Relevance of Religion and Belief to Sports. Do you Agree?
Why or why not?
1. Because I am a sports fan and an active participant of this blogging community, am I within my rights or privileges to speak freely of my faith and beliefs as well as my opinions and other conjecture on any subject? Does it have to be limited to what goes on physically on the "playing fields". Is this all our blogosphere is?
Are we limited only to subects of strategy and pay, organization and rivalry without the topics of character or deeper reaching articles about sports personalities and us, the fans?
What is a fanatic but one who believes in the possibility of overcoming by transcendental means or efforts? Are there valid correlations from religious hopes to our sports goals and dreams?
2. Is it interesting to learn about the personal or collective beliefs and practices of the heroes and goats that we follow? Become more acquainted with their psychological backgrounds or historical antecedents?
These always strike me as fascinating.
3. The other night I had a third point but it eludes me now. Maybe I will insert it here later.
3a. Maybe this was it: I am a graduate and ardent fan of Brigham Young University sports. It is a privately sponsored religious institution of my LDS faith. There are other relgious schools that are popular, such as TCU and BC, Notre Dame and Baylor. I've been informed that Wake Forest is only nominally engaged for as now with its religious inception.
I appreciate the communication with thsi blogger, a grad and afficionado of the Demon Deacons.
Do we like these insider slants at the perspectives of the "faithful"? Do they matter or add anything to the sports topics?
Are these things too scary, boring, personal, distracting, irrelevant or controversial?
I think it's been clearly demonstrated already that this particular blogosphere is not dedicated solely to "playing field" sports. Some will try to tell you that it is, but they are only kidding themselves.
I, personally, think it's very interesting to learn about what motivates others and what they believe in. That goes for anybody, not just famous people.
I think it's fine to discuss the subject of religious faith, as long as you're not proselytizing. Then, it just becomes a nuisance because not very many people know how to do it correctly, without sounding like a salesman.
Very true jgrace. Well stated and thanks for the feedback.
Me, personally, I like to know all aspects of Steve Young, the HOF QB. Therefore, it helps me to know what type of Mormon he is. He married at 39, me at 29, and we happened to start having kids at the same time.
It makes me feel closer to the real world of sports.
Ed- I personally don't want to know almost anything about these guys off of the field. Actually I guess I mean out of the stadium because some of the things that go on in the locker room are quite entertaining.
The "almost anything" is a qualification that allows me to appreciate what some of these athletes do to give back to the communities they live and work in. It is nice to read about how Warick Dunn gives back to the community. It is nice to see that Scott Kazmir signs a big contract and immediately pledges some of that money back to his teams pet charity or cause. it's great to see the Red Sox players going out of their way to support the "Jimmie Fund". It's nice to see so many athletes involved in the Boys/Girls Clubs of America.
I don't, however, care one bit whether a player is a Lutheran, a Jew, a Scientologist, a Catholic or a member of any other religion. That is his business. I don't care how spiritually fit he is or isn't. That is his business.
I don't care if he sleeps around or gambles excessively. I don't care if he takes a toke in the off-season or spends those months in a Trappist Monestary. It has nothing to do with me or the game.
I personally like the fact that the Yankees don't wear names on their backs; or the Red Sox on their home uniforms. I think that symbolizes that they are part of the team first and not an individual first. I am convinced that sacrifice and humility makes champions.
Sports, and especially baseball is my escape. It allows me to vent the hate and frustration that builds up in me in a way that causes no harm to anyone else. It keeps many of those negative emotions or feelings from venting onto family, friends, employees, employers or those people who shouldn't have drivers licenses.
I remember seeing Bernie Williams of the Yankees on the Today show playing classical guitar. It pissed me off because now it was hard to hate someone who could produce that kind of beauty. I would have been perfectly fine not knowing that about him and "hating" him just as I did every other Yankee.
We like to hate those rivals or it is easier to dislike the enemy we don't know.
I like to see the social aspects of sports on collective and individual levels, perhaps because this might be part of my persoanl vocation or "calling" if you will.
I am currently in the National Guard and I have considered going chaplain, so maybe I am naturally inclined to both the spiritual aspects of humanity and the social. These are parts of the reasons I like sports and have enjoyed them so much over the years.
My dad is different. He doesn't pay attention to dates or records or persoanlities that much. He could "care less" about whether certain teams win or lose, but according to him he wants to see a "well played match".
I am way different that that, and I hope people can accept and understand those differences.
I do want to know the good and the bad about the athletes we hold up under the spotlight, and I do believe that they owe something back to the masses that adore them.
My favorite baseball player of all time is Tim Raines, and I could explain why. Some of the things have to do with his integrity and personality. He played in the majors with his son, contracted Lupus at an old age in the majors and then made a comeback, overcame cocaine usage in his early career, etc.
Current players that I pull for in the majors include Lindstrom for the Marlins and Jeremy Guthrie for the Orioles. Both of them served two year missions for my church and both were not expected to be able to "make it" to the major leagues.
Maybe this is all too much info for you and skews your attitude or level of enjoyabilty towards them as seeming anonymous members of their respective teams, but for me, it adds to the enjoyment of the game, and perhaps gives a little more depth of at least interest to my life.
I like good examples, and I also find bad examples as very instructive for all of us.
But like all of our different personalities, strengths and characteristics, we all enjoy things in different ways, and I think that we are all the better for it, hopefully.
Thanks so much for your nice feedback. Very informative.
Ed - I think I might be a lot like your Dad (in some respects). I watch a reasonable amount of college baseball on the tube. I have no allegiance to most of the teams who are playing and generally don't care who wins. However, I can get disgruntled when it is a sloppy game and start talking to the TV set. The announcers know very little about the players beyond what year they are in in school, what High School they went to and what they major in unless they are in the top 100 collegiate baseball players in the country. And even then, they know little about the man.
This means I can listen to announcers who only talk about the game. I don't have to listen to them talk about bobblehead night or fan giveaways or other inane stuff that has nothing to do with the game.
Recently, Al reyes of the Rays got in some trouble at a restaurant and the police got involved. The next night he was put into the game and the announcers felt the need to review all the details of the previous night. What did that have to do with the game i was watching? Nothing, and it iritated me that I had to listen to it. It was Reyes' business, not the announcers or mine.
I look at a sports icon as a role model to his or her fans both young and old. I am quite interested in his moral and ethical values.
I would have hated to hold such a person on a pedistal if he or she was unethical or immoral to the point of staying in trouble with the law, womanizing, or doing drugs.
Good that you are considering the Chaplain aspect but I would imagine if the calling is strong enough, there will be no considering to ponder.
Ed - I lived in North Woburn, Mass about 30 years ago. The Wilmington town line was about 300 yards from my home.
I picked that name to state a position. The Red Sox were my team and I was Stating my position without having to say it by using that name. The 61 was the number assigned to me in my first year of HS football. I have kept it or number 16 ever since.
I kind of retired about 17 months ago. With a lot of time on my hands, I was able to read the pages more thoroughly. One day I started going through the tabs on the FOX Sports site and came across the blogs section. I investigated and liked what I saw. After I was here for a couple of months a blogger named Socratesofswat started a contest about why you were a fan of favorite baseball team. JoshQPublic already had the Red Sox and since I lived in the Tampa Bay area of Florida I took the Devil Rays in the contest, but only after a lot of badgering from Soc. Anyway, I wrote the post, didn't win but was encouraged by the responses so I kept doing it.
I have discovered that I don't report very well and I refuse to get involved in pissing contests so I just tell stories now. Lately I have been posting a lot about the Rays because they are doing so well and nobody takes them seriously. But I almost always tie in my posts with a story form my past.
great thoughts!!! in this day and age the term FREE SPEECH!! can be very interesting in not just sports?? politics and other organizations??? as well.. AA or alcoholics anonymous if you will, is always teaching us the word?? HIGHER POWER!!!!??? what can be classified as a HP???? GOD?? ourselves???? an object???? another person??? i think everyone has a thought of just what a HP MIGHT BE!!
I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT ODD!! how when before a sports event... and in any sport.. the players would gather and pray for a victory???? umm interesting but i always thought arent they the other team praying for the same thing???
ed and bosox...I'm notta big religious guy and prob'ly wouldn't get into an in-depth dialogue with someone inna sports forum on that subject..but that's jus' me...
I think that the blogosphere iz whut it iz and firmly believe that anything goes...anywhere, anytime when one is in this arena...Usually the bloggers that have nuthin' worthwhile to say, weed themselves out, without any help from me..
The thing is, that even if I don't care to have dialogue with someone I have no common ground with, doesn't mean that someone else might not and "right" or "wrong" iz up to each individual.
Example: If someone uses the "N" word, I have no use for 'em...period. end of story. The gap betweeen those that do and myself, just isn't worthwhile enuff for me to think that there would be any point in sharing thoughts with them...too old ferdat ####!...lol
I'm not impressed, all that much, with rich athlete's who give to a cause forra cupla reason's:
1) If you're blessed enuff to be that wealthy, I see no sense in making that donation "public domain"..what's the point, unless it's self-serving"...Just give and go on about yer life..
2) I don't see where donating or giving from people that have it to give, is all that praise-worthy...It's something they SHOULD do..It's more impressive to me to see someone...say..send $10 to victims of...say.. Katrina.. when payin' their light bill izza struggle or fillin' there gas tank..
The money these people have doesn't necessarily mean that they have any more "class" or should be put onna pedestal near as much as the class that the
Last edited by StevoinHTown on May 17th at 8:53 AM.
(continued)..man/woman that gave $10 bucks they DIDN'T have than someone who has plenty...
Roger Clemens izza good example...He gives to several worth while charities...It means nothing...cuz the money means nuthing to him..and in the end (heh-heh, if you will)..his true colors surface...and I imagine he could use the tax-write-off..
Sorry 'bout the rant...jus' sayin'...
Last edited by StevoinHTown on May 17th at 8:56 AM.
When I played for my church basketball games, we would get together as two sides, and pray for sportsmanship, gtatitude for the freedom to play, and so that we could have no injuries or hard feelings.
Not neccessarily to win. See the difference? We ask God for mercy and for thanks and recognition, not to be BETTER than everyone else.
Last edited by edclinchsaint on May 17th at 9:33 AM.
He's a big star. I am his big fan. I saw him dating on a FREE & HOT celebrity&millionaire dating site called '' ~~~####~~~ ''. Seems he is hooking up with a hottie. The girl is from California. Very soft and sexy.
I like (am obsessed with) the big US sports of football, basketball and baseball. And I love how they expand globally. I am fascinated by World Cup soccer, Olympics and certain tennis matches.
Oh, yeah, and I will talk your ear off when it comes to religion, politics, right, wrong, demography, history and truth.
Blog on and blog it.
Uh, also I have a Foxsports blog called papaclinch'si t and that was the original, and this was created as a mistake and then a parallel world for more spiritual topics on occasion. More BYU here, more IU over there...
Make sense? I love both schools with an odd type of crazed loyalty... Hard to explain. Thus the blogging.
Keeps me out of trouble, maybe?
