Sports

Dear Old Navy, You Suck!

By Janet  |  2011/08/25 23:48 Posted in Sports, Television and Other Media  |  Comments (3)

I am sure that Old Navy didn’t understand that their Superfan Nation commercial would be received with such disdain from so many people, but it did.  That’s the problem when a company that doesn’t understand the personal nature of a particular rivalry chooses to highlight said rivalry in a commercial.  Old Navy made a commercial that featured a garage that had been transformed into a tacky haven for Crimson Tide (aka [the University of] Alabama) fans.  The room was filled with fans of that team.  When an Auburn fan who appears to be wearing pajamas shows up, on a four-wheel drive (’cause they have to illustrate some type of hick behavior if they’re featuring southern schools), he is only allowed in because he has pizza.

Yeah, ’cause that is a good way to endear one’s company to a major group of fans.  I have explained the Auburn-Alabama rivalry in the past, but, for those who do not remember, this kind of commercial would be like airing a pro-Ohio State commercial in the state of Michigan or a pro-Michigan commercial in Ohio.  It would be like a New Yorker expressing their undying love for the Red Sox, while at Yankee Stadium.   Though there are times when Auburn and Alabama come together and treat each other with respect, i.e. when Alabama fans raised money for the trees at Toomer’s Corner (after they were poisoned by an Alabama “superfan”) and when the Auburn fans raised money, donated clothing/supplies, and helped in other ways after the April 27th tornadoes affected Tuscaloosa so severely, it is generally agreed upon that sports are an area where the fans are allowed to continue to treat one another with varying amounts of hatred and loathing.

So airing a commercial nationally that highlights Alabama in a positive light, while making Auburn fans out to only be good enough to bring pizza to a game is basically pissing off a lot of people who adored Old Navy prior to the commercial being unveiled.  Examples of the hatred of this commercial include:

The Auburn version better make them look like a bunch of Updykes or I’m going to have to find a new cute cheap clothing store. I can hold a grudge. – SRM

The problem is that historically, it has always been that Bammers bring us OUR pizzas. To our front doors. I don’t see that changing any time soon. – More.Sawdust

What self-respecting Auburn person would be caught dead in a hell hole like that garage?! Wow, that place was horrid. – Will

Bama fans owning a house? Good one, Old Navy. – tptoomers

That can’t be right. Why is there no meth lab in that garage? Come to think of it, why wasn’t this shot with a double wide in the background? – Chris

Yeah, I think that Old Navy has screwed up in a major way.  Reportedly, they will be airing a more pro-Auburn commercial soon.  It is supposed to shown at Jordan-Hare Stadium before games.  I hope that it also makes it to television or that Old Navy figures out another way to get themselves back into the good graces of Auburn fans.  I also hope that Old Navy figures out how to not piss off any other major rivalries in the country, or else they may have just completely fucked themselves up.

If There is Anything Virtuous

By Janet  |  2011/03/03 15:55 Posted in Education, Religion, Social Mores, Sports  |  Comments (0)

Brandon Davies, a forward for the BYU basketball team, was suspended for honor code violations (allegedly getting his girlfriend pregnant), which seems to have set the Twitter world into a frenzy.  The thing that most folks don’t seem to understand is that this is an honor code that Davies agreed to by attending the school.  BYU, short for Brigham Young University, is a school that is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–aka Mormons.  Since it is a religious institution, it abides by the fundamentals of the faith that it is based upon.

I don’t know if Davies is a member of the LDS Church.  If he is, then he would know that this is the kind of infraction that could lead to problems within the church and within the school.  Chastity and virtuous living is a highly emphasized part of the Church.  Any person who violates these standards could be suspended from BYU, and, if the standard was more heinous (read: sinful), he could face potential disfellowship/excommunication.

The simplest form of the honor code states:

As a matter of personal commitment, faculty, administration, staff, and students of Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University—Hawaii, Brigham Young University—Idaho, and LDS Business College seek to demonstrate in daily living on and off campus those moral virtues encompassed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and will

    Be honest
    Live a chaste and virtuous life
    Obey the law and all campus policies
    Use clean language
    Respect others
    Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse
    Participate regularly in church services
    Observe the Dress and Grooming Standards
    Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code

Some of the more in depth parts of the Honor Code, include:

Conduct

All students and residents are required to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the Honor Code. Students must abstain from the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal substances and from the intentional misuse or abuse of any substance. Sexual misconduct; obscene or indecent conduct or expressions; disorderly or disruptive conduct; participation in gambling activities; involvement with pornographic, erotic, indecent, or offensive material; and any other conduct or action inconsistent with the principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Honor Code is not permitted.

Violations of the Honor Code may result in actions up to and including separation from the university.

Homosexual Behavior or Advocacy

Brigham Young University will respond to homosexual behavior rather than to feelings or attraction and welcomes as full members of the university community all whose behavior meets university standards. Members of the university community can remain in good Honor Code standing if they conduct their lives in a manner consistent with gospel principles and the Honor Code.

One’s stated same-gender attraction is not an Honor Code issue. However, the Honor Code requires all members of the university community to manifest a strict commitment to the law of chastity. Homosexual behavior and/or advocacy of homosexual behavior are inappropriate and violate the Honor Code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings. Advocacy includes seeking to influence others to engage in homosexual behavior or promoting homosexual relations as being morally acceptable.

Dress and Grooming Standards

The dress and grooming of both men and women should always be modest, neat, and clean, consistent with the dignity adherent to representing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and any of its institutions of higher education.

Modesty and cleanliness are important values that reflect personal dignity and integrity, through which students, staff, and faculty represent the principles and standards of the Church. Members of the BYU community commit themselves to observe the following standards, which reflect the direction of the Board of Trustees and the Church publication For the Strength of Youth. The Dress and Grooming Standards are as follows:

Men

A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained. Clothing is inappropriate when it is sleeveless, revealing, or form fitting. Shorts must be knee-length or longer. Hairstyles should be clean and neat, avoiding extreme styles or colors, and trimmed above the collar, leaving the ear uncovered. Sideburns should not extend below the earlobe or onto the cheek. If worn, moustaches should be neatly trimmed and may not extend beyond or below the corners of the mouth. Men are expected to be clean-shaven; beards are not acceptable. Earrings and other body piercing are not acceptable. Shoes should be worn in all public campus areas.

Women

A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained. Clothing is inappropriate when it is sleeveless, strapless, backless, or revealing; has slits above the knee; or is form fitting. Dresses, skirts, and shorts must be knee-length or longer. Hairstyles should be clean and neat, avoiding extremes in styles or colors. Excessive ear piercing (more than one per ear) and all other body piercing are not acceptable. Shoes should be worn in all public campus areas.


As you can see, if Davies did impregnate his girlfriend, then he broke the chaste life rule.  This rule has been enforced on other students who have attended schools in the BYU system.  If you remember Julie from the Real World: New Orleans, you might remember that she got suspended from BYU for an Honor Code violation by simply living in the house with men who were not related to her.

BYU students have extremely high expectations to live up to.  Are they too high?  Yes, definitely.  But is it unreasonable to expect that the Church will enforce these standards while the students are on Church property?  No.  If Davies thought that he couldn’t live up to the standards, then he didn’t have to attend BYU.  He could have gone to another school–a public university or another private university that doesn’t have the same strict code.

No one is required go to BYU, not even Mormons.

 

The Truth is Out There…and It Hurts

By Janet  |  2010/11/10 12:45 Posted in Education, Internet, Sports  |  Comments (0)

Once upon a time, there was this thing called journalism. Journalism was something that relied on real sources and fact-checking. It was a beautiful thing that could be relied on for some level of accuracy. Then, one day, people woke up and started seeing opinions being passed around on the internet. They started believing these things, considering hoaxes to be real, rumors to be fact, etc.

Lately, as an Auburn fan, I have been shocked at the number of people on local news stations and major news organizations who seem to be relying on anonymous sources, allegations by someone who heard it from someone who heard it from someone who knows a guy who knew the person who originally said it even though they’ve never talked, and rumors by gossip websites.

In the past week or so, Cam Newton, the quarterback from Auburn, has been accused of pay-for-play (an NCAA no-no), cheating on exams, nearly being kicked out of the University of Florida when he was there, and a variety of other criminal and immoral behaviors. Every day, the blogs of Fox and ESPN are coming out with new allegations. Other organizations are picking up these blog entries and running with them as fact. Even TMZ has gotten in on the action of the Cam slams.

Some people feel that since bloggers and TMZ are right on some topics, then they are legitimate sources. I know that I have ranted about Wikipedia being used as “legit shit” before, and I have concerns about blogs and TMZ being used to legitimize stories. Anyone with access to the internet can start a blog these days. Having a blog doesn’t make a person a real journalist and a journalist who blogs doesn’t necessarily have to stick to the same ethical principles. As for using TMZ as a source, it seems a little odd that we have gone from a society that looked to organizations that promote harassment and paparazzi as being the bad guys to being the best places to get the news.

Honestly, it would suck if the stuff about Cam Newton is true, but I have a hard time believing it. If Cam were guilty of cheating on tests and was facing possible expulsion, then it is highly unlikely that the University of Florida would have allowed him to transfer to a community college. As a person who has used college transfer systems, I can attest to the difficulty of leaving one school when there is some kind of unfinished business at another school. It also seems a bit odd that the school could get away with leaking any information on the academic record of a student, since it violates Federal privacy laws related to students. As for the pay-for-play allegations, I find it highly unlikely that the story even carries any merit when no legitimate source exists. (Coaches from many schools, including ones out of the SEC, have come out saying that these allegations hold no merit.)