The Real Athlete Blog

Ok, everyone, this week in honor of the recent election, I have started things off with two articles about how the election is affecting sports. There are many effects, both positive and negative, but nonetheless there will be changes. There is also an article about athletes with epilepsy, the overwhelming popularity of football in Mexico, and an inside look at what the top college linemen coaches are looking for in a high school recruit.

 

The recent election has everyone making changes, including the seemingly political-proof sports industry. As the article states, agents are looking to get their clients’ signing bonuses signed before the new year in order to avoid the tax increase newly elected President Barack Obama plans to implement. This has serious ramifications on the bargaining position of the athlete. Now that the athlete and agent have a deadline to avoid higher taxes, they may be forced to sign a bonus for less than they originally planned.

 

Obama's victory will help inner-city kids look beyond sports 

This recent election is historic and no matter what your personal or political beliefs are, all Americans should hope that Obama makes this a better country. His victory is already inspiring and giving hope to the kids in the inner-cities who in the past haven’t had much to look forward to except sports.

 

Jets Lineman an Inspiration to Those With Epilepsy  

This article is a shout-out and inspiration to all those athletes out there conquering sports despite their disabilities. It is also awesome to see an athlete reach out to an organization and show his support and gratitude for their diligent efforts. Many charitable organizations go unnoticed, but due to the philanthropic efforts of Alan Faneca, athletes dealing with epilepsy will have more opportunities to play and succeed in sports.

 

Football's popularity soars in Mexico 

This article is just showing the growth of the sport and the global effect it is having. Mexico has the second largest group of fans right behind the U.S. and could be a potential outlet for players who don’t make it to the NFL. With arena football on the rise and foreign countries paying lots of money for top American basketball players, football players may see another option in Mexico. It will be exciting to see how the popularity of the sport in Mexico affects American football.

 

This is for all of our offensive linemen out there with college football aspirations. This is an article written with consultation with three of the top college linemen coaches in the country and explores the characteristics they look for in a lineman. This is an invaluable look into a position in football that is rarely in the spotlight and goes largely unnoticed. So linemen, enjoy and good luck.