Sports Then and Now

As the 21^st century moves forward, college basketball is becoming more and more known for the early departures. The so called “one and done era” has been alive for more than a decade. Gone are the days when student-athletes made a splash as a freshman and then continued to do so over three or four years in college.

Look no further than Kentucky for proof of this. Since John Calipari was hired as the Wildcats’ head coach in 2009, Kentucky has been the prime source of the “one and done era.” Add in a few sophomores who decided a second attempt at a Final Four or a national championship was worth coming back for and the Wildcats have been a landslide leader in this trend of kids leaving school early for the riches of playing pro basketball.

A total of seven Kentucky players declared to enter the NBA Draft earlier this week at a press conference shown here.

Last year was no different. After falling two wins short of becoming the first undefeated national champion in 39 years – following their 71-64 loss to Wisconsin in the 2015 national semifinals – , Kentucky announced that seven players from last year’s team have declared for the NBA draft. Among the seven are four starters including the starting backcourt of sophomores Andrew and Aaron Harrison, freshman center Karl Anthony-Towns, and junior power forward Willie Cauley-Stein. The others are forward Trey Lyles and guard Devin Booker, both freshman, along with 7-foot sophomore center Dakari Johnson.

All seven have the ability to play at the next level as either starters or reserves. Some have the potential to start right away for anybody while the fortunes of others will be influenced by how the NBA Lottery turns out. Early mock drafts have Anthony-Towns competing with Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor – who has also declared for the draft – for the top overall pick. Anthony-Towns is  6-11 and weighs 250 while Okafor is 6-11 and 270. Both were among the nation’s dominant big men last season.

Should all seven of these players be drafted, it would set a new record for the most players selected from one school in a single draft. The Wildcat’s six selections in the 2012 draft – lead by top overall pick Anthony Davis – is the current record. Davis had lead Kentucky to the national title in 2012 in what was Calipari’s first championship. Read the rest of this entry →

Internships are a good way to break into the sports business.

Many people dream of working in sports in some capacity. Some might want to be athletes, while others prefer coaching or the administration side of things. Other people might enjoy working in media roles. No matter what your goals might be, there is a way for you to break into the profession of sports. You can find an internship that will help you build valuable skills, and make connections that will help you find your future job. Make sure you know how to be your own best coach when it comes to getting the career you’ve always dreamed of.

Make Yourself Stand Out
In order to get selected for a sports internship, you must make sure to stand out in some way. If you’re at a college, you will need to showcase your skills, desires, and school spirit. Show the people hiring for the internship that you offer a unique skill set they won’t be able to find with other candidates. Be sure to sound professional yet enthusiastic on the phone, and in person for interviews.

Hit the Ground Running
Now that you have the opportunity at your sports internship, you must seize the day. Go above and beyond the expectations of the position. Do extra work you haven’t been asked to do. You will impress your boss, and leave a lasting memory with them. They will either hire you, or recommend you to someone else without hesitation. You should truly treat an internship like a real career, since it is how you will get the most out of it.
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The national championship of college basketball is here. After an exciting March of dramatic finishes that separated the pretenders from the contenders, the cream of the crop surfaced at The Final Four in Indianapolis, IN this past weekend. Three of the four number one seeds reached the Final Four with Duke, Kentucky, and Wisconsin all winning their regions to advance to college basketball’s biggest stage. Meanwhile, Michigan State was no slouch as a seventh seed. The Spartans reached The Final Four for a nation-leading seventh time since 1999, all under one of the elite coaches in the country in Tom Izzo.

Bo Ryan has taken the Badgers to new heights with back-to-back trips to The Final Four.

With the Blue Devils defeating Michigan State 81-61 and the Badgers upsetting undefeated Kentucky 71-64 in the national semifinals on Saturday, Duke and Wisconsin advanced to tonight’s championship game. This is virtually an even game. Both teams have been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll the whole season and have a combined record of 70-7 entering tonight’s title game. The Badgers are 36-3 and won the regular season Big Ten Championship as well as the conference tournament title. The Blue Devils finished second to Virginia in the ACC regular season standings at 15-3 and reached the ACC Tournament Semifinals

before losing to Notre Dame who went on to win the tournament title.

Wisconsin’s victory on Saturday avenged their loss to the Wildcats a year ago in the national semifinals, a 74-73 thriller that was decided on a 3-point basket by then-freshman guard Aaron Harrison. With the Badgers returning to The Final Four this year, Wisconsin has become a national program. Badgers’ head coach Bo Ryan has emerged as a great coach and has brought national prominence to the Wisconsin program in this his 14th year at the helm of the Badgers. This followed his highly successful career in the Division III ranks as head coach at The University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he won four national championships in the 1990’s.

Ryan will be matched up against Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski who is no stranger to the national championship game. This is the ninth national championship game that Krzyzewski has lead the Blue Devils to. He is 4-4 in the title game. The two schools met earlier this season back on Dec. 3 in Wisconsin where Duke prevailed 80-70 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Blue Devil freshman center Jahlil Okafor had 13 points and six rebounds while senior center Frank Kaminsky scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Badgers. Read the rest of this entry →

ESPN is the “sports leader”, but there are many job opportunities in the sports world.

For many, a career in the sports world is the next best thing to being a professional athlete. The competition for jobs is intense because of this. If you are interested in working in the sports industry, you’ll need to go the extra mile to stand out in an industry with fierce competition. Take a look at the following tips for pursing a job in the sports industry and beating out your competitors for a spot at the top.

Resume
Start building your resume early. One way to do this is by volunteering with sports organizations in your community including high school and college sports teams, local sports leagues, and sports venues. Most of these organizations welcome volunteer support in areas like marketing, sales, public relations, and event organization. A college education is also critical in a competitive market, so don’t rely merely on your love for sports. Having a degree in mass communication, journalism, business, or a sports management degree will put you above other candidates who merely know a lot about sports. Allow your experience and education to stand out on a resume by participating in a wide variety of jobs, and earning a college degree.

Internships
Internships are an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and work ethic to a prospective employer. Along with a solid education, start researching internship opportunities. Research includes identifying desired internships and learning about those organizations. The more you know about the organization and how they operate, the better chance you have to impress the interview team. Keep in mind that companies often hire interns on full time at the end of an internship, so these opportunities are extremely important if you want a job in the sports industry. Read the rest of this entry →

Hiking is a good way to kick start an exercise regiment.

For many of us, a healthy lifestyle includes a fair amount of physical activity. And for those of us who include exercise in our daily lives, the advantages are definitely worth the effort. From disease prevention to a more positive outlook on life, regular exercise is important and rewarding. However, for some people, the thought of exercise doesn’t exactly conjure up images of fun and excitement. Thankfully, though, exercise can be enjoyable.

Keep reading for tips on beginning a workout regimen, as well as information on staying safe, and finding an activity you love.

Safety First
Before beginning a fitness regimen of any kind, it’s important to take safety into consideration. First of all, it’s important to have a basic idea of your fitness level and your unique health needs.  For example, do you have any illnesses or health conditions that might limit your strength, endurance or cardiovascular capacity? Are you able to enjoy moderate exercise without experiencing pain or becoming winded? These and other questions will help you in creating your fitness regimen and setting various goals regarding health and fitness.

Another essential aspect of safety is the proper fitness gear. Supportive undergarments, the proper footwear, support socks and other types of athletic wear will help ensure stability, protecting the muscles, joints and other areas of the body. Also, if you have any joint issues, compression sleeves and wraps can reduce impact to the knees and ankles, and prevent injury and other complications. Read the rest of this entry →

Back injuries can be common in amateur sports.

Injuries to the back are a common complaint for those participating in amateur sports. They are also often ignored until they start to cause severe pain and discomfort. If treated early, more serious and long-lasting injuries and conditions can be avoided, or their severity drastically reduced. Here are some of the most common injuries and how to prevent them and treat them before they have a bigger impact on your life.

Lower back issues
The lower back is most affected by activities such as weightlifting or jogging that put a consistent amount of strain on this area. This area of the back is the most common to experience injury. Any repetitive motion that uses the lower back muscles can cause trouble. You might not even realize how much you are exerting yourself until it is too late. While sports such as golf may seem low impact, the sport actually requires a lot of twisting and turning, which can lead to strains.

Upper back and spine
Although injuries to the upper back and spine are rarer than those to the lower back, they can be severe when they do occur. A slipped disc occurs when a vertebrae in the spine slips out of place, causing pinched nerves and soreness. Physical activity should be avoided and a physician consulted immediately if this is suspected. A chiropractic clinic is the most readily used resource for treatment of back injuries. Your chiropractor may prescribe such treatments as rest, strengthening exercises, and wearing a brace during the healing process.

Strained muscles and ligaments
Although strained muscles and ligaments can occur when you least expect it, they are most often caused by too much exertion, lack of proper technique, hits and bumps, and not warming up properly. Prevention is easier than dealing with the pain caused by such injuries. Read the rest of this entry →