The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor
The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor

People focus too much on money and not enough on other aspects of life

State Hornet Staff March 11, 2014

Money doesn’t make society happy, but spending it does.From a capitalistic approach, the returns from working hard is what drives people.High-paying jobs allow people to splurge, but in order to get...

Sac State Pepsi contract promotes unhealthy habits

Scott Barrett May 1, 2013

PepsiCo Inc. pays Sac State $480,000 a year plus 18 percent of its campus sales as part of an exclusivity contract signed in 2006. The contract allows exclusive drink marketing access for the company and...

New bill, AB 540, allows undocumented students access to higher education before naturalization

Fabian Garcia April 23, 2013

Sacramento State’s educational experience can be quite different for students who were born in this country compared to those who were not. Youths who are undocumented in California, and have been here...

Former Upper Eastside Lofts employee suspected of embezzlement after allegedly misappropriating residents payments

Former Upper Eastside Lofts employee suspected of embezzlement after allegedly misappropriating residents’ payments

Imran Majid April 9, 2013

Sacramento State police arrested a former Upper Eastside Lofts employee on March 25 under suspicion of embezzlement and misappropriating residents’ rent payments. Laini Harris, the former resident services...

Financial aid is not just for books and supplies anymore

Anthony Nathan April 3, 2013

Every semester students make major purchases assisting them with their education tuition: laptops, living expenses or even car maintenance are all federally accepted. Extravagant purchases are also made...

Timothy White, CSU Chancellor, visited Sac State campus

Timothy White, CSU Chancellor, visited Sac State campus

Imran Majid March 12, 2013

When Chancellor Timothy White visited campus Monday, he said Sacramento State’s open spaces throughout campus allow students to reflect on their experiences. White said Sac State was an “unusually...

Charts show trend in the volume of first-class mail, annual revenue and number of employees for the U.S. Postal Service, 2001-2011.

USPS considering whether to halt mail on Saturday

Shanel Royal March 6, 2013

The U.S. Postal Service announced the discontinuation of Saturday post in order to save money due to financial issues. Postal workers will stop delivering Saturday mail in August. The USPS has announced...

Raising minimum wage can hurt local business

State Hornet Staff March 6, 2013

Raising the federal minimum wage is always a very partisan issue whenever Congress introduces a bill to raise it. The consequences due to raising the minimum wage tend to be blown out of proportion by...

Two people reportedly claiming to be Sacramento State students allegedly part of scam

Natalie Gray February 28, 2013

A man and a woman, claiming to be Sacramento State theater students, may  be going door-to-door asking for money. They are allegedly attempting to sell children’s books for the UC Davis Children’s...

What the Heck?

What the Heck?

James Heck December 5, 2012

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One of the biggest myths in the National Football League is the idea that a player cannot lose his job after suffering an injury and missing playing time.

When a player goes down, there is already a backup ready to take his spot. All it takes is one injury to another player and the backup now becomes the starter.

Now, whether or not the original backup eventually becomes the full-time starter depends on the situation with the injured player.

NFL players have an average career of three-and-a-half years. It is a mistake for them to become comfortable and think they will play forever.

It is an even bigger mistake to think they are not replaceable. Whether the injury is serious or not, a football player is only one play away from being knocked out of the game – either physically or through demotion.

I think the reason this is such a hot topic in the football community is because people have different views on whether or not being replaced is fair.

To be honest, I do not know what is fair and what is not fair. That is a gray area to me.

Perhaps the only concrete reason to claim an injured player’s swapping is fair is if the newcomer provides more potential and ability at the position.

There are some players in the NFL that are unquestionably elite at their respective position.

Players like quarterbacks Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers on offense and linebackers Patrick Willis and DeMarcus Ware on defense are simply too good to be easily replaced.

If any of these players were to get injured, their job would not be in jeopardy.

Controversies only occur when there is a legitimate brewing of tension between choosing the original player and his replacement.

The most recent controversy in the NFL involves the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterbacks Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick.

Smith, the eight-year veteran, boasted his best season under center in 2011 after leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants. The previous six years were very up and down for Smith and the team. Many fans, including the media, had given up on him.

While his stock has risen the last season and a half, many still doubt him.

Smith was knocked out of the Nov. 11 game against the St. Louis Rams with a concussion and replaced by second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick has started two games since then - against the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints - and played very well in route to winning both games.

I do not think there would be a quarterback controversy if Kaepernick did not display a different, and better, level of play than Smith had – but he has.

Kaepernick’s ceiling is unknown, but it undoubtedly is higher than Smith’s.

For the last eight seasons, I have come to understand the type of player Smith is. He is careful with the football, relies on check-downs and is not a deep-threat quarterback.

Now, this is fine and wins games, but fans want more.

Kaepernick, although relatively still unknown in his abilities, provides more ability at the position. He is currently on a hot streak and should get better each game.

Smith will lose his job to Kaepernick, but what the future holds remains to be seen.

I personally do not think it is fair. After all, Smith has been a winning quarterback for the past two seasons.

But when Kaepernick had to step up for the injured Smith, he outplayed him in every way. Kaepernick under center opens the 49ers passing offense up and creates a new, explosive dimension it lacked before.

James Heck can be reached at [email protected]

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