The first article that I chose for this assignment focused on diving in the sport of soccer. This is a practice that involves animatedly falling down when slightly touched by an opponent. This allows for the garnering of penalties that otherwise would not be given if not for this theatrical performance. Therefore, it has been a highly controversial and frowned upon practice in soccer for many years. The article went on to describe and list the so-called “Kings” of diving. These individuals are well known for their less than appealing tactics.
The first on the list is a player called Arjen Robben, who is from the Netherlands. He made the top of the list because he is a seasoned veteran, and usually with time comes maturity and therefore a decrease of diving. However, he has not made any progress to avoid the practice.
“After the then-Chelsea winger went down clutching his neck when tapped by Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina in 2006, Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager at the time, famously uttered: ‘I am in a hurry because I must go to the hospital because the injury was so serious that maybe he will be there for one week’” (Ubha, 2012, p. 1). Other individuals that made the list were Pepe, a Portugal star, Ashley Young from Britain, Sergio Busquets from Spain, Mark van Bommel, another Netherlands heavy hitter, and the superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
There were a few interesting elements about the article as a whole. Firstly, is how this practice being so well documented yet survives amid its hatred by audiences and officials. Further, it is intriguing to realize that not only is it a commonplace practice, but it is utilized by some of the top players in the league. I suppose we should not be surprised, with similar tactics employed in the National Basketball Association. Personally, I disagree with soccer’s policy regarding diving. Just by writing about it in an article such as the one previously summarized, it makes it acceptable. This kind of tactic is petty, cheap, and unfair. It must be removed immediately.
The second article that I read was about Wayne Rooney, a famous player both for the England National Team and Manchester United. The article attempts to argue the point that the well-rounded and widely acclaimed player has a brilliant mind running his powerful and dominating physique. It goes on to examine the type of value that England puts on soccer talent.
“(Rooney) He is a far more complete player than, say, David Beckham. He shoots with power and precision. His close control is miraculous. His passing at times is stunningly perceptive. When the mood takes him, he can dribble and juggle like a Brazilian” (Winner, 2012, p. 1).
England as a nation has always been a society that revolves around class, therefore valuing rights that are born, not made over time. There is no difference in how they evaluate soccer talent either. Much of what Rooney has was born to him, although he does hard work on the side, it mostly comes from his sizeable and limitless talent pool.
The article eventually talks about Rooney’s relationship with the media and its convoluted nature. Rooney has had a past with colorful language and distinct opinions, which are obviously brought to light by the newspapers. Later, the article talks about the author’s one on one meeting with Rooney and his attempt to discover whether or not there is brilliance under the rough exterior. The writer proves that his hypothesis is correct, but Rooney does not possess the standard type of intelligence revolving around advanced intellectual prowess, but a strong grasp on soccer as a whole. Rooney is exceedingly intelligent, but it is mostly applicable to soccer.
This piece was very intriguing due to the fact when it comes to sports figures we do not often think of exemplary intelligence. We tend to respect individuals in sports by what they can do in their arenas, often praising their physical feats. It is interesting to see such a well-rounded individual in soccer, who has the brilliance and physicality to match. Moreover, this player has been known as a “bad boy” often being cited as cursing often and making sure that his opinion is known, usually with a lack of niceties. It is quite engaging to think about, due to the fact that there are many professional sports players that are entitled “thugs”, but are just that and lacking any type of intelligence. Now we have a player that exudes some of the characteristics of a thug but is highly learned and clever.
References
Ubha, R. (2012). The Kings of Diving. Web.
Winner, D. (2012). Beautiful Game. Beautiful Mind. Web.