JAG: October

Decisions, decisions. So many great stories in the last month, and so much attention span available from my reader(s).
Frankly, I don’t want to drone on and on anymore than you want me to. (Dangling half-infinitive.—ed., Yeah, you’re right. Take it out of my vast paycheck for writing this article. That, by the way, is sarcasm. The getting paid part.)
So, let’s get right to the point.
Rush Limbaugh. Here’s a man most people don’t immediately associate with sports, but who has a self-professed love of sports, especially the National Football League.
A man who, for a brief period of time, had an ESPN gig when he had the sheer audacity to claim that Donovan McNabb, who happens to be a black NFL quarterback, was, quote “overrated.” He opined that gave McNabb credit for team success that was due the defense.
For this, he was required to give up his gig, and his remarks declared “insensitive.” They weren’t declared by his bosses at ESPN to be incorrect, just insensitive. Go to this website for a short recap: http://espn.go.com/gen/news/2003/1001/1628537.html.
And, if you’ve a mind, go to this website for a factual defense of Limbaugh’s statement, a defense which was evidence-based and even more scathing in its condemnation of McNabb’s career to that point than Limbaugh’s brief statement: http://www.slate.com/id/2089193/.
And, I’ll say this slowly for those who still want to think this was a racist statement (because McNabb happens to be black): Limbaugh has been proven correct since as well, as I don’t see any Super Bowl champion rings on McNabb’s fingers since the statement either. He’s been to several NFC Championships, and one Super Bowl. No Super Bowl win. One NFC Championship (and the team lost even with T.O. playing injured and producing). That’s very good, but it’s not great.
With all due respect, you win it all in the NFL if you want to be declared great.
Right, Mr. Favre? Side comment: Whether Mr. Favre is overrated at this point in his career needs to go past the first six games of the season, given how great he was in the first half of last year and not so the last half. The season is young, and so are we. BUT, Mr. Favre is a lock for the Hall of Fame, though I wonder if he should go in as a Packer. (Oh, no, you di-unt!, ed., Oh, yes, I did! I went there!)
Back to Mr. Limbaugh. This gentleman is a big fan of the NFL, and as big fans go, he has big opinions about the game. He also has a huge amount of money, and his roots go back to the State of Missouri, wherein reside the current incarnation of the NFL’s Rams football team.
Rush relates that he was approached by Dave Checketts to be join an investment group to buy the team. Rush agreed after telling Checketts about the clear potential for public controversy at his inclusion in the group.
Controversy followed, even though the leaking of Rush’s name was apparently a violation of the confidentiality agreement that was a portion of the written protocols to be followed by the group.
Allegations were made of alleged racist statements made by Rush Limbaugh (which, if you wish, you can look up on your own). Rush Limbaugh denied making racist statements, and no one has yet proven he made a statement that was “racist” as we normally understand the term (meaning incorrect, inflammatory, racial stereotyping). Rush Limbaugh wrote an article that gives a briefing on the controversy, go read it: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704322004574477021697942920.html.
(Hey, what about the “Bloods and Crips” in the NFL quote? ,ed.—You are awfully active today, editor. You mean to tell me there aren’t thugs and felons in the NFL?—I get your point. ,ed.)
For as long as it lasts, for an exhaustive examination of the false quotes themselves, and several other viewpoints about the controversy, go see this page at Rush’s website: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_101609/content/01125118.guest.html.
So, despite the fact that Rush has not made the racist comments attributed to him, despite the fact that Rush himself is not a racist (if you don’t believe it, ask his call screener who goes by the name Bo Snerdley, http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_101609/content/01125118.guest.html, or perhaps one of his best friends, the Reverend Ken Hutcherson, http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_101909/content/01125112.guest.html).
So, Rush will not own a piece of a football team. Life will go on, and people will think of him as they wish. Those who already hate him will continue to hate him, those who respect him will continue to respect him, and those who lied about him will still have jobs.
It doesn’t seem “fair,” does it? A campaign that told lies about what Limbaugh said never having to pay up for what they did, never having to make it right? Rush has suggested suing , and he may have a case, but (and here’s the Christian lesson for us), perhaps another tack may be appropriate.
And this tack applies to us who feel we have been done wrong, and that it doesn’t seem that there is anyone who cares, anyone who can do anything about it. It applies when we are wronged, and those who wrong us think that they have gotten away with it.
The central Scripture is as follows: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6: 7-10, NIV).
If the point is obscure yet (and it shouldn’t be), maybe this will help: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil . . . Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.” (Romans 12:17, 19).
Christian, and anyone else who is wronged, you have a God who is paying attention. The plans God has for the Christians are for their good, not their harm. (Jeremiah 29:11). He is a Just God, a Powerful God, an All-Knowing and All-Seeing God.
And He is on your side!
What do you need to do to make things right with these people, to get things going your way? Really, nothing!
This is not to say, “don’t speak up, don’t talk back, just sit there and take it.” Feel free to set the record straight.
But, don’t strike back. Don’t take revenge. That, for evildoers, would be the easy way out.
Rather, whose wrath should evildoers feel: the wrath of humans, or the wrath of God! The “revenge” of humans, or payback by God!
It may not happen today, tomorrow, next day, or next week. But, as sure as there is a Just and Benevolent God, a God that knows what is right, just, and true, it is sure that He will avenge the unjustly treated. He will repay.
If Rush cared what I thought, I would tell him, “Don’t sue them. Turn them over to God. They’ll wish you had only just sued them.”
And that goes for the Reverends Sharpton and Jackson, too. God is paying attention, Reverends. And He is not mocked!
On that cheery note, this is Just Another Guy, On Sports.
See you next month.

Are you prepared for the final play?

JUST ANOTHER GUY
On Sports
On September 20, 2009, Ray Lewis made a play which he called “one of the greatest plays of my career.” One play, one time, worth an entire article to write up. One play. Two seconds of effort, preceded by moments of anticipation, hours of preparation, and a lifetime (in football terms) of honed instinct.
One play.
The ball rested on the Baltimore 15 yard-line with 37 seconds left, the Ravens leading the San Diego Chargers 31-26 after over 3 hours of play. It was fourth and two, but Ray Lewis was calling it “fourth and the game” to go.
The Baltimore defense had hung tough throughout the day, though the Charger offense had been having some success moving the ball. Even so, the Charger offense had stalled (rather the Baltimore defense had held) on four occasions with the Chargers getting down to or inside the Baltimore ten, four times, but settling for field goals each time.
And here they were again, the Chargers close, and Ravens trying to hold off one last time.
Oh, and not incidentally, the game was at Qualcomm Stadium. In SAN DIEGO.
Both teams were undefeated (the Chargers having previously beaten the Raiders, while Baltimore had defeated Kansas City), though this game was truly the first big regular season test for each squad. And, they had made a thriller out of it.
So, fourth and two (“the game”) and the Chargers with the ball at home. Lewis, the middle linebacker, with nine solo tackles and two assists already in the bag for the game, was thinking.
179 games over a 14 year career (this is the fourteenth), along with hours of film preparation, will do that for you.
He had watched tape of the Charger’s previous week’s win over the Raiders to recall the play that led to the winning score; a hand-off to scatback Darren Sproles for a five-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left. And, thought Ray Lewis, they might run that again.
He had seen that there was something called a backside “A-gap,” a hole in the backside of the play’s set-up (which was between the center and the right guard). Knowing the gap was there, Ray Lewis determined to shoot that gap and, if right, stop the play in its tracks.
Darren Sproles was the fastest player on the Charger squad. Not only that, but that play was not Ray Lewis’ assignment during the play. In short, it wasn’t really what he was supposed to be doing on that play.
But, in the time it takes to get from one play to the next, Ray Lewis’ competitive instinct, honed by his more than a decade of experience, combined with his pregame study and preparation of the previous week to convince him it was the right thing to do.
The ball was snapped; Ray Lewis shot the backside A-gap.
And won the game for the Ravens.
When the play was unfolding, it was indeed another hand-off by quarterback Philip Rivers to scatback Sproles. And this time, it was a split second between the hand-off and Ray Lewis’ tenth solo tackle of the game. Game over, Ravens.
As teammate and center Matt Birk (himself a twelve-year veteran exclaimed), “One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Unbelievable.”
Or, as his Pro Bowl pass-rushing teammate Terrell Suggs would say, ““Did you like that? That’s why he’s the greatest ever.”
And, oddly enough, it wasn’t really what he was supposed to do in that defense. But, because of his instinct and pregame study and preparation, he correctly knew what the play was going to be, he knew where the weakness in the offense was, and he had the courage to make the play.
You can read more on this event at http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-morningrush092109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns (credit to Michael Silver on his reporting).
So, application time is upon us. This is a nice story and all (and Ray Lewis is a great player; a certain Hall-of-Famer), but unless it leads us to some Christian truth here, it doesn’t need to be on this website (after all, we are SportsFAITH, not Sports Highlights in Review).
Over his years of playing, Ray Lewis had picked up excellent work habits. He cared about his craft. He kept himself physically fit, studied, and learned. He gained insight, what some might call “wisdom.”
But, he didn’t simply rely on that wisdom on September 20th. He had supplemented his years of experience and his physical preparation with enough time spent in study to know just what might happen and what it would look like when it did.
And, still, that wasn’t enough. When the time came, he had to trust what he knew, and act on it. When he did, he won his personal battle. And when he won, the team won.
The defense had a hard time all afternoon with the Charger offense. They had already given up 26 points and 436 yards passing to Philip Rivers and the Chargers that afternoon (the passing yards would be Rivers’ best ever performance).
And yet, when the time came, one man, with wisdom and courage, made all that go away with one read, one gap, one tackle. Game over.
Ray Lewis had just come off an off-season in which he had felt that he was deserving a large contract, but (by football standards, anyway), that did not come. Rather than mope and mourn, he set back out to work, to make the best of what could have been more personally lucrative, but was not.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23. It is Paul’s admonition to us to always, regardless of whether we think we are being treated well or poorly, to perform all we are to perform as if God is the boss.
Indeed, as Ray Lewis himself said after the game, “God gets the credit, man. I shot it. It’s over. My part is done. Let’s go home.”
God gets the credit when we do what we are supposed to. And it is often attitude that determines our success.
An attitude that does not dwell on personal slights but on getting the job done. We are, after all, made for good works. It is for us to get on doing them. Ephesians 2:10.
And, further, remember that Ray Lewis studied. He watched his opponents on tape. He paid attention during the game. He spent the time, paid attention, and then boldly acted. It wasn’t rash (even though he altered his assignment) because he saw opportunity and took it.
Shouldn’t we, too, study? And, shouldn’t we study the truth? And, if we study the truth, and learn year after year after year, might we not be ready when the time comes to recognize opportunity and seize it, even if some might think it isn’t “our assignment”?
As Paul wrote to Titus (3:14): “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.”
And, as we learn of what we are to do, we are to be bold to do it. It is one thing to simply “learn.” It is another thing to do what we know we are to do once learning it. As Paul said, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9.
And, of course, what is the truth? 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Indeed, for our earthly work (which we are spiritually bound to do well), getting the job done requires wisdom, preparation, study, and courage. Recognizing when to act boldly is much of the battle, but acting boldly is then required. When proper attitude, wisdom, preparation, and boldness come together, in secular and in Godly matters, things get done. And, to quote Ray Lewis again, “God gets the credit, man.”
So, remember: attitude, wisdom from experience, learning and preparation, and boldness. And when the time comes, act.
It works in football; it works in life.
This is the JAG, On Sports. See you all next month!

JAG: Are you using the same playbook?

Have you ever had that feeling of being overwhelmed? That there was too much to know, too much to do, and not enough you to know or do it?
If so, then you have a little taste of what it’s like to be a rookie in the NFL in training camp. Or, for that matter, you have some affinity with a football squad when a new coach or coordinator comes to town.
Welcome to. . . THE PLAYBOOK!
In August of 2007, espn.com writer Elizabeth Merrill wrote a good survey article on the concept of the Playbook and its place in the life of NFL players and coaches. The article is at this link: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview07/news/story?id=2973338&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1 .
Dick Vermeil, when he was coaching the Eagles in 1982 (!) boasted a playbook nearly 700 pages in size. That was when some coaches weren’t even using playbooks (Don Coryell, former coach of the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers, was one who never used a playbook).
Playbooks now vary in size, but 700-800 page books are not unheard of.
As Chris Zervoudis reported in his article on the Philadelphia Eagles website in 2008: “Rookies and free agents alike are given the benefit of the doubt early in their first season with a team because there is so much information to digest. The phrase most commonly used to describe the feeling is ‘their heads are swimming.’" Article at http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/Story.asp?STORY_ID=15534
In fact, occasionally a coach will take criticism for his playbook if it is felt that the complexity of the schemes are just too much to swallow.
Al Saunders of the Redskins (the “associate head coach”) had created a playbook that was “conservatively estimated” to be 700 pages in length (it was believed to be larger, since the pages were not numbered), containing enough information so that it was possible to use it to run as many as 1800 different plays. As Joseph White reported in a USA Today article (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/2007-08-15-812327901_x.htm), Coach Saunders took criticism for the complexity of the scheme in light of the team’s previous year’s offensive struggles in a 5-11 season. (The Redskins did improve in 2007 to 9-7, head coach Joe Gibbs’ last year as coach, losing their playoff game in Seattle 35-14.)
Coach Saunders was reported to say that the playbook wasn’t all that hard to master: “If you can count from 0 to 9, you can be a wide receiver in our offense.”
Yeah, and apparently if you can count from one to 1800, you could run all the plays. Yikes.
Why is there so much in the playbook, and why is it so important?
Writer Merrill sums it up this way: “In the NFL, the playbook is a sacred hardbound diary of trust. It's an accumulation of decades' worth of knowledge, tweaked and perfected, sectioned off by scribbles and colored tabs.”
It is the book you can never lose (one time a Vikings rookie was hazed by his teammates when they stole it from him while he was going to the bathroom. Read Ms. Merrill’s article for the rookies state of dress when he chased his tormentors.). It’s one you never want to be told to give up (it means you are cut from the squad).
And for your part of it, you’d better know it. Sometimes new players and rookies get a little bit of a break on memorizing the whole thing, but not for long. And some players, of course, have a bit more difficulty getting everything down than others.
And then there’s the secrecy. The playbook is meant to be protected from outside eyes; insight into the playbook is an insight into the philosophy of the team, and in professional sports generally (football specifically) knowledge IS power.
In fact, there is such a thoroughgoing tradition of secrecy as to the contents of the playbook that it can be considered treasonous (though not illegal in a football sense) to divulge those contents to a rival.
Don’t believe me? Well, remember the Mr. Favre (keeping up my tradition of not referring to the former Packer and now Viking by his first name) fiasco where it was claimed by sportswriter Jay Glazer that he had spoken with the Detroit Lion’s coaching staff and discussed Packer’s schemes and tendencies with him before their September 14, 2008 game with the Packers (which the Lions lost, 48-25).
Mr. Favre denied doing it (he did admit a pregame phone call with GM Matt Millen, saying they talked about hunting), but that goes to show you how sacred, if you will, the playbook is. If there was nothing wrong with talking about it, Mr. Favre would not have denied it.
Lions coach Rod Marinelli, when asked, had no comment. He wouldn’t deny being given inside information. See http://sportsclimax.com/nfl/did-brett-favre-help-lions-cheat/ .
So, we know that the Playbook is important, and can be dumbfoundingly complex (a fact some coaches cannot bring themselves to admit). If you don’t know the Playbook, you can’t do your job. It takes study and repetition to know the Playbook.
And, of course, since this is a Christian column, I’ll bet you think you know the Christian lesson here, don’t you?
I’ll bet you think it’s a lead-in to the Bible being the Playbook, containing vital information for living the Christian life, and that it has a lot of things in it that one needs to know, and memorizing it is good, etc., etc., etc.
Well, if my point was that easy, I just wasted two plus pages of preamble to get here.
Actually, my point is a little more controversial than that. (No, no, no! Not the controversy stuff again! What is it with you, anyway?—ed.; Just trying to tell the truth, dear Editor. Even if some don’t want to hear it.)
Here’s the point I want to make: In our zeal to do it right, sometimes we (lay and pastors alike) make Christianity too darn complex. And the more complex we make it, the harder it is to live it joyfully.
I think you’ll know what I mean when I describe it.
When you are a Christian long enough, you ‘ll hear a lot of sermons. And those sermons will often enough be sort of a recipe as to how to live the Christian life.
But have you ever noticed how Scripture, when it is taught, has about three or four points to it as to how to live the Christian life that you would swear (or affirm) that you never knew were there before.
And, for that matter, how those three or four points just happen to fit the current American trends of Christianity (relationships and small groups and brokenness are big American themes that find reverberation in many current teachers’ curriculum).
And the more sermons you hear, the more points you hear, the more items of improvement you hear, the more things you hear to do or to say or to be.
And eventually, it all gets to be a jumble (and sometimes even somewhat contradictory—how many times have you heard “saved by grace through faith and not through works” one week, and the next week you hear how most Christians need to get off their holy butts and get to work in the Church, or give more money, or whatever it is that congregation needs for its members to do to keep going).
No wonder some people think that Christianity is nothing but dos and don’ts. A lot of them.
And no wonder some of our more soft-hearted, wonderful Christian people are having difficulty living a joyful life. They hear a sermon that makes more demands on them (demands that never can be fully met by any saved human), and in good faith and desiring to serve God try to meet those demands, and fail to meet the exacting standards set for them.
We are making Christianity like a 700 page Playbook. Too complicated. Too demanding. Too not being yoke-easy and burden-light.
What does Christ say about what is required of men before their God?
'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40.
How about we keep Christianity simple? Love God. Love neighbor as self. Let’s not encumber this message up too much, and let’s not Americanize it, OK?
By Americanizing, I mean making this Love achievement- oriented, about what we do. That we have a quiet time, or give to the Church some specific amount of time or money, or answer a specific need of the congregation. This Love needs to be about our attitude and who we are.
Let’s stop putting doubts in the minds of the believers. I occasionally hear sermons about “stepping out of comfort zones,” “challenging you to take risks,” “maybe God wants you to risk being financially less well off.” Again, this focuses on doing, not loving. And, it has the perversion of making people believe that God is demanding poverty and pain and sacrifice of the type of them that, for all we know, God doesn’t have in mind at all.
Let’s keep our Playbook simple. Sure, we need to know what Love means, but let’s never lose sight that the Christian life is not so much about doing, but about loving. Doing out of love.
If you love, that is, if you wish the best for the person you are loving, if you wish to give God your best out of love, having the attitude of devotion will (by the power of the Holy Spirit) tell you all you need to know.
And it will be joyful. What is done out of love is done joyfully. What is done because of perceived command often is not.
That’s enough for now. I probably violated my own teaching here (of keeping it simple). So just remember this:
Love God. Love neighbor as self.
You get that right, and you’ll be fine.
This is the JAG, On Sports. See you next month.

JAG: Tell him to his face don’t tell others

David Beckham. Now there’s a name that conjures up controversy. Currently playing football (as the rest of the world calls it; we Yanks refer to it as “soccer,” or “the one game Americans aren’t really that good at playing- don’t kid yourselves”) for the LA Galaxy (sitting fourth in the Western Conference of the MLS as of this writing), he has come for a bit of a razzing from LA Galaxy fans for his dalliances with AC Milan (a really good soccer, er, football club in Italy’s premiere division (Serie A).

You see, David Beckham is no Landon Donovan (and Landon, his teammate at LA Galaxy, had given him a bit of a rough go in remarks reported by Grant Wahl in his recently released book The Beckham ExperimentI).

As background:

MLS is America’s First Division of Soccer/Football. The game is played worldwide and is followed by a fan base as rabid (and jingoistic) as can be found worldwide. The fervor of supporters of team, not to mention country, is (in this writer’s estimation) unsurpassed and almost unsurpassable.

The U.S. has long played soccer and long played it relatively, um, less ably as opposed to its international counterparts. The U.S. often ranks relatively well in world standings (12th overall), but that appears largely due to the fact that the U.S. plays most of its games in the quite weak (as opposed to worldwide soccer play) CONCACAF region (basically, North and Central America, with Caribbean Islands added in for flavor). (Mexico is 33rd, and Canada is 92nd, nestled between powerhouses Sudan and Iceland). For more worldwide soccer news, visit www.fifa.com.

The U.S. is rarely an international threat, especially at the World Cup level. Suffice it to say, geography is very kind to the qualification (and ranking) efforts of the U.S. in that regard. That is especially evident in the number of U.S. players that play for powerhouse teams worldwide. (Clint Dempsey playing for Fulham and Tim Howard goalkeeping for Everton come to mind. Even Landon Donovan couldn’t hook on permanently with a European squad, through two attempts in the German Bundesliga; give him credit for persistence though, for he tried out for the Bayern Munich squad as late as last November).

MLS is the latest incarnation of the United States soccer community’s effort to have a professional level game. (The North American Soccer League operated from 1968 to 1984; MLS was formed in 1993 to boost the United States’ as part of the process that landed the 1994 World Cup in the U.S. MLS started play in 1996 with ten teams, and currently boasts 15 teams—one from Canada—and plan to add 3 teams in the next two years, from Philadelphia, Portland, and Vancouver.) For more about them, visit http://web.mlsnet.com.

(Nice little survey there, JAG. Would you kindly GET TO THE POINT OF YOUR ARTICLE? Please—ed.; Sure, you don’t have to shout. Yeesh.)

So, back to Beckham and Landon. So, Landon bags Beckham in the book (he was interviewed last year, and the book was released this year). In the interim between interview and book, David Beckham is able to get himself loaned out to AC Milan to play international first division soccer, because (in part) he longs for the days in which he can play World Cup/International Soccer for England, his homeland.

The history there is much too detailed for this short article, but suffice to say that David was taken off the England International squad because he supposedly wasn’t fit enough or able enough to play at their level, and he has (through hard work and determination) been able to work his way back onto the squad.

He (correctly, I believe) has felt that even though he signed a huge contract to play American soccer with the Galaxy (in a major attempt by the MLS and the Galaxy to make a substantial amount of people actually care about U.S. professional soccer), his attempts to stay fit and play at an international level are much better at Milan than in LA. The soccer is that much better there.

Of course, that likely doesn’t sit well with his teammates (especially since he has to miss a substantial part of the MLS season to play in Milan). There may be jealousy factors or any whole host of other personality issues in play as well, but suffice it to say that at least one player on the LA Galaxy did not think the Beckham Experiment was working out well.
Enter Landon Donovan. In remarks he made to Grant Wahl (and see Grant Wahl’s take on this subject at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/grant_wahl/07/15/beckham.donovan/index.html), he referred to Landon’s comments as “eviscerating.”
He also referred to the comments as Landon’s desire to be honest and go public about perceived lack of commitment and leadership from Beckham.
Well, Grant Wahl was right about one thing, at least: David Beckham did not take kindly to being criticized. David spoke right back when the book’s comments were revealed, calling Landon “unprofessional” for failing to confront him personally. In remarks reported at http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/football/07/12/beckham.donovan.galaxy.mls/index.html#cnnSTCText, Landon agreed that the comments should have been made personally, though he did not back down from making them.
[You will also notice that Grant has no problem printing criticism of Beckham, though he doesn’t really like getting it back from him. And, for that matter, Grant has a suggestion for Beckham I don’t particularly agree with, about reading the book. See below for details.]
David and Landon have since had a “clear the air meeting,” and things are supposedly fine.
POINT ONE (and yes, finally, there is a Christian point here):
It takes courage to confront people directly about their faults, and it is a courage that even athletes don’t always have. Landon made his comments in the safety of an interview, which permitted him the comfort to say some devastating and abrupt things about a teammate far more accomplished than he (ever will be?) in their chosen field of endeavor.
Landon still thinks he was right to say those things. Fine. As a leader of the LA Galaxy and a top player in U.S. Football, he does have some chops to speak.
He was absolutely wrong and “unprofessional,” to use a term, to speak to others about his teammate without speaking to him first. David Beckham was absolutely correct in that.
It is easy to speak sharply about another when they are not there, to speak boldly and uncharitably, even if accurately. Easy. Not courageous.
True courage is following the dual prompts in Scripture as they involve confrontation. You’ve heard some of this from me before, but it is time for a refresher.
[All following references to Scripture are NIV. For those to whom that matters.]
Matthew 18:15-17 tells us how to handle when someone needs confrontation (when they “sin against you”). “Go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.”
The purpose of confrontation is not to win some hissing match (this phrase edited for your Christian website entertainment), but to “win your brother over.” It’s not to win a battle, but to “win your brother.” It is his good we are seeking, not our own.
It is only after two failed interventions (speak privately, speak with witnesses) that you go public.
The purpose is changed behavior, not captainship. And the reason it is first handled face to face (now here is my opinion, like it or don’t as you wish) is because it is harder to be harsh, rude, and tough face to face than it is at a comfortable distance.
And that, dear people, is WHY WE (INCLUDING US CHRISTIANS, AND ME) ALMOST NEVER SEEM TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY! We don’t have the courage to take the chance that the person will react negatively to what we say, and we don’t want to take the chance that they prove US wrong!
So, the first lesson here is: if you’ve got something to say to someone, say it to THEM. And certainly, don’t say it to someone else who will propagate it before the person has a chance to react to it. Give them their “due process,” so to speak. You never know: you might be the wrong one.
POINT TWO:
Say the truth in love. Say the truth, yes, but for the purpose of uplifting the other, not defeating them or showing your superiority to them.
Matthew 22:39 quotes Jesus as saying, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love your neighbor. That means looking out for him, seeking his good. You don’t have to feel good about him at the moment, but you do have to care about him. (As one wag once said, “You’ve got to love them; you don’t have to like them.”)
And caring brings its own attitude to confrontation. An attitude of concern and seeking of improvement. It checks ego, pride, and jealousy at the door. It bonds us.
It doesn’t mean “don’t be direct.” It means “be direct and loving.” Seek (and celebrate) change.
Because we all need to change, don’t we?
Ephesians 4:2: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
Ephesians 4:15: “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
It is hard to be bold and tough when face to face. I suggest that is one of God’s points here (not the only one, or even the major one necessarily). He wants us to approach correction in a Spirit of seeking the best for others.
Grant Wahl was wrong in his article (yes, yes, I promised a comment, and here I deliver) about one thing (at least): David Beckham shouldn’t have had to read his book to find out how his teammates feel about him. I don’t blame Grant for trying to sell books, but suffice to say, he does not get off scot-free from this analysis simply because he is reporting the gossip (oops, did I say that?) someone else wanted to speak about another.
For money.
Back to Landon and David.
Do you think Landon and David have actually cleared the air and are best buddies? Maybe. Maybe the behind-the-scenes talk helped (Landon now says he will not comment further) somehow to resolve the problem. Maybe the behind-the-scenes talk helped both of them understand what they needed to do. And, maybe it didn’t.
But behind-the-scenes should have happened to begin with. And that’s how we should act.
Behind-the-scenes. In love. Humbly. For the good of others.
This is the JAG, On Sports. See you next month.

Keep the Christian Sabbath holy

Hello, everyone! It’s a new month, and it’s time for another JAG, On Sports. I am your host, JAG, and let’s talk sports (hence, the cleverly titled article series).

As you know, we have to write these well in advance of the month they appear, so that the internet typesetters (or web gurus or whatever it is these folks are called) can make these words magically appear everywhere from Borneo to Boston and all points east and north for all who have a computer, an internet connection, and a 12 year old kid able to figure out how to get it to work.
So, this article is being written on the evening of Father’s Day (Thanks, kids! It was great!). So, your JAG having been exceedingly well-fed, and the day having been a bright and beautiful day to be outside (Thanks, God! It was great!), it’s time to find some Biblical lesson to learn from sports.
We have a vast world of sports from which to choose for our amusement, edification, and recreation. We have sports with a ball, sports that don’t need a ball, sports that are a ball (pun). We have events played on sports channels that aren’t even really sports (Poker, anyone? Thanks, ESPN. The new generation of going-broke gamblers, who don’t find the game so easy when they aren’t watching it on TV because you don’t get to see the other players’ hole cards live owe you a great debt. Actually, they owe the much better players a very, very great debt.).

The world loves soccer, and the U.S. is currently embarked on a journey back to the World Cup tournament, to be held in 2010 in South Africa. The U.S. team, which has the singular benefit in qualifying of NOT HAVING TO PLAY IN EUROPE, is practically a shoo-in to qualify, despite the fact that they aren’t good enough to beat (for crying out loud!) Costa Rica (!) on their home field.
Costa Rica, whose last world championship in soccer was like, never.

The U.S. does not love soccer. Most of us cannot be aroused to care about the sport unless the U.S. is playing in the World Cup and actually can get out of the first round. There is such a thing in World Cup play known as the “Group of Death.” The U.S. always seems to be in the “Group of Death,” because no matter which group they are in, their dreams of getting to knock-out play dies in group play. (That’s a little soccer joke, though trust me, as far as U.S. play is concerned, it’s not very funny.)

There is another piece of evidence that the U.S. doesn’t really love soccer (or, paradoxically, it loves it too much). This last Father’s Day, the pastor of a church local to me complained in his sermon that the reason his family wasn’t at church that day was because his kids were playing soccer that day.

Soccer. On Father’s Day. During church hours. In the summertime. You know, like when kids AREN’T IN SCHOOL! Monday and Saturday must have been booked up solid.

Much as I like soccer (and I do, which places me in the 4.275% of Americans who even know what an offside trap is), that’s ridiculous. For those of you who schedule such abominations, you have my Christian scorn. (Wait a minute! Can Christians have scorn? I thought we were all supposed to be sugar and spice and everything nice. Just reread what Jesus said to the Pharisees and to his disciples about their attitudes and behaviors, and then tell me Christians can’t have scorn.)
So, let’s talk about the Sabbath, then, or at least that’s what we call Sunday today, even though in ancient times it would be the equivalent of our Saturday (or, if I remember it right, our Friday night at sundown to our Saturday night at sundown).

The NIV Bible first uses the word “Sabbath” to refer to a time of rest, Exodus 16:23: “He said to them, ‘This is what the LORD commanded: “Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” " This was at the time the people were to gather the manna for 6 days of the week, but not on the seventh. It followed the pattern of creation, in which God worked for 6 days to create the universe, heavens, and the earth (without blue prints or environmental impact statements, mind you), and then rested on the seventh day. Genesis 2:2.

The Sabbath observance became a command, a command to keep the day holy (that is, important and separate from the other days), and to do no work to speak of. In fact, of the Ten Commandments given on Sinai, it was the longest to express (the second longest command was not to worship idols). Exodus 20:8-12. “Do not murder” didn’t get as much explanation (Probably didn’t need it.)

God had a special plan for the Sabbath: it was so important a command that it had to be spelled out what God had meant in quite a lot of detail.

But, as such commandments go, when men got a hold of it, they misunderstood it. To them, it became a rigid command to do nothing of use on the day of rest, and even avoid the doing of good things. Indeed, the observance of it was such that religious people of Jesus’ time complained about hungry people feeding themselves (Matthew 12:2), of Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:10; they were going to kill him over it!), and of a healed man carrying his mat (John 5:10).

Now, before you get too excited about our common understanding of the Pharisees (as religious nutjobs, basically), understand that they were not entirely incorrect about the letter of the law. A word study of the word “Sabbath” will take you to a number of places in the Old Testament where there is a command or condemnation of anything looking like work on the Sabbath. Nehemiah 13; Jeremiah 17, for example.

But, as Jesus made clear, they were missing something. THE PURPOSE OF THE SABBATH.
God has never given us a rule or command that has at its heart the purpose of making our lives miserable or inconvenient, or to tick us off. After all, Jesus proclaims that His burden is easy and light. Matthew 11:30. Paul writes, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28.
This was not a rule to subjugate us to a rule-making Judge. It was for our good.
As God had made clear to the Israelites all the way back in Exodus, the Sabbath’s purpose was rest.

God, by His own sovereign example, chose to rest on the seventh day. Did God need rest? Probably not. But, God chose to rest. And in the first use of the word “Sabbath” recorded in Scripture, he equated Sabbath with rest.

He explicitly called it a day of rest in Exodus 31:15 and 35:2. The writer of Hebrews recognized the connection, using the term “Sabbath-rest” in Hebrews 4:9.

And, for that matter, Jesus revealed that, despite the seeming (to us) harsh commands regarding the Sabbath in the Old Testament (threats of death), there were times in which the strict command of the Sabbath could be “violated.” Matthew 12 provides two such examples (the harvesting of grain by the disciples and the healing of a man with a shriveled hand), to remind us of two things: Jesus is LORD of the Sabbath, and you can always do good on the Sabbath.

So, here is the takeaway. My rebuke of those who schedule Sunday sporting events for children is not so much that it is in conflict with church attendance (for those who have Saturday service options, this isn’t so much of a problem, but it is a problem for many). The issue is not ritual. Jesus has made it clear that mere adherence to ritual for ritual’s sake is not Godly.
No, my complaint about that (and about any similar activity any of us may do) is it violates the command to rest. It violates our gift of rest. It violates our need of rest. It contradicts God’s knowing plan that we rest.

And by rest, I don’t necessarily mean inertia and inactivity. Rest can be recreation that frees the mind of cares of the workaday world. Rest can be joyful activity or joyful inactivity. Rest can be a lot of things.

But, if it is compelled activity, activity that is stressful, it is not rest. And, if it conflicts with the teaching of our pastors that we should be attending church during the weekend, it creates guilt and conflict in the mind of the young person and their parents unnecessarily.

To you people who schedule kids’ sports on Sundays: You’ve got six other days of the week. Deal.

Oh, and one more thing: I find it interesting that there are pastors who will tell congregation members about the importance of attending church services, and then let their own kids play soccer on Sunday during service time. Just saying. (They are probably attending Saturday or Sunday night services one would hope.)
Much more can be said about this issue, but I’ve gone on long enough.
This is the JAG, On Sports. See you next month.

Just Another Guy - On Sports - June '09

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages! It’s time for another monthly installment of the JAG on Sports.
I have been making a habit of pegging the monthly commentary with a sports news item (or two, or five, depending on how much work I want to put in).
This month will be different, I think (I think, because I haven’t fully written this article as of this sentence, and—trust me—anything can happen between now and when I put this puppy to bed).
This month will be a bit of a rant. A good Christian rant, but a rant nonetheless. At least I hope it’s good. (I hope it’s excellent!).
This month will be about Church service worship, and it will be my perspective on a common teaching I hear from the pulpit. You’ve heard it, too, and it’s frankly a bit of a downer. I think it’s meant to be.
The concept starts like this:
Steve Singleton, author, editor, and purveyor of the website DeeperStudy.com, wrote of the following experience:
At a recent seminar we were asked to imagine if some football commentators were giving advice to churches about how to increase their attendance. They might suggest the following:
· Charge people $5 to $20 for admission.
· Replace padded pews with hard, backless benches.
· Take off the roof and make the people endure the elements—cold, wind, heat, rain, whatever.
· Make the service last more than 3 hours.
· Require that they scream and shout every few minutes.
You can read the rest of his thoughts on the subject (and, for that matter, the above excerpt), at http://ezinearticles.com/?Worship-and-Football:-Lets-Take-Another-Look&id=11156.
I can see you nodding your heads out there now. You’ve heard it before. Your head pastor, or the guest pastor, or the worship pastor, or the pulpit supply pastor, or the second cousin of the pastor twice removed, says something like this:
“It sure is odd that 50,000 people can scream their lungs off at a football game [insert local sports event here if football doesn’t work], and we don’t show the same fervor during services [or we can’t fill the Church seats, or some other such pious sounding comment].”
And, those of us who like to watch sports nod guiltily, for THE POINT WAS MADE, wasn’t it.
Why don’t they just say what they mean? “You idolatrous people! You worship sports, and you don’t worship God enough! You don’t love God enough! You aren’t Christian enough! You are BAAAAAAD!” They might just as well (though they wouldn’t be able to take the offering right after that, could they?).
Well, I’m here to make a few comments of my own. Let’s preface this with the following:
1. These are my views, and not necessarily the views of anybody else associated with Sportfaith.com. Heavens, these views aren’t even necessarily those of my wife, three children, two grandchildren (two on the way), the dog, the bird, or anyone else on the planet. I’m not even sure anybody thinks as I do on this subject, though we’ll see when I am done, won’t we.
2. I’m not sure my, “Why don’t they say what they mean,” comment above isn’t just the purest form of psychological projection on the planet (which means the tuition for the one psychology class I took in college was not wasted—I remembered one thing from it, which puts it ahead of 75% of the other classes I took in terms of lifelong usefulness). But, and this is the truth, I can’t imagine why pastors make this point if they aren’t trying to communicate something to us, the pew-bound listener. And they certainly aren’t saying it’s a good thing, this juxtaposition of images.
3. There always needs to be a third point in a series like this. Consider this the obligatory third point.
There is no part of Scripture anywhere that says you can’t like something besides God. There’s plenty of Scripture that says that God is Supreme, and there are no gods besides Him. Worship of other gods is idolatry.
But liking something, despite the bent of some pulpit teaching, is not idolizing it. If you put your faith, trust, and hope in it, you are idolizing it. You are worshipping it if you ascribe ultimate value to it. If you like it and draw pleasure from it, not necessarily.
So, liking sports is not idolatry. Considering it very important or enjoyable is not idolizing it. As long as God is given His just due, in all Scriptural detail, you may like (cheer at, spend time watching, etc.) sports.
You can “love the Lord your God with all your mind, soul, and strength,” AND “love your neighbor as yourself,” and enjoy sports a lot. Just like you can enjoy your work, enjoy what God gives you materially, enjoy your spouse and family, enjoy a good wine or a wonderful meal. All these things you can like while still worshipping and loving God with all you are AND loving neighbor as yourself.
That’s a prelude for what’s coming, and it is worthy of a rant in itself. But let’s stick to the current point.
Why, do you ask, is there cheering, loud and long, at football games (which you have to pay to get into see, unless you have very generous friends/relatives) or whatever other event one goes to, and something a bit more sedate at church services? Is it really what is suggested: that the people who don’t come (or those that do) JUST DON’T LOVE GOD ENOUGH?
[And, you pastors out there that you use this comment in your services, even as a throwaway, are you sure that’s not what you are saying, if unintentionally?]
I have a few explanations which may or may not reflect your worship experience (or, pastors, your congregation’s performance). If it doesn’t, then let this pass on by and give it no mind. If it does, learn from it, please.
1. Church is boring. Yes, I said it. Church is boring. For numerous very God-fearing and God-loving people, the service is boring. It is predictable, smooth, challenging in teaching, and stultifyingly boring.
They dislike the music (but don’t dare complain about it, lest they be the object of the next “unity sermon,” if not the “trust/obey your church authorities sermon”). They’ve heard the sermon several times before (if you are at a church long enough, or been a Christian long enough, it happens). And, if they’ve studied the Bible enough, they already know what the lesson should be.
But worse, and this is the bigger point (and no, there’s no point 3),
2. Church is boring because the congregation is expected to participate very little in the service, beyond singing, shaking hands, giving money, and otherwise being quiet and listening.
Most of what is done at church services requires sitting and listening, unless you can play an instrument, sing much better than average, or are the teaching pastor. Otherwise, you are EXPECTED to sit and be quiet for much of the service.
Compare this to a sporting event. At a sporting event, you are EXPECTED to participate. In fact, for the sake of the home team, everyone wants you to YELL YOUR HEAD OFF.
At a sporting event, you are led to believe that your participation may have some small or large contribution to the outcome. An announcer whips you up in a frenzy. The players on the field motion for you to come alive and scream.
In fact, at one stadium, if the home team scores, they leap into the stands to give you a chance to congratulate them more personally. (Ladies and Gentlemen, the Lambeau Leap.)
At church, there are numerous talents you may have that are useless during most services (and, depending on your congregation, are useless to your congregation generally). You may have a speaking talent, or a writing talent, or an acting talent—most congregations cannot use you.
And even if you don’t have those talents, most American services are set up so that the culture is one of your sitting there, being quiet, taking it in, and leaving.
And, that this has nothing to do with the spiritual state of the parishioner/congregant, and more to do with what little the church service has to OFFER THEM TO DO.
[SIDENOTE: This is especially true for men of all ages in the church. Men are doers. They are not sitters. Making them sit bores them. Many won’t come to church because of that. Ask them if you don’t believe me.]
So, let’s end the rant with a little advice from your friendly neighborhood JAG.
Congregants, “Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Listen to the Holy Spirit, pray daily, obey Christ, tithe, be generous. You get these things right, and you do not have to worry whether that thing you like or derive pleasure from is your god. And, never ever forget to thank God for every good thing He gives, every moment you enjoy.
Pastors, reexamine your worship models. Just having contemporary music with cool instruments and some videos doesn’t make your services interesting. [Not to mention, people who don’t like the music or the worship style are not bad people, so don’t treat them that way.]
Engage your “audience.” Do question and answer, and perhaps even debate, rather than a sermon (occasionally). Add drama, dramatic reading, and the like, to draw even more people to serve during the service.
Make longer times during the service for fellowship. DURING THE SERVICE. Make prayer a more important part of the service. GIVE MORE THAN A MINUTE FOR IT.
Give your people something to be interested in, to participate in, to cheer! They aren’t being unspiritual, necessarily, if they aren’t really responsive. Maybe this is God’s way of telling you that your church’s services need to change.
And everyone, cut everyone some slack. Pastors’ jobs are hard; criticism which is mere carping isn’t helpful. If you have a criticism, offer a solution and be prepared to volunteer to do the work necessary to pull it off.
And Pastors, cut your congregants some slack. Don’t complain about them (their complaints or non-responsiveness). Love them and learn from them.
And, everybody: be active in the faith. Whether it be inside or outside of church, act like the fans do at a stadium. Believe that you have a contribution to make, and make it. Enthusiastically.
And praise God for the opportunity so to do.
This is the JAG, on Sports. See you next month.