I would agree that he should be in the conversation of the most influential and progressive/trendsetting athlete, however, I would say the GOAT conversation is obviously meant for those who were/are ACTUALLY the greatest players of all time. Yes, while you did mention the fact that he could be considered the GOAT on OR off the field, I do not think he would necessarily be considered either. Because you must also consider Jackie Robinson or Moses Fleetwood Walker in that same conversation. I agree that Jim Thorpe was absolutely amazing at his many crafts and that he is absolutely an important figure in American Civil Rights, he just isn’t the GOAT of any particular sport.

Dear Juan,

I am very intrigued by your post-¨Trophies¨ because it shows that not everyone should get a trophy because the ones who actually got them to put a bot of time and effort into winning those trophies. And I also agree when someone else sees someone get a trophy it inspires them to give it their all the next time around. One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is ¨ The positive of giving trophies to young athletes, is that it can help them celebrate for learning a new skill, having fun with their teammates, and as well as belonging to something bigger than themselves.¨ I think this quote is interesting because it shows that if you work hard you are going to get rewarded in the long run. Also seeing someone else get a trophy inspires you to do better and achieve that trophy you desire. Anyways, thanks for you writing Juan I am going to be looking forward to your future writings.

Gerardo

Your essay on trophies is very interesting and something I never really thought on before. I agree that not everyone should get trophies, it seems like a lot of money is wasted on it and it can also make others feel as if they weren’t good enough for a bigger trophy.

Wassup Juan, I read your article about trophies and all that. I’m an athlete so when I receive a participation trophy I look at it like a “Nice Try”. I think people who get 1st place should get trophies. When I don’t get a trophy I just accept the fact I didn’t do good and I have to push myself to become way better for the next time I compete. I do agree on the part of giving trophies for no reason is going to give people/youth a mindset of expecting something when they don’t get it. When getting a trophy for winning 1st place is a very happy moment but it pushed you more to go after another 1st place. But remember the person behind you wants 1st place as well.

Dear Juan :
I am surprised by your post, “Trophies”, because not everyone deserves them all the time. Being the best is different from succeeding. For example, a team can be undefeated, the best in their league, while another successful team only has one loss. The trophy should only go to one of these teams and that is the best.
One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: “The negative of these participation trophies can be because it can build arrogance amongst the youth.” I think this is important because kids will get the mentality that second place is okay. They will still earn a trophy no matter what, right? I think in some cases participation trophies are fine, but at some point we all learn to fail. At some point we all learn that settling for lower is not a way to succeed in this world.
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because we had similar outputs on this topic. It’s interesting to learn how others think about the importance of failing. I think we can learn a lot from each other.
Ricardo Sanchez

Juan,

I am intrigued by your post about the value of trophies and the lack of substance behind participation trophies because it explains the importance of failure. One thing you said that stands out for me is “[Trophies] can build character and motivation for the rest.” I find this very true as when I was younger, the prospect of winning a trophy excited me and inspired me to practice harder. As I grew older, I realized that the physical aspect of the trophy was not what I was so proud of. Rather, it was the fact that my dedication and hard work had manifested. The most important part of competition is that one learns and grows. Failure is inevitable and should not be shied away from since it too provides an amazing opportunity for growth. The existence of participation trophies, perhaps adequate for toddlers, should not be widely promoted among kids in order to teach them the lesson of failure. Thank you for your post! I look forward to seeing what you write next since your commentary was very enlightening and insightful. Great job!

Liann

Dear Juan :
I am fascinated by your post, “Post Office Trouble?,” because I agree that many people depend on the post office for important things as you mentioned. Now, to see the post office in trouble, many people will begin to panic and there will be a huge delay on many things.
One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: “It is frustrating that important incoming mail is being delayed to a crisis such as Covid-19.” I think this is correct because most changes caused by COVID-19 have been frustrating and with a huge impact on the post office, there is bound to be lots of frustration. Many people depend on the post office to deliver and receive important messages, objects, checks, etc., meaning if they don’t there will be frustration.
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because we share similar ideas on certain things. I like how you address your opinion on important problems we have today.
Ricardo

This is a pretty interesting subject because it involves so many parties. Not only does it screw with the election, but it puts people’s lives at risk by keeping medication out of the hands of those who need it. You mentioned how it can change the number of votes for a presidential candidate, this seems to show a sort of fragility in Trump’s reelection chances. I found an article (below) that shows Trump’s success in slowing down the collection of ballots as well as how states are being restricted in counting ballots late. I would love to see a more updated version of this story as the election grows closer, especially in this tight unpredictable race.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/15/trump-restricting-mail-in-ballots-429545

I’ve always wondered how the Post Office works, and how come its been having issues as of late. For example, I only had a rough idea that buying stamps helps fund the Post Office, but as you said, “Despite inflated their stamp rate from 33 cents to now 55 cents per stamp, they are still having financial problems.” I never knew how much such a simple thing as a postage stamp can have such value, or be inflated. I’ve heard ever since the election became a big issue, that some of the Post Office’s problems are not just from COVID, but its administration. I found this recent article (https://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/baldwin-sends-new-demands-to-postmaster-general/), which may shed some more light on the problem. If you could write some on the Post Office’s administration issues and the election, I would most certainly come back to read.

Dear Juan,
I found your post intriguing about the concerns of mail delay since my father is a clerk for the United States Postal Service (USPS). I agree with the comment in responses of it being “frustrating that important mail is being delayed”. The Post Office has tremendously impeded the process of mail being sent out to the community. Just receiving letters in the mail are normally later than usual, due to “COVID-19”.

Operationally, there are numerous internal issues that have been causing problems and especially, in regards to prevalent times with ballots meeting a certain deadline. I think hearing how chaotic some of my father’s personnel experiences and his intake on solving this problem is by addressing this issue internally with animosity between employees, Management, and the Union.

I’m looking forward to what you will write next in future responses to issues like these. This post tackles critical points of information within the nation and highlights significant detail of how it’s affecting the community.

Dear Juan,
I found this piece quite interesting! Your research on adulthood not only in the US, but in other countries was quite intriguing, and a topic I have never thought about before. I agree with your statement at the end, 18 years old does seem to young to be considered an adult. I think this topic opens up extensive discussions about age and maturity in all sectors of our lives. If one is not mature at 18, why can they still be drafted into the army to fight and die for our country? Contrastingly, if age is just a number, why is the voting age nationally 18 when age doesn’t correlate to mental capability? Your writing is quite thought-provoking!

I agree with you that 18 years old is very young but looking at the other side of things people can be young and more mature than someone who is in their 20s it’s about people’s life experiences and how they’ve dealt with the obstacles they faced. Maturity is not about age but about how well we’ve learned from the things we’ve been through.