Sports Topic Article Links

Here I will be talking about sports topics from all over the sports world, solutions to problems, and giving ideas to make sports more enjoyable to players, coaches, and fans. 

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

12/11/25

Aerobic Athletes Vs. Anaerobic Athletes In  Athletics

Within the vast world of athletics  (track and field), numerous types of athletes compete in various events. From big throwers to lengthy aerobic-based distance runners to explosive anaerobic-based sprinters with quick agility. If you aren’t familiar with these terms, Aerobic is when oxygen is required during training, for example, a long-distance run or race. Anaerobic is when no oxygen is released, and short bursts of energy are used (WebMD). That’s what makes athletics so unique. However, other sports have different types of athletes competing; track and field is the most unique. In this article, I will be critiquing the differences between sprinting and distance running, and in my opinion, which one is the better choice overall from the standpoint of the sport as a whole.

Start in sprinting, where generally you will find they are better all-around athletes, as in their shorter races, they are using agility to get off the line, maintaining great form to keep their speed up, and in hurdle events, they need that lateral fitness and extension to maintain form and speed to do well. When people think of track and field from the outside, the fastest will always stand out. For the sport as a whole, it’s so amazing to see the fastest athletes in the sport battling at every single level of the sport. Within distance running in the title, I’ve said they are better runners, which means they have taken up the sport early on, and in my experience, they have a deeper devotion to the sport than a natural sprinter. This, at the youth level, is due to the sport of cross country, where distance runners can essentially train all year round, deepening their confidence, love, and devotion for the sport, compared to sprinters at the youth level who usually come from other agile sports such as football and basketball. I’m not saying they don’t take it seriously, I’m simply saying that compared to distance runners, their devotion to athletics is much more prominent naturally because of cross country and the mental side of a long-distance race. The actual running is more prominent within distance because of the art of endurance, where athletes must go through long-distance races where they constantly have to breathe hard, and their muscles are fatigued, whereas sprinters have a short burst of acceleration, which makes no room for error. A sprinter with a bad start or split will likely not place highly in a race unless they are the class of the field by far, compared to a distance where a bad split, or going out too slow or fast, can occur, and a runner can still have a prominent race. This is what makes sprinting tough, but it’s easily accessible and not as difficult as distance running. My final thought of this comprehensive argument is that I believe everyone getting into athletics should start in distance training with good sprinting mechanics, as every athlete needs this, which will help them in every kind of race and make them more versatile in regards to the team as a whole. Once an athlete develops a good distance base, they can learn sprint mechanics and develop it more naturally compared to sprinters trying to become distance runners. A pure example of this is 3 time Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Thomas tried to run a mile, which she doesn’t do in her training at all. Run it in 5 minutes and 30 seconds, which is good enough at the high school level, but nothing professional for what she is. On their counterpart, UofM Michigan star Trent McFarland, who competed in the 10k during cross country at NCAA regionals, now set a Big 10 record in the 800, showing that he can come down to more anaerobic races and still be intact, and there are many other runners like him. Final thoughts are as follows: Have you ever wondered what makes up the best decathletes and pentathletes? Most of them come from a distant background because the 800 for women or 1500 for men is the last event, which can influence scoring by a ton. These distance runners thrive because they can also put up a decent sprint time and be just good enough in the other events to give themselves the best shot. Lastly, if we’re talking about the grand scheme of things after athletics in the road running and ultra worlds, which USATF still sanctions, aerobic-based runners have a significant advantage over anaerobic runners who primarily sprint.

Wrapping up it is safe to say that analyzing the sport I partake in is the right thing for me and the conclusion that distance runners have more success in the sport of athletics as a whole is inevitable as they have a wider array of events that allows them to attempt more when they're finding their groove in the sport or switch to sprinting which takes time but is possible. On the other hand, sprinters do not have this luxury as they can only access a certain number of events influencing field events, but not much else, because they don’t have the aerobic capacity to try. They can develop sprint mechanics more easily than if a sprinter were to get an aerobic base. On the positive side, the agility and explosiveness shown in sprinters often correlate with the long and high jump, which allows them to have a smoother transition than distance runners to these events. In the end, both sprinters and distance runners have their ideals that make up the sport of athletics, but distance running is more valuable to the sport as a whole, in my opinion. Thanks.

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

12/5/25

How Experience Directly Correlates To Confidence In Sports

Within my experience of playing and watching sports, I've realized and concluded that athletes with experience training, developing skills, and competing at high levels often have higher success. While this seems self-explanatory, many sports spectators don’t seem to realize this and how a team or individual will have more talent than the experience will outperform, and vice versa. For example, in the UFC, when individuals keep defending their belts and are older, the challenger might be more skilled than they are. At the college level, a power four team is certain to beat a mid-major program just because of their experience of the game, High-School those kids are probably in more championship environments and achieving at those levels and even the leaders of the college team might of had NCAA Championship level experience which instills confidence within them over the midmajor team who might have made the tournament and got knocked out early. In this article, I will be showcasing where athletes get their experience and confidence within all levels of sports, how it translates to the professional level, and in my career, how I've used the confidence that comes from experience in my athletics and my life overall.

Beginning at a young age, kids begin playing youth and travel sports, and the ones who cling to the same circuit of teams and players usually succeed and develop their skills together, and win tournaments, or get national attention. It’s not just the reparation and playing part here, it's winning something or getting All-American honors which in future competition should instill an athlete to be more prepared, confidant, and ready to take down competition rather than an athlete who might be more talented but their experience leads them to success in High-School and propels them to play and succeed at the college level.  

At the pro level, I've seen athletes express this same form of confidence from the same level or previous levels. One example is Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman trophy at LSU, then in his rookie NFL season, he led Washington to their best season in 40+ years. He took the confidence from college and applied it to the NFL and realized he could use the same skills and playstyle to command the game and he did just that by becoming 1 of 6 rookie quarterbacks to play in the conference championship game (NBC Sports) which proves my point of his Heisman winning confidence transcended into the league by applying the same skills and not overthinking. This hasn't worked for all players, though, as teams put thoughts into players' heads that should not have been there in the first place and change their entire scheme, halting their performance. My next example is going to be a polar opposite, but it does indeed prove my point, and it’s from an NCAA women's cross country star, Rachel Forsyth. In her senior year of high school, Forsyth did not lose a single race, including the national championship, deeming her as the best runner in the nation. This past fall, competing for the Michigan State Spartans, she finished 16th at the NCAA Championship, making her the 3rd fastest freshman in the nation. My point is that she used her high school experience of being at the front and winning, and led herself to an all-American place from her confidence without any prior experience at the collegiate level.

Finally, in my tenure within the sport of Athletics, I've realized confidence is key to placing in big races and remaining calm when the pressure’s on. Attaining personal bests and medals in regional and championship races has allowed me to remain calm and collected in races that have a lot of outside pressure. Even in races where I haven’t performed my best, I've realized this makes me stronger and realize what I've done wrong and try to improve, innovate, and collect myself for future performance. If athletes take their time on this, they could transcend to the next level, just like I did in terms of making state meets. 

Wrapping up, I would like to say an athlete can beat a competitor if they are less skilled or talented but have the experience, they are more likely to win at the professional level but at the more youth levels of sports if an athlete doesn't reflect on a winning performance there's a possibility that they can get beat by someone with less experience than them. In my opinion, this should not happen unless a player is truly revolutionary. I’ve applied these tactics to my career by studying and completing research on athletes from all levels and walks of life. I hope you guys enjoyed my perspective on how experience can propel and boost confidence in an athlete's performance, even when their competition is better than theirs. This is my stance on experience and how it can and should boost confidence within athletes at all skill levels. Thank you.

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

11/24/25

How Competition Fuels Innovation In The World Of Sports

In sports competition in nature, it's something that has always been there. It is simply the act of trying to beat an opponent or team with everything one has at their skill set and disposal to win. It’s truly what sports are; without it, athletes do not reach their full potential, records cannot be broken, and the game becomes practice. In all sports when athletes compete amongst one another and the results have gotten established and the sport has become more popular, athletes who don’t win prestigious titles half to find ways to win, and the art of practicing “more” or “harder” is not necessarily the answer as sometimes doing the same few things will leave you to a proportionate or on a linear path with your competition. My argument is that when an athlete begins to innovate, their performance can increase at various amounts according to how effective the innovations are, and in this article, I will be showcasing the history of innovation in various sports and how previously “lesser known” athletes have risen to the top, and innovation going on in sports currently, one might not have realized.

When sports began athletes had no clue what they were doing and it wasn't their fault. My first portrayal of this is in the National Basketball Association began in the late 1940s all the players played with Converse shoes which in today's world are walking shoes or lounging shoes that people do not even consider working out in let alone playing basketball as they won’t allow one to run fast or jump as high that's required for the game today and if they were to play to the physical standards of the game in these shoes they are to likely get injured as the speeds and heights are simply too high and fast. The same thing can be said with the Air Jordan 1s which have the same storyline previously mentioned. With this in mind, Nike and other brands began to sign with players and test out prototypes to see what they were most comfortable playing in and shoes such as Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Steph Curry began to launch their revolutionary shoes with various brands which are way safer for on-court play and correlate with agility, acceleration and speed needed on the court. Another innovation refers to a major product used for hydration recovery and nutrition, invented by the University of Florida Gators Football team in 1965 Gatorade. This substantially improved dehydration in the hot sun during grueling football workouts for the Gators, it was just a mix for their team and they won the prestigious Orange Bowl the season they added it to their regimen but the point is that they saw they were underperforming and needed something to get them up to their potential. Furthermore in the early 70s leagues such as the NFL began to sponsor the company and incorporate it into their action to maximize the potential over 60 tough minutes of football without just water. I also would like to state that the products Sucrose, Glucose, and Sodium Citrate, Monopotassium Phosphate were discovered and known to bring back energy and give your body electrolytes necessary to perform at the highest level but Florida mass produced it and made it in to-go bottles where athletes can keep drinking it without having to make another mix which takes time out of a busy college schedule. The last innovation I will be talking about is in my own athletics career, within my own realm I’ve realized that in long-distance races that are very tactical, I focus on thriving rather than surviving. In further context, this means I’m focusing on relaxing but still pushing hard and focusing on the other competitors and slowing them down, and what they're going to do. Rather than just getting to finish the race and see where I end up. This has opened me up to new doors in the sport such as going out at paces faster than I usually would and knowing where to be at the end of the races rather than just trying to finish, It’s safe to say that I’ve innovated and have substantially become a better runner and I didn’t half to make a supplement or a revolutionary shoe to innovate I just had to change my strategery and thought process to do so.

Concluding this article I would like to say that if you're not innovating you can still get better but you must innovate to get the most out of training and performance and reflect on your past competition and the linear path will not work out in terms of getting to the top, athletes must look at all the current technology at their disposal and discern all the possible ways of getting better rather than just “perfecting” the same skills every day which I see is a problem for many athletes. Innovating can be new training techniques, coaches, filming yourself to track progress, journaling to catch your thoughts and attempt to improve after the competition, or simply a new way of thinking that opens up your eyes to endless possibilities. In the end, I believe sports are continuing to evolve from Track records being broken, to NFL quarterbacks using virtual reality to see the game before showtime, and the rise of artificial intelligence to depict down stats and tell teams which schemes and plays to run or what to do when the playing object is in a certain position. Sports are moving at a very fast, innovative pace, and this means athletes must adapt and innovate themselves to succeed in this ever-changing world of sports.

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

11/18/25

The Best Individual Sport Played At The Highest Level

A while back, I wrote an article on how basketball, even though we do not see it a lot, is the most intriguing team sport to watch. If you want to check this out, it’s currently on my NBA and sports topic pages. I recommend checking it out to get the criteria and motives I’m coming to you with in this article. I will be showcasing what I think the best individual sports talent is at the highest level.

My candidates for the top individual sport played at the highest level are Track and Field, and MMA that’s it, professional golfers are skilled but competitions are usually decided as to who will be at the top after the first 36 holes of the 72 hole competition, within swimming thwres a huge gap between top swimmers who win big meets, world championships, and Olympic Games and other professional swimmers so it’s vary predictable to see whos going to win and this same trend happens within competition, Another close honorable mention is any Red Bull sponsored extreme sport, this includes skiing and snowboarding course ran and in the park, bike time trial races through urban cities, and all other sports found on their website here (Red Bull) the main part of why there not at the top is the staggering difference between top athletes and everyone else and only the top part is well known which needs to be fixed in these truly intriguing sports but I do appreciate Red Bulls effort and investments which have been successful so far and there network which films all of them. 

Those were my honorable mentions, but my top 2 candidates are track and field and MMA, and my top individual sport played at the highest level is MMA. Track and Field made it this far because of the drastic amounts a result can change and how fast runners can push to meet and world records when they have good competition around them, for example at the 2024 NCAA Track and Field Championships in the mens final of the 800m Shane Cohen of Virginia was favored last to win the final. He stayed with the pack and waited until 200m to go. He stretched out to alne 4 to win the NCAA Championship, in other races in track and 100m dash at the highest level is so close where every single part matters from getting out of the blocks to reaching top speed at the perfect time and leaning at the line all within 10 seconds and one imperfecton of this can lead to a shrit in finishing results which makes it so intriguing to watch these athletes at the highest level as anything can happen. For example, at this past summer's Paris 2024 games, the entire 100m final field was separated by 0.12 tenths of a second, and 1 one thousandth of a second separated gold and silver between Kashayne Thompson and Noah Lyles, where he took gold (Men's 100m Final Paris). These and other close finfishes truly show how Track and Field can be so exciting and unpredictable, but MMA tops this.

Mixed Martial Arts is truly at the highest level the best sport to watch because some can argue that in track and field athletes have more to conquer because theres other athletes on the track but in fighting the skills displayed under pressure at the highest level are truly remarkable as every single punch, kick, clinch, and takedown are calculated movements and fighters must have a calm mind under pressure to execute these moves because brute fighting does not exist in the UFC and it’s not an efficient way of succeeding, instead fighters must study and breakdown their opponemnts and make offensive moves while defending themselves to avoid getting knocked out. Several examples of this are Max Holloway are where he has the most landed strikes in UFC history, and he throws calculated strikes while analyzing his opponents, as his UFC record is 22-7, and he defended the belt 3 times at featherweight. Another skilled fighter is retired aruglaby the greatest of all time Khabib Nurmanagov who finished his carrer 29-0 and was famous was his daganstanian style wrestling where it’s stated that when he takes you down, your not getting back up until he finishes you or the rounds over, this truly shows his skill over long 25 minute fights that Khabibs able to control his opponmnts and not let them play any offense, Jon Jones an undefeated fighter does this same tactic where his punch power is so strong where he weakens other light heavyweights so fast and then takes them down and once he gets in a ground and pound it’s over for the other fighters. Many other fighters show their skills in the octagon and perform under pressure.

 This takes over track and field because theres so much more to it then just being the fastest, you could be the most skilled fighter but without any IQ one punch can take you out showcasing how much you need to analyze and anticipate what your opponemnt is bound ti do and try to defend it and match it offensively. The last reasons why this individual sport is the most talented at the highest level is the level of upsets and new champions the UFC constantly gets such as Illia Torupia, Alexasndre Pantoja, and Merab Dvalishvili and that it’s vary hard to consistently defend titles but fighters like Jon Jones and female Valentina Shevchenko can consistently do this making them remarkable, also in the UFC unlike most other popular individual sports direct offense and direct defence are involved, in other individual sports athletes choose to compete defensively depending on competition but in MMA you must compete as much defensively as offensively if you wan to establish a legacy and rack up wins. MMA is the best individual sport played at the highest level.

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

11/12/25

      The Glory Of Sports

Hello, everyone. Today, I will be talking about the glory of sports and why people have a deep love and passion for what is often called “the children’s game.” Despite its simplicity, playing sports has allowed many athletes to build careers and earn tens of millions of dollars. What some see as just a game is, for others, a lifelong journey filled with dedication, sacrifice, and personal growth. I’ll be showcasing what professional athletes experience throughout their entire journey, starting from their youth. Additionally, I will incorporate my personal experiences in cross country and track and field to provide insight into the athletic lifestyle.

People usually start playing sports because they are inspired by a family member, a professional athlete, or simply because their friends do it, and they want to learn. A significant factor in a child’s involvement in sports is parental influence. If a parent has high-level athletic experience, they are more likely to provide their child with elite training, travel teams, and access to top-tier coaching. These young athletes are put in environments that foster improvement, which gives them an advantage over those who may not have the same opportunities. On the other hand, parents without this background may not emphasize sports as much, resulting in their children having fewer resources. Some families also rely on their children to work, creating an obvious disadvantage. Anyone who claims the playing field is completely level is being unrealistic. This isn’t to say that athletes from less privileged backgrounds can’t succeed. However, an athlete who constantly works hard and innovates to compete will face a much tougher path compared to those with superior coaching, extensive experience, proper nutrition, and access to high-quality equipment. This disparity is especially apparent in sports like golf, tennis, skiing, hockey, and baseball, where costs for training and gear are high. Private lessons, top-tier equipment, and travel expenses can cost thousands of dollars annually, and without financial support, many talented athletes never get the chance to compete at the highest level. On the positive side, some sports are more accessible, such as soccer, American football, basketball, and track and field. These sports require less expensive equipment, allowing a wider range of athletes to participate. This accessibility helps level the playing field, allowing raw talent and dedication to shine. While I strongly support efforts to make all sports more accessible, the rising costs and economic trends make this a difficult challenge.

Passion for sports develops at an early age when kids first get involved. A positive environment is essential for success, in my opinion, allowing them to gain experience and knowledge, which is crucial. The foundation of an athlete is built in these early years, as they begin to understand teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.

As athletes progress, they build confidence through overcoming challenges, helping them perform under pressure. The best athletes take this confidence, reflect on it, and apply it to their training and competition. They find a true passion for their sport, continuing to push forward even when results don’t go their way. This mindset is what leads to long-term success. In my own sports journey, I have faced many trials and errors, but I have learned to cherish the successes and use them as motivation for the grueling hours of training. I was introduced to sports at a young age, playing baseball, flag football, basketball, and lacrosse. I am incredibly grateful to my parents for encouraging me to explore different sports and allowing me to find what I truly enjoy. I ultimately stuck with track and field, which I currently compete in at the high school level, after trying it in fifth grade. I started cross country in seventh grade and have continued ever since, realizing that running is one of the most physically demanding sports—there are no halftimes, breaks, or timeouts; you go hard until you’re done. Another crucial aspect of sports is mental strength. Physical ability can only take an athlete so far. I am very fortunate to be in a strong athletic state of mind, and like all elite athletes, I strive for more. I am also incredibly lucky to have access to excellent resources that help me refine my craft and potentially take my abilities to the next level if I choose to pursue that path. My journey in running has taught me discipline, resilience, and the value of hard work—lessons that extend beyond sports and into everyday life. Whether or not I continue competing beyond high school, these lessons will always stay with me.

At the end of the day, sports are more than just games—they are a way of life. They teach valuable life skills, provide an outlet for passion and energy, and create lifelong memories. Whether someone plays at a recreational level or professionally, the love for the game remains the same. The glory of sports isn’t just about winning championships or making millions—it’s about the journey, the lessons learned, and the people met along the way.

Jake Yono 

JY Journalism

11/5/25

How Watching Film Can Transcend One’s Performance In The World Of Sports

Watching film has always been present at the highest levels of sports; it started when games were first televised, mainly in team sports, to gain knowledge on an opponent’s strengths, weaknesses, or tactics. Although this is effective in sports, I believe watching film from a more individual standpoint to improve one's performance is more beneficial. In team sports, watching one player or one position on the playing surface is more valuable than focusing on the whole team. In this article, I will be explaining this not just in team sports but in individual sports and how it can impact one’s performance as they see competition from a whole different lens, and how I've taken this approach into my journey.

People tend to only look at where the action is happening because sports networks are going to do the obvious thing and show that in which I’m not complaining about, and cannot be changed; what can be changed is how athletes watch film in sports. In team sports, rather than just looking at the playing object and camera, athletes should look at their positions on the playing surface, and this sounds obvious, but it is not as easy as it seems in some circumstances. For example, in an NFL gam, if a young wide receiver wanted to watch film in this day in age can’t because on passing downs NFL network focuses on the ball, and that’s it, and when the ball is thrown, therefore, we only see the result of the route and not how the route develops. This is not the end, though, as if a younger receiver wanted to watch film, they could purchase the NFL subscription, which has an all-22 viewing mode from the sideline and end zone, making receivers and defensive backs manageable to watch film, which are the toughest positions to watch film on (NFL). In all other circumstances, for baseball athletes wanting to enrich themselves at their position, MLBStatcast + allows for game-day tracking at a premium price to track players who aren’t the pitcher or catcher. This is beneficial for positioning on players, and there are routine defensive movements to achieve an out. For example, they only see a shortstop when the ball is present, and again, this is not the broadcast's fault, but my argument is that it's beneficial to watch every movement possible of a position player in team sports. In all other team sports, such as soccer, basketball, hockey, rugby, and lacrosse, the viewing points are good enough that each position can be seen in its entirety, making athletes at the younger level available to watch and gain knowledge from a different lens to further help their competition and decision-making.

I have applied this to my career in the realm of distance running in the sport of athletics, where I watch races from levels ahead to improve my understanding of the sport, and watching track and field from a different lens has helped me so much. First of all, my mechanics and foot striking have improved by watching high-caliber races. I used to heel strike when I run which slows you down substantially and leads to all sorts of injuries and with my arms too high in not a relaxed mode, but watching film of some of the best athletes in the world has completely changed my form and the perspective to keep my body as relaxed as possible and the illusion of being “springy” off your feet rather than stomping has helped a ton. Other than running form, I’ve been paying attention to pace when watching competitive races. Questions I often ask myself are will this runner who’s at the front of the pack hold this pace, is a runner who’s faster then all the other runners taking it from the gun or letting the race develop in front of him or her depending on the circumstances m, and how fast runners splits are from the beginning of the race to the final laps and who is closing hard and who isn’t. This contextualization helps me in my races in all of the facets I just mentioned 

Watching film is something all athletes should do you some extent at all levels, as it’s beneficial to them after the contest from a different point of view, and this is not just limited to team sports in individual sports, this is definitely possible even though there are no positions involved, and I believe those can help fall athletes reach full potential.

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

10/20/25

Sports Psychology and how it can make or break an athlete

At the introductory level, when we think of sports as physical games involving focus, speed, strength, and balance, or qualities such as patience, maintenance, fortitude, innovation, and discipline, which lead to success. Think deeper because when an athlete has been constantly pushing themselves to improve and not seeing results, this is where sports psychology comes in. When everything feels hopeless, what do athletes do in the current moment and the long term? I will be referencing examples from the professional sports world of how psychology shapes athletes in all forms, and displaying examples from my high school running career while referencing impactful sources.

At the professional level when everyone is good, what separates the good from great is how they handle setbacks because no one is truly a superstar, the media portrays them as such as they’ve all gone through major setbacks and this is where they’ve found themselves and developed: I could be like other media companies and talk about “Brady being benched to the GOAT”, Tyrese Haliburton being voted the most overrated NBA player then showing them why he’s not with his floor general skills into the NBA finals, or Tiger winning the 2019 masters of years of still some success but nowhere near his peak but my stories have never been talked about in this depth. First, we go to the track where in 2024 he finished 2nd at the NCAA Outdoor Nationals in the 800 and this set him back as he couldn't even qualify for NCAA Indoor Nationals with the same competition in which he dealt with WPW and doubt in himself that came along with that, in outdoor the school record holder came back and won the NCAA Championship never giving up staying patient, not overtraining and trusting in the process. Another reason why I choose Sam Whitmarsh is that he always has a natural smile on his face, during interviews, and even on the track in one of the hardest races he praises God and the entire way is not afraid to let someone else lead and makes his move at the perfect time while staying so positive and relaxed, something utter worldly in a sport where athletes push themselves to the limit and are very selfish and envious towards competitors. Sam is the opposite, when he finished 2nd and got beat by University of Virginia's Shane Cohen in a last-second kick he smiled as he came across the finish line, this doesn't mean he wasn't trying it means his attitude is in the right place and he has balance between life and track and even though he didn’t win he still did his best and it wasn't worth it to beat himself up about it as he knew he would be back by trusting in the process and his faith that led to success. (Men's 800m final - 2024 NCAA outdoor track and field championships) Next, we go to the sport of MMA where the current #4 ranked bantamweight contender in the world was speaking on the Joe Rogan experience about how it took a loss to reset himself after consecutive losses against T.J Dillashaw and Petr Yan which were both decisions that caused a lot of self-doubts which often are decided by a couple of strikes or control time and how the ego was his and many other athletes worst enemy and having full control over himself and not letting inner ego’s take over himself such as doubt, pride, anger, and belligerence he spoke about being better than these and this ultimately led to a belief system that he questions but did develop an inner peace with himself and he stated that true love is being committed to something even when the moment overtakes you because that’s when the most failure happens but true love is sticking to the sport either way in Sandhagan's eyes as he’s won recently and will fight next for the bantamweight title.

These 2 athletes conquered failure, doubt, and high-pressure moments, and now I will be displaying moments where athletes fell short of this mark. On the track first U.S middle distance runner Athing MU has been competing professionally since 2019 and slowly rising to the top: winning a world championship and 2 Olympic gold medals after she set PR at the U.S outdoor nationals and broke the American record in the 800 had a hamstring injury which sidelined her for 9 months until the trials where in the race she fell and got spiked to let the emotions overtake her as she clearly was not at her pace the rest of the way after the fall and ever since that she competed in 2 meets with decent competition and is still a long ways from her lifetime bests ever since her injury which led her to worry too much into the future and doubt herself leading to despair. Next is a personal experience I recently had while volunteering as a standard bearer at the Rocket Classic last week, as I was holding the sign for OWGR #52 Stephen Jaeger for the 2nd round. Coming into the day, he was -2 par and in contention to cut. Starting on the back, he couldn't get the birdies rolling, and he wasn't on pace to get around the -5 or -6 projected cut range, and he was -1 through 9 on the day, so he had some sort of chance. At this point I could see it start to linger in their attitude as he couldn't control his driver, the distance was there but it was going everywhere as he was neglecting himself and barely social until on his 13th hole of the day his drive went way left he slammed his driver on the ground 3 times and continued moving along and birdied the hole but he was still even at this point and couldn't get any momentum going to the driver so on his final hole he hit it inside 20 feet on the par 3 then put and then walked right up to his ball and put again not waiting for any players who were outside of him an absolute rude thing to do in golf and scored a bogey on that hole. Stephan Jaeger mentally broke down throughout the round, and it showed on this last hole, if he controlled himself in the moment he could have maybe not made the cut but I'm guessing -3 on the day instead of +1 and going home after 2 days.

In my short career, I've dealt with many ups and downs, but nothing compares to what professional athletes go through periodically. From coaches not thinking I could do something, to losing hope in a specific meet or campaign, to not fully trusting in the process and remaining patient, injuring myself too quickly and harming my performance, although I have substantially progressed in my high-school career, these factors are lingering, and I know to know how to stop them. A recent experience turned for the worse for me when, already at the end of my season, I was getting drops in fitness as the season carried on, and I was going to be on a star-studded relay team until my coach let our top runner drop out of the relay, meaning we had no chance to make it to the state meet. Along with this and with overtraining over time, I suffered a stress fracture, which took me out for 4 weeks, and I cannot run. I truly believe this is God’s way of testing if I really like the sport and if I'm willing to stick around and persevere. This taught me not what to do in the future, as I will get a specific training plan for workouts after practice once I get back, and not overtrain. To complete this every athlete needs some sort of setback to have the opportunity to innovate and get better after a loss and some handle it better than others the solution is that athletes don’t let the competition take over their thoughts and not think too far in the future they can control them, there's a high chance they will beat someone more skilled than them because most athletes don’t know this skill at the professional level, Thank You.

Jake Yono 

JY Journalism

8/10/25

        How Sometimes Being “The Best” Is Not “The Best” Scenario In The World Of Sports

This title might be confusing to some, but in this article, I will be explaining how, in training groups, competition, and team sports, being the #1 athlete might not always be the best scenario. I will be breaking this down by using my experiences in track and cross country, and I will be using athletes at the highest level, showing how they improved and sometimes have been downgraded while they were “the best.” 

Starting with my personal running experiences In endurance athletics I genuinely look forward to competition but not too much competition where I got boxed in during races and end up running a slow time, my best races have been where i’ve had enough competition and people ahead of me not to be boxed in but to go out at a little faster pace and close hard while trying to compete with people at my side, I am working on fixing this problem of getting boxed in by watching film and reflecting on past experiences. In terms of training I like and highly support the idea of always trying to train with people who are faster than me as this has led to me getting pushed hard in workouts and the slight competition of if I can stay with my teammates who are a the same speed or slightly faster than me, this also led me to leading workout reps where I gain confidence by running at fast high-flying paces with training partners who are faster than me. On the contrary, if I didn’t have these teammates and competitors within competition, I probably would still prosper, but not at the rates at which I have seen over the past few years, by learning to compete slightly more in practice, and that competing is a whole different world rather than just working hard. On the youth and high-school sports level, the reason why there are national camps, elite travel teams, and National competitions is to get the best out of each athlete to challenge them into doing better because everyone is the best until they are challenged with better competition or training partners, which can push them to new heights. If this didn’t exist, athletes would still be at a high caliber, but better competition and training partners across all sports, not just running, are beneficial for all.

There have been several examples of this in professional sports, I would like to highlight the first one in Mixed Martial Arts, where athletes train together in notable groups such as the American Top Team based out of Florida led by experienced coaches Mike Brown and Thiago Alves draws in the world's best fighters including several UFC Champions including Amanda Nunes, Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley, and Alexandre Pantoja the Current UFC Flyweight Champion, this leads hundreds of others pro MMA fighters to train at this gym as it is one of the best in the world in there over 30 locations around the world (American Top Team). Out of the U.S., groups exist like this, also one being the “Fighting Nerds” in Brazil, which notably consists of Caio Borralho, Carlos Prates, Jean Silva, and Marciano Ruffy, who have an 18-0 perfectly combined UFC record, this all proves my point that each of these men training with each other and with their proper coaching they all get better and achieve. The last group I will be focusing on is Eagle’s MMA, started by Khabib Nurmagomedov, one of the greatest to ever step foot into the octagon. I appreciate how he is giving guidance to younger fighters and his founding of Eagle FC in Russia, and this has shown to work as these fighters have a combined 40-13 UFC record. Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov, Abubakar Nurmagomedov, Tagir Ulanbekov, Zubaira Tukhugov, and Said Nurmagomedov. One of the more prominent ones around the world is Jackson Wink in New Mexico, where they’ve produced numerous prosperous UFC fighters who inspire younger fighters to get better, including Holly Holm, Jon Jones, and Georges St. Pierre. This all shows the idea that training with athletes higher than your skill level is something one shouldn’t be afraid of, but something one should strive for and want, as they will grow more rather than being the best in one's training group.

Taking this idea over to team sports when LeBron James left Cleveland in 2011 to join Miami with Dwane Wade and Chris Bosh, who we’re more expierenced then him in championship and playoff experienceand they trained together and got better and 2 championships resulted from it and LeBron had none before that but he was close and joining the Heat in which they were on a personable level witt the team they got the championship chemistry going and officially did it in 2012 and the season after. Another example of this is where taking it to the gridiron, where Jimmy Garoppolo, not a highly known product out of Eastern Illinois got drafted to New England to back up Tom Brady in which he was mentored by the best in the game in which he got in the game several times in those 3 years, then he was signed by San Francisco and worked his way in behind Brian Hoyer and Nick Mullens until he got the starting job in 2019 and did not disappoint where he took them to the Super Bowl and they lost to Kansas City, after this the NFL noticed what he could do and he’s been a rotational starting QB ever since because of the mentoring and training with someone higher then his caliber Tom Brady, proving my point of how not being the best and waiting and patiently training made him the best along with LeBron James. If these 2 stayed in their current situations, they would not have had the chance to shine and get better, and lead their teams to success. I’m sure LeBron James would have been fine if he weren’t on the Heat, but Jimmy Garoppolo would not have gotten to his level if it weren’t for Brady proving my point. 

In conclusion in all types of sports not being the best in training is not always the worst as the athletes that innovate and develop composite relations with these highly skilled partners, this should lead them to success within the same organization in individual sports and maybe one might half to switch teams in team sports to each their full potential like the examples I’ve provided,  Thank you.

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

7/2/25

Why Marketing oneself is so crucial in the World of Sports

In all areas of study, work and passion everyone should be trying to market themselves and showcase their work, create a brand and get themselves out there and with social media and generally outside of their field or workplace as it can lead to connections, people getting to know ones personality better, brand deals, business opportunities etc. it’s becoming easier than it has ever been. In some circumstances athletes who market themselves better will have better careers than athletes who don’t this means better overall careers not performances. Today I will be showing you guys athletes who are less skilled than their competition but way better at marketing themselves and vice versa and how it grows leagues when players have a following in team sports and individual sports and to close out I’m going to talk about how I’m marketing myself and how it can possibly benefit me.

The perfect example and what inspired me to write about this was last week in my Rocket Classic Article where I spoke about all the groups I scored in my 4-day 72 hole journey with 86 of the players and 2 players stood out to me: the ethnically South Korean who resides in Australia Min Woo Lee currently ranked  39th on the FedEx cup who I walked with in the 3rd round of the tournament, and Joe Highsmith who I walked with in the 4th and final round of the tournament who’s currently ranked 42nd on the FedEx cup just 3 spots away from each other and both have 1 win on tour and Joe is 25 while Min Woo is 26.

 I came to a very brisk realization when I was doing my job, Min Woo is tremendously better at Marketing himself then Joe is. For example Min Woo has a style he consistently executes, he where’s his Oakley sponsored shades either on or on the back of his hat making himself noticeable, I’m not saying appearance is everything but fans realize when they see a consistent player doing something and gravitate toward them because they aren’t like the rest of the pack. Min Woo also has 2 nicknames he encourages and developed himself: “Dr. Chipinski” due to his expert around the green because he ranked in the top 20 on tour of short game around the green, sand save percentage and strokes gained around the green and nickname the “Chef” when he “cooks” on the golf course, he has a wide presence on social media with 900,000 instagram followers where he constantly posts edits every week of play and behind the scenes content and a Youtube presence on popular golf channels such as Foreplay, GM Golf, Golf Digest where he was the cover of the 2024 October/November issue and part of mini series for premium subscribers, and Good Good Golf playing rounds with youtubers, answering questions on golf digest and being friendly and cool with all involved, Min Woo is also present and open as guests on golf podcasts where fans get to know him more such as the Foreplay Podcast, Pardon my Take 2 of Barstools biggest podcasts and the Style Show hosted by SportsGrid that includes some of the world's top athletes on their shows. All of this popularity has led him to many brand deals with his main apparel sponsor Lululemon along with 2 other players, a very niche group of Max Homa and Lydia Ko on the women's side who work together as brand ambassadors, Oakley as I mentioned earlier in which he wears colorful shades, and smaller companies such as ADP and Linkage. Lee also will very rarely turn down an opportunity to enhance an event, for example going through his driving range routine at The Open where maybe he doesn’t want attention leading up to his round and when on the European Tour a video where he and other players attempted to break a world record. Also the Aura of being from a different country in a U.S. based league and actually being good and having a presence outside of the course goes a long way.

The other player I talked about is lefty Joe Highsmith who’s win is actually more recent than Min Woo’s but a lot of fans including myself had no idea who he was -10 going into the final round 9 shots off the lead but still in contention to win a lot of money and Min Woo was -12 coming in only 2 shots back. The whole round with Joe and his partner Luke List who also was -10 there were barely any cameramen inside the ropes and no extra security or police walking with the group because Highsmith just doesn't have a lot of fans compared to min Woo where he was 5 shots off the lead going into the 3rd round had a police officer walking with our entire group due to crowd control. This is because Highsmith is not good at branding himself, compared to Min Woo’s 900k, Highsmith has only 9000 followers on Instagram and there basically the same skill level mentioned earlier, Min Woo posts after every tournament while Highsmith posts after big tournaments and over time Min Woo has soared over Joe in popularity and not trying to be racist he is a what you would expect to see on the PGA Tour a normal American golfer who has no Aura factor to him and this is something he can change as many american golfers have connections with influencers so help boost their content such as american players such as Dustin Johnson, Max Homa, and Billy Horschel who all have similar rankings and skill levels to Min Woo and Joe Highsmith. The only branded content I can find of Joe is from his equipment sponsor Titleist and collaborations with the PGA Tour and its networks which most golfers at that level get these benefits. Joe Highsmith is also reportedly sponsored by AMEX and other small companies but his social media doesn’t express that well.

The point i’m trying to make with all of this is that even though 2 players can be the same performance wise at a given sport, for the entire trajectory of a career marketing yourself is the way to go and the player doesn’t half to do all the work for example Phil Mickelson and Bryson Dechambeau both have their own Youtube channels but they hire people to manage it all and they still make a lot of profits, these players choose who’s playing with them, what they're doing and where it takes place but in terms of editing, production, and filming they hire people to take care of it. Min Woo has done a great job with this while Joe Highsmith has not and it’s led him to deals with great companies and collaborations where he benefits and gets his name out there to as many people as possible while Highsmith is a very good golfer but when he goes to tournaments with mostly casual fans such as the Rocket Classic most of them aren’t going to know his name or anything he goes off the course because he doesn't have a brand for himself. 

In other sports especially fighting where it’s less structure then the PGA Tour we see this all the time, an example I like to give is fighters with vast differences in skill levels in the UFC’s Lightweight Division where the title was won by Ilia Tourpia and as a tradition post PPV UFC fight Joe Rogan is going to ask who would you like to face next? Ilia called out Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett who was in the arena strictly based on how he markets himself as being the cocky little kid with his accent and humor and although he is ranked 12th in the division and Tourpia just won the championship, that came to his mind and Paddy came into the octagon and previewed with him. Nothing is official yet but many advanced fans were critiquing this because also in the building 23-3 ARMAN TSARUKYAN who’s the #2 contender behind Islam Machavev was there and way more skilled than Paddy but he does a better job at marketing himself which drew the champions attention. This is something to ponder in the world of branding yourself even when one is not as skilled as someone they can have a better overall career in terms of finances, and connections when marketing themself. I believe the better an athlete is the more they should be marketing themself to better the improvement of the league or organization and some leagues are great at doing such as the NFL where top players like Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley, and Justin Jefferson have the most followers based upon the context of the league and many deals to further get their name out there and better the league as stars in their positions. To close out this whole journalism sites is to market myself to show to colleges, employers and anyone wanting to have a connection with me or people in the sports media world to show my content and linking this site in all of social media bios on my LinkTree is highly beneficial to me as more people click on my content each and every day, Have a great day, Thank You.

Jake Yono 

6/23/25 

JY Journalism

"We are the best university in the world"

If you have been live at Michigan Stadium aka the "Big House"  in Ann Arbor for a football game in the 3rd most enormous venue in the world, before kickoff you would have seen the banner being set up on the field and the band ready to play "The Victors" but before the Maize and Blue take the field a gong sounds and a special video comes on led by UofM class of 1955 graduate James Earl Jones referencing the University of Michigan and the prestigious football program with terms: Standing for midwestern values of hard work, determination, and an enthusiasm unknown to mankind, students, athletes, and professors achieving at the highest level and it states one fact that the Wolverines have won more games then any team in the country and stating the university as being "the best in the world'. Today I will be exploring this thought of a university I'm very passionate about and finding evidence to improve or disprove these statements from all parts of the university not just the football team, academics, or athletic department because the word University means so much more.

Starting on the admissions side which is required at any university, a narrative going around is to be the best university you have to be the hardest to get into with noble statistics required, top-ranked programs all across the board, and too many of the same academic backgrounds in one place. This does not make a school the best University but some argue that, the point I'm trying to make here is difficulty on the admissions side is not everything. This rules out universities such as Stanford, MIT, Harvard, etc. because they are too rigorous and academic. This is where Michigan comes in, challenging to get into but possible with lower statistics doable with an acceptance rate averaging around all the schools being 20%, Michigan looks for course rigor, high GPAs, good Test scores if possible, and leaders in their extracurricular communities because they truly uphold and preach these standards (University of Michigan Presidents Office) this makes Michigan a place where you don't need perfect grades or scores but you must show enthusiasm when applying and this opens up a whole world of students that will be good enough to make it past the curriculum but the statistics aren't too low where students are coming in without the right academic state of mind giving it the perfect happy medium.

Next, arguably the most important part of academics is 280 undergrad programs diversified for everyone's interests, in my opinion, one of the only downgrades about this is that you can only apply to 1 of the 14 undergraduate schools for a first-year applicant and although transferring between schools is allowed it differs between institutions so one must be sure when applying they are passionate about a certain field, Michigan wants the whole world repesented on their campus with the 5th ranked diversification of curriculum and students from all 50 states and over 100 foreign countries but the executives don't want Michigan to be veered away from its hometown roots and network as approximately 52% of students come from Michigan and 48% elsewhere making it the perfect mix for blending of ideas which have a Michigan Identity to it. Compared to other schools that claim to be the best university in the world such as the University of Oxford and Cambridge with 75% represented of students from England and in America the top side gets worse with the University of Texas at 75% for kids in Texas only how ridiculous! On the other side, some schools have no sense of community at all which leads to an unknown identity such as the University of Chicago where only 15% of students are from Illinois, and the University of Notre Dame where 10% of students are from Indiana, these do make up the largest territorial populations for the schools but in these locations there must be more representation to the insitutions roots, my only exception is the east coast schools which are so condemned together in the area but otherwise universities need to have a vast majority (Above 25% at least) to preserve culture because when these universities opened most students lived in a safe traveling distance and Michigan does a perfect job of preserving this and bringing the diversity world into the university.  Mentioned earlier Michigan wants applicants to have some sort of a passion for a general area of study coming in, if not they offer a top 10 liberal arts program known as the School of Literature Science and the Arts (LSA) with over 100 degrees from all types of academic study compared to the other 13 schools which have only 10-15  specific degree options on average. One can apply for 5-year programs crossing over at certain schools making you not attached to a certain school and with tons of minors on campus helps out with this issue. Along with LSA, UofM Kinesiology, Business, Engineering, Education, and production and photography programs are all ranked in the top 10 according to Niche (the University of Michigan Rankings). After a Michigan education, Fortune 500 companies have hired Michigan students but also government agencies such as NASA, the CIA, and FBI, and an alumni network big enough to land an introductory job in any company or industry a graduate wants, U of M's academics are top notch as they are on the larger side but still have around 35,000 students enrolled but with a tight Niche within each school students can get the help they need and feel more at home with smaller class sizes per degree.

Outside of academics, UofM has the most student organizations of any university with over 1600 ranging from stock competitions, frats/sororities of any study area, news networks, and simple clubs such as Muay Thai, and Spikeball. And since Michigan is in the top 10 of student diversity, almost all Religions, ethnicities, and races have set their mark on campus by having their group or club so everyone can fit in without it being too much of a huge school and not only controlled by the rest of the world or just people from Michigan as it literally has a 50/50 mix with having prestigious academics leaving room for imperfection on applications but the standards are still high which makes it still a serious academic institution and going back to athletics where this all started with 59 team national titles putting them in the top 10 nationwide and since 2020  they've won the most conference championships of current Big 10 schools. Wrapping up I would like to note students, athletes, and professors achieving at the highest levels such as the 38th U.S. President Gerald R. Ford who's in the football hall of fame at the university,  Female Icon singer Madonna, Arthur Miller who wrote countless 20th-century classics, athletes such Tom Brady, Michael Phelps, and retired softball coach Carol Hutchins who reigns as the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history with 1,707 wins, a national championship (2005), and 22 Big Ten titles, and professors Carl Akerlof,  Jeff Degraff in the fields of science who made many discoveries is biology and chemistry, and current news reporter and economics professor Justin Wolfers who contributes to MSNBC News, all these professors have influenced the world with their media after Michigan on there subjects. The University of Michigan is the school to get a taste of 1817 Michigander culture at a somewhat bigger school with 14 nichier schools inside which experience what the rest of the world has to offer with their subject matters and student groups and the curriculum is good and in my eyes, no one is going to put anything over academics when UofM selects a student, they want the student to change the world with their subject matter at the best University in the world. (Michigan Football Intro Video)

Jake Yono 

6/19/25 

JY Journalism

 ESPN Is A Horrible Example Of What Flagship Sports Media Should Be

The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) has been atop the sports world since its release under Disney in 1979 and they have almost become a monopoly due to its 4 sports networks available on all major cable and streaming platforms: ESPN, ESPN News, ESPN 2 and ESPNU where they host shows, live games, previous games and analysis where they stream all 4 major American sports. It has the largest library of website-only networks, such as ESPN+, featuring shows and podcasts. They also have the largest sports journalism presence in the world, but my critique of this amazing company is that they look at things with the glass half empty instead of the other way around by putting up silly headlines from irrelevant times when other great sports moments are happening and there taking the fun out of sports, meanwhile, I don't think these sports should be treated like this. This company wants fans to see journalists writing about negativity and share it with others to create more tension. They could easily mask this by showing episodes of SportsCenter or the Pat McAfee Show, which are generally positive shows overall. in this article, I will be showing you how they execute this high-grossing business model, but improving on how it should stop focusing on negative things with recent examples. 

Just yesterday, on the first take, one of the headlines was Lebron James commenting on "Ring Culture" on an outside podcast and why everyone is so obsessed with it in the NBA, stating, "We're blaming individuals for losing a team game". I understand if this was after a game or series that didn't go his way, but this was 1.5 months after the L.A. lost to Minnesota in the first round. Lebron can see whatever he wants on a podcast, but ESPN should not be endorsing this and spending 6 minutes speaking about it. Instead, the Florida Panthers won their 2nd straight Stanley Cup the night before, and First Take posted nothing about it; instead, they posted about this. I understand that Chris Russo, Brian Windhorst, and Stephen A. Smith don't study hockey, but that's what they're putting out there 3 times on their pages, while they only posted hockey analyst P.K. Subban 1 time after the Stanley Cup was won for the 1-minute clip. I'm not opposed to off-season content, but this needs to go away. If the "King's Speech" was so important, they could have talked about the Lakers' future and the NBA draft, and they could have tied it into something positive, such as the charity work James is doing or something good. This is ridiculous to post 3 times about and to only post stuff about a Stanley Cup champion crowned the night before, once and talk about it less on the show (Also, this connotation was negative as they only posted blaming the Oilers for losing and P.K. arguing with Stephen A and Get Up did the same thing posting about Conor Mcdavid before this. (Is it McDavid’s fault?). 

Another example of this is outside of television where ESPN sends negative things to get reactions out of people like yesterday I got 2 notification that Grizzlies center Zach Edey and Browns rookie Shadeur Sanders were charged for going 40 over the speed limit and all that's been in the news about Sanders is if he was a waste of a pick or not and his dad complaining to the media about him, nothing about his potntial or development and this is a more postive message because in Michael C. Wright's writeup on this he stated Edey's stats his rookie season and mentioned updated news about his injury (Zach Edey Faces Reckless Driving Charge) but I think this stuff should be handled under Grizzlies team matters and it shouden't be realesed to every fan that has NBA notifications turned on in the ESPN app and the same thing goes with Shedeur Sanders as all NFL fans who had "NFL" news notifactions turned on received this and this is not NFL news in my opinion it's just something for fans to talk about that isen't related to anyhing going on that implies fans to think negativitly. On the show Getup the only thing posted to their social media account was the fight between the Fever and Sun and they talk nothing about other WNBA action just a fight to get fans in the mix that never was there in the first place when again they could have highlighted or posted more WNBA highlights on their show butseeing that the only thing they posted was a reaction to a fight is pathetic.

All of these stories were from June 18th only from the company and every day is like this at the top sports media company in the world while greatness is happening all around sports ESPN decides to highlight these negative experiences which still can be talked about but must be limited to in terms of length on broadcasts, and posting on teams social media. They also should only post crimes when a player gets punishment related to the team participating in competation because then everything has to be adjusted for statistical purposes, but in the offseason with no punishing issues is a waste of time. Default Positive is an up-and-coming sports media company started by Adam Doucette that argues that sports were made to be fun and ESPN is taking the joy and fun out of sports and replacing it with negativity, harsh criticism, and arguments that lack any context for what's happening within the current period of these athletes of teams. I agree with Adam that this must be changed, and the things ESPN endorses on their page are not the standard of the best sports media in the world as sports will further then turn into political fire already seen on news networks where no one finds a happy medium and everyone is constantly arguing and it consumes the whole network. There still must be debate and negative news in sports, but sports were created to be fun and positive, and that's exactly what Adam and I are vouching for. (Default Positive).

College Football Is Better Then The NFL And It's Not Even Close 

Jake Yono

10/15/24 

JY Journalism

After years of watching football, both at the pro and college levels, I’ve come to a solid conclusion: college football is way better than the NFL—and it’s not even close. There’s something special about it, from the tailgating, crazy stat lines, and unique pregame shows, to the fight songs and custom environments that come alive as the game unfolds. College football has this energy that the NFL can’t replicate. And even though the NFL might be “professional,” in my opinion,the game itself is the only thing professional about it. That’s what I want to dive into here.

Yeah, the NFL is the highest-grossing professional sports league by far, and sure, it had 93 of the top 100 most-watched TV programs in 2023. But college football is just better—and here’s why. For one, it’s more unpredictable. A team can blow up from nowhere with a breakout star and completely change the playoff picture. Or a new coach can flip the script on an entire program. In the NFL, it’s a different story. Star quarterbacks stay with top teams for years, and they build dynasties that are almost guaranteed to make it to the conference championships. It’s the same teams and same players, year after year, which makes it way less exciting to watch. But in college football, new stories and upsets are alwayspopping up.

Take the last 10 Super Bowls, for example. Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes has been a part of 8 of them. That’s insane! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to take anything away from the NFL or the talent on display, but it gets a little boringcompared to college football. In college, there are dynasties too, sure, but it’s so much more unpredictable and exciting.Usually, a Power 5 team wins the national championship, but it’s always switching up. Since 2000, 10 teams outside the SEC have won the national championship. Yes, the SEC is still dominant, producing over half the champions during that time, but it’s not a given who’s going to win. That uncertainty is what makes it so fun. In the NFL, you pretty much know who the contenders are going to be every year, which just doesn’t have the same thrill.

Another reason college football blows the NFL out of the water is the overall experience—for the players, coaches, and especially the fans. A Saturday in college football is just a whole different vibe. It’s an entire day of excitement compared to the NFL’s more “business-like” atmosphere. College football games are played on Saturdays, in the middle of the weekend. Fans can enjoy the games without worrying about work the next day. Plus, you’ve got "Pac-12 After Dark" games, where you can watch top teams like Oregon, Boise State, and Colorado under the lights. It’s a full day of football. If you’re a fan going to a game or watching at home, it all kicks off with College GameDay at 9:00 a.m. on ESPN. Fans are camping out, tailgating, and having an amazing time. Meanwhile, in the NFL, pregame shows are filmed in a studio, with none of that same energy or fan involvement. And since most games are on Sunday, people have to worry about waking up early for work on Monday.

And let’s be real: the passion for college football is unmatched. Both from a football and a non-football standpoint, there’smore to it. The NFL season is 17 games long, which usually sorts out who’s contending and rebuilding pretty early. There aren’t many surprises. In college football, though, the regular season is only 12 games, and teams fight for a shot at the College Football Playoff until the conference championships. This season especially, with the playoff expanding to 12 teams, it’s going to be wild. It keeps you guessing all the way through. By the end of the NFL season, there are only a handful of teams fighting for playoff spots, and usually, their odds of making a deep run are slim. But in college, every game matters, and it leads to way more excitement.

From a non-football perspective, the emotional connection fans have with college teams is on a whole other level. NCAA fans feel a lifelong bond with their school’s team, whether because their parents rooted for them or because they went to the school themselves. You learn to be a fan while you’re in school, cheering from the student section, and that bond stays with you for life as an alum. With the NFL, it’s not the same. Sure, fans grow up rooting for a team, but what has that NFL franchise done for them? Maybe they’ve brought joy through winning seasons, but the emotional tie doesn’t run as deep as it does with a college team that’s been a part of your life and identity.

To wrap things up, I’m not saying the NFL is terrible, and I’m not saying college football is perfect. But I will say this: the atmosphere around college football is miles better than the NFL. It’s raw, unpredictable, and filled with passion—everything you want from a sport. College football just means more, and to me, that’s what makes it the better game.

Jake Yono Sports Betting Must Include Athletics

9/25/24 

JY Journalism

Sports betting has a long history, dating back to horseracing in Europe, where spectators would place bets on which horse they believed would win. The modern sports betting model began in England, focusing primarily on soccer and tennis matches. In these early contests, odds were created based on the skill levels of athletes and teams. Today, Europe’s sports betting system uses extensive data to determine fair odds for both sportsbooks and customers. This contrasts sharply with the early days, when bettors were essentially gambling on unknown horses, making the process far less equitable. 

In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nationwide ban on sports betting. Since then, 38 out of 50 states have legalized it. Currently, DraftKings, one of the most active sportsbooks in the U.S., offers betting on 19 different sports. While popular sports like the NFL and NBA have numerous betting options for each moment of the game, others, like badminton and cricket, only offer basic moneyline bets due to a lack of detailed data for more complex wagers. Athletics, or Track and Field, is not typically included in sports betting, and this article explores why it should be. I believe Track and Field is one of the most exciting sports to watch, from the lightning-fast 100m dash to the incredible feats in the Pole Vault. These events push athletes to their limits, creating a thrilling experience for spectators. I’m deeply involved in the world of Athletics; I compete, watch, and analyze it to improve my performance. Despite the sport's appeal, it struggles to gain popularity, particularly in the U.S., due to limited TV coverage. Only major meets like the World Championships, Diamond League Championships, and Olympic Games are televised, while smaller but significant competitions, such as the Diamond League series, USATF meets, and NCAA regional championships, are not. This lack of exposure leaves new fans with little information about the athletes and their performances leading up to major events. This lack of visibility and data makes it difficult for oddsmakers to set accurate odds for Track and Field events, leaving room for potential inaccuracies. There has been some betting on Track and Field in the past, such as during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the upcoming Paris 2024 Games. However, these were limited to simple moneyline bets on who would win each event. There were no prop bets, such as over/under times, placing predictions beyond first place, or bets on individual splits during races. More complex betting options could add a new dimension to the sport, making it more engaging for fans and profitable for sportsbooks. Another reason Track and Field isn’t widely wagered on is the potential for event manipulation. For example, if a top sprinter like Noah Lyles has an over/under time of 9.87 seconds in the 100m dash, he could intentionally run slower or faster to manipulate the outcome for financial gain, either for himself or others. This concern is valid, as similar scandals have occurred in other sports, such as Calvin Ridley in the NFL and Jontay Porter in the NBA. A unique issue in Track and Field is that all results must be verified after the race. World Athletics, the sport’s governing body, checks for false starts, illegal reaction times, lane infractions, and other rule violations. If an infraction is suspected, an athlete may be allowed to compete "under protest." This means their result is provisional and will be reviewed later. This verification process can take hours, and if a disqualification occurs, it can void sports bets placed on that race. For sports betting to thrive in Track and Field, this issue must be addressed. Once a race is finished and reviewed within a short window, the result should be final.

In conclusion, sports betting could be a game-changer for Track and Field. Increased betting activity could lead to better TV deals, increased prize money, and greater exposure for the sport. With declining viewership in the U.S. and other parts of the world, Athletics needs a boost to compete with other rapidly growing sports leagues. Sports betting could provide the necessary support to attract new fans and elevate the sport to new heights.

Jake Yono MHSAA Winter Recap and Spring Preview

JY Journalsim

3/14/24

This marks the 1st week of spring sports in the Michigan High-School Athletic Association (MHSAA) which means many athletes in the state of Michigan will be embarking on the sports of Baseball, Golf, Lacrosse, Girl's soccer, tennis, softball, and Track and Field. In this article, I will be talking about the MHSAA how winter sports are still going on, and how this is the start of my track and field journey this season.

The winter high school sports season is wrapping up and most of the sports are complete. In boys Hockey Detroit Catholic Central took home the Division 1 state title. Girls Hockey is not an MHSAA Sanctioned sport but Groose Point South beat the heavily favored university Liggett in the girls hockey state championship. Ann Arbor Pioneer won the swimming championship. In the D1 Skiing championship, Traverse City Central and West dominated the boys' and girls' sides as the 1 and 2 spots. The 2nd final division champions on the boy's side Petoskey Won and my school OLSM came in second, on the girl's side Cadillac won and Harbor Springs came in second place. This is a major problem with MHSAA skiing as teams from up north dominate both of the divisions. To solve this MHSAA Skiing problem I think all the “up-north” teams should be in D1 because of their geographical advantage and the “metro greater Flint area” should be in division 2. Last but not least Detroit Catholic Central dominated the wrestling final.

In spring sports let’s start with my school Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, on the baseball side new head coach Nick Diponio is trying to get them back to the state championships and win just like the wildcats of Novi did last year. In boy's Golf St. Mary’s will be contending for a state title. Coming off a regional title and a subpar performance at the state championship last year are going for all the glory. This is D2 through, in division 1 Catholic Central is the powerhouseing favorite as they have the most state titles in state history. In boys LAX it’s going to be Brother Rice and CC facing off again in the state title game. In Track and field on the girl's side, I will be selecting Farmington Hills Mercy for the girls' state championship and the Northville Mustangs for the boys' state title in division 1. I picked both of these teams because they practically lost nobody and all their significant runners jumpers and throwers are all coming back. 

To close this out I would like to say good luck to all boys and girls basketball teams battling it out in the quarter-finals tonight, especially for St. Mary’s my home school. Also since I am competing in division 2 track and field I will not be commenting on it as I am trying to qualify for the state championship meet in the 4x800 relay, the 800m, or the 1600m runs. Let’s have a fun season MHSAA athletes and congratulations to all winter sport athletes on their achievements. 

God Bless,

Jake Yono

The Journey Of An MMA Fighter Part #2

Jake Yono

9/30/23

JY Journalism

You have fought hard to earn your UFC contract for 3 fights, your record now is 7-1 and you are ready to take on the big show in the UFC. You talk to your matchmaker and conclude to fight on the Pay-Per-View card in 4 months. This gives you enough time to train and prepare for the biggest fight of your life, your debut in the UFC.

Your first opponent is a struggling current UFC fighter on the last fight of his 3-fight contract, his record is 1-2, and for his experience, he is the favorite in this bout and you are the underdog. You train as hard as you ever had, watch your opponent's film, fuel your body, and then it's time to leave it all out there and fight. You will be the second fight on the 14-fight massive card with 2 title fights to close off the night, you wonder to yourself if you think you're ever going to get there. After this, you lock in your mind that you will become a UFC champion one day and you quote to yourself "Maybe not today, or maybe not tomorrow, but I will be champion one day". You walk up the canvas, praise your lord and Savior Jesus Christ step in the octagon hear Bruce Buffer call your name for the first time and you set to go. You touch gloves and the fight begins, you and your opponent exchange blows for the first round and you try to take him down but he gets right back up your opponent panics and starts to headhunt and waste all his energy because he panics. Round 2 begins and since you incorporated cardio into your training you know this guy is done. At the start of round 2, you land lots of significant strikes but they don't seem to affect your opponent, until you land a hard punch that sends him flying to the ground, after this, you establish ground and pound and before you know it the ref calls the fight and you have earned your first UFC victory. You get your hand raised while Bruce Buffer screams your name. This is the greatest feeling ever as you have won your first fight in the UFC.

In Fight 2 you get matched up with a similar opponent and he is a little more disciplined but does not have enough to beat you as you guys go all 15 minutes and you win in a 30-27 majority decision. In Fight 3 you get matched up with a hot up-and-coming. NCAA national championship wrestler. You hang with him for all 3 rounds but do get manhandled on the ground but you did land some good strikes on him, and because of his wrestling, he pulls off a 30-27 majority decision victory over you. Your contract is now up and it's up to the UFC to resign you or let you go. 

The matchmakers agree to resign you to one last 4 fight contract and they say if your record Is 2-2 or worse you're going to half to be cut. You fight and go 3-1 with 2 finishes and I lose to the future champion. You are climbing up the ranks but always folding when you get that one chance. You always seem to end up in the middle of the rankings and you're getting very frustrated. Then after you come to a conclusion you break the news to your hometown gym and announce that you will be training at the American Top Team in Coconut Creek Florida. You say this because you would like to be around a championship environment with all the top UFC fighters in the country. First, you do not like your training as you lose your first 2 fights with the American Top Team. You make adjustments with the best in the USA and then you get 2 consecutive finishes in your next 2 fights. You win your next 4 with 1 finish. Your matchmaker now has offered you the biggest fight of your life a chance to win a UFC championship belt. Your opponent is the current 2-time defending champ, you enter the fight as the underdog. As you get your Co-Main event of the evening fight Bruce Buffer once again yells your name for a championship-level fight intro. Going into the fight you thought you were a good boxer and kicker but then you realize that you did not stay on your former team. You lose your first championship, but as time goes to on we can figure out everything that as spawning as once again you have conquered the UFC fighting world.

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

8/8/23

The 20 Greatest Runners in OLS, St. Fabian, And OLV Cross Country and Track History

(In No Particular Order)

If you know or not, in middle school I was a cross-country runner at St. Fabian and a track and field runner at my school Our Lady Of Sorrows. My middle school career was decorated with many top finishes, championships, and medals. The reason why I put 3 schools in the title is because I came from a catholic school (Our Lady Of Sorrows) which did not have enough kids to run a cross country and track team. So for Cross Country, Sorrows and St. Fabian Teamed up while Our Lady Of Victory had their own XC team. For Track though, all 3 schools combine to form 1 Our Lady Of Sorrows Track Team. To get things clear here there is no Our Lady Of Sorrows Cross Country team, and no St. Fabian or Our Lady Of Victory track team as they are all combined. In this article, I will be talking about the 20 greatest runners of All-Time in this distance-based dynasty. I will also discuss their accomplishments during and after their middle school running careers.

Out of the 20 runners I listed, 8 are currently still running in their middle school careers, and 12 are done with their middle school careers and are in high school now and I listed 12 boys and 8 girls. Let's begin with our 8 active runners. Let's begin with Libby Grezerma, she is one of 4 runners in the Grezerma family. She is entering her 8th grade XC season and she’s a very talented runner. Last track season she contributed to an Oakland County Middle School Championship first-place finish in the 4x800m relay and a first-place finish for the 4x800 at the CYO Championships. Also in the 1500m run, she took first at the Embrace Sports Relays with a time of 5:15 as a seventh grader. She also contributes to the 4x400m relay. For Cross Country her 2 Mile PR is currently 12:54 and last season in 6 out of 7 races she finished in the top 10 she is the 2nd fastest 2-mile runner in St. Fabian Cross Country History and the 3rd fastest miler in OLS track history and needs 13 seconds to get her hands on the record-breaking crown. Let's now get to another speedster Amelia Price, she is currently going into her 8th grade XC season at St. Fabian. Her 2 Mile Cross-Country PR is currently 12:34 which is currently the school record. Last season she finished all her races in the top 7 and earned a win at the Larry Sateb Invite. In track she is a long jumper and a 800m runner, her PR is 2:25 and she took home the CYO Championship in the 800 open and the long jump where she set her PR at 15 '2, and she also contributed to the 4x800 Oakland Country championship win. Let's move on now to J.J Lukas, she was also on that legendary 4x8 championship team, she has been running cross country since 1st grade as both of her parents help out as coaches, last year she was only in 6th grade and had a 2-mile pr of 13:58 with 5 finishes in the top 20. J.J. with only being in 6th grade has a lot of potential and she will claim more medals in her career. Our last active girl runner and the last member of the Legendary 4x8 Oakland County Middle School Championship team, Ainslee Carter from OLV. Although Libby and Amelia are better runners, that doesn’t make Ainslee Carter a bad runner though, she is currently the 6th fastest XC runner in OLV girl's history with a time of 13:31 and she needs 16 den ones to reach the 2nd place title going into her 8th grade year. In track her main event is the mile, with a time of 6:11. Going into her 8th grade year Ainslee has a lot to improve. A HM for the actively running girls is Regan Faut, I choose not to include her because I’ve only seen and practiced with her a couple of times as she mostly contributes to cross country at OLV. She currently holds the 100,200, and 400-meter titles for OLS track and the 2-mile cross country record for OLV with a time of 12:32. Regan was not on my list because I really did not get a chance to converse with her but she is a very talented runner and she would be on my list if I was closer with her. 

Let’s get into the Actively running boys in the program, first, let’s turn our heads to Brady Glon, he ran XC for OLV, last year as a 7th grader his 2 mile PR was a scorching hot 12:04, at CYO finals he finished in 7th place. In track, he did not run this year but last year I got the opportunity to run a 4x800 relay with him at a loaded invitational race and we took 3rd place. Even if Brady is only a XC runner all I know is that he’s a determined kid who always wants to get better and that has shown as he is currently 3rd all-time at OLV XC. Now let’s get into the future where we have 3 athletes who are the future and they all will be championship athletes. It’s time to begin with Jack Grezerma, the brother of Libby from early on, is currently only going into fourth grade and has already been running 2-mile races since first grade and his time was 16 minutes. He only runs XC for St. Fabian because of the age limits for the track. He is mostly in the 1.2 JV races now. His PR is 7:50 currently. He is second on the all-time 1.2 mile chart for St. Fabian and he finished 11th at the 2022 JV CYO Cross Country Championship. Next let’s talk about the incoming fifth grader from OLV Declan Carter, the younger brother of Ainslee. he was declared eligible for track in 3rd grade. In third grade, he ran the 800 with me at the Whitmore Lake invite. His main event is the mile in which his PR is currently 5:52 which puts him fourth all-time in OLS history. In cross country, he has never run the 2 mile but he dominates in the 1.2 mile J.V race. His worst career finish was 18th at a loaded invitational. His 1.2 PR is currently 7:21 which puts him fourth in OLV history. Declan should be on varsity soon and be contending for CYP championships in both XC and Track. Our last actively running boy is Jamie Pickel who was mostly on the St. Fabian cross country team. He has been running for 2 seasons and is going into 6th grade now. His 1.2 J.V PR is 7:22 which means he’s the record holder of the 1.2 mile race at St. Fabian. In his career, he ran the 2-mile varsity race 3 times and his current PR is 12:33 which puts him at 10th all-time in St. Fabian history. He also ran track for one season when he was in 3rd grade in 2021 where he ran the mile in six minutes and 12 seconds. If Jamie wants to run track again he will become an absolute stud. And he had already run varsity cross country and track. Jamie, Declan, and Jack Grezerma are all the future of middle school cross country and track. Now let’s get into our athletes who have moved on from the program and moved on to high school. 

Since This article is mostly about distance runners, let's get to the only two sprinters in my top 20. Austin Doyle ran for OLS track in his 8th-grade year but he did not disappoint, he finished 3rd in the 100m dash, and 5th in the 200m dash at CYO finals. That puts him 3rd all-time in the 100 and 200 in OLS track history. Now Austin is a varsity swimmer at Catholic Central and he will be a junior this year. Our 2nd and final sprinter on this list is Onimisi Sadiq, he only runs the 100 and 400, in 2021 he won the 400 open CYO Championship and got 6th in the 100-meter final after taking 2nd in the prelims. He holds the 100m record for OLS and is third in the 400m currently. Now Onimisi plays basketball at Catholic Central and that’s his main sport, he also runs track but his times are slower but he is still 5th in the 400m at CC going into his junior year. Since we’ve kicked the sprinters out of the way let’s get to the distance runners whose careers are already over. Paddy Grezerma was the 1st athlete in the Grezerma family dynasty, he only ran St. Fabian Cross Country but he is a legend, he is ranked 3rd all-time in the 2 mile with a time of 12:04 with a 13th place finish at CYO Finals. I personally believe without Paddy Grezermas's success there would be no Nora, Libby, or Jack. Since his parents got him into running first they got the other siblings into it and they have gone down as the best family of runners on my list. Now Paddy attends CC high-school where he swims with Austin Doyle he is a captain going into senior year. Now I’m going to talk about a runner I never came in contact with but I do know about him and that’s Nate Riddering. His middle school 2 mile PR was 11:52 at the Huron Invitational in 2018 where he finished 11th. After middle school, he attended Novi High School where he ran track and cross country for 4 years. In XC he was a 4-year varsity starter with 2 state finals appearances and a PR of 16:01. In Track his 9th grade got canceled due to Covid but that didn’t stop him. He ran the mile and 2-mile races. His mike time was 4:20 and his 2 mile time was 9:21. He had 4 Oakland County Championship Appearances and 1 state finals appearance. Nate has graduated and it’s safe to say that Nate is the most accomplished boy to ever run for our program right now. I do not know if Nate is running in college or not but I wish him the best of luck in whatever he chooses to do. 

Now this is my favorite part of the whole article because I talk about the athletes I ran with my entire middle school career. We have 7 runners left (I’m one of them) 5 are in my grade and 1 is younger than me but I run with him every day and his name is Thomas Leemer. He was in 8th grade last year and in track, he ran the mile and helped with the 4x8 and 4x4. His mile time was 5:30. His 4x4 team got 2nd at the CYO Championships and first at the Whitmore Lake invite and his 4x8 team got 2nd at Whitmore Lake and 4th at the CYO Championship. My biggest track memory with Thomas is when he was in seventh grade and we won the 4x800 CYO championship relay. In XC for St. Fabian, his 2 mile PR was 12:14 which puts him 5th in the record books, he ran it for the first time in 4th grade with a time of 15:51. Last season he finished 4th at the Larry Sateb Invite and 17th at the CYO Finals. Now he is an incoming freshman at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, he’s on my cross country team and he will be a varsity runner as he trains hard and he’s determined. I run with him every day now and he should be a great high school cross-country and track athlete. Now let’s get to the runners I graduated with and ended my Career with as we have 6 runners remaining including myself.

Our first runner is Matthew Wright, he ran for OLV XC and sorrows track. For middle school XC his 2-mile PR was 12:59. In track he was on my 4x800 championship team and he also ran the mile. But in middle school, he also did High Jump where in the CYO finals he finished 3rd. Now he attends Gabriel Ricard. His 5K PR is currently 18:13 as a freshman. I’m a track and he does distance and leads his team in long and high jump as a freshman. Overall Matthew Wright is a great athlete and he will do whatever you ask of him. Let’s now talk about the dynasty that is being built at Mercy High School. First Abby Bores, does not run cross country but is a varsity basketball player in her freshman year. On the OLS track team, she currently holds the high jump record with a jump of 4’8 in a CYO first-place performance. She is also second all-time in the 200 meters with a time of 29:76. She performed well with a second-place finish in the high jump at the CHSL Bishop Championship. She also does the 200 and long jump. Our next Mercy Marlin is Jenna Buchan from OLV, She runs XC and tracks for them, and her middle school PR in the 2 miles was 13:38 which puts her at seventh all-time in OLV history. In the Middle School track, she helped out with the 4x400 and the open 400 with a PR of 1:03 In the CYO championship and she played a key role in the 4x400 girls' win in the CYO finals. Her Freshman 400 PR was 1:00 flat. And her 4x400 team was fifth in the MHSAA Division One State Championship and she helped her team finish 4th in the entire state. Her 5K PR this year was 20:36. Jenna is a hard-working athlete and she will be one of the best to ever do it in Mercy HS history. The next Marlin is Grace Kim, She has been running St. Fabian XC since 2nd grade, and that paid off as she has a 20:34 5K PR for freshman year. In the OLS track, she helped take home a 4x8 CYO title. Also in the 4x8 at Mercy, her team qualified for the state championship. I run ParkRun with Grace a lot and she is a good and inspiring runner. Our 4th and final Mercy Marlin is Nora Grezerma. As a freshman, she already broke the 800m record at Mercy with a time of 2:15 and the Mile record with a time of 5:04 and she was on the all-state 4x4 team with Jenna Buchan. She also is in the Grezerma family with Jack, Paddy, and Libby, the greatest family in this series. Nora and her young relay team should be winning state championships in the future and I would not be surprised if Mercy took home a track state championship in the coming years.

Nora was also the best 800, and mile freshman girl in the state of Michigan. Nora Grezerma is now the best girl to ever run for OLS. Let’s move on to one of my beloved teammates Cole Wisniewski, Cole is the greatest miler in OLS history (5:05) and the most excellent XC runner in St. Fabian history (11:27). He was on my 4x4, and 4x8 CYO championship teams in 2022. He’s running in the Junior Olympics and the 2023 New Balance Indoor Nationals. He was all-region in high school XC and qualified for states and his PR in the 5K is 16:44. His track mike PR is 4:44. In My opinion Cole Will Break the 5K XC OLSM record and the mile record at OLSM which will cement him as one of the best runners in history. Now I am going to be assessing myself. I was on the 4x4 and 4x8 championship team. I ran track for 3 years and XC for 2. My 800 PR was 2:30 (2nd all-time) when I got 3rd at the Whitmore Lake invite. My 2 Mile PR was 12:11 which puts me at 6th all time. In my freshman year, my 800 PR was 2:12 (relay split) and 19:00 flat for the 5K. I got all-league and all-region in 2 events. I have a great future in track and XC. I want to break 2 minutes for the 800 and run at MIS one time for Cross Country.

Obviously, there are more than 20 good runners but these are the most with the most championships in history and there is a lot more to say about each and every athlete but I can only put so much into this. My honorable mentions are Benny Siddall and Regan Faut. It's going to be very exciting what all of these athletes end up accomplishing. In the end, I would like to thank all the coaches because none of us historic, championship-level athletes would go anywhere without our amazing coaches. Thank you, Coaches!!!

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

8/5/23

The Sport Of Wakesurfing

Wakesurfing is an amazing sport, it is easier than normal surfing and a whole different concept. In real surfing, you go into the ocean and wait for a wave to show up then on your power you go surf the wave. For wake surfing, you are pulled by a motorboat with a surf gate at speeds ranging from 9-13 MPH starting with a rope to get up then once you feel comfortable let go of the rope. But you still control what you do and how you perform while you are in the wave. In this article, I will be explaining how I got into wake surfing and I will be talking about my very own Union Lake Wake Surfing League and how we opened up the surf gate back in 2019.

  My family has been on the lake our entire lives, up until 2019 we had a boat but we only tubed on it, we also had a jetski which we cruised around in. In 2019 we wanted something different so we purchased a Malibu wake surfing boat and that was the inaugural season of the Union Lake Wake Surfing League (ULWSL). As we all know everyone starts somewhere when our league started in 2019 we only had 4 surfers now we are up to 9 wake surfers in the league's history. I did not keep track of stats in 2019 but all we did was that our first ever get-up was by Emilene after about 10 tries then Grant, Jake, and then Sarah. Those were all the surfers in our inaugural year. In the actual wake surfing, all we were doing once we finally got up was holding onto the rope and letting the wave control us until we lost control and fell off. We did that in 2019 and then in 2020 we finally started to consistently let go and rope and me and grant started to carve. Also in 2020 Anna made her debut and got up for the first time also in 2020 the 3 brothers Marvin, Mason, and Marcus all made their debuts. 2019 and 2020 was a great era for the ULWSL

Now let’s move on to 2021. In 2021 we traded in our old boat for a new one, the new boat is a Malibu 23 LSV Wakesetter. It generates a bigger wave than our old boat as it was having problems as we got rid of it. At the start of 2021, we had a pretty slow start to the year as our new boat had some technical problems and it took a long time to come in. As this happened and our old boat had problems in late 2020, I decided to combine the 2 seasons (2020-2021) into one. The league took off in 2021, everyone was going without the rope and we were all doing light turns and carving without the rope. The 2020-2021 season was the first season I incorporated surf time into the stat book as we were surfing consistently for the first time. Also in 2021, we were getting bored of just standing and carving around so Grant became the first surfer to attempt the 360 rotation. The main tip to completing the 360 is that you must put your hand in the water and push back to create that momentum if you're a beginner and you cannot spin on your own. Also, you must start with forward momentum, get low, stay balanced, and spin your whole body around. Grant attempted this for nearly 2 years until he got it on August 3rd of this year. Now I am trying to work on the 360 and I’m in line to be the next surfer to land the 360 spin. Now let’s talk about boards. When we started the league all the kids since 2023 had been using the smaller board except me when I started to use our bigger board on July 10th. I grew into a bigger board now and I love it. I can make jumps on it and turn like never before. For now, though we can only do 360s on the smaller I believe eventually we will get to do them on the bigger board. 

Wake surfing is now one of my favorite water sports, we have a league for it now and the stats I keep track of are get-up percentage, let go of the rope percentage, lead-offs, appearances, runs, surf time, and end of the season awards. Overall wakesurfing is a great sport and we are all getting better at it. (I will link our all-time stats below if you would like to check them out.) no 2019 stats).

ULWSL All-Time Stats 

Jake Yono

7/31/23

JY Journalism

The Main Difference between the NFL and UFC (In Terms Of Executive Order And Governing Style).

In this article, I will be covering the difference in seriousness between the NFL and the UFC. I believe some professional sports leagues have a more business and professional atmosphere compared to the UFC, which is mostly more of a let loose and entertainment atmosphere. I think this topic is really interesting in terms of fan enjoyment and how their leaders and commissions deal with topics and issues. I will be talking about the NFL, the serious and more professional, and then I will talk about the UFC, the fun and entertaining organization, and how they run and manage things. 

The NFL is the most popular and highest-grossing professional sports league in the world. This means on a worldwide stage, so they need to show that they do not mess around. They do this by holding each team's players, staff, and front office accountable by having strict protocols and keeping everybody involved in the organization on a 

“tight leash”. The sport that is played in the NFL (American Football) is supposed to be a rough and violent sport, but I respect the NFL and the NFLPA for having a strict protocol on what their players can and cannot do. For Example, the whole Chad Johnson and his celebrations. His fines for celebrating include using a dollar bill on the field (to be funny, of course), using a pylon as a golf club when he scored, and getting fined 30k dollars for wearing a poncho and sombrero on the sideline. (Ochocinco) In this article, Ochocinco said, “I play to have fun”. Chad Johnson wants the NFL to be more open to celebrations, but the NFL has not bought into it. In 2009, he simply set aside 100k dollars for celebrations. “That's OK," said Ochocinco, who confirmed that he has set aside $100,000 to pay fines this season. "They keep jacking them up, I'll keep jacking up the celebrations (Ochocinco). I agree with Chad here; I think the NFL should take a step back on their rules and protocols because I think their viewership will go up if the game was more entertaining to a reasonable extent. Here are some more Ridiculous NFL fines in this article (10 Ridiculous NFL FInes). 

Now, let's get into the high-flying action of the UFC. I love the UFC because it’s energy-filled events all year round, and it is way less serious than the NFL in terms of what people can say and do. President Dana White can say whatever he wants, the fighters do crazy celebrations, and after having crazy interviews with Joe Rogan, the fans love it with a passion. For Example, Derrick Lewis saying his balls were hot, Paddy the Baddy teabagging his opponent, Tai Tuivasa chugging beer out of shoes, Conor Mcgregor’s whole persona and Israel Adesanya walking into the octagon at UFC 290 and dropping some N-Words on Dricus-Du-Pleases after he won. Every single one of these innocents would be unheard of, and major fines and suspensions in the NFL. The comments from Dana White after the UFC 290 Innocent just proved my point here. After the Israel and Du-Plessis moment, Dana White said, “This is the fight business he (Israel) can say whatever he wants' ' (Dana White Reacts To UFC 290). Also, in the interview, Dana said he talked with Israel, and he promised Dana he wasn't going to touch him or anything violent like that, which means it is ok for Israel Adesanya to step in the octagon. One situation where the tension and trash talk went too far was at UFC 229 between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor Mcgregor. All week, Conor Mcgregor was trash-talking Khabib; he even threw a chair at him and went to jail. After the fight, when Khabib won, he threw his mouthguard at Connor's corner man, and things escalated. Although the fight was the biggest PPV seller in UFC history (Biggest PPV Sellers in UFC History), A huge fight broke out, and both of the fighters received fines and suspensions (UFC 229 Aftermath).  I love how the UFC and its supporting commissions realized that this innocent was way more serious and that they had to file and suspend the fighters, and this is exactly what they should have done. 

In conclusion, I think the NFL needs to step back on its protocols and procedures as it will make the game more enjoyable to viewers and fans because now fans just laugh at articles that reveal a player has a ridiculous fine. The UFC, to me, is currently running the operation well as they let everyone do their thing but step in when it matters most (UFC 229 Aftermath). You could expect the UFC to be looser as it is fighting inside of a cage, and you could also expect that out of the NFL, but since they are the best sports league in the world, they set high expectations for everyone involved and discipline their employees if they do not follow these protocols.

My Issue With ESPN Right Now 

Jake Yono 

JY Journalsim

7/26/23

In the US, we all know of ESPN. The entertainment, sports, and programming network we all love was launched in 1979. Since then, it has been the leading sports network, my favorite sports network, and its flagship and #1 show, “SportsCenter”. On SportsCenter, they talk about everything going on in the United States sports world, and it is the most programmed show on ESPN, as its first show started in 1979. But in this period, I will not be supporting them, and here's why. 

On May 18th of 2021, on the Title IX 50th anniversary, ESPN promised that they would broadcast more Women’s sports the same as men's (ESPN Title IX Article). I understand now that in the summer, the only major sport is baseball, which always dominates the broadcast. They also are talking about NFL free agency because that is a huge deal, as the National Football League is the biggest sport in America. I believe ESPN tries to make all the money possible, and they want as many people to watch the broadcast as possible, so they’re playing what the people want to see for their whole broadcast. 

My point here is that right now, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is on, and I have not seen ESPN broadcasting it. If they even care about this Women’s World Cup, they put the USWNT on there one time, and it was for less than 30 seconds. ESPN only promotes the Women’s sports that they broadcast (to gain a higher profit). These sports include NCAA women’s sports and the WNBA. It’s not like the women’s World Cup isn’t broadcast in America because it’s on FOX and FS1. To conclude, I believe if a sport is broadcasted in the US and people are talking about it in the US, it should be on the biggest sports news show in the nation. If that’s not common sense, I don’t know what it is.

I think ESPN should give 1/162 MLB games every day, and NFL free agency which they talk about every day a break and start talking about the FIFA Women’s World Cup because the United States is in it and is playing in their second group stage game tonight against the Netherlands at 9:00 ET, women are playing in it (which they promised to broadcast more women), it’s broadcasted in the US, and it’s talked about by lots fans in the US. My final statement is that I believe ESPN knows about this World Cup and what’s going on in it, but like other companies, they would rather show sports they broadcast to gain a higher profit.

Individual Sports Vs. Team Sports

Jake Yono 

JY Journalism

7/1/23

In the world of sports, you are either playing with a team or by yourself. Team sports are self-explanatory, the team works together and tries to win, in an individual sport, the athlete plays the sport by themself and mostly do their best to help their team win. In this article, I’m going to be going over what sports are less or more respected by fans, athletes, and coaches in the world of sports, and playing individual and team sports for fun and not professionally.

Let’s begin with sports fans, generally, I think without fans sports would be nowhere near where they are today. In America, the popular team sports are American football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. The popular individual are tennis, golf, boxing, MMA, and maybe track and field. In my opinion, in America, the most popular sports are American Football, basketball, Baseball, MMA, golf, and hockey. Out of these sports I named 4 team sports but only 2 individual sports. I believe a fan enjoys a team winning more than just one person winning because they have more to relate to, such as different positions on the playing surface, what each player on that team was known for, and the coach of that team because coaches matter a ton in team sports way more than individual ones. In individual sports only one athlete can win, also I believe fans like team sports better than individual sports because they have more action than individual ones. For example in a track meet an athlete wins a golf tournament, but all they are doing is playing golf, you can recall back on his or her magnificent shots but they are only doing one thing which is playing golf. In team sports for example there is offense and defense, quarters and halves, different positions making exciting moments happen throughout the contest, and much more. This leads me and fellow sports fans to surely say that team sports are better to watch as fans than individual ones. To be frank, here, would you rather cheer on one person or a whole team including a coach, this proves my point.

Now let’s get into the content of sports which are the players and the coaches of them. In Individual sports, coaches do not impact the contest as much as they do in team sports. I guarantee that whoever is reading this cannot name me one coach in an individual sport, for golf it’s caddy’s, for tennis and endurance it’s coaches but they barely have any impact, and for combat, it’s cornering. When an athlete wins a championship in an individual sport the coach is not mentioned or anything like that. But In all team sports coaches are a huge part of how the team performs because there are game plans and plays that can help a team win. Also, the organizations in team sports have a way bigger following than the teams in individual sports. For example, millions more people know of the Los Angeles Lakers. the most successful cycling team of all time, Team Jumbo Visma. In other individual sports, athletes are required to build their brand and legacy within the competition as they do not have a team around them. When you are watching an individual sports competition it is a tournament format that can take a few days such as cycling, golf, and tennis. I’m each of these competitions it’s everyone by themselves trying to get to the top. In a team sports contest, you know what two teams are playing and you sit down and watch it and the contest ends right there on that same day. In all, I think team sports are better in this category because the coaches make it more enjoyable to the game.

Our last and final category is playing and competing in these sports, how easy they are to access, how enjoyable they are, and how long you can play the sports for. For most people like me and like most sports fans, people play sports in high school with their friends and that’s it. Every single high school sport has a team aspect to it, athletes can qualify for state championships on their own in individual sports just like professional individual sports, but for team sports in high school, there is a tournament leading up to a state championship. After high school, some athletes play in college but most don’t, everybody’s career comes to an end at some point. If an athlete still wants to play his or her sport after school I believe individual sports are easier to access and how can perform at them for longer. For example, there are golf courses and tennis courts everywhere, only there’s combat sports gyms, and only competitive fun runs, cycles, swims, and triathlons in a lot of places. Playing a team sport after school it’s much harder, some cities have pickup basketball, soccer, and softball leagues but sadly most do not and you half to get with your friends to play but that is extremely hard because public fields, courts, rinks, and Diamonds are rare to find around town. This leads me to the conclusion that you can play individual sports for longer and they are more accessible to play than team sports after you are done playing them in school.

These 3 topics I talked about today all lead to my conclusion. While I do think playing individual sports is better after you finish school, most sports fans watch team sports more than individual sports and it is harder for them to play team sports after school is over for them. I believe team sports are better than individual sports overall but individual sports are more accessible to play after an athlete finishes school. My final statement is that “overall, team sports are better than individual sports”.

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

6/25/23

How To Eliminate The “Dog Days” in American Professional Sports

This time of the year is when I think about this as only the MLB is in season which means we are in the period of the “Dog Days Of Summer.” This is the only time of the year when sports fans are just generally bored and have nothing to watch except baseball, but in this article, I am going to explain a schedule where there are no more “dog days” in American sports.

Even though I called baseball the most boring sport the scheduling of it is perfect for me. Most ballparks are outside which means they need the summer heat and it ends in October at the start of the other 3 seasons. I also have this opinion on the National Football League as it starts in September and finishes in February which is perfect because it’s not too hot at the start but it does get a little cold for playoff football but no one minds it. 

The two leagues I have a problem with are the NBA and the NHL, both starting in mid to late October. This is a problem because at the same time, the NFL is in season and the MLB is wrapping up. Since basketball and hockey are both winter sports I believe they should start in the middle of December as they do not half to compete with the NFL and MLB and their championships can be in August right before the NFL starts and sports fans have something to watch in those “Dog Days” after the current NBA and NHL finals at Mid to late June, which means that there will be no more “Dog Days” in the sports calendar year.

In the end, the whole year now including the summer has multiple sports on and fans can be entertained at every moment of the year with the MLB and NFL seasons remaining the same, but the NBA and NHL seasons moving dates. I think this will benefit all leagues including the MLB as fewer people will be watching hockey and basketball during their championship season. With the NFL being the most popular sport in the USA, the NFL can be on at any time and still be the most popular. This helps the NBA and NHL as people will not be watching baseball when their season starts, all these leagues still half to deal with viewers from the NFL. Those are my thoughts on how the American Sports schedule can change for the greater good of all these leagues.

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

6/12/23

Combat And Endurance Sports Are the Toughest Mankind Has Ever Seen.

As a sports writer, I know a lot about sports, I watch them, train at them, analyze them, and write about them. I have seen many sports in my life but I think the hardest physically and mentally are endurance and combat sports and in this article, I am going to back my claim up.

Most sports include a ball and/or goal of some kind such as soccer, basketball, hockey, etc. Endurance and combat sports are individual sports and they rely heavily on the human body to succeed in them such as Running, MMA, Cycling, Swimming, Boxing, and wrestling. In all of these sports, it’s you pushing your body to the limits and putting it on the line to achieve victory and it is only you and you do not have a team to carry you on. To be good at combat and endurance sports your body must be in tip-top physical shape, for sports like baseball and football you do not half to as there are different positions.

Now let's get into the goals of sporting competitions, in team sports there is an object you must get into a goal and whichever team does that gets the most points and win, In endurance sports there is a finish line and the fastest athlete or team to cross it wins, in combat sports however there are rounds and fights are either judged or scored. In endurance sports the clock is always going to move and never stop, in combat the rounds are long but both fighters are getting beat up and there is not much time in between rounds. All other teams sport half periods of halves and there are breaks in between them. In my opinion, this makes them look very weak.

Now let's talk about the human body’s involvement in all of these sports. In all team sports, there is way more skills training than endurance and combat sports such as kicking, passing, and shooting. These skills take practice and repetition to get good at. There are some skills for combat and endurance such as hills, striking, and wrestling. In combat sports, you also cut weight which takes a lot of training.

In the end, team sports are more popular among kids starting sports for the first time, they are easier on the body but take more skill and technique. Combat and endurance sports make you push yourself and you barely get a break and they test your body and mind. Let's compare two computations, a professional Half Marathon time is around an hour, in this grueling hour there are so many breaks and the athlete must be running the whole time at a 4:35 mile pace. Compared to an NFL game with 60 minutes of playing time but with stoppages every play, for timeouts, and the end of periods and halves. Which one is harder, I think it's combat sports but if you guys want you could still argue this.

Jake Yono's Top 5 Physically and Mentally Challenging Sports

Jake Yono’s Top 5 Physically and Mentally Challenging Sports

1. Mixed Martial Arts

2. Swimming (Sprints, and open water)

3. Long-Distance Running (Cross Country, Long distance track, Long distance racing)

4. Long-distance Cycling

5. Wrestling

HM1. All other Endurance Sports (Rowing, XC Skiing, ETC.)

HM2. All other Combat Sports: (Judo, Boxing, BJJ, Karate)

Jake Yono

JY Journalism

6/1/23 

The Journey Of An MMA Fighter

A friend of yours invites you to a Mixed Martial Arts class he has been partaking in for a few weeks. He is starting to like it and wants you to do it with him. You go there and learn all the different types and sorts of moves, including punching, grappling, kicking, wrestling, takedowns, and submissions. Ultimately, your body, mind, and soul all fall in love with it. You start to talk to the coaches at the gym and collectively you all come to the conclusion that you want to take that big step and take the game seriously and start to fight at the amateur level.

You start to train hard every day like a madman, you put all of your blood, sweat, and tears into it. After 3 months of intense training, you and your coaches agree to find an amateur MMA league where you can make your debut. You do your research and find an organization called the XFC. They hold fights near you and some fighters from your gym have fought in this organization. You find the commissioner, email him and he says he has a spot for you. He gets your weight class and height and matches you with an opponent, he has one ammeter fight under his belt and won it by split decision. You and your coaches start making your game plan and train accordingly to it. The day is here and it is time to make your Mixed Martial Arts amateur debut.

You’ve done everything you can up to this point, by training hard, coming up with a game plan, and studying your opponent, your 6oz gloves are on and the cage is closed and it is time to fight. You have 3x3 minute rounds to prove yourself. In the first round you out-strike and outkick him, in the second round he takes you down and sits on you, and in the 3rd round, you dominate in the clinch and land a lot of knees and punches which leads you to a split decision victory against your opponent. Your contract is for 3 fights, in the next fight your competitor takes you down and wrestles but you earn a submission victory, in the last fight on your ammeter contract you get matched with a more experienced fighter and you get blown out but still hang on for 9 minutes as you lose by unanimous decision which then ultimately wraps up your career as an ammeter.

After this you talk to your matchmaker again, you agree to stay in the XFC and become a professional fighter and agree on a 4-fight contract. In these 4 fights, you show out and win all 4 of them and 3 in dominant fashion. You are starting to become the best version of yourself. You talk to your matchmaker again and agree to part ways as Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC has offered you a contract. Knowing it will be a bigger stage and tougher compassion and bigger stages you accept the offer.

Your record is now 6-1 and the UFC’s Dana White Contender series has looked at you, they have offered you a contract and you take it as you have a lot of time to train and analyze your opponent, you probably would not have taken the fight if you did not have this much time. You train as hard as you’ve ever trained before and study your opponent as hard as ever. You head to the apex as it is time to get started. You trained a lot of cardio as you now have 3x5 minute round fights. You battle it out for 15 minutes as the fight is very close, your time in the clinch was enough to earn you the 29-28 split decision victory. You then meet Dana White and he gives you the paper every fighter dreams of having which is a UFC contract. In the octagon, you fall to the canvas and cry tears of joy because you have done it and earned your first UFC contract.

Jake Yono 

JY Journalism

5/23/23

What are my thoughts about the High School Track and Field Order of events currently?

Hello everybody, as you might have known I just wrapped up my freshman year of high school track. I am mainly a 800m runner but sometimes I run the mile and the 4x400. The order of events concerns all runners. I highlighted runners because I’m not talking about field events because they are always first and should stay that way. What I am talking about is the running events. I am going to be diving into the perspective of a sprinter, mid-distance, long-distance runner, and hurdler and the perspectives of people who do field and track events and athletes who run different types of track events.

Let’s start with a sprinter's perspective. Sprinting events are the 100,200, and their respective relays, some sprinters also do the 400, and the 4x400. One thing to consider with sprinting is that there are always multiple heats of the 100 and 200. The 100 is first the 4x200 I think these two events should be separated as they are too close to each other considering after this there is also the mile then the 4x100. If a coach knows how to plan this then they can work around it. I think there should be 2 events between each sprinting event in the sport of track and field but also considering the 400 as a sprinters event you half to fit it in.

  Now let’s talk about the bread and butter of track and field and the events I run which are mid-distance races. I consider mid-distance as the 400m more than it is as a sprinting event and the event where distance runners move down and sprinters move up, in my opinion, the hardest event in track in the field is the 800m run. An 800m runner is more likely to be a distance runner than a sprinter but I do know a decent amount of sprinters who compete in the 8. The 4x800 is the first mid-distance event. I do strongly believe the USATF Federation Thinks the 800 is the toughest event because there is a 7-event break between the 4x800 and the open 8 and only a 4-event break between the open 4 and the 4x4. But I do think the 4x8 and 800 difference is way too long so I think the mile and 4x800 should be flipped because 800m runners wait too long and I think the mile and 2-mile gap should be longer because it is a long distance and that gets us into our next topic, distance running.

  In distance running, I think the mile, 2 miles, and the 4x800 are all distance events. And I said the 4x8 because distance runners can do the 4x800 and get a good time to help their team on a short rostered lineup.

 In conclusion, I made a new track order of events with all of my thoughts on it. Also, I love the sport of track and field, thanks for reading this guys.

Link Here>My Athletics order of events 

Jake Yono 

JY Journalism

5/30/23

Jake Yono’s Envision of the Track and Field Order of Events

1. 4x800 Relay

2. 100 High Hurdles

3.100m Dash

4. 3200m Run

5. 400m Dash

6. 4x200m Relay

7. 800m Run

8. 200m Dash 

9. 300m Hurdles

10. 4x100 Relay

11.1600m Run

12. 4x400 Relay

Key: Same (Normal) Changed (Red)