Volume 9 Issue 4

THE RUSH

p. 18

by MADDY ATWATER & QUINN KNOBLOCK

February 2016, Volume 9 Issue 4

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LINE UP

MVP 18 ADRENALINE If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Unlimited adrenaline.

31 AN ATHLETE’S ADVANTAGE Explore how playing a sport can help one get into their dream school.

40

WHAT MAKES AN IDOL? An athlete can be loved by many, but only the special ones can hold the title of an idol.

Volume 9, Issue 4 February 2016

KICK OFF 4 6 8

TIP-OFF STEAL SHOOT

10 EDITORIAL 12 INSIDE THE MIND 13 14

HALFTIME 16 LIVING LIKE KENYON

Celebrating and remembering the life of Mr. Scott.

Go Bears!

17

of Eli Friedlander (‘16)

POP CULTURE

10 QUESTIONS

with Max Doward (‘18)

15 PETER THE SPORTS READER

24 26

FINAL 28

30 RISK IT FOR THE BISCUIT

Read about the risks and rewards of betting on sports at a professional or college level.

HALAS

Check out this tribute that includes quotes and memories from players of Halas’ time as the football team’s head coach.

POWER COUPLES TOP 10 TWEETS

VIKING TRIES

36 WARRIORS TIMELINE 38 HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION 46

LAST WORD

Center Alexis Harris (‘16) tips the ball off in the Vikings’ game against Wilcox High School.

Paly went on to win the game 67-12.

Photo by Christian Rider

Alessandro Reale (‘16) jukes his defender to keep possesion for the Vikings.

The team went on to defeat Gunn for the second time this season.

Photo by Meredith Kinnaman

Miles Tention (‘17) pulls up for a deep three-pointer against the Wilcox Chargers. Tention had 12 points and five rebounds for the Vikings.

Photo by Bryan Look

Editors-in-Chief Kylie Callan Alys Olmstead Managing Editors Maddy Atwater Meredith Kinnaman Design Editor Alys Olmstead Photo Editors Maddy Atwater Meredith Kinnaman Copy Editor Daniel Douty Columnist Daniel Douty Multimedia Editor Daniel Douty Business Manager Kylie Callan

From the editors Dear readers,

Hey Vikings!

We hope your second semesters are off to a good start and that you members of the Class of 2016 are not suffering too much from senioritis yet. As winter sports get closer to playoffs and spring sports start up, we here at The Viking has welcomed four new writers to our staff this semester, and we’re excited to see where we can go from here. This month, we’ve created another wonderful issue for you all.

Our cover story this issue explores the effects of adrenaline and how it contributes to athletic experiences. From seeking thrills in extreme sports to playing through injuries without noticing the pain, adrenaline is a major factor in sports that is not always acknowledged.

The second feature of this issue looks into how athletes become idols and what specific characteristics contribute to that achievement. Regardless of the sport, an athlete’s presence on social media, attitude on and off the field and how they interact with fans have become increasingly important in how they are perceived.

Our third and final feature tells the story of several Paly athletes who chose to continue their athletic careers in college. Although they all had different experiences both leading up to their recruitment and once they got to campus, there are certain aspects that many of their journeys shared.

We have included a tribute to Mr. Scott, who lived a very active life. We also take a look at power couples in the athletic world in honor of Valentine’s Day, as well as a timeline of the recent NBA seasons documenting the Warriors’ rise to the top. And who could forget Peter the Sports Reader, and our Last Word.

We had a great time putting this issue together and we hope you all enjoy it!

The Viking, a sports magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School’s Advanced Magazine Journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The Viking is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity.

Advertising in The Viking The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with The Viking, please contact the The Viking by email at vikingeds@gmail.com Printing Services 2,500 copies of The Viking are printed, six times a year by Folger Graphics in Hayward, Calif.

Sincerely, Kylie and Alys

Staff Writers Skylar Burris Ryan Chang Ben Cleasby Jamie Cullen Samuel Desre Samantha Guillet Quinn Knoblock Lauren Koyama Bryan Look Talia Malchin Steven Marinkovich Nikki Merkle-Raymond Christian Rider Peter Snodgrass Ethan Stern Mara Zenger Staff Adviser Brian Wilson

The Viking Palo Alto High School 50 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-329-3837 Email contact: vikingeds@gmail.com Advertising and Sponsorship Contact: vikingads@gmail.com

10 | T H E V I K I N G |

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Staff view

About the controversy of transporting student fans to certain games A team is composed of many parts. The players, the coaches, the equipment, the facilities and the opponents all contribute to a team’s ability to win. Yet, often a component is forgotten from this list: where are the fans?

Here at The Viking we have written constantly about our concern with the lack of fans at Paly sporting events, and the numbers have only lowered since our last preach. Now, in the face of a giant crater replacing our gym and the drought hitting even our beloved pool, we are speaking to something greater.

As a staff, we believe that transportation in the form of buses or carpool arrangements should be provided to students in-

terested in attending games held at Gunn and significant away games.

This would not only give students transportation to games, but we believe would increase incentive to go if one could see that other students, too, are attending.

The use of buses would provide bonding for student fans, only increasing the chemistry of our cheering section. Having the majority of students in a attendence all in one area prior to the game would also make coordination of possible themes and dress-ups for our fan-zones.

While it has been rumored in the past the main counter-argument against transportation being provided was that there were not enough people interested in at-

tending the game, The Viking believes that if a signup sheet were implemented and a certain number was not reached then that would be a way to regulate whether or not a bus could be provided.

We feel as though our sports teams perform better when they are being encouraged by fellow students.

Having the knowledge that your peers support you will make students not only represent Paly in a respectful manner, but also be able to handle the ups and downs that come with competition.

Although, it may cost a little extra, it would be a strong and positive investment towards the student body. <<<

Would you like to advertise here?

Contact us at vikingads@gmail.com

FEBRUARY 2016

Pop culture grid WHAT DO PALY ATHLETES SAY?

Derek Schoenberger (‘17) Boys’ Soccer

Maya Lathi (‘17) Girls’ Basketball

Seth Goyal (‘17) Wrestling

Ally Scheve (‘18) Girls’ Soccer

Bryant Jefferson (‘18) Boys’ Basketball

Super Bowl winner will be...

49ers

Broncos

Broncos

Panthers

Panthers

Favorite spring sport

Badminton

Track

Baseball

Lacrosse

Lacrosse

Skiing or Snowboarding?

Bobsledding

Skiing

Skiing

Skiing

Snowboarding

Favorite Basketball Team?

Paly JV Boys

Warriors

Warriors

Notre Dame

Chicago Bulls

NCAA or NBA?

NBA

NBA

NCAA

NCAA

NCAA

HOT DAB

CHIP KELLY After a rough season under former Head Coach Jim Tomsula, the 49ers have hired former Philadelphia Eagles and University of Oregon head coach Chip Kelly to be the team’s new head coach. Kelly, known for his fast-paced offenses, has 49ers fans excited for the future and is sure to bring excitement to the team.

Simple, but stylish, the DAB has taken the world by storm.

Made even more popular by Cam Newton and the NFC champions the Carolina Panthers, everyone is dabbing.

BAY AREA TRAFFIC

Bay area traffic is never hot or popular, but with the Super Bowl coming to the Bay Area at Levi’s Stadium, traffic will only get worse over the next weeks.

After an up and down start to the season, Cavaliers management dedcided to show that anything less than a championship team is NOT acceptable. The Cavaliers fired head coach David Blatt on January 24, and made Tyronn Lue interim head coach.

DAVID BLATT

NOT

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The Viking Magazine sat down with Paly Basketball’s Max Dorward(‘18) and asked him 10 questions. We then also asked his coach, friend and girlfriend. here are the results...

10 Questions with

?

Max Dorward

as told to Haley Chalmers and Jamie Cullen

Max Dorward (‘18) Varsity Basketball

Questions

Peter Diepenbrock Coach

Bea White (‘18) Girlfriend

Riley Schoben (‘16) Member of Garbanzo

Pasta

Pre-Game Meal

Chipotle

Pasta

Leftover Wiener Schnitzel

Chemistry

Favorite Subject

PE

Chemistry

History

Sun

Snow or Sun

Sun

Sun

Sun

Vulture

Nickname

Mr. Clutch

Dorward or Maxie

The Vulture

Speaker Knockers

Pump Up Song

Hello

Probably a rap song

Lose Yourself by Eminem

Basketball

Football or Basketball

Basketball

Basketball

Basketball

Loud People

Pet Peeve

Free throws

People who brag

Fake German Food

Crazy

Diep is...

“turn and run”

A savage

Passionate

Paul Jackson/ Jerry Tang

Funniest on the team

Schlemdog

Paul Jackson

Schlemmer

Revenant

Favorite Movie

The Notebook

Caddy Shack

Birdman

20%

60%

30% FEBRUARY 2016

Inside the Mind of

ELI FRIEDLANDER

as told to Haley Chalmers and Jamie Cullen

ON FIELD FASHION CHOICES ON SENIOR YEAR

Work hard, play even harder, don’t get rescinded.

ON BEING GOALIE The best thing about being goalie is not having to run, and I also get to yell at everyone.

ON PREGAME RITUALS Going number 2 and putting my water bottle upright on the right side of the goal.

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I usually just wear whatever isn’t in the laundry, but I like the grape outfit the best. I chose the light blue and the purple because I can’t wear the same color as the other team.

ON FAMILY My parents have put a lot of time and money into my soccer career. They’ve gone with me to a lot of tournaments and driven me as far as Fresno on a random Sunday so shoutout to them. My extended family is my boys on the team and they’re not very supportive.

by P

ET

ER

SN OD GR AS S

e r h t de r e ea t Pe ts R r o Sp

It is the most romantic time of the year. Yes, you guessed it, Valentine’s Day. For a special few of us, this holiday is enjoyed with our significant other, spending an egregious amount of money on chocolate that will never be eaten. For the larger part of my audience, they will be spending their Valentine’s Day evening eating chocolate, watching The Notebook and crying due to loneliness.

In my newest edition, I hope to give you lonely souls some advice about love, and hopefully convince you to read a romantic sports novel this Valentine’s Day, instead of your annual viewing of The Notebook.

e Th ral tu Na

e Lov d an ts r Spo

Are you a hopeless romantic? Do you love baseball?

In Bernard Malamud’s novel, The Natural, he explores America’s pastime and with a theme of romanticism.

The novel follows the story of a washed up baseball player and his exotic relationships with woman (just like the movie). In the beginning, he attempts to date a young lady, and spoiler alert, but his attempt backfires as she shoots him in the stomach delaying his career. The story then jumps to him at age 34, to his last attempt at professional baseball. Soon, he meets a new girl who goes against the social norm of a lady (She has a child and sleeps with him early on). If you are interested in a captivating and surprising sports novel, make sure to read The Natural!

Do you aspire to find yourself in People Magazine’s gossip section? In Andre Agassi’s autobiography Open, he writes about his tabloid relationships and his two marriages. Early into his career, Agassi was a swinger dating many girls, but not finding “the one”. Eventually, after he slowed down his love life, he married famous model/actress Brooke Shields,for a whole two years. The two had little in common and only stayed together because they were People Magazine’s new couple. Think of them like Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries. After a hopeless marriage, Agassi found Steffi Graf, a former professional tennis player herself. As a New York Times number one best seller, Open is a page-turning autobiography that any hopeless romantic or tennis fanatic would enjoy.

Interested in a passionate, quick read? Are you a part of a stereotypical football relationship like that of Julie Taylor and Matt Saracen? Then you would enjoy the Love and Sports series by Meghan Quinn. Each book follows the lives of two polar people and their journey to unconditional love. Additionally, each book connects to the next through supporting characters, allowing the reader to become very familiar with the series. For those true Fifty Shades of Grey fans, this book involves steamy and romantic scenes between the two main characters. A few drawbacks to the young adult novel is it is very cheesy, as it normally describes an egotistical, all-american, falling in love with the athletic introvert. But it is Valentine’s season, so you’re gouda if you want to be cheesy.

Do you have that special someone who loves their sports team’s more than they love you? In Nick Hornby’s autobiography, Fever Pitch, he details his love for his favorite soccer team, Arsenal. His relationship with Arsenal was as obsessive as a middle school girls and Justin Bieber circa 2011. He describes the 1989 Arsenal championship win as better than having a child, sex, and winning the lottery.

While this book is very witty, Hornby expresses the despair he feels after every loss, so vividly that the reader will feel the pit in their own stomach. For any obsessive fan, this book will suit you very well as a date this Valentine’s Day.

After reading my reviews, I hope I have inspired you to pick up a book this Valentine’s Day. If I did not, I will leave you with a few pieces of love advice. First, make sure to text your loved one all of your emotions, and NEVER tell them in person. Be yourself around your friends, but be very different around your loved one. Never open or hold the door for a woman, because chivalry is dead. Check your phone when you are with them constantly, but never respond to their texts. Act like you are not dating her, and pay no attention to them at school. Talk to all the girls she hates, especially your ex. Most importantly, communication is overrated. The best route is to “go out with friends” on February 14th.

Op

en

Fev Pit er ch

Living Like Kenyon

by RYAN CHANG and CHRISTIAN RIDER

W

e’re here to tell you that more people should live their lives like Mr. Kenyon Scott. It is easy to get stuck in a boring routine, so live life to its fullest. Experience and take in life. As Abraham Lincoln said, “It’s not about the years you live in your life that counts. It’s that life in your years.” Mr. Scott found a way to get out of a routine while finding a way to exercise: biking.

Mr. Scott loved our environment and the outdoors. This was clear with how he biked everywhere, contributing to the conservation of our planet.. Everyday Mr. Scott would bike to school no matter how hot or how cold it was; he’d come into class covered in sweat with smile on his face as he started doing the TGIF motions to get the day started. He would then say something about his bike ride to school which went along the lines of: “The air quality today was very low, so I biked slowly today.”

If you attended Mr.

Scott’s memorial, you would have heard stories about golf, backpacking, and his passion for his alma mater, UC Berkeley. Everyone who gave a speech talked about activities they experienced with Mr. Scott. His brothers shared stories of their backpacking trips, which they ultimately stopped taking because of a snake bite that John Scott, his younger brother, had suffered, making Mr. Scott run twelve miles out to get help. So, instead of backpacking they took a seemingly safer approach and started to play golf, which became an activity that Mr. Scott did regularly with the friends that he had made. According to his older brother, Kenyon’s wingy driver made golf equally as dangerous. Along with his passion of the outdoors, Mr. Scott loved the Cal Bears, so to end off the ceremony the Paly band played three UC Berkeley fight songs.

Mr. Scott was passionate about the time he

spent with the friends he made while playing golf, and every time there was a Cal football game, Mr. Scott was always watching.

Mr. Scott was very passionate about his teaching of AP Environmental Science, he loved to relate his subject with matters that were happening today. On days where the air quality was bad he would tell his students “Make sure not to workout too hard today, It’s a spare the air day.” Mr. Scott was genuinely concerned with the state of our environment, and he made sure to let his students know so that they can help make a difference.

Ultimately, Mr. Scott’s legacy of being outdoors inspired his way of teaching. His goal for teaching was not for a test, but for his students to change the world. Being active and spending time in the outdoors is what Mr. Scott would have wanted us to do. So, grab some friends and take a hike, or swing by the golfing range, and enjoy the world around you. He will be missed by everyone here at The Viking, and in the Paly community. Go Bears!

H

H Dear COACH HALAS,

by SKYLAR BURRIS and ETHAN STERN

"Coach Halas taught us how to win games " Kevin Liu (‘16) “Halas recognized potential and work ethic and didn’t favor someone just because of their size or natural talent. He always knew the right thing to say to keep our heads up or get us pumped up.”

Alec Cohen-Schisler (‘17)

“He knew a lot about the sport and how to win games and he also cared about his players.”

David Chernyak (‘17)

“He was an honest coach. I believe that’s the best type of coach because you don’t go through practice making the same mistakes.”

Jordan Schilling (‘17)

“He never gave up on me and he always believed in me.”

Eli Givens (‘16) “He always wanted us to do well so badly which connected the players with him because of that similar drive to play well.”

Max Dorward (‘18)

“Great coach and mentor and I wish him the best.”

Troy Henderson III (‘17)

Sincerely, PALY

THE RUSH

Photo courtesy of Andrew Gibson

BY MADDY ATWATER AND QUINN KNOBLOCK

HOW CAN ONE LITTLE HORMONE CHANGE SO MUCH? READ ON TO UNCOVER THE COMPLEXITIES OF ADRENALINE AND WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU. 18 | T H E V I K I N G |

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Y

ou’ve heard awe-inspiring stories of mothers lifting cars to save their trapped children and people cliff jumping into dangerous waters, which sound absolutely crazy, but are all due to a little rush of a simple hormone.

Yes, a little hormone that can give superhuman strength and trigger our fight or flight responses.

A single hormone that people would risk their lives for. Adrenaline.

When put in fearful or stressful situations, your body goes through a process to allow you to make a quick decision.

During a high-stress situation, your body begins by activating the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is responsible for maintaining physiological balance, which is more commonly understood to be the balance between stress and relaxation. The hypothalamus has a direct connection to the adrenal medulla, which is the center of the adrenal glands, according to Jordan Gaines Lewis, an award winning science communicator. Adrenaline is released from the adrenal gland causing blood vessels to contract, which then lets the blood be re-directed toward major muscle groups like the heart and lungs, which stimulates the fight or flight response. For

those unaware of what this response prompts: it creates air passages to expand to provide the muscles with the oxygen they need to either fight danger or flee according to Hormone Health Network.

Basically, adrenaline can affect a lot of aspects of your body. Obviously, there can be a significant increase in strength and performance, but there are more signs of this hormone rushing through your body. More noticeable effects that adrenaline has on the body may include increased breathing and heart rate, sweaty or clammy hands and often heightened awareness, just to name a few.

If you are still confused about how this gives us superhuman strength in dire times, here’s a closer look. According to Lewis, humans typically use a small percentage of our muscle’s total capability. Once adrenaline is pumped into our bloodstream, blood is diverted from other areas of our body and pushed towards our muscles. This also allows more oxygen to reach our muscles. On top of this, adrenaline facilitates our body’s stored energy source and converts it to usable glucose. This combination increasingly strengthens our muscles beyond the normal levels.

Isabel Black (‘17) has first-hand encoun-

tered the instant high of an adrenaline rush when she was given the opportunity to skydive in the Swiss Alps.

“When it was my turn to jump out of the helicopter, I had no butterflies,” Black said. “We jumped out and immediately did a backflip, and the rush was instant.

I instantly got a high, a rush of adrenaline and couldn’t help but smile because of how fun it was. There’s no feeling like it in the world.”

Although adrenaline has it’s positive effects, there are also dangers with such a strong hormone. According to ABC News, adrenaline makes pain seemingly disappear, which sounds nice in theory, however, it can also be a danger to one’s body. If and when an athlete gets an injury, it’s important to stop, rest and let the injury heal itself. In a game setting, adrenaline often masks the pain caused by an injury and, because of this, an athlete may continue to play on the injury, which may further the severity of that injury.

In the competitive sports atmosphere of Paly, injuries are not uncommon, but many of these students also play through

CLIFF JUMP This is one of the most extreme sports to make the list of activities for the most extreme adrenaline rushes. Malibu Creek Rock Pools in Southern California is one of the best places to cliff jump in California. such injuries. On occasion, this may be harmless to an athlete. But in other cases, playing through a serious injury can cause more damage and even force the athlete to be out longer, or end a career. Adrenaline plays a large part in an athlete’s ability to play through injuries.

“I dislocated my shoulder while running with the ball, my left arm was grabbed and the guy just happened to not let go and it came out,” Dami Bolarinwa (‘16) said. “I noticed it really quickly ,put it back in, and continued playing. I think adrenaline affects everyone in games.”

Adrenaline isn’t just a hormone athletes have, everyone has access and can experience its effects. The human body produces adrenaline after the brain receives a message that we are

“THE RUSH WAS INSTANT.” FEBRUARY 2016

encountering a stressful situation.

These bursts of adrenaline can range from stress caused by a test you’re taking in twenty minutes, to the fact that you’re getting chased by a bear (although probably unlikely).

But, in an athletic sense, an athlete is able to do things in certain situations that they would not normally be able to do.

“I feel the numbing feeling, I block out the pain and I continue to play and fight for each ball, each tackle, anything to benefit my team,” Bolarinwa said. “I mentally just try to focus on anticipating the next play. I block it all out until the game is over.”

Research echos Bolarinwa’s thoughts. Time after time, adrenaline

has been shown to block out a person’s ability to detect both pain, and the severity of the pain.

Adrenaline can also be used in extreme medical situations. Although not a typical medical treatment, an injection can be given in the event of a sudden stop of the heart (cardiac arrest).

The adrenaline can stimulate the heart to restart and begin beating strongly. According to MyDr. com, nursing staffs and paramedics can give the injection in an emergency situation.

However, adrenaline’s medical use does not exactly correlate with the natural effect that the hormone has on your body. A laboratory setting cannot replicate the hormonal effects that natural adrenaline produces in high stress situations mainly due to the fact that no controlled situation is likely to induce such a feeling.

Practical medical uses of adrenaline have been seen, but what about when someone just

wants to feel a rush? Like that of a drug, adrenaline rushes can cause a similar blood-warming, invincible surge through the human body. And like a drug addict, there are adrenaline junkies throughout the world as well.

Adrenaline is a natural reaction which can be achieved during a high stress situation. And through this, we see the epitome of adrenaline junkies: seeking high stress and dangerous situations for the thrill of a rush.

According to FitDay, an adrenaline junkie is “a person addicted to the thrill of the adrenaline rush.” For an adrenaline junkie, sports are a very common ground in the search of a rush. From skydiving to mountain biking, these thrill-seekers look to partake

“I instantly got a high, a rush of adrenaline and couldn’t help but smile because of how fun it was.

There’s no feeling like it in the world.”

Photo courtesy of Isabel Black

FREE-FALL This is the beginning of Isabel Black’s (‘17) descent to the ground after exiting the plane. This was her first time skydiving.

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Photo courtesy of Itai Palmon

BREAK TIME Itai Palmon (‘16) stops for a break in his three day dirt-biking extravaganza south of Tijuana through San Diego. be jittery; if I didn’t have enough, I’d be too slow, too calm,” Palmon said. “The perfect amount was when I could be completely focused and think quickly, while also having control over my body.”

On day two, he biked a total of 10 hours into the desert and up a mountain to an area called Mike’s Sky Ranch. He then traveled down the mountain and completed his journey north towards San Diego on day three.

Although the whole adventure re

in any activity that provides a larger than normal amount of danger or risk.

Here at Paly, many students engage in extreme-sports and adventure-seeking opportunities. From skidiving to dirt-biking and even ice-climbing, these tenacious thrill-seekers have experinced life-changing events through these adrenaline rushes.

Itai Palmon (‘16) went on a dirt-biking trip in Baja California, Mexico.

Palmon started a little south of Tijuana, Mexico and traveled six hours down the coast on his first day.

“If I had too much [adrenaline], I’d

Photo courtesy of Itai Palmon

RACE Palmon races though the sand, mud and silt on his dirt bike. This action shot was taken

by Palmon himself on his bike.

FEBRUARY 2016

2

THE NUMBER OF ADRENAL GLANDS IN THE HUMAN BODY

50

THE NUMBER OF KNOWN HORMONES IN THE HUMAN BODY

3

AVERAGE NUMBER OF MINUTES IT TAKES TO RELEASE ADRENALINE quired a lot of adrenaline, Palmon encountered a more stressful situation than the average dirt-biking scares. He was riding in silt, which creates conditions similar to sand. When in silt, the front wheel of a dirt bike has a harder time staying straight.

On the ride, his bike tipped over a bump in a deep patch of silt.

“As the bike was falling I remembered my dad explaining that we need to wear high boots so that if we need to put out a leg to hold our weight and that of the bike, we won’t break our ankles,” Palmon said.

“So as the bike was falling, I quickly put out my leg and pushed the bike back up. There’s no way I could have moved that quickly without adrenaline.”

Like any high, the effects of adrenaline wear off after a sustained period of time.

Unfortunately, the signs of adrenaline addiction are not as clear cut and easy to read

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RUSH This is the beginning of an adrenaline rush in a neuron. The “fight or flight” response kicks in when adrenaline is released through the adrenal glands. as those stemming from a drug addiction.

An adrenaline addict can very easily fill their life with drama and toxic conditions rather than ironically, the safe outlet of extreme sports. The border of addiction and attraction is slim. An addict feels the same rush from manufactured stress, so they lose the attraction to the natural feeling of an extreme sport.

Why can’t we feel like superheroes all the time then? Lifting incredibly heavy objects is not exactly considered “healthy.” Realistically, our muscles are not built for that kind of strenuous lifting. Secondly, this extreme amount of stress over a long period of time would severely damage us. Stress makes humans more susceptible to illness and infection.

But, how does all of this tie together in a sports sense? Athletes, in correlation, also seek the thrill of their athletic competition.

w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

And when it comes down to it, playing through a little pain for the end result does not phase them in the heat of the moment.

Basketball player Miles Tention (‘17) has endured a back injury on and off for some time now, but had not reported feeling pain since the summer of 2015 until recently. As starting point guard for the Vikings, Tention has sacrificed his body in the event of a game. In the most recent basketball quad night againt Gunn, he was escorted off the court in Titan gym and taken to the training room for further evaluation.

For this young athlete, it takes a lot of pain in order for him to give in and stop playing.

“I play through the pain because I’ve worked so hard to get to this point; I can’t let myself down,” Tention said.

“I’ve worked with my teammates for these games all year, so I try not to let an injury slow me down and stop myself and my teammates from achieving our goals in the season. Unless I can’t walk, I’m going to play. So I played.”

Like Tention and Bolarinwa, many other dedicated athletes have been taught to play through the pain. In 2014, Elizabeth Murray wrote an article for the Health and Wellness section of Today on teenagers playing through pain. A female field hockey player was struck in the head with a stick and blacked out, but, like many athletes, only had one thing on her mind.

“The only thought in my mind was getting back in the game,” the athlete said. “I

thought I had to be tough. I thought I had to go back in because we were losing and I needed to support my team.”

Later in the night the athlete was taken to the hospital and suffered permanent brain damage.

Unfortunately, her story brings to light millions of stories from millions of other athletes playing through an injury with a little help from adrenaline. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, one child is taken to the emergency room every 25 seconds for a sports injury.

Safe Kids Worldwide also conducted a study of 3,000 athletes, coaches and parents, and revealed astonishing facts to this phenomenon.

42% kids reported downplaying or hide an injury so they could continue playing while 53% of coaches disclosed feeling pressured to put an

injured player back in the game.

So, is adrenaline good or bad? Healthy or unhealthy? As in any case, adrenaline has its positive and negative effects on the bodies of athletes. A little bit lights a fire underneath you, but too much may cause detrimental problems to a person’s health.

From adrenaline junkies to hard core athletes to the rest of us normal people, adrenaline affects everyone and it is important to understand the impacts this hormone has on us and our bodies.

“When the stakes are high you want to play your best and win not just for you, but for your team, for the fans that came out to support you,” Bolarinwa said. “It affects everything.” <<<

FLY Isabel Black (‘17) cannot help but smile during her skydiving adventure in the Swiss Alps. The Switzerland-based company offers twelve different options for skydiving packages including different planes to jump from and simply scenic flights.

Photo courtesy of Isabel Black

w

P

wer Couples

by BEN CLEASBY and NIKKI MERKLE-RAYMOND

David and Victoria Beckham ruled the professional soccer scene for 21 years, ending when D. Beckham retired in 2013. D. Beckham became a starter on the Manchester United soccer team when he was only 20 years old. V. Beckham started as “Posh Spice” in the Spice Girls band, popular in late ‘90s and later became an actress and model. The power couple has four children: Brooklyn, 16, Romeo, 13, Cruz, 10, and Harper, 4, and continues to rock the red carpet.

Stephen and Ayesha Curry dominate the NBA with their adorable kids and, of course, record-breaking titles. S. Curry plays for the Golden State Warriors and holds the record for the most three-pointers made in a regular season. This season the GSW are rocking the competition by winning 44 games this season (and counting). A. Curry runs a successful blog and Twitter about her family, faith and fitness. She dreams of publishing a cookbook and maybe even a TV show in the near future.

The couple has two children: Riley, 3, and Ryan, 7 months.

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Tennis player Andy Roddick and wife Brooklyn Decker have been together since 2009. Decker is a successful actress in movies such as Just Go With It and Roddick is a retired tennis player who earned the “No. 1 Player in the World” title in 2003 at the US Open. He retired in 2012 soon after competing in his last tournament. Roddick also has his own foundation, the Andy Roddick Foundation, getting the community working together outside. The couple has one child, Hank, 5 months, who they have just welcomed into their family.

For those of you with no one this Valentine’s Day, have no fear: we have you covered. While people you know are great, celebrities are less likely to break your heart. Here are our picks for the best athlete power couples. Hope you fall in love with them as much as we have.

Justin Verlander and Kate Upton have influenced the media scene for years. The couple has been together since 2011. Verlander is an all-star pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and was named “Rookie of the Year” in 2006 and received “The Most Valuable Player of the Year” award in 2011.

Upton is a top model for Sports Illustrated and has appeared on the cover in many of their most popular issues such as their swimsuit issues in 2012 and 2013. She played a lead role in The Other Woman. These two plan to keep controlling the media for years to come.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen have been commanding the social media scene both on and off the field since they got married in 2009.

Brady is the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots and has led the team to four Super Bowl wins in the past 13 years. Bundchen is the highest paid fashion model to date according to Forbes Magazine.

She also dedicates her time to many organizations such as Free the Children and Doctors Without Borders.

The couple has two children: Benjamin Brady, 6, and Vivian Lake Brady, 3.

Derek Jeter, one of the New York Yankees’ beloved and retired shortstops, has recently gotten engaged to supermodel Hannah Davis. Jeter played in the MLB since ‘95 and won “Rookie of the Year” in ‘96. He is the only player on the Yankees to be a part of the “3,000 Hit Club.”

He retired in 2014. Hannah Davis is a supermodel who is famous for her multiple appearences in Sports Illustrated in 2013 and 2014. Her biggest accomplishment so far is being on the cover of a Sports Illustrated issue in 2015.

Photos courtesy of Instagram

FEBRUARY 2016

TOP

ATHLETE TWEETS

By Sam Guillet and Ethan Stern @thevikingmag Tweets 3,458

Following 182

Followers 1,325

In the past years, some athletes had better tweets than their statistics.

These are only some of their tweets that got the most laughs and retweets.

Who to follow

• Refresh • View all

Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow

Kobe Bryant @kobebryant

JaVale McGee @JavaleMcGeeGo Kobe Bryant @kobebryant

Dwayne Johnson @TheRock

SHAQ @SHAQ

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photos taken from Twitter

FEBRUARY 2016

Photo by Alys Olmstead

LOCATION “The Studio” is located in downtown San Jose and is a great way to learn how to climb as well as get a workout in.

Photo by Alys Olmstead

SCALE Meredith Kinnaman (‘16) climbs the climbing wall after being certified by a climbing instructor after an intro to climbing class.

ROCK CLIMBING

I

t was a rocky start.

I can hands down say after experiencing rock climbing for the first time, that I have conquered my fear of heights. I do not know if it was the part where, after an hour of a “Intro to climbing class,” I was able to climb any of the structures in the gym, which included harsh inclines that raised all the way to the ceiling which was 25 ft off the ground, or if it was the part where after a 45 minute explanation of how to correctly belay something that I could now be in control of whether someone fell off the wall because of my incorrect belay technique that could result in serious injury. But besides getting over all those realizations, I can now say I know how to rock climb.

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Accompanied by fellow Viking member Alys Olmstead (‘16), we decided to try out rock climbing at “The Studio” located in downtown San Jose. Little did we know that this experience would not only teach us how to rock climb, but it would also be a very big test to our friendship as we would have to instill a lot of trust in each other in order to climb safely. At “The Studio” you can learn how to rock climb properly, as well as have a membership that allows you to have access to the gym which overlooks the massive rock climbing walls that line the studio.

The history of recreational rock climbing stems from the creation of the “climbing wall.” The first “climbing wall” was created in 1964 at Leeds University in the United Kingdom. Climbing walls are

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Tries

by MEREDITH KINNAMAN

used to mimic the experience a climber has when they are climbing a mountain.

Many climbers use climbing walls to practice climbing techniques in a safe environment to master skills before climbing a real mountain. Climbing walls have developed over time into a somewhat recreational sport and hobby for some, as they are a great form of exercise. In 2007, the International Olympic Committee recognized the International Federation of Sports Climbing.

In order to be able to participate in recreational rock climbing at “The Studio,” you must demonstrate to the instructors that you can safely belay a climber and be able to secure the correct climbing ropes to your harness to be a climber, too. Once you have showed the instructors that you

-

have mastered these two skills, you will earn a belay mastery card that will permit you to climb in the studio and gym without the assistance of the instructors.

The process in getting the belay mastery card is one that is easily accessible to the public. You can either sign up for the “Intro to climbing class” on their website, which is a one hour class that earns you your belay card at the end of the class while teaching you the basics of rock climbing. The cost of the class is $30. Or, if you have previous knowledge of rock climbing and wish to climb at the studio you can walk in and ask for an instructor to give you a belay and climbing test on the spot in order to earn your belay mastery card.

During the class, there are eight major safety check points that the instructor will ask you to show him to ensure you know how to properly work the equipment that is needed to climb. These points include knowing how to properly tighten and wear the harness, how to attach and make correct knots to tie onto the harness and how to ensure that the safety clips that are

photo by Alys Olmstead

attached to the harness are locked so they do not come undone while a climber is suspended. In order to climb, each climber needs climbing shoes and a harness, which you can rent from “The Studio.”

Whether you wish to pursue a career in rock climbing or just want enjoyable activity to do with your friends on the weekend, rock climbing provides a fun experience for you and some pals to work off some steam after a long week of school. <<<

BUCKLE UP Knowing how to correctly wear a safety harness in rock climbing is an important part of learning how to climb properly. Here we see News and Photo Editor Meredith Kinnnaman (‘16) display how to correctly wear the harness.

Photo by Alys Olmstead

FEBRUARY 2016

Ri$k IT BI$CUIT FOR THE

by BEN CLEASBY and LAUREN KOYAMA

Exploring the benefits and reprecussions of gambling on sporting events as a student or professional athlete.

I

n 1921, eight Chicago White Sox major league baseball players were banned for life after the accusation of fixing the 1919 World series. In 2007, referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in jail for betting on National Basketball Association (NBA) games, which he officiated. In 2015, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) banned fantasy sport companies DraftKings and FanDuel from advertising during any NCAA championship.

These consequences for betting on games is not uncommon. The excitement and possible riches of gambling entice players and fans, yet can strip individuals of their sport, money and job.

Athletes of any level – high school, college or professional – cannot bet on any games at the risk of compromising their eligibility or profession. As an athlete, betting on not only their own sport but on any other sport, disturbs the true integrity of the game.

“The NCAA opposes all forms of legal and illegal sports wagering, which has the potential to undermine the integrity of sports contests and jeopardizes the welfare of student-athletes

and the intercollegiate athletics community,” NCAA rules state.

Despite these restrictions, a study conducted by the NCAA reported that 57 percent of male student-athletes and 39 percent of female student-athletes were gambling in 2011. Though this form of gambling is usually between friends, the bigger risk is found in betting on NCAA games that the student-athlete may have inside information about. An example of this is when it has not been released whether a key player will play or not based on an injury, which may change the outcome of the game.

These concerns carry on through the collegiate level and even into professional sports.

The effects of betting as an athlete can be devastating and treacherous not only towards a team’s future, but also an individual’s career.

One of the biggest cases of betting on sports still leaves people in awe. Baseball’s great Pete Rose was caught gambling on not only his own games, but others during the 1987 season. The fact that baseball’s all-time hit leader is not in the Hall of Fame should seem like enough punishment. However, his absence from the Hall of Fame was also accompanied by a banishment for life from baseball, according to ESPN Networks. Whether it’s the crushing

feeling of not letting an athlete return to the game they love or the gut-punch that leaves all the dedicated fans without a memorable person to watch on the field or in any Hall of Fame, it’s consequences like these that only help ruin sports for everyone.

However, sporting events would not be as popular without the addition of betting. March Madness and the Super Bowl are known for their betting popularity, which attracts more attention and fans. According to Time Magazine, 12 billion dollars was the estimated amount of money spent gambling on the men’s March Madness bracket alone. The amount of wagering over the Super Bowl is measured in billions as well, and is the highest single bet on a sport in America. These gambling traditions create communities centered around sporting events. When an individual makes a bracket or bets on a horse, he or she is more invested in the game.

Looking at the big picture, betting on sports can harm the integrity of the game and is disrespectful to players and teams. However, betting has earned such an incredibly enormous profit for both teams and leagues that the punishments for such actions should not be so harsh.<<<

Biggest Sport $candal$ in History The Black Sox

Eight Chicago White Sox players were banned for life after fixing the MLB World series.

1989 1983 Paul Hornung,

NFL MVP, was banned from the league after betting on NCAA and NFL games.

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was sentenced to 15 years in prison for rigging and betting on NBA games as a referee.

was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a million-dollar ticket scandal.

1963 1919

Tim Donaghy

Art Schlichter

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2007 Pete Rose

was banned from baseball for life after betting on baseball games.

WELCOME

An Athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Advantage text by STEVEN MARINKOVICH and PETER SNODGRASS design by STEVEN MARINKOVICH

In this introspective piece, The Viking explores the college recruitment process for many Paly student athletes and their paths to becoming college athletes. The experience of athletic recruitment can be very different for everyone, some may get into their school because of their sport, but then realize itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not what they expected it to be and wind up leaving the team. Other athletes may have used their sport to put themselves out there and give them a shot of getting into schools they may not have through pure academics.

And then there are the select few who have colleges actively recruiting them, giving that athlete the choice of where they want to go play their sport. Read on to see all of these cases demonstrated by current and former Paly athletes.

FEBRUARY 2016

Erik Anderson (‘13) and Keri Gee (‘14) are two Paly student-athlete alumni who committed to their colleges for their respective sports after being recruited by the school.

After getting into their schools and playing collegiately for their freshman years, they both decided to leave their respective teams. We look at their reasons for doing so and explore the paths of both student-athletes.

CHALLENGES

Athlete: Erik Anderson (‘13) Sport: Football College: Claremont McKenna College

Anderson came across a couple different factors that resulted in him leaving his college football team. After winning the 2010 State Championship with the Vikings and playing varsity football for three seasons, Anderson decided to continue his football career at Claremont McKenna College (CMC). CMC is one of the top academic colleges in the nation, and despite questions about whether or not he’d have had a chance of getting into the college without football, Anderson raised a point that attributes his work ethic on the field to his success in the college admission process.

“In this day a nearly perfect GPA will not get you into a top institution,” Anderson said. “One must have an excellent transcript and a niche. [My niche] was football; all the hours of blood, sweat and tears paid off and I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to play in college while receiving a great education.”

Anderson played his entire freshman season on the CMC football team before realizing that the experience wasn’t what he expected it to be. He faced many difficulties both on and off the field that he didn’t anticipate.

“It was difficult [adjusting to college academics], especially with the lack of support from the coaching staff,” Anderson said. “We didn’t have team study hall, tutors, or assistance with classes.”

This issue became one the the main contributing factors to Anderson leaving the team after his freshman year, but it wasn’t the whole reason.

He faced an issue that is becoming more and more evident in football: concussions.

“It was a combination of factors that led to me hang- ing up the cleats,” Anderson said.

“First was the C [concussion] word. Secondly, the lack of support from my coaches played a big part. With no academic support I felt lost, while other freshmen students who were not playing varsity sports had the time to navigate CMC’s challenging courses.”

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Athlete: Keri Gee (‘14) Sport: Volleyball College: University of the Pacific

Gee had a very successful high school volleyball career. She was a member of both the 2010 and 2011 State Championship-winning teams and had a four year varsity career for the Vikings. As a result of her success, she was recruited to play volleyball at University of the Pacific (UOP) and choose the school heavily based on the prospect of playing Division I college volleyball.

“There were many reasons why I decided to go to UOP, but the main one was for volleyball,” Gee said.

After spending her freshman year at the school and playing on its volleyball team, Gee decided to leave the team and transfer to Southern Methodist University, foregoing her chance to continue playing collegiate volleyball.

The prospect of playing a sport in college is one that seems enticing to the few who are given the opportunity, as it was for Gee, but she warns about the rigors that it actually comes with.

“Playing a sport in college is a full-time job, and while I loved it, I realized I had missed out on other things I wanted to enjoy during my time in college which is ultimately why I decided to transfer to a school that would allow those things to happen,” Gee said.

There can often be a misconception that the reason athletes leave teams in college is because of the coaches or players they’re surrounded by, but Gee refuted that based on her own personal experience.

“I didn’t quit my team because I didn’t like the program, players or coaches,” Gee said. “It was because you had to give 100% of yourself to the game physically and emotionally and near the end, I realized that I had burnt out.”

There are many student-athletes who get into their schools based on athletics, but not all of those athletes are being vigorously recruited and sought after. In this case, Justin Rittman (‘14) and Casey (whose name has been changed for anonymity) were put in positions where they had to display themselves to coaches and schools through direct contact due to a lack of colleges reaching out to them. Putting in effort to the networking side of the process on top of the already built athletic résumé opened up great opportunities to these individuals.

GET INVOLVED

Athlete: Justin Rittman (‘14) Sport: Football College: University of California, Los Angeles

Athlete: Casey Sport: Crew College: Anonymous College

Rittman had played football since his early childhood, but he never thought that playing a sport he loved could get him into the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Rittman had a successful high school football career: he was on the Vikings 2010 State Championship-winning team as a freshman and he became a vital member of the team his junior and seniors seasons, starting both ways for the Vikings at offensive tackle and defensive end. With a view towards the future, he began sending his football tapes to coaches around the country, but had one school in mind: UCLA.

“After I visited, I knew it [was] where I wanted to go,” Rittman said. “I loved the coaches for the team and the campus was great, too.”

It wasn’t just that simple, though. Rittman had to constantly remain in contact with the coaches to ensure that he ended up at the school he wanted. His hard work paid off when he was offered admission into UCLA as a preferred walk-on to the football team in March of his senior year.

The question is always raised of whether or not the athlete would’ve been able to get into their school without their sport, and Rittman acknowledged that, but tried to correct a common misconception about the process.

“I wouldn’t have had a real chance to go to UCLA without football and I think that bothers some people at the school,” Rittman said. “I think it bothers the students who don’t know how much time we actually put into our sport. The first day I got dropped off at UCLA we went straight to San Bernardino for our two week training camp before the season.

It was miserable, but shows the level of work required to play sports at such a high level.”

Another Paly graduate, Casey (whose name has been changed for anonymity), had a very similar recruitment process to Rittman, but also reflects much more on the perception of athletes at their school. There can be a common assumption that people only start crew in high school in hopes that it will help them get into college, but as a member of a top collegiate rowing team, Casey is not among those people. However, Casey does acknowledge the benefit of their sport for the college admission process.

“When starting crew, college was never in mind and I had no idea I would be good enough to continue my sport to the collegiate level,” Casey said “As I got older and realized the possibilities of getting recruited, the college process definitely affected the way I viewed my sport, as there was now a huge and exciting goal ahead.”

Many athletes recruited to top academic schools for athletics don’t necessarily have the grades or scores that would’ve been required to get them into their school without their sport. This person realizes that perception is very true, but also believes that many different students bring different things to the community and they’re other people who didn’t get into the school for academics.

“There are definitely athletes who got into my school based on their athletic ability, but there are still standards to be met academically to be qualified to attend different universities,” Casey said. “As student-athletes we bring a lot to the community and we were admitted to this school just like every other student based on our talents.

Each student brings something valuable to our student body, and athletes are no exception.”

FEBRUARY 2016

Some athletes also had amazing academic accomplishments and great test scores to report to colleges. However, due to such a competitive application process, these athletes needed a boost to gain acceptance into their school.

In this case, two former Paly athletes, Jack Anderson (‘14) and Misha Hindery (‘15), were both academically qualified for the colleges they attended, but sports helped give them an extra to boost to seal their acceptance into college.

TAKE ADVANTAGE

Athlete:

Jack Anderson (‘14) Sport: Football College: Dartmouth College

In hopes of following in the footsteps of his two older brothers, who both played football at top academic schools, Anderson committed to play football at Dartmouth in the spring of his senior year. After talking to the football coaches at Dartmouth, Anderson and the coaches decided that he had a very good chance of getting in to Dartmouth based on his academic merit if he applied early action. In his initial application, the football coaches did not give him a special recommendation. Soon thereafter, Anderson learned he was deferred to the regular applicant pool, not rejected.

“After I was deferred, the football team offered me a spot for regular admission,” Anderson said. “I probably would not have been taken by just the college for regular admission, but had I not played, I think I would have been able to go to a school of slightly lesser caliber.”

While football gave his application a boost, Anderson was most definitely qualified to attend Dartmouth. Yet, he understood that for most competitive academic schools, your application needs to have something to set you apart from others.

“I absolutely thought that my sport would be beneficial to my college application process,” Anderson said, “I still thought about going somewhere to not play football, but in the end it was a huge help in getting me to the place where I wanted to be.”

As an athlete at Dartmouth, Anderson had a difficult time transitioning to the academic standards of the school, but the support from the football program helped him eventually succeed. Even with a harsh winter, Anderson fought through the mental grind and succeeded with his team.

“There are always thoughts of quitting when you’re walking to a lift at 6 am in New Hampshire winter, but none of them stick around too llong,” Anderson said.

“The team is too cclose knit, and the time commitment iis very survivable.”

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Athlete: Misha Hindery (‘15) Sport: Crew College: Santa Clara University

For some sports, high schools are unable to field a team due to lack of funding, facilities or other teams to compete against. As a result, fewer athletes participate in the sport, thus the pool of athletes is smaller for college coaches to choose from, crew being a prime example.

Hindery began crew in eighth grade with the intent of playing the sport, not using it to get into college.

However, as he progressed, he understood that through crew there were many college opportunities for him.

“As I got older I became more aware of how much [crew] would help,” Hindery said. “Rowing is different from lots of other sports in regards to recruiting. There are tons of kids who play football in high school, which enables colleges to be picky when it comes to recruiting; because high school rowing is still relatively small, there aren’t as many kids for colleges to choose from.”

Currently, Hindery is on the crew team at the University of Santa Clara. While Hindery believes he would have been accepted regardless of rowing, he believes there are other athletes at his school who were accepted based only on their athletic success.

“[Athletes admitted to schools based on athletic merit, not academic merit] are not a rare thing to see at a Division I school and most of the students know that,” Hindery said. “Students don’t care that much because they also got in, it’s the people that got rejected who care.”

For many athletes who were admitted to schools with higher academic standards than the athlete had previously shown, the transition is very hard. However, most athletes find the transition hard regardless. For Hindery, the transition from high school athletics to college athletics was harder than he anticipated. However, sticking to his motto, Hindery never considered quitting,

“If you aren’t thinking about quitting crew every time you row, you aren’t rowing hard enough,” Hindery said.

A select few athletes have the chance to commit to a college very early. In this case, we follow the path of two athletes, Jacey Pederson (‘16) and Andrew Liang (‘14), who committed early in their sophomore years. Instead of self-promoting themselves to a single college, these two athletes had the option to choose the school of their choice. As a result, they spent more time focusing on their athletic careers over their academics because they knew athletics gave them an unique opportunity to compete collegiately.

OPPORTUNITIES

Athlete: Jacey Pederson (‘16) Sport: Soccer College: University of California, Los Angeles

In the case of Pederson, she experienced the luxury of colleges coming to her instead of constant self-promotion to colleges she wanted to attend. As a highly-sought-after recruit and member of the U.S. National Team, Pederson received an array of college offers ranging from Stanford University to University of North Carolina to UCLA. Like most athletes, Pederson did not begin playing her sport with the intent to receive a scholarship to a top university.

“I didn’t start soccer thinking it would earn me a scholarship, I just knew I really liked it and maybe if I worked hard enough I could play in college,” Pederson said.

After her hard work in soccer payed off, Pederson committed in February of her sophomore year to UCLA. According to UCLA admissions, in 2015, UCLA had an acceptance rate of 17.3%, and their average GPA for admitted incoming freshman was 4.39. For many Paly students not consumed with athletics, those standards are very hard to achieve.

“Without soccer I don’t think [UCLA] would have been a school within my reach, however that’s really hard to say because if I wasn’t playing soccer I may have been using all those hours and effort towards my academics and maybe UCLA would be a school within my reach,” Pederson said.

For many Paly athletes, it is very hard to maintain a balance of athletics and academics. To give an adequate amount of time to both, Pederson has spent many nights studying past the twilight hours.

While some may complain that Pederson did not have the numbers to get into UCLA, no one can say how well Pederson would have done in the classroom if she had more time to study.

Athlete: Andrew Liang (‘14) Sport: Swimming College: Stanford University

Another Paly athlete who experienced the luxury of multiple schools expressing interest in him was swimmer Liang. As a participant in the Olympic trials, Liang drew interest from Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford, and took a recruiting trip to each school.

When he began swimming at the age of 10, swimming in college was not a goal of his. It was not until freshman year when he discovered that collegiate swimming was a real possibility. At the beginning of his senior year, Liang decided to commit to Stanford.

“Academics were extremely important to me when choosing a school since life after athletics is a reality and having a school like Stanford could put me in a position to succeed,” Liang said.

Similar to many athletes, Liang spent an incredible amount of time swimming in high school, and an even larger amount of time in college. In Liang’s case, not only does he swim on a top swimming team in the nation, but he attends one of the most difficult academic schools in the nation.

“I didn’t think the adjustment was too difficult,” Liang said. “I think that if you use the skills you’ve acquired in high school to juggle both academics and athletics then you’ll be fine, Paly sets you up pretty well.”

At a top Division I school, there are many cases where athletes get in based on athletics, however Liang holds a similar view as Pederson.

“I don’t think a person ever does not deserve to get into a school because they play a sport,” Liang said. “The person clearly devoted a great amount of time and energy in perfecting their talent, which just so happens to be athletics, and that’s essentially what colleges look for.”

FEBRUARY 2016

The

Warriorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rise to POWER

by RYAN CHANG and BRYAN LOOK

Draft Stephen Curry out of Davidson College June 25, 2009

Draft Klay Thompson from Washington State June 23, 2011

2008-09

Record: 29-53 End: Missed Playoffs Allstars: None Leading Scorer: Stephen Jackson Coach: Don Nelson

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Trade away Monta Ellis to the Bucks for Andrew Bogut March 13, 2012

2010-11

2009-10

Record: 26-56 End: Missed Playoffs Allstars: None Leading Scorer: Monta Ellis Coach: Don Nelson w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g c o m

Record: 36-46 End: Missed Playoffs Allstars: None Leading Scorer: Monta Ellis Coach: Keith Smart

2011-12

Record: 23-43 (Lock-Out) End: Missed Playoffs Allstars: None Leading Scorer: David Lee Coach: Mark Jackson

R

The Warriors are widely considered the best team in the NBA right now, but it wasn’t always this way. Until the 2006-07 “We Believe” season, the Warriors hadn’t made the playoffs for 12 consecutive seasons and were one of the worst teams in the league. Now they are one of the most talented teams in the NBA and have a bright future. So how did they go from being so bad to this good?

Warriors win big in 2012 Draft selecting Barnes, Ezeli and Green June 28, 2012

2012-13

Record: 47-35 End: Lost to Spurs in Western Conference (WC) Semifinals Allstars: David Lee Leading Scorer: Stephen Curry Coach: Mark Jackson

Sign free agent Andre Iguodala July 5, 2013

2013-14

Record: 51-31 End: Lost to Clippers in WC Quater Finals Allstars: Stephen Curry (Starter) Leading Scorer: Stephen Curry Coach: Mark Jackson

Hire Steve Kerr as new Head Coach May 14, 2014

2014-15

Record: 67-15 End: Won NBA Championship Allstars: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson (Both Starters) Leading Scorer: Stephen Curry Coach: Steve Kerr FEBRUARY 2016

HEADING in the wrong direction THE GUIDELINES ISSUED BY THE US SOCCER FEDERATION ARE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IN TRYING TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF HEAD INJURIES OCCURING IN SOCCER.

by TALIA MALCHIN and MARA ZENGER

C

oncussions indubitably affect athletes of every sport and age, and there have been countless attempts to decrease the concussion count, especially among children and teens. These attempts lead to huge changes in the game and the way it is played.

Headers in soccer have been a prominent element of play since it first began. Reasons behind heading a ball range between a defensive last resort to a quick way to score off of a cross; undoubtedly, this strategy is an essential part of the game the world understands and recognizes.

However, a group of parents and players in the U.S. District Court in California filed a class-action lawsuit looking to change heading rules in order to reduce the number of head injuries occurring in soccer. FIFA, U.S. Soccer and the American Youth Soccer Organization were charged with negligence for not addressing the complaints.

Despite headers’ importance in the game, the U.S. Soccer Federation has issued new guidelines for heading rules in youth soccer. According to the official U.S. Soccer website, players ages 10 and under can no longer head the ball during any practices or games. Players 11-13 can only head the ball for a limited time during practice, and until age 14, they can not head the ball during games. This policy is recommended at the national level, but is required for players in U.S. Soccer’s Youth National Teams and the Development Academy.

These rules alter the entire sport. Most players learn p r o p e r heading technique since their first days of playing, and acquire the skills to effectively and safely head the ball in many situations all across the field. It does, however take practice and time to gain confidence to

execute in a game. If children do not learn from the beginning of their soccer careers how and when to do a header, it is much less likely they will do them in their futures.

This leads to less and less emphasis on the header and even if players are allowed to do them later in age, the lack of experience will discourage their utilization of it,

“If you header the ball correctly you don’t get [a concussion]” -Bolarinwa (‘16) and when they do attempt to do a header, will be more likely to execute it wrong.

The New York Times recorded that in 2010, a total of 50,000 high school soccer players suffered concussions, which was more than athletes in wrestling, baseball, basketball and softball combined. Girls’ soccer is the 3rd most concussion-laden sport, following football and boys’ ice hockey, and boys’ soccer is 6th.

However, according to a study of high school athletes in the Journal of the American Medical Association, physical contact with another player – rather than heading the ball itself – is more likely to lead to a concussion. Whiplash as a result of a fall or body blow is the main cause of concussions in contrast to direct head-to-ball contact.

Two varsity soccer athletes, Dami Bolarinwa (‘16) and Ally Scheve (‘18) told their

stories of their head injuries from the sport.

Bolarinwa received a minor concussion recently from “getting elbowed in the face at practice.” Neither Bolarinwa nor Scheve has ever received any head injury from headers, in their 14 and 11 years of playing, respectively.

Scheve also got her first concussion from being elbowed by another player, and her second concussion from hitting her head on the ground and suffering from whiplash. When asked if, from their personal experience, they thought that one could get a head injury from a properly executed header, both answered “no.”

“If you header the ball correctly you don’t get [a concussion],” Bolarinwa said.

In a survey questioning 36 Paly students who received a concussion playing soccer, 92% said that their concussion was not due to only heading the ball.

In fact, only 8% accredited their concussion to a header, while 58% of them even said it was due to bad form during their header.

This is also why children ages 10-12 are more susceptible to head injuries; their necks are not as strong as those of older players, and harmful whiplash is much more likely to occur with weaker necks.

This issue is also more prominent among girls, more so than boys, for the same reason. Whiplash is not directly correlated with heading the ball though, as it is usually the result of an unexpected or untraditional collision, whereas a header is a tactical and learned means of redirecting a soccer ball.

Headers causing concussions are almost exclusively when the header is executed with incorrect form. For example, if the ball hits the top-middle of one’s head instead of closer to their hairline, they are much more prone to head injury. Proper form is extremely cru-

cial when it comes to heading the ball, as it is with kicking it or trapping it in order to avoid other injuries. These movements are not a given either; they must be learned.

Therefore, by prohibiting any sort of header practice or play at an early age and later allowing it, players would be much more susceptible to incorrectly hitting the ball with their head, which could likely lead to more head injuries. If a player practices their whole life, however, they know and are familiar with the technique and can more safely strike the ball.

One may think that simply banning headers for the full span of a player’s career could be the answer. However, headers are statistically extremely important to the game of soccer.

According to Big Soccer’s breakdown of goals among the USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS), Spain’s Primera, Italy’s Serie A, and the qualifying nations of Europe, headers accounted for more goals than any other method of scoring. The best European teams score 22.8% of their goals from headers.

Obviously, headers applied into a game make huge differences in their outcomes. Banning headers completely would change soccer forever for the worse, while delaying players’ allowance to use headers increases the chances of concussions, and as articulated earlier, would cause players to more readily dismiss usage of the header because of their lack of practice, despite their significance in the game.

To avoid concussions, headers need to be taught early, and need to be kept as a legal strategy to keep the game as similar to what it is now.

Though these changes are all intended to protect players, they are counterproductive in that they would ultimately cause an increase in head injuries later on for players, as well as negatively altering the game. The only thing to do is to simply let the game be, and allow headers from the beginning of a player’s soccer experience.

92%

said their concussion was not due to only heading the ball (was either contact with another player, the ground or other equipment, the ball hitting your head or whiplash)

8%

accredited their concussion to a header, AND

58%

of them said their concussion-causing-header was executed with incorrect form.

What Makes An Idol?

by SKYLAR BURRIS and SAMUEL DESRÉ

The Viking takes a look at the factors that turn an athlete into an idol. Whether you sport their jersey on gameday or keep a shrine in your room, certain sports stars capture the hearts of fans.

Q

uarterbacks aspire to be like Tom Brady, who has played in six Super Bowls and won four of them. Posters of Michael Jordan hang proudly in the rooms of basketball players, depicting the legend crying as he clutches the Larry O’Brien trophy or posing with his six championship rings. Soccer players spend hours at the field reenacting Messi’s latest trick, and baseball players dream of perfecting the jump throw that Derek Jeter displayed countless times throughout his career. Every sport has its idols, but it takes more than just talent to become one.

An athlete’s social media presence is one of the key factors in becoming an idol. In the age of Facebook likes and Twitter updates, fans have the ability to contact their idols at the click of a button. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the sports world with the most followers on Twitter, reaching over 40 million, roughly the population of Argentina. Of course these people aren’t all one race, gender or even age, which begs the question: how does Ronaldo captivate such a diverse fanbase? Daniel Ketchell, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s current social media strategist, has the answer.

“Those fans you engage by being yourself,” Ketchell said. “When Arnold [Schwarzenegger] posts a photo posing in a sleeping bag under a statue of himself in Columbus, people who never knew he was on Facebook and Instagram are exposed to his sense of humor, which everyone who has met him knows about - social media is the way that these new fans can ‘meet’ him.”

The idea of ‘getting to know’ a celebrity personally is new, especially with athletes. If a player didn’t reach out to their fans through press conferences, there would be little to no way for fans to connect to their idols. However, the advent of social media has changed the game.

“With social media, celebrities can exchange messages with fans, share videos, answer fans’ questions directly, or share their latest news directly with fans,” Trevor Hammond, former Schwarzenegger communications aide and social media strategist said. “This type of interaction allows [idols] to build unique brands for themselves and gives them greater control over their image.”

The growing use of the Internet has changed not only the way that fans view their idols, but also the way that idols work with the media.

“With traditional media like newspapers, a celebrity needed a [public relations] person to arrange the interview, and that PR person pro

vided a lot of guidance and counsel on what to say,” Hammond said. “With social media, that control and guidance is absent and it can be difficult to use good judgement in the moment when wanting to react to something on social media. Ashton Kutcher was a good example of this.”

Back in 2011, Ashton Kutcher was put on blast regarding the firing of the Penn State coach Joe Paterno. He tweeted: “How do you fire Jo Pa? #insult #noclass as a hawkeye fan I find it in poor taste.” Paterno had not been fired due to his inability to coach a football team, but rather his inability to respond to the allegations that his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky had sexually abused children. Kutcher immediately attempted to cover his mistake by tweeting that he hadn’t had the full story at the time of posting. After deleting both tweets and writing a blog entry to apologize, he announced that members of his production company, Katalyst Media, would handle his Twitter account from then on. Without PR representatives to filter a celebrity’s social media output or to coach a celebrity on how to handle the press, major mistakes are common. The reason idols are looked up to is that they aren’t seen making these mistakes, or their management team does a great job of covering it up. Not all athletes are lucky enough to have a PR person to look to, and that’s when the most blunders occur.

Another example from 2010 involves Jaz Reynolds, currently a football player for the Tennessee Titans and formerly a wide receiver at University of Oklahoma, tweeting to Texas residents after a shooting that occurred while Reynolds was still in school at Oklahoma. A man had walked into the University of Texas Library and, after opening fire which resulted in no casualties, killed himself. Reynolds posted two tweets: “Hey everyone in Austin, tx.......kill yourself #evillaugh.” The second read, “Everyone in austin, tx disregard that last tweet....y’all will mess around n[sic] do it lmao[sic].”

Not only did this cost him the support of many fans, but it put Reynolds in hot water with his team, coach, school, and the league.

Maintaining a positive image can be difficult. Once a tweet or picture has been posted, it is a screenshot away from being spread all over the Internet. With that said, the athletes that are most looked up to are the ones

“

SACRAMENTO KINGS Jimmer Fredette played for the Kings from 2011 to 2013. Fredette scored a carreer high 24 points against the Knicks. who don’t make mistakes and who stay true to themselves on social media. Social media is capable of widening the scope of an athlete’s fan base, but idols don’t necessarily have to be globally known to be admired.

Jimmer Fredette, a Brigham Young Univer-

record and McKale Center record for points scored in a single game. He averaged 28.9 points per game during his 37-game senior season, and he received national attention after scoring 43 points in a nationally televised game against San Diego State. His name became a verb, and anyone who he scored on had been “Jimmered”.

Songs were made in his honor, including “Teach Me How to Jimmer”, and around BYU students proclaimed that he was more worshipped than supported.

Come time for the National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft in 2011, Fredette was picked tenth overall to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Before the first game he was traded to the

With social media, that control and guidance is absent and it can be difficult to use good judgement in the moment when wanting to react to something on social media.

- Trevor Hammond

w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

“

42 | T H E V I K I N G |

sity (BYU) graduate and D-League Westchester Knicks player, knows what it’s like to have an entire local community behind him. In his junior year at BYU in 2009, Fredette’s support reached an all-time high. He scored 49 points against the Arizona Wildcats to lead the team to a 30-point win. His play had set a new BYU

Sacramento Kings. He averaged less than 8 points a game in the three years he spent with the Kings and bounced around to two more NBA rosters before ending up in the D-League. While his pro career hasn’t been very impressive, his fan base is what makes him notable.

The moment he was drafted second overall in the D-League to Westchester, BYU fans were excited.

“The second I heard Jimmer was on the team, I was like, now I have to get out to a game,” Simon White, a BYU fan said in an interview with Vice Sports.

This reaction wasn’t uncommon. Some Knicks fans have even compared him to Stephen Curry, famous for his three-point abilities. Even the Knicks fans, who have been known to travel throughout the Tri-State area to see their team play, are pegged with the same travelling spirit as Warriors fans.

“We’ve been getting more and more fans every game,” Fredette said in an interview with Vice Sports. “I definitely have had a good following throughout my career. All the BYU fans and then the fans from my area, they’ve been faithful and they’ve definitely

“

followed my career and I’m appreciative of that, but definitely surprised of the attention that I’ve been able to get and that this team has been able to get here in Westchester. It’s a cool thing. It’s great for the team and great for the county.”

Although being in the D-League leaves Fredette without the same national publicity and attention he had at BYU, his local followers continue to idolize him. It is not the

utive games. Less than five years ago, Vardy was working at a factory making medical splints while playing amateur soccer on the side. By 2012, Vardy had quickly moved up the ranks and ended up playing for Leicester in the championship (the second division of English soccer). During the 2013-2014 season, Vardy led Leicester to the Premier League and his success did not stop there as Leicester currently sits at the top of the table with Vardy leading the scoring charts.

According to his coach, Claudio Ranieri, Vardy is now an inspiration for amateur young players after becoming an international player for England “We can now say to all the young players, James Vardy arrived there and you can now try to do the same,” Ranieri said.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes that Vardy has become a symbol of hope. “For me it’s his desire, his commitment and being able to come back from where’s he come back from, it’s an inspiration for anyone that loves the game,” Henry said. “Anything is possible and he is the symbol of it. Talent is one thing, but if you don’t have desire every single day, especially in training, you’re not going to perform.”

Athletes become idols when they can in

People told me in high school that I was too short and not fast enough to play basketball.

They didn’t know my story. Because if they did, they’d know that anything is possible.

- Jimmy Butler

“

number of fans that matter, but the support and spirit he receives from his fan base that makes Fredette an idol.

Fredette gained national attention because of his performance in big games and kept it because of his local fan base.

Idols with the ability to use the power of social media for the better also reach a larger audience. One of the most powerful tools, however, is to be an athlete that people can relate to and be inspired by.

A perfect example of that is English striker Jamie Vardy, who recently broke a Premier League record by scoring in eleven consec-

RISING STAR Jimmy Butler became the first Chicago Bulls player to win the Most Improved Player award during the 2014-15 season. Recently, Butler has continued to improve as he broke Michael Jordan’s record for most points in a half against the Toronto Raptors.

FEBRUARY 2016

spire their fans with their tales of overcoming adversity. Vardy is not the only athlete to become an idol after defeating the odds.

Chicago Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler is another idol who didn’t let obstacles stop him from achieving his dreams. At age 13, Butler was homeless and had to go to a community college after not receiving any scholarship offers during his senior year in high school. However, he did not let this stop him, and he continued to gradually improve.

He became an NBA all-star in 2015 and 2016.

“My whole life, people have doubted me,” Butler said. “My mom did. People told me in high school that I was too short and not fast enough to play basketball. They didn’t know my story. Because if they did, they’d know that anything is possible.”

Loyal sports stars are also more likely to stay in the heart of the fans despite not winning as many trophies as their disloyal competitors. Francesco Totti, an Italian striker playing for Roma, may have only won the Seria A (Italian soccer league) once, but he is nicknamed the “King of Rome” and is treated as a living legend for his loyalty to the club.

Totti has already played 24 years at the club and refused multiple offers from more prestigious clubs, like Real Madrid and Barcelona, which offered him significantly higher pay and the opportunity to win more trophies.

Some athletes, unlike Totti, choose to leave their original team for more money or the opportunity to win more titles. French striker Thierry Henry left Arsenal after eight years for a better chance of winning the Champions League. Henry’s three years at his new club, Barcelona, were extremely successful as he won the Spanish League, the Spanish Cup, and the Champions League.

Despite leaving the club, Henry remained an idol for all Arsenal fans, and decided to come back to the club in 2012 for three months after the team lost many of their strikers to injuries. Henry scored the winning goal in his first game back at the Emirates Stadium (Arsenal’s stadium) and Arsenal qualified for the next round of the FA Cup. Henry pulled off a fantastic comeback and, by doing so, sealed a place in the heart of Arsenal fans forever. The last impression that the fans get of a player is the one that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Henry will no longer be remembered as the striker that left to win the elusive Champions League. Instead, he will be remembered as Arsenal’s all-time leading goal scorer who came back to help his team in a time of need.

However, the athletes who attempt a comeback can risk damaging their reputation, because the last impression the fans will have of them may be a negative one. On the other hand, if they are successful, they

44 | T H E V I K I N G |

BRONZE STATUE Arsenal built a bronze statue in honor of Thierry Henry just outside the Emirates Stadium. Henry is Arsenal’s all-time goalscorer with a total of 228 goals scored for the club in 377 games.

MURAL Paintings of Francesco Totti can be seen at multiple places around Rome. Totti has found the back of the net 300 times for AS Roma. remain an idol adored by the fans and press with a career marked by a successful comeback.

“Nothing is cooler and more attractive than a big comeback,” Steven Adler said.

In fact, the World Heavyweight Championship between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali in 1974 has been called the greatest sporting event of the 20th century. The event

w w w. v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m

was referred to as “The Rumble in the Jungle” and largely contributed to Ali’s lasting fame.

Ali came back after three years of suspension after he refused to comply with the military draft, and had lost the “Fight of the Century” against Joe Frazier in 1971. By knocking out Foreman in the eighth round, Ali triumphantly completed his return to fame and is still regarded as one of the greatest sports

stars of all time.

Athletes who want to be recognized as idols need to avoid being a burden for their team or they may be remembered as clinging desperately to fame. Sport stars who know when to quit and leave at the top of their game are immortalized as idols. However, many athletes keep going because they believe that they can continue to improve and win trophies.

“The problem with self-improvement is knowing when to quit,” Rock and Roll Hall of Famer David Lee Roth said.

Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj was known as the “King of the Mile”, winning seven gold medals at the world championship and breaking multiple world records.

Despite these accomplishments, El Guerrouj had never won an Olympic gold medal, so he chose to continue his career and pursue the only accolade he had yet to achieve. In the 1996 Olympic Games, El Guerrouj fell in the final lap, and in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, he lost by less than a second to Kenyan runner Noah Ngeny. At the 2004 Ath-

ens Summer Olympics, El Guerrouj became the first middle distance runner in 80 years to win the 1500 meters and 5000 meters at the same Olympic games. Because he took the risk of extending his career, El Guerrouj ended up retiring at the peak of his career.

“It is finally complete,” El Guerrouj said.

“Four years ago in Sydney, I cried with sadness. Today I cry tears of joy. I’m living a moment of glory.”

By ending his career on one of the greatest Olympic doubles of all times, El Guerrouj made sure that his status as an idol would not be hurt by a disappointing last race.

Before quitting, athletes who dream of being immortalized must first succeed at the highest stage, in the most important games and races. Athletes who suffer a relatively unsuccessful season can become an idol by changing the course of history at the biggest event of the season. Professional cyclist Peter Sagan was criticized by his manager and in part by the press for finishing second in five stages of the 2015 Tour de France. His critics claimed that Sagan was unable to win big

races and gave him the nickname “So close yet so far”. Sagan proved them wrong last September by winning the Road Cycling World Championship in Richmond, Virginia.

Sagan rode to a solo victory after an attack with three kilometers to go at the biggest one day race of the season.

“I think it’s the biggest victory of my career, and I’m very happy because I sacrificed a lot,” Sagan said. “I saw also a lot of comments from people that I am not good for a long race like this. But now I have this jersey [the current world champion wears a rainbow jersey at all of his races] for all next year.”

Everyone loves a comeback story, an athlete who battled through adversity and never quit. They love their hometown legend and the kid-next-door who anyone can relate to. They love getting to know an athlete, bonding, and going through every up and down of the season, brought to them directly via Twitter. However, an athlete is nothing without a fan base willing to follow them and the talent to bring the championships home. <<< photo by Samuel Desré

OLYMPICS Hicham El Guerrouj starts the 1500 meters at the 2004 Olympics. He would go one to win the race with a time of 3 minutes and 34 seconds.

HULK Peter Sagan rounds a corner during stage 14 of the Tour de France. Sagan finished 5th of the stage, 30 seconds behind the winner.

FEBRUARY 2016

The Last Word

Idols or A-Holes?

by DANIEL DOUTY

Join me once again, my devout readers, as I reveal the truths of the NFL. They don’t want you to know your favorite player is a terrible person. So I’m gonna tell you that your favorite player is a terrible person.

T

he professional sports world seems to be a hotbed for scandal, crime and questionable characters as of late, especially in the National Football League (NFL). This leaves me conflicted and begs the question: how important is morality in the world of professional sports? Do teams and fans hold their players to high standards? It would be fair to, as they represent a team and a city. But at the same time, can’t we all just let athletes live their lives without constant public scrutiny of their daily actions.

After all, they’re just guys doing a job who just happen rake in millions of dollars a year while amassing thousands, sometimes millions, of fans. This issue can be looked at many different ways, and there is no black and white answer.

Let’s examine some players. There are countless examples of players with repeated run-ins with the law. The list of players who have received discipline from their teams for legal, yet possibly immoral, actions is also extensive.

First I’ll examine the real bad guys. Ray Rice and Greg Hardy are both known to have committed acts of domestic violence. Neither saw the inside of a prison cell, but both were disciplined by the NFL. Ray Rice’s case was widely publicized, and he has since been ostracized by the league, unable to draw offers from even the most desperate teams. Hardy, on the other hand, quickly signed a nice contract with the Dallas Cowboys. The difference between the two? Hardy was one of the most dominant defensive lineman in the league, while Rice was an aging running back past his prime. Thus, there clearly is some point at which football executives will bite the bullet and sign someone who they, and all their fans, know to be a really horrible person.

What about Ray Lewis? He was charged Image taken from

with double homicide, avoided incarceration by ratting out two friends, and returned to the NFL without the bat of an eye. He was worshipped his final season and now has a job as an analyst. He is also a lock for the Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, Johnny Manziel is expected to be cut from the Cleveland Browns due to his perfectly legal drinking and partying habit, and only time will tell if any team will pick him up (he has some ties to the Cowboys). Hold on a second though. Patriots star Rob Gronkowski has been spotted countless times partying and drinking at clubs and bars. But he’s a superstar, so we’re just going to ignore that, huh?

MONEY MANZIEL: Johnny Manziel of

the Cleveland Browns (for now) is the NFL’s premier party boy. While it has cost him his Cleveland gig, we should see more money gestures soon enough.

It’s the same in the NBA and MLB. J.R. Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers has seen his fair share of legal troubles, mostly related to irresponsible driving, including one incident that resulted in the death of a passenger. Smith is also a steady patron of night clubs. Yasiel Puig was rumored to have roughed up his sister in a club, and he seems to be constantly at odds with the LA coaches. Both have stable careers, and

coincidentally neither is short on talent.

Do you see the trend going on here? The goons who are expendable don’t make it.

The exceptional talents have legal immunity.

Generally, when it comes to teams and fans forgiving players, it seems as though nobody gives a damn who you really are, only what you do on the field. Plenty of teams appear to not care at all about their public figure- I’m looking at you, Dallas.

The fans couldn’t care less either. Vick was in the top 25 of jersey sales after he made his comeback with the Philadelphia Eagles.

I think we have our answer as to the reality of the situation. The fans and owners of the professional sports world could care less about who you are as a person.

As Ariya Momeny (‘16) put it, “Obviously everyone likes a stand up guy on and off the pitch. A role model is always better.

That being said, Mike Vick is still one of my favorite football players. If they win championships, at the end of the day, I’m gonna be happy.”

Let’s face it, the NFL, along with other leagues, is a business. They want to win, and if that means sacrificing their image, most teams would gladly be represented by a dope-smoking, gun-toting, drunk-driving wife beater. Just as long as they can play ball. <<<

JERRY’S WORLD:

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has demonstrated that he does not give a hoot if a player is a horrible human being. Jerry wants to win.

Let us

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