| Jason Yurgartis Features Editor |
Chad Smith Graphic Designer |
Rachel Elsea Copy Editor |
Patty McJazzfingers Ribbon Dancer Extraordinare |
| Question 1: With the World Series of Poker in full swing and drawing increasing numbers of viewers each year, is professional poker becoming an enduring sport or a once a year spectacle like the Iron-Man competition? |
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| Poker is not a sport! I can’t stress this enough. Stop wasting my time showing poker, ESPN! If everyone loves poker so much, invite me over for a game so I can take your money. | I would consider poker as much a sport as bowling, pool, and golf. As long as it draws a crowd and there is money involved. I’m game. | Poker is a card game, not a sport. I guess it’s still just a once-a-year thing, and I hope it never becomes an “enduring sport.” | I understand what it’s like to be an underappreciated athlete, but poker is not a sport. |
| Question 2: UNF baseball’s recently released schedule includes several home games against big name competition such as Florida, Connecticut and Ohio State. What kind of impact will these games have on this year’s team? |
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| Hopefully the increased level of competition during the regular season will lead to a post-season berth and a run at the College World Series. | It’s great for UNF’s transition into Division I. It brings more popularity to the sport here at UNF. The more top tier Division I schools UNF plays, more fans and school spirit will follow as we progress every year. | I think it’ll help us put more effort into our game, and it’ll draw more attention to UNF’s athletic facilities. | The teams on its schedule are impressive, but until the team can compete with me, I’m not taking any notice of them. |
| Question 3: Alexei Cherepanov, the NHL’s 17th overall draft pick from 2007, died shortly after a match in Russia in early October due to lack of medical attention. Who should be held responsible for professional athletes’ health? |
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| The athletes themselves. They know what they’re getting into with regard to injury – they’ve been signing waiver forms since they were in little league. | It should be the league’s and team’s responsibility for an athlete’s health. Any player is competitive by nature, but it becomes the league’s job not only to increase the marketability of the sport but also the well-being of the athletes it employs. | Athletes should be responsible for their own health, just like any other normal person is. Health is a personal responsibility. | What many people do not know is, although I have Irish heritage, I was born in Russia. If you’ve seen Rocky IV than you’ve had a taste of Russian athletics. Russian athletes are made of steel, so I don’t know how he got hurt. |
| Question 4: NFL quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco have proven their worth as starters for their teams. Are they proof you don’t have to go to a big name school to be a successful professional athlete? |
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| Absolutely. Small schools have had a wide represntation across the league for years. Jerry Rice went to Mississippi Valley State of all places, and current players like Terrell Owens, Brandon Marshal and Brian Westbrook are all from small schools. | As quarterbacks, it doesn’t matter where they come from as long as there is a “W” in the win column at the end of the day. If he is successful enough to stay on top, he deserves to start on any team. | Absolutely. You don’t have to start big to become someone worthwhile. It’s all about what you do with what you’ve got. | Hey, I attended Novosibirsk State Technical University in Russia and look how I turned out. The best. |
Compiled by John Weidner.
