Final Blog Assignment (Reflection)

In this professional writing class, I have learned many new things that have helped me to improve my writing skills. In the beginning of this semester, I struggled with my wording, paragraphing, and researching. I also struggled with being able to intertwine other stories, within my main story. This class has helped me to improve these things dramatically. Each and every Sports Literature class that I attended this semester had taught me something new everyday. Now when I read a story, I am able to pick out the way the author structured their piece, the research they used, the different wording that they included, and the way that they intertwined different stories within their piece. I also learned the importance of having other people read your piece, before you turn in your final copy. This is because the people who read your piece can give you their input as to what they think you should add, and they can also pick out grammar mistakes that you may have overlooked when you were writing your piece. Another key thing I have learned is that revision is important because by revising your work, you can make it better.


By being able to notice these things, it shows me what I need to include in my pieces to make them successful. Now when I write my pieces, I include many different sections with different stories within stories. I also now include lots of research, which helps to make my story more interesting. I found these Sports Literature classes to be very helpful in helping me improve my writing capabilities. I find my stories to more interesting than they were before, and I have you to thank for that. Thank you for everything you have taught me! Hopefully one day I might have a story published.

Ronaldinho

Today, when I should have been studying, I was surfing through You Tube. I was looking for some amazing soccer tricks,skills, when I came across videos of Ronaldinho de Assis Moreira. I must say that he is absolutely amazing, and I believe that he is better than David Beckham. The skills and tricks that he can preform are unbelievable.



It is a shame over here in our country, that more people don't watch soccer. Sure at times when you have to go to an elementary, high school, or college game they may be boring to watch; however, the things they can do in the professional soccer leagues are just plain amazing. The only reason I believe that more people over here do not watch soccer because it isn't about knocking someone over, or beating the crap out of them. That is basically what we, as Americans love to see. However soccer is more about mental, and skilled abilities because you are running the whole game without stopping, and you have to be skillful with your feet. It is unfair that our soccer leagues are not as popular because there are many talented soccer players out there.


While kind of on the subject, I think that it is unfair that more than half of our population over in America, do not support women's professional sports. Yes, there is professional basketball, but no one pays attention to it. Very rarely is there any media coverage for it, it is very sad. There is also women's professional volleyball team, that never ever gets any coverage. More than half the people who read this blog more than likely did not know that a women's professional volleyball league existed.

I was extremely excited when a women's professional soccer league was starting to grow, however it did not last long because there wasn't enough support for it. The United States needs to emphasize the importance of women's professional sports, and have them covered more often because by us not having things like those for our young girls to strive for, we are teaching them that girls are not as good as boys. When in fact, girls can be just as good, if not better.

Finals

I came up with a plan that I think that all colleges should allow their students to choose from. I believe that all colleges should give their students the option of whether or not they want to take finals. The last two weeks of school, I believe that all teachers should tell their students what their grades are at that point in time. If you are satisfied with the grade that you have in that class, before finals come up, you should be allowed to say hey I want to keep this grade. The school should allow you to choose whether or not you want to take finals. This is because if your grades are good enough and satisfying enough to you at this time, why stress out over upcoming tests, when you are already doing well in the class. I have thought about this in my previous years at my community college, and I think this would be a great idea. Not only is it beneficial to the students, because they do not have to stress out and they also can go home early, but the teachers can benefit too. This is because if they only have a couple of students who want to take their final, then they only have a few tests to grade. Not only does this lighten up their work load, but it does not stress them out as much when it comes to getting grades in by a certain time. They also get to start their vacation early when they give this option to their students. Therefore these are the reasons as to why I believe that finals should be optional.

Ricky Williams

The big controversy that took place last night on Monday Night Football between the announcers was whether or not Ricky Williams should play. Yes granted he did leave the NFL to go on to a spiritual journey, and he was suspended from the league do to smoking marijuana, but he is still a good player. Right now, Miami needs all the help they can get. I felt that last night, the coach made a good move by playing him. However because he played he got stepped on causing a chest muscle to tare which now sidelines him for the rest of the season. This is Miami's luck this year unfortunately. I am a huge Miami Dolphin fan and I stick with them through the thick and the thin never saying I don't support them because of their record. I feel that I am a true fan because I do not jump on the current winning teams' band wagon. I stick with my team no matter what. Yeah the dolphins are now 0-11 but look at everything they have lost. Their original starting quarterbacks, Chris Chambers, their running backs, and Zach Thomas. Of course they are not going to do well this season. But to say that they are the worst team in NFL history is not far because they have lost quite a few games by only three points. If they were the worst team in history, they would be blown out every game. Last nights game against the Steelers proves that Miami is not a terrible team, holding them till the final minute in the fourth quarter at 0-0. Although many people say that this was only possible due to the weather conditions.

Day back

Well this Thanksgiving went by extremely fast, it felt like we only had a day off! I had such bad luck when I came back to school today. After I had brought my belongings back upstairs from my car, I went back down to drive my car over to the parking lot. When I got to the parking lot, I checked my car many times to make sure that I was not leaving anything behind that I would need when I got back to my dorm. I was walking back and wasn't paying attention to anything because I was on the phone with my boyfriend, and apparently I dropped something without noticing that I did. Once I got to our back door, I went to grab my key to the dorm and it wasn't there. So I checked all of my pockets, my bag, and I still could not find the key. So someone in my tower, let me in and I came upstairs to see if I had left it in my friends room next to mine. No such luck, so we tried to figure out where I had it last and she suggested that we go see if any RAs are back in our tower. This way we could see if I locked my keys in my room. So we went to the fourth floor, and no one was there. So we went to the fifth floor to see if that RA was there. Again they weren't, so we checked every floor all the way to the tenth. Of course no RAs are there cause that would make this easy. So then we went down to see if the complex coordinator was in ad he wasn't. So we went outside and traced my steps back to my car. Luckily I happened to remember that I walked in a different spot from which I normally do, and there were my keys laying on the grass on the side of the curb! I was so lucky to find those because neither one of my roommates were back until late that night.

A vacation?

I thought when a school gave you time off for a "vacation," that it meant you can relax over the break that they give you. A vacation is given to students so they can relax and take their mind off of tests, essays, and projects. We are supposed to be able to relax and stress free so that we can clear our minds and come back to school with clear minds. However, teachers like to hand out more homework assignments and projects for us to do over break. Instead of enjoying our time off, we have to worry about these homework assignments. I believe that it should be a rule that you are not allowed to give students assignments to do over break, that these assignments should be either given in the beginning of the semester to do, or after break. Yeah school is all about assignments and tests but we do need a break, during break!!!!!! So here I sit on thanksgiving writing summaries, working on a portfolio, and writing a story. I am not able to sit and relax and spend time with my family. Let alone take a nap because of the big dinner or watch some football like normal people are able to do on this holiday. So I just ask, for future benefit that we should be given a break over break. I hate stressing and I should not have to over my vacation time, because I should be having fun and not thinking about school. Let alone not to mention this "three" day vacation is going by quickly. The two day weekend should not count as a five day vacation because we already get those off during the semester!

Clarkson Hockey

This past Saturday, I went and watched the Clarkson Golden Knights Hockey team take on Brown University. This was the second D1 college hockey game, that i have been to. The first time I went, I wasn't sure what to expect because I hate watching hockey on TV because I find it boring. However, it is much different in person. I find it exciting, and I love to see the players smash into their opponents. It is so amazing when they do this, especially when they have a hard hit which send the crowd into a huge uproar of "YEAH". I went with my former high school teacher/coach and her family. The player that we go and watch, is her cousin, who also graduated from the same high school I went to. He has improved so much since last season, that it is unbelievable. He is much quicker and handles the puck a lot better. It is fun to go watch him play. Another player that I enjoy watching is their goalie David. I have never seen a more crafted and talented college hockey goalie, in my life before. He pretty much is the guardian between the pipes. He makes unbelievable stops, which makes the fans go wild. The fan base at Clarkson's hockey games, are unrealistic. I have never seen so many students come out and support hockey. I am used to seeing the fan support be like that for football. These fans are in unison when they cheer at all times, using hand gestures and waving. It is so cool. Well back to the game. Clarkson went on to beat Brown 4-2.