"Precious Mettle"

In an article published by Sports Illustrated, author Tom Verducci discusses the importance of "imports" (foreign professional players) to Major League Baseball. In detail, he highlights the young career of Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. Verducci describes the involvement of Tanaka's agent with the various Major League Baseball clubs. Masahiro Tanaka would eventually settle with the New York Yankees—one of the highest esteemed clubs in the history of baseball. In the beginning of the article, Verducci utilizes a simile when he states how the black SUVs were standing still in the roads of Beverly Hills, "inert as a stonehenge." Another simile is stated when Arizona Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers compares the bidding for Masahiro to a "Dating Game." Logos is provided when the author gives the statistics of Masahiro's contract, which consists of nine figures. Exemplification is used when the author describes the differences between both baseball and life between Masahiro's native land of Japan, and the United States of America.  

Kevlar

In an article produced after the Olympics, the News Journal describes all the benefits of kevlar in relation to sports. The author, Molly Murray, goes into detail, stating all of its uses, ranging from skis and snowboards to hockey sticks and boots. Kevlar is also utilized for its lightweight properties and superb strength. Of recent, Kevlar has been used by the Bauer hockey company;  they are placing kevlar in hockey socks in order to protect the hockey players from any risk of being cut by a skate blade. Another hockey company, Warrior, uses Kevlar in its hockey sticks. The author uses exemplification when she provides the diverse uses of Kevlar. Logos is provided when statistics about the strength of kevlar. An analogy is used when the author compares the strength of kevlar to the strength of wood in the relation to hockey stick production.  

"College Sports Causes More Winners than Losers"

In a News Journal article entitled "College Sports Causes More Winners than Losers" author Ted Kaufman provides detailed analysis about the unfair funding towards the two most profitable collegiate sports: basketball and football. Both Auburn and Oregon gained $2.3 million for their participation in the 2011 BCS Bowl. Rutgers University moved to the Midwestern Big Ten Conference and will increase income as a result. But, rather than using the money to benefit other programs, no programs benefitted; precisely, the opposite happened. Select minor sports programs were cut from the school due to their interfering costs. Ted Kaufman effectively uses logos through providing statistics that defend his argument. An allusion is stated in which a reference is made to a separate article in USA Today. An analogy is used when the author compares this controversy to the Watergate days. 

Violent Ukraine Protests

In a CNN.com article regarding the violent riots in Ukraine, authors Phil Black, Steve Almasy, and Victoria Butenko delve into the details and questions of the Ukrainian peoples. Following a week of viscous fighting between police and protestors, a day of mourning and remembrance existed. However, their efforts have not been in vain. Ukrainian Parliament has removed the president's political rival while also moving the next presidential election to May of 2014. Also, the power of president Viktor Yakunovych has been greatly limited since the beginning of the bloodshed. Logos is provided when the authors state the names and occupations of the important figures with each political party. Coincidental assonances occur, however the story is meant to be informative. A synecdoche is used when stating that the power of Ukraine rests "on the shoulders of thugs." The tone of the authors is very sad and serious when discussing the deaths of protestors

"Gold is Good"

In a Sports Illustrated article entitled "Good is Gold," author Alexander Wolff analyzes the events in the beginning of the 2014 Winter Olympics. These games are being in held in Sochi, Russia. Wolff focuses on athletes from all countries, interviewing them about their prior experiences and their biggest accomplishments. One of the athletes, Sage Kotsenburg, was the first American to win the gold medal in Slopestyle Snowboard, one of the newer games to a centuries old event. The author utilizes logos when he provides the statistics of previous and present athletes. When describing Ole Einar Bjørndalen, the author uses an epithet, calling this athlete "the King." Another epithet is used when describing the once-Soviet Russia as "the Red Army." An allusion is made to W.D. Frank's Everyone to Skis! Skiing in Russia and the Rise of the Soviet Biathlon. Lastly, a synecdoche is present when Wolff states that Alexander Tikhonov is the Russian face of biathlon.  

"Black Sea Bullies"

In an article entitled "Black Sea Bullies," Sports Illustrated author Michael Farber describes the rich history of Russian Olympic ice hockey while questioning if they have the talent to reach the success once enjoyed in the past. Although the teams of the past have had general success, they have not achieved nearly as much as was expected. Considering the Winter Olympic Games are in Russia this year, to receive anything below a gold medal would not only be unsuccessful, but sheer embarrassment. The author uses a simile to compare the way the players stormed the ice "like gorillas coming out of a cage."  A metaphor is created when a quotation involves the comparison of the Sochi games to the Russian flag. Ethos is strong, as the author provides ample statistical information to back up the claim of team Russia's long-lasting success. 

"Everyday Sportsman of the Year"

In an article entitled "Everyday Sportsman of the Year," Sports Illustrated selects several athletes from completely different backgrounds to highlight their actions both on and off the playing field. One particular story within the article focuses on National Football League defensive end Israel Idonije. Idonije, a player for the Detroit Lions, is the son of two Christian missionaries from Nigeria. Early in his life, this defensive end was introduced to poverty through his parents' work.  Today, Idonije contributes a part of his yearly salary to a charity foundation that assists in the development of underprivileged children in the United States and Africa. In one of the articles, an analogy is drawn through comparing a veteran hockey player to Crash Davis, a catcher in the hit baseball film Bull Durham. Ethos is shown through the statistics provided for each of the athletes, while pathos is shown through describing the hardships suffered by children in Nigeria.