Tim Tebow, and Keeping Religion Out of Football

[SecularMotion]

The Tim Tebow success story, puzzling to some and entertaining to most, seems to have one obvious drawback: the injection of religion.

Or more specifically arguing over religion.

Arguing is not a problem in sports. Sports talk radio might not exist without it (WIP in Philadelphia might combust). Whose career has been better, Tom Brady’s or Peyton Manning’s? Have at it, no problem.

But arguing about religion – who needs it?

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/tim-tebow-and-keeping-religion-out-of-football/?hp

[rrneck]

1. Football IS a religion. nt

[LARED]

2. I wonder why Tebow's expressions of faith

is anything to argue about.

For years sports figures have been making overt expressions of faith on and off the field.

[humblebum]

4. THE HAIL MARY PASS!

And, it certainly is no different than an occasional sign of the cross - very common for years in all sports. It's a personal thing.

[darkstar3]

7. Because he makes a circus act out of it.

Frankly it's a level of showboating that, at one time in the 80's, would have been considered unsportsmanlike conduct.

I can't remember the last time anyone got flagged for that on an after-play show of idiocy...

This doesn't even get into the fact that it's the most sanctimonious, attention-whoring version of piety you can find on a sports channel. (I was going to say "on a Sunday afternoon", but that's sadly just not true.)

[LARED]

8. I think Tebow does wear his faith on his sleeve to a larger extent than

sports figures in the past. But my take, is that the reaction and actions of fans coupled with media desire to create a story is what drives this particular media idiocy.

Tebow has been doing this for years, yet somehow it's a big surprize he does it now.

[darkstar3]

10. He was doing it in college and they were covering it then,

and there was really no difference. He was a sanctimonius jackass then and he still is, and those that eat it up need help.

[Angry Dragon]

3. There is a god drafted for each sports team

[Quartermass]

5. Praise God and pass the football! /sarcasm

[cleanhippie]

6. I guess what I fail to understand is how with all of the suffering in the world (pic goodness)...

how their god could even be CONCERNED about a frikking football game.

[iris27]

9. Eh, I don't really care. I think he's a wang, especially

since he and his mom were willing to lie on national TV to make an anti-choice point (and were stopped by fact-checking protests in time to record an alternate ad), but he's allowed to be a wang if he wants. The NFL is a collection of private organizations. I'm sure if they felt his religious grandstanding was hurting ticket sales or ratings or whatever, he'd be called in for a "tone down the Jesus" meeting.

[uriel1972]

11. "Tone down the Jesus" meeting

I like

[FarCenter]

12. Apparently, God is Catholic

The New England Patriots quarterback and the Brazilian supermodel wed just before 6 p.m. at St. Monica Catholic Church, less than a mile from the beach.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20261937,00.html