Annotated Bibliography

Grant Schulz

With all of the recent severe concussions that athletes are getting, why is the National Football League not taking impact and brain injury seriously enough.

1.

A History of Violence

Taibbi, Matt. "A History of Violence."Rolling Stone, 1119 (2010): 32.

The article discusses an increase which has been seen in concussions among football players in the National Football League. In the article the author offers his opinions on the increase, on a willingness to accept serious injuries which is seen among football fans and on changes which have been seen in the athletic ability of football players in the NFL.  This article will be of use to me to explore how serious injuries are dealt with and the changes that are currently being made to help improve player safety.

2.

Austin Collie Clears His Head

Layden, Tim. "Austin Collie Clears His Head." Sports Illustrated, 114.18 (2011): 56-59.

This article is about a current NFL player, Austin Collie, who suffered two concussions last season alone.  It goes over all of the rehab and tests he had to take to be able to play again.  It will be a very helpful article to me because it provides a players perspective and insight to the world of concussions.  One of the most controversial topics is how to tell when a player doesn’t have concussion symptoms and can resume playing.  It is so controversial because players can easily lie about their symptoms just to return back to the game without considering the long term affects.

3.

Does Football Have a Future?

McGrath, Ben. "Does Football Have a Future?." New Yorker, 86.46 (2011): 41-51.

The article discusses head injuries and concussions among football players in the U.S. National Football League and rising public awareness of the dangers associated with the violence of the sport. Emphasis is given to the efforts of journalist Alan Schwarz in bringing media and public attention to football-related injuries such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Other topics include reforms to the game, helmet technology, and the future of the NFL.  This article will be most valuable to me for its new ideas on equipment technology and ways they are improving gear the players wear.

4.

Heads Up!

"HEADS UP!." State Legislatures, 37.2 (2011): 21.

An interview with Roger Goodell, eighth chief executive in the National Football League, is presented. When asked why the NFL is working with congress on a law dealing with youth sports concussions, he answers that concussions are an important public health concern and they can work together to make sports safer. He mentions three core principles in the law, including educating athletes and parents about concussions, removal from play of an athlete who may have a concussion and allowing him to return only after clearance from a doctor.  This document will be of value to me to see what the commissioner of the National Football League is doing to confront the ever so serious issues of concussions.

5.

The King-Devick Test and Sports-related Concussion: Study of a Rapid Visual Screening Tool in a Collegiate Cohort

Galetta, Kristin, Lauren Brandes, Karl Maki, Mark Dziemianowicz, Eric Laudano, Megan Allen, Kathy Lawler, Brian Sennett, Douglas Wiebe, Steve Devick, Leonard Messner, Steven Galetta, and Laura Balcer. "The King-Devick Test and Sports-related Concussion: Study of a Rapid Visual Screening Tool in a Collegiate Cohort." Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 309.1/2 (2011): 34-39.

This scholarly article starts off defining a concussion.  Which is defined as an impulse blow to the head or body resulting in transient neurologic signs and symptoms.  This specific article focuses on the King-Devick (K-D) test.  Its based on the time to perform rapid number naming and captures eye movements and correlates of suboptimal brain function.  This gives me more of the medical information on the brain, and how it is affected by blows to the head.  It also provides me with the tests that the athletes must pass to become medically cleared to play again.

6.

The NFL’s Concussion Culture

Jackson, Nate. "The NFL's Concussion Culture." Nation, 293.7/8 (2011): 22-23.

The article presents discussion regarding the dangers of concussions and mental-physical health problems of National Football League players. Details are given describing the emerging publicity of concussion wounds being sustained by professional players in the 2000s, and the physical consequences of the injuries on the players. Comments are provided noting how the NFL has responded to player health concerns. Criticism is raised against the NFL for not taking the dangers of impact injuries, particularly brain injury, seriously enough.  This article also discusses recent deaths of players who played in the 80s and 90s when concussions weren’t thought to be a serious injury. 

7.

Injury, Pain, and Prescription Opioid Use Among Former NFL Players

Cottler, Linda, Arbi Ben Abdallah, Simone Cummings, John Barr, Rayna Banks, and Ronnie Forchheimer. "Injury, Pain, and Prescription Opioid Use Among Former National Football League (NFL) Players." Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 116.1-3 (2011): 188-194.

This talks about former NFL players with injury related pain and the increased risk for opioid use and misuse, which may result in medical, psychiatric and social problems.  This is the first study to evaluate the intersection of sporst pain and opioid use.  They did a survey of 644 retired players and over half admitted to using opioids during their career, 71% reporting misuse.  Current misuse was associated with more NFL pain, undiagnosed concussions and heavy drinking.  This article is helpful to me because it talks about drug use and side affects directly because of players being injured and not properly treated.

8.

Sensitivity and Specificity of Subactue Computerized Neurocognitive Testing and Symptom Evaluation in Predicting Outcomes After Sports-Related Concussion

Lau, Brian, Michael Collins, and Mark Lovell. "Sensitivity and Specificity of Subacute Computerized Neurocognitive Testing and Symptom Evaluation in Predicting Outcomes After Sports-Related Concussion." American Journal of Sports Medicine, 39.6 (2011): 1209-1216.

Concussions affect an estimated 136 000 high school athletes yearly. Computerized neurocognitive testing has been shown to be appropriately sensitive and specific in diagnosing concussions, but no studies have assessed its utility to predict length of recovery. Determining prognosis during subacute recovery after sports concussion will help clinicians more confidently address return-to-play and academic decisions.  This medical journal gives me specific test results of players recovering from concussions, how fast they do it, and how fast they can return to playing again.

Assignment 7

In her essay she examines the way Starbucks uses language to appeal to its customers.  She uses sources from the company itself.  She used brochures and gave examples of how they were making the coffee more personal.  It said that depending on the drink you order, it determined what type of person you were.  They had another ad campaign that was make it your coffee.  Making it much more personal for the customer.  She compares Starbucks with other coffee companies such as Folgers and Maxwell House.  The difference is that Starbucks made a comfortable atmosphere in a coffee shop.  Its competitors were more focused on the at home making and consuming of coffee.  I think she provides good insight on the coffee industry.  I would've never guessed in a million years that it was the second biggest industry in the world behind oil.

Assignment 6

The 60 Minutes episode we watched in class was the story of Beckett Brennan, who was a female basketball player at the University of the Pacific.  She was out partying one night when she was offered a ride back with members of the mens basketball team.  The men then took her back to her house and had unconsensual sex with Brennan.  She failed to report the case to the police and then later took the issue to a school board, which then suspended one player for a semester, one for a year, and one was expelled.  What I took from the way this story was told was that only the mens basketball players were to blame and the show made them out to look almost thug like.  The story was told from strictly a women's only point of view, the only male that was interviewed was Brennan's father.  This case brought a number of flaws to my attention, such as lack of response to rape case by the university, flaws in the justice system, and the flaw of having a mostly student review board sentencing.

Now for my own project, the story that is being told so far is that there have been too many serious head injuries in the National Football League and what needs to be done to prevent these injuries.  The way I'm going to be steering my paper is how player safety is evolving and becoming more of a priority throughout the whole league.  I have a source from a player currently playing in the league and how he's overcome multiple concussions over last season.  I feel that this gives me a good perspective to work with and gain insight from.  I also have a source from the league's commissioner, which will allow me to see how the man in charge of everything is dealing with this issue.  One of the perspectives that I'm missing and need to find is the medical information about concussions.  Short term effects, long term affects, and any medical journals and studies will help me gain more knowledge on the medical perspective of this issue.

Grant Schulz

Due to all of the recent severe concussions in the National Football League, what can be done to help keep the players safer?

1.

A History of Violence

Taibbi, Matt. "A History of Violence."Rolling Stone, 1119 (2010): 32.

The article discusses an increase which has been seen in concussions among football players in the National Football League. In the article the author offers his opinions on the increase, on a willingness to accept serious injuries which is seen among football fans and on changes which have been seen in the athletic ability of football players in the NFL.  This article will be of use to me to explore how serious injuries are dealt with and the changes that are currently being made to help improve player safety.

2.

Austin Collie Clears His Head

Layden, Tim. "Austin Collie Clears His Head." Sports Illustrated, 114.18 (2011): 56-59.

This article is about a current NFL player, Austin Collie, who suffered two concussions last season alone.  It goes over all of the rehab and tests he had to take to be able to play again.  It will be a very helpful article to me because it provides a players perspective and insight to the world of concussions.  One of the most controversial topics is how to tell when a player doesn’t have concussion symptoms and can resume playing.  It is so controversial because players can easily lie about their symptoms just to return back to the game without considering the long term affects.

3.

Does Football Have a Future?

McGrath, Ben. "Does Football Have a Future?." New Yorker, 86.46 (2011): 41-51.

The article discusses head injuries and concussions among football players in the U.S. National Football League and rising public awareness of the dangers associated with the violence of the sport. Emphasis is given to the efforts of journalist Alan Schwarz in bringing media and public attention to football-related injuries such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Other topics include reforms to the game, helmet technology, and the future of the NFL.  This article will be most valuable to me for its new ideas on equipment technology and ways they are improving gear the players wear.

4.

Heads Up!

"HEADS UP!." State Legislatures, 37.2 (2011): 21.

An interview with Roger Goodell, eighth chief executive in the National Football League, is presented. When asked why the NFL is working with congress on a law dealing with youth sports concussions, he answers that concussions are an important public health concern and they can work together to make sports safer. He mentions three core principles in the law, including educating athletes and parents about concussions, removal from play of an athlete who may have a concussion and allowing him to return only after clearance from a doctor.  This document will be of value to me to see what the commissioner of the National Football League is doing to confront the ever so serious issues of concussions.

Assignment 4

Some questions from Brysons essay that made me inquire was when he made things that we see in our everyday life seem so simple.  It made me think a lot about all of the things that I take for granted in my everyday life.  It wasn't something that was totally over my head in a scholarly way or anything, but something that I could relate to.  That's what really made it easy and interesting for me to inquire more about the story.

1.  Should professional athletes be forced to donate a sum of their salary to charities?

2.  Should there be a salary cap in Major League Baseball?

3.  How have cell phones changed the way we communicate today?

4.  How have smart phones changed the business world with creating hundreds of thousands of apps?

5.  What are different resources we can use to power automobiles?

6.  How can we stop, or slow down, illegal immigration into the United States?

Assignment 3

Bill Bryson is an American author who has written many of books in his time.  He has spent most of his time living in England, and his books cover the topics of travel, science, and the english language.

The origin of Bryson's project entitled At Home, comes from when Bryson found a small passage way in his attic that led to a small patio that overlooked a small town in England with many churches.  He then fastforwards to when he is with a friend of his who is an archeologist and Bryson begins questioning him about all the churches in the area.  His friend began to point out to him many different things that Bryson had never noticed before, even though he lived there for many years.  I believe this made Bryson consider all of the ordinary things in his home that he didn't know much about and took for granted.  Like why are salt and pepper found in nearly everyones household instead of all the other thousands of spices there are available to us.  This led Bryson to go room to room in his house and write a history of the world without leaving his house.

I believe this definitely represents inquiry on his part.  He mentions that whatever happens in the world somehow ends up in our home, from every piece of furniture, to the pipes in our floors and walls.  I feel that we overlook just about everything that we use on a day to day basis because we are so used to our own personal routine.  Every item has come from someone's idea in the past and has evolved into what it is today.

Assignment 2

The essay "Building a Mystery" by Robert Davis and Mark Shadle provides alternative ways to compose a research paper.  They argue that there is more ways to write a "research paper" other than the ways textbooks and our teachers have taught us in the past.  On page 419 of their essay, they talk about how a research assignment teaches a student to only produce an assignment without really thinking about it.  What I take from this statement is something that I myself am guily of.  Just researching a topic and getting enough information to fill up the page, but never really taking a deep look into everything I just researched and truly forming my own opinion on the topic.  This is the easy way out of writing an essay and I know that I'm not the only one who is guilty of doing this on a few assignments.  I feel that this is the reason why they are arguing about the ways to write a research paper.  They say that facts and expository writing have limits and you can only inquire so much.  They believe that there should be deeper inquiry, with no limits at all, and I agree with their opinion.  I believe that they think their model for research essays is "better" because it allows their students to use multiple genres to incorporate different ideas into their projects.  They do this by using multi-genre/media/disciplinary/cultural research based projects.  It said that they have had people turn projects in that incorporated video clips, visual arts, and my personal favorite example was of the student who brought a project in the back of a pickup truck.  From a students perspective, I feel like we're all afraid of the word "research paper", everyone dreads it.  It just seems like a long 10 page paper that no one wants to write.  But using these different methods to create a research paper would allow people to think differently than they have with previous papers that they've had to write.  I feel that using these different strategies to analyze research gives us more diverse ideas as students, and it has no boundaries.