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How Sweet it is!!
March 19, 2007







Sports Illustrated writer Luke Winn has posted a blog entry entitled,
"Nation, Meet the New Rebels."

The post reports on the surprise victory of #7 ranked UNLV
(University of Nevada Las Vegas) over #2 ranked University of
Wisconsin.

According to the article, senior point guard Kevin Kruger, son of the
team's coach said, ""People didn't watch us..It would be nice to be on
ESPN every night, and have people talking about you on a little
podium, but they're not, and there's nothing we can change about that.
It's perfectly fine with us. We'll fly under the radar, and you can give
me a ring at the end if you want."


Discussion-Starters for Younger Children

  • Ask your students to name one thing that they are very good at
    doing that most people don't know about them.
  • Students could write several sentences explaining this
    skill.

  • What one thing would your students like their father (or
    another significant adult male) to teach them how to do? What
    one thing would they like their mother (or another significant
    adult female) to teach them how to do?
  • Consider asking students to have a picture taken of one
    of their parents teaching them how to do something.
    Students could then show the picture to the class and
    explain what they learned. You might make a class
    collage.

  • Do your students think that it's OK to tell their friends that they
    are the best in the world at doing something? Why/why not? Is
    it Ok for people to compliment their friends? Why/why not?
  • Encourage students to compliment one other student in
    the class. Try and make sure that every student receives
    a compliment.

  • Invite your students to tell you the story of Cinderella. If they
    don't know the story tell it to them. Ask them what lesson they
    think people can learn from this story.

  
Discussion-Starters for Older Students

  • Vocabulary terms to discuss: Potential; Mania; "Reasonably
    Important Media Cities"; and, Marginal.

  • How do your students think that the lack of attention paid to
    UNLV during the college basketball season might have
    influenced their play during the opening weekend of the
    tournament? Do your students like to have attention focused on
    them when they are trying to accomplish something? Why/why
    not?

  • Consider asking students to reflect on the process that occurs
    when a sports team goes from being unknown to well known.
    What actually happens? Students could develop graphic
    organizers depicting this process.

  • UNLV has not won the tournament. They have simply reached
    the "Sweet 16." If UNLV loses in the first round that they play
    next weekend will they be winners or losers? Explain!! What
    does it mean to be a winner? Is there such thing as a loser?
    What does this term mean?
  • These questions might spark an interesting class
    discussion.

  • In explaining his participation on his father's basketball squad,
    Kevin Kruger said, ""How many times does a kid graduate in
    four years, happen to have redshirted his first year, have his
    coach get released, his dad coaching at another college -- and
    take that team to the tournament? The stars are aligned." What
    did Kevin mean by this statement? How would your child(ren)
    respond to Kevin's statement if he asked them what they
    thought about his remark?
  • Ask students to pick an event in their lives that Kevin
    Kruger might also describe as an alignment of the stars.
    Ask them to write an expository essay about this event.
    In the essay they should explain why they believe this
    event happened as it did.
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