Before I took this class my perception of US sport was
basically what I watched on TV or played in high school. I didn’t think too
much about money and politics and the impact they have on the actual game, the
athletes and the fans. I don’t think my attitude towards US sports culture has
changed per se, but I have definitely learned a lot and have been introduced to
a different outlook. The topic that stood out to me the most was when we
discussed the lives of retired athletes, especially retired NFL athletes. On TV
and in magazines they look like they live the perfect lives, but behind closed
doors and after their time to shine is over, they live lives far from perfect.
It just goes to show that the media can make anything look how they want it to.
To be honest, I’ll probably look at the US sports world a little different
after this class. I’m not going to change which sports I watch, but I’ll
definitely think differently about what goes on when the athletes aren’t on the
field. This class improved my research/writing skills and helped me look
outside the box on topics I wouldn’t have done so before. I believe I’ll take a
more analytical approach when looking into subjects that seem basic at first. I
already have recommended this class to multiple people. I believe it’s a good
class to take if you’re interested in sports and it’s influence on society and
society’s influence on sport.
