"Hoop Dreams" Timelessly Influential

        The 1994 documentary "Hoop Dreams" influenced many children all around years after production, and still today shows kids to follow your dreams. After watching and reading about this movie I am compelled to share my feelings towards it, I highly recommend it to anyone who has not seen "Hoop Dreams". In the beginning the two young boys William and Arthur show a lot of talent and even more determination as they work on their skills of the game. My feelings throughout the whole film were very content and uplifted the kids were pursuing basketball dreams in the right direction, until one certain point in the film when William injured his knee and shortly after Arthur is forced to leave the high school both boys were attending St. Josephs, a private mostly white school. At this point I felt sympathetic for both Arthur and William struggling to over come bumps on their road to being great players. Although Williams injury was a very tough obstacle and made me feel bad for him, most of my sympathy was for Arthur now forced to attend his public inner-city high school. Arthur now has to prove his skills all over again and re-earn a playing spot on the team. The coaches like him and let him join the team, but the film still portrays Arthur as a less important player than William, because William plays varsity.
        This moving documentary also influences everyone on other important things. A huge influential section of "Hoop Dreams" is showing that kids need to understand that their biggest role model doesn't have to be you're favorite athlete or someone you know that makes the most money, it should be your parents at home the ones providing everything you have to you working as hard as they can to keep you content. Lastly, something else that I felt an influence from was not a major part in the movie, how the two boys stayed off drugs an alcohol throughout the entirety of the movie. This really showed that if you do what you love, work hard at it, and use you're favorite hobby or sport to keep you're mind off things it can also keep you off things in the streets like drugs, alcohol, or anything else that poses a threat to negatively impact you're life. "Hoop Dreams" will forever be a movie that people can use to influence, help them through hard times and show that you are never permanently "on the streets".

How Do Professional Sports Impact Culture?

        Do professional sports impact culture? Are there negative effects to sports impacting cultures? Well, sports all around the world have impacts on individuals as well as entire cultures. For example, racism in sports is virtually unheard of, during games all you can think about is working together to get the win not their background or culture. Although there are uncountable amounts of positive effects sports have on cultures, but there are also a few negative effects. For example, if a sport takes your mind completely off everything else it could make you forget important events occurring in your culture leading to you not approaching them when you should.
        Further into example, sports largely impacts cultures all around during the Super Bowl, anyone in favor of the same team for the super bowl game can instantly become friends and just watch the game together no matter the others culture. Or, on a less happy note sports can have a negative impact on a culture. For example, Cuba's last showing in the World Cup was during a drug cartel war, killing thousands of innocent people in their home country. Then when the Cuban soccer team returned home after a loss in the second round, forgetful of the terrible shootings going on. The players basically only thinking of practicing and improving. Soon after they were home one of the teams best defense-man was unexpectedly murdered, shocking the team and reminding them of the cultural battles going on. All in all, in any way a sport can hugely effect or impact culture, breaking culture barriers for even a short time to enjoy the sport together.

Do Americans like Vilains in Sports?

       Do Americans like villains in sports? Lately, there hasn't been many "villainous" players throughout major league sports. Although a lot of players in sports have so many people that hate them, they aren't villain like people. For example, Lebron James one of the most hated NBA players in this region is actually a great person, he is a frequent donator to various charities and a good guy to the press and public. Another good example is Tom Brady, the most hated quarterback in the present day NFL but he is also a great man just playing the game he was born to play. The basis of his hate is because he is such a great player, people that are not Patriots fans hate him for the sole reason that he is a winner. Tom Brady also a frequent charity donator, and nice to the public, he donates to a charity called " Best Buddies International".
         There may be no current villains in major league sports but from previous villainous players in sports being very popular there is proof Americans do love villains. The most popular group of villains in sports, "The Bad Boys" a team who's starting five was feared and hated throughout the NBA but loved by viewers all around. The "Bad Boys" of the Detroit Pistons most famous season being the NBA's "villain was the 1989-90 season. The starting five being point guard Isiah Thomas, shooting guard Joe Dumars, small forward Mark Aguirre, power forward Dennis Rodman, and center Bill Laimbeer. These players main goal other than winning games was to take out the opposing's team best player in any way possible. The viewers of the NBA across the nation loved "The Bad Boys" for shutting down the best players in the NBA and making the game more physical, and more interesting for that matter. This clearly shows that Americans like villains in sports.

Super Bowl Sunday

     Sunday, February 1st, Super Bowl Sunday A big day for fans in New England and Seattle because the Patriots led by Tom Brady looking for his fourth ring and a young Seahawks team led by captain Russell Wilson for his second Super Bowl appearance. I myself, a patriots fan, am very excited for a good battle between the two powerhouse football teams of the NFL. The Seahawks are looking to be the second team in history to win two Super Bowls in a row, the other team being the Patriots in 03'-04', and the Patriots looking to be the third coach quarterback duo to win 4 super bowls together. I am expecting a great game that comes down to the wire.
     I'm really hoping the Patriots can pull out a win, but the Seahawks are a great team and also have a lot of potential to win the game. I personally think that at the end its all going to be decided by the running game. If the Patriots defensive line can stop Marshawn Lynch and can pressure Russell Wilson in the pocket the Patriots will have the edge. On the other hand, if the Seahawks can stop Brady from throwing with a lot of time in the pocket and not letting Blount get yards after the initial contact the game would be theirs. The game could go either way we will have to wait and see.