The Importance Of Stereotypes Involved In Professional Sports

Stereotypes are different thoughts that a variation of people hold about people who are different from them. A stereotype can be associated with a single word or slogan; such as nerd, or jock. Stereotypes can be expressed in either a negative or positive way. Most people apply stereotypes in a negative way to make them feel more superior over others. The category that most people would place me under would be the classification of an athlete or jock. The jock title that I have been placed under has been with me pretty much my entire life. I have played sports since I was four years old when I first started playing soccer and tee ball. From that moment on I

I am a girl. I am blonde. I am a college student. I am an athlete. I am a girl, so I am only concerned with my physical appearance. I am blonde, so I am unintelligent and gullible. I am a college student, so I go out and party every weekend. I am an athlete, so I do not do well in school.

There a many stereotypes that are explored in the film Hoop Dreams. Both William Gates and Arthur Agee fit into the stereotype of great basketball players who aren’t very successful academically. Over time as they advanced in High School this stereotype manifested to where they were unable to play at the professional level they all dreamed about when they were kids. As most parents would want to believe about their children, they want them to be successful academically and athletically. This stereotype was exploded as the documentary progressed.

There’s always some people hating on the fact that MLB players are paid millions of dollars, but never have anything to back up how they are overpaid besides saying that it is ridiculous how much their paycheck is. Little do they know, that some of the money comes from fans, ticket sales, endorsements, and how well they perform. There is a lot more that goes into how they EARN that money.

Basketball, football, and hockey are considered the most popular sports in America as of today. However, sports in the early 1950s were not as popular as they are now. According to “An Exercise in Subtleties and the Transmission of Racism: An Analysis of Sports Illustrated Covers” by Eric Primm, Summer DuBois, and Robert M. Regoli, they stated that American love their sport and that “each year they would spend billions of dollars on sports-related items and activities.” The media help promote the popularity of the sports in America. Consequently, sports media “plays a key role in perpetuating the types of racial stereotypes about minority athletes in sports” (Ismond, 115). The thesis of this writing project is with some racial stereotype reinforcement

Chiefs, Redskins, and Braves. All names of popular, professional American sports teams, all are offensive terms for Native Americans. It is time for these teams to make a positive change. The names are insulting, not just to Native Americans, but to all Americans. Furthermore, the names and images of mascots encourages negative stereotypes that don’t represent our nation's history. Sports are supposed to bring us together, but the use of these names keeps us apart. It is in the best interest for all American sports team to abolish the use of ignorant names that are reminiscent of the mistreatment of Native Americans in our nation’s history.

Native American names and symbols can be seen in many different facets of North American society from the “Mohawk” Carpet Company, to the women on the “Land-O-Lakes” butter container, and sports teams like the Washington “Redskins” all have an American Indian rendering incorporated in their brands. The history of the NFL (National Football League) dates back to the early 1920s, where the league was started in Canton Ohio. Teams like the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Washington Redskins are considered charter members, because of their early inception into the professional sports league. The Washington Redskins, located in Washington D.C., are known for their distinctive burgundy and gold colors and Native American head

Since its creation in 1980, World Wrestling Entertainment has been determined to shine a spotlight on the sport of professional wrestling. Delivering up to eight hours of weekly programing and their own subscription-based online library, consumers are able to receive as much content as they please. Although the WWE product as a whole is immensely popular, it does not go without fault. While other professional sports have succeeded in showcasing all genders and races in a positive light, the same can not always be said about WWE. What separates the WWE from other professional sports in a negative manner is the constant use of racial stereotypes, depiction of women in a degrading fashion, and mediocre storytelling.

“Okay I’ll sign this paper, but this doesn’t mean you’re excused and you can’t make up the participation points you’ll miss.”

American Indians in Sports Have one ever felt the feeling of a packed stadium, fans screaming your name; the feeling one might get as a Roman Gladiator. You practice and practice to prove your self on the weekend competition. However, once you achieve your goal to becoming the best in your sport, and the entire world knows your name, you are once again invisible. Only seen for the color of your skin because the paper refers you and your community as “Redskins.” You are left with two choices either to adopted or adapted to the dominant culture name giving to your self-identity.

Athlete stereotypes have been around ever since schools added athletics into their programs. The dumb jock perception has put down athletes, especially football players for many years now. The oversimplified view that all football players have low IQ’s has gone on for too long. What people see in movies and in shows about football players is misconstrued. Yet all they supposedly do is show up to class, do no work, and expect to get a passing grade. Athletes have to work twice as hard as students who do not participate in athletics because if they cannot maintain the GPA needed to play, they will get suspended and or kicked off. The spotlight is on them because everyone is waiting for them to mess up so they can shove a finger in their face and tell them they are no good. Another thing that bothers me is that teachers unfairly grade athletes. Teachers have

Ironically, there is a stereotype out there that all athletes or ‘jocks’ are dumb and only care about their muscles. Well I’m about to prove that stereotype wrong. Yes, being an athlete you do have to take care of your body and make sure you are performing at your full potential, but playing sports is also mentally challenging too. The best athletes are the ones who strategize and play smart, whether it’s making plays or using their experience to their best abilities. They are the ones who have great sportsmanship and include everyone in a team effort. Being an athlete definitely kept me out of trouble, taught me how to work with others, but also taught me how to take care of my body.

The Olympic Games lead the world in showcasing a variety of foremost winter and summer sporting events. One principal sport includes tennis, a racket based, non-contact game played with one or two players on each side of the court. Tennis is played recreationally and competitively across the world. Tennis originated in England during the 19th century, but its role as an Olympic sport exhibits how it reaches numerous audiences worldwide. Tennis's popularity suggests that its racial background is diverse.

With great interest, I read an article dated 25th December 2013, quoting many of your comments from an interview you recently did on a rather contentious topic. I do respect your opinion on the subject, however I found some real flaws in your arguments, about the female presence in football, and would like to discuss a few in this letter.

They would give my sibling something and not me or they would punish me in a way I felt I didn’t deserve. I would say to them what they were doing wasn’t fair. I repeatedly heard the words, “life isn’t fair, the sooner you learn that the better”. At the time, this was frustrating to me because I felt that everything should be fair. My parents were right, life certainly isn’t fair. In an article in The Atlantic, Matthew Hutson, who has a B.S. in cognitive neuroscience, says, “no life life’s not fair. And in a cruel twist, our wish to see it as fair keeps us from making it so.” (Hutson 1) If life was fair, no one would be homeless, no one would have health issues, and there would be no poor or rich. Raising children to believe that life is fair is setting them up for disappointment. Parents can only protect their children for so long. Eventually, the child will have an unfair experience that no one can change. The child needs to have the proper preparation for these experiences. The way to prepare them is to allow them to have those experiences while they are younger. Two men go to a job interview. One man has a lot more experience and knowledge than the other, yet he doesn’t get the job. This is an unfair occurrence but the man’s mother couldn’t make a call and change the interviewers mind. Disappointment comes to everyone; the difference is how we handle it. Protecting children from disappointment keeps them from learning how to pick themselves up and try