The beginning

Hi everyone!

I hope you are all off to a smooth start. Me, I’m just getting there. This week I have reserved for organizing my project and what I intend to do with it. I’m waiting on a couple key contacts to push me in a certain direction, but next week should clear all that up when they get back in touch with me. My project is a little different than most everyone else’s, as it will be a pressing challenge to set goals, manage my time and organize my work efficiently because I’m working very independently. Looking at the calendar, it seems like a ridiculously short period for me to produce anything of great effect, so this prep time will be certainly valuable.

In preparing for what is just up the road, I’ve begun browsing both MLB.com and the leading Sports in Society websites to acquaint myself with what’s out there, and how I can make my site original in content but capitalize on the work that has already been done. I read a book about one of my advisors, and Five Minutes to Midnight was a real eye opener to how long the intersection of politics, sports and education has been studied. It intimidates me a great deal to be asking help from the man who basically invented the field, Professor Lapchick, but hopefully he will have the time to point me in the right direction.

I am in Kansas for now, working for home on this fundamental stuff, but my official supervisor is in Cleveland. I’m already scheduled to meet with him in August, as I near to a close, and while the freedom of the nuts and bolts lets me have a lot of responsibility in the project, that responsibility comes with a lot of self-imposed pressure.

I hope to be more detailed next time; I know this is a little vague but that’s what this week is all about. I’m looking forward to hearing about all of your great summers, and I hope that mine will at least be full of entertainment.

matt