2020 Olympic wrestling

Ever since there were the Olympics, there was wrestling. A true tough man sport, which not many people can endure. But, about one month ago, the International Olympic Committee dropped wrestling from the 2020 Olympics. That infuriated many supporters, including me. I believe that wrestling should be put back in the Olympics, because no sport offers the hardship and rewards of wrestling.

Wrestling was one of the first sports in the Olympics, dating back to 776 B.C. But wrestling is older than that, showing up in Egyptian and Sumerian writing, suggesting that wrestling is over 7,000 years old. During the Middle Ages wrestling was so popular that royalty did it like, King Henry the eight of England. Then in 1896 wrestling was introduced to the modern Olympics, which featured Greco-Roman style wrestling. Also in the 1904 Olympics, they introduced freestyle. Wrestling has been historically popular, and its popularity grows each year.

Wrestling is one of the most popular sports in the world, being especially large in countries like; Russia, Iran, and the U.S. In the U.S., wrestling is a way of life for some, training each and every day. Were as, in Iran and Russia, kids wrestle to get away from their poverty. Also in the 2012 Olympics in London, wrestling sold 113,851 tickets out of 116,854 available. With almost a full house every time, how could they cut a sport like that from the Olympics? The popularity of wrestling is huge, probably due to all the hard work needed to be in the sport.

Lots of hard work is needed to wrestle, people dedicated their lives to wrestle. Without the draw to wrestle in the Olympics, the sport will start to die. Many people choose  to wrestle because they have dreams of an Olympic medal. Without that, some might lean towards different sports.

The Olympics without wrestling is like a football game without scoring. Not worth your time to watch. So, I hope that in the very near future, that they will put wrestling back in the Olympics.

Peeta's view

The Third book in the “Hunger Game series: Mockingjay” written by Suzanne Collins, the character Peeta has his perspective of Katniss has been changed by the capital. After his kidnapping from the third quarter quell, he was tortured by the capital. After the torturing, every time he saw Katniss he relived his pain.  This changed his view of Katniss, as a monster. His opinion of katniss changed again, later in the book.  

When Peeta first came to district thirteen, he attempted to choke Katniss to death, which failed. In Peeta’s view, all the torturing was because of her. For everything Katniss said, they punished Peeta for it. Making Peeta wanting revenge for all the beatings, when he knew nothing.

When Peeta, Katniss, Gale, and other rebels were hiding in the inner capitol. Peeta’s relationship with Katniss changes from close friends to strangers. Rarely talking to each other, keeping distance, refusing to move, those are actions Peeta is having. He still does not fully trust the rebels, but he has no one to turn to.

Peeta and Katniss may still be strangers, but they went through a tragic common experience, which made them closer in the end. Peeta’s view of Katniss from, monster to loving her.

Adam's Conflict

In “April Morning” by Howard Fast, set in Lexington, Massachusetts during the American Revolutionary war. The main character, Adam Cooper, struggles with an internal conflict about shooting other people in battle.

As an average teenage boy, Adam was excited to fight the British. When the time came, the battle wasn’t what he fantasized war would be like. The reality was that his father was shot and killed, along with a multitude of other colonists. Frighten and alone, he hid in smokeshack under some bacon.

After hiding in the smokeshack, he decides to run away from Lexington and the British. Then he literally runs into Solomon Chandler, who escorts him to his cousin’s house. On the way to the cousin’s house, Solomon talks about how troops in the British are either felons or “poor, ignorant devils.” I think that makes Adam think that British are less than human, making them easier to shoot.  A little awhile later Adam and his cousin Joshua Dover, in a fight with the British. Joshua talks to Adam about his father and tells him nothing can replace him. I think that helped Adam to be at peace with his father death. During the battle of Concord, Adam overcomes his fears and shoots at the British soldiers; although he did not kill any of them.

Adam over came his fear of shooting someone during the bloody battle of Concord. After the battle of Concord, Adam goes home and gets a hero’s welcome.

Underdog

An underdog is a person or team who is expected to lose in a contest or conflict. Though they are expected to lose, some time they will pull off the upset. In all three of the books I just read, there is a common theme of an underdogs being successful because they are determined to win.

In the book “Moneyball” by Michael Lewis, the theme of being an underdog is really demonstrated. The Oakland A’s had baseball’s second lowest payroll in the league, compared to the New York Yankee’s having the highest payroll in 2001. However, the A’s had 102 wins and 60 loses in contrast to the Yankee’s 95 wins and 65 loses. They were able to do this by signing up-coming rookies and under rated older players. That way the A’s were able to manage their payroll without having a superstar. The A’s payroll to wins ratio was half a million dollars, which is lower than any other team in major league baseball, and proved that with good money management you can win lots of games on a budget.

The “Hunger Games” series by Suzanne Collins is another underdog story. The Series tells the story of Katniss, Peeta, and the thirteen districts fighting against the capital for their freedom.  The capital has better trained men, more money, and the position of power. Katniss and company are fighting with a poorly trained and lesser equipped district. What the districts do have is the will to fight for freedom, like the colonist in the American Revolutionary War.

“April Morning” by Howard Fast, is a novel about the American Revolutionary War. The main character is a teenager named Adam Cooper who lived in Lexington, Massachusetts. When the British wanted to destroy supplies and stop the training of militia in concord. They marched though Lexington, until they met armed resistance. Adam cooper fought on the side of the militia against the British. The militias were the clear underdog in conflict, fighting with few supplies and lacking military training.

                                                                   

“April Morning” is just like the “Hunger Games” series and “Moneyball”, in that the underdog can defeat a wealthier, well equipped, and better trained opponent. What the underdogs do have in common is the determination to succeed. 

Monster vs. Black and White

African Americans are seven times more likely to commit crimes than any other race, and eight times more likely to commit robbery per New century Foundation. This is a shocking fact! In the books “Monster” by Walter Dean Myers and “Black and White” by Mike Volponi, main teenage characters commit crimes that lead to deadly shooting and change their lives forever. 

There are many similarities between the books main characters, “Black and White’s” Marcus and “Monster’s” Steve. Like, both live in the New York City area. They both commit robberies that led to fatal shootings. “Eddie gave me a nod, and I nodded right back. I didn’t even know the man was black until we walked up to him, and Eddie told him it was a stickup.” They both have loving families that were involved in their lives. That one choice of committing the robberies altered their lives forever.

Even though there are numerous similarities, there are differences too. Marcus from “Black and White” had very promising futures, was a division one college basketball prospect. Steve from “Monster” was in a gang, without a bright future. Their motives were different too, Steve was asked to commit robbery by the gang “I’ll withdraw the question as framed. Mr. Harmon, do you remember Osvaldo saying that he understood you to be the lookout?” Were as, Marcus needed money for a senior trip to six flags.

Although Marcus and Steve had different motives, their choice to commit robbery, has ended up with  both of  them going to jail. By not stopping and thinking, the teenage boys have altered their live forever.

Oakland A's

Based upon a true story, Moneyball, written by Michael Lewis, the book discusses the idea of how does a poor baseball team compete with the richer markets, like the New York Yankees. The main character Billy Beane, the GM of the Oakland A’s baseball team, created a new system to win games with low budget players. To work within the low payroll budget; Billy recruited young new players or under value older players which didn’t have high salary requirements. My prediction is that Billy Beane’s system will be a success and will get the A’s to the playoffs again.

In the 2000 and 2001 seasons the A’s used Mr. Beane’s system. After two seasons with this method, the A’s got 91 wins the first year, and 102 the next. The A’s payroll was only 90 million dollars, compared to the Yankees, who had 120 million dollars to spend on super stars. The gap between the rich teams and the poor teams is only growing bigger. For an example, for every one dollar a poor team has, a rich team has four dollars to spend on salaries. This is the biggest money gap in all of the major sports. In contrast, basketball spends one dollar for every one dollar and seventy-five cents, and football only has difference of fifty cents between the richer markets and smaller markets.

Another reason for their success is when the A’s players are in their prime, they trade them away. Those players in their prime can do one thing the A’s don’t like, take up money. With that money saved, they could pick up promising minor league players and picks in the MLB draft for low prices. This actually happened with the A’s star closer, Jason Isringhausen, they traded him for 2 first round draft picks and reduced A’s payroll by millions of dollars.

The system Billy Beane created benefited not only his A’s, but every other small market team in baseball. It was a way to beat the rich teams with a smaller payroll.

Marcus

Author’s note: Black and white, is the story about how racism tore a friendship apart. I will focus on one of the main characters, Marcus.

In the book, Black and White, written by Paul Volponi, one of the main characters, Marcus changes from the beginning of the book to the end.  To get enough money for a senior trip to six flags, Marcus and his best friend Eddie, resort to robbery.  During their third theft, Eddie shoots the victim.  From that point on, Marcus’s life changes and will never be the same. Marcus’s relationship with Eddie, his future, and Marcus himself changes.

Marcus could have been one of the nation’s best basketball players, with scouts from Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State and St. John’s all looking at him and Eddie. But that was all thrown away when he chose to rob someone.  Not only did he lose the chance to go to college, but he now has a criminal record that will never go away.

Marcus, never really thought about this actions much up until this point, he was a care free kid that only focused on basketball and friends.  When he was out on bail, he cherished the time he spent with his family before he went to jail.  Marcus felt very guilty and wanted to apologize to the victim, “I wanted him to know how sorry I was. But there was no way to get though.” In addition, Marcus was very angry at Eddie for not taking the fall with him. “`You lousy piece of Sh*t!`  he screamed, wrapping both of his hands around my jacket collar. He drove back against the side of a brick building. And I (Eddie) felt the air pop out of my lungs when I hit.”

Marcus and Eddie where best friends and the robberies tore their friendship apart.  Shortly after the shooting Marcus was convicted and thrown in jail. In contrast, Eddie, was caught by the police, but acquitted due to lack of evidence. Marcus got infuriated once he figured out this information.  Eddie then went to St. John’s on a basketball scholarship, while Marcus went to prison for two years

Marcus’s life has changed for the worse, in the one month of the book. He was a basketball star, but now he’s a convict in upper state New York prison. That’s how quickly a promising future can be thrown away because of one poor decision.