Argument

August of 2013, the NFL paid around $765 million to former players suffering from concussion related head injuries (Associated Press, “NFL ex-players agree to settlement in concussion suit.)  “Under the settlement, individual awards would be capped at $5 million for men with Alzheimer's disease; $4 million for those diagnosed after their deaths with a brain condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy; and $3 million for players with dementia” (Associated Press, “NFL ex-players agree to settlement in concussion suit.) NFL – National Football League, the proud organization that allows millions of Americans to enjoy football from their homes.  Football isn’t for the faint of heart; it’s an aggressive, fast paced, highly involved sport.  It’s competitive and high-risk, and injuries are just another part of the game.  Anyone who watches, or plays, football on any scale knows one things, it’s dangerous.  So why is it so captivating?  “According to The Nielsen Company, the 2012 regular season reached 200 million unique viewers, representing 80 percent of all television homes and 69 percent of potential viewers in the U.S.” (NFL Communications, 2012 NFL TV Recap.)  We as a group of viewers love to watch a violent game.  It’s fascinating and fulfills a need for competition just from watching, but what about those who actually play.  Why would they play such a risky sport?  Is it for the love of the game or for the money and the fame?  That’s another discussion but one thing we do know is that those players are paid.  So, is the pay off worth the possible risk of injury while playing the game?  Head injuries and football are a big topic right now.  As stated earlier, injuries are just another part of the game.  Let’s not forget that measures are taken to prevent injuries, but not all risks will ever be removed.  Many people wonder if the NFL is doing enough to protect their players from such injuries.  The NFL is doing enough to protect their players because concussions are a very common injury, football players know the risk, and they can’t do much more without changing the game.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a concussion is “Injury caused to the brain, spine, or other part, by the shock of a heavy blow, fall, etc.”  (Oxford English Dictionary.) A concussion is commonly associated with sports but is, honestly, caused by much more.  Slipping on ice, car accidents, roller coasters, these things can all cause concussions if we hit our heads or back in a certain way.  Concussions can happen any day of our lives.  While they can lead to more serious complications, they can also leave just as soon as they come.  I believe that it is the players, personal, responsibility to report injuries as soon as possible.  This should go for all levels and types of sport.  Protection and compensation can only be taken care if coaches and doctors are informed.  The claim in the recent court case, where the NFL was sued by past players, was that the NFL concealed information concerning head injuries.  The NFL did pay the claim.  Concussions are common in other highly physical contact sports. 

Those who play for the NFL do know the risks. Oakland Raiders player, Isaiah Ekejiuba, spoke on concussions and said, "You can't worry about it, because when you start worrying about it, you start playing tentative. You have to just go out and play the game the way you know to play the game and hope and pray you come out injury-free. You can't fear one injury more than another." (Ekejiuba.) Other players seem to agree, "If you're worried about concussions, you're in the wrong business." Carolina Panthers fullback Brad Hoover stated (Hoover.)  If players aren’t worried about it, why are others?  Football players know the risk and if they choose to play, that is their choice.  The NFL provides educated doctors that are available to players if something should happen.  The NFL can only do so much, should a player hide a concussion or chose to play, that’s their choice and their risk.  One thing to keep in mind is this, this is their job.  This is their source of income.  Players are paid well and love the game.  Why else would they stay in this gladiator like sport?  Recent studies have shown that most of the head injuries do not come from professional football, but from high school football.  “The number of children below age 19 treated in American emergency rooms for concussions and other traumatic brain injuries increased to 250,000 in 2009 from just 150,000 in 2001” (Waldron, Younger Players Get More Concussions.)  This comes from a medical study done by the National Academy of Science.  If younger players are at a higher risk than professional players, why is the sudden focus on professional football? 

            Let’s take a moment to ask ourselves something, what will happen to the NFL?  What if someone steps in and tries to change the game we know and love?  Football is what it is.  The NFL already has installed rules about hitting and grabbing players in prevention of injury.  Players get high quality helmets and masks.  They are trained on they can and cannot handle other players.  Sometimes those rules are broken but that is bound to happen regardless of rules.  Adding new rules and restrictions would change the game as we know it.  We love the intense game and changing it could be devastating.  As a fan myself, I feel that if the players are paid a certain amount and agree to play, let them be.  Don’t try and change the rules, they know what they’re doing and they aren’t going to be stupid in the ways they treat their bodies.  They are football players, their bodies are the money makers.  The NFL spends millions of dollars, they provide doctors and medical assistants, high protection helmets are given, and they are a business.  I believe the NFL cannot do much more for their players without changing the game.  If a player is worried, that is their personal matter.  If Dolphins defensive end, Dion Jordan, isn’t worried I won’t be either.  “I feel like that’s probably just part of the game,” he said. “But in order to avoid it you’ve just got to play it the right way. You’ve got to be conscious of the way you hit people, and when you have the ball the way you put your head down and things like that.  I feel like as a football player you understand that’s part of the game, eventually it happens to someone through the season” (Jordan.)

            To wrap this up, head injuries are a part of football, football players know the risks, and the NFL has given protection to its players.  Either players accept it and go in or decline and find another job.  A lot of pressure is being put on the NFL as a whole; but remember that at the end of the day it is the players who live with these injuries.  We can only anticipate what will come in the future for the beloved game of football.  Whether you’re a Browns fan or a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, just stand up and support the team you love. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WORKS CITED

“Concussion” Oxford English Dictionary. 2013. Web.

Ekejiuba, Isaiah.  Interview by The Associate Press. 2009. Web. 13 Nov 2013.

Hoover, Brad. Interview by The Associate Press. 2009. Web. 10 Nov 2013.

Jordan, Dion. Interviewed by Perkins, Chris. 2013. Web. 17 Nov 2013.

NFL Associated Press “NFL, ex-players agree to $765M settlement in concussions suit”  NFL. 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 2013

NFL Communications “NFL 2012 TV Recap” NFL staff. 03 Jan. 2013 Web. 2013

Waldron, Travis. “Younger Athletes Get More Concussions Than College Players, And The Numbers Are Rising”. 30 Oct 2013. Web. 2013

Analysis

I enjoy the movie Miss Congeniality. I recommend it to anyone in need of a feel good movie.  In this movie, Sandra Bullock plays our darling lead as a struggling FBI Agent.  All she wants is her one big case but things go haywire when the tough, unpolished Gracie Hart must become a secret contestant in the Miss United States Pageant.  Under the authority of her supervisor of the case, and close friend Matthews, Hart undergoes a series of girly makeover processes.  As the story continues we are introduced into more enduring characters and unexpected surprises.  This movie produces multiple themes for us through out, giving it a well-rounded story line.  This story has bold characters, multiple sub-plots, and a witty sense of humor.

  “I am in a dress, I have gel in my hair, I haven't slept all night, I'm starved, and I'm armed! Don't mess with me. (Bullock. DVD.)”   Gracie Hart was a good agent, but nobody saw that.  They took one look at her and saw her unfeminine ways and beer stains.  Hart felt the need to prove herself, thus beginning the movie.  You see, the FBI was tipped off about a possible attack at the Miss USA Pageant.  Now as much as they wanted to put a stop to the threats, a bunch of burly men in suits wouldn’t go very far.  Matthews, the case leader, begin to seek out agents with an in; someone who could hide in plain sight and go where no man could go.  Hart wasn’t even thought of until Matthews suggests her after about an hour of searching.  Of course, Hart wasn’t as easy to convince she had always been just one of the guys and cringed at the sight of feathers and dress up.  Reluctantly she did eventually go through with it and began her transition into the world of undercover.    Obviously, Hart is not the most graceful thing around and Bullock did an amazing job of adding special quirks and habits that made her an enduring character.  But where would Agent Hart be without her partners Agent Matthews and Mr. Victor.  Agent Matthew is witty, charming, and intelligent.  He is the catalyst to the whole movie.  He also adds the romance with Hart.  Mr. Vic is the fatherly figure that every movie has.  He adds a new twist with his snarky comments and excellent fashion taste, but none the less, he acts as a father to Hart.  Each character brings something new to the table allowing interaction and diversity within the movie.

Through-out the movie we have sub plots.  This movie gives us many different ideas to think about as we watch.  The main plot is Harts transformation, but we have many other feelings presented.  We are shown comedy with dialogue between characters, romance between Hart and Matthews, and drama with the promise of attack.  Those seem to be the main plots but smaller ones are presented as well.  Each new point attempts to create a new feeling in us.  The main one does have a tone of humor.  It’s light hearted and focuses on accomplishing a goal.  The other plots seem to be me serious, love, competition, trust, and action.  Regardless of all the main points, there is an underlying empowerment theme for those who don’t believe in themselves.  It’s almost saying “Look as Gracie Hart, the most unfeminine lady, enters into the world of Pageants and does well.  If she can do that, what can you do?”  I’m sure that maybe that is not quite what the directors had in mind, but it really is an added perk to this movie.    

 This movie is witty.  Its humor is presented in dialogue, in actions, and in well developed characters.  This movie creates hilarious situations and great character development.  Gracie Hart shows an incredible amount of body humor.  She’s clumsy, she falls and she stutters and she’s aggressive.  She often struggles to keep herself together.  She’s calloused and has to undergo an intense transformation.  At first we see her presented with frizzy hair and beer stains.  We see her fail as Victor tries to teach her manners and courtesy.  Her transformation eventually ends their training with a whole body makeover that no one should ever have to face.  Matthews is charming and witty, he’s flirty and is always portrayed as this cool agent.  Through-out the film we see his character slip into more goofy moments with Hart.  Mr. Vic is blunt and course.  He is Gracie’s coach and flings insults and transformers her into a pageant queen.  Not an easy task, as he tries to complete this, he and Agent Hart exchange insults and rude banter.  These characters interact in hilarious ways and put themselves in unusual situations.  Just a few of the situations include a whole body makeover, a room full of FBI officers playing dress up, and a wild talent show.     This movie is full of wit, humor, and a little bit of irony.    

I believe that this movie is well rounded.  It has unique characters, many plots, and is humor.  There is not another movie quite like this one.  This movie makes me laugh and I hope others find just as much joy in it.  This movie is unique and there hasn’t been another like it.  This movie has an underlying feel good theme, making it acceptable for everyone. 

WORKS CITED

Miss Congeniality.  Dir. Donald Petrie. Perf. Sandra Bullock, Michael Cane, Benjamin Pratt, and

Candice Bergen. Warner Bros Pictures, 2000. Film.

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Response

Revenge 

Some things in the world can be easily defined.  We learn to associate certain actions and thoughts with emotion and memory.  We easily recognize these and form connections.  For example, the warm safe feeling or the butterflies in our belly are what we define as love.  And the deep churning and bitter taste we feel is what we classify as hate.  But our human emotions change rapidly and are very unstable.  Too often we know the story how something so good went down in a hurry; but what about the left over feelings that come along?  There’s only so much sadness we can harbor until it changes us.  While there are a lucky few of us who move on and truly embrace the “live and let go” saying.  The majority of us tank into a seemingly never ending well of sadness while others let anger fester inside.  The anger we feel; we just want release, something to take away the anger that’s been harvesting within us for so long.  This is generally when we seek to settle the score or get even.  Today we have labeled this desire, revenge.  But what is revenge?  In Ancient Rome, they had an “eye for an eye” society.  Simply put, if you cut off a man’s arm, kiss your own arm good bye because it’s as good as gone.  Today we muddle things together, creating a lot of grey area for us to sift through.  This opens up my questions, what is revenge, how does it affect us, and is it healthy? 

            We’ve all been wronged, it happens to us all.  But what do we do about it?  Is it okay to seek out some payment for our sorrows?  If you believe it is, how do you go about it?  In the movies and books, we see the gorgeous heartbroken girl sabotage her hunky ex-boyfriend’s new relationship out of spite for her pain.  Well, we see something along those lines.  I believe that is a fair example of revenge.  For our entertainment, this revenge may be empowering or hilarious but think about real life.  Is revenge really all it’s cracked up to be?  If I were to ask random people what revenge is, what do you think they would say?  Perhaps some would say unnecessary but others might use adjectives like compelling, passionate, closure, necessary.  Is this true?  We all have our own opinions about this and that’s okay, but now let me get down to the matter at hand and tell you my actual opinion.  Call me weird, and tell me I’m not a normal teenager, that’s okay, but I do not believe revenge is necessary.  Revenge is taking something that is out of our control and attempting to make everything okay.  Here lies the problem, who decides when it’s okay again?  Revenge is this sick cycle.   It’s like this person A hurts person B.  Person B takes revenge and harms person A’s reputation.  Now person A feels wronged and wants all to be fair too.  Do you think this sits well with person B?  Of course not, but who will be willing to stop? 

Revenge is damaging.  It sits inside us and we crave it until we do something to satisfy and justify ourselves.  Is it possible that because we seek revenge for so long that it becomes a habit?  I believe it can and instead of letting go we learn to live with this desire and this sense of wounded pride that needs to be fixed.  We constantly adapt and change our behavior with the introduction of new thoughts and actions.  So if revenge is there long enough, what’s to stop it from becoming a habit?  It could very easily become one of those bad habits and we can let it consume us.  This can become a very nasty grudge.  I believe that a grudge is just a long, unsatisfied desire for revenge.  Grudges can make us ugly, bitter people if we don’t keep ourselves in check.  

 If we successfully seek out revenge, does all go back to normal?  Or is it possible that there is some underlying guilt for what we’ve done to someone?  As humans, we feel like we can fix anything.  I believe this includes “getting even” with those who hurt us.  Sadly, though, we can’t and we never will fix everything.  If we can’t, then does somebody take care of this for us?  Maybe this is where the idea of karma comes in.  Whether you believe in it or not, it’s a very popular concept.  In simple terms, karma is what gets us all in the end.  According to karma, if you still something of mine then something will come to bite you later.  Not a very reliable concept but there can be a little hope in the thought.

Revenge is popular.  We base whole movies and books and shows and songs after this concept.  It is one of the many gray areas in our world’s moral definitions.  One day I’m sure someone will provide the world with an excellent example and definition of the world.  Until then it is our job to decide what it is and whether it’s worth it or not.