The PFB Sports Survey: Shaun Groves

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The PFB Sports Survey is a 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 high school custodians to see if they like sports as much as we do.

Today’s spotlight is on Shaun Groves, who openly opines for the inclusion of competitive yoga into our sports landscape.

Shaun is a musician of fine music and a blogger of fine words. You can check out his discography here, and you can check out his blogging prowess at the Shlog or at CompassionBloggers.com. And get this: if you allow him to speak about Compassion International for a few minutes, you can book him to speak or sing (or bowl) for FREE. (email booking[at]shaungroves[dot]com for more info)

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

SG: Does it have to be a positive integer?  Alright, if one is as low as you’ll let me go, then one it is.

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

SG: Like all guys who aren’t athletic but must appear to be so in order to not be given swirlies on a daily basis, I feigned athleticism by playing Soccer.  So it’s a favorite because I can identify its ball in a line-up at least and can name the positions.  Um, and then there’s…uh…I like Soccer.

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?

SG: I grew up in Texas and when I was a kid Roger Staubach played for the Cowboys and I had this coat with his picture on it and I’d wear it, sit on the couch on Sunday’s after church and sweat through the games with my Dad.  So I’d have to go with the cowboys.  If there’s a Super bowl I’d actually watch it would have to involve the Cowboys.  But even then, I’d mostly eat during the game and watch during the commercials and half-time.

4. Do you play fantasy sports?

SG: What happens in my fantasy life is really none of your business, man.  Let’s just say most of the time it has nothing to do with sports unless my wife’s wearing that cheerleader outfit.  I’m not sure I understand the question.

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

SG: My dad’s a Texas Aggie and I’ll never forget being about twelve and going to the Cotton Bowl with my Dad to see the Aggies play.  Jackie something was the coach and some guy named Murray was the quarterback and I’m sure they were big deals but the big deal to me was having to stand throughout the entire game.  ”We don’t sit when the Aggies fight,” my dad said. And he gave me a little white towel to wave and we sang and yelled stuff for hours.  It was pretty intense but honestly the most fun I’ve ever had at a sporting event.

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

SG: The highlight would be scoring my first goal in soccer.  I was playing forward and I remember feeling the panic of knowing I had a clear shot to make - just me and the goalie.  And I remember being amazed that I made it.  I couldn’t believe it.  And we had McDonald’s afterward to celebrate.  And the lowlight would be the dozen or so church basketball games I played in just because everyone thought I ought to.  I was very skinny and tall, still am, so I played post.  Problem was nobody told me what that meant exactly so I just spent thirty minutes standing under a net with my arms up, running to the other net and doing the same thing and then back again.  Not a good time.

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

SG: I’d take away the money.  I’ve never understood why athletes, as hard as I know they train, get paid so much more than my sister the teacher does.  More than policemen and firefighters.  More than the president.  Seriously?  Makes no sense and seems to go to their heads before it goes to their bank accounts.

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

SG: Since I don’t watch sports I haven’t that so I don’t really have an opinion.  I do know of a couple baseball players who’ve had my music played when they go up to bat.  And  one was asked about why he chose that song and he shot straight with the interviewer about his need to remember Christ in order to stay humble in front of the crowds.  He wasn’t asked for that kind of detail but it seemed appropriate and I for one thought it made him very human and admirable.

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

SG: I need to go take my meds.

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.

SG: Yes.  Too many families revolve around junior’s touring softball team and too many adults let their disposition (and treatment of others) be determined by whether or not their favorite team won.

Like anything else, you know, in the hands of an immature person almost anything can be used against us…by us.

11. If you had to compete against other musicians, 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.

SG: That one’s close.  I used to run distance.  I wasn’t fast but I could run forever without dying and that, I learned, passes as athleticism in some circles.  But I think I would have the best chance of beating them in bowling.  Bowling and Yoga were my P.E. credits in college.  Yes, I said bowling and Yoga.  I got credits for lying down on a mat and breathing deeply. Yes, I did.  If only there was such a thing as competitive Yoga.

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

SG: Rudy.  Aside from trading his sports car in for a minivan, that movie is the surest way to make a grown man cry.

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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: The PFB Sports Survey