Were you invited to a Super Bowl party but don’t know who’s playing? Maybe your best friend is a huge fan of the Baltimore… Bills? Don’t know who Patrick Mahomes is and at this point you’re too afraid to ask? Look no further, this is the article for you. 

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest television events of the year. It’s the one day when it seems like everyone, even those who don’t care about football the other 364 days, suddenly come out with very strong opinions about what a bunch of millionaire men do or don’t do with a ball. I’m not here to turn you into a die-hard fan. If you’re tired of “Superb Owl” jokes, or saying you only watch for the commercials, or having nothing to talk to your friends about until the halftime show, then I’m here to help. 

These tips are applicable to most sports, but particularly to team sports, and can be adapted at your own discretion. Here are my top five things to say while watching a sporting event to convince others that you totally understand what’s going on: 

1. “Consistency”
How to use it:
“So long as we stay consistent…”
“If we can just stay consistent…”
“I’ve been saying it all season. It’s in the consistency.”
When to use it: When the conversation turns to discussing performance or strategy, also known as couch coaching or armchair quarterbacking. It’s particularly useful when the team your friends are cheering for messes up. This kind of talk is typically critical, but this is a good and versatile phrase to use. It’s also unique enough that you shouldn’t be suspected of simply parroting buzzwords. 

2. “Stay healthy”
How to use it:
“The players need to stay healthy.”
“We need to play smart and not get hurt.”
“There’s been a lot of injuries this season.”
Keep your tone light while still sounding like what you’re saying means something. Don’t be so serious as to let them think that you have strong feelings about a particular player or incident.
When to use it: Like talking about consistency, this is a good neutral option. You can throw this one out during small talk pretty much anytime. During a game, you can say this whenever someone on your team gets hurt. 

3. “Let’s hold on to it”
How to use it:
“Let’s see if we can hold on to the lead.”
“We need to hold on to the lead.”
“Alright, in the lead, let’s hold on to it.”
When to use it: This one requires you to be sure that the team you (or your friends) want to win is the one currently winning. Toss this out during the celebration moment after they’ve taken a lead, or when the other team scores and gets close to overtaking your team. This is a good one to use when your team is winning near the end of the game. 

4. “Big plays”
How to use it:
“Let’s see some big plays out there.”
“We’re playing too much small ball.”
“We need a big play. Make something happen.”
Repeatable. 
When to use it: When things are getting boring and your team isn’t doing great. At some point past the halfway mark, there’s bound to be a lull in the proceedings. This is a good thing to say to kindly pump some energy back into the room. You can also use this one anytime your team hasn’t done anything exciting in a while, especially when losing. Some games are just bad to watch, and this is a nice, optimistic contribution. 

5. Pick a non-score number on the screen and say it like it means something. 
How to use it: 
“Only eight minutes left!”
“Fourth-and-5.”
“52 passing yards already?”
Repeatable.
When to use it: This tip requires you to pay attention a bit to the function of the scoreboard. The score should be easy to find. Don’t say that one. There might also be a small number that keeps counting down separate from the game clock that starts at either 40 or 25. Don’t say that one either unless it’s about to hit zero. For all other numbers, you’re probably safe. The game time is a good one because it’s easy to find on the screen and will make it look like you’re staying invested in following the game. If you still aren’t sure, take note of what numbers everyone else is saying and use those. 

6. Extra: Just ask questions 
How to use it:
We all love to talk about the stuff we like. Sports fans love to talk about sports. Odds are that whoever you’re watching with won’t care if you don’t know a touchback from a technical foul, and if they do, they probably won’t be fun to watch a game with anyway.

Let yourself be curious, but don’t expect them to walk you through every single second. Ask about words you don’t understand, rules that you can’t figure out, or what a statistic is measuring. Try guessing what the referee is going to call or complain if they make a call against your team. Throw in your two cents about the slow-motion replay. 

Whatever you do, remember that at the end of the day, it’s just a game and games are supposed to be fun. Get out there and have a good time!

As the 75th anniversary of the NBA kicks off and the leaves begin to change colors, fans across the nation dive into their passion for the game and the history of their teams. For Kansas City sports fans, many remember the time when the Sacramento Kings were actually the Kansas City Kings, and many questions their potential return.

Adam Silver, the current commissioner of the NBA, stated officially that the NBA is looking to expand to a total of 32 teams with the motivation being to make up for the financial losses accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic. In terms of funding, they would likely take out a loan between $3 and 44 billion dollars. One city, Seattle, is already promising in the eyes of the NBA Administrative offices. Similar to Kansas City, Seattle also used to house their own NBA franchise: the Seattle Sonics. The Sonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008, albeit much later than the move from Kansas City to Sacramento. 

However, infrastructure obstacles that have plagued the city’s attempting restructuring plans for years hold Kansas City back from being an obvious contender for a new team. Talks of Kauffman Stadium, where the Royals play, moving to the downtown area of the city have not yet left the corporate meeting rooms.

NBA Administrative Team President Andy Dolich uses a personal philosophy when deciding to add new teams: “The A is avidity: the market you’re picking has to be an avid sports market. The B is simple: Who is your billionaire? If you don’t have your billionaire, you don’t have anything. The C in the community: the elected officials, the leading businesses who are going to support you and the fan base. The D [destination] is where are you playing? The NBA is not playing in yesterday’s arena. Those are the four key parts.”. 

Despite Mayor Quinton Lucas’ advertising on his personal Twitter account, analysts at MSNBC say that offering an expansion team in Las Vegas is more appealing than the midwest. The NHL has added the Golden Knights and the NFL has moved the Raiders to their new stadium, with each achieving fan and financial success. 

However, what analysts believe is Vegas’s greatest strength is also its biggest weakness:  dependency on tourism. If Vegas were to ever take a dip in tourists, it would greatly affect the NBA as well. This gives Kansas City an edge in providing stability, as the T-Mobile center itself was built originally to house basketball games in its inception. 

Basketball fans in the Kansas City Metro area will need to keep their fingers crossed if they hope to be able to call a team their own one day. Until then, fans will have to make do with their Royals and Chiefs, which are both in good hands thanks to Patrick Mahomes.

Looking for something to do on campus this week? Here are some of the events that are hosted by and for the Jewell community:

On Tuesday, Feb. 23, the women’s basketball team will be going up against Drury University at 6 p.m. This away game, as well as other away games, can be viewed on the William Jewell College athletics page. 

On Wednesday, Feb. 24, Gender Issues and Feminism (GIF) is hosting a discussion about Black feminism in room 112 of the PLC at 10:30 a.m. The discussion will center around a video about Black feminism in celebration of Black History Month. 

On Thursday, Feb. 25, in room 221/222 of the Yates-Gill Union, Black Student Alliance (BSA) is hosting their annual Jewell Kitchen event to honor local Black foods and Black culinary influences. Tickets for this event will be sold during Jewell Time in the Union until the day of the event, or until all tickets are sold.

On Friday, Feb. 26, GIF is hosting a Menstrual Product Drive in the Union. Students can donate menstrual products to GIF for their “Take One, Leave One” campaign. This campaign allows the club to offer free menstrual products to the Jewell community in various bathroom locations across campus. 

At 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., the softball team will be going up against the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Northwest Missouri State University, respectively. At 5 p.m., the women’s soccer team will be going up against Drury University, and the men’s soccer team will also go up against Drury at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Feb. 27, the softball team will be going up against Upper Iowa University at 11 a.m. The women’s basketball team will face off against Rockhurst University at 1 p.m. At the same time, the women’s and men’s tennis teams will be going up against Missouri Valley College. At 3 p.m., the men’s basketball team will play Rockhurst University. At the same time, the softball team will be going up against Midwestern State University Texas and the women’s volleyball team will be going up against the University of Southern Indiana. At 6 p.m., the women’s volleyball team will be facing off against Maryville University. 

On Sunday, Feb. 28, the women’s soccer team will play against Missouri S&T at 12 p.m. The men’s soccer team will play against Missouri S&T at 2:30 p.m.

Sports have returned after a brief hiatus due to COVID-19, and the absence seemed to highlight their economic and social importance. In the face of crises, sports can be a uniting force, and in this current environment, that can be extremely powerful. However, the return of sports has also reignited past controversies and debates within them. 

During Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference first-round playoff series, Los Angeles Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. was ejected after committing a flagrant foul 2 against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic. 

After the game, Morris defended himself, saying, “I think Tim Hardaway had an extremely hard foul with [Paul George] last game, and it wasn’t taken in [the same context].” Morris then said of Doncic, “He’s a young player. He’s going to be the face of the league. I’ve taken into account all of that. I have been around for a while. I know how this thing works.” 

Morris implying that Doncic was being protected by the referees started up a long-time debate about the influence and power of superstar players.

Before looking at specific examples of superstars in sports, the question must be asked: what exactly is a superstar? What separates superstars from other athletes in the same sport? There are a few factors. One is what is sometimes called flashiness, or big-play ability. For all the Chiefs fans out there, Patrick Mahomes is a very flashy player. That is part of what makes him a superstar. He makes plays that people have never seen before, such as this no-look pass against the Baltimore Ravens in 2019. These are the types of players that sell out stadiums. People pay money just to see what flashy players will do next. Then, those flashy plays are seen by millions of people around the world, and suddenly a certain player becomes a household name.

Another factor is a player’s ability to perform well in clutch moments. For example, a basketball player making a tough shot in the final minute to put his team ahead, or a baseball player hitting a walk-off home run. This factor is often what separates the superstars and the good players. You will often see a player like Steph Curry or Damian Lillard with the ball in the final minutes of the game because they have cemented themselves as superstars who can consistently make big plays in clutch situations.

The final factor, in my opinion, is legacy. Have these players done something that will impact the game long after they are retired? Have they set records, won championships, been dominant at their sport over the course of several years? These are the kind of players that people love to hate because of how dominant they are and how often they appear in championship games. 

The biggest superstar in the NBA right now, one who has been for over a decade, is LeBron James. He is a four-time league most valuable player, 16-time NBA All-Star, three-time NBA Champion, and a 15-time All-NBA selection – and the list goes on. His jersey has been among the top two highest-selling jerseys for years, and it’s hard to watch an episode of SportsCenter on any given day without hearing his name. 

James has done a lot for the game of basketball, but arguably his biggest contribution was when he decided to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh with the Miami Heat, forming what is called The Big Three. At the time, James’ decision to leave was criticized. Fans burned his jerseys. 

While all of these things still occur today, James’ decision paved the way for player empowerment in basketball and beyond, normalizing the idea that players should play with whom they want and where they want. Kevin Durant likely would not have signed with the Golden State Warriors in 2016 or Paul George and Kawhi Leonard teaming up in Los Angeles without LeBron James paving the way. The entire landscape of the NBA would be completely different without LeBron James. Considering how James normalized players taking care of themselves and doing what is best for them, I believe that change is for the better.  

Never one to shy away from speaking up on social issues, James has often been criticized for being vocal on issues of race and politics. Most notably, Fox News host Laura Ingraham told James to “Shut up and dribble” in response to some comments James made about President Donald Trump. Ingraham’s comments only seemed to strengthen James’ dedication to supporting social causes.

In 2012, James posted a picture with his Miami Heat teammates, all dressed in hoodies, with the hashtag #WeAreTrayvonMartin as a call to justice for the 17-year-old who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman. This marked the beginning of a new era of social and political activism in the NBA, to the point where 300 of the 350 involved in the NBA restart have social justice messages on their jerseys. James has done a tremendous amount of good for the NBA and its players but the amount of awareness he has brought to social issues plaguing our country and the way he uses his platform to do so has arguably been more significant. 

Like James, Tom Brady is a man of many accolades. The long-time New England Patriots quarterback, who recently signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, has racked up numerous MVP awards, Super Bowl rings, and NFL records in his 20-year career. Unlike LeBron James, however, Brady’s impact on football has been more erratic than James’. 

During the first game of the 2008 season, Kansas City Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard lunged at Tom Brady, which took him out for the season with a knee injury. Despite the Patriots’ relatively successful 11-win season without Brady, the NFL had still lost its Golden Boy and decided that offseason that more needed to be done to protect quarterbacks. Thus, the Brady Rule was conceived, where defenders who are knocked to the ground can no longer lunge into quarterbacks if the play is still going on. 

The rule sounds pretty reasonable, until the next season when officials misinterpreted the rule on two key plays in a game between the Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. One was when Defensive Tackle Haloti Ngata barely made contact with Brady’s helmet when trying to deflect a pass, and the other was when Linebacker Terrell Suggs pressured Brady. He went low, but Suggs clearly tried to avoid Brady’s knees. Yet the flag was still thrown despite Suggs not making contact with Brady’s knees. Both of these plays extended Patriots’ scoring drives, in a game they won 27-21. 

You could argue that these calls are not Brady’s fault, but you can clearly see on the second play that he is pleading with the official to call a flag while pointing at his knees, even though little contact was actually made. Brady took advantage of his status as a superstar to get a beneficial call on a play where no foul was committed. 

This instance was not a one-time occurrence either. Since then, more rules have been passed to protect quarterbacks that make defenders’ jobs significantly harder. And Brady, one of the best actors in the NFL, has continued the trend of exaggerating contact by defenders to get a beneficial call from the referees. This, in my opinion, is an example of a superstar using their status and their influence in a negative way.

Baseball is not considered a very flashy sport, especially when compared to basketball and football, but Fernando Tatis Jr. is changing that narrative. The 21-year-old shortstop for the San Diego Padres is turning heads this season and is currently tied for the league lead in home runs and second in runs batted in (RBIs). He was at the center of controversy when he cranked a 3-0 pitch to right-field for a grand slam against the Texas Rangers with the Padres already up 10-3 in the 8th inning. 

“I didn’t like it, personally,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said of Tatis’ 3-0 swing. “But, like I said, the norms are being challenged on a daily basis. So just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not right.”

Baseball is known for having a lot of unwritten rules, which are essentially just generally held beliefs as to how players, coaches and teams should act in certain situations. Young players like Tatis Jr., however, are challenging those rules, and people are loving it. They will not hesitate to do their job and play hard no matter what the score is, and they will have some fun along the way. He may anger some old-school fans of the game, but with baseball falling behind other sports in popularity, Tatis Jr. is leading the way for a revolution that, I believe, will save the game of baseball.

It is clear that superstar athletes have a lot of influence, both in their respective sports as well as society as a whole. People look up to them, and their words, actions and beliefs hold a lot of weight. These players have an incredibly large platform and audience – LeBron James has 71.8 million Instagram followers, for example – and with that audience comes a responsibility to use that platform, as well as their highly influential superstar status within their own sport, for the benefit of society and the sport as a whole. For the most part, I believe that superstars have done a good job of doing this. 

The problem arises when the leagues create overprotective rules on behalf of the superstars that prevent other players within that league from playing the game – like the Brady Rule. However, superstar players are crucial for evolving their individual sports as well as spreading important societal messages. Without them, sports would be a lot less exciting, and our society would lose some of its loudest and most influential voices.