Example research essay topic: Future Generations Spice Girls - 1,558 words

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... deal more strategy that has been proven throughout decades of experience. Also technology has given the modern day manager much more information with which to make game effective decisions such as situational statistics and player tendencies. The game, which once was based purely on ability, has evolved into as much of a science as an art. The edge physically and mentally is so very much in favor of the modern team. Additionally, there is the issue of the overall caliber of major league players today.

The requirements to compete at the major league level are significantly higher that in the ' 20 s mainly because there are far more players vying to compete at that level. In modern baseball, players begin playing the sport in some organized fashion when they are very young. After little leagues, there is scholastic competition and then, one of the single most significant enhancements ever to occur in the sport, the farm system. The minor league system which allows a franchise to grow and cultivate it's talent prior to putting them at their highest level was instituted by the great Branch Rickey, the same man who broke baseballs color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson in 1947, while he was the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1930 s. Now, by the time a player reaches the major leagues, he has potentially 15 or more years of organized baseball experience under his belt.

If you consider what a microscopic percentage of players with big leaguer aspirations actually make it to that level it's easy to understand the overall level of talent required as opposed to that in 1927. For all of these stated reasons, I say you can eliminate not only the 1927 Yankees as the greatest team but also teams like the ' 39 Yankees and ' 54 Indians (who's American League victory mark was surpassed by this years Yankees) and any other team of prior to, say 1960. Now at this point some may continue to pitch that pathetic "apples and oranges" argument and say that these teams should not be compared to teams that play in a modern day environment with modern day situations but should be evaluated based on their status and accomplishments relative to the situations and competition of their day. To me, that is not what's being debated here. This is to determine what team has the best ability to beat any other team. Many can make a case for John L.

Sullivan, the turn of the century heavyweight who so clearly dominated boxing in his day, fighting most of his bouts bareknucked, as being the best boxer ever. Others can chime in and say it was Dempsey or Louis. But for almost identical reasons that I feel the Yankees are superior, I have no doubt that Ali or even Tyson would have cleaned these guys clocks in five rounds. So who does that leave as competitors to the ' 98 Yankees as the greatest ever? I submit a short list of: The ' 61 Yankees, the ' 70 Orioles, the ' 76 Reds and the ' 86 Mets. Most of my earlier arguments don't hold water here since we are talking about more or less the same era.

Here we can compare these clubs team by team on pretty much an even surface. All of these teams has certain areas of strength greater that the ' 98 Yankees. In the case of the ' 76 Reds, if you combined the two clubs into one roster, the starting lineup (with no DH) would probably feature five Reds (Perez, Morgan, Rose, Bench, Foster) and probably a platoon of Griffey Sr. with O'Neill in right field. However, the ' 76 Reds starting rotation had only one pitcher that would crack the Yankees five man ensemble. (Don Gullet would probably replace Hideki Iraq as number five). Also the Reds bench no one who compared to what the Yankees had and their bullpen wasn't nearly as sound.

As far as the others on the list, all great teams by any measure, their focus was on specific strengths. The ' 61 Yanks had tons of power and good starting pitching. The ' 70 Orioles played flawless defense and had possibly the best four man rotation of the modern era, and the ' 86 Mets had character, charisma and heart. But none had all of the ingredients that made, in my opinion, the ' 98 Yankees the greatest of them all. On the field this team had more balance, symmetry and depth than any ever. Lacking any one marquis superhero (ala Bonds, Griffey, Maddux, Belle, etc), this team beat you up and down it's lineup.

Opposing pitchers had no soft spots to face 1 through 9. They were masters at clutch hitting, solid fundaments, and flawless team work. Each month, each week, each day, a different player would emerge into the spotlight as the team hero. One player would go down to slump or injury and another would step in without the team losing any of its rhythm.

And while their bats and gloves seemed to rise to any and all occasions, their starting pitching and bullpen was equally brilliant. This team was the true definition of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Their tenacity, persistence and intensity created an aura which served to intimidate their opposition not only in their home temple of Yankee stadium, but as most unwelcome guests in the visitors ballpark as well. And as with many great teams of the past, their were no ego clashes, no prima donnas. This was a team by every definition of what a team is supposed to be. Their unselfish style and reluctance to personal ambition was exhibited in their ability to support and compliment one another both on and off the field.

And presiding over the whole affair was indisputably the games best management and coaching staff to grace a dugout in many years. Consider also that all of this accomplishment was done under the constant scrutinizing eye of the most relentless and unforgiving media city in all of sports and a temperamental czar of an owner. So I submit to you that this years World Series champions is the team of the ages, capable of defeating any other team of any other era at any given time. This was a team of consummate professionals who gave a welcome respite to professional sports in an era were greed and individuality seem to be the motivating force. So what will come next? Will a team come along and eclipse this ones accomplishments?

History says that that's inevitable. My arguments about evolution of game and athlete would be flawed if I didn't think this will eventually happen as well. But the evolution of baseball has slowed considerably in recent years. For something to continue to evolve it has to start at its lowest level, in baseball's case, children. There has been a notable reduction in interest of baseball for children in past years due to the alternate options for grabbing their interest.

In the ' 20 's through as recently as the ' 70 s a schoolboy not interested in watching, talking about or playing the game was considered by his peers to be somewhat of a freak. Frankly, come springtime, baseball was by far the primary diversion for school age boys. Recently other warm weather organized sports, perhaps a bit more "chic" or "' 90 s" such as organized soccer have cropped up and taken some kids off the diamond. Additionally, thanks to increased family capital and modern technology, there are a lot more non athletic diversions like VCRs, cable TV, mountain bikes and video games that seem more appealing. It seems that the sport of baseball has lost much of the link to "americana" that it had enjoyed for many generations. This all has served to drive down participation in little league and school league baseball over recent years.

In the ' 60 s a schoolboy would collect baseball cards and fantasize about being Mickey Mantle. Now he is more likely to collect beanie babies and fantasize about banging one of the spice girls. Offsetting this has been the incredible wave of players coming in from foreign countries, particularly in 3 rd world Latin American areas like the Dominican, Panama and Puerto Rico, who have no VCRs or video games and probably don't even know who the Spice Girls are. They start playing baseball in the street at about five years old barefooted, with sticks as bats and rocks as balls and continue to play year round as a way of life never losing sight of their dream to make it to the bigs as many many of them have. The impact that these people have has on baseball has been astounding. Just ask Sammy Sosa.

Using the world and not just our schoolyards as stock for future generations of baseball stars will serve to ensure that the level of talent in future generations will remain high. So will a team attain a higher status that our current Yankees? Probably but don't start to hold your breath. What the Yankees did this season will be the benchmark and will be a source of pride and satisfaction for New Yorkers and baseball fans for many years.

Research essay sample on Future Generations Spice Girls