prayers for blowouts

The PFB Sports Survey: Tony Jones

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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 security guards to see if they like sports as much as we do.

Today’s spotlight is on Tony Jones, who just might have played for the worst football team ever.

Tony is the author of a whole bunch of books (after you hit 10 they stop counting) and a leading voice for folks who identify with the Emergent Church movement. His most recent release, “The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier” was released by Jossey-Bass last month.

He blogs regularly at his website, TonyJ.net. (and yes, blog is a verb)

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

TJ: I fluctuate between an 8 and a 5. As you’ll see in my answers below, I have a deep ambivalence about sports.

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

TJ: Major League Baseball, College hockey, high school hockey (sorry to break the rules, but nothing is so sweet as Minnesota high school hockey)

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?

TJ: I root for the Minnesota Twins (though I hold out little hope for this year) I don’t hate any teams, but I probably dislike the Yankees the most.

4. Do you play fantasy sports?

TJ: No, I don’t. It seems like you’d have to know so much and follow the sport so closely that it’d take time away from other, more important things.

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

TJ: I umpired for about 20 years, starting with softball when I was 14. I worked my way up to college baseball, and in my final season I umped an NCAA Division I game. That was the most memorable.

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

TJ: That DI baseball game I just told you about was the best (not playing, exactly, but I was never much of a player)

Worst: My 6th grade football team never scored a point all season. Not a single point. Or the time I was hit by a ball and knocked unconscious while umping a Little League game.

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

TJ: Free agency. It has almost completely ruined pro sports because it has erased any loyalty that players had to teams and towns.

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

TJ: I usually find it very forced, cheesy, and embarrassing. I occasionally find it poignant.

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

TJ: Somewhere in between, but leaning toward the nightmarish.

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.

TJ: I think we’ve grown numb. When we hear about a 10-year, $150 million contract for an athlete, we don’t bat an eye. Last year, I sat on a plane next to one of Michael Vick’s attorneys, and he said that a guy who comes from a background like Vick’s just has very little idea about what to do with that much money. The amount of money in pro sports is crazy.

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.

TJ: Arm wrestling, for sure.

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

TJ: Slap Shot.

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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: PFB Sports Survey, Tony Jones

3 Comments | Posted in » The PFB Sports Survey |

Notes & Quotes: 04.07.08

+ Rob Bradford has a good interview with Curt Schilling over at the Boston Herald. When asked about his ability to pitch inside without hitting many batters (52 batters in 3261 innings) Curt had this to say:

“…I would like to think I’ve conducted myself the right way on the mound. Of the 52 guys I have hit I would say roughly half were guys that deserved it and know it, and I never aimed high. When I hit someone on purpose the intent was to make sure they knew it, their teammates knew it, and the offending pitcher knew it as well. That and I wanted it to hurt after the game so I would always aim for the hip to the arm pit.”

+ Billy Packer is catching a lot of grief today for saying that the UNC-KU game was “Over!” when Kansas led by 26 with 7 minutes and change left in the first half. As you all know, North Carolina got as close as 4 points towards the end of the game, but could never completely erase the Jayhawk lead. Maybe Billy should have consulted Bill James, who recently submitted a formula for determining exactly when a basketball game is completely out of reach. Or maybe not, after all, Billy was right in the end. The lead was too big, and the Jayhawks did win.

+ Geof Morris over at IJSM.org has some thoughts on the reasons behind the one-and-done rule for young ballers wanting to make their millions in the NBA as soon as possible. I heard a rumor on Steve Czaban’s FOX morning radio show that David Stern might be looking into extending the rule an additional year, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

+ My brackets are amazing this year, I’m not gonna lie. I had 6 of 8 Elite Eight teams, 4 of 4 Final Four teams, and I have Kansas beating Memphis in the Finals. I’d feel better if I had Memphis winning it all, but still, my entry is tops in our Facebook Bracket challenge.

+ Finally, imagine if ESPN would have ran this poll a few months ago: “Which is the most likely opening for the respective seasons of Tiger Woods and the Detroit Tigers?” and the answers were:

• A) Both start 6-0
• B) The Detroit Tigers start 6-0 and Tiger Woods starts 0-6
• C) Tiger Woods starts 6-0 and the Detroit Tigers start 0-6
• D) Both start 0-6

I’m guessing the results would have been B-47%, A-27%, D-24%, and C-2%.

Correct Answer - C.

2 Comments | Posted in » sports |

have a great sports weekend

I apologize for the un-plethora of posts this week…it’s been a busy one here at PFB Headquarters.

We’ll be back next week was some great material, including a Sports Survey with a notable author.

Enjoy your first full weekend of Major League Baseball, a #1 seed-filled Final Four Saturday Night, and hopefully some good weather, wherever you are…

1 Comment | Posted in » sports |

Thanks for the Double?

Is Orlando Hudson thanking God for the double he just hit in an exhibition game.

Or is he angry at him for not coming through with the triple he prayed for?

And how hungry do you have to be to eat a baseball?

Tags: Orlando Hudson

2 Comments | Posted in » Visuals |

The PFB Sports Survey: Stephen Brewster

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 hot dog vendors to see if they like sports as much as we do.

Today’s spotlight is on Stephen Brewster, who once spent 4 quarters chatting up Justin Timberlake.

Stephen is a Senior Director of Marketing at Integrity Music. If you’re in to music, Christianity, and/or people who aren’t afraid to think way outside the box, you need to be subscribed to Stephen’s blog. I mean, how many people do you know who have rubbed shoulders with Bono, Beyoncee, and Josh Groban at a post-Grammys party?

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

SB: I am a 9+. Kids make you unable to be as loyal to your idol worship as you would enjoy, but if my wife and kids are 10, sports is a solid 9.98352

2. Rank your 3 overall favorite sports.

SB: 1. College Basketball, 2. Pro Basketball, 3. W College Basketball, 4. WNBA, 5. Wheelchair basketball, 6. College Football (The Canes are rising), 7. Pro Football, 8. Tennis, 9. Golf, 10. Baseball

Okay, so I have 10 but 1-5 kinda all count as 1, right?

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?

SB: I root for the Orlando Magic even though they break my heart on a yearly schedule. I have been a Magic fan since Terry Catlidge, Otis Smith, and Reggie “Curls”. At the same time, I HATE the yankees. HATE THEM!

4. Do you play fantasy sports?

SB: I love fantasy sports. I have won the NBA championship 3 years running and look to be in the 3rd or 4th seed going into this year. I am pretty much a dynasty. I have toyed with College Pick’em (I forgot way way way to many times). I like Pro Football but the league I was in was to much drama. Maybe I will join a new league next year. I am open to a league if you want to invite me. I have had 2 teams in the same sport running at the same time…thats all I could manage. I have major ADD issues.

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

SB: Baseline at a Grizzlies vs Magic game in Memphis. Justin Timberlake was sitting right behind our group and talked to us the entire game. Not only was the game a great experience, but it was just a dope night in general.

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

SB: Highlight…well as you know your high school career gets better every second you get older. I had some moderate success in sports as a youth. I hit a kid in the head with a bat in 1st grade. I got a chance to play in the District Finals in tennis. I loved basketball…Wow, I am just not sure. I guess my lowlight would be going “0fer” my senior season of varsity basketball. That SUCKED!

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

SB: I would do a couple of things:

1. Make baseball season shorter

2. Shorten pre-season football

3. Make a 4 team playoff of College Football

4. Add an extra day to the NCAA tournament

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

SB: It is cool if they want to talk about their faith. The key is to then live up to their faith. Nothing is worse than a guy who is thanking Jesus then getting a DUI like 2 nights later. Classy. I think that in life it is better to just live your faith, let your faith speak through your life. If I live it, I do not have to scream about it all the time. And understand, I am the chief of sinners so in this is ZERO condemnation or judgment. We are all just trying our best to live up to His code.

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

SB: BY FAR the best 45 minutes of the day.

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.

SB: Since I use them as a drug, I am going to be forced to continue to keep my life line connected and say that sports are a great diversion from life. Also, being a massively competitive person, I love to see great competitors step up and do amazing things. That alone is a great diversion and sometimes even a place to find inspiration.

11. If you had to compete against other music industry execs, 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.

SB: Well the Team Gotee Williamson County Rec team was a good time…I would put my hoops game up against anyone 5′9 and under. I could probably hang on the tennis court with a few people, as long as I had some time to get my game back in order. Free throws I could do okay…Trash talking would probably be a lock. I am sure that I can beat some serious tail in Fantasy Hoops against other Music Industry peeps.

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

SB: HANDS DOWN….HOOSIERS!

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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: PFB Sports Survey

1 Comment | Posted in » The PFB Sports Survey |

MLB 08: Another Story is Upon Us

Why is it that we like to make predictions for an upcoming sports season?

To sound smart? To say “told you so” if our guesses turn out to be right? To convince ourselves that our team has what it takes? To me, making predictions is about hope. Not necessarily about the hope of an individual team, just the hope of a new season.

In my opinion, each new sports season is great because it’s like getting your hands on the newest book in your favorite series of books. Major League Baseball has been around for a while, so this year’s book has got to be Volume 158 or something like that. (I’ll let my editor do the research)

(editor’s note: I have no editor)

Those of us who are baseball fans all read the last book that came out in the series called “The 2007 MLB Season”. It was a great book. There were good guys, bad guys, plot twists, historic moments, mysterious events that changed the course of the book (remember those flying midges on Joba Chamberlain’s neck in Cleveland?), and of course, a big finish.

Not everyone loved the way the last book ended of course, but that’s the beauty of a new season. There will be new characters introduced to go along with the ones we love and love to hate (world, meet Evan Longoria), there will be pages of comedy, tragedy, and plenty of moments that inspire (like on Page 1 of this year’s book when Ryan Zimmerman hit a game winning homer in the Nationals brand new park). Inevitably there will be plot twists we never saw coming and ultimately there will be a big ending that maybe, just maybe, will be the one you are hoping for.

With that in mind, I give my predictions for how this book, “The 2008 MLB Season”, will play out. While I’m not a baseball expert, the reality is I’m not much different than Peter Gammons, Jayson Stark, Buster Olney, or Atreyu. They don’t know how this book will end any more than I do. And even though they know the previous books in the series a lot better than I do - seeing as how it’s what they do for a living - in the end we’re all just guessing.

OK, enough with the overworked analogies and Neverending Story pics…here’s how I think this will play out

13 Predictions for 2008

1. The Yankees will win the AL East - do I really think this is going to happen? I don’t know. I’m torn between the Sox and the Yankees. While I’m not sold on Girardi as the right manager for this team, I do think the pinstripers are going to have another monster season at the plate. Cano might win the batting title, Giambi is in a contract year, Matsui and Jeter will be as solid as ever, and A-Rod will probably put up MVP numbers again. Most folks think it will come down to their young arms, and I tend to agree. So I guess what I’m saying is that Joba, Phil, and Ian might all be the real deal.

2. The Mets will win the NL East - Without Santana I’d be picking the Phillies or Braves here, but Johan will be strong in September when they need him most.

3. The Diamondbacks and Angels win the Wests - I see the Rockies regressing, and I don’t see the Mariners living up to the hype. If the Big Unit (worst.nickname.ever.) can get healthy and give the D-Backs 12-15 quality starts, he’ll be a great compliment to Haren and Webb. Over in Seattle, I’m with the chorus of experts who think the M’s won’t score enough runs to keep pace with the Angels.

4. Ryan Howard will lead the NL in homers this year - rounding out the top 5 will be Ryan Braun, Adam Dunn, Alfonso Soriano, and Matt Holliday. In the AL it will be A-Rod, Manny, Carlos Pena, Miguel Cabrera. and Big Papi who make up the top 5.

5. The Cubs will win the NL Central - and it has nothing to do with the 100-year anniversary thing. I’d consider picking the Reds as a sleeper over the Brewers to keep it close, but my buddy Geof would probably kill me. This is the one pick that most experts seem to agree on, which is probably bad news for the Cubs.

6. The Houston Astros will finish in the bottom 3 of their division - I only add this to the list because Cliff Young and Jeff Miller of Caedmon’s Call were adamant with me last month that the Astros had a shot at winning their division. I think they’ve been smoking some of their 40 Acres.

7 - The worst record in baseball will belong to the Orioles - Not only are they bad, but the rest of the division is great. I’m not as high on the Blue Jays as many are, but I’m predicting the Orioles will fare no better than a 6-13 record against any of their division foes this year.

8. The Tigers will not win their division - But they will win the AL Wild Card. Their lineup is great, and so is Verlander. But Bonderman, Willis, Rogers, and Robertson? I’m not ready to write them in for 100 wins yet. I’m going with the Indians in the AL Central, but I think it’ going to be close. These two teams might finish 1-2 record-wise in the AL.

9. The Cy Young awards will go to Santana and Halladay - I like Roy and Johan to win 21 games each and walk away with some hardware. I was tempted to pick Kazmir in the AL, but his recent elbow issues scared me off.

10. The final playoff spots will be won by the Phillies and Tigers - the fightins’ will hold off the Dodgers and Braves for the Wild Card, and the Tigers will eliminate the Red Sox in the last week of the season.

11. The Yankees and Indians will meet in the ALCS - The Yankees will out-hit the Tigers and the Indians will out-everything the Angels to meet in the ALCS. Without the midges, I think the Yankees will come out on top.

12. The Diamondbacks and Cubs will face off in the NLCS - Unless the Mets can figure out how to clone Johan this summer, they will fall to the D-Backs in 6 games. Same goes for the Phillies, who will wish they had a few more Cole Hamels when they lose to the Cubs. I like the Cubs to take care of business in the NLCS, not because I think they have a better club than the D-Backs, but because I have no desire to see a Yankees-Diamondbacks matchup in the World Series.

13. The Yankees will beat the Cubs in the World Series - If you think this whole thing was me trying to jinx the Yankees, you’re crazy. (not that I would complain if that happened). I just think Jeter, Posada, and company have one more title run in them before they start to fade into Bolivian. I hope I’m wrong. Wicked wrong.

OK, one more creepy Neverending Story pic.

Falcor says, “Enjoy Opening Day, everyone!”

(I originally posted this piece on my personal blog)

Tags: baseball, MLB, predictions

6 Comments | Posted in » MLB, previews |

Rick Barnes Won’t Waste His Life

Reader Danny Bryant pointed us to a news story on GetReligion.org about how University of Texas Men’s Head Basketball Coach Rick Barnes has changed his cussin’ ways.

In a story originally reported on statesmen.com, Kirk Bohls tells of Rick Barnes’ recent vocabulary adjustments, which have him breaking huddles by saying things like, “let’s go out and kick butt!”

Not only has he cleaned up his speech, Barnes has cleaned up his iPod as well. In addition to sermons from his own pastor, Matt Carter, Barnes has been taking in wisdom from some more notable voices:

The coach also takes part with his wife Candy’s daily devotionals and reads from books she has given him, such as Billy Graham’s “The Holy Spirit” and Minneapolis preacher John Piper’s “Don’t Waste Your Life.”

“The journey’s real important,” one Barnes confidante said. “Having self-control is never a bad thing.”

Barnes, who’s Longhorns host play Stanford on Friday night in Houston for a spot in the Elite Eight, has changed his diet and fitness regimen as well. He even swears by Metamucil, pushing it on reporters every chance he gets according to the article.

(Did you see what I did there with the word ’swear’? Clever, no?)

Tags: cussing, Rick Barnes

6 Comments | Posted in » college sports, morality |

Watch Your Bleeping Necks

As Awful Announcing pointed out today, ESPN’s choice of Dana Jacobson as the person to interview Tiger Woods over his poor word choices over the weekend seemed a bit “pot-kettle-black-ish” to me as well.

As you probably remember, Jacobson got into some trouble back in January when at a celebrity roast she reportedly said “Jesus” and the the F-word, but not necessarily in that order.

If you hadn’t heard about Tiger’s slip-up, he allegedly used some salty language when a cameraman snapped a photo during his back swing at Doral over the weekend. The sound of the shutter caused Woods’ ball to miss the green on the par-3 9th, and Woods eventually bogeyed the hole. The LA Times’ Rick Morrissey wrote today that Tiger said “The next time a photographer shoots a [expletive] picture, I’m going to break his [expletive] neck,”

Does Dana Jacobson have a right to interview Woods? Of course. Her past sins shouldn’t be held against her for the rest of her career. But ESPN had to know they were opening themselves up to this by choosing her to conduct the interview.

As for Woods and his cussing, I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t gotten very angry on the golf course a time or two. And when you consider that Woods was trying to do his job, well, I suppose I’d also get angry if someone was distracting me as I tried to circulate a critical TPS report. Please don’t misunderstand, I’m neither encouraging or excusing Woods for his word choices, but I won’t rake him over the coals for it either.

I can say for the record, though, that I’ve never threatened to break anyone’s neck, so yeah, Tiger should probably relax a little on the ‘threatening physical harm’ front.

(h/t: Awful Announcing)

Tags: Dana Jacobson, Tiger Woods

No Comments | Posted in » morality, sports |

The PFB Sports Survey: Travis Prinzi

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 ticket scalpers to see if they like sports as much as we do.

Today’s spotlight is on Travis Prinzi, who, unlike half the people at your church, does not think Harry Potter is of the devil.

Travis, a resident of Rochester, NY, has a wife (Tricia), a daughter (Sophia), and an M.A. in Theological Studies from Northeastern Seminary (unnamed). He is the author of a forthcoming book on the Harry Potter series (also unnamed at the moment) which will be published by Zossima Press. He also runs the ship at a few faith-related websites: The Hog’s Head and Restless Reformer . You can subscribe to his podcasat, The Hog’s Head Pubcast, on iTunes.

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

TP: I’ll call it a 7. It’d be a 4 or 5 if not for hockey. Last year, I actually live-blogged the day of the trade deadline. On a theological blog. I hadn’t written much of anything for ages, but suddenly Buffalo Sabres news was taking over my blog, and the day of the trade deadline I started worrying about myself…It’s not normal to liveblog a trade deadline on your theology site.

2. Rank your 3 overall favorite sports.

TP: 1. Pro Hockey - We used to do whatever we could to pull in Hockey Night in Canada while we were kids. The picture was blurry and fuzzy, but we watched it anyway. I played youth hockey and street hockey (in organized leagues for both) growing up. It’s the scoring, the hitting, the talent demanded (they play the whole game on two thin metal blades!).

2. Pro Football - Well, let me put it to you this way: I lived through four Buffalo Bills Super Bowl attempts, and I’m still a fan. We were even at the AFC championship game for that fourth year. We chanted, “Four! Four! Four! Four!” Sadly, we were simply chanting the number of Super Bowls we choked in. But I keep watching.

3. Baseball - My sports insanity begins to calm a bit after Hockey and Football. I grew up a fan of the Evil Empire, and a fan of the Evil Empire I shall remain until I die. Go Yankees. Though, in reality, I don’t pay much attention to anything, and usually don’t even watch a full game, until the playoffs. I do enjoy a night out at Frontier Field here in Rochester, watching the minor league Red Wings.

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?

TP: I root for the Sabres more than any other. I was at the 1999 triple overtime game six of the Stanley Cup playoffs in Buffalo, when Brett Hull scored that illegal goal to NOT win the Cup that year, NOT eliminating the Sabres, though the records books would take out both NOTs. We had stayed overnight in the parking lot of a local Tickets.com site to make sure we got Stanley Cup playoff tickets. The site was located at a grocery story service desk, so we spent all night playing hockey in the parking lot, tipping the shopping carts over for goals. We even brought down a little grill and had hot dogs. We were eighth in a line of a few hundred people, and the last ones to get tickets.

I really hate the Ottawa Senators. And the Toronto Maple Leafs. And the New England Patriots. And the Dallas Cowboys. And, of course, the Red Sox. I really, really hate all of those teams. They all need to just go and … how clean do you want to keep your website? I should probably stop right there.

4. Do you play fantasy sports?

TP: I play Fantasy Football regularly. I had two teams this past season, and I won the championship in both leagues. I tried playing Fantasy Hockey twice, but it doesn’t work as well as football. I did win the second time I play fantasy hockey, but that was mostly because all the other teams had quit paying attention halfway through the season.

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

TP: Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup finals, Buffalo vs. Dallas (see above), and the 1993-94 AFC championship game, Bills vs. Chiefs.

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

TP: Highlight - Scoring a goal in my PeeWee championship game, which we won, and which would turn out to be the last ice hockey game I’d ever play.

Lowlight - Being lied to a bout the MVP award in my street hockey league. My coach had been told by the league commissioner that I’d be awarded the league MVP after the championship game. But we won the game, and the league disliked our team, so they gave it to someone else, last minute. The other lowlight would be when my junior high basketball coach told me, “You should just stick with hockey.”

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

TP: Well, since Fox did wisely get rid of the glow-puck shortly after they foolishly invented it, I don’t have to mention that, so…

I’d want Congress to get the hell out of sports. They think they own everything these days.

Oh, and Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner, should be fired.

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

TP: Just try not to sound too dumb, ok? Mr. Atheist Quarterback threw some great passes, too, and he didn’t pray at all.

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

TP: Depended on what sport we were playing. Hockey, softball, handball, great. Wrestling, no thanks.

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.

TP: Alistair Begg says Christians should be leading the pack when it comes to sports. We should be playing them, and we should be playing them the best. I think he’s right on the mark.

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.

TP: I’d lose them all, but if I had to choose one, it’d probably be the free throw shooting contest. I was starting to get decent at basketball, despite my junior high coach’s disparagement of my skills before I got distracted by an entirely contrived crisis of unexplained teenage angst and started writing poetry and music instead.

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

TP: Can’t just pick one: Field of Dreams, Necessary Roughness, The Natural, Rudy

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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: PFB Sports Survey

4 Comments | Posted in » The PFB Sports Survey |

Ba$eball’$ Faith Nights?

In a Good Friday NYT piece, Murray Chass asks if the reason that baseball organizations have faith nights is just to make money…or is it an evangelism tool…(or is it to make money to buy tools for evangelists)?

Over at Moderately Cerebral Bias, MCBias asks what exactly was Murray’s point, and why does he contradict himself in his own article?

Tags: Faith Nights

1 Comment | Posted in » Christianity, MLB |