Blog #5

In my research paper I used 4 different experts as resources for my research. My topic is very controversial and I do not want to turn my paper biased, although I am stating my own personal opinion I also want to show both sides of the argument. My first 2 experts are brothers Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru and they wrote the award winning book NFL: A league of Denial. Mark and Steve are both ESPN investigative journalists they have wrote multiple award winning books on sports of all kinds but they consider  NFL: A league of Denial their “Claim to fame”.  Both brothers have been a part of the sport since they were kids which in my topic are all you need to be an expert: experience. These two are the most reliable because together they have been investigating the evolution of the NFL for over 20 years; this makes the information in their book the most relevant available for my research.

 

The Fainaru brothers believe that throughout the evolution of the sport of football the NFL has been covering up evidence showing that football causes brain damage. This is relevant to my topic because without technology these findings would not be possible, in the book they explain how modern medicine and the evolution of the sport into a profitable organization is responsible for this ongoing investigation. What I understand as a player and a researcher is yes, football is dangerous, but I do not think changing the way the game is played is the right solution. If we keep changing the sport taking out the physicality that grew this sport in the first place we are going to lose fans, and with no fans there is no NFL, period.

The next expert I used is Reed Chacksfield a veteran player as well as a veteran coach. He graduated from Sycamore High School and went to play football at Georgetown College, upon graduating he knew the passion he had for football remained so he became a teacher and a coach. Over the past 40 years that he has dedicated to football he has come away with nearly 300 wins and state championships as well. He is a unique source because he has seen the sport change first hand over the years which is why he is one of the most reliable sources. Chacksfield has a lifetime of experience and has contributed his own accounts from his past years as a player and a coach as well as his personal opinions and beliefs on this controversial topic.

 

Technology has changed every aspect of football not just on the field but also off so the next source in this paper is Andy Star who served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Buffalo Bills from 1989-1995. Coach Star is also a firsthand account but on how technology has changed the sport off the field; he has seen how football programs have developed from a storage closet sized weight rooms into 37,000 square foot, multi-million dollar facilities. As a strength coach you are completely responsible for a player’s health, nutrition and well-being when an athlete is out of season so his experience also includes the medical and player safety side of the sport. Coach star grew up playing football in the early 80’s and went on to play Division 1 football at the University of Cincinnati starting at defensive line for 4 straight years luckily, without any of the major injury’s that were so common back then. He has been a part of the sport for the almost 40 years and has given his personal accounts on how he believes the game has changed on and off the field specifically how modern medicine and sports therapy has developed the sport. His experience makes him a reliable source as well as a relevant source to my research because I do not have to go search the internet for all of my facts and research on websites that could be reliable I have 2 resources that lived through the old age of football and are more than willing to help me with my paper.

As a researcher, reader, writer, and time manager I have not had many problems except for the struggle of keeping my topic not biased towards going against the book I read. I have a passion for football and it is hard for me to write about things that I do not agree with. When it comes to time management I was smart enough to start my paper early so I have been slightly ahead of the game since the start of research. As a reader as much as it bothers me to read the personal opinions of people I do not agree with the book is filled with countless information, facts, and history that is very important to my topic.