The Tenth Inning: Baseball, New Eras and the National Passion

As we've discussed in class, sports are an outlet that we find ourselves turning to frequently.  Athletes and the games they play captivate us and help us to forget the worries we share in society.  Ken Burns' documentary, The Tenth Inning, gives us a glimpse at baseball at the turn of the century (1999 into the early aughts).  This documentary serves as a glimpse into baseball, yes, but it also serves as an indictment of American sporting leagues.  While we love our sports, we want our athletes to live in a way that represents who we are: we don't want cheaters.  As a result, nearly every major sports league has instituted drug testing that will hopefully clean up the games.  Furthermore, this gives sports fans a greater feeling of integrity within the sports that we believe in.

With all of that said, a clean, integrity-filled sports league motivates us and moves us to different emotional levels.  Those levels often times rely upon on our positive feelings of our leagues/sports.  There is no question that sports are a beacon of hope, but they can also be a bastion of depression and sadness.  While this may be silly, sports do fill that role in our lives.

Answers the following questions with that in mind...

1) Can you recall a time when you were the most upset as a result of watching or playing a sport?  Why did this occur?  If you've never been upset, why not?

2) Can you recall a time when you were almost too happy?  A time when sports raised your level of happiness to an almost euphorically impossible level.  Explain.  Give details.

Worth 5 points per question (10 points)
DUE Thursday, May 23rd

Remember the Titans, Teamwork and You!

A productive team has players that share common goals, a common vision and have some level of interdependence that requires both verbal and physical interaction. Teams come into existence through shared attitudes about a particular sport. They may come together for a number of different reasons, but their goals are the same - to achieve peak performance and experience success. The ends may differ but the means by which one gets there is the same - teamwork. Every member of the team is accountable when it comes to teamwork.

Questions
1. What is the most difficult aspect of playing for a team? Why?

2. What is the best team you have ever played for? Why was that team successful? What did you enjoy about playing for that team?

3. How would you describe yourself as a team member? Do you, honestly, think that you are a good or bad team member?  

Due by Monday, May 13th.  Worth 15 points.