Category: Sports
Should college insurance cover sports-related injuries in current and former college athletes?
By Brandon Lewis, Staff Writer
@Brandon_S_Lewis
Kevin Ware’s teammate Terrence Williams. Ware’s injury has stirred up controversy regarding whether or not the injuries that college athletes sustain while playing college sports should be covered by college insurance plans./ PHOTO VIA Flickr user Bradjward
Kevin Ware recently suffered one of the most gruesome sports injuries in the history of the NCAA tournament. While attempting to block a Duke player’s shot, the University of Louisville point guard landed awkwardly on his legs, which resulted in his leg breaking in a very graphic and painful way. I would show you the video of the incident but I will spare you the gore.
After sustaining the injury, Ware was treated for his injuries. Officials at the institution he attended, University of Louisville, stated that Ware would not be on the hook for the medical expenses regarding his injury while he was in college. All Louisville athletes will not have to pay out-of-pocket for injuries sustained while still in school. However, this isn’t always the case.
Another issue surfaces when athletes graduate or move on to the big leagues. The New York Times reported that universities do not cover the health care expenses for post-college injuries that arise from injuries sustained in college. So if Ware had leg problems down the road, he will be liable for those medical bills.
So the question is: should colleges extend their medical insurance to athletes after they leave their institutions?
I say yes. NCAA basketball is an empire earning over $780 million a year simply based on the performance of the ballplayers. NCAA’s revenues stem from sports fans paying to attend games, television broadcasts of games, and countless donations. The NCAA has more than enough money to provide schools with the funds to medically cover their unpaid athletes. So money isn’t really the issue; it’s the colleges themselves.
College scouts travel all over the country looking for athletes to add to their teams in hopes of creating a championship caliber team. Once athletes commit to a school and play competitively, there is a possibility that they will get injured. Colleges should not withdraw their support for these hand-selected students when injuries occur. The least they can do is provide full medical insurance for athletes that these recruiters compete for.
When athletes leave college, I believe that universities should continue to cover the medical expenses related to injuries sustained or related to their time spent faithfully serving the school as student-athletes. In other words, after Ware leaves Louisville, I believe the school should cover the bills of any later health problems resulting from his broken leg. Athletes provide innumerable amounts of publicity for colleges, entice prospective students to attend their schools and build up the reputations of their institutions. They do so much for their universities and it’s only right for the schools to return the favor.
Ravens win “Blackout Bowl”
By Gregory Davis, Sports Editor
The Ravens were the victors at this year’s Super Bowl with a final score of 34–31. / PHOTO VIA ibtimes.com
In a game that many will refer to as the “Blackout Bowl” for years to come, the Baltimore Ravens came just a few yards away from surrendering the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, but the San Francisco 49ers were unable to complete the job with a final score of 34–31. Just in case you tuned out at the blackout (or before) here’s a recap.
It was all Ravens from the very start of the first half. Joe Flacco was firing on all cylinders while Colin Kaepernick was struggling to put a substantial drive together. The Ravens drove 51 yards on six plays and Flacco found Anquan Boldin in the end zone to get Baltimore on the scoreboard first.
While the 49ers settled for just two field goals in the first half, Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes, including a 56-yard bomb to Jacoby Jones. The teams went to their respective locker rooms with the Ravens in the lead 21–6.
All hopes of a 49er comeback seemed thwarted when Baltimore’s Jacoby Jones opened up the second half with a 108-yard kick return for a touchdown. But after a half-hour delay due to a power outage in the Mercedes Super Dome, the tide quickly turned.
After Kaepernick was unable to convert on a 3rdand long, the 49ers’ defense looked better than it did all game, stopping the Ravens’ drive before it got started. Kaepernick then drove his team 80 yards in 7 plays and topped off the drive with a momentum swinging 31-yard touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree.
The 49ers followed that up with a 6-yard touchdown run from Frank Gore and a 34-yard field goal from David Akers to cut the once 22-point deficit to just five.
But Joe Flacco did not allow his team to fold under the pressure of potentially watching its 22-point lead become a deficit. He led his team 71 yards down the field to set up a 19-yard chip shot from Justin Tucker to put the Ravens up by 8.
After Kaepernick responded with a 15-yard touchdown run of his own — accompanied by a missed 2-point conversion — to bring the 49ers back within 2, Flacco led his team on a clutch drive once again that ended in a field goal.
The stage was set; a 5-point game with 4:19 remaining in the Super Bowl. It was up to Colin Kaepernick to take his team downfield for a touchdown to take the lead.
With clutch passes, well-timed rushes and a crucial completion to Michael Crabtree, Kaepernick got his team inside the 10-yard line. After a rush for a short gain and three incomplete passes — one of which was accompanied by a debatable defensive holding that the referees did not call — the 49ers’ offense could not punch it in.
As miraculous as the 49ers’ resilience and near comeback was, it was not enough to give them the honor of hoisting the Lombardi trophy. Instead, the silver statue belongs to the Baltimore Ravens, who were just yards away from the worst Super Bowl meltdown of all time.
Fans react to Patriots’ loss
By Seline Jung, Staff Writer
@SelineJung
It’s a sad, sad time for New England football fans. As the sports die-hards know, the Ravens beat the Patriots last night 28-13. And, as anticipated, fans from both sides took to Twitter. View the Storify here.
A Twitter user reacts to the Patriots’ loss/ IMAGE VIA Storify and Twitter user @AdamsDTD
A freshman’s perspective: BU vs. BC
By Brandon Lewis, Staff Writer
@Brandon_S_Lewis
During this time of the year, thousands of college students enthusiastically support their respective football and basketball teams. These two sports seem to dominate the collegiate athletic scene across the country. However, at Boston University, hockey seems to be the standout sport. If you are not a hockey fan before you arrive in Boston, you’re likely to become one by the time you leave. Whether you are an avid Terrier fan or dismiss hockey altogether, it is impossible for you to avoid the notion that Boston College is our most hated opponent.
I was introduced to the rivalry between BC and BU while I was applying to BU a year ago. I didn’t think much of the rivalry because I was not an admirer of hockey. Now that I am a full-fledged Terrier, I realized that it is my duty to support my school’s contention with the Eagles.
This Sunday marks the Terriers’ first hockey game of the season against Boston College. It will also be my first time experiencing a BU vs. BC game, which I hear is a wild, spirited experience. After beating 5/6 North Dakota last Saturday, the 4-2-0 men’s hockey team looks to win again this Sunday at Agganis Arena. Last season, the BU men beat BC twice and lost to them twice. They’re also attempting to maintain their undefeated record, 2-0-0 at home and continue the solid play within their conference.
As a freshman, I am excited to just be able to experience all the hype surrounding the contentious rivalry. When I attended the BU vs. Providence game in mid-October, I was baffled at the anti-BC cheers despite the fact that BU was not playing BC at the time. (And I thought the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry was malicious…) Well, I have learned that BU is not shy when it comes to voicing its distaste of its rival.
School of Management freshman Abena Amoakuh echoed my excitementt:
“Oh man, I just bought my ticket,” she said. “I can’t wait to go to the game and cheer on my Terriers. I’m not really a hockey fan, but I’m all about school spirit and supporting our teams. I can’t wait to yell ‘BC sucks!’”
The good news for Terrier Nation is that BU leads BC in their head-to-head record. Since the first game contested between the two teams on Feb. 6, 1918, BU leads the series 127-114-17. I am confident that my first BU vs. BC game will be one to remember, hopefully with a Terrier win. Don’t let us down Terrier men, we don’t want bragging rights given to those wannabes in Chestnut Hill.
BU Bucket List: BU Quidditch
By Heather Goldin, Staff Writer
@HeatherGoldin
What can a group of students do with brooms, partially deflated dodge balls, volleyballs and hula hoops? If you think this is a trick question, think again. This is all the equipment you need to play Quidditch, and Boston University’s Quidditch team has six years of experience. If you are a fan of Harry Potter, competitive sports or avoiding homework on Sunday afternoons from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., then checking out the team may be worthwhile.
HEATHER GOLDIN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
When I first got to the team’s practice location behind Sleeper Hall on West Campus, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Instead of starting to understand how the game was played, I became more confused by the second. However, talking to College of Arts and Sciences junior Katrina Bossotti helped. She’s on the Quidditch e-board and a captain of one of the teams.
According to Katrina, there are a few main rules that have been adapted from the game portrayed in the best-selling Harry Potter series. There are seven players from each team on the field at one time: three chasers, two beaters, a seeker and a keeper. The goal of the game is for the chasers to throw the quaffles (volleyballs) through the hoops while avoiding the bludgers (partially deflated dodge balls) that are thrown by the beaters. If you are hit, you must go back to the hoops on your side. Katrina explained that this is supposed to simulate “falling off your broom, since we can’t actually fly.”
HEATHER GOLDIN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The game seems difficult to pick up, but the main thing to remember is that the seeker has to catch the snitch. The snitch is usually a cross-country runner or wrestler with a tennis ball in a sock tucked into their pants. He or she has no boundaries, and they can do pretty much anything to avoid getting caught. Once caught, the game ends and the team with the most points is the winner.
School of Management senior Joe Barkus explained to me that while there are seemingly no limits to Quidditch (no field boundaries at all!), you can only catch the snitch with a single hand, and yellow and red cards are issued for fouls. There are four teams at Boston University that practice together, but there is a single tournament team of 21 players that compete in official tournaments on a local and regional scale. Just this semester there are three different tournaments, and in the spring there is the World Cup.
I chatted briefly with College of Communication sophomore Brett Engwall, who plays the position of seeker. Brett began his Quidditch career last year, and he played on the tournament team. When I asked what kept Brett playing, he responded that he was surprised at how athletic the sport is.
“We also form close friendships, especially on the tournament team,” he said.
I learned that the tournaments are even more intense than the practice I witnessed last weekend, highly competitive and violent, but also extremely fun. At the end of a vigorous Quidditch game, the opponents can be seen hugging each other and congratulating their enemies on a good game.
If you are wary of trying something so new, take the advice of College of General Studies freshman Marianne Walters. When she couldn’t join a soccer team at BU, she said Quidditch seemed just as interesting. Marianne heard about the team through splash, and she loves playing. Competitive sports aren’t for everyone, but what good is a sport if there are no fans to cheer them on?
And let me emphasize again that this game has NO boundaries. It’s best to watch this game from a distance because the players are not afraid to blow right past you to keep playing!
HEATHER GOLDIN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
BU Bucket List: BU Hockey
By Heather Goldin, Staff Writer
@HeatherGoldin
Over and over again I was told, “If you aren’t a hockey fan now, when you go to Boston University, you will be.” At the time I was dumbfounded, but after going to the first men’s hockey game of the season this past weekend, I understand what the fuss is about.
Agganis Arena hosts a multitude of musical shows, theatrical performances and, above all, hockey games. You can’t help but get excited at the echo of fans cheering as you ascend the staircase to the second level of the arena. Whether you arrive with friends or go alone, you’re going to have a good time regardless.
Terrier hockey / PHOTO BY HEATHER GOLDIN
A group of BU students in particular caught my attention, sitting in the first two rows of the arena.
School of Management freshman Cooper Davis said the hockey game is a “way to support your school and the BU Terriers working hard for the win.”
CGS freshman Dillon Schuyler said, “Hockey is the best sport on earth, and Boston University is the best college hockey team in the NCAA.”
PHOTO BY HEATHER GOLDIN
To say that BU has a lot of spirit would be an understatement. Coming from a high school without a cheer team or marching band, I find the passionate fans of BU Hockey a severe culture shock. There seems to be a constant current of spirit within the arena, even during a timeout. The BU Band plays recognizable songs in between whistles and breaks in the game. In addition, the dedicated fans have their own synchronized chants and motions to the music. It is quite a sight to see.
As an unspoken rule, the crowd never fails to cheer whenever Rhett the Terrier makes an appearance. There are fun challenges and competitions during breaks in the game, which Rhett is on the ice for. I had a blast at the game, and on my way out I passed by our university mascot.
Rhett the Terrier with Merissa Pico / PHOTO BY HEATHER GOLDIN
When you find yourself at a BU hockey game, there are a few things you should keep in the front of your mind:
1. Fact: No matter what team we’re playing, Boston College Sucks.
Learn it. Memorize it. And don’t forget it.
2. Get decked out in scarlet and white!
Showing up is one thing, but sporting your school colors is another great way to show school spirit.
3. Cheer. Loudly.
I think this one is self-explanatory. And if you go to enough games you are sure to learn every insulting chant Boston University students have thought of. If you ask me I find these chants entertaining to say the least.
Follow the Puck.
If you know what’s going on in the game, you are sure to have a better idea of why there are suddenly entire sections of fans going crazy. Then again, fans tend to cheer at the most random times (see tip number three).
Go Terriers!
Top five favorite workouts for college students
By Marie Goldstein, Staff Writer
As college students, we are busy from morning to night with schoolwork and other activities that make it easy for us to skip the gym and make up excuses. However, after freshmen year we realize that the freshmen 15 is no joke and we quickly get our bodies into shape. Boston has various opportunities to help students get in shape. Here are the top five favorite workouts for college students:
1. Running:
In Boston, we are lucky to have beautiful and lengthy running trails nested within our city. A student favorite is the Charles River esplanade. Students take a break from studying indoors by running along a beautiful river. Workout stations are next to the track that students can stop at to tone their body. In the winter, it is easy to continue running either on a treadmill or the indoor track at FitRec. Running is one of the few exercises that work out every muscle in the body.
College of Arts and Sciences junior Emily Brennan runs at least once a day:
“Running is a good exercise because it not only improves heart health and builds endurance it is a good source of stress relief and emotional catharsis,” she said.
2. Yoga:
Yoga is an amazing stress reliever! Yoga not only physically makes you fit, but it helps your mind stay active. It removes you from the busy streets of Boston, the piles of homework on your desk and that boy or girl who has been pulling on your heart for weeks. Yoga also leaves little room for excuses because people of all body types can participate; yoga will help tone your body and serve as light cardio as well.
3. Swimming:
If you have ever stepped inside FitRec you would know that there is really no better place to swim! Swimming is another exercise that serves as both body toning and cardio, as well as being a fun activity! Grab a friend and head down to the pool, get competitive with each other or work on personal goals.
4. Zumba
This African inspired dance craze is one of the best workouts. The atmosphere in these classes is high-energy, friendly and judgment-free. You may get so caught up in the action that it won’t even feel like a fitness class anymore, until you wake up the next morning and you can’t walk. Every Zumba class is different and will never fail to surprise you. One Zumba class can burn up to over 1,000 calories. I know I would rather dance around looking like an idiot than stay on the elliptical for three hours. CAS senior Samantha Andrews said, “Zumba is a great way to work out because you get to dance to wicked awesome music and nobody judges you. Its so much fun you don’t realize you are working out.” Warning: Your abs may get the most exercise, from laughing.
5. Spin Class
I like to call this exercise the “Devils Gift.” When you are riding that stationary bike you feel like you are dying, but afterwards it feels great. Taking a 60-minute morning class gets your brain and body started for the day. This is another high energy class where the atmosphere is enough to get you excited and anxious to get in shape. This is one of those exercises that are dreadfully addicting. If you are looking for a weight-loss exercise this is the one for you. Most importantly, wait until you see how awesome your legs look in your stilettos next weekend.
Storify: Sounding off on Nicastro
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By Lauren Dezenski, Features Associate Editor-Web
A collection of reactions to Junior Defenseman Max Nicastro’s arrest and suspension from the Boston University hockey team following an alleged incident of sexual assault.
“Max Nicastro and Corey Trivino should apologize to @hockey_east and the City of @Boston for their actions. Continue reading
Multimedia: Super Bowl XLVI
By Lauren Dezenski and Sam Sarkisian
In honor of Sunday’s Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants, we asked BU students how they are gearing up for the big game. Continue reading
Sam and Saba on Sports: Final Four Edition
Sam Dykstra and Saba Hamedy. Photo Illustration Credit Sumner Lambert
SABA: March Madness means the best college basketball teams duke it out to ultimately reach the “Final Four.” Here at The FreeP, we celebrate March Madness, but Sam and I also have our own final fours to predict.
First, we determined the Boston University colleges that would make it to the top.
- College of Communication
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Engineering
- School of Management
So…
- COM (yeah, we’re biased) has the most informed students.
- CAS has the people advantage – not only are there a LOT of them but they are multi-skilled (all majors from Political Science to Mathematics). So many majors…so many people…
- ENG could probably take over the world if they wanted to
- SMG – the suits say it all. They could get people to financially back their win by paying off other people
In my opinion, ENG would win. They are quiet but brilliant, like secret agents.
My formula for this win: Genius (ENG) > Money (SMG) > People (CAS) > Information (COM).
SAM:
CAS IS PEOPLE!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sp-VFBbjpE
But in all seriousness, I want to, of course, give COM the advantage but simply can’t in my right mind because brackets are all about math and all of the three other schools can actually do math.
CAS is too general to crack into the championship (Arts AND Sciences, I mean c’mon).
So I’ve got ENG vs. SMG in the final, and as smart and crafty as the Engineers are, give me the SMG Moneybags. Money wins championships. Look at the Yankees. (Wait, can I say that with the Red Sox’ expensive offseason acquisitions leading to our inevitable World Series title in October? Damn straight I can.) The Moneybags would smoothtalk their way to a crown or straight pay off anyone in their way.
Next up in our quartet of Final Fours, we’ve got the Houses from everyone’s magic school: Durmstrang Institute. No wait, make that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In ranking order, we’ve got Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.
Saba, you know more about the wizarding world than I do so you get this one going.
SABA: Though the wizarding world is complex (more than most Muggles can understand), it’s pretty easy.
Slytherin = bad guys (sorry Salazar, we aren’t all snake-loving, Mudblood trashing meanies)
Gryffindor = courageous! Risk takers! FTW: Harry Potter
Hufflepuff = Too much love, not enough TOUGH love
Ravenclaw = Pretentious but smart
So clearly, Gryffindor wins. As usual. Sam, you’re a Hufflepuff (clearly) so make your case.
SAM:
I want to say the Puff SO BAD!!! It’s all about hard work and being fair. You know, some of the greatest qualities known to man.
But you’ve got to put Gryffindor and Slytherin in the final two because that good vs. evil matchup fits really nicely.
In this championship, each school throws forth its most powerful alum. So that gives us Lord Voldemort vs. Harry Potter. We know how that goes. If you don’t, go back to 2007 and figure it out. Hurts not to go with an upset there, but that battle’s already happened in the real world so I’m kind of handcuffed there.
Third bracket. Everyone’s favorite early-morning or late-night beverage: coffee.
SABA:
We realize there are thousands of coffee shops across the nation. Sorry hipsters but we’re going mainstream with our comparisons because we don’t even know where to begin with independents.
For us BU kids, there’s CITY CO. For New Englanders, there’s Dunkin’ Donuts. For Bostonians, there’s the local Espresso Royale. For the world, there’s Starbucks.
In Los Angeles, I prefer the independent coffee shops since I have a car and I am a local.
In airports, OR when I am studying at the GSU (yay dining points!), I prefer Starbucks.
So I guess it comes down to Dunkin’ Donuts vs. City Co and I choose….CITY CO!
Dunkin’ coffee makes me too hyper too fast (I say this as I am drinking my cup of Dunkin’ coffee with cream and sugar).
City Co is perfect because I can pick and choose to my liking. For example, I can choose between Hazelnut Cream and good ol’ regular.
Not to mention buy nine cups, get the 10th one free! Sam?
SAM:
CityCo doesn’t even make the championship for me. Sure, you get choice, but it’s a choice between crap and more crap. Sorry Sabs.
That leaves us with Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts. (Places like Espresso Royale try too hard for my liking. I’m a simple man after all.) I’m just such a big fan of Dunkin that I’m going to give it the nod here. Its coffee comes naturally a little sweeter than Starbucks, and that’s the way, uh huh uh huh, I like it. Plus, Starbucks is more expensive so that’s a negative. NEW ENGLAND REPRESENT!
Speaking of which, we’ll finish this week’s segment with the best states. And now for the completely biased account of one Californian:
SABA:
Someone is still bitter about the Lakers defeating the Celtics…
Anyway, yes I will argue that California is better than the others in the big four of states: Massachusetts, New York and Hawaii.
Why?
- California has SUN. Nice weather. Yay fun in the sun.
- Because of reason one, the people are happier and friendlier. No Massholes, no obnoxious New Yorkers who walk and talk too quickly and too loudly, no SNOW to plow, no seasonal depression, no below zero temperatures, no wind chills, no icicles to kill people, etc.
- It’s HUGE. Sure, there are dead cities (like in all other states) but almost everywhere you go has something nice about it. So if you want to argue “Eff Los Angeles” go ahead, I’ll throw San Francisco your way.
- It is home to so many great things – great sports teams, great people, great historic sites, great beaches, great food, great art. Home of the gold rush, immigrants from South of the Border (WHO WE WELCOME), the gay rights movement, John Steinbeck, old Hollywood (>current Hollywood), Venice boardwalk, movie locations and so much more.
Hawaii is a close second though. And THEN Mass, but that’s only for Boston. <3
SAM:
Hawaii’s beautiful and all, but because it’s so far away, everything’s wicked expensive, expensive enough to get it out of our championship round. New York has NYC (the greatest city in the world) and the Niagra Falls but also has Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, the Yankees, the Mets, the Knicks, etc. soooooooo yeah
I guess that brings us back to California vs. Massachusetts (with apologies to maybe Texas, Florida, Virginia, Maryland but certainly not North Dakota, Indiana or Utah).
1. You want your boring weather all year. TAKE IT. Give me the fall foliage, snowball fights in the winter and the spring explosion of green and color. That makes us appreciate our summers that much more.
2. Celtics 17 championships > Lakers 16 championships > Clippers and Warriors 0 championships. Red Sox 7 championships > Dodgers 4 championships in CA = A’s 4 championships in CA > Giants 1 championship in CA = Angels 1 championship > Padres 1 championship. Bruins 5 championships > 1 Ducks championship > 0 Sharks championships = 0 Kings championships. I’ll concede the NFL because of the damn 49ers.
Our state produces more championships per team (even though we only have one in each) than yours does. It’s not even a competition. Hell in baseball, we only have four fewer titles despite having five fewer teams.
3. Cape Cod is a pure slice of heaven, and that is not debatable.
4. History, man. America was practically invented here. Plymouth. Lexington and Concord. The original Tea Party. Revere’s midnight ride. Bunker Hill. John Hancock. Samuel Adams. Homes of both Adamses and JFK (we’ll forget about Coolidge). Compare that to Nixon and Reagan. Plus, California’s whopping 0 signers of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
That means there wouldn’t have even been a California, as an American state mind you, in the first place had Massachusetts not led the way to freedom and independence.
BOOYAH!
SABA:
All your arguments are valid but they STILL don’t make Massachusetts better than California.
Again, weather-wise, sure foliage is pretty but Mass. Winters are SO brutal that they will forever bring New England down.
Cape Cod is gorgeous but Cape Cod looks like any beach in California, such as MALIBU.
As a history buff I can appreciate Massachusetts BUT again, CA has some great history of its own. Ever see the movie MILK? Or Walk Out? History was still made, just later.
Finally, as Josh Cain pointed out UCLA and USC have combined 241 national championships so BOOYAH right back at you.
Yeah, I just countered all your counter-arguments.
WABAM.
The end of this final four match-up.
- Sam Dykstra and Saba Hamedy, DFP Staff
