When Organized Structures in Sports are Challenged
Weil, Layden & Arnovitz, all in their own way, tell stories about how organized sports structures in our society are challenged.
These organizations are established by our society. How sports structures like associations, committees, individual teams are confronted, it allows for commentary on what set societal influence deems important.
Venus’ is a goddess in mythology and in tennis. Her career in professional tennis paved the way for her sister and other contemporary world leaders of the sport. Williams’ trailblazing accomplishments might seem over shadowed by her younger sister’s success.
However, Weil points out that Venus understands her role. Her position within the sport of tennis is much larger than to be the topped ranked player in the world as she once was. Despite falling in the rankings, her loyalty to the sport is highlighted. Venus’ sense of confidence and accomplishments elevated her role within the tennis world.
Weils’ use of her accomplishment in a pseudo timeline lends itself to a very linear story of Venus’ rise to success. It is reminiscent of Karate Kid and a mastery of the discipline of a sport like tennis.
The New York Times Magazine Article can be retold as a podcast with interviews of Venus’ parents and siblings, rivals and leaders within tennis too.
The drama of the Kentucky Derby and the convivial spirit of Churchill Downs is illuminated through Layden’s figurative language of his Sports Illustrated piece.
The importance of the decision and the weight of Maximum Security’s eligibility was intoxicating. The smells of the dirt linger as the heart beats of bettors continue to grow. This incident was important because it challenged the Kentucky Derby’s tradition and practice of officiating.
Through the initial conviction of the challenge maid, and the contested result, it left the winners with a feeling of being cheated by the system. They wanted to compete in a fair race without the Maximum Security foul.
The handling of this shows how outdated the officiating was. Layden linguistically shows the reader the disappointment and surprising nature this was by including “pause” and other commands breaking the fourth wall.
This directly asks the reader what is important to them and poses the question if winning by disqualification is equivalent to an ordinary victory. Layden can retell this story in a documentary that gives a visual component to the race itself and allows the viewer to witness the contested foul by Maximum Security.
In Arnovitz’ ESPN.com piece, the internal structure and society of a professional organization is called in to question.
Jeff David’s fall from grace has an enormous emotional appeal by focusing on the point of view of Kate, Jeff’s wife whom was learning of the fraud as it was unfolding in front of her… like the reader.
By staring the story with the positive of purchasing a new home, it underlines the severity and the impact Jeff David’s crimes has on him and his family. Despite an organization having flaws in their financial departments, David committed a crime.
His web of schemes and lies played out like Frank Underwood. The unraveling detective work of Wegzyn was compassionate.
Their work for the Kings organization serves as moment for all organizations to consider their own infrastructures and team cultures to prevent a fraud like David’s to happen again.
Arnovitz utilized numbers and stats so the reader can see the financial crime David committed in black and white. This story is an example and a warning that even when a society, in this place the microcosm society of the Sacramento Kings, is unknowingly wrong, justice will always be sought out.
The juxtaposition of David in the luxury of California, to a prison, writes itself for a feature film like “Moneyball”.
