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<p>Tim Tebow oughtta start praying that he’s not involuntarily benched.</p>
<p>Colmom–my post was not in answer to yours; I was typing it when yours was posted. I was making a general comment that unfortunately came out looking like it was in answer to yours.</p>
<p>That being said, I still don’t think that prayer to get things is in the spirit of my understanding of Jesus. i think that Cardinal Fang’s reference to the ex-nun’s views is what I believe. Prayer is my way of centering and strengthening the best part of myself. It’s not a request.</p>
<p>Westcoastmom–why do people always think they know what other people “really” mean? Why would anything in this thread lead you to think that anyone was more in favor of other kinds of celebratory moves? I am pretty sure tht none of the offensive kinds of stuff you reference have been celebrated or discussed in the media like Tebowing has; certainly no one here has lauded them. (but you know what people “really” think, so perhaps i’m wrong.)</p>
<p>Surely God has more important things to do than ‘fix’ football games!</p>
<p>Praying and thanking God isn’t all that new in the world of athletics. Members of the NFL have been sharing their faith for decades. Anybody remember Roger Staubach and Tom Landry? Both were staunch believers. Or, the NBA’s David Robinson? The difference? They were a little less ‘in your face’ about it. Maybe it’s my generation, but I prefer the ‘old’ way.</p>
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<p>In some sports. I’m a hockey fan. I don’t recall any player, in any postgame interview, ever thanking God. I may be forgetting some incidences of religious references, but ostentatious Christianity is not a public part of the National Hockey League the way it is part of football. I guess Canadians and Eastern Europeans are less likely to be evangelicals.</p>
<p>When I attended a public high school, our basketball team played several Catholic school teams, and invariably their players would cross themselves before attempting a foul shot. (I guess when they scored, it was thanks to God, and when they missed it was because God was busy with an NFL playoff game, or something.) My point is that public displays of piety are nothing new, and I have no problem ignoring them. I also don’t care about an athlete’s religious beliefs, any more than I care about Alec Baldwin’s politics. I watch these folks for their entertainment value, and happily ignore whatever personal opinions they happen to be spouting. I can’t imagine why anyone would get their panties in a twist over Tebow’s religious views and activities.</p>
<p>I am personally opposed to the full range of ‘dramatic gestures’ that accompany sporting matches. I put ‘prayer gestures’ in the same category as ‘erotic dance gestures’ and also in the same category of ‘I am a wimpy hurt soccer player gestures’ and ‘primping, OCD-like gestures’. I just think they all look foolish and have nothing to do with sports. Actually, if I had to quantify, they all probably offend me equally on some level as well. </p>
<p>If there is thanking to be done on the part of the quarterback in a football game, isn’t the QBack to thank their offensive line?</p>
<p>Garland, you and I must read the same books.</p>
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<p>I’ve never seen it either, Cardinal, and I’ve been attending and watching professional hockey since 1965. Although I don’t know about the European players, I can attest to the lack of overt religious observance in Canadians. I would guess that probably the same percentage of Canadians are regular church-goers as in the U.S. There is religious acceptance which mirrors Canadians’ acceptance of many other types of social policies here, but it’s not in your face like it is in the U.S. I have never heard a Canadian politician mention in passing, let alone broadcast in a loud voice, what his personal religious beliefs are. I have no idea whether or not our Prime Minister attends church, and if he does, which one, and, truth be told, I could not care less about this aspect of the man. It’s his personal business, not mine. I find it quite the refreshing change.</p>
<p>I work for an OHL team and quite a number of my friends have gone on to play in the NHL from there. Many of them wear crucifixes and some pray before games, but that’s the extent of it. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen a religious act on the ice and I’m an avid hockey fan.</p>
<p>THANK GOD (or whatever power you feel the urge to quote) Tebow is out. Mixing this world with the next is NOT what Christ had in mind- the story of Caesar’s coin (fortunately the Bible stories were appropriately taught to me by the Catholic Church- the original Christian religion and not misinterpreting by line by lining revisions or lost intent in tranlation). Anyone who prays for another’s misfortune is misguided. In sports such as football Tebow’s good fortune is someone else’s misfortune. Should it be a battle of who prayed most/best? Or whose definition of god is better?</p>
<p>^no…but people should be able to thank whoever they want for having the ability and opportunity to play at the highest level. It really boggles my mind that people dislike Tebow because he is thankful for what he has and is not afraid to thank who he feels is responsible. With all the thugs out there in pro sports, Tebow is refreshing IMO.</p>
<p>sorry he has all the atheist’s panties in a bunch…the nerve of the guy…lol</p>
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<p>If it’s led by a coach in a public school, it is likely unconstitutional. The Freedom From Religion Foundation is fighting things like this, with success, throughout the country.</p>
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<p>I don’t care about him talking to God. It’s his talking to me, by ostentatiously finding a camera to pray in front of, that I object to. I don’t have the right to be free of sanctimonious posturing by overpaid athletes, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.</p>
<p>^I believe the camera finds him…Nothing really to dislike, the guy kneels and prays…big whoopdeedoo…better than all those stupid TD celebrations that scream “I’m an idiot”</p>
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<p>I have no doubt that Tom Brady has continued to improve over time, but the fact is he performed brilliantly as a college QB. In his junior year, 1998, he started all 13 games for Michigan and completed 61.1% of his passes (214 of 350) for 2636 yards, 15 passing TD, and a QB rating of 131.69. He did throw 12 INT that year. So he came back his senior year, 1999, and did even better: 62.8% completion rate (214 of 341) for 2586 yards, 20 TD, and a QB rating of142.29. Oh, and only 6 INT.</p>
<p>I think his performance on the field in his junior and senior years in college speaks for itself. And no one faulted him on his passing accuracy, his decision-making, or the bottom line results. What it came down to was that the NFL scouts really just didn’t think he had the physical tools to make it at the next level, so they ignored his on-field accomplishments in favor of what their stopwatches and tape measures told them: Tom Brady is slow afoot, he doesn’t have the strongest passing arm, and although tall enough he has a slender frame that just doesn’t look like it’s built to stand up to the pounding an NFL QB endures. All of which is true. On top of the athletic limitations, Brady’s game was more that of a methodical plodder than the guy who dazzles you with his brilliant athleticism. Brady also didn’t have the p.r. steam behind him, because Michigan fans were divided as to whether he even deserved to be starting over the whiz kid Henson coming up behind him, and the athletic department p.r. people could hardly tout him as a Heisman candidate when they weren’t even sure he’d be the starting QB by season’s end. But the numbers didn’t lie in college, and they haven’t lied since Brady took his first snap as a starting NFL QB. Sometimes the fans and the scouts are just wrong, and refuse to believe what they’re seeing with their own eyes. Brady’s made believers of a lot of people over the course of his NFL career, and while he has perhaps gotten somewhat better, I think it’s more a case of people refusing to believe for a long time that the numbers he was putting up could last.</p>
<p>Now it’s Rodgers vs Manning. I think Rodgers wins over them all.</p>
<p>“sorry he has all the atheist’s panties in a bunch…the nerve of the guy…lol”</p>
<p>I think if you read through this thread you will find a great deal of Christians also dislike the grandstanding, it isn’t just Pagans and atheists. I dislike him the most because he plays for Denver, like any self-respecting Raiders fan should :)</p>
<p>I don’t care if he nails himself to a cross after each game, I just wish he wouldn’t throw whatever power he has behind such regressive social policy.</p>
<p>you guys crack me up…regressive social behavior?..take a good luck at where our society is headed…and you feel the need to blame a basically good kid whose only “fault” in your eyes is that he prays?..good grief.</p>