Tag Archives: NFL

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A heart under the hoodie

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One thing I don’t do very well, but realize that I need to do well, is find positive things to say about those with whom you disagree. My least favorite coach in the NFL is Bill “Belicheat” Belichick. Not fan of that joker for a number of reasons.
However, I found out something about this lad which surprised me quite a bit: he seems to have legitimate feelings. He says in reference to the final cuts when teams have to go from 80 down to 53 players:
“It doesn’t make it any easier, but it’s something you have to deal with every year,” Belichick said. “It doesn’t really get any easier. It’s always a grouping of people and you’re affecting their lives and their families and their careers and trying to do what’s best for the team, but that still can be tough. It is tough.”
I have no personal interaction with Coach, so its not that tough to commend his concern for his players. There really is a heart under the “hoodie” (probably the least fashionable coach in the NLF, he simply wears a “hoodie” sweatshirt, and pants of course) as hard as it is to admit.
Yet it becomes much harder when dealing with folks with whom we have actual relationships. How much more with those we struggle fancying? Nevertheless, we will rarely ever be “heard” until we can also find and relay something positive to such folks. Very few people listen to those who can find NOTHING positive about them. I think this is why Republicans and Democrats rarely ever get anywhere with each other.

Since all of us truly are made in the image of God, we can find something positive to say about our enemies, critics, or those folks who we find harder to love than others. As much as I struggle to believe this, it still rings true.

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Reggie Bush and public apologies

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Last week I saw an interesting interview with current Saints (at least as long as he doesn’t demand the 12 million dollars owed him this year) running back Reggie Bush. The interviewer reminded Reggie of his fateful tweet after New Orleans drafted Alabama running back Mark Ingram in the first round of this year’s draft: “Its been fun New Orleans.”
Of course a bit later, he posted something more “diplomatic,” according to Pat Yasinkas:
“Congrats to Mark Ingram on being selected to New Orleans. He will be a great addition to the Saints backfield just as he was in Alabama.’’ 
The second tweet no doubt (in my mind) came after his agent informed him of the stupidity of his first tweet. At least, that’s the scenario I presume. Usually with agent motivated apologies, they reveal about as much remorse as one coming from a sociopath. 
But in this interview, you could really tell that Bush owned up to his mistake. He even berated himself for ignoring the NFL’s yearly social media reminder to pause before you press “send.” Its no wonder if these public or internet apologies are real or simply diplomatic. Yet is it possible that they could eventually lead to real heartfelt sorrow? Sometimes? Whether this response was motivated by an agent or fear of actually losing his job, I think it is possible even publicly “forced” apologies can result in real repentance down the road.
 
Here are a few quick takes:
1.) In a similar way, I think that corporate confession during worship, even though you’re not “feeling it” at the time, can end up leading to real confession some time after the church service ends. I don’t know how often it does, but I’m eager to start paying attention to how it affects me personally during the week.

2.) It is nice to see someone admit, “I was just dumb. It was my fault.” Few things gain respect more than someone admitting his mistakes. Now if/when he owns up to his mistakes with the USC disaster….

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Tuck in your tweets

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It seems like just about everyone and their mother involves themselves with some sort of social media. Even the Pope has joined the ranks of twitter. I actually have an account with (for some reason) followers even though I’ve never actually “tweeted.” I may never get the urge, but I try not to use the words “never” when referring to something I don’t want to do. I usually eat them.
Not that I’m against Twitter or facebook or other social media, like blogging. I actually like the latter two. And I think those can be great tools to disperse good information and connect with folks, provided they only supplement, not replace, visible community. 
But there is a dark side of them that is oft overlooked, but not by N.Y. Giants Defensive End Justin Tuck. You may remember him from some Subway commercials. In response to Eagles running back LeSean McCoy calling Tuck’s teammate Osi Umenyiora “soft” and “overrated,” he fired back with this overall reaction to social media.
“I honestly think social media has made people cowards,” Tuck said on Mike and Mike in the Morning, via Philly.com. “Where I’m from, if you had a problem with somebody, you said it to their face and that was it. I think now people are hiding behind computers and smartphones to get out something they got on their chest.”
How true. Social media doesn’t just reveal our stupidity, it often reveals our cowardice. People like to hide behind things. Sin makes us do that, and has since the beginning when we first started by hiding behind fig leaves. Soon after we tried to hide from God.
Social media does expose a latent cowardice in all of us. It’s not just with facebook or twitter, but it comes with texting and emails. It’s easier to hide behind a text message when giving someone news that they don’t want to hear (b/c you’re scared to enter into a place of disagreement). I’ve given and received texts like this, so I’ve got fingers pointed at myself (you’ll just have to take my word for it). 
Tuck’s reminder to us has a biblical odor. If we have a problem with a brother, we are to go to that brother or sister (Matthew 18). If a brother or sister has a problem with us, we are to go (not text or tweet them) to that brother/sister (Matt 5:23). Sometimes I wish we had an “out,” but it doesn’t look like we do.
Pastors who seem to regularly call out other pastors before picking up the phone, athletes who call others “soft” (which I guess is the worst thing a football player can be called), and Christians in general would do well to examine their own cowardice. 

The gospel, when we believe it, makes us both bolder (we’ve been declared righteous before God and others) and gentler (God has been gentle to us, not treating us as our sins deserve). Thus it frees us up to use, not hide behind, various forms of social media.

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Trading a catch for gay marriage?

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Gay marriage is and probably will always be a hot topic, only getting hotter as the years go on. I think even the most eco-friendly tree-embracing liberal has more confidence in this issue heating up quicker than the Earth.
David Tyree, on the receiving end of perhaps the greatest catch, if not the greatest play (Eli Manning eluding a sure sack started the play) the Super Bowl has ever known, claims he would gladly give up that catch to stop gay marriage. He says:
“The catch was a gift, it’s not like I’d try to do it.  I couldn’t do it again so that was a miracle,” Tyree told Kenneth Lovett of the Daily News.  “There’s nothing worth more than [maintaining heterosexual marriage] right here for me.”
So we he trade the catch for, um, a block?  “Honestly, I probably would.”
Tyree then elaborated on his point.  “Nothing means more to me than that my God would be honored,” Tyree said.  “Being the fact that I firmly believe that God created and ordained marriage between a man and a woman, I believe that that’s something that should be fought for at all costs.

I think this a good example of caring about God’s fame more than your own. Obviously you can’t go back in time and trade your success, but his phrase, “Nothing means more to me than that my God would be honored,” ought to challenge us all. More often than not we may pray “Thy Kingdom come,” but what we want is “our Kingdom come.” Instead of thinking about our success and God’s honor reminiscently, we ought to think smaller thoughts toward our future success and desire “our God to be honored” more than personal accolades.
At the end of the article, Mike Florio dismisses Tyree’s concerns and thoughts regarding marriage to the point of even saying,
“And regardless of where one stands on the matter (personally, I tend to be Libertarian on social matters, as if any of you care), it could be the last time any of us will ever be considering anything Tyree ever says or does.”
Its amazing-although I don’t know why I’m still amazed-when “open-minded” folks accept all opinions except those birthed from an ultimate religious allegiance (ignoring their own presuppositions). Sometimes when they disagree, the other is vilified or “stupid-fied” and put on what amounts to “talking probation.” Seems fairly “closed-minded.”
But it’s also interesting that Tyree doesn’t say anything much more than Tony Dungy or Tim Tebow would say. Yet neither of those two are dismissed. In fact, Mike Florio speaks positively about those lads. Perhaps their “body of work” has earned them more of a right to be heard? Or perhaps gay marriage isn’t as primary in their off the field work like prison ministry, pro-family, or pro-life venues. Perhaps these are more socially tolerable?
Maybe there’s another rational reason for Florio’s take? Or maybe there’s something else going on. Sometimes folks will like us when we are obedient (I Peter 2:12) and sometimes folks will hate us for our obedience to Christ (John 15:18). We can expect both. Perhaps the same folks will both like some Christians, and hate or dismiss other Christians.
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Rings and things with Tom Brady

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I had breakfast on Monday with a church member and we briefly discussed LeBron’s failed quest for a championship. He pointed me toward this interview on 60 minutes, which I somehow managed to miss.
In it Tom Brady discusses that even with all of his accomplishments (at this time there were 3 Super Bowls) “There has to be more than this.”
The gospel goes far deeper than granting a Christian existential peace: a deep satisfaction at the end of the day that we truly “have found what we’re looking for.” After all, it is the good news that the curse of sin and all its impact has been reversed. But to deny an experiential component to the gospel is to deny what Jesus claims to offer. It is more than simply experiential peace, but not less than it.
The reason the woman at the well had so many men in her life, and her current one wasn’t even her husband, is because she was looking for life in someone other than Jesus (John 4). Jesus claims to be the solution. And the experience of a true satisfying relationship with him is what helps us crush our idols.
At the end of the video, Tom Brady is dumbfounded by the question: so what’s the answer? He considers that maybe some sort of self-discovery could be the answer. The problem with self-discovery is that in the end, the best person you can discover is yourself. Scary thought. Jesus is way better.
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Tim Tebow, Jon Stewart, and Extreme

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Last week Tim Tebow continued to promote his new book Through My Eyes on “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart. While Stewart takes shots at the left and the right, his atheism clearly comes out from time to time. So Tebow seemed to take a big risk even going on the show.
I think most folks would be afraid to do so. But in basketball, sometimes the best thing you can do to a shot blocker is to take it right to him. Challenge him. But for the Christian, this challenging looks quite a bit different. 
Here’s an excerpt from Tebow’s dialog with Stewart, borrowed from this article
For example, Stewart asked Tebow how old he is.

“Twenty-three,” Tebow said.

“A lot of people might say you want to wait until you’re 24 to write an autobiography,” Stewart said.

Tebow then talked about his parents’ background as missionaries, and his support of an orphanage in the Phillipines.

“Wow.  You seem like a real a#@hole,” Stewart said.

Replied Tebow without hesitation, “I mean, but that’s how I try to come across.”

When Stewart raised the topic of the struggles of “Ohio State University,” Tebow was quick to correct him.  “The Ohio State University,” Tebow said.
Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com was quite impressed. In addition, one of the comments on the article included this response: “No matter how hard I try to not like this guy, I can’t.” 
That’s kind of the picture we get of evangelism in I Peter. Our C.D. (community/discipleship) group has been working our way through this very challenging book and has seen that the importance of our actions, particularly suffering, and how such actions can display the gospel. While I Peter 3:15 has often, and I think rightly, been quoted as a reason why apologetics (defending the faith) is important, evangelism in the book of I Peter is primarily done through actions and attitudes, not words. In fact, it is through a submissive life that wives may “save” their husbands (I Peter 3:1). And our conduct-particularly as we suffer and not retaliate-before non-believing officials and bosses may cause them to “glorify God on the day of visitation (I Peter 2:12).”

Sometimes folks will hate Christians when they try to honor God and not submit to the cultural idols. But often, if Christians are truly following Christ, they can gain respect from the same folks.

Your life before others matters. Your words before others matter. Both are evangelistic in some sense. Athletes don’t have to mention the name of Jesus every time they get in front of a camera to honor Him. Neither do you. Your words, even when the gospel isn’t mentioned or brought up, can be pre-evangelistic. When your words and your life garner respect, you may gain some eager listeners. 

This doesn’t negate the need for a verbal proclamation of the gospel. Our sharing the gospel cannot be less than words. There is a message of reconciliation which has to be communicated. But while sharing the gospel cannot be less than words, it cannot only be words. Like the band Extreme’s once famous power ballad reminds us, it has to be “more than words.”

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Lockout, probation, and ministry opportunities

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I’m ready for the NFL lockout to end. Some players are also ready and yet other players will happily sit out the whole year. How long they can go beyond that is anyone’s guess.


Here’s an example of a player taking advantage of the time off, since there really isn’t much of an offseason anymore. Miami Dolphin wide receiver Devon Bess has redeemed his time by heading down to dig ditches in Costa Rica. Not that it would have been terrible for him to go to Los Suenos in search of Pacific Sailfish as I had the opportunity to do so in 2004, but this is certainly a commendable way to spend the lockout. Not motivated by guilt, but instead desire and opportunity, he says:


“I had an epiphany one night. With all I’ve been through on and off the field God has put me in a position to be a difference maker and to change lives,” Bess told Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel. 


I don’t think I’ll be “drafting” Bess in the early rounds for my fantasy football team this year, but this is one more guy to pull for when/if the 2011 season starts. While not every football player and his mother (literally) are off shooting people (allegedly, though now indicted), some players are doing more than staying out of trouble; they are glorifying God by their good works and others are noticing.


Matt Barkeley, starting QB at USC, was able to go again with his family on a mission trip to Africa last year because his team was ineligible to play in bowl games. He might get to go on another one this year as well.


I think this is a good reminder to us all that “closed doors” like lockouts and probation can lead to great ministry opportunities. Instead of expecting the “closed door” to lead to something easy or more comfortable, perhaps we should consider how the “closed door” might just open the door for us to serve others we’ve previously overlooked.



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The Good Samaritan? Certainly closer than most

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The Samaritan in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) didn’t really go out of his way to see the man in need. He just didn’t get out of the way, as did the priest and Levite. Sometimes I think it’s more a matter of opening our eyes to the needs around us as we go along our way, as opposed to avoiding opportunities or even seeking them. Sometimes opportunities happen even while we do things we love like fishing, or yard work (I’m sure someone likes it).
While no “Good Samaritan” stories seem to exemplify the actual parable-and there’s probably a reason for that as Jesus is the true good Samaritan-this one comes a little closer. While fishing with his girlfriend, Ted Larsen, Bucs starting Offensive Guard for much of last season, played that role by rescuing a few overturned kayakers.
Here are some similarities….
Enemies: Samaritans and Jews were enemies. Kayakers and boaters are enemies. Not necessarily bitter enemies, as some folks like myself “cross-over,” but both sides share a respectable (at best) resentment towards one another while on the water. I have to say that I still don’t mind seeing a boat run aground when trying to get to places only kayaks can go.
Cost: And it did cost Larsen. It cost him fishing time and gas to bring them in. With real love for those in need, there is always a cost. An exchange.
Location: While he and his girlfriend didn’t just “happen” to cross their path, he was already in the area fishing when he responded to the Coast Guard call.

Instead of breaking the law, as has been common place with several Bucs this offseason, it’s nice to see the law fulfilled in love (Galatians 5:14) for a change. Of course if the Seinfeldian version, not the actual “Good Samaritan Law” ever became codified in the States, I guess we would probably not think so highly of “Good Samaritan’s” anymore.

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A freeman model for fellowship and participation

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Finally some good news for the Bucs after reports of DUI’s and alleged shootings. Fortunately for the young Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they have found a real leader in baby-faced Josh Freeman. Because of the ludicrous NFL lockout, teams are unable to have true, coach organized activities. However a number of teams, including the Bucs, have still met together regularly to develop their gifts. Normally these spring OTA (organized team activities), mini-camps and the like, are “voluntary” in name only. The players are expected their coaches to be there. But it says something when the players actually want to attend and you have 100% participation. Such was the case with Tampa Bay.
The best “fellowship” (in the sense of “participation” as it is often used in the N.T.) seems occurs organically. When the laity, not the pastor, takes the initiative to gather folks together to serve as one team. You know God has blessed your congregation with good fellowship when folks naturally gather together to serve one another. That’s something that can’t be scheduled or programmed, but only wrought by the Spirit. 
When folks legitimately love one another, and organically and voluntarily meet each others needs, people outside that fellowship will notice. They’ll notice and want to be part of that team. A team that gathers and works together not because it has to, but because it wants to do so.
That’s a healthy team and a healthy church. I imagine that was one thing unbelievers found so attractive about the early church in Acts 2.
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What repentance may look like for Big Ben

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There have been many folks skeptical about Rothlesberger’s newly rediscovered Christian faith or at the very least, his change of lifestyle after his most recent sexual skirmish with the law. Consider me to be, or at least to have been, among the skeptical. 
When someone commits a sin of a public nature, or really any nature for that matter, and truly repents, forgiveness is/has already been offered and accomplished by Christ. If offered by Christ, then we should obviously honor that, right? Well, yes, provided that there is true repentance.  But true repentance can only be known as it is displayed over time.
No one can atone for any sin, nor does anyone need to even try to atone for any sin. Nor should you make someone atone for his sins. And I think we do the latter more often than we would like to admit in marriage and friendships. It’s not just a waste of time, but a mockery of the cross, calling Jesus’ work insufficient.
But is it harmful and unloving to presume repentance instead of actually waiting to see real repentance displayed before assuming a genuine change in life trajectory?
Yes, I think so. 
Whether its Big Ben, me, or anyone caught in the act of a public sin, any sort of “I’m sorry,” is probably going to fall on deaf ears. And in some ways it really should. Because real repentance will inevitably look like something. “I’m sorry” is not a trump card that precludes any need for a real change in behavior, particularly when sin has severely hurt a relationship.

What repentance looks like for gossip, sexual sin, anger, or racism will differ according to the sin or how much struggle there is. But real repentance will be noticeable, even it if it is only noticed by you (in regard to private sins like envy). 

For Big Ben, repentance from womanizing looks like more than just getting married. It looks like deciding to honor God with his sexuality, and that will be noticeable. Even the public has noticed it, as  he is not living with his fiancee until they are married. I’m not praising someone for living consistently as a Christian, particularly when he confess to be one. But this act is an outward demonstration of what seems to be true repentance and gives more credibility to his profession of faith. And I’m glad for him.