Summer is quickly approaching and sports seasons are continuing to heat up. The NBA playoffs have showcased some of the most exciting games ever, and many of the players have shown star talent. There have also been two huge controversial issues discussed in the sports world this month: the NFL lockout and the new concussion rule in the MLB.
National Football League: The NFL lockout has caused both players and owners to become increasingly frustrated. Ray Lewis from the Baltimore Ravens claims there could be adverse effects if the NFL lockout continues. Lewis explains that if the lockout remains, and there is no NFL season in the fall, then crime rates will rise. He claims that people “live through” the NFL players. I personally don’t agree with Lewis; however, one thing is for sure: he will definitely lose money if there are no games played this fall.
The lockout brings about an extremely difficult situation. It is essentially the owners vs. the players. The owners cannot criticize the players because the players get people to come to the games. Likewise, the players can’t criticize the owners because it will cost the industry a lot of money, which filters down to a cut in their paycheck. Both sides need to find a middle ground in which the players and owners both get what they want.
I personally think the lockout will end sooner rather than later. The players risk not getting paid, but the owners risk losing an investment, which means they have more to lose. The players can’t afford to miss any seasons because the NFL seasons are too short and many players only get the opportunity to play for a few years.
Major League Baseball: In the past few years, there has been a dispute over head injuries and concussions in sports. The new concussion rule in the MLB allows players to go on the disabled list (DL) specifically for concussions. This also allows players to go on the DL for a shorter period of time, instead of fifteen days like it was previously. This is a good thing because it gives players enough time to recover from concussions, but doesn’t force them to miss too many games. Some people don’t think the new rule is necessary, while others think it is essential. In my opinion, I think it is necessary to take safety precautions for the players. I think having a concussion rule is beneficial because injuries can and will happen.
Many former professional sports players that have complained about head injuries and brain damage due to rough play. Dave Duerson was a former Chicago Bears player who committed suicide in February. He was so convinced that there was brain damage from playing professional football, that he donated his brain to science. Concussions and head injuries in sports definitely need to be paid close attention to, but many people would disagree.
National Basketball Association:Obviously the Heat-Bulls series was the talk of the town. The Heat managed to beat the heat in a 4-1 series that ended on Thursday night. The key to stopping the Heat was to keep them out of transition, of which the Bulls had been doing a nice job. But, in order to beat the Heat, the Bulls also needed to create shots, which they didn’t do. Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer both struggled to get shots off in the paint. Obviously stopping the Heat’s powerhouse trio (Wade, James, and Bosh) was extremely important as well. James had 35 points on Tuesday, while Bosh had 34 points on Sunday night. The Bulls failed to play some of their best games in the series, and the Heat definitely had the upper hand.
I personally would love to see Miami get beat because I am tired of their antics. After Lebron James’ constant “showing off” on Tuesday and Sunday in Miami, I am really hoping the Maverics or Thunder can beat the Heat in the finals.