Friday Feature: World Cup

Friday Feature: World Cup

By Sports Analyst Dylan M.

Why the Favorites Lost
No one could have predicted this year’s World Cup outcomes. Italy, France, and Brazil’s early eliminations left fans shocked; Italy was the 2006 World cup winner and some thought a contender. In 2008 with almost the same team, they struggled in the Euro Cup and scraped past mediocre teams in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. In the group stages they looked lackluster and scored late in the games if at all. Their performance was almost as bad as France’s.

France had issues on and off the field, and when the entire team went on strike, the French team almost sealed their fate. In the past, teams that go on strike before the World Cup rarely go past the group stages. For example, Portugal, before the 1986 World Cup, went on strike and, right after, lost to Morocco who currently is 70th all time, as compared to Portugal’s 3rd place ranking.
Brazil, on the other hand, did nothing wrong until the Quarter Finals. They played with style, passed the ball, well and potentially had the players to win the tournament. Unfortunately, Brazil had one problem and it showed in the Netherlands game. They became frustrated and actually conceded an own goal, letting the Dutch team slowly amass pressure on the defense.
Who Will Win

The Spanish will have their work cut out for them when they play a Netherlands team that beat Brazil. The Spanish scrape by in each game. They won by a score of 1-0 against Portugal, 1-0 against Paraguay, and 1-0 against Germany. The Netherlands have a high scoring offence that has been more creative and less selfish frontline that has a even distribution of goals while the Spanish only have three goal scores. My prediction is a 2-1 Netherlands win in the 2010 World Cup.

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Arts in America's Schools

Arts in America's Schools

America's schools are facing a difficult dilemma: something must be cut. Some schools have already done away with elementary school music programs (including band and strings), others are cutting high school freshman sports. No matter what the decision is and where, someone's educational experience will be lessened, so what can go? 
Arts programs, including art, music, drama, chorus, strings, and band, seem to be the first to go in time of budget crisis. These classes aren't considered 'essential' like core classes (math, English, science, and history), or popular fundraisers for districts, like varsity sports. If elementary school music is cut, the first opportunity that students will have to learn an instrument will be seventh grade band or strings, and will never have the chance to take a general music class. Programs like elementary school music add so much to the learning environment, and not having them would be severely detrimental to children's self confidence, grades in 'core' classes, and social health. 
Arts programs provide unique outlets for creativity for young students, and allow students who cannot or do not take outside of school lessons in music to explore and expand upon his or her talents. The problem, then, is what does get cut in the place of the arts? PE could be downscaled, but America's high childhood obesity rate makes a very convincing argument to leave PE be. Sports could be cut on the high school level, but sports programs do assist students in developing their personal abilities. 
The truth is, there are no easy decisions. Budgets need to met and students need a fulfilling education experience. However, I believe it is imperative at all costs to save our school's arts programs. 

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