Opinions
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7 Monday, August 19, 2013
Los Angeles Dodgers have the potential to win the World Series The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series, songs like Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine” and Def Leppard’s “Love Bites” were on top of the music charts. Although it’s been 25 years since they beat the Oakland Athletics to claim the 1988 World Series title, the likelihood of the Dodgers winning the World Series this year is increasing more and more as each day passes on. Led by starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw and shortstop Hanley Ramirez, the 2013 Dodgers are Major League Baseball’s hottest team. Since June 22, the Dodgers have shocked critics by winning 84 percent of their games. With a near-perfect starting pitching staff and three of the league’s best hitters, the Dodgers have positioned themselves as the front-runner in the National League West division. In order to understand why the Dodgers have been so successful in the past two months, it’s
important to understand how a team works. Think of a baseball team like a human body. In order for the body, or team, to function properly, all of its parts must contribute equally. Before June 22, the Dodgers were one of the most incomplete teams in baseball. With a record of 30-42, the Dodgers suffered hane from unreliable pitching, unreliable hitting and low self-esteem. When one part of the team excelled, another part fell behind. Inconsistency was the Dodgers’ main hindrance to winning games. After calling up outfielder Yasiel Puig from the minor leagues, the Dodgers found a new lease on life. Instead of having intermittent success, the Dodgers learned to work more cohesively.
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Images of pitchers chatting with batters in the dugout were the result of increased morale in the clubhouse. For the first time all year, Dodgers hitters and pitchers worked together to achieve the team’s main goal to win their division. Another benefit of increased morale was the easing ewell of calls on upper management to fire manager Don Mattingly. As the team won more and more games, Mattingly became increasingly affable and comfortable as manager. Although the Dodgers may be the favorite to win the National League division, it’s apparent to some fans that a few minor changes must be made to ensure the team’s postseason success. Pitchers Chris Capuano and Brandon League are the team’s two biggest points of concern.
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While the rest of the team has matured, Capuano and League have continued to struggle. In order for the team to make the postseason and remain a frontrunner, both pitchers must become more mature and reliable. If their struggles continue, the Dodgers may miss out on their chances to make history. Regardless of what happens in the postseason, the Dodgers have restored pride in a team that has disappointed its fans in recent years. With some of the league’s most dynamic players and a recent change in ownership, the Dodgers have proven themselves as the city’s most beloved team. It could be worse, as the city’s other team — the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — has undergone one of the biggest let-downs in recent baseball history. Shane Newell is a junior journalism major and the opinions editor of the Daily 49er.
Birth of Al Jazeera America should bring fairness to cable news It’s not often that a new player comes into the realm of cable news. For years, networks like CNN, FOX and MSNBC have dominated the cable news world with each network pandering to a specific audience. On Tuesday, Al Jazeera America will launch to an audience that has not yet been defined. Although the chances of Al Jazeera America eclipsing a network like CNN is highly improbable, it’s clear that the balance and fairness associated with Al Jazeera in the Middle East will likely carry over to its sister network. According to Reuters, Al Jazeera is a network that is watched by more than 260 million households around the world. Although the scope and reach of Al Jazeera has
increased since its first broadcast in the late 1990s, it has failed to catch on to the average American. One of the reasons why Al Jazeera has failed to catch on within the United States has been its perceived anti-American coverage during the Iraq war. Known for its brutally visual yet honest coverage of the war, hane Al Jazeera came under criticism from Americans for its apparent negative coverage of the U.S. military. Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld referred to the network as a “Johnnyon-the-spot” in 2004, according to Al Jazeera. Rumsfeld accused journalists working for Al Jazeera for supposedly getting tip-offs from “ter-
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rorists” about future attacks in Iraq. Al Jazeera denied Rumsfeld’s accusations. Ignoring the network’s past tensions with American government figureheads, it’s clear that Al Jazeera is one of the world’s most fair and balanced news networks. Famous and trustworthy ewell journalists like former CNN anchors Soledad O’Brien and Ali Velshi should bring familiarity to Al Jazeera America. Although it is impossible to predict exactly how Al Jazeera America will do, it’s clear that fairness is key if the network wants to succeed. Over the years, networks like FOX and MSNBC have been criticized for pandering to a
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certain type of political audience. Partisanship has moved from the halls of Congress to television screens across the country. The time is now for a fair and balanced cable news network. According to Reuters, Al Jazeera America will be available to approximately 40 million homes in the U.S. If the network is anything like what it is in the Middle East, American should expect a fair, wellinformed broadcast. Americans who have preconceived notions of what Al Jazeera is like should tune in on Tuesday and witness this historical event. Shane Newell is a junior journalism major and the opinions editor of the Daily 49er.
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