Football, Patriotism And Jesus

[Vigile]

Since I've been out of the country going on 6 years I haven't watched football and haven't really missed it. Long story short, I've been watching the bowl games on ESPN over the past few days, my recent interest sparked by my alma mater Boise State, ranked #6 (go Broncos!) and the fact that they are available for the first time since I've been here.

 

I'm shocked by the amount of patriotism and Jesus that someone is trying to weave into what should just be a game. The games start off with officers from each branch of service holding the flag as Navy jets do a fly over and the fans are subjected to their obligatory flag worship via Star Spangled Banner. No big surprise, but even so.

 

What did surprise me, however, was the hand job the announcers were giving Florida's QB Tebow though. They went on a several minute tirade about what a good xian boy he is, son of a pastor, who gives his free time to mission work and whose teammates support him in his call toward purity by keeping the rowdy girl fans away from him.

 

Just a quick online search in the news section gave me this, which I think is a good example of what I'm talking about:

http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20100103/SPORTS/1030311

Not only can he run hard and pass smoothly, he is resilient. He came back from a concussion to beat LSU, and he is tough as coarse sandpaper. But when he talks, he sounds almost childlike, radiating a gentle, unpretentious kindness.

 

He writes a Bible verse in the shading below his eyes when he competes, having been blown away by the news a while back that he instigated a ton of Google hits for his first: "John 3:16." His verse Friday was "Eph (Ephesians) 2:8-10," which begins, "For by grace, you have been saved by faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. ..."

 

They aren't just talking about his belief as if it's an aspect of his life, they are lifting him up as an uberman of sorts.

 

The dumbshit looks like superman and probably ever other girl in America wants to fuck him and this asshole stays at home masturbating so that he won't make baby jesus cry and then he cries because he masturbates, making baby jesus cry. But what's up with this infusion of religion and patriotism into the game? This is some serious propaganda here.

[Deva]

I don't follow sports at all since the 1970s. and yet even I have been exposed to pictures of this Tebow guy in the newspaper with his "testimony". I know the sports/Christianity/patriotism thing has just gone completely out of control. It makes no sense to me at all. What does one have to do with the other?

[Guest Net Eng]

The teary eyed star spangled banner/jet fly over mentality at sports events (especially football) has increased noticeably since the 9/11 attacks.

 

Seems to me that a majority of the sports crowd goes in for the jingoistic nationalism scene.

 

It isn't just limited to professional/college sports either. I went to many high school football games (my son was in band) and was appalled by just this sort of jeebus/national/sports worship.

 

Makes me wonder where this country is heading....

[chefranden]

Not to worry. He's probably gay and it will all come out when he's pastor of a mega-church, or a congressman.

[Mike D]

teammates support him in his call toward purity by keeping the rowdy girl fans away from him.

Well this doesn't suprise me, it's just more chicks for his teammates to bang.

 

IMO it's not normal for red blooded American males (especially football players) to not be out banging chicks right and left during that stage of their lives. I mean it's cutesy and all that he writes bible verses below his eye for a game, but at the end of the day my guess is he's a closet case.

[Vigile]

There ya go Mike, maybe he'll deconvert and give you a potential sugar daddy. He's sure to make millions.

[bush country]

teammates support him in his call toward purity by keeping the rowdy girl fans away from him.

Well this doesn't suprise me, it's just more chicks for his teammates to bang.

 

IMO it's not normal for red blooded American males (especially football players) to not be out banging chicks right and left during that stage of their lives. I mean it's cutesy and all that he writes bible verses below his eye for a game, but at the end of the day my guess is he's a closet case.

Yeah, I'm sure it's quite the sacrifice for saint tim's teammates to keep the girls away from him.

 

I've been a football fan forever...Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Bob Lilly was my childhood hero. But this jesus crap is getting me to the point that I can hardly stomach watching the game anymore.

[qec]

The teary eyed star spangled banner/jet fly over mentality at sports events (especially football) has increased noticeably since the 9/11 attacks.

 

Seems to me that a majority of the sports crowd goes in for the jingoistic nationalism scene.

 

It isn't just limited to professional/college sports either. I went to many high school football games (my son was in band) and was appalled by just this sort of jeebus/national/sports worship.

 

Makes me wonder where this country is heading....

 

 

Enh, I think we've been headed in the right direction.

[qec]

But this jesus crap is getting me to the point that I can hardly stomach watching the game anymore.

 

 

Looks like the evangelicals are making deliberate inroads here. Just a hunch.

[Vigile]

 

 

You mean it's worse than just Tebow? I did notice that an awful lot of players are praying before the game or after they make a big play, but I wasn't sure if it was a new trend or just that I hadn't noticed that much in the past.

 

I remember when we were kids they had us all pray before the games started. I'm not sure how that meshes with the separation clause but I was a believer then and too young to think about such things.

[lunaticheathen]

I don't really pay attention to sports much at all, personally. The most I actually attended football games was when I was in the band at the fundie school (yes, this heathen was a band geek), so of course they had the obligatory flag and Jeebus worship.

But yes, rampant, cheesy displays of patriotism have gone wild since 9/11/01, and as to the Christ-humping, I guess it's just part of being a "good 'Murican."

And, no, of course, this Tebow's teammates are only too happy to keep "rowdy girl fans" away from him. Probably help them into a bottle of tequila too.

[TheTruthShallSetUsFree]

Personally, I love football, I am a big fan. But it is absurd to see all the Jebus love and jingoistic patriotism involved, especially post 9/11. High school football teams that only play other teams from their same state now have American flags sewn on their jerseys. Ummm... we know you're American. You are playing an American sport IN America. And as a die hard fan of Tim Teabag's arch-rival FSU, I have never been a fan of him for that and numerous other reasons. Namely the way the broadcasters fawn all over him... in one game as they were all talking about St Tim like horny schoolgirls, they cut to the sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. Now, she is supposed to be an impartial reporting party, and she was wearing Tebow style gator eye black under her eyes and said she was pulling for him.... I'm sure the other team appreciated that. And their millions of fans at home. Teabow is the American wet dream, athletic, talented, 'hunky', and blindly religious. I guess his bff Jebus must have been busy the day they lost to Alabama and Tebow cried his eyes out on the sideline like a poor sport. The idea that their sky daddy would intervene and care at all about a football game shows what is so perverse about xtianity. He lets millions starve, millions get raped, children get abuse by thier parents or priests, but he has time to select one team from a pointless game over another. And this kind of stupid mentality is prized and applauded in our culture. No wonder the world is so fucked up.

[par4dcourse]

I wonder what mental gymnastics are necessary to think a god prefers one or another in a game.

[FreeLily]

Count me as a big football fan. I was also a band geek. There wasn't much else to do where I grew up besides sports, drinking, and sex. I was allowed to drink at home (yes, in a fundie home! go figure...) and I was too Spirit-addled to consider sex, so sports and music were it. Football is the sport I happen to know the most about, I understand the rules and the strategy, and it's fun to watch.

 

Ironically I am married to a guy who couldn't care less about it. But I do get a lot of double takes from men when they realize I know at least as much about it as they do!

 

Yes, I have noticed an almost NASCAR-like infiltration of vocal fundies and teabagger types. I saw a Gadsden flag on a tailgater's camper at a Penn State game this year, and many of them sport crosses. (This, however, does not preclude their drinking boilo (http://www.coalregion.com/Recipes/boilo.htm) at 10 am!)

[Shyone]

But this jesus crap is getting me to the point that I can hardly stomach watching the game anymore.

 

 

Looks like the evangelicals are making deliberate inroads here. Just a hunch.

There is an active program to seduce enlist people in sports for religious proselytism (Christian, of course). One organization is Pro Athelete Outreach.

 

Vision: To recruit and equip an army of coaches, professional athletes and their families to make a positive impact in the world for Jesus Christ.

 

Mission: We conduct Christ-centered programs and conferences to equip professional athletes, coaches and their families to make a positive impact in the world for Jesus Christ.

 

I understand that such organizations have been very successful. The most visible sign is the pointing to the sky daddy when they enter the end zone.

[OpheliaGinger]

I was also in the marching band in high school, in a CoC private school no less. I pretty much yawned the entire game; there were many times I nearly fell asleep.

[Rev. Dr. Sparki Hooker]

I'm a Cane fan and that alone is enough to make me despise tebow, but the way the sports media fawns over him is quite sickening. As for the patriotism, I had season tickets to the falcons this year and toward the end of the season they started doing some "Let's honor america and the troops" emotional video a few times during the games. And I don't really have a point right now but maybe later I will that beer was good now I'm hungry. Praise Jebus.

[Franko47]

I can respect the fact that football is very close to the heart of the mainstream American consciousness; up here in Canada it's hockey.

 

Even we parade our Canadian troops out occasionally during big games; no problem there. However, we don't wedge in all that religion stuff as much, but it's to be expected. Jesus, football, apple pie, all things bright and beautiful. Besides, US pro sports has enough pro athletes who have turned out to be aberrant in their morality over the years; starting with OJ at the top of the list.

[Animania]

I'm a Cane fan and that alone is enough to make me despise tebow, but the way the sports media fawns over him is quite sickening. As for the patriotism, I had season tickets to the falcons this year and toward the end of the season they started doing some "Let's honor america and the troops" emotional video a few times during the games. And I don't really have a point right now but maybe later I will that beer was good now I'm hungry. Praise Jebus.

 

I'm a Tennessee fan myself (although I have a close friend that is a Canes friend, so I'll throw up the U with ya), and I feel you on that being more than enough on it's own. I have a co-worker that is from out of state, and he only roots for the Gators because Tebow is a "good christian dude". The funny thing is that he was convinced for a while that Tebow was going to forgo the NFL and go be a missionary instead, I think he's down to thinking Tebow will be in the NFL for a few years then go to the mission field. I think these people that idolize him should really get back to their little bibles and reread all that stuff about false idols. Anyways, don't they know that they should flee from the appearance of evil? I would expect with that they would try to keep his purity intact and not blow him ever time he gets on television

[Vigile]

I wonder what mental gymnastics are necessary to think a god prefers one or another in a game.

 

No gymnastics needed. Just a super shallow focus. Some people are no deeper than a mud puddle.

[Vigile]

I realize after reading this thread that the fundies are one step ahead of us again. They were ahead of the curve when they used Ralph Reed and the CC to infiltrate and influence government. Now they are going after the hearts and minds of middle America via some pretty shrewd propaganda tied to sports. I shudder.

[bush country]

They start recruiting a lot earlier than in the pros. Around here it is in high school with the FCA - Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Not sure when the organization started but they had a chapter back when I was in high school thirty years ago. It's not just for football but for all sports, boys and girls.

 

Vigile - yes it goes a lot further than St. Tim. Prayer circles in the middle of the field after the game, genuflecting/pointing to heaven after scoring, etc. A couple of weeks ago I was watching the Cardinals and their offense really sucked in the first half. Warner had them all in a prayer huddle on the sideline in the middle of the second quarter. Clearly jebus was letting St. Kurt and the Cards offense down!

 

I was also a band nerd in hs. Mississippi State grad and SEC football fan (except for the Gators), so this Thursday I'm sayin' Roll Tide!!

[Shyone]

They start recruiting a lot earlier than in the pros. Around here it is in high school with the FCA - Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Not sure when the organization started but they had a chapter back when I was in high school thirty years ago. It's not just for football but for all sports, boys and girls.

 

Vigile - yes it goes a lot further than St. Tim. Prayer circles in the middle of the field after the game, genuflecting/pointing to heaven after scoring, etc. A couple of weeks ago I was watching the Cardinals and their offense really sucked in the first half. Warner had them all in a prayer huddle on the sideline in the middle of the second quarter. Clearly jebus was letting St. Kurt and the Cards offense down!

 

I was also a band nerd in hs. Mississippi State grad and SEC football fan (except for the Gators), so this Thursday I'm sayin' Roll Tide!!

Fellowship of Christian Athletes. That's the organization I was thinking of.

 

Indoctrinate early and you've got the for life (or maybe about 30 years).

[chefranden]

The only organized football I ever played was YMCA football. There was no prayer in YMCA football. You just have to love living in the north of Wisconsin.

 

In HS I participated in Curling, Basket Ball, Track, and Cross Country with out a moment of organized prayer. If you want to escape the nonsense escape to Wisconsin.

[Vigile]

I was also a band nerd in hs. Mississippi State grad and SEC football fan (except for the Gators), so this Thursday I'm sayin' Roll Tide!!

 

More power to 'em. BTW, my school, BSU, has a chance at #2. It's an impossible dream come true. I got up at 4 a.m. last night to watch the Fiesta Bowl and man, was it ever worth it. When I was in school they were Div II and being this close to a national title was laughable. What a Cinderella season.