Assignment 6- Tom Polites

Prompt 1: What are your views on sports? Do you think that it's a positive thing that people pay so much attention to them and become so worked up over a game? Do you think that they are a waste of time that distract us from what is really important?

Prompt 2: How has music had an impact on your life? What is it about music that people find so wonderful? Name your favorite artists and songs and describe how they make you feel when you listen to them.

Prompt 3: With the upcoming election, our nation is fiercely divided into separate parties. What do you think it says about our nation that we are so invested in political parties? Do you think its a positive that we have parties, or a negative? Would you change the political system if you could?

Prompt 1: Sports have played a huge role in my life for as long as I can remember. One of my first memories was getting a rubber baseball bat that I used to hit tennis balls in my backyard. I think sports are a wonderful thing, and something that should be embraced by our society. Even though sports are by definition a game, it is not as simple as that. For the majority of people who watch their favorite team in a big game, it is much more than shooting a ball in a hoop. If you are a fan of Kentucky Basketball, you likely know what I am talking about. One thing that I will remember for a while was our NCAA tournament run in 2014. We played Louisville, our bitter rival, in the Sweet Sixteen. I have never been more nervous for a game in my life, and I wasn't even playing. Despite a large first half deficit, we came back to win in a nail biter. After the win, my dad looked like a little kid. I genuinely don't think that I've ever seen him happier in my entire life. This tells me that sports aren't just a game. They can completely change your temperament, for better or for worse. I've been on the other end of the spectrum as well, and have endured some crushing defeats and felt that the world had ended.

Sports also inspire people and give them hope. For example, in the film We Are Marshall, which tells the story of the plane crash that killed the Marshall University football team and their struggle to recover, the college needs football to help move on from the horrific tragedy. Sports can be therapeutic. I know that when I've had a rough day there's nothing I want more than to step out on the field or court and just forget about life for a while and focus on winning. Sports may not be important to some people, but that doesn't mean they don't matter.