Mo’ money, mo’ problems by steven marinkovich and mara zenger pg. 32
December 2015, Volume IX, issue III
Cameron Huard (‘16) prepares to kick the ball down the field during Paly boys soccer’s first preseason game against Milpitas. The team went on to win 3-0. Photo by Meredith Kinnaman
Seth Goyal (‘17) takes down his opponent during the Penninsula Invitational Tournament, which the Paly wrestling team participated in. Photo courtesy of Kim Steed
The Paly football team kicks off in its game against Salinas High School in the CCS quarter finals. The Vikings went on to win the game 42-38. Photo by Steven Marinkovich
From the editors Editors-in-Chief Kylie Callan Alys Olmstead Managing Editors Maddy Atwater Meredith Kinnaman Design Editor Alys Olmstead Photo Editors Maddy Atwater Meredith Kinnaman Copy Editor Daniel Douty Columnist Daniel Douty Multimedia Editor Daniel Douty Business Manager Kylie Callan Staff Writers Skylar Burris Ryan Chang Ben Cleasby Jamie Cullen Sam Desre Quinn Knoblock Lauren Koyama Talia Malchin Steven Marinkovich Christian Rider Peter Snodgrass Ethan Stern Mara Zenger Staff Adviser Brian Wilson
The Viking Palo Alto High School 50 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-329-3837 Email contact: vikingeds@gmail.com Advertising and Sponsorship Contact: vikingads@gmail.com
Dear readers,
Hey Vikings! We hope that your first semester is wrapping up nicely and that you’re not too stressed about finals. For those seniors who got into their early decisions schools: congratulations! For the rest of you, don’t let the system get you down. You are more valuable than anything you can put on paper. To distract you all from finals and college apps, we have brought you an exceptional fourth issue of The Viking. With the Olympics coming up this summer, we take a look at many issues of corruption facing the sports world, focusing on problems centered around the International Olympic Committee and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). If you are sticking around for winter break, we have put together a calendar of sporting events taking place on TV or in the area. Whether you’re a fan of college
football bowl games or Paly sports events, we’ve got all your interests covered. Also included in this issue is a guide to some of the best gift ideas for the athletes in your life for those of you who still have to do some holiday shopping. With finals on everyone’s mind, we looked into how some students use exercise to reduce stress. An interactive article is a quiz on what Super Bowl commercial you are. Be sure to check them both out! We know you’ll all enjoy our most recent edition of The Viking and we hope it’s a nice way to take a break from finals or kick off your winter break. Have a wonderful two weeks and we’ll see you when you get back! Happy Holidays!
Sincerely, Kylie and Alys
Staff view
Teams should not be allowed to tie in sports games We have all been to a sports game where it’s a battle between two highly skilled teams, each wanting to claim the bragging rights of winning, but right when the score is tied up, the referee calls the game. Neither of the teams have won the game. The crowd is left feeling unsatisfied with no team coming out on top, the teams feeling disappointed with the uneasy feeling of what they could have done differently during the game that could have changed the score and outcome of the game. In high school, the level of competitiveness is growing as many student-athletes are deciding whether or not they want to continue their athletic career after high school, and in that process athletes need to feel and know what it is like to lose a game or, on the other hand, win a game. Tying in a sports game does not teach the same lessons to athletes as winning or losing a game does. Sports are meant to be competitive and push athletes to become better and tying a game does not convey those messages. As a staff, The Viking magazine believes that in all sports games the final result should never be a tie, that one team should always win and one always lose. If after the allotted time during the game the game is tied, the
teams will enter into overtime which will correlate with the sport they participate in. In the world of professional sports, games that result in an initial tie always go into overtime, which has different rules according to the sport. In soccer, for example, a team goes into “golden goal,” in lacrosse a team enters into what is known as a “braveheart.” Although these procedures take extra time and effort on behalf of the athletes, coaches and officials, we believe that they are worth it. All of these overtime regulations are designed to highlight skills and a team’s endurance at the end of the game in order for one team to prevail and come out on top. Winning in overtime shows that a team can go the extra mile and truly deserves to win. Tying is not fun for spectators to watch, it does not teach the same lessons as winning or losing a game does and it does not show that one team is better than another, which frustrates the players. For all of these reasons, we as the staff of The Viking magazine believe that no sports games should end in a tie once athletes reach the high school level.<<<
The Viking, a sports magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School’s Advanced Magazine Journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The Viking is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity.
Advertising in The Viking The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with The Viking, please contact the The Viking by email at vikingeds@gmail.com Printing Services 2,500 copies of The Viking are printed, six times a year by Folger Graphics in Hayward, Calif.
Volume 9 Issue 3 December 2015
LINE UP TOP STORIES 32
FOCUS Cole Tierney (‘16) traps
the ball in the game against Milpitas. The Vikings went on to win 3-0.
MO’ MONEY, MO’ PROBLEMS
The Viking takes a look at the growing concern of corruption and crime in the sports world as well as some of the most famous sporting scandals. by STEVEN MARINKOVICH and MARA ZENGER
16
SCORING THE BEST PRESENTS
A guide to picking out the best possible presents for all of the athletes in your life. by SKYLAR BURRIS and LAUREN KOYAMA photo by Meredith Kinnaman (‘16)
24 GOING THE DISTANCE
The Viking investigates how team parent Malcolm Slaney has supported the cross country and track and field teams. by SAM DESRE
26 FULL COURT STRESS
As finals approach, excercise offers students an alternative way to relieve stress. by QUINN KNOBLOCK and LAUREN KOYAMA
ZOOM Boot Tackle Kickoff
KICKOFF
Staff view Inside the mind
of Linnea Carlstrom (‘16)
Pop culture grid 10 questions with Cameron Huard (‘16)
Winter sports previews
THE VIKING TRIES Skeet Shooting
2 4 6 8 10
COLUMNS
Let’s get ready to rumble Peter the Sports Reader Drug testing in high school The Last Word
18
11 12 13 22
20 31 38 39
SAVE THE DATE
A list of the different sporting events happening over winter break. by MEREDITH KINNAMAN and TALIA MALCHIN
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SPORTING THEIR STUFF
The ten best commercials featuring athletes. by SKYLAR BURRIS and MARA ZENGER
Inside the Mind of
LINNEA CARLSTROM as told to DANIEL DOUTY
Linnea the footballer Linnea the artist
“Off the field i do a lot of art. I’ve taken art every year at Paly, and I’m in AP right now, so I’m working on my portfolio. I think it’s a great outlet for stress in an academic environment.”
Linnea the goalie “At first it was just because I didn’t like running, but then I kind of liked the pressure of playing goalie. I like the intensity of the training and how you don’t just work on skill with the ball at your feet, and you learn a lot about the flight of the ball and it’s really good for hand-eye coordination. A lot of people don’t give it enough credit.”
Linnea the scholar
“First semester was kind of hard with college apps and everything but I’m really excited for second semester because it’s a lot less work and you get to play games and mess around on the quad, and for senior night.”
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“I think the team we have this year is really looking good. Last year and the years before that we’ve come really close to a league championship and CCS Championship. I think this year it would be a really great goal for the team to win both of those. Personally I guess I want to have as many clean sheets as possible.”
Linnea the child “I think Spongebob is hilarious. It brings out my inner six-year-old.”
Pop culture grid WHAT DO PALY ATHLETES SAY?
Eli Friedlander (‘16) Soccer
Allison Lu (‘16) Girls Soccer
Seth Goyal (‘17) Wrestling
Jack Simison (‘17) Basketball
Reuben Kramer (‘16) Soccer
Favorite thing about the holidays
More time to sleep
Family
Break from school
Break from school
The snow
Who will win the College Football Playoff
Oklahoma
Michigan State
Okies
Oklahoma
Stanford
Vape life is...
Cloudy
My understanding is a little foggy
Nonexistent
For cool kids
Cool?
All I want for Christmas is...
Ariya Momeny
College stress to be over
A year’s supply of gum
A break from basketball
Nayah Boo
Eli Friedlander is...
A lover
Jewish
A god among mortals
A bro
A beautiful specimen
HOT
Golden State Warriors The Warriors are off to the best start in NBA history after winning their first 23 games of the season. Point guard Stephen Curry has done the impossible by taking his game another step further this year. Right now, the warriors are the epitome of exciting basketball.
Christian McCaffrey Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey finished out his Heisman trophy bid by putting up his best game of the season against the rival USC Trojans in the PAC 12 Championship. The “Wildcaff ” broke Barry Sanders’ single season record for all-purpose yards and was rewarded by being named a Heisman finalist.
Finals Week
We’re well into December, which means that finals are a four letter word at Paly. The semester has come and gone, save for one final week of hell. EVERYBODY REMAIN CALM! There is a light at the end of the week, it’s winter break!
Russian Olympic Team
Reports have alleged that the Russian Olympic track and field squad may be banned from the 2016 Olympic games after an alleged state sponsored doping program. It’s just one more scandal that is bringing bad light to the sports world. Leave it to the communists to try and ruin the Olympics once again.
NOT
DECEMBER 2015
The Viking Magazine sat down with Paly soccer’s Cameron Huard (‘16) and asked him 10 questions. We then also asked his coach, friend and teammate. here are the results...
Cameron Huard (‘16)
10 Questions with
?
Questions Varsity Soccer Player Dream Christmas College acceptance present letters Dulik’s Birthday My Netflix subscription Ariya Momeny Ariya Momeny The kid in all orange Not doing homework Firework by Katy Perry USA Master
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Favorite Holiday Prized posession Funniest on the team Favorite soccer player Most fashionable man you know Favorite thing about practice Pump up song
Cameron Huard as told to DANIEL DOUTY
Don Briggs Coach
Ariya Momeny (‘16) Teammate
Clara Chiu (‘16) Best friend
Drone
Guns
Pet monkey
Thanksgiving
Christmas
Hanukkah
His Ford F-150
His truck
His freedom as an American
Ariya Momeny
Reuben Kramer
Giroud
He doesn’t watch soccer
Alex Gouyet
Ronaldo
Alfredo
Alfredo Gonzalez
Reuben Kramer
When it begins Third World
Knocking kids over The National Anthem
When it’s over Chicken Fried
Greatest country in the world
USA
USA
Canada (duh)
Reef?
Snorkeling
Master
Master
10%
30%
10%
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W S
Winter SPORTS PREVIEWS
The Viking Magazine presents previews for the upcoming winter sports. We give a breakdown of each varsity sports team. Make sure to go out and support your fellow Vikings!
by RYAN CHANG, PETER SNODGRASS, and ETHAN STERN
Wrestling 2014-15 record: 1-5 Who to look out for: Seth Goyal (‘17), Sara Aguilar (‘17) Major Losses: James Giaccia (‘15) Coach: Jonathan Kessler
With last years’ team consisting of over 10 freshman, the theme for the wrestling team this year is growth. With leader Seth Goyal (‘17) giving direction and experience to the underclassmen, these young bucks will be ready for the pressures of high school wrestling. “For the offseason I was training for state, but I also let some of the incoming freshmen train with me so that when they got into high school, they would be more equipped to handle the pressure,” Goyal said. To add onto the majority of newcomers, the team has a new head coach Jonathan Kessler. Kessler’s previous coaching job was at a high school in New York, and as the season approaches he is getting more acquainted with how California high school wrestling works. This young team’s goal for the season is to place in the top seven at Central Coast Section (CCS) and grow as a unit, hopefully setting them up for success in the upcoming years.
By the Numbers 68
Number of all winter sports wins combined last year.
782,514 Number of people who played high school soccer last year.
971,796 Number of people who played high school basketball last year.
c c
r e
o S
Girls’ soccer hopes to finish what it began last year, which is to climb back atop CCS. Last year, the lady Vikes fell one goal short from winning the CCS Championship game against Mountain View. “Last year we went to the CCS Championship game and fell one goal short, so this year, hopefully, we will be able to get over that hump,” assistant head coach Eric Seedman said. “Our goal is to finish what happened from last year. The only thing we missed was the [CCS] Championship game,” head coach Kurt Devlin said. Led by standout Jacey Pederson (‘16), the team hopes to adjust its philosophy to open up more opportunities for goals. “The philosophy has been attack the ball,” Devlin said. “We are hoping to get some players to become more attack oriented and even move some players around to create plays.” As the girls gear up for another season, they look forward for a competitive matchup against Mountain View. Make sure to go out and support the girls soccer team in its quest for a CCS Championship!
2014-15 record: 11-5-3 Who to look out for: Eli Friedlander (‘16), Cole Tierney (‘16), Dami Bolarinwa (‘16) Major Losses: Wesley Woo (‘15), Preston Kuppe (‘15) After losing to Bellarmine in the quarterfinals last year, boys’ soccer hopes to continue its stride going farther into CCS with eight returning seniors. Among them is goalkeeper Eli Friedlander (‘16), whose ultimate wish this season is the coveted CCS title. “We like to set our goals high, so we’re looking to win league again this year and hopefully win CCS,” Friedlander said. “But I’d say our game-to-game goal is to be competitive in every game we play.” After losing a few key players, Friedlander is confident that the team chemistry will not falter. Friedlander noted that the team looks forward to playing its crosstown rival Gunn High School and Homestead High School, whom the boys’ soccer team always expects a competitive game from. “I’d say we’ll excel this year going to goal and with our hustle. We’re a very physical team and we go hard into every tackle,” Friedlander said.
2014-15 record: 17-3-1 Who to look out for: Jacey Pederson (‘16), Emily Tomz (‘18), Lauola Amanoni (‘17) Major Losses: Katie Foug (‘15), Lena Chang (‘15) Coach: Kurt Devlin
y
For most teams, not having a home court advantage may be seen as a devastating setback, but for this year’s boys basketball team it is seen as just another obstacle that they can overcome. “Honestly, I’m glad we don’t have a [home] court, it makes us stronger mentally as well as teaches us how to adapt with whatever comes our way this year,” assistant coach Ben Batory said. Along with the demolition of the gym, the team faces the challenge of an entirely new coaching staff, including coach Peter Diepenbrock, who led the Vikings to a state championship in 2006. After taking a hiatus from high school basketball, Diepenbrock is back and still has his same charismatic coaching style that he hopes will lead the Vikes to success in years to come. “I love how he is so direct and honest with us [the players], it creates a system of respect and trust within the team,” Nick Smallwood (‘17) said. “I’m really excited to see how the season plays out.” With a team that has really meshed together in the past few years, they are hoping it can all come together at the varsity level and lead to a league title as well as success in CCS playoffs.
2014-15 record: 17-8 Who to look out for: Miles Tention (‘17), Justin Hull (‘16), Paul Jackson III (‘18) Major Losses: Kevin Mullin (‘15), Jonathan Rojahn (‘15) Coach: Peter Diepenbrock
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2014-15 record: 22-5 Who to look out for: Alexis Harris (‘16), Carly Leong (‘18), Lauren Koyama (‘17) Major Losses: Nobody Coach: Scott Peters
After losing to Oakland in the first round of Norcal playoffs and going undefeated in league, girls basketball is looking forward to another successful season with its whole roster returning. “We did very well in league last year but we struggled in CCS playoffs,” forward Courtney Lovely (‘16) said. “So this year we are going to have to really step it up in playoffs if we want to go further than we did last season.” The team is facing the challenge of not having a gym this year, but the girls do not believe this will affect their season. “It’s inconvenient not having a home court for practices, but I don’t think it will have an effect on our performance,” forward Maya Lathi (‘17) said. Though there might be a lot of stops on the way, the end goal is simple, “Win CCS and compete for league” Lovely said.
KOY AM A
AR BU RR IS an dL UA R EN
by SK YL
Get your athlete a pair of Beats Headphones. Not only will it elevate their street cred, but they will get mad respect for being able to pull them off.
Scoring the Best Presents Since buying gifts for athletes can be a challenge, The Viking has created a list of some of the best and worst presents for an athlete. Keep these in mind before you go holiday shopping!
Grab a hang-up basketball hoop so the athlete in your life will never be bored. Hang it right over their laundry hamper and there will never be another shirt on the floor again.
If your athlete enjoys both slam dunks and being a couch potato, the go-to gift is NBA 2K16. You can’t go wrong with this action-packed video game.
No athlete would want anything other than a new pair of fresh kicks to celebrate their holiday season. Pick up new Nikes and you’ll automatically have the best gift.
Every athlete wants a signed piece of memorabilia from thier favorite player. If you have money to spend, an autographed copy would be priceless.
Instead of coal, try either a pair of Asics or a Carmelo Anthony poster. You’ll have an athlete re-gifting in no time.
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Lets Get Ready to Rumble!
by BEN CLEASBY and JAMIE CULLEN
OFFICIAL Sports that have been made specifically for fighting such as the UFC, MMA, and boxing have grown in popularity over the past few years due to their aggressive nature.
F
ighting made its official debut in the first recorded Olympic Games dating back to 760 B.C., making it one of the oldest sports. Fighting has continued to grow and evolve since then, with many different styles becoming popular: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), boxing, judo, wrestling, and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). There’s just something about the pent-up anger in every punch, the devastating frustration in every kick and the heavy emotion behind every single move that forces this unrelenting attention. However, these sports were created for people to fight one another, with each competitor knowing exactly who stands against them in
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each ring. It’s the fighting in other sports such as baseball, football and even soccer that creates an unusual and surprising excitement that spectators find to be captivating. There’s a reason as to why whenever Madison Bumgarner pitches to Yasiel Puig that we sit up in our chairs: whenever these two athletes face each other, there’s a greater chance that they end up creating a bench clear, or at least throw a couple of rude remarks at one another. It’s moments like these that really turn heads and draw attention. A bench clear can also provide for stronger team chemistry and camaraderie as there’s no better feeling than knowing that your whole team has your back and is willing
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to throw down with you. Fights are most common in ice hockey, where the consequences are not as severe for getting in a tussle. When two players have a problem with each other, they simply drop their gloves and settle it with their fists. The referees allow it to happen, but stand close by to stop it if the fight goes to the ground. At the end of the fight, both players are awarded with a penalty and sent to the penalty box, but since both teams lose a player it keeps the playing field even and the game competitive. Fights are so common in hockey that some teams even have enforcers, or players whose main purpose is to fight opposing players. Fighting is the main job for these people, and it keeps them a
NOTORIOUS Steve Smith is often penalized for fighting in the NFL.
THROW DOWN Hockey players love to drop gloves and swing.
BRAWL In baseball, entire teams will back each other up in a fight.
spot on their team. Now we’re not saying that fights are acceptable and should occur a lot more often, but rather that they have the ability to make certain sports more exciting. Despite all this excitement and attention towards fights, they also come at a price, making athletes look childish and immature or even over-arrogant and cocky. Take football, for example. When we watch a football game, it is not uncommon to see two players go at it for a second as every player on the field believes they’re the best at what they do. Now, it’s not that they aren’t the best, but where’s the humility, the sportsmanship? When did these athletes stop playing the game for fun and start playing it for themselves, fighting anyone at any moment just to
try and prove that they’re that much better than the other? Yes, it’s fun to witness a bench clear every once in awhile or see any team charge the field, but if this occurred in every game it would just be a waste of time and a disgrace to athletes who actually want to play the game because they love doing what they do. Over the past couple of years, getting in fights has not been worth the off-field penalty. Certain punishments, such as fines, suspension and injury, have become increasingly harsh on players. For those who keep making appearances in fights, it has become common to see them receive larger fines that, over the years, have continued to increase at the athlete’s expense. Along with fines, players have been suspended in the past for fighting, the
most recent being a nasty fight between two NFL players which resulted in a broken jaw. The player who caused the broken jaw was punished with a four game suspension. This incident also caused the New York Jets to lose its starting quarterback for six to ten weeks, a perfect example of how these fights can lead to serious injury, which is both very harmful to the athlete and the team. Our overall belief is that though fights can make any game exciting and entertaining, if too common in occurrence they can become annoying and a waste of time. As exhilarating as fights are, the price they come at is much too high and they should only happen in dire times. <<<
facts provided by NFL.com, MLB.com, NHL.com
1. Fighting in the NFL can lead to a fine of $8,000 - $17,000.
2. In the NHL, fighting costs five minutes in the penalty box. 3. A bench clear in the MLB can lead to ejections of any participant in the brawl.
DECEMBER 2015
tries
Skeet Shooting
LOCK AND LOAD The Viking takes a trip to Coyote Valley Sporting Clays to try a hand at skeet shooting, using a 12-gage over and under shotgun.
P
by CHRISTIAN RIDER ULLl! Two clay pigeons go soaring in the air. You lock onto the first one and put your finger on the trigger. POP! Then you locate the second one. POP! Both pigeons come crashing down to the ground in multiple pieces. Skeet shooting was created to simulate bird hunting. There are two “traps” that shoot the clay pigeons into the air so that the shooter can shoot them much like how a hunter might shoot a bird out of the air. At Coyote Valley Sporting Clays they have an original skeet
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shooting station and other stations around the range that shoot out the pigeons from different positions. In regular skeet shooting you have two “houses” and the pigeons are shot out of the same place, but after you shoot you move to a different position in relation to where the pigeons are launched from. The other version is called sporting clays. In sporting clays there are different stations located around the range and at every different station the pigeons are shot from different locations, adding some variety to the sport. I did the sporting clays version of skeet shooting. Upon arriving at Coyote Valley
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Sporting Clays there is a cabin house where you can purchase ammunition, rent a gun and get some safety equipment. The gun I used was a 12-gage over and under shotgun with a 28-inch-long barrel. I got four boxes of 12gage shells that had 25 shells per box and the range supplied ear and eye protection. To go by yourself you need to be 18, otherwise you need a parent or guardian to accompany you. Also, bring a friend that you can trust with a firearm to come with you to push the button to shoot out the pigeons. It is more fun to have a friendly competition with someone to help you become a better shooter than to just shoot
TAKING AIM Rider locks onto the clay pigeon before he takes it out. by yourself. When walking around with the gun, you have to make sure that your chamber is open and that the barrel is facing down. Never load the gun until you are at a station and never put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot at a target. When you are leaving the station to switch with your partner, open the chamber and leave it at the station with the barrel facing down. Once you are ready to shoot, position your feet so that you can be stable when the gun recoils. Speaking of recoil, be prepared for a sore shoulder at the end of the day, as a 12gage shotgun has some kick to it! As you are dispensing your spent shells, make sure you
SHATTERED Rider looks at the puff of dust created after the pigeon was shot down.
are pointing the gun in the air or towards the range. Never point your gun in anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general direction even if the shells are spent, the gun is unloaded or if the chamber is open. No one likes to have a gun pointed at them. When shooting the gun, load only two shells, even if you are using an automatic or pump-action shotgun, then put the gun up to your shoulder and look down the top of the barrel of the gun. There is an iron sight at the top to help you aim. You can chose to keep both eyes open or just one open. I decided to use just my right eye because I felt that when I used only the one I hit more targets than I did with both eyes open. It took some time for me to get used to firing
the gun with accuracy. The first couple of tries, I would miss the target almost every time. However, after some practice, I was able to hit many targets consistently. Some stations were easier than others, but after the first round of shots and watching where the pigeons would come from and how fast they would come out I was able to hit the targets. Towards the end of the day, I noticed that my shoulder was very tired and very sore, so the fifty shots that I had were more than enough. Skeet shooting is a great experience if you are in a safe environment with people who you trust that can help you work on hand-eye coordination and your accuracy.<<<
Gun Saftey
1) Never point the gun in anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general direction 2) Keep chamber open when walking around 3) Keep gun unloaded until you are ready to shoot 4) Finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot DECEMBER 2015
G O I N G T H E D I S TA N C E : THE MAN BEHIND THE XC TEAM photo courtesy of Malcolm SLaney
DREAM TEAM Malcolm Slaney gets his picture taken with coach Kelsey Feeley and Kent Slaney (‘17) shortly after the podium ceremony at CCS. Feeley started coaching the cross country team when Kent Slaney joined the team his freshman year.
T
by Samuel Desré
wo miles into the course, surrounded by rolling hills and dust, a lone photographer adjusts the lense of his camera. Seconds later, dozen of runners fly past him as the camera clicks rapidlly. The athletes then vanish behind a turn and team parent Malcolm Slaney is left in the dust. M. Slaney started supporting the cross country team when his son, Kent Slaney (‘17), joined the team in 2013. K. Slaney has been a leader of the cross country and track team for the past three seasons and won the Central Coast Section (CCS) division cross country title this fall. Despite K. Slaney’s results, one may argue that M. Slaney has helped the team just as much. Returning runners quickly noticed that the
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team was more organized than previous seasons. “As soon as Malcolm Slaney joined the team you could definitely have a better sense of organization,” cross country runner Brian Sotnick (‘16) said. “Acting as the team parent, he really helped facilitate a lot of the pasta feeds and a lot of other extra-curricular events that the team had.” M. Slaney became more involved with the Palo Alto High School sports team as time progressed. When the track season rolled around, M. Slaney continued to help the team in his own free time despite K. Slaney suffering an injury, leaving him unable to run for the first half of the season due to a stress fracture. “I was not surprised that Malcolm [Slaney] still helped the team when Kent was injured because I know that Malcolm [Slaney] cares a
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lot about the team,” long distance runner Parker Gara (‘16) said. M. Slaney helps both the track and cross country team in various ways. Most noticeably, he attends all of the teams’ meets, cheers on the athletes, and takes pictures of runners in all events. “Malcolm [Slaney] is the best because he takes pictures of everyone and he does not discriminate,” sub-five-minute-miler E.G. Pierce (‘18) said. “He takes pictures of everyone no matter how well or how poorly they do.” Because M. Slaney takes high quality pictures of Palo Alto runners at almost all of their meets, he was given a press pass by the Palo Alto Weekly, as they often use his pictures in articles covering track and cross country. The San Jose Mercury News has also recently started using his running pictures.
“Malcolm [Slaney] has always been extremely dedicated to our team, and he does everything he can to help,” Pai said. “He helps us organize meet days and coordinates with all of the team parents. He is always doing everything possible to help coach [Kelsey Feeley]. He’s like Superman.” The Vikings were able to win the league meet and finish as runners-up at CCS in part because they familiarized themselves with the Crystal Springs course. M. Slaney drove the team to the course on the weekends, making it possible for the runners to work out there. “It was very helpful to have Malcolm drive us to Crystal Springs because the workouts we did there really helped us to win at the El Camino league finals and beat Homestead to take second at CCS,” varsity runner Sam Craig (‘18) said. “The experience on the course and the knowledge of the hills were a very large part of our success there in the postseason.” M. Slaney did not only help coach Feeley organize transportation for workouts, he also helped the captains and coach Feeley with team events like pasta feeds. “Malcolm [Slaney] hosts awesome pasta feeds, and because of him other parents joined in and we were able to throw more pasta feeds this season than we ever have before,” Pai said. The next school year will be K. Slaney’s last year at Palo Alto High School. The cross country and track teams will lose not only one of the best runners in CCS but their team dad as well. “In a way, Malcolm Slaney has become a dad
for the cross country and track teams,” Sotnick said. “A source of not only photos but also inspiration, he gives us organization that is imperative to the team’s success. It will be difficult for the team to transition after Kent [Slaney] graduates, and I’m sure someone will fill the role, but there will never be another Malcolm Slaney.”<<< photo by Gordon Craig
M. Slaney makes the meet more enjoyable for athletes by taking pictures and baking them cookies. “He [Malcolm Slaney] dedicates a ton of time to the team and knows a lot about cross country,” varsity cross country runner Maya Akkaraju (’18) said. “He is always at every meet, and his pictures and cookies make meets way more enjoyable.” However, M. Slaney is in charge of much more than just cookies. He helps track and cross country coach Kelsey Feeley with the organization of home meets, transportation for away meets, snacks and team bonding events like the pasta feeds. “Malcolm is amazing because he enjoys the organization stuff that I can sometimes struggle with,” Feeley said. “He is always willing and ready to help at any moment for any issues that I may have.” Since M. Slaney knows almost everything about the team, he sends emails recapitulating everything that happened at the meets and includes a link to his photo albums and the meet results. These emails give parents up-to-date information about the team when they are unable to attend themselves. “Malcolm is amazing because he likes and enjoys [emailing] out how successful our team has been,” Feeley said. According to junior captain and varsity runner Naveen Pai (‘17), the team’s success in the past years, including finishing second in their CCS division, is in large part due to M. Slaney’s organizational skills
WORKING OUT Malcolm Slaney enjoys running on the cross country courses before meets. Slaney ran the Mt. Sac course in 2014.
photo courtesy of Malcolm SLaney
CCS The varsity boys cross country team smiles after running the Crystal Spring course at the CCS division one race. The VIkings took second place for the second year in a row and were lead by Kent Slaney (‘17) who ran the course in 15:22. The team was able to practice on the 2.95 miles course with the help of Malcolm Slaney.
DECEMBER 2015
Full Court Stress As finals approach, students struggle to find ways to cope with stress.
However, exercise has proven to be one of the best stress release activities. by QUINN KNOBLOCK and LAUREN KOYAMA
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BALANCING ACT Basketball player Maya Lathi (‘17) uses exercise as a stress reliever during the school year, especailly as finals quickly approach at Palo Alto High School.
ake up. Go to school. Study. Sleep. Repeat. As the end of the semester approaches, this seems to be the daily life of many high school students. The overload of school work and stress without the proper rest needed for a healthy lifestyle leads students to become consumed by anxiety and stress. As students prepare for finals, they’ll search for a stress relief outlet to help themselves relax. Some students turn to social media, binge eating or even crying to cope with stress throughout the school year, and this heightens during finals. However, few resort to physical activity and exercise in order to alleviate stress. Exercise has numerous benefits that reduce the anxiety that comes from high pressure and can be very valuable in high-stress situations. Physical activity causes the release of chemicals in the brain, called endorphins. According to WebMD, endorphins “trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine… [and] can be accompanied by a positive and
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energizing outlook on life.” In addition to the pleasure endorphins provide, they also improve the body’s ability to sleep, which boosts one’s physical and mental health. According to Harvard’s Division of Sleep Medicine, experiencing deeper and longer sleep cycles can lead to an improved metabolism, memory and learning capability. “I find that when I don’t exercise, I’m very anxious because I have a lot of pent up energy,” basketball player Maya Lathi (‘17) said. “Exercising helps release that anxiety.” Taking a break from studying to move the body can improve one’s physical and emotional state. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), exercise is one of the most recommended stress-coping methods by healthcare professionals. ADAA also says that stress has been shown to deplete one’s energy and ability to concentrate. However, exercise can counteract these negative effects of stress and is shown to reduce fatigue, and improve alertness and concentration. “I think a lot of times getting your mind off
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the subject can allow you to relax,” varsity girl’s basketball coach Scott Peters said. “When you come back to your problem after practice, you look at it with a fresh new start. You also get a new, different perspective.” When the brain is forced to focus on one specific thing for a long duration of time, a proper break is needed to refresh. However, the route many teens take to alleviate stress is to unwind by using social media. Unfortunately for these students, switching from studying to social media is not the correct way to revitalize the brain. According to Victoria L. Dunckley, M.D., overusing screen-time can cause sensory overload or hyper-arouse one’s nervous system. Both of these conditions can lead to lack of sleep, moodiness and/or lack of focus. In contrast to the harsh consequences electronics place on the mental state of a student, physical activity improves concentration and reduces fatigue. By getting a change of scenery and increasing one’s heart rate, the brain receives a mental break. When a person exercises, they release their stress and forget the built up tension caused by the stress. This
results in being more attentive and optimistic about one’s upcoming event, or in the case of students, tests and finals. By using technology as a study break, high schoolers continue to put excessive stress on their brains, possibly harming their mental and physical state. According to the Mayo Clinic, the best way to spend a study break is exercising. The proven research of exercise shows that exercise can help one refocus and unwind. “As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do.” Mayo Clinic says. So next time you are stuck on a tough math problem you just can’t seem to figure out, even taking a walk can help you to refocus, clear your mind, and alleviate some stress for the time being. As great as it is for students and people in general to exercise during a stressful time, it is equally important to exercise regularly. “Exercise can increase self confidence, it can relax you, and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve one’s sleep, which is
often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety” says the Mayo Clinic. Researchers from the ADAA have found similar outcomes. “Scientists have found that regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem,” ADAA said. “Even five minutes of aerobic exercise can stimulate anti-anxiety effects.” With all the benefits exercise offers, it almost seems that there’s no reason not to go to the
release of these feel good neurotransmitters,” SMS said. Did you hear that? Any kind of desired exercise will help your mind and your body! Though for many who still know this fact, it’s hard to decide what kind of exercise is best for them. The Association of Stress Management (ASM) suggests choosing an exercise that you know you’ll enjoy. In other words, if you don’t like running, don’t run. Instead go for a walk or maybe do some push-ups. Any kind of exercise you choose is going to improve how you feel. The ASM also recommends to start slow. If exercise is a new thing for you, just take your time and ease your way into it. “Don’t go throwing yourself into the deep end as this will result in a higher risk of injury and you will feel less motivated as you won’t be enjoying the exercising that you are partaking in.” ASM said. When starting out, maybe begin with shorter easier workouts, and build your way into intense running or any kind of other physical activity that is appealing to you. The ultimate thing to understand is that exercise, no matter what kind, will always benefit your health and is especially important to take part in when you are stressed.<<<
“Exercise can increase self confidence, it can relax you, and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety.” -Mayo Clinic gym or go for a run around the neighborhood. However for some, motivation may not be the problem. Some people simply don’t know what exercise is going to help them, or don’t believe they have the resources to create a successful workout. Luckily, this shouldn’t be a concern. The Stress Management Society (SMS) says that any kind of exercise will benefit the body and the mind. “Any form of physical activity leads to the
By the Numbers: Boys
25%
avoided or refused to deal with their stress
23% 17% 35%
sought ways to distract themselves away from their stress sought support actively tried to reduce their stress
Girls
19% 14% 22% 35%
avoided or refused to deal with their stress sought ways to distract themselves away from their stress sought support actively tried to reduce their stress statistics provided by teenhelp.com
SPORTING THEIR STUFF by SKYLAR BURRIS and MARA ZENGER
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1. “Be Like Mike” Gatorade Commercial: One of the most iconic commercials of all time, it simply features people around the world attempting to “Be Like Mike.”
4. “Together” Nike Commercial: As Lebron James and his team huddle, fans from all over Cleveland join in to support their team.
2. “Not Today” Geico Commercial: Featuring Dikembe Mutombo, a retired 7’2” NBA player swatting anything he can get his hands on.
5. “Big Mac Horse” McDonald’s Commercial: Starring two of the NBA’s greatest talents, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan compete in a game of ‘HORSE’ over a Big Mac.
3. “People Want to be Like Me” Gatorade Commercial: Tennis champ Serena Williams inspires others with this ad through flashbacks of the successes 28 | TH E V I K I Nand G | failures w w w . v i kin i n gher s p o rcareer. tsmag.com
6. “My PJs Shrunk!” Sprint Commercial: When a father turns into Kevin Durant by watching too much SportsCenter, the mother has some special chores for the NBA star.
THE VIKING TAKES A LOOK AT SOME OF THE TOP TEN COMMERCIALS FEATURING ATHLETES. IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHICH COMMERCIAL YOU ARE, TAKE A LOOK AT THE QUIZ ON THE NEXT PAGE!
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7. “Turkish Airlines” Commercial: As a little kid tries to decide who he wants an autograph from, either soccer-legend Lionel Messi or NBA star Kobe Bryant, the two compete to see who the kid will pick.
9. “Beast Mode” Skittles Commercial: NFL’s very own Marshawn Lynch is known for not being the most talkative, and this commercial simply featuring Lynch working out with Skittles.
8. “Get Your Cold Cuts” GEICO Commercial: After waiting in line for cold cuts, NFL star Ickey Woods celebrates by doing a shuffle dance after his number is called to pick up his cold cuts.
10. “Band Together“ Nationwide Commercial: US Women’s National Soccer Team player Alex Morgan and her fans sporting her pink headband. They all join together and represent Nationwide being on your side. DECEMBER 2015
what kind of commercial are you?
Ever just sit around watching TV and think to yourself, I wonder what kind of commercial I would be...Yeah, neither do we. But now if you are wondering, find out! Take this short quiz and check your results online at www.thevikingsportsmag.com/.
1. What is your signature dance move?
5. where would you be on a weekend?
a. Wagging the finger b. fist pump c. the cowboy d. split drop
a. oakland b. the gym c. grocery shopping d. traveling
2. What Jingle do you find most catchy?
6. What friend are you?
a. “see the rainbow, taste the rainbow” b. “Wanna be like mike” c. “Geico 15 minutes” d. “I’m Lovin’ It”
a. the quiet one b. the athletic one c. The sassy one d. THe Competitive one
3. What is your pre-game snack?
7. What is your go-to tune?
a.skittles b. gatorade c. Cold Cuts d. big mac
a. “beast mode”-young rebel b. “Beat it”-MIchael jackson c. “u can’t touch this”-MC Hammer d. “Good for you”-Selena Gomez
4. Who is your celebrity crush?
8. guilty pleasure
a. marshawn lynch b. michael jordan c. Alex Morgan d. Serena williams
a. rainbows b. mike and ike c. swatting people d. fast food
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Peter the Sports Reader
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by PETER SNODGRASS
a top Division III team. Soon after, he signed on as a practice squad player for the 49ers and saw success as a player in NFL Europe. If not for being cut by
the 49ers, Jackson’s career may have faltered due to a lackluster offense in San Francisco. Luckily, the Broncos claimed him and his life as an unknown gave way to a professional start in 2006. While many can argue that his career was short and frivolous, Jackson’s account of the non-Tom Bradys and Adrian Petersons of the football world gives an eye-opening look into the life of an ordinary football player. The book details the strenuous life of a football player,
which starts at dawn and ends at midnight. Whether they are faced with getting an injection of cortisone the day before a game or waking up at 5 a.m. for a workout, many players do not receive credit for the time and effort they put into their craft. In a sport run by old billionaires like Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft, it is refreshing for all football fans to know the commitment a non-superstar has to football. Additionally, as the NFL receives more scrutiny for unfair policies and in-game rules, Jackson depicts football with so much love that any reader can see the beauty in the sport. He beautifully shows the feeling every football player has when they step upon the field. He accurately describes the adrenaline rush one feels after making a pure hit against someone else. If you are interested in learning more about the life of an NFL player, then this books will suit you well. If you are not an avid fan of the NFL, this book may not be interesting for you. While it is very well written, if you do not understand the sport, the book may be very confusing. With that said, I found it very hard to put the book down as I read it. This book earns my stamp of approval.
By the Numbers:
Minimun salary for an NFL player: $420,000
NFL practice squad player salary: $107,100
Average career length: 3.3 years From 2000 to 2014, there have been 30,186 injuries reported to DECEMBER 2015 the NFL
Source: NFL Players Association
ell I have read your lists, and I have checked them twice. Santa Claus is a bit swamped this year, so I have him covered for the next great read of the holidays. Back at it for my second issue in a row, some are comparing my reign to power like Michael Jordan’s championships in ‘96 and ‘97. However, just like Kobe, I may be past my prime, but I am most definitely relevant to these generations. Grab a drink, get comfortable and prepare yourselves for my epic review of the memoir Slow Getting Up by Nate Jackson. The memoir is about the life of Nate Jackson, a journeyman of the National Football League (NFL). Jackson’s book has been very popular because it depicts the life of a non-famous athlete, an athlete who is part of the background in almost every game. Jackson rose from a Division III All-American wide receiver to a mediocre tight end for the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos. Many may perceive him as a “scrub,” but Jackson’s heroic career as an unknown shows the grit and tenacity it takes to make it in the NFL. Humbled by praise from legendary coach Bill Walton, Jackson made his name down El Camino at Menlo College, where he was featured as a star on
Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problem
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Corruption has been a rising issue in the world of sports for decades and has reached a point never seen before. FIFA and the IOC have been plagued by scandals while other instances such as Pete Rose betting on baseball have become world famous. Sports are becoming more and more tainted as each day passes. by STEVEN MARINKOVICH and MARA ZENGER
m$
Photo Courtesy of Ben Cleasby
he vote to select the World Cup host was set to take place. All of the countries who had put in bids were waiting nervously as the votes were being counted up. Sepp Blatter, too, waited, acting as if he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where the World Cup was headed, but he did. Corruption in the sports world is an issue that has been brewing for decades. Small instances and accusations have seemingly been building up over time to bring the sports world to where it is today: rife with corruption. Scandals have swayed votes in the host selection for both the World Cup and the Olympics, doping has increased in track and field and cycling and other instances have affected sports across the globe. Most of these accusations have become world famous: Pete Rose betting on baseball and Lance Armstrong cheating his way to seven Tour de France victories, just to name a few. The world of sports is heading in a direction that will see a massive increase in the use of asterisks in the standings and record books. Over the past 25 years, a name that has become synonymous with corruption is Sepp Blatter: president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). Thought to be the most powerful man in the entire world of sports, Blatter has been accused of corruption and abuse of power since his initial election in 1998. "I am the president now, the president of everybody," Blatter said after winning his fifth term in 2015. After serving as the top deputy to the preceding president, Blatter ran in 1998, narrowly beating out his opponent by the final tally of 11180. Immediately following the election, accusations of bribery surfaced. Through a third party, Blatter was reported to have distributed $1 million to 20 different voters ($50,000 each) in exchange for their vote and support in the election. Just four years later, FIFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Secretary launched an in-house investigation, hoping to find Blatter guilty of financial mismanagement, conflicts of interest and abuse of power. Admittingly, Blatter ended the investigation very early in order to protect
DECEMBER 2015
those he knew were in the wrong. Despite this ongoing controversy, Blatter was re-elected the same year. After releasing an official FIFA Code of Ethics in 2004, the general public thought scandals and corruption were things of the past. That was not the case. Jack Warner, one of FIFA’s vice presidents, was caught in the middle of a massive fraud scandal that involved the illegal resale of 2006 World Cup tickets. Manipulating the system, Warner is said to have personally made a profit of at least $1 million through his actions. All of this happened right under the nose of Sepp Blatter, and all he did was go and win re-election for a third time, as he ran unopposed in 2006.
anybody vote to take the World Cup here at this time? Many corruption accusations came flying in about this selection. As the situation is fluid, nothing has been declared official. However, Sepp Blatter, who has announced his resignation as FIFA president effective early 2016 in wake of numerous accusations, has revealed that he knew Russia was going to be selected as host before the vote was taken. Declarations of this magnitude do nothing but further the case of those questioning FIFA’s legitimacy. The selection of Qatar as a host has been questioned much more than that of Russia. The list of controversies is incredibly long. Firstly, the insanely hot climate of the Gulf Coast country means the World Cup must be
and punishable by law. Because of this, there have been rising concerns about the potential mistreatment of homosexuals who would choose to attend the tournament. Blatter himself was questioned about these concerns and whether or not it would be safe for homosexuals to travel to Qatar in 2022. "I'd say they should refrain from any sexual activities," Blatter said; an answer so ridiculous that it adds to the belief that he doesn’t care about this issue at all and will do whatever he wants as the president of FIFA. Adding to the already long list of flaws, the most pressing controversy has surrounded human rights issues. Nepalese migrant workers, who are the main contributors to the construc-
SEPP BLATTER Regarded as the most powerful man in the world of sports, Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, has been surrounded by corruption allegations since his initial election in 1998. He recently resigned in the wake of numerous corruption scandals All of these instances were building up to a much larger conflict that began to surface in 2010. The awarding of hosting World Cups to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022 came as a shock to most people in the soccer world. First off, Russia had received loads of criticism in their hosting of the 2014 Winter Olympics, mainly related to their occasional discriminatory practices of racism and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQQ) oppression. This led to campaigns for the relocation of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Other issues have risen in Russia as well, mainly regarding their conflict with Ukraine. Constant violence and instability doesn’t add many positives to Russia’s résumé. Why would
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hosted during the winter months for the first time ever. Next, Qatar has practically no soccer heritage and a national team that has never qualified for a World Cup. Third, the total construction cost for hosting the tournament in Qatar is said to be $220 billion, 60 times greater than what South Africa spent in 2010. The reason for this high of a total is that Qatar completely lacks the infrastructure required to host the tournament. A new city and stadium will be built from scratch as the venue for both the opening and final match of the tournament. On top of the many tangible problems, Qatar is culturally struggling as well. The country holds a greater LGBTQQ resistance than Russia does, as homosexuality is illegal
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tion process, are said to be dying at a rate of one per day, a rate exponentially higher than that of any other World Cup in history. These horrendous working conditions, infrastructure issues and many other problems would usually mean Qatar would be seen as a nation completely unfit to host such a tournament, but not in the eyes of FIFA. Concrete evidence presented in an ESPN documentary produced by Jeremy Schaap has shown voters were bribed by the leaders of Qatar’s bid committee. Voters would receive large sums of money from the bid committee in exchange for their guaranteed backing in the vote. Never before has there been such an outcry to relocate a World Cup. Relocation would
mean that either Australia or the United States would be awarded the tournament, two countries with a much better infrastructure and soccer heritage. Both of the potential new locations have the capability of hosting the tournament next week if needed, something Qatar certainly would not be able to say right now. Before Blatter’s resignation, relocation was an idea that was unreasonable to discuss. Qatari Mohammed bin Hammam planned on running against Blatter prior to the 2011 FIFA presidential election. bin Hammam was backed by many and was seen as a real threat to Blatter’s seat. Once again, this landed Blatter in the middle of a scandal. It is said the bin Hammam was told by Blatter that if he were to
made against multiple FIFA officials in the summer of 2015. Corruption is by no means limited to FIFA and the soccer world. Similar corruption accusations have been raised against the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The most notable case is the controversy surrounding the selection of Salt Lake City as the host of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Salt Lake City didn’t raise the same questions that either Russia or Qatar did, but that voting process is still accused of including bribery. The budget for the games was challenged for being way too high, but nothing came about the persistent questioning and the Salt Lake Olympic Committee (SLOC) claimed that there was no wrongdo-
pics," Alex Liang (‘17) said. Liang, along with his brother Andrew Liang (‘14), will be competing in the 2016 Olympic trials for swimming, both trying to qualify for the games next summer in Rio de Janeiro. Some scandals are much more well known and publicized than others, and one of the highest profile stories involves cyclist Lance Armstrong, the seven-time champion of the Tour de France. At the age of 21, Armstrong started racing professionally and had many early successes including winning two stages of the Tour de France. While racing in the 1996 Tour, he was forced to drop out due to sickness. A few months later he was diagnosed with a potentially fatal form of stage three tes-
INFRASTRUCTURE One of the nine stadiums Qa- BRIBED The International Olympic Committee was tar has said they will build from scratch for the proved to have been bribed to select Salt Lake City as 2018 World Cup; a total cost of $220 billion. the host of the 2002 Winter Olympics. drop out of the race, letting Blatter run unopposed, he would do everything in his power to make sure the 2022 World Cup in Qatar would not be relocated. Blatter’s power was always supreme and that guarantee was enough to make bin Hammam drop out. However, now with Blatter on his way out, relocation could be a big topic of discussion once a new president takes over at the start of next year. Athletes of the sport have publicly spoken out against the corruption. “Everyone knew about it. Everyone knew FIFA was a little bit corrupt. At the end of the day, it is a good thing what the Americans did," Manchester City winger Samir Nasri said when asked about arrests the United States
ing in the process. Despite their claims, doubt still remained. Later it surfaced that the SLOC was paying for the college tuition of an IOC member. That was just the start of information coming out, as strong evidence showed that 20 IOC members received some sort of benefit from the SLOC in exchange for their vote. Ten of those members were expelled, while the other ten were sanctioned. Despite the IOC’s affiliation with corruption, athletes trying to reach the Olympic Games aren't letting it get in the way of them achieving their goals. “The corruption within the IOC is something I definitely don't want to see, but it won't affect me from trying to make it to the Olym-
ticular cancer, which had spread to his brain, lungs and abdomen. Following treatment, and despite being given a 50% chance of survival, Armstrong returned to racing in the Tour de France only two years later. He won the Tour that year, which began a string of winning the Tour seven years in a row, between 1998-2005. Armstrong had an immense following of cycling fans and cancer survivors who supported him and his story. He was a cycling legend. In 2012, Armstrong was stripped of his seven first place Tour de France titles after admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) during his time racing. In his confession interview in 2013, Armstrong was asked if he believes it would have been “humanly pos-
DECEMBER 2015
sible to win the Tour de France without doping? Seven times in a row?” and Armstrong replied saying “Not in my opinion.” Cycling is one of the sports that has been widely associated with doping. It is highly aerobic and requires extensive training and conditioning, and the difference between finishing first and second can be seconds after a race consisting of a couple hours. The pressures and incident rate of abuse among cycling’s elite is immense. According to The New York Times, of the top ten finishers between 1998 and 2011, 44% have been officially linked to doping during some point in their career. The detection of doping has become very difficult due to the sophistication of the athletes’ doping system. For this reason, Armstrong was able to get away with years of doping despite the scrutiny he was under. Over the
years, he was constantly questioned about his use of PEDs, with scrutiny from his competitors, the media and drug regulating agencies. He was subjected to ongoing urine and blood testing, but he was able to avoid detection by refuting results through the legal system.
pieces of this situation is that the corruption involved an entire organization, and was not just an individual acting on their own. The World Anti-Doping Agency has released a 323-page report that claims Russian athletes, coaches, trainers, and doctors were involved in one of the biggest state-sponsored doping programs in history. The report provides detailed explanations of violations including stories of athletes who assumed false identities, incidences of bribery and payment of anti-doping authorities and submissions of fake samples for athletes using banned substances. One of the most jarring statements made in the report was a suggestion to ban Russia from all track and field events in the upcoming Rio de Janeiro olympics. The reasons for all of these drug violations comes from the large pressures on the athletes to perform. For most of these athletes,
“Everyone knew FIFA was a little bit corrupt. At the end of the day, it is a good thing what the Americans did.” -Samir Nasri One of the scandals that has surfaced in the last months has been between the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Russian track and field team. In the World Anti-Doping Agency’s data report from 2013, Russia had committed 12% of all drug violations among all sports globally (225 violations), which is the most of any country in the world. One of the unique
LANCE ARMSTRONG Armstrong riding in the pelaton while rounding a turn in the Tour de France.
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DOPING After winning the Tour de France for seven consecutive years, Lance Armstrong was stripped of all of his titles after admitting to doping during his time racing. their sport is their source of income and their source of pride. Most have trained for their entire lives to be the best at what they do. There is immense pressure to do whatever it takes to continue to perform at these high levels, even if that means taking banned substances or using banned methods. In some sports, if you are at the highest levels of competition, it can be challenging to compete if you are one of the few athletes who is not doping. Other scandals in sports have involved players or managers betting on games they have participated in. The most widely known betting scandal in the US involves baseball legend Pete Rose. Rose played baseball for 23 years from 1963 to 1986, with almost all of those years being played with the Cincinnati Reds. He also managed the Reds between 1984 and 1989, acting as a player-manager for two of those years. He was Rookie of the Year, won three batting titles, three World Series rings and is still the Major
BETTING Pete Rose. the MLB’s all-time hits leader, has been held out of the Hall of Fame because he bet on games as a manager.
League Baseball (MLB) leader in hits, games played, at-bats and various other records. In 1989, suspicions arose about him gambling and betting on MLB games in which he played; after evidence was uncovered linking him to gambling, he was suspended from baseball for life. This suspension made him ineligible to
scandal is still a hot topic today. With the election of new MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred in 2014, Rose was given new hope of his potential reinstatement from his lifetime ban from the sport. An unsuccessful effort thus far, the media will continue discussing Pete Rose until he is either reinstated and elected into the Hall of Fame, or when he passes away. But even then, the debate will carry on about whether the situation was handled correctly and if Rose should have been treated less harshly. The Pete Rose debate just goes to show that scandals and corruption can affect the sport and its media for decades to follow. Corruption has been a longstanding hindrance within sports, and has taken many different forms throughout history. With all of these recent scandals surfacing, corruption in sports does not seem to be slowing down, but instead becoming a norm in many sports, greatly influencing outcomes of competitions, and those athletes’ lives.<<<
“I am the president now, the president of everybody,”
-Sepp Blatter
be put into the baseball Hall of Fame, which is still the case today. For years, Rose denied the charges against him, but in 1997, while he was applying to be reinstated to baseball, he confessed to betting on games. He always claimed that he only bet that the Reds would win games, and never bet against the Reds, indicating that he was never enticed to try to "throw" a game in order to win a bet. Despite happening about 30 years ago, the
DECEMBER 2015
Drug Testing in High School By RYAN CHANG and CHRISTIAN RIDER
The Viking staff came across the hot topic of drug testing in high school. Find out our take on the issue.
I
PEDs not only affects the person who is taking them, but also the player’s teammates, friends and family. Mandatory drug tests should be installed to protect the safety of everyone on the field and everyone who has connections with the player in question. PEDs aren’t safe for the people taking them and for the people around them. The extra aggression and strength could lead to serious injuries, so testing for drugs could lower the risk of a serious injury. There are two unfair aspects when it comes to drug use. One is the edge the player gets when competing for a spot in the starting lineup, and the other is the advantage the player has against the opponent who has to face the player juicing. Both parties suffer because of the drug user. The teammate loses playing time and the opponent has to fear injury. Athletes who are being targeted for drug testing may feel like they are being punished for being good at a sport.
t’s the fourth quarter of the Central Coast Section (CCS) championship football game and there is one minute left on the clock. Your team is down by three points. The offense makes its final drive. Hut, hut, hike! The ball is handed off to the running back, he breaks through the line and blows through the linebackers to run for a touchdown. This running back was taking performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), but he was not forced to take a drug test, so his team won the championship game and he left the field with no consequences. Before the game, the running back was going through mood swings constantly and he put on ten pounds in a week. He also became more distant from his friends and his family. Taking 38 | T H E V I K I N G | w w w . v i k i n g s p o r t s m a g . c o m
If after a couple games the player plays really well and they get asked to take a drug test, they may feel singled-out because their coaches and teammates feel that they cannot play that well without PEDs. However, safety of the players is more important than the feelings of one player. In order make sure an athlete does not feel targeted, the entire team should have to take a drug test on a random date. That way, no athlete can try to work around the drug test because they will not know when the test is. People who do not take drugs should not have anything to hide. The only people who do not want to be tested for drugs are the people with things to hide. Drug testing could reveal addictions and help the coach realize that the player has a problem outside of sports. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) already does drug tests and the athletes that juiced in high school won’t be able to perform at the same level in college.<<<
The Last Word
January Blandness
by DANIEL DOUTY
Even after the NCAA introduced the four-team College Football Playoff last year, fans nationwide are still hungry for more. The inevitable result is an eight-team playoff, one that will have more games and even more suspense. Everyone wins by adding more teams.
THE PRIZE: The top four teams in College Football will square off in their hunt for the championship.
Y
ou can put a fork in the college football season, it’s done. Welcome to the fun part, the Bowl Season. 41 (mostly not-so-interesting) Bowl Games will prelude the second annual College Football Playoff (CFP). If you are unfamiliar with the new format, the NCAA added two teams to create a four-team mini-tournament. After so many years of the College Football bigwigs choosing two teams they deemed the best, people got fed up enough to the point that it had to be expanded due to the sentiments that teams were getting snubbed for whatever reason. While the new CFP is one step up from the previous format, it still leaves a littleor a lot- to be desired. Somehow the season closed and the scene was set in an utterly vanilla manner. There was very little controversy. It was hard to argue against
any of the selections. To that I say- where’s the drama? College sports are all about drama! Why do millions of people tune in to every March Madness game? Because it is the most chaotic sporting tournament out there. The NCAA could take the top four seeds and put them in a final playoff, but that’s no fun. You wouldn’t have #7 Connecticut winning it all in 2014. No 2011 Cinderella run for #11 Virginia Commonwealth. Why limit the tournament when there are bound to be other teams capable of victory? Last year millions were up in arms over Ohio State making the CFP over teams like Baylor and TCU. That was before the Buckeyes, who again many thought shouldn’t have even been there, ran away with the championship.
BUCKEYES: In last year’s innaugural College Football Playoff the underdog Ohio State Buckeyes defied the odds and silenced their doubters by killing the competition. I for one am pretty sure that Stanford or Iowa would contend for the title. After all, it took Michigan State a final 22 play drive to take down Iowa in the Big 10 Championship Game. Stanford dominated the Pac 12 all year, and was one twopoint conversion away from winning out after falling flat in week one. How could you keep Christian McCaffrey out of the
Playoff? Stanford’s exclusion also brings up the issue that there are five “Power Conferences” and only four spots. Therefore a team could win their Conference, as Stanford did, and still be excluded, like Stanford. Cardinal head coach David Shaw agrees, pointing out that the format “Doesn’t make any sense, so eventually you’d have to do six or eight [teams].” Perhaps he feels a little salty over being snubbed, but the point he makes is legit. The only way that I, along with the College Football fans of the nation, will be content with the conclusion of the season is if the playoff field is expanded. The benefits are many and the drawbacks are none. An extra game doesn’t pose scheduling issues, as the first playoff game isn’t scheduled for several weeks after the season ends. The NCAA would even stand to make a TON of money by adding 4 games. An eight team CFP is unavoidable. It just makes too much sense for the teams, the fans and even the NCAA. Nobody is going to argue against more football and more madness- it’s what sports fans live on. <<<
MORE MADNESS!!!: March Madness is the biggest college sporting event, with millions filling out brackets every year. Modeling the College Football Playoff more after the Madness would bring about way more excitement and generate more revenue. Image taken from
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