Soccer and Basketball Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Soccer and Basketball - Essay Example The paper will examine the use of the ball in the two sports, the number of players and their positions, the roles of the sports and their durations. Soccer and basketball are among the two most popular sports in the world. While basketball had always been a favorite American game, it was only recently that soccer became a favorite American pastime. This is probably due to the fact that basketball originated from the US while soccer has its origins in Europe. The present craze over football can be attributed to the influence of the World Cup. Although both games have the same objective of getting the ball into the goal post in soccer and the net in basketball, there are many other similarities and differences between the two sports. Although leather balls are used in both soccer and basketball, there are several differences between them. The two sports are different in the type of balls they use and the ways they use the balls. The soccer ball’s circumference is 27-28 inches while the basketball’s circumference in the NBA is 29.5 inches. The ball used in soccer is a thickly-padded and smooth with black and white pen tagonal sections. However, basketballs are orange with thin symmetrical lines. The primary rule in soccer is that players are not allowed to use their hands. Only the goalkeepers are allowed to use their hands. In addition, soccer players can use their heads and their trunks of their bodies. They must try to kick the ball into the opposing team’s goal post by moving the ball without touching it with their hands. If a player touches the ball with his hands, then the other team gets a free kick. On the other hand, basketball is a game where â€Å"two teams of players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground† (Basketball Basics, 2011). Basketball players dribble with their hands. If basketball players touch the ball with other parts SOCCER AND BASKETBALL – A COMPARISON 3 of their bodies, then it is considered a foul. Basketballs can be advanced by bouncing it while running, walking or passing it to a teammate. If a playe r kicks the ball in basketball, the referee blows the whistle and the other team gets the ball. Therefore, each game uses different parts of the body and the objective in both sports is to outscore the opponents. The only way to score a goal in soccer is by hitting the ball across the goal line and every goal is worth a point. Conversely, in basketball, each goal is worth two points. Points are scored by shooting the ball into the opponent team’s net. In both soccer and basketball, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins. Both soccer and basketball are considered team sports as there are several people playing the games at once. While soccer has eleven players in a team, basketball has five who are allowed to play at one time. However, a soccer team can have 50 players on the roster but a basketball team can only have about 12 and 15 players. In soccer, the players are divided between four positions: defenders, forwards, midfielders and goal keepers. Usually each team has 2-3 defenders or fullbacks who try to block the opposing team’s players from scoring. They play closest to their goal post that their goalkeeper defends. Conversely, forwards play closest to the opponent’s goal post which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. There are normally three forwards who play in front of the rest of the team and are responsible for a team’s scoring. Their primary function is to score goals for their team. The 2 –

Effect of designation aliens ineligible for citizenship on Asian Research Paper

Effect of designation aliens ineligible for citizenship on Asian Americans before 1952 - Research Paper Example Immigrants to the United States were not always welcome, as they were subjected to a selective practice. America was considered a â€Å"melting pot’ for those who wanted to be assimilated in the American culture. This criteria later on created divisiveness, like those who entered through the Ellis Island were â€Å"whites† and those who passed Angel Island were Asians. Angel Island is a detention camp set up in San Francisco, California, wherein Chinese immigrants were detained for a distressful period of two years. Walter, Yvonne estimated that about 50,000 Chinese passed this island until 1940 for interrogation before they were allowed entry to US. In the Southwest, barbed wires were constructed to control the Mexican and South American immigrants. The composition of these immigrants defined what is called an American today. This composition is an indication of the process of immigration, and naturalization that led to a diverse population of the United States today, Suh-Yun Ahn argued in his work that Americanization is an arbitrary process that chooses only those they wanted to come to their shores. Suh-Yun Ahn recalled that both groups of immigrants had diverse treatments, but their trials were different. Although both groups suffered initial hardship, one group was perpetually called foreigners and identified as ineligible for citizenship. ... The conscious effort to exclude Asians is due to the US’ desire to create white identity, and therefore, considered it as a basic requirement for citizenship. Today, despite diversity of population, we could observe the white supremacy in the society whether through the political arena or in the density of population. But we should not forget the aggregate measures and the constructs that led to this white supremacy. All throughout, the legislations passed by Congress defined who belong, and who did not in an effort to create white identity. The first immigration law in the United States showed an impression of being racist. During the colonization and industrial revolution period, the United States encouraged settlers to America by offering land, work and citizenship. Black slaves and workers from China, Japan, Philippines, and India were brought to the Eastern shores to make up for the shortage of workers in the plantations and to hasten the colonization and industrial revol ution. The discovery of gold in California attracted many Chinese to try their luck. The Chinese were also forced to leave China because of poverty. Although their pay was lower than the whites, they were able to survive, and after being sojourns, later on considered immigration. Thus, in 1790, America had a diverse and ethnic background of people. This prompted the Congress to control immigration and had to pass a legislation that called for â€Å"A uniform standard for naturalization that allowed only white men to become citizens† (Walter, Yvonne,2007). This legislation automatically excluded the Asians and other colored immigrants from becoming citizens of America. By excluding other colored nationals, the law seems to