Archive for the ‘Sports’ Category

Jan
12
2012

Does God Care Whether Tim Tebow Wins?

Writing in the Atlantic, Owen Strachan writes the column lot of us wanted to write, but couldn’t. A great, great piece answering the question, “Does God want Tebow to win?” A key paragraph:

But what happens when Tebow loses? What happens if my New England Patriots, a team I have loved since Dave Meggett was getting stuffed on every punt return and Drew Bledsoe was completing cannon-like passes to more sideline coaches than receivers, steamroll the Broncos, as they did earlier in the season? Has God capriciously retracted his blessing on this All-American golden-boy, who runs like a lion yet speaks like a Sunday-school teacher?

Do yourself a favor and read the whole piece: Does God Care Whether Tim Tebow Wins on Saturday?

Oct
07
2011

Friday Five- Brian Goins


Brian Goins is a pastor and author. He developed numerous study guides, workbooks, and Bible for ministries such as Insight for Living (Chuck Swindoll) and Walk Through the Bible. He’s also a speak for Family Life Today’s Marriage to Remember Conferences. He’s the lead pastor at Renaissance Bible Church in Concord, North Carolina.

Recently, Brian released a terrific new book on marriage for men entitled, Playing Hurt. He stopped by today to answer five questions with today’s Friday Five.

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Sep
30
2011

“He Didn’t Cash In”

I was newly married, sitting in our apartment when it happened. It was October 14th, 2003, Game Six of the 2003 World Series. As a lifelong Cubs fan, it was a moment that moved from sheer joy to utter agony. A team that had not won a World Series since 1908 and had not appeared in the World Series since 1945, this was our moment. we were five outs away from the World Series.

Then it happened. Marlins 2nd baseman Luis Castillo hit a fly ball to left field. It curled around and headed toward the stands. Outfielder, Moises Alou went up with his glove and, well you know what happened. A Cubs fan, Steve Bartman happened to reach out and try to catch the ball, apparently interfering with Alou.

This incident has become one of the most famous moments in Chicago sports history and certainly one of strangest, most compelling incidents in all of American sports history. It was a lifechanging moment for that fan, Steve Bartman. Like Bill Buckner of the Red Sox, Steve Bartman became the goat in Chicago. He had to have security take him home after the game. Media camped out at his house. His brother had to release a statement of apology.

This week ESPN memorialized this incident with a new documentary, “Catching Hell.” It’s a compelling look at the entire episode and the negative impact it had on this ordinary guy who became infamous overnight.

But what most impressed me has been Bartman’s reaction in the eight years since that fateful night. He has virtually disappeared from sight. He doesn’t have a Facebook page, a Twitter feed, a website.

Bartman has resumed a normal life, still working for the same company he worked for years before. He has turned down millions of dollars, including the opportunity to be featured in a Super Bowl Commercial, free vacations, and a variety of other perks. In this age of instant celebrity, where people are famous for being famous, Steve Bartman didn’t cash in. He could have improved his life dramatically, become wealthy, leveraged his newfound success into a famous career. Wikipedia summarizes Bartman’s opportunities like this:

Trying to maintain a low profile, Bartman declined interviews, endorsement deals, and requests for public appearances, and his family changed their phone number to avoid harassing phone calls.[10] He requested that any gifts sent to him by Florida Marlins fans be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.[11] In July 2008, Bartman was offered $25,000 to autograph a picture of himself atNational Sports Collectors Convention in Rosemont, Illinois, but he refused the offer.[12] He declined to appear as a VIP at Wrigley Field. In 2011, 8 years after the incident, he declined to appear in an ESPN documentary, and he declined a six figure offer to appear in a Super Bowl commercial.[13]

In fact, the only person who has made money off of this incident is the guy who ended up with that fateful ball. He made a cool $113,824.16. But Bartman didn’t receive a dime. A Sports Illustrated column written soon after this incident in 2003 says this:

There are people out there who would kill for the kind of attention you’re getting right now, Steve, including every Democrat running for president. But maybe you’re different. Maybe you’re one of the last people left in America who is not starved for celebrity, no matter how brief or empty. Maybe you’d actually rather live your life in privacy and peace. That’s all the more reason you should chase every last cheesy opportunity out there. The more you drink from that cup of publicity, the faster you’ll drain it. Before you know it, hardly anyone will remember who you are or why they once cared about you so much.

I don’t know about you, but I find this complete lack of narcissism and self-interest by Bartman compelling and refreshing. In a world where anyone who can sue does, where folks like Levi Johson, the Kardashian sisters, Joe the Plumber, and all kinds of fringe celebrities milk a career out of an ounce of fame, Bartman rejects all opportunities for enrichment and retreats into anonymity.

Might there be a lesson here for followers of Christ? Thankfully most of us won’t be placed in a position like Steve, where suddenly we’re all over the news. We won’t have to consider his same choices. But in the everyday moments of life, we might resist the pull of the culture toward self-promotion. We might weigh our actions, not in terms of what we can get out of people and situations, but in terms of what we can give back.Too often we’re motivated, even in our Christian endeavors, by what moves us on up. We’d trade what we hold dear for a few fleeting moments of fame and a small fortune.

There is nothing inherently wrong with accepting promotion and taking opportunities. But discipleship isn’t about cashing in, its about sacrifice. We’d do well to mimic our Lord, who “made himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7) He rejected offers to shortcut the sacrifice of the Cross. He turned down the opportunity to leverage His deity for earthly gain.

We best mimic Jesus when we are among the few who live authentically, without an agenda, without an angle, who are not looking for ways to cash in, but to serve.

Sep
07
2011

Yankee Stadium after 9/11

One of the most iconic moments in the days after 9/11 was when President Bush strode out to the mound at Yankee Stadium during the World Series and threw a perfect strike. I remember that moment like it was yesterday, the exuberance of the crowd, the sense of national unity. I have a picture in my office of President Bush throwing this first pitch.

Here it is:

Aug
18
2011

Why Hobbies are Better When They are Not Idols

John Calvin famous said our hearts are great “idol-making factories.” A good, wholesome, beneficial pursuit can quickly become an idol. For me, I find that my pleasurable hobbies can often lead to idolatry. Sports is perhaps the biggest threat. I’m a big time fan of team sports. I love the NFL, the NBA, and Major League Baseball (when our Chicago teams are competitive.). Sports is a terrific way to enjoy leisure time, great way to occupy creative and emotional parts of our minds and to find common ground with others. But it can also become an obsessive pursuit. Let me explain.

There are seasons when I’m so completely locked in on sports. For instance, last NBA offseason and the season were terrific, perhaps one of the best in many years in the League. During that season I was checking Twitter constantly to see where LeBron might be signing. I watched many regular season games and most playoff games. And I was constantly listening to sports radio in the car. None of those are wrong, but they began to consume my time. In increasing amounts.

And do you know what was interesting about this newfound idol? It didn’t satisfy. When I began to look to my sports addiction as something that can fill me when I’m discouraged or distract when I’m convicted by the Spirit, it became a lousy friend. The reason for this is simple. Sports was never created to satisfy me. It can only bring temporary pleasure or enjoyment and provide a prism thru which I may appreciate and glorify God more.

I’ve found something else interesting. When I unplug from sports (or whatever my idol is that season) and dive deeper into the Word through prayer, preaching, and good reading, I find I still have an affinity for sports like the NBA, but I tend to enjoy my limited exposure to it. Do you understand what I’m saying? Too much of a pursuit/hobby I love not only becomes a bad thing, it becomes a terribly object of worship. But when sports is in its rightful place in my life, I find my limited moments indulging become true enjoyment. The expectations for satisfaction are way lower. Sports becomes what it was supposed to be for me: a time to rest, relax, reflect, unwind. But not my Master and my source of delight.

Only God gives this. And our hearts are wired only to find pleasure in Him. So the answer, I guess, is not to completely abandon all good things that can be turned into great, but it is to keep them in their place. When our pursuits begin to look like worship, we should scale back, dive back into the Word, and then realize we only find life in Jesus.

May
16
2011

How to Act Like An MVP

A few years ago, one of my childhood heroes, Michael Jordan stood on a stage in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was giving a speech after being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. I was expecting the usual words of acceptance, thanking parents and teachers and coaches. But instead, Michael shared a bitter rant against anyone who ever doubted his basketball ability. He was cruel and petty.

Jordan’s speech was so cringe-inducing I turned it off. But most commentators excused it because the greatest basketball player in the history of the world can, in their words, “say what he wants.” In other words, if you’re talented, it’s okay to be a jerk.

Contrast that with a press conference last week with the newest superstar on the Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose. At 22 years old, he’s the youngest ever to win the MVP award. He’s got the entire world praising him for how humble, gifted, and poised he is as a team leader.

And yet when I watched him speak, he was still remarkably humble, even choking up to thank his mother who shaped him while growing up in the crime-ridden West side of Chicago. I pray Derrick Rose always stays so humble, so appreciative of his gifts.

Most of us will never reach the level of fame of Michael Jordan or Derrick Rose. But we each have a talent and if we’re not careful, we’ll adopt the worldly philosophy that says we’re entitled to treat people bad simply because we’re gifted. I like what bestelling author and popular blogger, Jon Acuff recently said about this on his blog: “Wild talent and a bad attitude eventually always loses to mild talent and a good attitude.”

Just because you’re gifted or have experienced some success, doesn’t give you the right to be a jerk. Especially if you’re a Christian. God call us to live humbly, confidently, and sacrificially. This is the heart of the Gospel, that Christ’s transformation within frees us from living for our selves.

 

Aug
21
2010

Tony or Rex

If you play sports, you just accept that there is a certain amount, well, actually an enormous level of testosterone. I spent a lot of time in the locker room, even in a Christian high school, and remember conversations I wouldn’t repeat at the dinner table.

Guy talk.

I was fortunate to have a Christian coach with godly character who consistently encouraged us adolescent boys to be men. That not only meant certain toughness on the field, playing through adversity and injury, and laying it all out there for the team.

It also meant being a gentleman off the field.

Now, I know that my experience isn’t typical of most sports teams, whether its high-school, college, or pro. We’ve accepted that good coaches pretty much have one thing in mind. That is to win and win at all costs. Their jobs depend on it.

So they ride their guys as hard as they can. They use whatever motivational technique works. They are crude, lewd, and loud.

So if that means degrading their guys, encouraging the worst part of masculinity, and yes, profanity, than so be it. In fact, most would say without these, you can’t win.

Enter Tony Dungy. He’s set this theory on its head, by being one of the most successful coaches of the modern era. And he’s done it all by winning the right way. If you’ve heard Tony speak or read his books, you’ll know he’s about winning, but he’s also about building character, transforming boys into men.

Today, he stands as the premier mentor in professional sports, a stark and bewildering example of character, civility, and goodness in a world of bad guys. He’s almost a throwback, a relic of the past.

Tony would tell you he’s not perfect and that his style isn’t everyone’s style. But he does seem to be the go-to guy when a pro athlete gets in trouble. Tiger might have saved money at the rehab clinic had he just visited with Coach Dungy for a while. Probably would have had better results.

Which brings up Rex Ryan. Maybe there is no more polar opposite coach than Coach Ryan. Part showman, part coach, Ryan has fired up the Jets in ways that nobody has in some years. Their fans are excited, their guys are unified, and they’re ready to win.

But Ryan is also quite vulgar. Nobody would know this except this is the year, HBO’s Hard Knocks featured them on their program. Now every practice and meeting and locker-room speech is taped. Suddenly people are tuning into football and hearing Ryan in all of his colorful language.

Tony Dungy was asked about this and said something counter-cultural. He’d rather not hear that type of language and wouldn’t work with someone who used it. To which Ryan laughingly told Tony not to judge and that he should mind his own business.

Now both of these guys might be good coaches. Both might win games. Both might teach their men some life lessons.

But young men, if you’re looking for a man to follow, I’d take the path of Tony.  The world could use a few more gentlemen, a few more guys who watch their language and carry themselves with some respect.

Because one day the lights will go out on that football career and the next act begins. Life begins. And I’m guessing what Tony is teaching will stick past football.

Apr
16
2010

Big Ben and The Sporting Culture

I am a huge sports fan. Every day I try to sneak in at least a few minutes of Sportscenter every day to get my daily fix. I regularly read espn.com and tune into sports radio in the car on occasion. I played basketball (not very well) in high-school and twice a week play pick-up games at a local church. My favorite sport is the NFL. I love football on Sundays after church.

So you have to know that I’ve been following the Ben Rothlisberger story with interest. Ben is one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks, but apparently off the field, his morality is very loose. It has the proud Steeler’s organization thinking trade and the NFL talking suspension. But something struck me in the statement Roger Goodell, the NFL Commissioner made yesterday in a memo to all the NFL teams. He urged them to act and not cover up criminal offenses. That’s good. He urged them to remind the players who they play for, etc. That’s also good.

But this little nugget struck me:

We must conduct ourselves in a way that “is responsible, that promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful.”

The Commissioner wants players to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the “values upon which the league is based.” What are those values? This got me to thinking. Maybe Big Ben was conducting himself in a manner consistent with league values. And maybe that’s the problem.

All you have to do is watch an NFL game and you get a good education on league values: drinking, sex, and violence. Now I’m a huge football fan, but as a Christian, you must have your finger on the fast-forward button and your eyes ready to look away during an average football game. The league makes billions on beer sponsorships. Sure, they give the obligatory “be responsible” tag at the end, but honestly every commercial portrays “the good life.” They use scantily clad women and sexual innuendo to sell beer. The message is clear: all the cool people are drinking and messing around. Then you have the Super Bowl, which is less about the game and more about the big giant party. ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and other sports media giants make millions of off swimsuit editions. And I’m not even thinking about the huge link between sports and gambling. Do you see where I’m going?

You pay guys like Ben Rothlisberger millions of dollars. You send the message consistently that drinking and sex are what the cool people do. And you wonder why guys like him actually act on on the values you project.

Now, I’m not condoning Ben’s reprehensible behavior toward women. He will stand before His maker one day. I pray that Ben uses this time of brokenness and humility to see His need for a Savior. At the end of the day, Ben’s sin is a choice. He can’t blame the devil or the worldly system. Adam and Even lived in Eden and still fell. Sin lurks at the door of the human heart.

Yet the sports media, which engages the locker-room, frat-house lifestyle, is hypocritical in suddenly acting self-righteous about Big Ben. The Commissioner’s concern about “the values of the league” ring hollow. And sports franchises getting all religious is somewhat hypocritical. Because all of these entities promote the worldly, undisciplined lifestyle that Big Ben is living to excess.

It powerfully proves a Biblical point. Sin always has a wonderful, alluring package, but while it may offer a season of pleasure, it always leads to death. If the sporting culture really, really wanted to solve the problem rather than covering it up, it would abandon its greedy partnership with the baser instincts of our society, such as drinking and illicit sexual activity.

It’s foolish for us as a society to wonder why we get stories like Big Ben’s when we so eagerly push the behaviors that lead to it.