A Disrespected Conference

I love college sports. I have been a fan ever since I turned 3-years-old when my dad took me to my first Michigan State University football game against Purdue University. The atmosphere was great. We watched the bands march down to the stadium banging their drums and playing their fight songs. Then we would walk over to the stadium, go to our seats and wait for the teams to rush out onto the field.

The anticipation would always build up before the opening kickoff; I couldn’t wait for the game to start.

However, that was a Big Ten Conference game, not a Mid-American Conference (MAC) game. Over the years, I have seen every Big Ten team and MAC team play live. From this I have been able to infer that the MAC is a very disrespected conference. When a MAC team such as Western Michigan or Toledo goes to a Big Ten school for a game, people automatically think the Big Ten team will win. Countless times I have heard people say, “Michigan will win this game, were only playing a MAC school.”

Why? Why is it like this? Why do, cocky Big Ten football fans think they are always going to win? In reality, there are three differences between the MAC and Big Ten. No 1: The number of schools in the conference. No. 2: The MAC has two divisions with a championship game at the end of the season. No. 3: The Big Ten gets more publicity.

But why does this matter? It shouldn’t.

In the last decade, MAC teams have been to bowl games, made the top 25, won championships, beat BCS conference teams and had players drafted by NFL teams.

According to an article written in 2006 on MACsports.com, from 1999-2006 the MAC was 10-5 in bowl games giving them the best record among all Division 1 FBS conferences. Although since then they have gone 1-7, it is still appalling that the MAC can still be disrespected like that when at one point they were the best in bowl games.

Last year, the MAC created a buzz in the top 25. No teams were ranked in the preseason poll, but after Week 1, Bowling Green State University, although never ranked, received votes to make it in. By Week 8, Ball State University was ranked No. 24 in the country and undefeated at 7-0. Week 14, Ball State was ranked No. 12 in the land. However, still no respect. They went undefeated during the season and only made it to the GMAC bowl.

The MAC is not a BCS conference, meaning, it would be shocking if a MAC school played in a BCS bowl like the Rose Bowl. However, conferences such as the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 are. Over the past few years, more recently than before, MAC schools have been able to beat teams in these conferences. Last year, the University of Michigan suffered their first ever loss to a MAC school on opening weekend when they lost to the University of Toledo. Along with U-M, Indiana University also lost to a MAC school last season in a game against Ball State.

Lastly, how can a conference that consistently develops great players be so disrespected. Players such as Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger came from Miami University of Ohio. Other players include Jason Taylor (University of Akron), Chad Pennington (Marshall University), Charlie Batch (Eastern Michigan University), Antonio Gates (Kent State University) and Western Michigan University’s own Greg Jennings.

The MAC conference truly is an underdog conference. I love rooting for the underdog. It’s a great feeling when they win. However, the disrespect needs to end. The MAC has begun to make a name for itself. They have won games and made bowl games. The caliber of player in the conference has gone up. They had the Michigan Collegiate Athlete of the year last year in WMU quarterback Tim Hiller. It is time for the MAC to gain respect and make it big.

Tim Hiller: How Good Is This Guy?

With the college football season approaching, I wanted to take the time to talk about the MAC, the Mid-American Conference for those of you who have never heard of it. You see, the MAC never gets the attention it deserves. Yes, it is a conference with smaller schools, but, it continuously develops players who seem to have success in the NFL. This year, the player to watch in the MAC is Western Michigan Quarterback, senior Tim Hiller.

Tim Hiller is a fourth year starter and he has consistently put out impressive numbers. In his freshman year he threw for 1334 yards, but he has improved each year. As a sophomore he threw for 3021 yards, and as a junior 3725. In just three years he has thrown for 8080 yards and 76 touchdowns. Along with these impressive accomplishments he was named the Michigan College Athlete of the Year last year.

Depending on how Hiller performs in his senior season, I believe he will be drafted, and if he can get Western ranked in the top 15, he could be a Heisman finalist.

Hiller is an incredible player all around. If football was Greek mythology, you could compare him to Hercules. He is always there for his team, he is a strong leader, and he is consistently working hard to improve his game. For this, I commend him and look up to him as a role model.

The MAC Conference never gets enough attention, however, with a few glimpses of greatness, it could turn into something special. Hopefully, this year there will be a tight race for the MAC championship between Western Michigan, Central Michigan, and Ball State. I look forward to seeing how this season plays out.

Part of the Action

The movie Murderball, was an action packed, informational documentary. While I would not recommend it as a family film, I would recommend it for paraplegics, people who are interested in wheelchairs, people who like sports, and thrill seekers. When I watched this movie myself, I felt inspired and motivated. It taught me to not feel as sorry for people in wheelchairs and they are real people to who don’t constantly need help do daily activities.

Murderball is a documentary which follows two and a half years in the lives of intensely competitive wheelchair rugby players. They slam into each other, spew obscenities, and strive to score points with passion. The sport, also known as Quad Rugby, and Murderball, is an action packed hard hitting sport, and every team’s goal is to win the Paralympics which is held at the same location as the normal Olympics, just a week later. This movie would be a great movie to see for a paraplegic. I feel they would watch it and receive an auspicious feeling, especially if their accident has just taken place.

Murderball disproves every clichéd stereotype we are brainwashed with about the handicapped. The Quad Ruby players are mostly young men in their 20s and 30s, and other than being paralyzed they are just like every other guy you know and hang out with. They are pranksters, they laugh, are charmers, and later they make their moves by approaching the prettiest girls in the bar. Although asked regularly if they are able to have sex, the answer always stuns people and indeed, yes, they can.

The personal relationships between the players and their families are especially memorable. Mark, with a goatee and a large amount of tattoos has a fairly intimidating quality. He is paralyzed from a drunk driving accident caused by his best friend, Chris Igoe. They both want to rekindle their friendship but are too nervous to make the first move. Another character, Joe Soares, disabled from polio in childhood, is a family man, with a supportive wife and sensitive son, Robert. While Sarah Palin might view him as a maverick, he is a total jerk, who used to play for team USA. One year he didn’t make the team so he betrayed his country and decided to coach team Canada, and sometimes he puts his family second to his new country, but when he has a heart attack, he is forced to re-evaluate his priorities. Keith Cavill was an extreme sports junkie and he did motor cross which is what unfortunately led to his accident. “What was once normal will never be the same, and that’s just setting in right now,” he says wistfully when coming home for the first time after his accident. When he meets the Quad Rugby team at the hospital and learns the sport can give him a second chance at athletic dreams, a future Team USA player is born.

The people in Murderball are imperfect, which makes them all the more relatable. These are not the figures painted to us movie-of-the-week specials. They are a funny, intelligent, and lively bunch of men, with the same flaws that affect the rest of us. While rugby is heavily focused on in the film, above all else it’s about people overcoming great odds to embrace the vitality of life.

This movie definitely touched me in a way I cannot describe in words. It was fun to watch but also I was able to take a lot away from the experience. In the rivalry games between the United States and Canada, I felt like I was sitting in a chair myself getting knocked around by the opposing players and like I was part of the action.

Homerun of American Flaws

One who reads “The Breaking Point,” written by Chuck Klosterman, quickly and only once would think it is about Baseball and Barry Bonds. However, it is clearly not. In reading multiple times, one can find a deeper meaning. By using baseball, Barry Bonds, and steroids as examples, Klosterman is writing about the problems in America. The steroids represent the problems America is facing like the collapsing economy and the war on terror. Bonds represents the American ego, and baseball itself represents the rich American culture and history.Today, steroids are a paramount topic in Major League Baseball. Players are constantly being accused and they are almost always found guilty. The government has investigated it and caught players such as Bonds lying under oath. These icons are ruining their careers and letting their fans down. The most recent athlete to be caught using steroids was Alex Rodriguez. He was the face of baseball. He was an all around great player, and many people thought he would be the next “clean” player to break the homerun record. Now, he has probably ruined his chances of ever getting into the Hall of Fame because he has cheated the game. Steroids can easily be compared to the problems America is having today. The War on Terrorism is a prime example. Countries are constantly being accused of supporting terrorism and developing nuclear weapons. The United States then tries to investigate the accusations, but they lead no where; the U.S. isn’t stopping anybody, just like the government investigation on steroids hasn’t stopped players from doing them. The economy can also be compared to steroids. With the collapsing auto industry and high unemployment rate, people are being let down, just like the fans when they watch their favorite players be found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs.Barry Bonds represents the American ego in the story. Bonds did something no one thought he could do in his baseball career; he broke the record for homeruns in a career. When he first passed Babe Ruth, people didn’t know what to think. He had already been accused of using steroids, so people where upset, yet, the fans love to see people hit the ball out of the park. The difference between the two is Barry Bonds has a poor personality. He does not treat the media or his fans well. Ruth was a man’s man. He never did anything wrong. He was peaceful and always remembered where he came from. Then, when Bonds passed Hank Aaron for the all time record people where disappointed. In Klosterman’s opinion, “Barry Bonds has embodied nothing. Now he will embody only this, and ‘this’ isn’t good for anyone. He’s just compiling numbers we don’t trust, and they are colossal and they are meaningless. To care about these homeruns is to care about nothing,” and he is exactly right. Now, Bonds will always have an asterisk next to his name on top of the list because he cheated in order to get there by taking the easy way out. When he was accused of using steroids, he lied under oath, which is a federal offense. Once the evidence had become clear, Bonds was found guilty and now, he will, more than likely, serve some jail time. He will never be vindicated in the public opinion. Millions of Americans have followed in Bonds’ footsteps in taking the easy way out. High school students have copied each others homework and cheated on tests. Plagiarism is taking the easy way out. Criminals also take the easy way out. For example, when they rob a bank, they are taking the easy way out. Instead of making money, they are stealing it, just like how Bonds stole the homerun record.When the steroid era began in the late 1990’s, baseball was changed forever. Baseball has the richest history in all of sports. Klosterman points out the fact, “baseball is the only sport where numbers always seem meaningful, and it is the only sport where a numeric comparison between players of different eras is even half way reasonable.” With steroids now ruining the game, it is impossible to do this. Steroids are a tragedy in baseball. This tragedy represents the rich American history and culture. Klosterman alludes to the 2000 Presidential Election, September 11, 2001, Enron, gas prices, the Olympic basketball loss to Puerto Rico, and bad movies which won awards, all events which changed American history and culture forever.

“The Breaking Point” by Chuck Klosterman is not a story about baseball, Barry Bonds, or steroids. Rather, it is a story about American flaws. These flaws are only represented by baseball.

For the Fan By the Fan

Welcome to Hoop City. Throughout the weekend of this year’s Final Four, the college basketball shrine is open at Cobo Hall in Downtown Detroit. Upon walking into the hall, music is blaring, basketballs are hitting the floor and swishing through the nets, and fans are cheering for their teams. It truly is basketball heaven.

Hoop City opened yesterday and closes Monday. Open noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Sunday, and Monday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, fans shouldn’t miss out on their opportunity to be a part of the Final Four. Even if you are not going to the game, you can still feel like you are part of the town’s atmosphere by showing up at Cobo Hall. Throughout the City, there are activities that are great for everyone. While entering the city, the first thing many fans approach is the Coke Zero NCAA Championship Zone

“It just caught me by the eye,” said Villanova fan Jamal Walker. “I love that basketball shooting game that keeps track of my points until time runs out after thirty seconds. I made 15 shots.”

Also in the Coke Zero NCAA Championship Zone is a game where fans can play for their favorite Final Four team. They are pulled out of a small audience and they play against another team in an “Around the World” type of game. The winning team of each round continues to play while new fans are picked to play for other teams. The last remaining team at the end of the day receives a trophy. All throughout Cobo Hall there are many activities. There are stations such as CBS College Sports’ various basketball half courts where fans can play “Lightning” or “21,” to the kids station where if a child puts the ball through the hoop they receive a prize. Overall, there are 21 different stations, including a food court, sponsored by different companies. There is also entertainment for fans to enjoy. On the NCAA Center Court, various performances take place each day.

On Friday, there was a Detroit Media Celebrity Game, on Saturday there was the State Farm Coaches All American Team Introductions, Sunday there are clinics that fans can participate in, and on Monday there are fan games and dunk contests. There is something there for everyone to watch and participate in. Along with interactive basketball games and entertainment, there is a Michigan Sports Hall of Fame truck filled with Detroit team memorabilia and plaques with Detroit sports legends on them.

“While walking through the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame truck I was able to relive some of my memories growing up watching the Tigers play at Tiger Stadium,” said Michigan State fan Michael Thompson. “It’s moments like these that make proud to be a Detroiter.”
Hoop City is a place where the big time basketball fan lives. There is so much to do there. Fans can wait in line to meet and receive autographs from Oklahoma superstar Blake Griffin and Davidson standout Stephen Curry or shoot around with some friends. No basketball fan could ever become bored in a town like Hoop City. Governed by New York based company MTKG, Hoop City has a city that is for the fan, and by the fan.

The Musical Experience

I would say that I am one of those kids who is very actively involved in his school and community. I am a member of BBYO, in fact I am the Vice President of my chapter, I am in YFTI at Temple Israel as well as a madrachim, and at North Farmington, I am the sports editor of the paper. However, during my junior and senior years, there is something I did that I had never done before. I participated in the musical. In my junior year, we put on a production of The Wizard of Oz. I played bass clarinet in the pit. It was a good experience for me, but it made me realize that it would be even better to be on stage and sing.

When I was a freshman, my mom, who is a music teacher, really wanted me to get involved in the musicals. During that year, NF put on a production of Hair. For weeks and weeks she pushed me to audition for a part, but the whole time I thought, "wow, if I do this, people are really going to make fun of me." I thought that being in the musical was a stupid and weird thing to do. I wasn't a big fan of them. Boy was I wrong. I finally just tried out so my mom would get of my case. I didn't make it into the show.

Like I said before, being in The Wizard of Oz was a great experience, and it was what really pushed me into trying out for this years production of Children of Eden. Auditions for this year's musical were way back in December. I practiced a lot for them. I used a CD almost daily, and when the time came I was really nervous. Things became even more stressful when Ms. B stopped playing all together in the middle of my audition, but Mr. Cobb from the back yelled, "keep going," so I had to do the rest of it a capella. It was a very long week while waiting for the cast to be posted. The whole time I was really nervous. I hadn't been in a choir class or really sang for that matter since the fifth grade. But I made it, and I was thrilled. We began to practice immediately after winter break. The whole cast received books with the script and music, and we practiced twice a week in the choir room. For me personally, learning the music was tough. When playing clarinet, all I have to do is push down a button and blow and the right note comes out. With singing, you have to find the right pitch and sing your line. I never had the medley, so it was really tough for me to learn. Weeks went on and on, and we got better and better as a choir. By February break, it looked like all the pieces were beginning to come together. At this point, opening night was a month and a half away.

When February break concluded, we all came back really excited to get moving on the show. We moved into the auditorium where we began to put the whole show together. Acting, singing, everything. All the hard work we had been putting into it was beginning to pay off. After double run through, we were in the home stretch. The show was a week away.

On the Monday following double run through, the costumes were in, and I have to say they were some of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life. They made us all look like we had just either popped out of the desert or Iraq. I mean, my costume came with a turban. However, together we looked great, like a bunch of taxi drivers in training.
Thursday, March 26 was opening night, and all though I didn't get to see the show, I heard things went well. The whole weekend was an experience I will never forget for as long as I live, from each power circle to the cast party. I got to play an alligator and a chorus member. Looking back on high school, I'm not going to remember preparing for final exams or cramming for a math test, I'm going to remember the time I spent in Hunt Auditorium.

During Children of Eden, I became closer with people I already knew, and friends with people I had never before seen in my life. All in all, the one thing I regret most about high school is not getting involved with theater earlier than I did. It feels like yesterday that I was taking off the tights from my alligator costume, but it has been about a week. This musical really made me understand a lot about my life at North Farmington. I am a senior this year, but it still made a dramatic change in my high school experience.

TLE: An American Epidemic

I was sitting on my couch the other day, after school, watching ESPN. Jim Rome was on and he was interviewing Michigan State Senior Guard Travis Walton. Now, I do not like Jim Rom because I think he is full of himself and very cocky. However, I decided to continue to watch his show because I am a State fan and I wanted to see what Walton had to say. As Rome and Walton were speaking, it occurred to me that young members of today's society have a speech impediment. In every single one of Walton's answers he used the phrase "ya know." He'd say something along the lines of "Ya know, I took that shot and made it, ya know." No I don't know. And while Travis Walton is a bright kid, saying "ya know" every five words makes him sound somewhat stupid.
This also takes place in every teenager across America. It is an epidemic that I have come to call the "Teenage Like Epidemic," or "T.L.E." Every high schooler has it, including me. It is a bad habit that I am trying to rid myself of. TLE most often kicks in when I am trying to describe something out loud. I have said thing similar to "In my first hour class today, we, like, did this activity where you do a lot of, ya know, like, umm, stretches and stuff." It makes me sound stupid. If I had said, "In my first hour yoga class today, we did a Pilate's workout followed by final relaxation," wouldn't it have sounded a lot better?

My dad loves to correct me of TLE. I'll be having a conversation with him and he will interrupt me and make me start over just because I said like. Sometimes I don't even notice I'm saying it because it has become such a bad habit for a very long time. I am a true believer that this happens to all teenage students because we say like so much.

But who is to fault for TLE? Schools, teachers, parents? Have they taught us wrong? No. It is in my opinion that TLE is a contagious infection passed down to kids by our American Athletes. If there is one flaw to them besides steroids it is their speech. Whenever I watch an athlete in a press conference, they always use "like," "umm," and "ya know." They could be describing their game winning shot or their spectacular catch in the outfield; no matter what it always kicks in to their system.TLE is a fault in American society that needs to be fixed. There is no antibiotic or pill for it, but as victims of TLE we need to realize the epidemic and work together to find a cure. You could do what I do and have your parents correct you and make you start your sentence over. It's not a big deal. TLE makes us teenagers sound less intelligent than we actually are. We are a smart group of citizens. Don't let TLE define who you are, stand up to it and defend yourself instead.