The fastest 2 minutes of sports is just around the corner. With all the Pre-Derby festivities in full swing, the buzz about the big race is everywhere. One notable thing this year is that two Japanese-bred horses are going to be in the race, which will double the amount of Japanese-bred horses to ever compete in the Derby. The two horses are Derma Sotogake and Continuar, with Derma winning his last 3 starts. But this year's favorite to win it all is a horse called Forte, with 5-2 odds. Forte is coming into the race having won the Belmont Stakes four of the last five years. But Forte’s odds could go up if Bob Baffert is allowed to race his horse.

Bob Baffert, a renowned horse trainer, may be making his grand return to the Derby after being banned in 2021 for drugging his horse with betamethasone. Baffert claimed that it was to just stop the pain his horse was experiencing. Churchill Downs is holding a hearing to reassess his suspension to see if it should be lifted early. Baffert also said that it was unnecessary and he should be allowed to race his horses, especially since his suspension is almost over anyway. However, horse drugging has led many organizations to no longer back the Kentucky Derby.

Some organizations are very against the Kentucky Derby, saying that it supports animal cruelty. “As long as horses are dying at Churchill Downs, no one should be attending or betting on the Kentucky Derby,” said PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo in 2021. “PETA is calling for moral distancing from Churchill Downs in protest of the 25 horses who died— each a thinking, feeling individual.” (quoted from PETA Billboard Will Drive Home Message That Kentucky Derby Is a Horse Graveyard).

Some of the students here at Brown voiced their opinion on Derby. Grant Stone, a senior said “I’m excited about the Derby because I like hanging out with friends and watching the race.”

Some students have differing opinions surrounding the race. Chris Riley, a sophomore said “I’m not excited about the Derby because of the terrible traffic and the crazy people.”

Kicking off the season right,the middle school Lady Bears are already off to a great start, winning their first game against Grace James in a mercy rule (10-0) and continuing their undefeated record from last season despite losing two of their star players, Taylor and Trista Morris. 

Coached by Josh Luttrell, the girls are ready to keep the pace going from last year, winning the 2022 JCPS varsity championships and outscoring opponents  89-1. 

The Lady Bears still have some veterans on the team that contributed to the undefeated season last year, including Makenna Pendleton(8), Joanna Lindgren(7), Maddie Stewart(8), Gracie Kelly(8), Kate Kelly(8), Adyson Luttrell(7), Sophie Garrett(8), Eva Evans(7), and Katilynn Keith(8th). The 6th graders on the team are just as ready to keep the heat coming.  

Their striker, 8th grader Sophie Garrett, is looking to fill in the big shoes of Taylor Morris, who had a huge impact last year.  Garrett did just that in the Grace James game, scoring 6 of the 10 goals, and then again in the Westport game, scoring 4 out of the 6 goals, taking home another win. Despite her smaller size, her agility and quickness makes her a scoring threat. She also is no rookie in soccer. She expresses “I started playing soccer when I was 3 and started playing club with a team called KFJ”. She also has been striker for years, “I like playing striker because I feel more in control to help lead our team and score as many goals as I can for our team”

The Lady Bears have played 4 games this year against Grace James, as well as  Westport, Noe, and T.J., taking home the win in all but Noe, with it ending in a  4-4 draw. Garrett still didn't hold back, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists. Pendleton, Luttrell,and  Stewart have also made their way on the stat sheet, picking up at least 1 goal apiece since the beginning of this season.

 Luttrell, one of the veterans from last year's team despite only being a 7th grader, has been a huge help this year. Playing as the team’s attacking midfielder and racking up multiple assists per game she helps Garrett put the ball in the goal. Luttrell has quite the height on her for only a 7th grader making her one for speed and the ability to see the field better. 

Overall, the middle school Lady Bears have it in for them this season, with schools wanting to take away their one and only undefeated title and having the advantage of losing 2 of their star starters last year. Teams actually think they have a chance. With the balance of  Garrett, Luttrell, and the rest of the veterans, plus the younger ones getting some experience and the amazing coaching from Josh Luttrell, this team will still have its undefeated capabilities.

NIL deals are new and have already shaken up the college and high school world. They allow players to profit off of their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). NIL money can only be provided through external entities, not the schools themselves. There are many different opinions on whether it is good or bad for college athletics. Players will be able to make money off of the very deep pockets of college sports. There is also the question: Should players with excessive NIL deals pay for education and not get a full ride, as we are seeing players as young as sophomores in high school make millions of dollars? Also, do NIL deals make it fair to schools in states with laws where the player can't receive money?

For years, players have wanted to get paid as they are putting their bodies on the line game after game with no compensation. Yes, their education is free, but is that enough? The NCAA profits over a billion dollars annually, and that money is distributed in over a dozen different ways all going back to the conferences and schools. There are around 180,000 college student-athletes receiving some form of athletic scholarships. The top 1% of these students receive a full ride, and these are the best players that are most likely to play sports at the next level. For those who won't go to play at the next level, they are committing so much time to this sport only to get school paid for.

Now, should players receiving NIL deals still be able to reap the benefits of a full ride? With NIL deals, some of the top recruited players are receiving over 6 figures in deals. Here in Kentucky, it has been passed in legislation that “An institution shall not revoke a student athlete’s scholarship or allow eligibility for a scholarship to be adversely impacted because of an athlete lawfully earning compensation through a NIL agreement or obtaining an athlete agent” (via spry.so). But is this the right way to go about collegiate players earning endorsements? 

I asked this question to a few students at the Brown School and here's what they had to say: Kristopher Watts says, “A sports scholarship is for players the school wants to come to school, not because they need it to pay the school. Why make them pay for school anyway if they're gonna spend it?” Catherine Campbell says, “No, they shouldn't pay for their schooling. They're making so much money for the school, the least they can do is make the education free.”

NIL deals have already affected college sports in a way we weren't expecting. Players are now transferring more than ever before to get the money they want, but this also puts new players coming into college at a disadvantage. This has been building up, as with Covid-19 happening, players in college and high school have received an extra year of eligibility if they decide to take that opportunity. This has affected both levels of the sports, as 5th-year seniors in high school are very common now, which means you have 20-year-olds still in high school. In college, this has allowed schools to keep very dominant players that should have graduated already. This also allows these players to keep receiving money they wouldn't have been making out of school.