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 butchers to see if they like sports as much as we do.

Today’s spotlight is on Mark Scandrette, a man who’s been terrorized by drunken Raiders fans at 7am on gameday and lived to tell about it.

Mark is an author and speaker who recently toured the country with Tony Jones and Doug Pagitt on the Church Basement Roadshow. His most recent book is called “Soul Graffiti: Making a Life in the Way of Jesus“. You can find him online at MarkScandrette.com.

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

MS: It depends on how you define sports. If by sports you mean the big three or four (football, baseball, basketball and soccer) then I’m not much of a sports fan. I watch the Superbowl almost every year, but I’m that guy who finds out who is playing two days before the game—and I mostly watch to see the commercials and the half-time show.

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

MS: I don’t know how to answer this without sounding like the nerdy non-sports guy. Watching sports and enjoying the game and sports talk is one of those things that I think you learn from your elders while growing up. I have this theory that many people become sports fans because they associate watching sports with a cherished memory of quality time spent with their fathers. In my family we didn’t watch much sports. Instead my father took me on hikes and bike rides—and as a kid these were the special times that made me feel close to my father. So as an adult I love to hike and bike—and I take my kids on many hikes and bike rides as well.

One of my personal philosophies is that I want to be a participant in what’s happening rather than being a spectator. I would rather play sports than watch sports, much like I would rather make art than view it, or follow the teachings of Jesus rather than talk about Christianity. I don’t know how consistent I am with this philosophy, but I try. Jesus seemed to have his fans and his followers—and if you could only choose one, I think its better to be a follower than merely a fan.

I think we all find things we enjoy and I’m glad that many people enjoy watching the drama of sports. I love watching the Olympics with my kids. During the games this summer we were on a two week vacation, and we watched the Olympics every night.

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?

MS: I went to the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, so of course I am a Bama football fan—Roll Tide Role! I went to every home game they played the two years I was at the university (‘88-‘90. But in general I am the fairest of fair weather fans– though I can really get into the World Series or the Superbowl when my hometown team is playing. Then I’ll invite friends over and watch the game every night of the series or championship. When I was a kid I watched Chicago Cubs baseball with my grandfather—so the Cubs have a special place in my heart. (I don’t even know if they are still a team).

I have a bit of attitude about the Oakland Raiders, but only because I was once on a 7 a.m. Sunday morning flight from San Diego to Oakland with some drunken Raider’s fans. They were all painted and dressed up in Raider gear and got into a fistfight with opposing team fans while the plane was in the air. We nearly had to hold them down until we landed and the police escorted them off the plane. It was scary.

4. Do you play fantasy sports?

MS: Nope.

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

MS: Five or six years ago my kids were in a Barry Bonds Junior Giants summer baseball league. We would often get free tickets to see the Giants play and it was really something to see Bonds hit a homerun with such power—despite later revelations about performance enhancing drugs.

I also went to the ’89 Iron bowl game between U of A and Auburn. Alabama lost and I remember thousands of deeply disappointed and depressed fans filing out of the stadium. You know that in Alabama football is religion—so it was like the disciples of Jesus on the night of his crucifixion.

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

MS: I hit puberty quite early and when I was 12 years old I was almost six feet tall—so this gave me a certain advantage as the center on my basketball team. I use to run around the house jumping up to palm the ceiling to practice my lay-up jump. (At age 12 I could grab the rim when I made my lay ups). One night while I was getting into the shower I tried to jump up and touch the bathroom ceiling (which was the tallest ceiling in our house) but on the way up I slammed my hand on the bottom of a marble counter. I played that season with a broken hand. So that was the best and the worst.

I was the second best arm-wrestler in the cafeteria of my high school. I beat all the football players and weightlifters. The only person I couldn’t beat was a coon hunting redneck kid who was 19 years old with unnatural strength and demon eyes.

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

MS: The abuse of performance enhancing drugs. My kids have been very disappointed in the athletes they have admired who have been deceptive in the use of these—and we’ve spent a lot of time as a family talking about this injustice.

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

MS: I watched several Olympians this summer make gestures giving credit to God for their performance during the games—even when they did not achieve medal status. It seems a little peculiar to give credit to God when you finish in 8^th place. Many people find those faith-laced post-game interviews annoying. I’m more interested in the character an athlete display, their pursuit of love and justice in all of life—than in their talk on camera.

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

MS: I loved gym class—especially in Alabama where the coach had us 7^th through 12^th graders play tackle football on a rocky field together every day. I’m surprised that no one got killed—but there was a lot of blood and bruises

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.

MS: Sports and exercise, in general, are great for stress relief and a natural source of endorphins. But most of the benefits come from playing rather than watching.

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

MS: I’d be competitive in the 5-mile run, might win the arm-wrestling match and because my mom was a bowler and I was practically raised in a bowling alley, I might have a chance at that

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

MS: 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.