Reilly begins and ends his article about sports and his job is amazing! Reilly was obviously a little bit upset with his professor when he wrote this, and he wanted to prove a point. This article is an inspiration with its ultimate message to never give up and to follow your dreams.
ReplyDeleteReilly was told by his professor,"You're better than sports." This made him mad and he did not want to stop his career. His professor was trying to say that he could do more with his life and there were better, more educated options for Reilly out in the world. He was strong enough to have his own opinion, however, and he did what he wanted to do. We need more people like Reilly in the world today. It is so easy to be influenced by what people say. Someone reading an article on the Internet can be so easily persuaded. Advertisements on the news and television have people buying things that they do not really want. Individuals need to have their own voice and do what they think is right.
If Reilly was too good for sports, it would not matter. It would be a lot nicer to go to a job that he loves everyday than to drag himself somewhere in order to work. This is his main point in his article. Everyone needs to do what they want to do, no matter who tries to get in their way.
My mom made my four brothers and I take piano lessons when we began kindergarden. They were difficult about it from the start, and they did not even give it a chance. When it was my turn to go, I got really excited! I did not like the lessons, but playing the piano was always something that I have loved! I took lessons for ten years, and it is a talent that I will never regret learning. My brothers gave me a hard time about it and asked why I spent so much time playing the piano everyday. They said that I was addicted when I only played for fifteen minutes a day. I got upset and stopped for the moment, but what they said to me was not going to stop me from doing something that I loved. Somedays, I went down to the church and practiced when they heckled me too much. I did what I could to keep going, and the hard work paid off. Two of my brothers quit piano and began to play guitar. They do not make fun of me anymore, and we sometimes play music together for fun.
Trying to encourage me, my parents sometimes remind me that sports might be too good for me, but in a nice way. I continue to participate in them even though I am not the most athletic person alive, and they appreciate that. Sports teach you other social, mental, and emotional skills, and it is important to keep trying them anyway. When I sit the bench in soccer or swim bad at a meet, my mom always tells me that she was always picked last in gym class, and that I am better at other things. I have different talents to share. There is more to life than just being athletic, smart, or pretty, but it is important that you do not give up, not matter what anyone says.
Everyone is good at something. It might not be the same thing as your neighbor, but a person's talent is worth a lot. This world needs everyone to do what they want, not what a friend wants them to do. Reilly did not let his professor dream for him, and he ended up being extremely successful. Do not shoot down advice from others, but take it in for your own benefit. Just as Reilly is better than his professor's advice, everyone is better at being their own person.
It is so easy to be persuaded by the beliefs and remarks of others. In this article, Reilly proved that he was indeed better than the advice that was offered to him by his professor. So many times, we listen to the ways that others believe we should live our lives, and we begin to believe that that is the only way. Reilly shows that he was strong enough to disregard the dissuasion of others and follow his own path. There are many times I wish I would have done the same. When I entered seventh grade, it seemed that all of the girls in my grade were signing up for the volleyball and track teams. I really did not want to, as I had never been too keen on sports, but the constant pressure from my peers caused me to join the teams as well. As I got older, I began to realize just how much I had been missing out on by participating in a sport. I knew that I possessed talent in other areas, but I did not have time to pursue them due to my constant preoccupation with sports. Aside from that, I did not even enjoy the sports that I participated in due to the fact that I never felt that I was good enough. I now look back and ponder what my life would have been like had I resisted the pressure, and pursued the activities that I truly enjoyed - and excelled at.
DeleteMany children are forced into doing sports or other activities by their parents. The children may participate and discovery they love these activities or that they hate them instead. Whatever happens, it is a good learning experience for the child. They will discover their interests, and may even develop new ones.
DeleteWhen I was young, my mother signed my sister and I up for the Blue Tide swim team. Every night at five she would drive us out to the pool for practice. We would swim for two hours and then come home. I hated swimming. Anyone who swims knows that it is incredibly hard, both mentally and physically. For two hours every night I had to convince myself that breathing was not necessary, and that I was not going to drown. Every time we approached the building that housed the pool my stomach twisted into knots, and I felt sick. When I told my mom that I wanted to quit, she was shocked. She had thought that I loved swimming, and I spent quite some time explaining that I hated it. She told me that I was free to stop, but I had to finish the season first. However, when the time came to quit, I decided not to.
I swim on the high school team now. I work hard and do my best every practice, and it shows in my times. When I look back to those Blue Tide practices, I realize that the "hate" I felt was only half the story. When I was young, this feeling crowded out the other half of the equation: the love that I had as well. Swimming is grueling, but also a lot of fun. I would never have discovered this if my mom had not signed me up when I was little.
Children need to be pushed into things that they would not ordinarily try. This is how they discover what interests them and what does not. Even if they do not continue to pursue the activity as they grow up, they will still have given it a chance. These situations are often just trial and error, but they help shape the child into who they are in later life.
Rick Reilly writes this article today to prove to his professor that he made the right decision. Although his professor thought that he should be writing about some subject other than sports, he refused. Why? Because he knew sports were for him. I think Rick was one of those people who found what he loved and wanted to do, so he did it.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I think his audience is toward those people who think different of what others know they should do. Rick's professor discouraged him against going into sports writing, but Rick knew it was for him. I think sometimes people's advice is not needed. Sometimes, people just need to go their own way and figure it out for themselves. Other people should respect their wishes and let them go their own way. If it works for them, great. If not, then the others can say "I told you so." But for the time being, let them go. They could end up being like Rick Reilly and have a successful career that makes them proud.
Reilly goes on in the article to show why he is not better than sports, and why sports are not a demeaning subject to write about. He talks about all the redeeming qualities of sports, such as mercy, love, passion, and honor. When you look at sports like that, they don't seem so dumb to write about as his professor thought. He is telling the audience that there is so much more to sports than a ball and a score. My favorite example he gave was the one about honor. He right, how many volleyball teams would give up a championship game to go to the hospital with a teammate and comfort them when they are hurt? Not many. You don't hear about the band doing that, or the dance team, or the chess club. Sports are a different ball game. They have different values than other activities do that make them unique. To Reilly, those values are more interesting than, say, writing about current events. Sports have a different side to them that many fail to recognize. I myself am not very good at sports, but I am good at music. For the first time in awhile, I played soccer this year. I was not very good and sat the bench a lot, but still had fun. In terms of athletics, I'm probably better at volleyball than soccer. But still, I got to experience some of the same qualities and emotions that Reilly experienced. He's right; you can't experience those emotions anywhere else. Being apart of a team is a experience everyone should have. I think that sports would be interesting to write about. There is always something new, unlike people who write about crime. There is always going to crimes that are committed over and over again that you would get bored writing about...At least for me! So if Reilly knows he made the right decision writing about sports, then good for him! I think everyone should read this article with an open mind, and he is right, sometimes you are better than other's advice.
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DeleteBeing on a sports team, is like another family you have. You do everything together. Encourage everyone to their best. Help them when they are at the worst. With me, being a cheerleader is something I love to do. I love supporting the boys in all the football games. Sure when it's cold and raining, (Friday night game) every cheer leader was missable and freezing. We stated the whole game how we hated it. We hated the weather. Not the game. Sure we were getting our buts kicked, but we still cheered and clapped when our boys did something good! We showed pride for our team even though we lost! Win or lose we still believe in our team. I consider the football team and the cheerleading team to be a team put together. Since we are all together a team, we are a family. We go to the games together. Encourage everyone to do their best. And cheer them on even at their worst. It's what a family does best.
DeleteReilly makes a compelling argument about following one's dreams. Reilly is a sportswriter, and his passion is sports. His love for sports is shown throughout the entire section, and shows some of the reasons he feels so strongly about them. Even when one of his professors tried to convince him to pursue another career, Reilly continued writing about what he loves. Reilly's story is truly inspiring.
ReplyDeleteBecause Reilly knew what he was passionate about, nothing could stop him from doing it. He loved his career, and knew that anything else would not compare to the joy he felt when he did what he loved. Other people should apply this mindset to their own lives and their own jobs. If people pursued what they loved, their jobs would not seem routine or mundane. "Jobs" and "work" would be forgotten as people woke up every morning to pursue their passion. Their daily lives would be interesting and engaging, and they would do the absolute best that they could in order to succeed.
One part of the article that stood out was the small story about Reilly's old journalism professor. Reilly had been told by that professor that he was "better than sports." Reilly had just started writing as a sports columnist as a sophomore, and may have been slightly unsure about where this career was heading. However, he knew he loved sports, and did not allow his professor to change his mind about that. His professor did not understand the deep love and respect he had for sports, so he completely disregarded her advice. At the end of the selection, Reilly states that one thing he is better than is "advice from professors." This is a powerful statement. Reilly knew himself and what he wanted, so he disregarded advice that was given by someone experienced. Many times, a professor does not know the degree of a student's passions, and so cannot accurately give advice about a career.
Reilly's message runs deeper than a simple explanation about the virtues of sports. Reilly's message is about passion, and doing what one loves. In today's world, love is often lost in the pursuit of money or fame. When someone chooses a career, it should not be chosen because of these things. A career should be chosen based on passion and love.
I completely agree with the notion that if others chose to pursue careers that truly intrigued them, work would not be so dreaded. It is so important that one succeeds in disregarding the negative opinions of others, so as to pursue a career that they will truly enjoy. Ever since I was a child, I have loved to write, as well as to create other forms of art. While other children expressed interest in becoming a teacher, or perhaps a veterinarian, maybe a fireman, I persisted that I would be a writer and an artist. However, as I have grown older, nearly everyone has been pressing on me that such an occupation is "impractical" or "unrealistic." Each time such views are expressed, I become more and more unsettled for my future. I have always told myself that I do not want to pursue an occupation that I would not enjoy. I do not want to have to drag myself to work each morning, forever wishing that I had taken the risk to pursue my dream. I want to enjoy the work that I do for the rest of my life, even if that means that I have to work harder to attain it.
DeleteAs I read each of the responses here, I am reminded of my best friend's situation in Kuwait. You have to understand that in Kuwait, music is not considered a viable career choice for anyone. Most students are pushed into engineering or medicine. Kuwait is all about "prestige" and it is important for Kuwaitis to send their children to good universities for what they consider "high end degrees". So when my friend's son had decided on a music career, many of their friends were horrified that my friend Arwa and her husband Samir were going along with Rami's choice. Arwa herself is a medical doctor and Samir is an engineer. They would have been happy if one of their children had chosen their careers but they never one time put pressure on them to do so. Rami end up coming to the states and majored in music production at Berklee School of Music in Boston. He has since moved to New York City where he is a successful music producer. He has a contract with Universal and has started new artists - one such person is Kiesza, who is a new up and coming singer. Rami has produced music for Alicia Keyes, has remixed a song for Lady Gaga, and has been extremely busy as his music career has done so well. If he and his family had listened to those Kuwaiti families who thought it was a disgrace to major in music, I wonder what hole Rami would be hiding in and how depressed he would be. His family is not Kuwait but still, living in Kuwait, there is a lot of pressure to do what the Kuwaitis do. I am so proud of my friend Rami for sticking to his love of music. I just talked to him a few minutes ago as he is boarding a plane to Atlanta. He visits Akon but refuses to sign a contract with him. Rami is so sure of himself now that he won't allow any of these famous producers "buy" him. However, he and Akon still get together sometimes to discuss business options. Thought I would share this with you. Follow your dreams everyone!
DeleteIt's sad to think that a piece of paper can control what we do with our lives, rather than choosing it upon passion. To wake up every single day with a smile on my and to be able to say, "I love what I do," would be absolutely incredible. In a way though, it is hard to say that something we love now is what we will love in thirty years. My mom for example started to hate teaching, not because of the student as much as the people who were in charge of her. As we grow older our minds become ever changing and it is difficult to stick to one passion, and it becomes more difficult when money starts to effect it.
DeleteI also hope that I can grow up to be an adult that is able to be happy to go to work everyday. Growing up, I have always said that my dream job is to play guitar for a living. I have been told numerous times that this is unrealistic and I realize this. Why does this have to be unrealistic? I believe that as long as an individual is happy, they should never be judged by their occupation. I would like to think that I will be able to have a job in which I am able to make a difference in other people's lives. I believe that each student is capable of doing something great in their life if they would just set their minds to it. I find it saddening that many adults have to go everyday to a job that they hate. This just seems like such a waste to me.
DeleteWhen I read this article, I knew within the first paragraph that I would be able to relate to it on a personal level. One of the careers that I have often thought of pursuing is sports broadcasting/sports journalism. However, when I brought the idea up to my dad he told me I would not make it in sports broadcasting because I'm not going to beat out a guy who probably lives and breathes sport. Number 1, that's sexist, but that is an argument for another time. Number two, I know my sports. If you want to know how many goals Sidney Cosby has on the season or how many third down conversions Penn State had in their last game, I can tell you off the top of my head. This causes people to look at me weird and often getting me compared to the little girl in Remember the Titans. I do not care though, because it is what I love and that's why I truly believe I would love sports broadcasting and journalism and I would be successful.
ReplyDeleteRick Reilly was a sports journalist for ESPN who won Sports Writer of The Year eleven time, so his obvious audience was the athletic community. However, this article can apply to nearly anyone who likes their job. Personally, I want to be out doing something, being active, and associating with different people rather than sitting in a cubical all day. When you love what you do, time seems to stop, but in a good way. In a way that you want to be there forever. I want that, I want to be in love with what I do everyday and not regret the choice I made when it came to my career.
I feel as though people fall into jobs they don't like because they were forced to make their career choice at the age of sixteen, a time when we are still trying to figure out our interest and passions. When we are forced to make the choice of something that can impact our lives that dramatically, it takes a lot of thought. One of my biggest fears is that when I grow up I am going to hate what I do. I always have a tendency to freak out about going to college and choosing my major because the ideas in my head of what I want to do are all over the place. I essentially have just decided one very important thing: it does not matter if I'm rich (because there is always the option of marrying someone who is), I just want to be happy and successful in whatever I do.
It was obvious that Rick Reilly loves what he does, but he chose to go with his passion rather than what his professor thought that he should do. He states how you cannot fake sports and that is one of the reasons it is so special. I truly agree on his point of that. The best things in life are those that are real and completely unexpected, like when one team has a major upset. Even if you hate the team, you want the Cinderella story for them.
Going back to my previous point of choosing what one what's to be when they are sixteen and how ridiculous it is. Rick Reilly had one of the success stories, though. To go fifty plus years doing the same thing everyday is incredible, but he said it best: Sports change every day and are never planned. Unlike politics that go through the same cycle over and over again. It takes a special kind of person to do the same thing over and over again without any regrets.
Jenna your point with having to chose our career at the age of 16 that is frightening to me. I can honestly saw I had this huge dream of becoming a vet. Once I told myself this I reader he'd colleges and places I wanted to live and work. I basically had everything planned out. I was took though a tour of the Elk County Vet Clinic, and then I was asked to help with the remodeling of the Clearfield Vet Clinic. I got to meet the man himself, Dr. Shirey. He actually moved up the street from me with one house between us. I then started babysitting his kids over the summer, helping out his wife ever hotter day. They had 3 kids at the time with one on the way. This made it hard for her to get anything done. So I watched the kids while she rested, ran errands, or cleaned the house. Dr. Shirey said to me the one day, if I was really serious about taking up his occupation and I said I was. He then asked me if I wanted to have a family and see then grow up. I also said yes to this question. Then he stated that he is so busy he doesn't spend enough time with his children and he is just to busy. This automatically changed my mind. I was so great fun that he was so open to me about his job. He then helped me find other occupations that would be interesting to me. I now have many ideas in what I want to be and it again is terrifying to make the wrong decision.
DeleteJenna, I agree with your statement on being happy. I personally do not want to have a career or job where I just go through the motion and be miserable. I want to peruse in a career which I have passion and desire to get up and go to work. Finding your passion is difficult when we are forced to choose a career at such a young age. We have not even lived or experienced a quarter of the things that await us. I know as a junior I am becoming nervous because we are to decide our career paths. We have passions and we have desires, but finding a career dealing with these are extremely difficult. They are even more difficult when we have people shooting down our ideas. I feel as if people should pursue there own beliefs and do what they want not what others want.
DeleteChoosing a career at a young age is an incredibly difficult decision. Young people either do not know what they want, or are not aware of how their decision will affect their later life. There are so many options in today's world that many students do not even know what choices are available for them. Because of these reasons, many students fall into jobs that they do not enjoy.
DeleteToday's world has many options for career paths. A student can leave high school and become anything from a doctor to a teacher. This multitude of choices often overwhelms students, causing them to overlook potential job opportunities. Fields branch out in many directions, causing a multitude of jobs all under one heading. The medical field is a perfect example of this. Mandy's rudeness view the medical field as the path to becoming a doctor or surgeon, but there are many other careers choices available.
Before a student narrows down a field, they must first choose a field to narrow down. The possible fields are another source of confusion because they are so different. These differences allow the fields to be readily eliminated, but also make it hard for students to narrow down their options. How can the fields of computer science and psychology even be compared?
The young age at which people choose their career limits them in many ways. They are not yet fully aware of what their career entails, or even if it is what truly interests them. When a student makes their career choice, they make it to the best of their ability given their circumstances. However, they should realize that their choice may not be the right one for their future. They should be open to changes because they do not yet know what their life has in store for them.
Reilly says that he is not better then sports. No one is better than sports. Sports are such a great thing. Sports are very important now, and throughout all of history. No one really thinks about it, but sports have been around for a very long time. The Indus Valley Civilization played a game very similar to Cricket. The Aztec Civilization played a game similar to basketball. Why did ancient civilizations play sports? They realized the benefits of sports. They are fun, and the alternative is a fight to the death. So clearly, sports are a much better alternative. But sports have been used for much more then recreation. They have been used for social change and settling political problems. So sports have been used for very important things throughout history.
ReplyDeleteI like to think about the "Miracle on Ice" The Russians and Americans were in the middle of the Cold War. It seemed like war was inevitable. But people were not even thinking about that, they were thinking about the 1980 Winter Olympics being held in Lake Placid, NY. People were looking forward to when the United States and The USSR would meet on the ice rink. This was the war people wanted. They did not want to fight on an actual battlefield, they would settle for a war on the ice rink. The USSR had won 6 of the last 7 gold medals in ice hockey, and they had some of the best players to ever play the game of hockey. The United States team was just a team of “rag tag” nobodies. Earlier in the year, the USSR beat the United States in an exhibition game 10-3, and the game wasn’t actually as close as the score implies. All of this did not matter though. Sports are unpredictable. The USA met the USSR in the second round of the Medal playoffs. The USSR were favored to win by 4 goals. The USA pulled maybe the upset of the century, as they beat the USSR 4-3. Again, this was the war everybody wanted. The USA beat the Soviets, and in a time when patriotism was at an all-time low, this was a victory the USA needed. Again, nobody is better than sports. Sports basically allowed the United States to humiliate the USSR. So again, nobody is better than sports. Sports may have saved a nation from collapsing, and it gave the American public something to believe in.
So, sports are important. But Reilly says it is important do something you love. I am sure athletes are doing what they love. But I don’t know if I am going to do something I love. I love to bake, and I love mathematics and science. But I don’t think I am going to have a career that has anything to with those three things. I guess a decent paying job is my main concern, loving my job is my second concern. I heard one of my friends say once, “Doing what you love and not being poor usually do not go together.” I don’t know if this is true. I know plenty of examples of people doing what they love and being financially successful. But I don’t think I will be able to do that. I do not want to say I will be a failure, but I do not know any other way to say it. I believe Reilly may be addressing people like me, who are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don’t really know what to do. The article tells everybody to do what they love. But I don’t know if a particularly agree with him though. So my message to everyone is to do what they love. If they can be financially successful doing that, then that is great. If they cannot be financially successful, well, then I am sorry, but they need to get a new dream. People are welcome to disagree with me…but yeah…well…I don’t know. I guess that’s all I have to say on the topic. Actually, before I end this, I want to propose a question to everybody. Where would our country be today if Branch Rickey did not give Jackie Robinson a chance in the MLB? Alright…that is it.
It is extremely difficult to even think about the future. Nobody has an idea what can happen to them to change their lives. Dreams change almost everyday, some more than others. I believe that it would be a nightmare to go to work everyday dreading it. Yes, you need money to be safe and live, but should making yourself happy come first? I know that we do not realize it, but we are a tiny part of a ginormous world. Millions of different people have their own stories, problems, and successes. Everyone has a unique job, so there has to be a way to continue fulfilling your dream. Maybe this cannot happen if we stay in this area, this is not an ideal place to open a bakery. If you go into a big city and open a bakery, you can have people lined up on the street in order to get in. I believe that there is a dream job for everyone out there, you just have to look around and open your eyes to find it.
DeleteI forgot about that! That would have been an awesome example for Reilly to include in the passage as well. It is funny the way sports turn out. Sure, the USSR could have bombed the US or done another harsh action, but really they just decided to solve it on the ice! It is safer and more fun way to fight, that is for sure! But it also proved that people could set aside their hatred to take time and watch a game they loved. Sports are unique in that they can unite people.
DeleteNick, the Miracle on Ice story is one of my favorite sports upsets of all time. It is one of the greatest examples of what Rick Reilly spoke about when he said that sports cannot simply be planned. It just happened, and the Miracle on Ice was one of the biggest examples of a Cinderella story. Also, how you said that Ancient Civilizations had the same love of the game that many of us do is extraordinary, it goes to show that sports do not only touch the mind and body, but the heart as well. The emotions behind the game and behind even writing about the sport is incredible because you invest yourself into it. I know that it takes a toll on the fans as well. When their team is doing incredible it often reflects on the fans mood, and when their team is losing it shows as well. For example, when the Penguins lose in the playoffs, my family and friends know not to talk to me for at least a week. There is so much emotion and that is why it is so incredible.
DeleteThis article was very inspiring to me. When Rick Reilly got told that he was better than sports, he stood up and showed how sports is really better than him. He didn't let the views of others get in the way of what he was really passionate about.
ReplyDeleteWhen my dad was about 13, he was the Pennsylvanian State Wrestling Champion. He was certainly good at it. My uncles were good at it too. It was like a family gene that was passes throughout the family. My cousin Mitchell is a good wrestler now too. How about my brother? You would think he would love the sport and be good at it too, but he hates it. He tried being a wrestler when he was about 7. I remember him asking my dad if he had to wrestle another match after the one that he was about to start. And my dad said yes, if you win. When the match started, my brother let the kid pin him to the ground and the ref hit the mat. That was when my brother stood up and said lets go home. When people talk to my dad, the expect my brother to be a good wrestler and love the sport. Many people ask him, "why don't you continue the family tradition?" Others ask my dad, "aren't you upset he doesn't wrestle and plays basketball instead?" My dads answer is always know. You can't force someone to be passionate about something they have no interest in. I think that is one of Rick Reilly's main points to his article.
One of the main lessons I took from reading this was that you can't let the voices of others change your passion. That to make makes a big impact on my life today. I let people change my mind constantly. It's something I need to work on and I think this article will help me change the way I am. It shows that people's opinions might change what your passionate about.
It is very true that passions cannot be forced upon others. Everyone is their own individual with their own individual talents and interest. I come from a family of distance runners. It seems as if everyone is involved with running in some way or another. When I was younger, my dad would always try to get me to run with him. I never would want to I just did not have that passion for running. Now recently, I have been starting to enjoy this activity, but I grew into it on my own. People need to do what pleases them not what pleases others.
DeleteMadison, I completely agree with you. I know that I let people change my mind all the time. I will know something is right, or it is the best option, but I always will let someone change my mind. I do not know why. I like to think of myself as extremely stubborn, but I guess I am not as stubborn as I think. I also know that my dad was a star second baseman during his high school days and also at West Virginia University. So naturally, my dad always wanted me to play second base and excel. I was always a good hitter, but I could not play second base. My dad did not care though and he kept playing me at second base. Eventually, I started to hate baseball because he kept trying to make me play second base. He ended up making me a catcher, but the damage was already done. I was a very good catcher, as I threw out 30% of base stealers, I called great games from behind the plate, and I hit .513. But still, I hated baseball, and nothing was going to change that. Finally, I quit. He was very angry I decided to quit, but we reconciled eventually. So...yeah...I guess the message is to do what you love and don't do what you hate.
DeleteI can definitely relate to the ideas Rick Reilly presented in the article. Being a three sport athlete myself, I have learned that you cannot pretend that you have abilities when you do not. A person does not wake up as an amazing athlete one day. You have to wake up everyday and work hard at becoming a great athlete. For example, in 2013 I was one of the pitchers on the PA Little League Softball State Champion team. This did not just happen overnight. Over the four years leading up to that day, I invested a lot of time and effort developing my skills. I drove to DuBois for pitching lessons and I spent countless hours practicing. Without this time and effort from everyone on the team, we could not have achieved this success. Like Reilly mentioned, you cannot act your way into being an athlete. You cannot fake it.
ReplyDeleteThe other point in the article that hit home with me was that you need to follow your dreams. His professor thought he was wasting his talents and that he could do better. But, he believed it was important to do what you love rather than what others think you should do. You cannot let other people control your destiny. Personally, I am struggling with a similar situation. I have a strong interest in pursuing a career in art. However, I have been told it is difficult to make a living as an artist. The question is should I follow what I love or should I choose a profession that would provide me a more stable and secure future. After reading this article, it has helped me to realize that I need to find a way to ensure a secure future without compromising my dreams.
The author, Rick Reilly, was able to discover a way to combine his skill in writing and his passion for sports. The author is trying to inspire others who are making decisions about their career paths to follow their dreams. We should not do should not do something because others say we should such as when the professor tried to direct Reilly. The professor should not project their ideas on to the students, but rather cultivate and guide them to the career of the students choice. The only person that knows what is best for you is you.
There are some natural talents connected to athletes, but practice is the most important. It is true that some people are not coordinated enough to do a sport, but it is also true that they can get there if they want to excel in that subject. This is true about anything. Also, when looking at a person's dreams vs. financial stability, there is no reason one cannot be secure in both. There are so many options out there, they are just hard to see from a town with only a few thousand people that work the same couple of jobs everyday. I do believe that even if you do not go to school for art, it can be a hobby or a side job. My aunt wanted to be a beautician her whole life but my grandma told her to find something else to do. She is now an english teacher but she does everyone's hair for different occasions and she has a lot of fun doing it. Things like that can help to combine dreams and realities, if there is not a seasonable job to fulfill both.
DeleteIn Rick Reilly's article "Why I Love My Job," he addressed everyone from the sports fanatics to the people who do not have an appreciation for sports. He writes about how sports are a core part of our nature without us knowing and how sports unite people. I cannot say I relate much though, because besides watching NFL and college basketball, I really don't care much about sports.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Reilly that sports bring people together, but I disagree with the part families root for the same team. My older brother and father are both Steeler fans. Every time the Steelers have a game, my dad will be sitting on the couch with his Big Ben jersey on to support his team, but I on the other hand am not a Steeler fan. I am actually a fan of one of their biggest rival teams. When football comes on, I'm rooting for the Baltimore Ravens. I never rooted for the Steelers in my life. Even as a child who would sit around with my dad watching football, I did not root for the Steelers. My aunt, uncle, and cousins are all fans of the Packers. Although we all root for different teams, football does bring us together. Every Sunday at family dinners at my grandma's, despite our differences in trams, we sit around together and watch the games. Making fun of each other for their teams losing and poking fun at each other over it still brings us closer together.
Life is a constant routine where everything is planned. Almost every weekday, I know I must get up for school and go through the same routine I have planned. Then I have to attend school and follow the same schedule planned for me each day. At any game, a football team can make plans on what moves to play to score, but there will always be obstacles in their way that may make them change routes. This is why sports cannot be planned completely. A player could get injured which would change up the whole game.
Lauren, I think you are right that sports can have different effects on people. For some families, it can unite them, and for others it can result in a little bit of a battle. But for your family, sports can unite them even though they root for different teams. I like how you compare a game to a routine, because it kind of is! Life and sports both follow a routine, but like a player can get injured, so can bad things happen in our own lives. I think sports are based on life in a way. They both have problems they need to be solved, and ways to do them!
DeleteThat's why I'm a hotel manager lol!
DeleteWhen I entered high school, I entered a sort of identity crisis. I quit all of the the sports I was in and based my life solely around music. I'm not saying this was a bad thing. I began to excel with my music career to achieve things I would have never dreamed of. However, I missed my sports. For as long as music has been in my life, sports have been there too. In fact, softball, which was my favorite sport, has been in my life since I was around three years old. I quit all of my sports because I constantly felt that I was not good enough. I thought this would subside if I threw myself into music. However, this was not the case. It took a lot of soul searching and heartbreak to realize that you don't have to be the best in every thing I do. If I truly loved it, why should it matter? I still struggle with this on a regular basis in my life, but I just have to remind myself that it really does not matter as long as I was enjoying myself. I recently started playing softball again. With softball now, I do not feel the need to do the best. I believe that this has led me to be able to excel and have fun with it. I recently saw a quote that really touched me. "It's okay to cry when this "silly game" is your life. When you work your whole life chasing your dreams and come up short. Just know, that little girl, the one that fell in love with the game, worked so hard to get where she is now, she's proud of you."
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Reilly's article because most people think sports are so overrated. What is so great about a silly game with a ball? In reality, sports are so much more than that. Reilly is able to state everything so great with sports. Many of these things, I had not even thought about. Sports give people so much to look forward to in life. They give us a break from the droning of everyday life. Sports are able to unite people from all different walks of life. Two completely different people can become best friends if they are wearing the same jersey on their backs. People look at sports as nothing more than a meaningless game. However, I agree with Reilly when he states all the wonderful things that sports have given the people of this world.
Another reason I really liked this article is because how much the writer likes his job. In this day in age, most adults usually hate their jobs. It is very unusual to meet someone and for them to say that they love waking up and going to work everyday. It gives me hope that someday I will have a job that I will love as much as Reilly loves his. It is refreshing to realize that you can be so much bigger than yourself in this world. When I read this article, it instantly brightened by mood. I enjoyed reading about someone who was so positive about his job and was able to put forth so many interesting ideas about sports in our lives.
This article expresses the truth of the matter. Saying to someone that they could do better, no matter what the subject, is offensive. Everyone has their own opinion, and to tell someone that their opinion is wrong is like telling someone that their religious views are wrong. Just because one agrees with something, does not make them right.
ReplyDeleteReilly in this story is explaining that what he is doing is so much more passionate than what someone suggested that he should do. Sports can change the way that someone looks at something. Sports can either ruin or heal a relationship. Sports can bring a family together. Sports bring out emotions that would not normally be there. He explained how a troubled relationship between a father and his son was all changed in a moment after a five year separation. When it comes to sports there is more emotion rather than if he was writing about business or news. Business is simply fact and numbers, where sports had so much more depth and emotion. He says that sports has honor, which is completely true. I have personally seen the honor in sports. I played volleyball for four years, and after those four years, I still continued with the sport by stating for the team. In the five total years that I have been in the sport, I have seen teams come and go, but no matter what happens, they all leave with honor and dignity. Some teams even congratulate the other team for their great sportsmanship and abilities. When it comes to sports, there is so much emotion involved. Teams have pushed themselves to their limits to acquire what they want to achieve. Sports teams of every kind practice day and night to get strong enough, fast enough, and good enough to be the best that they can be.
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