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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Web Technology






Did You Know?


        Personally, this video made me feel very uneasy. Our society is so dependent on technology, that if there were to be some sort of epic technological crash (if you will) our society would basically cease to exist. I felt the video was very informative and somewhat blew my mind when it put things into perspective. For example, according to the video: 25% of India's population with the highest IQ's is greater than the total population of the United States. India also has more honors kids than America has kids. It also says that 1 out of 8 couples married in the US last year met online, what does that say about our society? Our social skills? Our technology is growing at such a rapid rate that for student starting a 4 year degree, half of what they learn in their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study. In all honesty these statistics are a little frightening to me, call me a coward but how can you not be scared when the world as you know it is constantly changing. I believe the quote "the only consistent thing in this world is that everything is always changing" strongly applies to technology. Students are being prepared for jobs that do not even exist at the moment. How can you stand on your own two feet when the world is constantly shifting?
        
        From an athletic stand point, in the world of sports management, transformation is inevitable.  We have athletes tweeting during games, blogs about every subject you can imagine, magazines coming out with their own online versions, websites devoted to high school recruiting. All of it is available to you via computer, cell phone, ipad, etc. All at the click of a button, all at the touch of a mouse. Recently, Chad Ochocinco was fine a total of 25K for "in game tweeting." This fine led to numerous blogs/articles about where the NFL will draw the line. Was it alright for the NFL to step in? Is it their place? Should it be up to the team? All very valid questions, but yet no real answer can be concluded. Nowadays, cell phone service providers offer you the ability to access NFL, NBA, and MLB updates via text message or internet browser. I will admit I am guilty of checking the updates of my beloved Colts, while sitting in Raymond James Stadium watching the Bucs play the Falcons or checking play off scores while at a family dinner. Call it extreme, but it is definitely convenient. The examples are endless. You can site online recruiting websites, those things can legitamately make or break a high school player. Same goes for online draft reports, one bad physical or a strongly worded opinion from a scouting coach and you will forever be proving yourself in the eyes of the public. Is it good for the sports industry? Arguably, yes? It makes having a love for the game much easier, it can take someone who knows very little about sports into a worldly spectator. Some may argue otherwise. 






         Take Fantasy Football for example. Most avid football fans would love nothing more than to be in control of their favorite football team. Be an advisor on draft day, make cuts, hires coaches, the whole nine-yards. Fantasy football gives these fans that opportunity. You can put together a team of athletes to compete against friends and other people in the "league." They claim in order to be successful in fantasy football "you need the business savvy of a general manager, the knowledge of a pro scout, and the strategy of a head coach." People take football to a whole new level in fantasy football. 
         DID YOU KNOW? 2.0