Sports
December 2, 2010
7
NFL’s ultimate dual threat makes comeback However, it caused the 49ers coaching staff and fans to think he was too skittish and wasn’t poised enough to lead the 49ers back to the Super Bowl. Young did find the balance and turned it into two NFL Most Valuable Player Eleven touchdown passes, one interception, 62.8 Awards, Super Bowl MVP, and retired as the NFL’s all time completion percentage, and a quarterback rating of 106. highest rated passer. Randall Cunningham’s size and speed at the Sounds like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, or Drew Brees quarterback position was something the league had never right? No it’s Michael Vick. These incredible numbers is seen before when he excited fans as quarterback of the undefeated in games he has started this season for the Philadelphia Eagles. Like Vick, Cunningham had a tremendous throwing Philadelphia Eagles. Vick has always been explosive using his legs, causing arm which wasn’t really on display until he had a change defensive coordinators to loose sleep trying to game plan of scenery. In 1998, Cunningham came back to the NFL against his ability to make plays outside of the pocket. to take the reins as the quarterback of the Minnesota Vick has now added poised pocket passer into his already Vikings. What happened next was Cunningham leading the impressive repertoire. With this new dimension to his game, is Vick the Vikings to within a field goal of going to the Super Bowl toughest quarterback in the league to game plan for? Is he by having the highest scoring offense in the history of the league. the toughest to game plan for in league history? Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have been without a After serving a 21 month prison sentence for federal dog fighting charges, most people questioned whether doubt the two best quarterbacks in the NFL over the past Vick would be the same player he was as an Atlanta Falcon decade. They both have such command of their offenses; they where he was so dynamic running the football. There have been other “run first” quarterbacks who are always prepared for the defenses they see each week. have changed their identities as just runners. The San However, individual skill wise, Vick is the toughest player Francisco 49ers won four Super Bowls in the 1980’s lead in football to prepare for. Although Vick has always had to deal with a spy, a by who most consider the greatest quarterback of all time, linebacker that is assigned to follow the quarterback all Joe Montana. When injuries kept Montana off the field, his long over the field, to keep him from running, the spy now time back up Steve Young took over. Instantly Young was has to respect Vick beating the defense with his arm by criticized for his run first mentality that was so different making great throws downfield. Vick was notorious for being a “last to show up, first from Montana who was arguably the most poised pocket to leave” type of player. passer ever. But with a new found appreciation for his situation At times, Young’s ability to escape pressure made for breath taking moments like the dramatic 50 yard as an NFL quarterback, Vick has put in the work to be a touchdown that won the game against the Minnesota true dual threat quarterback and one of the front runners for not only Comeback Player of the Year but NFL MVP. Vikings in 1988. Drew Pitts Connection Staff
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NBA writer emphasizes the importance of social media Jarrad Hicks Connection Staff
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For many students, using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are as simple as socializing with peers and keep in touch with friends. National Basketball Association Senior Writer of AOL Fanhouse, Sam Amick, emphasized the importance of social networking as a positive attribute to your career in a lecture to students at Cosumnes River College on Nov. 29. For Amick, it is not only a great tool for him to connect quickly with readers, it helped him get to where his is today, literally. Along with answering any questions, Amick spoke about his experience as a writer as well as his journey there. Amick worked for five years at the Sacramento Bee as the Sacramento Kings Beat writer covering players as Ron Artest, Kevin Martin and Tyreke Evans, said that while journalists don’t have to utilize a social media presence like Twitter to survive in the industry, not having one can, at times make writers seem none existence. “I feel like you run a huge risk of being lost,” Amick said. “Because if you broke a story, you at least have to tweet a link to the breaking story for people in the industry to know you had it. So I do feel there is a correlation between a social media presence and relevance.” Amick told the Journalism 300 class that despite working in one of the NBA’s smallest markets, having a relatively nice sized Twitter following of just under 6,000 followers helped him to land a job with AOL Fanhouse, who “wanted to ramp up their NBA coverage.” “I would have never gotten the job if I would never created a Twitter account,” Amick said. But despite the ability to instantly get information to the masses by working online with Fanhouse and
using Twitter, Amick said the same rules still apply despite having to be his own editor with AOL. “There are fewer safeguards with online media,” Amick said. Amick cautioned that Amick said that news judgment, ethics and the way you conduct yourself in the field still remain paramount for reporters despite the change in media. Although the rapid growth of the Internet and blogosphere where literally anyone can be a journalist from the comfort of one’s own computer “It’s not about chair, Amick what form it said he felt the importance of comes in but true journalism it is about the is needed now institution of more than ever. journalism and It is needed how the job gets not just in done. I really do sports, but think that my across the news story is a sign industry. of the times, “I think just from seeing that reporters both sides of it.” do (provide) a service for the fans,” Amick Sam Amick said. “And the Senior NBA ones who are Writer, AOL out there on Fanhouse Cloud Nine, being around the team aren’t going to ask the hard questions.” Amick went on to say that he doesn’t mind seeing a shift from traditional print journalism to being more online based, so long as the integrity of the craft is upheld. “It’s not about what form it comes in but it is about the institution of journalism and how the job gets done,” Amick said. “I really do think that my story is a sign of the times, just from seeing both sides of it.”