The global sports-media nexus: Reflections on the 'Super League Saga' in Australia

Despite the social and (increasingly) commercial significance of sport and sporting bodies worldwide, they remain under-represented in the mainstream management literature. One of the more recent and dramatic examples of the global sports-media nexus is the 'Super League saga' in Australia. This paper recounts the tale of the Super League saga, providing a holistic analysis of the events and competitive issues arising by drawing on literatures concerning the economic nature and value of sports leagues, the resource-based view of the firm and the nature of psychological contracts in changing environments. The analysis confirms the general monopolistic tendencies of professional sports leagues in an increasingly global industry driven by the sports-media nexus, in accord with a number of comparable cases internationally. The particular conditions of the Australian marketplace that exacerbate this tendency beyond, for example, that found in the USA, and differences in the outcomes of battles between rival leagues are also considered. The Super League saga portrays the importance of effective management of resources key to the production of the 'rugby league product' including, among others, the often over-looked importance of careful management of local resources for the success of global strategies, and, where human resources are key, the importance of psychological contracting. The holistic analysis of the Super League saga in Australia affords lessons that extend well beyond the realm of sports.

Militares Medici in Nummis Repraesentati: The heritage of military

Coins and commemorative medals constitute one special repository of the history of military medicine. The numismatic record has proven to be the most enduring, albeit one of the most selective, records of the progress of history. Matters of health, and especially of military medicine, have been central to the endeavors and indeed the survival of many cultures and societies. Many such themes in the national and international history of military medicine are preserved in the medallic record. Coins and medallions thus constitute one record of the chronology of this profession, one parallel to that of the more traditional history to be found in oral and written records. This account presents a four-part classification of medical coins and medals of military interest. These examples include (1) medals that portray military surgeons and physicians; (2) medals that commemorate special events of military medicine; (3) coins that portray the themes of the discipline of military medicine and health; and (4) a miscellaneous group that includes such examples as disease touch pieces and the militarily worn medals of such bodies as the International Red Cross and the Order of St. John, the latter of which are awarded inter alia for contributions to prehospital care in the field. A representative photo archive of such exemplars is included in this account.

Severity of sports-related concussion and neuropsychological test performance

Concussion severity grades according to the Cantu, Colorado Medical Society, and American Academy of Neurology systems were not clearly related to the presence or duration of impaired neuropsychological test performance in 21 professional rugby league athletes. The use of concussion severity guidelines and neuropsychological testing to assist return to play decisions requires further investigation.

Harmful drinking in military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: Association with the D2 dopamine receptor A1 allele

Aims: The frequency of the Taq I A alleles (A1 and A2) of the D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) gene was examined in Caucasian post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients and controls. Results: In 91 PTSD patients, the frequency of the A1 allele was higher (P = 6.12 x 10(-3)) than in the 51 controls. In the 38 PTSD harmful drinkers (greater than or equal to60 g alcohol/day), A1 allelic frequency was higher (P = 3.91 x 10(-2)) than in the 53 non-harmful drinkers (

The over-production of US sports and the new International Division of Cultural Labor

This article focuses on how US professional sports utilize the New International Division of Cultural Labor to supplement an overly costly local labor pool and over-supplied local market. We argue that while the classic problem of over-production is slowly eroding the sealed-off nature of US culture, the forces of its hyper-protectionist capitalism continue to characterize sports, precluding equal exchange.

Sport-specific practice and the development of expert decision-making in team ball sports

The role of sport-specific practice in the development of decision-making expertise in the sports of field hockey, netball, and basketball was examined. Fifteen expert decision-makers and 13 experienced non-expert athletes provided detailed information about the quantity and type of sport-specific and other related practice activities they had undertaken throughout their careers. Experts accumulated more hours of sport-specific practice from age 12 years onwards than did non-experts, spending on average some 13 years and 4,000 hours on concentrated sport-specific practice before reaching international standard. A significant negative correlation existed between the number of additional activities undertaken and the hours of sportspecific training required before attaining expertise, suggesting a functional role for activities other than sport-specific training in the development of expert decision-making.

As mulheres na escolarização da educação física no Espírito Santo : professoras e autoras (1931-1936)

Busca compreender a participação de 23 professoras normalistas formadas no Curso de Educação Física do Espírito Santo, na década de 1930, na escolarização da disciplina. Objetiva analisar como elas significaram sua presença como professoras e autoras da Educação Física capixaba. Como referencial teórico, utiliza os conceitos de lutas de representações (CHARTIER, 1990), estratégia e táticas (CERTEAU, 1994) e do paradigma indiciário (GINZBURG, 1999). Metodologicamente, faz uso da crítica documental (BLOCH, 2001). Como fontes, mobiliza documentos da Escola Normal, do Colégio Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora, do Arquivo Permanente do Centro de Educação Física e Desportos da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Cefd/Ufes) (1931-1961), documentos do Arquivo Público do Estado do Espírito Santo, a Revista de Educação (1934-1937), o Diário da Manhã (1908-1937) e a revista Vida Capichaba (1923-1959). O Curso de Educação Física foi criado em 1931 e mantido por militares formados no Centro Militar de Educação Física. Apesar de a historiografia apontar o curso como espaço de irradiação de uma pretensa militarização e esportivização da Educação Física, os achados indicam outros intuitos. Essas outras intencionalidades são percebidas por meio de monografias produzidas pelos primeiros docentes formados no curso que, em sua maioria, eram mulheres. Foi possível perceber as apropriações e os usos realizados da cultura em circulação pelas alunas para a construção de seus trabalhos finais, que foram divulgados em impressos locais. Com as publicações, as mulheres alcançaram destaque e passaram a ocupar cadeiras em importantes instituições educacionais da região. Ao dar visibilidade à atuação das 23 professoras de Educação Física, torna-se possível perceber como elas fizeram uso de um capital simbólico acumulado ao longo de suas carreiras como professoras, autoras, enfim, como mulheres que se moviam de forma tática em meio aos discursos que buscavam determinar seus papéis sociais.

Brazil: an emerging military power? The problem of the use of force in Brazilian international relations in the 21st century

The central goal of this paper is thinking about the Brazilian military power and its linking to the international ambitions of the country in the 21st century. After a comparative analysis to other BRICs and with a historical one about Brazil's strategic irrelevance, we aim to establish what the minimum military capacity Brazil would need in order to meet the country's latest international interests. Similarly, it will be discussed if the National Strategy of Defense, approved in 2008, and the recent strategic agreements signed with France represent one more step toward this minimum military capacity.