Visual Journalism Final

Aaron Rodgers: A Statistical Analysis

Aaron Rodgers is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. He has all of the accolades that cement him as a first ballot Hall of Famer and possibly, the Greatest of All Time. However, there is one stat holding him back: his single Super Bowl victory. In his defense, Aaron hasn't had a top ten defense since the 2010 Super Bowl run.

Despite the lack of playoff success, Aaron carries the Packers each season. Every year, analysts predict massive success behind Aaron's arm, but the success never comes to fruition until the midpoint of the season when the Packer's are undoubtedly at risk of missing the playoffs.

I took a look at Aaron's stats from the past five seasons and compiled them into a spreadsheet to analyze if exactly he does perform better in the second half of the season.

After compiling his season stats, I found the box score for each game over the past five seasons and divided his season performance into two halves, eight games each (except in 2017, due to injury, and 2018, as the season is still in progress).

With all of the stats compiled, I made a mock-up info-graphic, specifically of Aaron's 2016 campaign.

Upon examination, it would appear the Rodgers does perform better in the second half of the season, if that season occurs in an even year. In 2014 and 2016, Aaron shifted his performance in the second half and produced elite stats. In 2015 and 2017, Aaron actually performed worse in the second half of the season, and things aren't looking up for 2018.

Sources:
http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/8439
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RodgAa00.htm
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/

Assignment 20: Wild Card

(Opinion) Why Mike McCarthy will be fired by the end of 2018 NFL season.

Image via USA Today

I've been a dedicated Green Bay Packers fan since 2009 when I watched my first NFL game on TV. It was storming and the power was out at my house. My mom called her business downtown and the answering machine answered, meaning there was still power at that part of town. We loaded up some snacks and made our way to her store.

There wasn't very much more to do at the store than there was at home, but there was a TV with cable. The sad news was that there were only four channels. Of course, nothing was on on a Monday night that I was interested in, except a football game. I wasn't the biggest football fan but I knew some things about it, mostly from watching the Razorbacks play on Saturdays.

The game was between the Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay Packers and the Brett Favre led Minnesota Vikings. It was time to pick someone to root for, and I chose the green and gold. 

Mike McCarthy was a premier playcaller in the NFL for numerous years. I'll never forget the 2010 Super Bowl run where the six-seed Packers ran the gauntlet to win it all. McCarthy established himself as a brilliant offensive mind, leading the Packers to multiple deep-playoff runs behind the arm of Aaron Rodgers and an unstoppable offense. Things began to change in 2015.

Teams around the league soon learned how to beat McCarthy; stop Aaron Rodgers. McCarthy did what any smart coach would do and that's to use your best player to your advantage. However, one player can only get you so far. Playcalling becomes essential when your opponent knows what you're going to do, but it's like McCarthy doesn't realize that.

It's been a steady decline for the Packers. Every year, the offense seems to perform subpar until about midway through the season, at which point Aaron Rodgers takes over the second half of the season to make a playoff push. The defense is always underwhelming and can't hold up their end of the game. The one consistent is Mike McCarthy and his predictable, non-risky playcalling.

The Packers need change. McCarthy's era will forever be remembered, but if the Packers want to win before Aaron Rodger's retirement, they need someone new.

Assignment 19: Classmate Blog Critique

Blog Critique: Rhett Gentry

For the classmate blog critique, I decided to examine Rhett's blog.

At a quick glance, Rhett's blog may come off as a bit unorganized and un-pretty, but taking a dive into the content reveals otherwise. The stories on the blog are ordered vertically in an isometric fashion as small rectangles across the screen. These stacked rectangles create a very pleasing effect of seemingly offering a broad selection of content in just a few short posts.

Rhett has a very clean, journalistic writing style. Every post is easy to read and flows very well, like a conversation. My main complaint with the writing isn't really a complaint, I simply would like to see less first-person writing and more third-person writing from him.

Of course, the first-person writing does create a sense of interaction with Rhett when reading his stories. After a few posts, you begin to have an understanding of who Rhett is.

The color template of the blog is very nice. I appreciate the complementary dark colors of beige, brown, and black all flowing as you move down the page. I would maybe add some more color on the sidebar as it's very empty after moving past the profile information.

Overall, Rhett's blog is very nice to read and joyful to look at.

Rhett's blog can be viewed here.

Assignment 18: News App Critique

ESPN App critique.

I'm a very dedicated sports fan. Not only am I dedicated to the teams I root for, I'm dedicated to the sport. Because of this, I have multiple apps on my phone that allow me to keep up with all of the major sports organizations including the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB.

The apps I use are ESPN, Bleacher Report, and CBS Sports. Each of these apps have a different style of reporting that appeal to me. ESPN is a great app as a feed of scores and games going on right now. I get a notification every time one of my favorite teams begins and ends play, along with the final score. Bleacher Report has very in-depth articles and analysis of news from around the various leagues. CBS Sports is a solid mixture of ESPN and Bleacher Report, but I mainly use it for video highlights and postgame interviews.

I decided to review the ESPN app, simply because it's the app I'm most familiar with.

The app is very interactive. The first time you open the app, it asks you what your favorite teams and leagues are so that it can feed relevant information to you. I get a notification every time the Packers (NFL), Spurs (NBA), Braves (MLB), Penguins (NHL), Razorbacks (NCAA), and Chelsea FC (PL) begin play. I am also notified of the final score of every game.

The app also pushes notifications of major sports news to you. For example, I don't follow boxing very closely, but I receive notifications about 'big-name' matches that are being set or occurring. This goes for most sports I don't follow very closely.

You can also get a free ten minute live viewing of any sporting event listed on the app. I recommend waiting until the game is close to being over and catching the final minutes on the app if the game is not shown on your TV.

My main complaint with the app is that sometimes it does not load correctly or has inaccurate scores, but it's impossible for the app to update immediately after a score in any sport.

I enjoy the ESPN app very much and highly recommend it to any sports fan.

Assignment 17: Opinion (State, National, International)

(Opinion) Teenager's underwear used in rape trial causes Irish outcry, protests.

A series of protests have been taking place in Ireland following the acquittal of a man in a rape case involving a 17 year old girl. During the trial, the defense lawyer stated, "You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a thong with a lace front." After the man was acquitted, Ruth Coppinger, an Irish MP, produced the blue lacy underwear worn by the victim. "It might seem embarrassing to show a pair of thongs here... how do you think a rape victim or a woman feels at the incongruous setting of her underwear being shown in a court," Coppinger said.

The accused maintained that the sexual contact between him and the girl, which took place in a laneway in Cork, had been consensual. Details of the closing argument presented by his senior counsel Elizabeth O'Connell, however, attracted widespread attention and prompted a series of online protest movements.

The day after publication of that court report, the head of Dublin's Rape Crisis Centre criticized the barrister's remarks. Although she did not question the verdict, she called for reform of a legal system in which she said such suggestions were frequently made. Amid increasing media attention, Irish social media users expressed outrage at the remarks in court.

Counsel for man acquitted of rape suggested jurors should reflect on underwear worn by the 17yo complainant. Following this wholly unacceptable comment, we are calling on our followers to post a picture of their thongs/knickers to support her with the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/ZkVU0GVAIN

— I Believe Her - Ireland (@ibelieveher_ire) November 10, 2018

I hear cameras cut away from me when I displayed this underwear in #Dáil. In courts victims can have their underwear passed around as evidence and it's within the rules, hence need to display in Dáil. Join protests tomorrow. In Dublin it's at Spire, 1pm.#dubw #ThisIsNotConsent pic.twitter.com/DvtaJL61qR

— Ruth Coppinger TD (@RuthCoppingerTD) November 13, 2018

In my opinion, this type of counter argument reflects that the defense believed the victim was "asking for it." This statement has been used for years, claiming that the way that women dressed persisted that they were consenting. Obviously, this is far from the truth.

The judicial system, as a broad spectrum around the world, defines the laws. Laws cannot define intent. Intent is somewhat defined, mainly relating to illegal possessions such as a deadly weapon or drugs wherein an 'intent to harm' or 'intent to distribute' may be appended to the original charge.

Though consent was claimed, the prosecution obviously felt other that it was not. So can one say that since the girl was wearing lacy underwear, she intended on having sex? By wearing pajama pants, am I intending to go to sleep, or can I not simply be comfortable while I work? It's not evidence of anything other than a girl wearing undergarments.

I suppose by wearing a jacket, I consent to being cold in the winter. That's not how it works.

Thongs are being hung up outside the Spire in Dublin as part of the protest calling for an overhaul in the way rape trials are conducted #rape #consent #rosa pic.twitter.com/zGfl7HFNrW

— Stephanie Rohan (@StephGrogan3) November 14, 2018

Original story via  BBC News

Assignment 16: Opinion (Local Issue)

Opinion: City of Conway discusses funding of second splash pad.

Image via City of Conway

The Conway City Council will discuss funding for a second splash pad during its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Judge “Jack” Roberts District Court Building.

Aldermen will consider RJR Enterprises’ bid of $365,000 for construction of a splash pad at Fifth Avenue Park.

The lion’s share of the project, $292,000, will be funded through a Community Development Block Grant.

″The Conway Parks and Recreation will fund the remaining portion of the splash pad construction and will also provide additional parking lot improvements for 5th Avenue Park,” the proposed ordinance says.

As a member of the City of Conway and Faulkner County community for nearly ten years, I have multiple issues with this proposal.

Firstly, Conway, especially in the downtown district, is not complete in the slightest. Besides from the central quarter of the downtown square, the city is inhabited by dozens of empty shops and warehouses that are not safe. A quick walk in any direction from the central park in downtown will guide you to an outer district of empty-shelled buildings. Why should we be building a second splash pad in the park when our city isn't complete itself?

Second, the parks in Conway aren't very popular. Conway has become a hub of business and education, touting multiple colleges and taking the title of 'the city of colleges'. Most residents of Conway live in the outer suburbs of the city, closer to Greenbrier or Mayflower. A park is a family oriented location, but families don't spend very much time in Conway unless it's for dinner or shopping. A second splash pad won't be a new attraction, rather a waste of funds.

Finally, Christmas is coming soon. It's winter now. Why should a splash pad be considered now, of all times? What is the traffic level at the first splash pad? Is it so popular that a second one is required to fulfill the desires of all the children in the area? There are too many questions left unanswered for this to be a high priority topic!

Scratch the splash pad. Instead, let's fix our city first before we try to improve it.

Original story via The Log Cabin Democrat

Assignment 15: Entertainment or Popular Culture

'Shrek' returning to the big screen in Illumination Entertainment reboot.

Image via io9

Everyone's favorite green ogre will be returning to theaters soon. 'Shrek', along with 'Puss in Boots' are both being rebooted by Illumination Entertainment, the film studio behind 'Despicable Me', 'The Secret Life of Pets', and most recently 'The Grinch'.

Chris Meledandri, the founder and studio head of Illumination is taking on the new projects following Comcast's purchase of DreamWorks in 2016. Meledandri plans on reuniting the original voice cast of 'Shrek' to help maintain the popularity of the original films. “When you look back on those vocal performances they’re awesome, and while you certainly could make a case for a complete reinvention, I find myself responding to my own nostalgic feelings of wanting to go back to those characterizations,” explains Meledandri.

Meledandri is trying to be careful with the reboot of the beloved ogre as it's very important to reach the high bar set by the original movies. “There’s a tremendous amount of fun to be had in that world, but it’s a high bar to find a story that’s truly world,” said Meledandri. “You want to find something in the narrative that really feels like a departure.”

Original story via Variety

Assignment 14: #Trending on Social Media

Trending on social media, November 5, 2018.

Following a Sunday of NFL games that often dominate the trending area of social media, including the second meeting of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady on Sunday Night Football, Monday held a much different portfolio of #Trends.

I checked the Twitter trending section at 2:00pm on Monday, November 5. Here's an image of the trending section.

Twitter tailors the trending section based on your interests and who you follow. You may notice that some personalities that I follow were tweeting about certain trends, in which Twitter will assume that that is a trend I will be interested in.

The top three trends were about Tuesday, November 6, or Election Day. Following the trends about Election day are the standard everyday trends, such as #MondayMotivation and common online 'games', such as #My4WordHeadache. These 'games' are simply a way to get conversations going online or for telling jokes about the current standing of one's country or world.

November 5th is also National Doughnut Day, which was also trending. The biggest surprise in the trending section was #MTGUMA, which is referring to the announcement of a new card box for Magic: The Gathering, a popular card game.

On this morning's Weekly MTG stream, we unveiled Ultimate Masters! Learn all about the set and the Ultimate Box Toppers contained in each sealed booster box.

Oh, and it's coming December 7. Get ready! #MTGUMAhttps://t.co/iUPj3s2fIi

— Magic: The Gathering (@wizards_magic) November 5, 2018

The announcement didn't come without scrutiny as many fans of the beloved card game noted the hefty price tag.

$335 a box? Yeah I’m gonna sit this one out #MTGUMA

— Emily, Big Tron Energy™️ (@veesa_mtg) November 5, 2018

Making a video about Ultimate Masters, but wow, $340 for a box is...OOF.#MTGUMA

— Wedge (@TheManaSource) November 5, 2018

The last trend to take note of is #HelwaniShow, which is a Twitter Sports show about MMA. The show is sponsored by Twitter, so it's no surprise it made it into the trending section.

Assignment 13: International Hard or Feature News

Ex-Juventus footballer jailed in mafia trial.

Vincenzo Iaquinta
via BBC

Vincenzo Iaquinta, 38, a former Juventus F.C. footballer has been sentenced to two years for firearms offenses as a part of a large mafia trial. The 38-year-old, who was part of Italy's winning World Cup team in 2006, was one of 148 people standing trial for alleged links to the 'Ndrangheta, a major organization linked to the Italian mafia.

The judge dismissed those charges against him, but Iaquinta's father was found guilty and jailed for 19 years. More than 120 others were found guilty also. The court ruled that Iaquinta illegally passed two guns to his father, whom at the time was under a court order banning him from keeping firearms.

Under Italian law, defendants are allowed to appeal twice before a sentence is confirmed, though it is unlikely Iaquinta would have to serve any jail time.

Original story via BBC

Assignment 12: Numeracy

'Halloween' holds top spot for second straight week, 'Mid90s' jumps up ten places. Weekend box office for Oct. 26-28, 2018.

This weekend didn't see many changes in the top five at the box office as 'Halloween (2018)' maintained it's top spot for the second straight week. 'A Star is Born', 'Venom', and 'Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween' also staved off 'Hunter Killer' on it's premiere weekend to hold on to the number two, three, and four spots respectively.

The biggest changes in the top ten saw 'First Man' drop from number five to number seven while Jonah Hill's directorial debut 'Mid90s' jumped from 20th to 10th place.

Oct. 26-28, 2018 Box Office Top 10
via BoxOfficeMojo

Notable weekend debuts include 'Hunter Killer', 'Johnny English Strikes Again', and 'Indivisible'. 'Hunter Killer' debuted at the number five position while 'Johnny English Strikes Again' and 'Indivisible' debuted at number 12 and 13 respectively.

Notable weekend debuts for November 2-4, 2018 include 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'The Nutcracker and the Four Realms', and 'Bodied'.