prayers for blowouts

Notes & Quotes: 05.08.08

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a few items for you wait for Matt Walsh’s videos to show up on YouTube…

+ a short piece on a New York High School senior, Jerry Ntumba, whose faith in God has helped him return from a 2005 car accident to compete in the Pentathlon. (written by Alanna Stage for the Democrat & Chronicle)

+ The Memphis Tigers baseball team is teaming up with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to put on a baseball camp for 8-12 year olds in June. Kids who attend “will receive proper physical baseball skill development that includes instruction in fielding positions, mental and emotional game training, relational and teammate tips and spiritual development.” (CBS College Sports)

+ Binghamton University freshman Cazal Arnett just broke the school’s record time in the 200 and 400 meter race. A member of BU’s InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Program, Cazal was first introduced to track in high school when the track coach happened to see him run a mandatory fitness test. (Michael Sharp, Press & Sun Bulletin)

+ I just found Jamie Whitmore’s blog today, and it makes for inspiring reading. Jamie is an extreme athlete with pretty impressive credentials. Six weeks ago she underwent surgery to remove a large, cancerous tumor from her hip. Today, she is overcoming the challenges associated with her rehab, and trusting in God to help her get through. She details much of it in this post from a few days ago. Good stuff.

3 Comments | Posted in » sports |

Twitter

As of today I have officially jumped on the twitter bandwagon. If you’re a member of the twitter mafia and would like to add me to the list of blokes you follow, proceed at your own risk.

2 Comments | Posted in » site news |

The ABCs of Summer Sports

I’ve got an article featured over at the Burnside Writers Collective this week. It’s called “The ABCs of Summer Sports”, and as you can probably guess, it’s a gimmicky attempt at covering everything that’s going on this summer in the world of sports. I only had a few days to write it, but it was fun to put together. Love to hear your thoughts on it, positive or negative…

The ABCs of Summer Sports

(bonus points to anyone who can name the volleyball player in the picture…without cheating)

8 Comments | Posted in » Sports Media |

Sports Survey News

You might not think you’re newsworthy enough to land a spot on the roster of folks who have taken the PFB Sports Survey. To that I say, “Pshaw!”.

There’s a bunch of loyal readers out there that deserve a chance to answer the 12 questions, so I’ve concocted a brilliant scheme to give you the opportunity to do so.

Over on the right hand side of the blog, you’ll see a heading called “Top Commentators”. This lists out the most frequent commenters on the site, along with how many comments they’ve posted in the past year. Anyone who (legitimately) hits 50, will earn the right to take the survey and get their answers posted on the site. When I say “legitimately”, I don’t mean that you need to have something important to say. I just won’t accept jibberish comments to boost ones numbers or anything like that.

Closest to the mark right now is Buddy Watts, with danny and aaron not too far behind. These guys could be seeing their name in lights before the NBA Finals end sometime in September.

So there you have it. The next time you have the urge to post a comment, go for it. The more you share your opinion, the more we’ll get to know you. And the next thing you know, you’ll have something in your email inbox that will make your day.

It will be like finding Wonka’s golden ticket, only you won’t have to endure the disturbing site of 4 octogenarians sharing the same bed.

Tags: Sports Survey

10 Comments | Posted in » The PFB Sports Survey, site news |

Billy Graham and the Bengals

Remember that shocking Appalachian State victory over Michigan last year that involved a blocked field goal at the end of the game to preserve the win? That FG was blocked by #47 Corey Lynch, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the NFL Draft on Sunday.

The interesting thing about the Bengals selecting Lynch is that not only is he a devout Christian, he also happens to be the grandson of Billy Graham. Lynch, who is married to Franklin Graham’s daughter Sissy, says that Billy Graham is a football fan who often asked him how the team was doing.

That the Bengals are a team of troublemakers and shady characters is no secret; their run-ins with the law were a punchline 6 arrests ago. Add to it this season’s off field drama with WR Chad Johnson begging out of town, and it becomes obvious that the Bengals still have a ways to go before their reputation as a good program is restored. (then again, was it ever “stored” in the first place?)

Some might see their selection of Lynch as a move in the right direction, a change in philosophy emphasizing character over talent. But with 24 career interceptions and some game-changing plays under his belt, chances are the Bengals were thinking about winning games, and not winning souls, when they handed in their card for the 177th pick. That Lynch is a good character guy is an added bonus.

I can see it printed in the team’s media guide already: Corey Lynch - Special Teams/Safety/Missionary

2 Comments | Posted in » Christianity, NFL |

The PFB Sports Survey: Brian McLaren

The PFB Sports Survey is a weekly feature here at Prayers For Blowouts where we throw a few sports related questions at some of the most notable voices among Christian authors, pastors, musicians, and telemarketers to see if they like sports as much as we do.

Today’s spotlight is on Brian McLaren, who was responsible for every goal scored against his middle school soccer team one season.

Brian has written at least 8 books on his own, and has co-authored many more. In addition to being an author, he is also a speaker, pastor, musician, networker, and activist. He was once featured in TIME Magazine as being one of America’s 25 most influential evangelicals.

He has two new books out, “Everything Must Change” (which is currently out of stock at Amazon) and “Finding Our Way Again” (which releases one week from today). He also produced a CD of original music last year called Songs For a Revolution of Hope. For more information, and to check out his blog, visit BrianMclaren.net.

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1. What number best describes the role sports play in your life on a scale of 1 to 10?

BM: I’d say I’m around a 2 most of the time, and occasionally make a massive jump to a 4.

2. Rank your 3 overall favorite sports, college or pro.

BM: College football, college basketball, pro football. I also like to listen to baseball on the radio for some reason when I’m driving.

3. What is the one team that you root for more passionately than any other, and is there a team that you hate, maybe a little too much?

BM: University of Maryland football and basketball, and the Redskins. I share most Washingtonians disdain for the Dallas Cowboys.

4. Do you play fantasy sports?

BM: No.

5. What is the most memorable sporting event you have ever attended in person?

BM: I was sick as a dog once in Johannesburg South Africa. In my fevered delirium, alone in my hotel room, I watched on TV a game of cricket. It turned out to be the greatest game of cricket ever played, breaking all kinds of records. It wasn’t exactly in person … but I was in the same city as the game, and it’s the only cricket match I’ve ever seen.

6. What is the best highlight and/or worst lowlight of your sports playing career as a child or as an adult?

BM: I played soccer in middle school. I believe our team was undefeated and unscored on - except for one goal that was scored while I was playing fullback. Embarrassing.

7. If you could change one thing about sports, what would it be?

BM: I wish we all played a lot more amateur sports instead of being spectators of the pros.

8. Do you have an opinion on Christian athletes who, without being prompted, talk about their faith in post-game interviews?

BM: I have mixed feelings. Sometimes it feels like a Disney World plug. Sometimes it feels sincere.

9. High school gym class…your favorite 45 minutes of the day or the source of countless nightmares and embarrassments?

BM: Somewhere in between. I enjoyed it - good camaraderie, good exercise, good skill development, maybe even some good character development. And lots of fun too.

10. Sports are often the whipping boy of pastors and clergy because so much passion, money, time, and energy is poured into them. Do you think this criticism is valid, or are sports okay as a diversion from the stresses of life.

BM: I think that sports fill a lot of functions for us socially and psychologically. They in some ways tap into our desire to belong to tribes. They provide nonviolent outlets for emotion and maybe even aggression at times. They build a sense of togetherness and belonging in cities or universities. They provide us with lots of metaphors for life - and of course, they provide pastors with plenty of sermon illustrations too. I think everything can be abused - including church! - but the best antidote to misuse is not disuse, but proper use, as the old saying goes. So I’m all for sports being enjoyed in every good way.

11. If you had to compete against other writers, in which of these 5 competitions would you have the best chance of winning? 5-mile run, 18 holes of golf, free throw shooting contest, arm wrestling match, or a game of bowling.

BM: The truth is, I’d be the best at bass fishing! I think I’d be a sure loser for all the ones you’ve listed. My golf game is pure comedy. I’m incredibly inconsistent in free throws. I bowl worse than Barack Obama. I might survive a 5-mile run, but wouldn’t win it.

12. What is your favorite sports movie of all-time?

BM: Remember the Titans was great.

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You can click here for an exhaustive (but not exhausting) list of everyone who’s been featured as a PFB Sports Survey participant.

If you’d like to be considered for the PFB Sports Survey, or know someone who should be, send along a name and email address to prayersforblowouts(at)gmail(dot)com.

Tags: Brian McLaren, PFB Sports Survey

8 Comments | Posted in » The PFB Sports Survey |

The Passing of a Good Man

Over at my personal blog I shared some thoughts yesterday on a friend who passed away due to complications from cancer surgery. Dale was a manager in the softball league I am president of, and he will be sorely missed.

This one is a bit personal, but since it is absolutely sports/faith related, I thought I’d link to it.

If you have a moment, please say a quick prayer for Dale’s family as they lean on God and each other to deal with their loss.

No Comments | Posted in » sports |

Kyle Korver Kares

Giving away up to 33% of what he makes to his church and other causes.

Starting a Bible Study with inner-city kids in Philly.

Pulling up his socks to cover his calves (for modesty’s sake)…ok just kidding about that one.

Hard not to like Kyle Korver after reading this Ross Siler column about him in the Salt Lake Tribune.

and free of charge, here’s 5 things about Korver you didn’t know.

Tags: Kyle Korver

1 Comment | Posted in » Christianity, NBA |

Stop The Flop

The flop has got to stop.

It just has to.

Flopping is an integral part of the game in soccer, and I’m ok with that. But basketball? No, It can’t be allowed.

In soccer, your average penalty has little effect on the game. Players do not get penalized when the whistle blows, unless it’s for something flagrant demanding a yellow or red card. The team who gets possession of the ball will rarely score on the kick that results from the penalty because, well, teams in soccer rarely score.

But in basketball, fouls are extremely important. Because you’re limited to 6 per game, a couple of cheap ones early can mean the difference between your star player being on the floor and riding the pine. Though hockey comes close with its penalty box, no other sport is like this. No other sport puts a limit on minor rule violations that results in taking minutes away from players. Whether or not that should be changed is a whole other discussion, but for now, let’s get back to flopping.

If you saw the end of last night’s Rockets-Jazz game, you know why I am bringing this up today. Houston’s Bobby Jackson hit a game-tying 3 pointer in the waning moments of the game, only to have the points taken off the board because Luis Scola was called for a foul on Andrei Kirilenko. At first glance, it looked like Scola did commit the foul (because you are watching Jackson shoot, you only see the play out of the corner of your eye). Upon another glance, however, it is clear that Scola barely touches Kirilenko…and then Andrei flails about as if he’s been punched in the chest by Ed Hochuli and the Incredible Hulk at the same time.

Is flopping just a part of the game that fans, refs, and players are going to have to adjust to? I don’t think so. The NBA needs to put a stop to it, and I think they can. I don’t have a problem with a guy exaggerating a bit when he is taking a charge. What I’m talking about is the away-from-the-ball antics that sneaky players employ. They know the refs have their focus elsewhere, so they put on a huge show to force the ref to blow the whistle. I don’t care how corny it sounds…it’s just not in the spirit of the game.

If I was David Stern, I would put something in place to allow the league to penalize players for flopping. Take a stand to keep it from becoming a permanent part of the game. Let them know that all games will be reviewed for “flagrant flopping” and that it will be up to the league’s discretion to penalize players for it. First offense will result in a warning, second offense will result in a 1-game suspension, and so on. Define Flagrant Flopping as “a deliberate attempt by a player to deceive the referee into thinking a foul was committed when overwhelming evidence exists little or no contact was made”.

The only other good suggestion I’ve heard of is to charge the flopping player with a foul. In theory I like this notion, but I don’t think it would work well at the speed of an NBA game. You’d be forcing referees to make split-second decisions on whether or not Manu Ginobili just took an elbow to the chin, or if it missed him by 3 inches and he pretended to get clocked. That would be a tough call for a ref to make.

There needs to be some penalty to discourage players from flopping or it is going to continue happening, and if I’m David Stern, I would be very concerned about it. For a sport like the NBA, which is a distant third in popularity in this country, the little things that can be done to improve the game SHOULD be done. Players should be winning games with their basketball talent, like Manu Ginobili did in Game 1 of their series on Saturday, not with their acting talent, like Andrei Kirilenko did last night against the Houston Rockets.

MEMO TO DAVID STERN: Fans don’t tune in to playoff basketball to see sneaky players affect the outcome of games by pretending to be fouled away from the ball. And if you’re not careful, they will tune out because of it.

Tags: basketball, Flopping

9 Comments | Posted in » NBA |

Amy Grant and the Titans

On my way in to work this morning I was listening to the First Team on FOX on XM and they had a 5-minute interview with Amy Grant. As you might have guessed, she was doing sports radio solely because she is promoting something. And as you also might have guessed, what she was promoting seems like a great cause.

(fyi - yourfamilytable.com - where you share a small change you are making in your diet, and they donate a meal to someone in need)

Here’s a few tidbits about Amy from the interview. Most of them are true…

+ Amy and Vince have season tickets to the Titans, but often can’t make it because of other commitments.

+ Amy was an avid golfer for about five years before becoming obsessed with something else (she mentioned camping and biking as more recent hobbies).

+ Amy once ran a marathon with a guitar strapped around her shoulder…dragging a fender amp behind her in a red wagon.

+ Amy’s husband, Vince Gill, is a darn good golfer.

+ Amy is a big Nashville Predators fan, and recently had Preds Right-Winger Jordin Tootoo over her house. Apparently her country friends had him square dancing (or was it line dancing) in the front hall.

+ Amy hates Christmas.

5 Comments | Posted in » sports |