By Ben Shantz
Timeouts are integral to most every sporting event. They help synchronize actions between players and allow more intimate interactions between coaches and players. Something seldom considered, however, is the role that sound plays in timeouts. From the auditory cues that precipitate the calling of a timeout, to the various interactions during and immediately after a timeout there is a noticeable change in what sounds are heard and what interactions occur due to those changes in sound. Notable among the aspects of the game that can change during a timeout are momentum, motivation, and performance. Momentum will be a concept that is employed frequently in this paper; Peter Adler describes it in his book Momentum: A Theory of Social Action, as “a state of dynamic intensity marked by an elevated or depressed rate of motion, grace, and success.”[1] Examining the pre-timeout, during timeout, and post-timeout periods will better demonstrate the uniqueness of timeouts to sports interactions as well as how timeouts and sound work together. Initially, however, it is necessary to distinguish between various types of sporting music and what effects they can have on performance.
This is an excellent paper that integrates several external analytical sources with rich and descriptive fieldnote excerpts. Your central thesis was also novel, and your strategy for backing it up was well-executed. Something to consider: you might want to expand upon the protocols used by the authors you cited to demonstrate the effect of pump-up music in the pre-task period. The claim that you made about this seemed fairly strong, so you might try to substantiate it further.
One of the real strengths of your paper is that your topic is definitely unique. After hearing a lot of papers that were on similar topics and used the same sources, your paper is a refreshing breath of air.
In terms of things to work on, in your introduction you very robotically tell us exactly what sources you will use. I’m not sure if this is what Dr. Dueck wants, but I’m sure you can find a better way to express the sources you will use and topics you will discuss.
I liked how you connected asynchronous, synchronous and pre-task music to fans cheering during timeouts. I also thought it was interesting how you used momentum and Adler to analyze the role of timeouts on the game. You might consider separating your field notes. It might be helpful to have one closer to the beginning of your paper. Have you considered the effect of asynchronous, synchronous and pre-task music can be used to the home team’s benefit during the run of play?
I really enjoyed your topic because you chose a unique aspect of athletic events but tied it in well to all of the research you did. A question I have is if you could expand on your analysis of your field notes a bit because I think there is room for a bit more analysis before more scholarly analysis
I found one of the strongest part of your paper was your flow of ideas. One point led to the other and therefore your stream of logic made great sense. You’re sources were really well chosen as well. I especially liked the one later in the paper from 1989, which was nicely incorporated.
If you were to further your investigation of this topic, what would be your next step? What questions were left unanswered, in your opinion?
I thought this paper flowed very well and your variety of sources enriched the writing. The essay was clearly organized with the different stages of a time out. The field notes additionally were strong, well written, and drew the reader in. One thing I noticed was that you discussed three field notes in a row and then linking it back to your main claim. Perhaps you can spread the field notes out to give specific and individual attention to them.