Guard the Post: Why we love sports

On the outskirts of Pittsburgh lies a small suburb named Mars. The town, with a bustling population of about 1,700, is most well-known for its name and popular roadside attraction, the "Mars Spaceship". This week, though, a new light is shining out of the humble and quiet Pennsylvania town: Max Lamm.

Co-op Confidential: Kevin Murray, Student Alumni Liaison

Name: Kevin Murray
Year: Junior
Co-op Employer: Drexel University Office of Institutional Advancement
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Job Title: Student Alumni Liaison - Alumni Discovery Initiative

Guard the Post: The real star of the night

 

 

On Wednesday July 16th, 2014, all of the biggest stars hit the red carpet in Los Angeles for the 2014 ESPY Awards. Kevin Durant, Floyd 'Money' Mayweather, the NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs, Maria Sharapova, just to name a few. Some of these people are the biggest, most wealthy, and most talented human beings on the planet, but few were shining brighter than Stuart Scott.

Guard the Post: State of a Questionably Named Franchise

I was reading ESPN.com a few days ago, a section I traditionally avoid called "NFL Nation", and a writer asked a very interesting question. Kevin Seifert asked, "Why would a capitalist such as Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder oppose changing his team's name when he could make a ton of money from merchandise sales adorned with the new brand?"

Fair question, Mr. Seifert.

Guard the Post: No longer protected, whats next?

 

It has been quite a few months since I've written about the issue surrounding the name of the Washington professional football team, but after the news of yesterday, it is time to get back in the game. The U.S. Patent and Trademark office removed the trademark from the Washington Redskins name yesterday in a 2-1 decision.

Dr. Staurowsky's O'Bannon vs. NCAA Testimony

Dr. Staurowsky testified at the O'Bannon vs. NCAA hearings on June 16 and 17 in Oakland, Calif. Below is a summary of what she said and the lines of questioning she faced over the two days from the plaintiffs and the defendants.

Sports Illustrated writer Andy Staples, who is in Oakland covering the case, wrote this in summary of her first day on the stand.

UPDATE: Here is a good story from Mike Jensen of the Philadelphia Inquirer on Dr. Staurowsky's time on the stand.

Guard the Post: Super Bowl L errr 50

Yesterday, a historic announcement was made. The National Football League will, for the first time since 1971, not have a roman numeral in the title of it's biggest game. The 50th Super Bowl will not be titled "Super Bowl L", as it should have been if they followed the same trend that they have for the last 44 games. The name of the game, which will be hosted at the brand new Levi's Stadium in San Francisco, CA in 2016, will be Super Bowl 50.

Guard the Post: Notre Dame shows LGBT athletes support, despite Catholic association

Three weeks ago, the University of Notre Dame, possibly the most famous Catholic University in the world, released a video on the internet that has since gone viral. In association with the You Can Play project, Notre Dame's athletic department tells all their athletes, no matter their sexual orientation or sport, that they can play.

Guard the Post: Analyzing the legitimacy of changes

I have written extensively about the need for change in the governing body of college sport on this blog. As a supporter of the college sport reform movement, I have highlighted a multitude of areas that need care: health insurance for athletes, coverage of extra costs associated with attendance of college, freedom for athletes to use their own likeness to earn money, and, finally, the formation of a legitimate group of advisers to represent college athletes to their universities and other governing bodies. What happened in the past two weeks to work towards these goals and changes? Below is an analysis.

Guard the Post: There are no warning flags left for Brazil, Rio

Last year, there was a lot of conversation around the Rio 2016 planning committee and how far behind they were on the preparation for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Luckily, the organizer got a bit of a break from the media mercenaries thanks to a man named Putin and some place called Sochi. Now, with Sochi 2014 in the books, all of the international sport focus has shifted to Rio. Guess what? It hasn't gotten better.

Guarding the Post: Winter has come and gone (hopefully), but a different kind of vortex hit the sport industry last week

 

The first step occurred 64 days ago. Kain Colter, the National College Players Association (NCPA), and the United Steelworkers announced the creation of the College Athlete Players Association (CAPA). The Association filed paperwork on behalf of the Northwestern University Football team to be labeled as employees and to have the right to form a union and collectively bargain for better treatment. Last Wednesday, the applicants were rewarded, and the second step begun.

Guard the Post: Sport is a business, but should the bottom line always be the first concern?

Patrick Hruby, keynote presenter at the first annual Sport for Social Change conference, said yesterday, "when someone tells you it's not about the money, it's probably about the money. And when that same someone won't even acknowledge said money, it's definitely about the money." A few weeks back, I highlighted the current state of the movement to change the name of the Washington football franchise. Naturally, it has developed. Again.

Guard the Post: Jan Brewer, sneaky and ignorant is no way to run a state

For some reason, the state of Arizona is very committed to having questionable laws with huge social implications that cause them to lose or almost lose the rights to Super Bowls. In one of the fastest moving stories in weeks, the state of Arizona, specifically Governor Jan Brewer, quickly went from a Governors meeting in Washington, DC to being at the forefront of thousands of tweets, phone calls, and angry emails in protest of Senate Bill 1062.

Guard the Post: It is time, Washington, for a name change

 

The University of North Dakota changed their name from the Fighting Sioux in 2012. This was the first major Division-I institution to change their mascot in response to issues regarding the names association with American Indians. There are countless other universities and professional sports teams whose names have caused disagreement, but none more than the Washington Redskins.

Guard the Post: The 5 questions you should be asking your boss, but probably are not

This information was taken from an article on LifeHacker titled "8 Questions That Will Improve Your Relationship with Your Boss." The full article can be found here.

As a student trying to break into the very competitive sport industry, it is vital to take advantage of any and all connections and networks at your disposal. Although it is true that as a student most bosses give wiggle room in terms of any mistakes and utilize them as learning opportunities, it is also true that a lot of people will look at your as a lowly intern or co-op. By asking these simple questions throughout the time you are employed will aid in your growth in the company and hopefully in the industry.

Guard the Post: Steaks and Sportsbiz, what else do you need?

Peyton Manning is maybe the most brilliant football mind of our generation. With that being said, he is notorious for his activity at the line of scrimmage; consistently calling audibles and motions is part of his game. This past weekend, Manning opened a "Pandora's box" that no one working in the Sports Business could have seen coming.

The Sports Complex: 2013 in Review

2013 was an incredible year for both Drexel SMTSU and The Sports Complex. Below is a few statistics and notable accomplishments and moments for TSC during 2013.

Guard the Post: Sochi 2014 is on the horizon

7 years ago, Sochi, Russia was granted the 2014 Winter Olympic games. At that time, Russia needed the attention that comes with hosting the biggest sporting event in the world. In hindsight, the attention may have been a little bit more than the Russo's were looking for. Anti-gay legislation, money problems, political unrest with the United States and other world powers, threats of terrorist attacks, and bombings in other Russian cities, just to name a few.

Guard The Post: Nelson Mandela: Sport Can Change The World

 

Now that we are two weeks since the passing of Nelson Mandela, and we are approaching the new year, I think it is an important time to realize how vital Sport is for the furtherance of our culture and society. Nelson, who led beyond the world of sport, spoke so eloquently about its value to our society as a whole and that it really can "change the world".

Guard the Post: Keys to Interviewing Success

With Drexel Co-op interviewing continuing and the new year right around the corner, it is time to improve your interviewing skills. Below are a few tips to doing your best at every interview and hopefully getting that dream job!