final exam - reflection

Kristen Ott Professor Thomas Composition 101: Final Reflection 3 May 2013 Here comes Goodbye I have never pegged myself as a good writer and just like most other students reading was not my favorite thing to do. Coming into college I was worried most about my composition class. Coming into my fall semester of my freshman year I had Mrs. Thomas as my professor. Just like every other class I was nervous on how I would do. Never would I have guessed that I would finish with an A in composition 101. Throughout composition 101 Mrs. T helped me get a better understanding of how to write and read with more importance. With all of our blog post, essays, and our class read “Sway; the irresistible pull of irrational behaviors” I felt much more confident with my reading and writing skills. To say the least I was extremely relived I made it out of composition 101 alive. For the spring semester I was still dreading composition 102. I did feel much better knowing that Mrs. Thomas would be my professor again though. Even though we did not have a class book to read our Norton book and “They say I say” book truly helped me get though our assignments. These two books did not only help me to become a better reader but also a better writer. These books helped me to grasp concepts in writing. For example, a fallacy which is an unreasonable argument that adds to your paper to convince your reader. These books aided me in becoming a better critical thinker also. Concepts such a reading like a writer helped me to think deeper into my arguments and create solid evidence. Both of these books played a big role in making me the (better) reader and writer that I am today. A better writer is an understatement. Composition 102 has worked miracles for me! Even after 101 I still had many things to fix in my writing and I still do. Our first paper of composition 102 was the Rhetorical Analysis and I have to say it was the hardest for me. I wrote this paper on Sarah McLachlan’s animal abuse commercial. Throughout this essay I had to analyze the use of path, ethos, logos, and the affect it had on the viewer. There were man different parts and aspects that went into this paper and I had a hard time with writing an analysis in composition 101. This essay was very hard for me and I had trouble getting enough information to fill the pages. After finishing this essay I realized I had to improve a lot and change my writing style. Once I got to essay two and had my conference with Mrs. Thomas I began to progress. After meeting with her about the argument analysis I felt much better. This paper was much easier for me to write and I had a lot to say about it. For this essay I analyzed article on doping in sports and the Lance Armstrong confession. After the instructor conference I was told I had to work on my transitions and the implementing of my research. These two aspects are something I continued to struggle with until my last paper in this class. The last paper I wrote was on the solution of the biological passport for doping in sports. Every paper I have written besides paper one has been about doping in sports so I was very educated on this topic. The struggles for me were making the paper flow with transitions and incorporating all of my research along with my own knowledge. I was always good at writing introductions but once I got to the transition of course, I struggled. This topic proposal paper was the “icing on the cake.” It was this paper that I improved all of my weakness and made progress on becoming a better writer. After getting the comments back on it I believe my peer response and professor Thomas could see the difference. I may still have had a hard time with some transitions but for the most part my paper was much better than my first one. Creating transitions are one of the hardest things about writing for me and I was doing my best to fix them. Taking this course has really helped me to pin point my weaknesses and make significant changes to them. This class had bettered me the most in writing but has also made me a stronger critical thinker and has made me enjoy reading! Being in Mrs. Thomas’s class means there is always a discussion. Things like tweeted about the presidential debates made my mind work and forced me to think deeper. When we tweeted about the super bowl commercials and their rhetorical analysis it made me think beyond the funny aspect and connect it to pathos, ethos, and logos. The little things like this aid me in becoming a better critical thinker. I now don’t just read the pages or type the paragraph I look deeper into the questions to answer them and come up with an inferential response to them. This class isn’t just about sitting there and taking notes, it involves your mind and enables you to be active in class. Being involved made me become a better English student to say the least. I truly think I have changed an enormous amount as a student by taking this class. With all of the papers, critical thinks exercises, and reading I can officially say I survived composition 102 and hopefully I will finish with an A. I didn’t just change throughout this class but I also had fun for the first time ever I can say writing papers wasn’t a nightmare for me and with the help of a great professor I finished decently. Every paper and every bit of work made me progress through my issues and all combined to make me stronger in English. I have come a long way with the help of the materials and my professor, over all I believe that being in Professor Thomas’s class has helped me to become a better student in not only English but all of my other college classes too.

final exam- Revised paper

ABSTRACT: The paper I choose to revise was essay three, the literature review. I made many significant changes to this paper. For starters I connected the opening sentence to Lance Armstrong so the reader could make connections to current issues. Throughout the essay I had some citation errors along with some grammar and spelling errors which I fixed. At the end of my introduction I added more detail to the stakeholder I presented. I also defined performance enhancing drug to give the reader an idea of such drugs that are used and why. My paper had some organization errors so I rearranged some paragraphs to make the flow better. My headings were bland and not so creative so I changed them around to be more original so it would add more to the idea of the paper. In my paragraph where I talked about past testing I added in more detail to support my argument and aid the reader in understanding the urgency of it. When I concluded my paper I didn’t provide much information and it ended very quickly so I went back and added more supporting information instead or just a bare conclusion it now has some great points that leave the reader thinking about the issue. Last but not least on my works citied page I didn’t use the hanging indent on two of my source which I also went back and changed. I did change and add a lot to this paper and now I see the great difference it made when I read it aloud. Kristen Ott Professor Thomas Composition 102: revised essay 3 May 2013 Lying to Win the Race Lance Armstrong always has all of the pressure of the whole world watching him, anticipating another title and waiting on his victory speech. He knows he’s fooled them for over a decade already so why stop now? I mean who’s actually going to win a Tour De France title without banned drugs anyway right? Wrong. Typically we look at athletes as clean competitors, however dating back to the 1968’s, doping cases have taken over the professional world of sports. (Dilger et al) Some of the largest names in sports have been caught for cheating by using illegal drugs. The most recent of these athletes was Lance Armstrong. He used banned drugs for many years and got away with it for the majority of time. Just because athletes have gotten away with it before does not make it right. No matter how you look at it, it’s a form of cheating. These competitors are looked up to by people around the world as heroes, when in reality some of them turn out to just be liars. The pressure for athletes to succeed should be a reason to push yourself even harder, not to take the easy way and use drugs that will help you to win. Doping in sports is an urgent issue because it affects not only athletes themselves but agencies and fans that stand behind these sports. Sports agencies are working on a way to prevent it but there are still debates about sufficient ways to end doping in sports all together. Lance was stripped of all 7 of his Tour De France titles but should it have to get to that point? We need to put an end to doping before the truthful athletes get second place. Not only are these athletes hurting themselves but they are causing other to be unfairly placed, disappointing fans, and making in hard on the anti-doping agencies. History of Doping The earliest records of doping in sport come from the Ancient Olympics games when athletes are reported to have taken figs to improve their performance. (Williams) As agencies grew more aware of the issue they decided to start testing athletes and put a ban of drugs. In the early 19th century athletes started experimenting with drugs to enhance strength and overcome fatigue. (Holt) Since it was not yet illegal there was no telling the extent of what these athletes would do to win. In Sports Illustrated Magazine Michael Rosenberg reports “In 2004 there were 26 reported cases of doping in the summer Olympics alone.” While sports began to grow larger so did the need to succeed. Time went on and athletes started realizing that using certain performance enhancing drugs would increase their chances of winning. More winning meant the more sponsors, endorsements, and of course, fans. As I hear these excuses or lack thereof it doesn’t make sense to me. Being an athlete myself I know that the pressure always fueled me. Just the fact that these athletes went years lying is astonishing, winning would not be the same knowing you cheated. In the article "Performance-Enhancing Drug Resources," a Performance enhancing drug is defined as any drug used by athletes to heighten their abilities in the performance of their sport. Often contains illegal or unethical use of these substances. Some of these drugs are amphetamines, androstendione, erythropoietin, hGH, testosterone that can be used as “steroids.” Performance enhancing drugs are as popular with woman as they are with men. In her article, Melissa Breyer gives the example of Marion Jones, who was “stripped of her medals in 2007, banned from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and sentenced to six months in prison and two years of probation” (Breyer) After pleading guilty in court for her use of the drugs prior to competition. Doping in sports has been around for many years and is only getting worse. Now that there are rules set in place it makes it harder on athletes, but not impossible yet, for them to cheat. Athlete’s Cheating game In 1949 Fausto Coppi, an Italian cyclist, admitted to using amphetamines to win races. He also said he had to use them to remain competitive in the sport. (Holt) Most professional athletes that are caught doping today claim to only use drugs cause without them no one would be able to do such things like the Tour De France race. Athletes don’t plan on getting caught, most see it as an aid to win the title. No matter how pressured you are, that’s not an excuse. Using banned drugs should not be an option. One of the most recent doping cases in sports is Lance Armstrong. After he admitted he was stripped of his 7 Tour De France titles and had to pay back all of his endorsement money. He would’ve never guessed he would be banned from the sport for life. Since there is no real consequences and most athletes get there bans shortened anyway more athletes are cheating. Without using banned drugs, Armstrong would not have won the Tour de France and without those titles, he would not be famous. Without all his career titles, he would not be have made millions in endorsements. Michael Rosenberg said “Lance Armstrong would have been nobody without the help of doping.” Athletes who dope may gain a few more titles but when caught they not only lose their fans but also have to deal with the agencies behind the sport. Agencies Rise up For every sport there are agencies that stand behind the athletes. Along with these agencies there are also anti-doping agencies which work to put an end to doping and deal with athletes that have been caught. Juliet Macur of the New York Times in the article "Armstrong in Discussion to Tell Details" said that after Lance was caught the United States Anti-Doping Agency set an appointment to meet with him and give him the chance to come completely clean but Lance refused. By Lance meeting with the agency he would be “part of the solution.” (Macur) In "Armstrong Refuses to Meet With Anti-Doping Agency” the New York Times explains by lance attending the meeting he could give the agency names of any coaches, officials, or team mates that helped cover up or hide his doping which would help them to clear the industry of cheating. Catching the athletes that are using banned drugs is very important to these agencies. Whether it’s considered a high ranking sport or not the cheating isn’t okay and needs to be put to an end. The Canadian government has renewed its 957,729 contribution to the World Anti-Doping Agency for 2012. (Kondro) The more athletes that are willing to give information the easier it will be to come up with a better solution for this problem. These agencies are committed to finding a solution for this issue and holding those athletes responsible for their actions. In the eyes of the Cheering Section Is it okay for your children to cheat in “Duck, Duck, Goose” or lie to get ahead in a game of tag? It’s hard to teach children not to do these things while their favorite sports player is doing just that. These athletes are looked up to by families, children, and even younger athletes from around the world. Using to get you ahead in sports sets a bad example for all the people who look to you as a role model. In the article titled “Lance Armstrong Doping Confession: In Any Sport, Drugs Are Drugs." It brings up the possibility that these younger athletes may think it is okay to dope if they don’t believe that talent and determination is no longer sufficient enough. The families and their children now see someone who once was seen as a hero as a fake and a cheater. “These athletes are televised and so is the dishonesty of the crime” said the Christian Science Monitor. The fans of these athletes suffer just from witnessing the scandal. The Fans, whether in the stand of in front of the TV are a huge part of sports. They cheer on these professionals and stand behind them in whatever they do. Athletes aren’t just competitors but they are inspirations to people watching everywhere. Finding out someone you believed in has been lying and cheating to win all those titles is devastating. The Monitors Editorial Board say that young future athletes may want to imitate them to receive the same amount as praise and families will no longer be as invested in sports. In "Lance Armstrong Doping Confession: In Any Sport, Drugs Are Drugs" they critique that testing rules are often weak and unable to keep up with the latest chemical inventions which allow some athletes to get away with it. Screening needs to be improved to catch the cheating before the fans watch their “favorite” not only cheat but lie about it in the process. Putting an End to Doping Just as the athletes and fans, agencies want this stopped also. Many agencies are working to find a new solution that is going to catch athletes much faster. Tests are already in place such as urine sampling but a countless number of doping scandals shows that even with such test there is no guarantee for a drug free race. (Callaway) This test breaks down particles in the urine in search for anything suspicious such as banned drugs. (Callaway) Most of these athletes end up finding way to avoid detection and get away with doping. For example, Lance Armstrong was doping for over a decade before he was eventually caught. (Rosenberg) With things such as taking pills to wash your system and even falsifying urine samples athletes have found a way to avoid being detected through urine sample so this test is no longer bullet proof. As agencies work to find new ways to narrow the chance of doping many different ideas have come up. The strongest so far is the biological passport. This was created in hopes of putting an end to cheating, let alone getting away with it. The urine testing became unsuccessful because all it did was break down the products in it for traces of drugs. There are ways to avoid detection such as taking pills to wash your system and even falsifying urine samples. In the article "Racing just to keep up: anti-doping researchers are looking for new ways to catch cheaters. Can a biological passport help to save the sport?" Callaway says “The new idea of the biological passport builds up a profile for each athlete over time to try and detect biochemical changes that might indicate doping.” Some researchers say that the passport offers the best line of defense against performance enhancing drug use, which has fooled inspectors for the past two decades. Biological passports to detect steroid and growth-factor doping are the upcoming solution that could end doping in sports. (Callaway) Another way that could decrease the amount of use is by using the samples in a spectrometer. This is a more efficient way of urine testing. (Zachar) The spectrometer breaks down every particle in search of traces of illegal drugs. The number of doping cases has created an enormous problem in professional sports today. All of the races Lance Armstrong cheated in, all of the people he lied to, Lance would have never gotten away with it for so long if the testing had been able to detect him the first time. Michael Rosenberg said “Lance Armstrong would have been nobody without the help of doping.” Should it even get to that point though? A more efficient test could solve the issue of doping in professional sports and clear the minds of the athletes, fans, and anti-doping agencies. The athletes who succeed will beat other because of hard work and skill; there will be no more lying to win the race. Works Cited Breyer, Melissa. "7 Remarkable Athletes Stripped of Their Honors." Mother Nature Network. . 2(2012): n. page. Web. 29 Mar 013. Callaway, Ewen. "Racing just to keep up: anti-doping researchers are looking for new ways to catch cheaters. Can a biological passport help to save the sport?" Nature 475.7356 (2011): 283+. Academic OneFile. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. Dilger, Alexander, Bernd Frick, and Frank Tolsdorf. "Are athletes doped? Some theoretical arguments and empirical evidence." Contemporary Economic Policy 25.4 (2007): 604+. Academic OneFile. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. Holt, RI. "Result Filters." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 19 Aug. 2009. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. Kondro, Wayne. "Anti-doping allocation." CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal 15 May 2012: E414. Academic OneFile. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. "Lance Armstrong Doping Confession: In Any Sport, Drugs Are Drugs." Monitors Editorial Board. The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. Macur, Juliet. "Armstrong In Discussion To Tell Details." The New York Times. The New York Times, 07 Feb. 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2013 Macur, Juliet. "Armstrong Refuses to Meet With Anti-Doping Agency." The New York Times. The New York Times, 21 Feb. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. "Performance-Enhancing Drug Resources." Performance-Enhancing Drugs, Anabolic Steroids, Steroid Use in Sports. Drug Free Sport, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2013. Rosenberg, Michael. "Here's the Truth: Without Doping Lance Armstrong Would Be Nobody." SI.com. Sports Illustrated, 18 Jan. 2012. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. Williams, Armstrong. "The true scandal of Lance Armstrong: Enough free passes for role models." New York Amsterdam News 24 Jan. 2013: 13. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. Zachar, Gergely. "Determination of Stanozolol and 3.sup.'sup.-hydroxystanozolol in Rat Hair, Urine, and Serum Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry." Academic One File. (2012): 162. Web. 29 Mar. 2013.

Biological Passport to a clean race (http://www.glogster.com/kott22/doping-in-sports/g-6kq9566qp4pcnmbr3429ma0)

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self reflection - topic proposal

1.       This paper wasn’t too hard for me because I’ve written the past three essays on this topic which made the research very easy. The only problems I came across were procrastination because of other class work and coming up with good transitions.

2.       In my opinion the best part of my paper was my introduction. I gave a good interesting opening and I formulated my thesis well. Throughout the intro I gave some details to hook the reader into the rest of the paper.

3.       The weakest part of my paper was adding in the research. I had a hard time balancing my opinion with the research. I had a lot of good sources I could have incorporated more information from them.

4.       I believe I did pretty decent on my last two papers considering the writer I was when I came into Mrs. Thomas’s comp 101 class last semester. I could have improved on incorporating my research and making the transitions of my papers better. All around I could have made the ethos of my paper stronger with the research and made the flow better with better transitions.

topic proposal rough draft

Kristen Ott

Professor: Thomas

Composition 102: rough draft

15 April 2013

Doping in Sports and Biological Passport

Can you imagine being the athlete that gets second to Lance Armstrong in the Tour De France then years later finding out he was cheating the entire time? Drug testing needs to be more efficient so doping can be detected faster. In the article “Are athletes doped? Some theoretical arguments and empirical evidence."  We read how typically we look at athletes as clean competitors, however dating back to the 1960s, doping cases have taken over the professional world of sports. (Dilger etal) The number of doping cases has created an enormous problem in professional sports today. Lance Armstrong is a prime example of the serious consequences that come with cheating in such sports as bicycling.  In order to stop or cut down on doping in sports the United States anti-doping agency should introduce the biological passport which would create an ongoing record for professional athletes to make it easier to detect banned drugs.

Past and Present

The earliest records of doping in sport come from the Ancient Olympics games when athletes are reported to have taken figs to improve their performance. (Williams) As agencies grew more aware of the issue they decided to start testing athletes and put a ban of drugs. In the early 19th century athletes started experimenting with drugs to enhance strength and overcome fatigue. (Holt) Since it was not yet illegal there was no telling the extent of what these athletes would do to win. Now that there are rules set in place it makes it harder on athletes, but not impossible yet, for them to cheat.

In Sports Illustrated Magazine Michael Rosenberg reports “In 2004 there were 26 reported cases of doping in the summer Olympics alone.” While sports began to grow larger so did the need to succeed. Time went on and athletes started realizing that using certain performance enhancing drugs would increase their chances of winning. More winning meant the more sponsors, endorsements, and of course, fans. As I hear these excuses or lack thereof it doesn’t make sense to me. Being an athlete myself I know that the pressure always fueled me. Just the fact that these athletes went years lying is astonishing, winning would not be the same knowing you cheated. Doping in sports has been around for many years and is only getting worse. Urine sampling was supposed to be a test that would no longer allow athletes to cheat.

Failure to enforce testing

            “I’m clean, check the test.” For professional athletes to be able to compete they have to go through testing to prove they aren’t using any performance enhancing drugs. This test is to prove that it will be a good clean race. The test that is currently being used is urine testing. This test breaks down particles in the urine in search for anything suspicious such as banned drugs.  In the article "Racing just to keep up: anti-doping researchers are looking for new ways to catch cheaters. Can a biological passport help to save the sport?" Callaway explains how countless number of doping scandals shows that even with such test there is no guarantee for a drug free race.

You would think that urine sampling would be an efficient way of detection right? Wrong. There are ways to avoid detection such as taking pills to wash your system and even falsifying urine samples. (Callaway) Most of these athletes end up finding way to avoid detection and get away with doping. For example, Lance Armstrong was doping for over a decade before he was eventually caught. (Rosenberg) Lance was stripped of all 7 of his Tour De France titles and had to pay back all of his endorsement money. All of the races he cheated in, all of the people he lied to, Lance would have never gotten away with it for so long if the testing had been able to detect him the first time. Michael Rosenberg said “Lance Armstrong would have been nobody without the help of doping.” Should it even get to that point though? A more efficient test needs to be put in place before the truthful athletes get second.

What is the Biological Passport?

            Somehow athletes have found a way to avoid being detected through urine sample so this test is no longer bullet proof. Now the urine sampling is proven to not be enough it is time to enforce a new type of detection. Drug agencies have been recently talking about a biological passport. The urine testing became unsuccessful because all it did was break down the products in it for traces of drugs.  Callaway says “The new idea of the biological passport builds up a profile for each athlete over time to try and detect biochemical changes that might indicate doping.” This new form of testing would not just check for drugs at the moment but detect any change that appears overtime also. This would narrow the chances of avoiding detection. Some researchers say that the passport offers the best line of defense against performance enhancing drug use, which has fooled inspectors for the past two decades. Biological passports to detect steroid and growth-factor doping are the upcoming solution that could end doping in sports. (Callaway)

Problem solver

            The Canadian government has renewed its 957,729 contribution to the World Anti-Doping Agency for 2012. (Kondro) These agencies say they are committed to finding a solution for this issue and holding those athletes responsible for their actions. All of the money put into the urine testing could be used to enforce the new biological passport. In the "Athlete Biological Passport - World Anti-Doping Agency,” the WADA explains how the fundamental principle of the Athlete Biological Passport is based on the monitoring of selected biological parameters over time that will indirectly reveal the effects of doping rather than attempting to detect the doping substance itself. The agencies are working on making the detections stronger by making it possible to detect even the smallest amount of drugs. The fight against doping relies on several strategies, including the direct testing of athletes as well as evidence gathered in the context of non-analytical doping violations. By combining these strategies, and seeking new ones to address emerging threats, the global fight against doping is more effective.(WADA) They plan on implementing this new form of testing for all athletes in not just cycling but every professional sport.

Some say it will cost too much to enforce this new type of testing so there would be no point. In reality by implementing the biological passport these agencies will save money in the end. The critics are overlooking the amount of money the agencies pay for every doping scandal investigation. It would be worth spending the extra money to implement the more efficient testing so they could save money with a fewer number of doping cases. Lance Armstrong is an American professional cyclist who has a net worth of $125 million. In the article "Lance Armstrong Net Worth," Brian Warner says Lance makes roughly 15 million dollars a year from speaking engagements, public appearance fees and sponsorships alone. With professional athletes making this much in one year they should be able to pay for testing themselves to prove they are clean. No matter what way you look at it the biological passport would cost less money than the urine sampling along with all the doping scandals.

At the end of the race

Is it okay for your children to cheat in “Duck, Duck, Goose” or lie to get ahead in a game of tag?  It’s hard to teach children not to do these things while their favorite sports player is doing just that. In the article titles “Lance Armstrong Doping Confession: In Any Sport, Drugs Are Drugs." It brings up the possibility that these younger athletes may think it is okay to dope if they don’t believe that talent and determination is no longer sufficient enough. Implementing the biological passport would enable the anti-doping agencies to detect the cheating before it even gets to the public.

No matter how you look at it, doping is a form of cheating. Urine sampling is no longer efficient enough to stop doping. This idea for the biological passport sounds to be the most recent, more efficient way to put an end to cheating in professional sports.

           

 

 

Works Citied

"Athlete Biological Passport - World Anti-Doping Agency." World Anti-Doping Agency. WADA, 20 Nov. 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.

Callaway, Ewen. "Racing just to keep up: anti-doping researchers are looking for new ways to catch cheaters. Can a biological passport help to save the sport?" Nature 475.7356 (2011): 283+. Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

Dilger, Alexander, Bernd Frick, and Frank Tolsdorf. "Are athletes doped? Some theoretical arguments and empirical evidence." Contemporary Economic Policy 25.4 (2007): 604+. Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

Holt, RI. "Result Filters." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 19 Aug. 2009. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

Kondro, Wayne. "Anti-doping allocation." CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal 15 May 2012: E414. Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

"Lance Armstrong Doping Confession: In Any Sport, Drugs Are Drugs." Monitors Editorial Board.  The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

Rosenberg, Michael. "Here's the Truth: Without Doping Lance Armstrong Would Be Nobody." SI.com. Sports Illustrated, 18 Jan. 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

Warner, Brian. "Lance Armstrong Net Worth." RSS. Celebrity Net Worth, 22 Oct. 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.

working thesis and outline for paper 4

Working thesis:

                In order to stop or cut down on doping in sports the United States anti-doping agency should introduce the biological passport which would create an ongoing record for professional athletes to make it easier to detect banned drugs.

Outline:

Doping in sports and the biological passport

                -story of the past (examples)

                -connecting it to athletes everywhere

Failed attempts

                -what are past test

                -why they are not as good

                -How athletes get avoid getting caught -thesis

Biological passport?

                -introduce the idea (what it entails)

                -why it is the best possibility

                -statistics

Problem solver

                -how they plan to implement this new form of testing

                -how it would benefit in the long run

Conclusion:

                -why a new way is needed

                -how it effects not just the athletes but everyone

-how fans can help

 

Prospectus for Essay 4- doping in sports

he issue I am writing about is Lance Armstrong and doping in sports. This issue is only getting worse and it needs to be tended to. Athletes in every sport are either getting away with it or being caught using banned drugs after years of cheating. These athletes are finding ways around the urine test such as taking pills to flush your system or falsifying the urine. A new solution needs to be enforced so the cheating stops. The people who could put an end to doping are the drug agencies. This is my audience because they have the power to make the change and do something about it.

                The solution that I am proposing is the Biological passport. This is a stronger way of detection. This to me is the best possible way because it monitors over time. The passport builds up a profile for each athlete over time to try and detect biochemical changes that might indicate doping. Biological passports to detect steroid and growth-factor doping are the upcoming solution that could end doping in sports. Biological passports are better than urine testing because it is, if not impossible, harder to fool. It is not just a onetime urine test; it monitors your body over time so if the slightest change happens they suspect something. This will decrease the number of athletes that get away with doping. I will build rhetorical appeal by creating ethos with my sources. Logos will be created by my statistics and numbers. Athletes that were truthful but ended up getting second to someone who used performance enhancing drugs could also evoke emotion in the reader. Talking about how children everywhere look at to these athletes that have been cheating will create pathos. I have been writing about this issue since paper two so I am excited to talk about a solution.

paper three rough draft

Lying to win the race

Introduction

All the pressure of the whole world watching you anticipating another title and waiting on your victory speech, you know you’ve fooled them for over a decade already so why stop now. I mean who’s actually going to win a Tour De France title without banned drugs anyway right? Wrong. Typically we look at athletes as clean competitors but however dated back to the 1968 doping cases have taken over the professional world of sports. (Dilger)  Some of the largest names in sports have been tried and caught for cheating with banned drugs including Lance Armstrong. He used banned drugs for many years and got away with it for the majority of time. Just because athletes have gotten away with it before does not make it right. No matter how you look at it, it’s a form of cheating.

            These athletes are looked up to by people around the world as heroes and competitors when in reality some of them turn out to just be liars. The pressure for athletes to succeed should be a reason to push yourself harder not to take the easy way and use drugs that will help you to win. Doping in sports is an urgent issue because it affects not only athletes themselves but agencies and fans that stand behind these sports. Drug agencies are working on a way to prevent it but there are still debates about sufficient ways to end doping in sports all together. Lance was stripped of all 7 of his Tour De France titles but should it have to get to that point? We need to put an end to doping before the truthful athletes get second place.

History of doping

            In 2004 there were 26 reported cases of doping in the summer Olympics alone. (Rosenberg) Doping in sports has been around for many years and is only getting worse. As sports began to grow larger so did the need to succeed. As time went on athletes realized using certain performance enhancing drugs would increase their chances of winning. The more winning meant the more sponsors, endorsements, and of course, fans. As I hear these excuses or lack thereof it doesn’t make sense to me. Being an athlete myself I know that the pressure always fueled me. Just the fact that these athletes went years lying is astonishing, winning would not be the same knowing you cheated.

The earliest records of doping in sport come from the Ancient Olympics games when athletes are reported to have taken figs to improve their performance. (Williams) As agencies grew more aware of the issue they decided to start testing athletes and put a ban of drugs. In the early 19^th century athletes started experimenting with drugs to enhance strength and overcome fatigue. (Holt) Since it was not yet illegal there was no telling the extent of what these athletes would do to win. Now that there are rules set in place it makes it harder on athletes, but not impossible yet, for them to cheat.

Athlete’s stand point

            In 1949 Fausto Coppi, an Italian cyclist, admitted to using amphetamines to win races. He also said he had to use them to remain competitive in the sport. (Holt) Most professional athletes that are caught doping today claim to only use drugs cause without them no one would be able to do such things like the Tour De France race. Athletes don’t plan on getting caught and see it as an aid to win the title. No matter how pressured you are that’s not an excuse. Using banned drugs should not be an option. One of the most recent doping cases of doping in sports is Lance Armstrong. After he admitted he was stripped of his 7 Tour De France titles and had to pay back all of his endorsement money. He would’ve never guessed he would be banned from the sport for life. Since there is no real consequences and most athletes get there bans shortened anyway more athletes are cheating. Without using banned drugs, Armstrong would not have won the Tour de France and without those titles, he would not be famous. Without all his career titles, he would not be have made millions in endorsements. Lance Armstrong would have been nobody without the help of doping. (Rosenberg)

Agencies stand point

            For every sport there are agencies that stand behind the athletes. Along with these agencies there are also anti-doping agencies which work to put an end to doping and deal with athletes that have been caught. Macur of the New York Times said that after Lance was caught the United States Anti-Doping Agency set an appointment to meet with him and give him the chance to come completely clean but lance refused. By lance meeting with the agency he would be “part of the solution.” (Macur) By lancing attending the meeting he could give the agency names of any coaches, officials, or team mates that helped cover up or hide his doping which would help them to clear the industry of cheating.

            Catching the athletes that are using banned drugs is very important to these agencies. Whether it’s considered a high ranking sport or not the cheating isn’t okay and needs to be put to an end. The Canadian government has renewed its 957,729 contribution to the World Anti-Doping Agency for 2012. (Kondro) The more athletes that are willing to give information the easier it will be to come up with a better solution for this problem. These agencies are committed to finding a solution for this issue and holding those athletes responsible for their actions.

intro and thesis for paper three

All the pressure of the whole world watching you anticipating another title and waiting on your victory speech, you know you’ve fooled them for over a decade already so why stop now. I mean who’s actually going to win a Tour De France title without banned drugs anyway right? Wrong. Typically we look at athletes as clean competitors but however dated back to the 1980s doping cases have taken over the professional world of sports. (Dilger)  Some of the largest names in sports have been tried and caught for cheating with banned drugs including Lance Armstrong. He used banned drugs for many years and got away with it for the majority of time. Just because athletes have gotten away with it before does not make it right. No matter how you look at it, it’s a form of cheating.

            These athletes are looked up to by people around the world as heroes and competitors when in reality some of them turn out to just be liars. The pressure for athletes to succeed should be a reason to push yourself harder not to take the easy way and use drugs that will help you to win. Doping in sports is an urgent issue because it affects not only athletes themselves but agencies and fans that stand behind these sports. Drug agencies are working on a way to prevent it but there are still debates about sufficient ways to end doping in sports all together. Lance was stripped of all 7 of his Tour De France titles but should it have to get to that point? We need to put an end to doping before the truthful athletes get second place.

topic for paper three and four

My topic is the Lance Armstrong issue of doping in sports. Since I wrote my last paper on this issue I am already familiar with it. Lance finally admitted he used banned drugs during an interview with Oprah Windfrey. Lance Armstrong lied to everyone for over a decade, He used banned drugs and cheated on majority of his titles. He was stripped of all 7 of his tour de France titles and had to pay back all of his sponsors money.

            The stakeholders in this issue are Lance himself, people who stood by him such as Rick Reilly, other athletes that lost to lance, and officials of sports such as cycling. All four of these people play a role in this issue because they all have something they could do or say about it. By using this topic I want to uncover more about athletes who use banned drugs and find out what consequences if any they will receive. Doping in sports is a serious issue that has taken over the world of professional sports that needs to be controlled. These athletes need to be reprimanded for their actions so that the amount of cheating will start to decrease. I have yet to come across any problems while researching my topic.. knock on wood!(:

 The true scandal of Lance Armstrong: Enough free passes for role models.

http://proxy.uscupstate.edu:2555/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=7b39cc86-3413-4f1f-91be-16107657a0fb%40sessionmgr113&hid=122&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=85265787

 Lance Armstrong doping confession: In any sport, drugs are drugs.

http://proxy.uscupstate.edu:2555/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=7b39cc86-3413-4f1f-91be-16107657a0fb%40sessionmgr113&hid=122&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=84995118

 Are They All Dirty? Does It Matter? Should We Care?

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 Lessons of Lance Armstrong doping scandal.

http://proxy.uscupstate.edu:2555/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=7b39cc86-3413-4f1f-91be-16107657a0fb%40sessionmgr113&hid=122&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=79329276

 Liar, liar, Lance on fire.

http://proxy.uscupstate.edu:2555/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=7b39cc86-3413-4f1f-91be-16107657a0fb%40sessionmgr113&hid=122&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=84294366

 

rough draft paper two

Kristen Ott

Professor: Thomas

Composition 102: rough draft

20 February 2013

Hero or Liar?

7 Tour De France titles, an inspirational to people around the world, and it was all a lie? Lance Doping in sports has become a large issue that is hard to control. Armstrong has been looked up to as a hero in athletics by tons of people all over. He was accused countless times by people of doping and cheating in bicycling every year yet he convinced people none of it was true and he would never do that. Plenty of people stood by Armstrong’s side in disbelief of the accusations. How could someone get away with lying all those years without anyone uncovering the truth? Finally on January 14^th, 2013 Lance stood up and came clean to Oprah Windfrey and the millions on people watching.  Armstrong had lied and cheated for almost a decade and had finally admitted it. This stunned people everywhere; someone that had become one of the most celebrated cyclists in our history after surviving cancer was a fraud.

Following the interview with Oprah thousands of articles flooded the internet and news with something to say about this shocking realization. In “it’s all about the lies” by Rick Reilly, he shows a very personal side to this situation. Rick believes Lance Armstrong does not deserve to be forgiven so quickly after he made a fool of everyone that believed in him. Rick thinks Armstrong deserve everything he is getting. On the other hand the article by Jonathan Biles, “Lance Armstrong’s true accomplishments are off the bicycle” gives reason why he should be forgiven and remembered for all the positive things he did throughout his career instead of the lies. Because Rick Reilly focuses on sports and all the deceit throughout lances career the argument made in “It’s all about the lies” is much stronger compared to the argument made by Jonathan Biles in “Lance Armstrong’s true accomplishments are off the bicycle,” which relies on Lances other services instead of the large topic at hand. Both arguments touch on the topic of doping which has taken over the professional world of sports.

Rick Reilly is someone who stood by Lance’s side and promoted him throughout his entire career. When Rick heard the news he could not believe Armstrong lied to him all those times. “And the whole time he was lying. Right in my earpiece. Knowing that I'd hang up and go back out there and spread the fertilizer around some more,” said Reilly about a phone he had with lance. The author of this article, Rick Reilly, spent 14 years of his life on Armstrong’s side, defending him and putting his trust in him. This article focuses on the sports aspect of Lance’s life and the many people he lied to including Reilly.  After reading what Rick has to say you feel betrayed and mad. This evokes emotion and helps you to better understand what Reilly is going through finding out he stood up for someone all those years for nothing. The emotional side of this argument allows people to agree that Lance does not deserve to be forgiven right away, let alone at all. “And I guess I should let it go, but I keep thinking how hard he used me. Made me look like a sap. Made me carry his dirty water and I didn't even know it.” This quote by rick Reilly portrays the way the lies affect other people. Armstrong made everyone that believed in him or looked up to him like a fool.

Reilly’s argument is so strong because he gives examples of how lying in sports is such a corrupt thing. “But here's the thing. When he says he's sorry now, how do we know he's not still lying? How do we know it's not just another great performance by the all-time leader in them?” this quote itself incases the anger and distrust that Armstrong has now earned.  After getting stripped of his titles and the millions in endorsements he had that is still not enough of a punishment.  Everything he did throughout his athletic career was a lie, none of it was real. Lance depended on performance enhancing drugs to win all his titles. Lance isn’t a role model; he couldn’t do it all without using drugs to help him.

"Lance Armstrong's True Accomplishments are Off the Bicycle" by Jonathan Biles attempts to show another side of the issue. Biles tries to talk about Lance Armstrong’s charitable side instead of his deceitful side.  Throughout this article Biles says things like “Cycling is one of the most grueling sports in the world but also one of the most corrupt.” So does this make it okay for Armstrong to lie for years?  Jonathan Biles believes that Lance deserves a second chance and should be forgiven. Instead of looking at the athletic side he tries to shed light on the positives in lances career. “He also cheated, was stripped of every title and banned for life for using illegal performance-enhancing drugs. After all his transgressions, however, he should be forgiven because of the good his charitable contributions have accomplished.” This is true but does it really have anything to do with the issue of doping in sports? Biles tries to look past his cheating and lying and see the charitable side of his career. Just because lance helped with charities while he was lying he should be forgiven? Jonathan gives good points but fails to focus on the topic at hand. The issue with lance is his dishonest actions in all of his athletic accomplishments. No one is saying Lance Armstrong didn’t do some positive things in his life but that’s not what the issue is about. The large picture is doping in sports not charity.

Both the article by Rick Reilly and by Jonathan Biles mentions the corruption in sports. Reilly’s argument is stronger because he stays on the topic of sports and the lies Lance Armstrong pulled off for years whereas Biles tries to distract you from that with other services like charity that Lance did during his career. The article Biles wrote is not as effective because it attempts to avoid the bigger picture which is doping in sports. Weather lance donated to charities or not that does not take away the fact that all of his achievements were reached while on banned drugs. In the interview with Oprah Armstrong says he didn’t feel wrong or bad about doing it at the time he was just scared to get caught. Does this sound like a hero to you?

article summaries

My first article is "Lance Armstrong's True Accomplishments are Off the Bicycle." This article is not particularly for Lance but it attempts to show another side of the issue. This article talks about his other accomplishments in life such as his charitable side. Lance has done a lot of work for charities through out his life. Johnathan Biles argues that rather then being tortured for his wrong doings in athletics he should also be looked at for all the work he has put in for others. This part of his life was just as inspiring as his athletic side some would say. This article trys to shed light on the positives of his life rather break him down for his deciet in athletics.

My second article is "It's all about the lies." This article on the other hand is very against Lance. The author of this article, Rick Rielly, spent 14 years of his life on Armstrongs side, defending him. The article talks about the lies and all the wasted time spent believing in such a man. Rick is very hostile and took it personally because Lance looked him in the eyes and lied to him so it makes it much harder to forgive him. This article compared to the other looks more at the intgreity side, the athletic side, and all the hurt that was caused. "When he says he's sorry now, how do we know he's not still lying? How do we know it's not just another great performance by the all-time leader in them?" this quote is one of the main points of this article, rick believes Lance deserved no one to feel bad for him, he earned everything he is getting. This article is more along the lines of uncovering all of the fakeness behind everything Lance has done.

I believe both articles shows too strong points and will create a great paper. The topic of Lance Armstrong will have plenty of information for me to research and use throughout my paper.

self reflection

When I first began this assignment, I thought I would just compare ethos, pathos, and logos and as I did some thinking, writing and research my ideas changed and I thought I should talk about to content and the message of the video. When I started this assignment the sarah mclachlan video was the first to come to mind. I choose this piece because it appeals to the audience in every sense and is a very convincing commercial. The hardest part of this paper was writing about the ethos. I solved this problem by researching deeper into the topic to find more evidence for the credibility.  Professor Thomas was a huge help in writing my paper. I took all the advice she gave me from my rough draft. Her advice helped to me to refocus my essay and make my argument stronger. All in all I think this essay wasn’t too bad.

rough draft

Kristen Ott

 

Professor: Thomas

 

Composition 102: rough draft

 

28 January 2013         

 

The arms of an Angel

 

How would you feel if you were walking outside and saw an animal on the sidewalk bleeding and beaten? Whether you’re a dog lover or not, most people can’t stand to see an animal get hurt let alone see the aftermath of abuse. You don’t have to own an animal to understand the damage caused by animal cruelty. Sarah McLachlan’s song “In the arms of an angel” touches your heart no matter what the situation is. Adding hurt or abandoned animals to it will grab your attention. Throughout BC SPCA’s commercial on animal cruelty Sarah McLachlan used many different devices such as the overall tone, factual information, and imagery to back up the argument and create ethos, logos, and pathos. This commercial is about animal cruelty and focuses on campaigning for your help. As soon as you hear the song on your television most people automatically know what it’s for. Seeing those abused animals on your screen and hearing how easy it is to help, it’s hard to stop to turn away.

 

            The BC SPCA is a huge part of creating ethos for this commercial. The BC SPCA stands for British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This society is all about helping abused animals and finding ways to make a better life for them through the donations they receive. Sarah McLachlan’s background makes this video stronger. McLachlan is a widely known pop singer and has a good reputation. She is always a participant in the fight against animal cruelty which makes her a good representative for the BC SPCA. Knowing about the BC SPCA and Sarah’s background adds credibility to the commercial. The overall tone of this commercial is not only sad but it is also persuading. While she is talking she has a dog sitting on her lap with a sincere look on her face. Her voice sounds powerful and intellectual which makes you buy into what she is saying. At the end of the video Sarah says, saving an animal’s life only cost a small percentage such as sixty cents a day. This gives you the impression that is it very inexpensive and easy when in reality it is about 18 dollars a month and around 216 dollars a year.

 

As you watch commercials come across the screen you normally look for the logic behind them. What’s the point they are trying to get across? The logos of an argument is very important. BC SPCA creates logos by stating factual information and showing the real life effects of cats and dogs that have been treated cruelly. Throughout the video there are pictures of the injuries pets have enquired by their past owners. Some are badly beaten and some are even missing limbs. Along with this harsh reality towards the end Sarah tells you some facts about the abuse. For example, she explains how animals are treated badly every day and there is one in need of your help right now. Near the end of the video she explains how bad these animals need your help and how easy it is to make a difference for them. This device adds to the logos and makes the purpose of the commercial clear.   

 

“In the arms of an angel” is a sentimental song that pulls the stings of your heart. The lyrics of the song say “Spend all your time waiting for that second chance, for the break that will make it ok,” these lyrics go hand in hand with the commercial’s message. If you pay attention to the lyrics as the video progresses you can hear things like; so tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn there's vultures and thieves at your back. Powerful words like this and the tone of her voice throughout the song create a venerable atmosphere and adds to the pathos. The last verse in the song says, “You're in the arms of the Angels; may you find some comfort here” although this song was not written about these animals these words flow well with the feelings that are created in the video.  Having something so slow and heartbreaking playing in the background helps to manipulate your emotions into feeling bad for the animals in the commercial and makes you more likely to help.

Sarah not only uses audio but also images and imagery to evoke emotion. As the song plays several images of beaten cats and dogs pop up on the screen. Not only the effect of this but the use of imagery as Sarah talks at the end about the animals past allows you to picture what these animals went through. For example, in the commercial she says animals are beaten and abused every day and are crying out for your help. She uses strong words and mentions things lie will you be and angel for a helpless animal. Theses rhetorical devices make it easier for the viewer to connect with the commercial and involve their feelings. Doing things like this bring out the emotional side in the viewers but pathos, ethos, and logos together are what makes the argument stronger.

 

The BC SPCA combines ethos, pathos, and logos to back up their argument. The tone of the commercial makes the viewer feel more entitled to make a donation. As the video progresses Sarah states facts at the end to help you to better understand the severity of the issue which creates logic and helps to get the message across. Throughout the entire video there are images of abused animals and sad music playing in the background. These images mixed with the imagery McLachlan creates in your mind evokes emotion and brings out the pathos in the commercial. After listening and watching this commercial, most people are inclined to make a donation to this organization. This video is so convincing because it combines rhetorical devices to make each example of pathos, ethos, and logos stronger.   

outline and thesis

Throughout Sarah Mclachlans commerical on animal cruelty she used many different devices to back up her argument. She uses imagery to evoke pathos, diction to create ethos, and factual information to bring in logos.

 

 

OUTLINE:

introduction- summary of the commerical and thesis

pathos- devices that contribute to it

ethos- sarahs background and devices

logos- devices that add to it
 
how this benifits the argument and makes people more willing to help

conclusion

 

responce to basic questions for essay

The author of the video I choose is Sarah McLachlan. This adds to the ethos of the message because of her reputation. Sarah is a well known pop singer who, in the video, shows knowledge and is sincere in trying to help. The goal of this video is to encourage people to donate money to help animals who have been abused. Throughout the video Sarah makes it hard to refuse. Not only Sarah but the pictures, background music, and facts convince the viewer that help is needed. She doesnt just explain her purpose she also gets the message across by showing pictures to back up her argument of animal cruelty. The audience is everyone watching but can be narrowed down to animal lovers. This is effective to them because just watching this video would be hard to do. This commerical is organized in a way so it progresses. In the begining it is just sad music and pictures of beaten animals. Then as it continues Sarah gets on the screen(with a dog in her lap) and talks about the horros these animals go through and how deeply they nheed your help. The devices the author uses are imagery, diction, and even the tone of the message. The imagery creates the pictures in your head of what the animals went through and how brutal they were treated. The use of strong word choice emphesizes the importance of your help. Finally the tone of the message evokes emotion and enduces you to make a donation. I believe this commerical is very effective. My family has actually made a donbation before because we are big dog lovers. Sarah gets the point across in a very encouraging and convincing way. This ad pulls the strings of our hearts and gets the message into the minds of the viewers.

introduction

Hey guys my names Kristen, all my friends normally call me otter. I came all the way down here from the boring little town Sicklerville, New Jersey. I have always been a so called "want to be" southern girl and have dreamt of attending college in South Carolina. I am attending upstate for my nursing degree and to make a difference. My mom went to school for nursing and I always have wanted to follow in her footsteps and get my degree.  I have been coming to South Carolina for all-star cheerleading ever since I was 7. I fell in love with it and decided I wanted to move here. After making up my mind I applied to all the major schools in the state. I applied to Clemson, costal Carolina, USC upstate and USC Columbia. I ended up getting a full ride to Columbia for athletics and academics but decided to come to upstate to cheer at a local gym in Greenville for my freshman year.

 A few of my passions are cheerleading and figure skating. I started cheerleading at 4 years old as the little one on my big sisters team. Ever since that day my life has revolved around cheerleading. I traveled all over the place to compete and attend camps. I am very athletic and enjoy doing any type of activity. I also love being around people and trying to do everything I can to make some ones day. I plan on making a difference everyday which brings me to my major, nursing. I plan on graduating from undergrad school in three years (taking summer classes) and attending grad school at Columbia to further my nursing career. I plan on getting an apartment and living in South Carolina throughout my schooling. Even though I am originally a jersey girl I am extremely happy to be down south. 

topic for essay one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gspElv1yvc

Sarah McLachlan Animal Cruelty Video

For my first essay I am choosing to write about animal cruelty. This commecial uses all of the rehetorical devices to convince and evoke emotion in the audience. Not only the sad pictures of the dogs and cats but also the music in the begining serve as the pathos of this commerical. As soon as the background music starts to play most people automatically feel bad for the animals and are more likely to do anything they can to help. The ethos of this commerical is the author or speaker of the video. Sarah McLachlan has a good reputation as a widely known pop singer. She also is deeply involved with the BCSPCA. The logos of this video is all the statistics of how many animals are abused or mistreated. At the end of the video Sarah is talking and encourages you to help by just paying 60 cents a day to save these animals. I think this topic will be easy to write about and is very well known.