By Chad Fukuoka 

       For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a sports fan. My entire family is comprised of sports fans, and watching games late at night on television was one of the ways to bond with them. I grew up accustomed to hearing the television in the background when doing my homework, spending time on the computer, or playing with my dog. Sports has given me opportunities, whether it’s meeting new friends, finding activities or volunteer work, or just having fun. In the past two months, I’ve been writing football articles for a website, and have been offered two thousand dollars for the season. Even though the payment isn’t that much, I’m having a lot of fun doing this job and it’s helped me realize my true potential.  

      During my first semester in college, I dated a girl who was a strong supporter of the football team. She spent some of her free time watching practices and attending the games. She introduced me to this football website and suggested that I write articles since I was knowledgeable about football and the website was looking for more writers. I contacted the director and he told me to send a sample article and if it appealed to the readers, then I would become an official writer. I ended up impressing him and I was allowed to create my own schedule. Right now I write previews for arena football games each week and recap all of the games after they end. Performing this job, which is already very entertaining, also lets me keep in contact with old friends that have moved away. I’ll take you through a day in my life so you can see what it’s like.

      Okay, I got up at 10:00 a.m. and there is still two more previews to be done. I can’t believe how tired I am after sleeping early last night. In my fantasy picks contest, I’m now ranked in the top 15% so I have a chance at winning the top prize. After eating lunch, I start researching the final two games for the week.  Found out some interesting stats, a couple players are injured for their team and so forth. Anyway, it’s an hour later and I begin writing the previews. I decided to include more statistics and finish with predictions for each game. Maybe the predictions could be accurate this time, but the information was solid. I send the entire article to the director and it will be posted in the next 24 hours. My animal shelter training starts this weekend so that’s even better for me. I talk to a few friends online and watch a great basketball game. I’ve been accepted to my new college and my first day in still four months away. I do a little housework, mainly cleaning the bathrooms and windows. Before I go to sleep, I check the results for my fantasy sports contest. As you can see, I enjoyed my day and can’t stop thinking about how much fun everything has become. Anyone can find a job or activity they love, so think positive and always keep searching.

By Chad Fukuoka 

         Every year it’s a tradition for the NBA to hold its All-Star Game. This year, the game was in New Orleans, part of a rebuilding effort for the city, since it had already hosted a couple of BCS football games. The fans appeared to be enthusiastic and were very supportive of the players and the events. Usually, the All-Star weekend isn’t highly regarded by most basketball fans since players often put in less than full effort into what is essentially a practice game. The festivities were extra special this year and people felt compelled to make the experience a memorable one for fans and the city.

          Basically, the All-Star weekend is an opportunity for the premier players to show off their individual skills in several competitions and the events conclude with the All-Star game. In most instances, the actual game is sloppy and unorganized with little effort by anyone. It’s mostly a chance for fans to cheer for their favorite players without worrying about the final outcome. This time the game was competitive and decided in the last 30 seconds. During several interviews, players were excited about the experience and kept on emphasizing the importance of putting on a good show for the fans. They were carefree, humorous and entertaining.

          In addition to giving residents of New Orleans an opportunity to watch basketball, the players helped with the rebuilding effort. They volunteered some of their time to build houses, renovate buildings, and do charity work. I thought it was a nice gesture by each player and the NBA itself. Often, athletes and professional sports leagues are tainted by scandals, fights and bad publicity. People need a chance to see that many athletes are caring, generous and capable of being a good role model. The NBA All-Star weekend allowed fans to understand this and provided good publicity and entertainment for the city of New Orleans.

By Chad Fukuoka

Since I was a little kid, I’ve always been a fan of the Hawaii football team. I remember going to promotional events and participating in activities before the games. The passing and kicking events were usually the most fun. After going to the games for several years, my family finally got a pay-per-view package that included the entire 2007 Hawaii football season. This meant I could relax and watch the games on television and wouldn’t require spending the entire day in the stadium parking lot waiting for the game to start. Although I wouldn’t be around the fans and enjoy the atmosphere, the T.V package was much more convenient.

Hawaii entered the 2007 season with an amazing offense led by Colt Brennan and a noticeably weak schedule, making an undefeated season very likely. The season opener, along with many of the games were easy, decisive wins. A couple games were decided in overtime or in the final seconds. Hawaii met the expectations of their fans and many football experts or analysts. Their biggest challenge, the final game against Washington, saw Hawaii rally from an early 21-0 deficit to win and clinch an undefeated season. The next day it was announced Hawaii would play in the Sugar Bowl, their first BCS game.

I knew going to the Sugar Bowl was a once in a lifetime experience, so I spent a week in New Orleans to attend the game. The city was incredible and the fans were very nice and friendly. Even the opposing Georgia fans talked and spent time with me before the game. The Sugar Bowl turned out to be a complete mismatch as Hawaii lost 41-10. Hawaii played a team with superior talent and was given a dose of reality, it was clear they didn’t belong with the elite teams of college football. However, the trip was lots of fun and the attractions were entertaining. The experience left me anxious for the 2008 season to start, along with the rest of the Hawaii fans.

Written by Chad Fukuoka

In the professional or business world, proper attire is important for employees. After all, they do need to promote a positive, successful and intelligent appearance towards their clients. But is a dress code really needed for NBA players and how is it relevant to their jobs? I’m a basketball fan and always will be but I think this is completely ridiculous and may even reveal subtle, but negative stereotypes. 

 In 2005, the NBA implemented a dress code that must be followed by every player and member from each basketball organization. Under this rule, appropriate attire is limited to suits, sport coats, or other casual business clothing. During games, players that are injured or not going to play must wear appropriate clothing, and during press conferences and other basketball-related public appearances, players and staff members must follow the dress code. I don’t think this will improve the image of professional basketball. Fans and supporters care about the games or their favorite player’s performance, not how well they dress. Basketball is a form of entertainment for fans and the general public. Yes, there have been a few examples of bad publicity for the NBA, such as the Kobe Bryant rape case and fights during several games. These incidents do occur and it is up to the individual player to restore their image. The league will move on and the fans will continue to follow the sport.

 More importantly, the dress code may promote superficial and biased stereotypes towards players and fans. The message is that nice attire will deter crime, negative looks or appearances and trouble from NBA players. Basically, the NBA doesn’t want to have a dangerous image. Many players have merchandise or product deals with companies that have strong hip-hop connections. By dressing in hip-hop or street clothes, the league feels it would show inappropriate behavior and set bad examples for kids and adults. This is a stereotype and offensive to certain ethnicities, cultures, and music and entertainment supporters. It’s saying all members of these groups are negative influences and people shouldn’t be like them. Why does the NBA take this stance when they use hip-hop to promote their own events, like the All-Star game? Being hypocritical doesn’t prove anything and only causes more trouble. Better attire doesn’t mean better performances for players, so why not just let them do their jobs. If the NBA wants to improve its image, then that is fine, but do it in a way that has a lasting and productive effect.