NBA players V Fans

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2018/05/02/nba-playoffs-heckling-games-drake/572301002/ 

Who do you think is more at fault when the players react? The fans or the players?

What do you think the NBA should do about these issues?

Is all of this just part of the game? 

Scandals in Athletes and their leaving impact

https://www.chronicle.com/article/One-Major-Sports-Scandal-Can/243172

1. Do you think this is a justifiable reason to not apply to a college?

2. Do you think a scandal in athletes affects the overall environment of the university?

3. How long do you think a scandal has an effect on the university in any way and when would this effect start to be forgotten?

Fighting in Hockey

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/100282-should-fighting-be-allowed-in-hockey



Do you think fighting in hockey should be allowed?

Is tradition more important than safety?

Should there be more regulations and rules about fighting?

Would viewership go down if fighting were banned?

High School athletes going to the NBA

Articles
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-smack-ryan-spt-0414-20150413-story.html

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2713174-high-school-players-may-soon-return-to-the-nba-draft-thats-good-for-the-ncaa

Discussion questions:

1. Should the NBA allow players right out of high school be eligible for the draft?
2. What are the benefits of having players coming right out of high school?
3. What would be some of the cons of players coming out of high school?

Declining NFL Ratings

https://www.si.com/tech-media/2018/01/04/nfl-tv-ratings-decline-ten-percent-colin-kaepernick-thursday-night-football

1. What do you believe is the main reason behind the decline in the NFL’s ratings?
2. Are there any factors not mentioned in the article that might be responsible for the decrease in viewership?
3. What steps can the NFL take to get viewership back to where it once was?

Rise in Concussions

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22603654/nfl-doctor-says-rising-concussion-numbers-sparks-call-action

Questions:

1. How do you think the NFL should respond to the increase in concussions?
2. How many concussions are too many for an athlete?
3. Do concussions make high school athletes not want to play contact sports.

Transgender Athletes in Professional Sports

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/world/americas/brazil-transgender-volleyball-tifanny-abreu.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fsports&action=click&contentCollection=sports&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

1. Should transgender athletes be allowed to compete in professional sports?

2. How regularly should hormone altering be enforced?

3. Should hormone levels be the only factor in deciding eligibility?

Shut up And Dribble

Discussion Questions: Shut up And Dribble

Article link:

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/19/587097707/laura-ingraham-told-lebron-james-to-shutup-and-dribble-he-went-to-the-hoop

Do athletes say have meaning in our society?

Are athletes appropriate spokespeople for current issues?


Do athletes have a responsibility to speak out on current topics?

Markelle Fultz and the Pressure of NBA Play

Article Link:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/09/sports/basketball/markelle-fultz-philadelphia-76ers.html

"Markelle Fultz Lost His Shot. Will He Ever Find It Again?" 
By Kurt Streeter 
March 9, 2018

The New York Times reported of Markelle Fultz, the top draft pick for the Sixers, and how he has lost his jump shot.  There is a great deal of speculation about how and why he is struggling with the team. This is a big question for all teams because they are all at one time or another looking to draft the next young superstar: Why has such a hyped player lost his shot?

Questions: 

Please choose 3 questions to answer from the list below to help you prepare for our discussion:

1. The writer mentions Fultz’s youth many times? why?

1. Do you believe he is injured?

1. What do you think best explains his struggles? His age? NBA pressures? Team conflict?

1. Are the 76ers the right place for Fultz? What can explain Fultz’s “ghost-like” behaviors?

1. Should the NBA abandon the one-and-done rule?

1. Why won’t the 76ers let Fultz talk to the press?

College Athletes

College Basketball Programs Eliciting Payments:

Article Link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/sports/ncaabasketball/ncaa-college-basketball.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fncaabasketball&action=click&contentCollection=ncaabasketball&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

Lebron Interview Link:
http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=22596600

Discussion Questions:

How should colleges be punished for paying athletes? Should they be punished at all?

Should college athletes who are accepting this money be punished?

Should all college athletes be paid, regardless of which sport they play?

Lebron James said in an interview, "I don't know if there's any fixing the NCAA. I don't think there is. It's what's been going on for many, many, many, many years. I don't know how you can fix it. I don't see how you can fix it." Lebron later suggested the NBA should develop its minor league to give young athletes an alternative to NCAA basketball. Do you think this is a good idea?

Russia Banned from 2018 Winter Olympics:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/07/sports/olympics/olympics-russia-doping.html

Discussion questions:

1. Should doping and the use of steroids be acceptable for Olympic games?

2. Is it fair that the Russian athletes that are allowed to compete must represent themselves with neutral colors under a neutral flag?

3. Are these punishments fair to the people of Russia who want to support and cheer on their home country?

Article Link: Chief Wahoo

Indians Will Abandon Chief Wahoo Logo Next Year

Discussion Questions:

• Should we expect sports teams to change logos, traditions, or names that have been deemed racist?  Why or why not?

• Although the team will stop using the logo in 2019, "Consumers will still be able to purchase items with the [Chief Wahoo] logo on them at the team’s souvenir shops in the stadium and at retail outlets in the northern Ohio market, but those items will not be available for sale on M.L.B.’s website."  Is this acceptable, or should the Chief Wahoo logo be discontinued altogether?

• Will this change help or hurt the Cleveland Indians' reputation?  Or the MLB's image, for that matter.