"Gentleman" Jim Corbett - The man my father was named after - James Corbett Freer

My grandfather Charles Henry Freer was a Golden Gloves boxer and his boxing idol was Gentleman Jim Corbett so he named my father after him. James J Corbett was the first person to win the Heavyweight title under the Marquees of Queensberry rules, when he defeated John L Sullivan in 1892 in the 21st round. He was known for his footwork, speed, timing and defense.

Passing on an NFL Dream to Go to Seminary

Desiring God has a new video profile on former Michigan State star Chris Norman:

Jordan Turns 50 - You never Had Peace

Matt Smethurst in an excellent piece at TGC, on all the hoopla surrounding Michael Jordan turning 50:

"How can I find peace away from the game of basketball?" the aging legend asks.

Michael, you never had peace. Triumph and fame, yes, but not peace. James Naismith invented a game that brought you a sense of purpose, of value, of calm. But it was only that—a sense, a counterfeit of the real thing. You will never find life outside the game for the same reason you never found life in it. It's not there.

The peace you seek isn't available on a basketball court or a golf course but on a little hill outside Jerusalem. There, Yahweh incarnate hung in the place of sinners—wannabe Yahwehs like you and like me.

You've gained the world and found it lacking, Mike. Don't lose your soul.

Read the article at TGC and follow the link to read the entire article  by Wright Thompson.  In anticipation of Jordan's 50th birthday, ESPN senior writer Wright Thompson spent some time with Number 23. The product is an Outside the Lines article titled "Michael Jordan Has Not Left the Building," a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into the mind of the man who revolutionized the world of sports. This is well worth reading and sharing with your son.

Slugger, Redeem Thyself - Why neither A-Rod or You Can Do It

The Yankees are going down in flames, ( *NOTE They went down in flames the Tigers sweep them in 4 games*) and they’re doing it in a way that no one expected: the Bronx Bombers can’t hit!  Long known for using their high-priced murderer’s row offense to make up for shaky starting pitching, the 2012 Yankees and losing close, low-scoring games because they can’t score any runs.  Alex Rodriguez takes most of the blame because of his overwhelming contract and suspicious, mirror-self kissing ways, but he doesn’t even have the lowest postseason batting average on the team.  Robinson Cano, a perennial MVP candidate and fan favorite, does not have a hit in his last 29 at-bats, setting an all-time (in a sport that’s been around and keeping stats since the 19th century!) record for postseason futility.

Yankees fans, used to cheering the long ball, are growing frustrated.  A few days ago, a fan took the time to paint the sign at left and bring it to The House That Ruth Built (Yankee Stadium).  Big thanks to Dan Siedell over at LIBERATE for this picture (be sure to check out his amazing thoughts on the intersection between the Gospel and art HERE and HERE)
How do you think A-Rod feels, looking up into the stands and seeing this sign?  I know how I would feel!  I’d want to jump over the wall, clamber up to that fan’s row, and scream in his face, “Look, I’m TRYING to get hits! Don’t you think I’d be playing better if it was up to me? Don’t you think I’d redeem myself if I could?”  Self-redemption is every human being’s fondest hope, but it’s also our impossible dream. In sports, people always talk about the disaster that can come from trying to make up for failures on the next play. Coaches always chide athletes to have a short memory; if you go into the next play, the next match, or the next game trying to make up for the mistakes of the previous one, you’ll usually only compound them. The assertion is simple: we can’t redeem ourselves.
The parallel to Christianity here is so obvious that it probably doesn’t even need to be drawn. Humans refuse to believe that we are beyond helping ourselves; in fact we often protest that God only helps those who do!  We dearly wish that we could, ourselves, atone for the mistakes of the past, and say “Thanks but no thanks” to the offered atoning death of another.  We’re uncomfortable owing someone so much.
We only acknowledge our need for a savior when the idol of self-salvation is unceremoniously ripped from our grasp. Alex Rodriguez, and the rest of Yankees, are almost there. One suspects that last night’s Justin Verlander three hit annihilation will serve as the Hammer of God, finally convincing the Yankees, and their fans, that a savior from within is not enough.
Mockingbird

Miguel Cabrera's Triple Crown chase

Not to suggest it's been a while since anybody won a Triple Crown, but the last time it happened (1967) a gallon of gas cost 33 cents … the average salary of a big league baseball player was $10,000 … and the Internet was so slow, it was almost like it didn't even exist. Heh-heh. Almost.
But now along comes Miguel Cabrera to threaten to force people to learn how to spell Yastrzemski again. And that's a beautiful thing. But as this edition of the September History Watch is about to report, there's all kinds of history out there for Cabrera to make, even if he doesn't win the Triple Crown:

First off, let's give you a clear picture of how special this is, to find a man making this serious run at the Triple Crown with a mere two weeks left in the season.

	Miguel Cabrera hit home runs No. 39 and 40 Tuesday night against Oakland.

Cabera leads the league in batting average. And leads the league in RBIs. And is second in his league in home runs (40), just two back of Josh Hamilton. Well, friends, that's more astonishing than you might think.
This is Year 45 A.Y. (After Yastrzemski). And according to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the first time in any of those seasons that any player has reached the final two weeks of the season, and was leading his league in batting and RBIs, and within two of the lead in homers.
Think of all the great hitters who have roamed the baseball earth in all those years: George Brett, Johnny Bench, Albert Pujols, Barry Bonds, Mike Schmidt,. Kenneth Griffey Jr. and many more. None of them ever made this kind of run at a Triple Crown. But now Miguel Cabrera has. So he's already on historic turf.
• And now another tidbit that astounded us September History Watchers. Suppose Cabrera wins two-thirds of the Triple Crown but winds up second in home runs. That would seem like a disappointment, but maybe not after you hear this:
Would you believe that we're closing in on nearly a half-century since anyone won a Triple Crown, and nobody has had a season since in which he won two legs of this trifecta and finished second in the third category? That word, again, was "nobody." In fact, we've only had two third-place finishes by players who led in the other two:

Jim Rice 1978 (led in HRs and RBIs, third in batting race)
Matt Kemp 2011 (led in HRs and RBIs, third in batting race)

• And now another incredible feat on Cabrera's plate: He leads the league in batting and RBIs. Plus, he has already hit 40 homers. Would you believe that, in the history of baseball, only two men have ever done that without winning a Triple Crown? Here they are:

Jimmie Foxx 1938 (hit 50 HRs, eight behind Hank Greenberg)
Todd Helton 2000 (hit 42 HRs, eight behind Sammy Sosa)

• Speaking of Foxx, he's had his own unique Double Crown all to himself for more than 70 years, only to find himself in danger of having Cabrera crash his party. Amazingly, in the live ball era, Foxx is the only man ever to lead the American League in batting and RBIs but not win a Triple Crown. So even if Cabrera can't catch Hamilton in the home run race, if he leads the league in the other two categories, he'll still have done something cool and historic.
• Over in the NL, for some reason, that particular Double Crown (batting and RBI titles) hasn't been quite as rare. But it's still been done just six times in the past 85 years:

Stan Musial 1948
Tommy Davis 1962
Joe Torre 1971
Al Oliver 1982
Helton 2000
Matt Holliday 2007

Of that group, only one man had a real shot at a Triple Crown in the last two weeks of the season. And that was the great Stan Musial, in 1948.
Ralph Kiner and Johnny Mize tied for the league lead in homers that year, with 40. Musial was sitting on 38 home runs with nine games left in the season but hit only one more and finished one behind them.
• Hold on. It gets better. Other than Musial, only one other player in the live ball era managed to lead his league in batting and RBIs and wind up as close to the league lead in home runs as Cabrera is now (two or closer). This man:

The immortal Rogers Hornsby in 1921 -- hit 21 homers and finished second in the league, two behind the eloquently nicknamed George (High Pockets) Kelly.
• Triple Crowns aside, Cabrera has a shot at a few other feats that got the September History Watch's attention. For one thing, he's on the verge of becoming a back-to-back batting champ.
The only other active player who can make that claim: Joe Mauer (2008-09).
The only other Tiger who has ever done that: Some dude named Ty Cobb, whoever he is (did it eight times).
• Back-to-back or not, just being a two-time batting champ is a rarity here in the post-Gwynn-and-Boggs era. The only two active players who have won a batting title more than once at any point: Mauer and Ichiro Suzuki (2001, 2004).

• Finally, even if Cabrera doesn't win the Triple Crown, he's already one of only three active players who have led their league in all three Triple Crown categories at some point in their careers -- just not in the same year. The others:

Albert Pujols (batting title '03, HR title '09-10, RBI title '10)
Alex Rodriguez (batting title '96, HR title '01-03, '05, '07, RBI title '02, '07)

By the way, if Josh Hamilton leads the league in homers, he'd also join this list. But enough about him. This is supposed to be a Miguel Cabrera edition of the September History Watch. And as you've noticed, there's more than enough historic stuff on his agenda to keep us History Watchers busy without dragging anyone else into this opus.
ESPN

Metta World Peace decks James Harden with elbow: Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers

Ron Artest is the guy who started malice at the Palace when Indiana played Detroit, and he attacked fans in their seats. He changes his name to World Peace and then purposely elbows a guy in the head giving him a head concussion. World Peace should be thrown in jail and his name should be changed to World Moron.

Linsanity: Something To Believe In?

If you’re a sports fan, you’ve likely written off the NBA season because of its late start due to a collective bargaining dispute. Or maybe, like me, you’ve never been that interested in the NBA in the first place. Still, that hasn’t stopped me from hearing about the Knicks’ new point guard, Jeremy Lin. If you’re a fan of The Waterboy (guilty as charged), you’ll like this story. If you’re a fan of Tim Tebow, buckle up. A Harvard grad who received league honors from his sophomore season on, but toiled in relative obscurity in the Ivy League, Lin was initially signed by the Golden State Warriors. As a native of Palo Alto, he received heavy media attention and quickly became a fan favorite before even stepping on the court. Soon though, Lin found himself playing for the Warriors’ D-league (the NBA Developmental League is the equivalent to baseball’s minor leagues) affiliate, the Reno Bighorns. When the NBA lockout began in December, he became a casualty in the fight to free up more money to snag other, more skilled and seasoned, players. Lin seemed to earn a second chance when the Houston Rockets brought him on board, but within two weeks, he found himself team-less once again. Enter New York. The Knicks, who have been a laughing stock of the NBA this millennium, signed Lin on December 27. The Knicks haven’t won an NBA Championship since 1973, and since the departure of my fellow Hoya Patrick Ewing in 2000, have found themselves in a painful decline. Even during this Reader’s Digest version of the NBA season, the Knicks haven’t disappointed their critics: from January 12 to the month’s end, the Knicks’ record was 2-10, despite the recent acquisitions of hyped All-Star players Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire. Having scored zero points on only three shots with the Knicks to that point, in last Saturday’s match-up against the New Jersey Nets, Lin had a break-out performance, scoring 25 points in 36 minutes of play.



 In the next game, against the Utah Jazz, Lin put up 28. In Washington, DC, against the Wizards, he added another 23. The term “Linsanity” began making the rounds in the blogosphere, and Knicks were all of a sudden on a “Linning” streak. The Knicks had hope, unemployment was down, all was right in the Lin-iverse. Then came the Lakers. Basketball analysts cautioned that Friday’s game against the Lakers would put Lin and his Knicks to the test. Before the game itself, Kobe Bryant confessed he didn’t know much (or anything) about Lin. En route to the Knicks win, Lin scored a career-high 38 points. This streak amounted to the most points scored in a player’s first four starts since the NBA-ABA merger. More than Jordan. More than LeBron. More than anyone. Considering his journey and our “I-told-you-so” zeitgeist, Lin has every reason to tout his talents, fill Twitter feeds with his questions about which car or home to buy, and succumb to the pressures and temptations of professional sports. Instead, he says, “I am not saying I am better than anybody else, but I am going to try to live the way I have always lived and try not to change just because I am in the NBA.” So, he continues to post Bible verses on his Twitter feed. He sleeps on his brother’s couch. When asked about poor performance early in the game against the Wizards, Lin admitted, “I came out a little slow, came out a little flat…you’re right.” His humility, likely the result of tempering disappointments and quality mentoring, is refreshing. My favorite Lin quote came from an article about him in Christian Post. When asked about being cut from the Warriors, Lin responded, It was really tough for me at the time but I just tried to hold on to a lot of the stuff in the Bible that God gives to trust, have joy in the sufferings, and trust in his perfect plan. That’s what I tried my best to do and I’m thankful the way things turned out. Unsurprisingly, in the last couple of days, the Tebow comparisons have been piling up. According to People.com, Lin aspires to become a pastor or work in the non-profit sector. Like Tebow, Lin experienced significant success as a college athlete but has struggled, until recently, as a professional. In their experiences with failure and doubt, both have developed a vision of the Gospel that submits to a crucified Christ. They know pain. They know defeat. And yet, when they win, little about their vision changes. The miracle of all this is that in victory, pride takes a backseat to humility. We want vengeance, and instead, they give thanks. For them, win or lose, it’s all ad maiorem Dei gloriam. Will the Tebow comparisons continue? Most definitely. Even Lin has admitted that he looks up to Tebow. At this moment, however, it’s Lin’s time and he deserves some time in the Lin-light. My shameless addition? You bet.
Mockingbird

How I Arrived At My Super Bowl Pick

Being a Lions fan has meant having other teams to root for when it comes playoff time. The Lions made the playoffs but were out in the first round. So who to pick for the Super bowl?  Let me share a little of my logic for picking other teams. As a general rule I hate all Boston teams. Celtics, Bruins, Red Sox and Patriots. I do like Tom Brady because he played for Michigan. As a general rule I hate all New York teams, Yankees, Rangers, Knicks (although I once rooted for them when they had Willis Reed to win the title) and the Giants. So even though I hate both teams other factors have to apply. I don't like coach Belichick, but coach Coughlin is OK. I could go on but you get the idea. For this game it has come down to a simple truth, NFC over AFC. The Lions are a NFC team so my loyalty for this game rests with the NFC Giants. My pick is Giants 27 Pats 24. Thank God its not the 49's VS Ravens. That would take a much longer explanation.

Nick Saban and the Doctrine of Imputation

At a wedding shower for my wife and me, the hosts played a game where they asked us both the same questions about one another to test how well we knew each other going into marriage. With my wife out of the room, they asked me who my favorite superhero was. I quickly responded, “Nick Saban.” As the game went, my wife was brought into the room and asked the same questions about me. When asked who she thought my favorite superhero was, she immediately replied, “That’s easy. Nick Saban.”

It’s true: I’m pretty much obsessed with Nick Saban. On January 3, 2007, lying prostrate before the television, I came to tears when ESPN announced that Saban would accept the position as head coach of my beloved Alabama Crimson Tide. Thirty-three wins, two SEC West Titles, one SEC Title, and a BCS National Title later, my epic man-crush has done nothing but grow. I beam when I hear the man’s name.

Anyone with an objective, discerning mind reasonably may ask why I, a youth minister, adore a man that CNN rated the ninth most hated man in sports in 2009. Let’s be honest, outside of his success in football, Nick Saban is best known for his tendencies to humiliate journalists, never smile, and berate players and officials. Many people- especially journalists- would describe Saban as a jerk.

With that being said, I literally would beam with joy if Coach Saban called me tomorrow to come to his house to shovel dog mess and scrub his bathrooms with a toothbrush. My obsession knows no end.

The easy explanation to why I adore Nick Saban is the Christian doctrine of imputation. Really? Let me explain. On a recent trip to Texas, I had a swagger in my step that certainly would not have existed in the dismal Shula era, pre-Saban. Each day, I wore the most flagrantly obnoxious Alabama gear I could find. I was in the territory of our latest victim, the Texas Longhorns, whom Alabama toppled to secure their most recent national title. And when people in Texas asked where we were from, I couldn’t help myself, I had to say, “Alabama, home of the national champions.”

Even though, I am a slow, middle-class, unathletic, weak, average youth minister, I am a freakin’ national champion in my warped reality, when I don my worn, mesh Alabama hat. I have contributed absolutely nothing to attain this status. Nick Saban, his staff, and some unbelievably athletic and committed young men worked endless hours and performed in an exceptional manner to win fourteen straight games, including the BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena. Through the efforts of these men, I have been given the status as national champion (in my mind), in spite of the fact that I added nothing to their cause.

This, my friends, is the nature of the doctrine of imputation, one of the most critical concepts in Christianity: the accomplishment of one person is credited to another. Christ lived a perfect life and died on the cross, not just to forgive our sins, but to give us new identities. In spite of the fact that we make no contribution whatsoever.

I have one more month to enjoy my inherited status as the national champion until college football kicks off in early September. Thanks be to God, my status as a son of God will last through the Fall and into eternity.

Mockingbird

Is God Helping Tim Tebow Win?

The other night Bob Costas raised—and ultimately dismissed—the possibility of God’s role in the nearly unbelievable string of Broncos victories with their unabashed evangelical quarterback Tim Tebow at the helm:

The combination of Denver’s continuing late heroics, and today, the Bears’ otherwise unexplainable errors, is enough to have some at least suspect divine intervention. Except that Tebow, whose sincere faith cannot be questioned, and should be respected, also has the good sense, and good grace, to make it clear he does not believe God takes a hand in the outcome of games.
Most of us are good with that. Otherwise, how to explain what happens when there are equal numbers of believers on either side? Or why so many of those same believers came up empty facing Sandy Koufax? Or hit the deck against Muhammad Ali? Or why the Almighty wouldn’t have better things to do?

Which raises the question: how should believers think about this improbable season? About sports games in general? Why would God care who wins and who loses? Isn’t it dangerous to think God is pulling for one team over another?
We need some thoughtful theological reflection here, and I’m thankful that Owen Strachan has provided exactly that. After providing some important background and clarification, Strachan writes, “we’re positioned to answer a question that, as we can see, requires more care than your average drive-time call-in show may gave it.”
Here’s the upshot of his piece:

God oversees and ordains all that comes to pass. This includes, as surprising as it may initially seem, football games. The outcome of every football game ever been played was planned by the all-wise, all-seeing mind of God. But this is not saying what some might think. God has also planned every haircut you’ve ever had, and every shopping trip you’ve ever taken. He is lord of football, and he is lord of produce. Nothing happens outside of his sovereign direction.
We err, though, if we equate his general superintendence of this world—the falling of sparrows, the numbering of hairs—with the special working of his kingdom. This is what Costas seems to be protesting, and in a much fuller sense than he understands. God has a special interest in promoting his gospel and building his church (John 3:16; Rom. 10; Eph. 1). This is not to say that he is uninterested in the ordinary things of the world, but rather to note that the mission of salvation begun after Adam’s fall holds preeminence for God and, by extension, for his followers.
We must also say that for Tebow, the way he plays football is necessarily a matter of God’s glory. In the same way that God gains glory through the work of a faithful accountant, a sacrificial, sleep-deprived mother, and a repentant cellist, God gains glory through righteous athletes who work hard in his name and seek to be a light in dark places. God directs the life and exploits of Tim Tebow, football hero. But he also directs Owen Strachan, Boyce College professor, or my friend Colin LeCroy, a Dallas lawyer, or my friend Emily Duffus, an Atlanta schoolteacher. Tebow may reach more people in his work, but we are all working for the glory of God, who directs and blesses our work so as to magnify his name.

I encourage you to read the whole thing. It’s an important, careful answer to a question that is rarely this front and center in our culture.
Justin Taylor

What Christless Success Does to Us

ESPN.com on Walter Payton--

They called him Sweetness, but Chicago Bears great Walter Payton had a dark side, according to a biography to be released Oct. 4.

An excerpt of Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton by Jeff Pearlman will appear in the Oct. 3 issue of Sports Illustrated and describes the Hall of Famer as suicidal, abusing pain medication and dealing with a crumbling family situation.

Payton, who retired as the then-all-time leading rusher in NFL history after the 1987 season, was depressed and suicidal in the mid-1990s. Pearlman cites a letter to a friend in which Payton said he imagined himself killing those around him and then turning a gun on himself.

"Walter would call me all the time saying he was about to kill himself, he was tired," Payton's longtime agent Bud Holmes said, according to SI.com. "He was angry. Nobody loved him. He wanted to be dead."

Wide Receiver Blames God For Droped Pass

It’s not unusual for players to give credit to God after a win. The reverse doesn’t seem to happen, though…until now.

First, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson did this…



…then he tweeted this:

College Football Game Of The Day: Michigan State At Michigan (-4)

 


Mark Dantonio will not ease his way back to coaching Michigan State. Not with a trip to face Heisman Trophy candidate Denard Robinson and rival Michigan up next.
Still recovering from a mild heart attack and subsequent blood clot in his leg, Dantonio is expected to coach from the press box as the No. 17 Spartans look for a third consecutive victory over the 18th-ranked Wolverines in a matchup of Big Ten unbeatens Saturday afternoon.
Both 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the conference, the rivals enter this contest unbeaten for the first time since 1999. That impending drama was more than enough for Dantonio to return after suffering a heart attack following a 34-31 overtime win over Notre Dame on Sept. 18. He missed the next week’s game against Northern Colorado, and last Saturday’s 34-24 win over then-No. 11 Wisconsin after the blood clot was found.   (Read more.)
GO BLUE!

Soccer: The Perfect Socialist Sport

By C. Edmund Wright

The world's most popular sport? Puh-leeze. This is like saying that dirt is more popular than gold simply because there is more of it. Last time I checked, soccer was very popular where starvation, archery, and badminton were the alternative activities. Where soccer has to compete with the NFL, college football, and basketball -- not to mention WWE, the X Games, cheerleading contests, and cage-fighting -- not so much.

And no, I am not some redneck soccer newbie who has never been exposed to the sport. Actually, I attended the prep school that brought the sport to the Research Triangle area of North Carolina -- one of the first soccer hotspots in the country. We are talking multiple decades ago. And frankly, I rather enjoyed playing it in one of the southeast's first little league soccer organizations and in high school PE class.

But watching it? Oh my God. The only thing more predictable than Barack Obama blaming George W. Bush and BP is that when you flip over to World Cup coverage, the score will be 0-0. I don't care who is playing or where you are in the game...er, match. It will be 0-0. And for those who think watching the grass grow is more exciting, I think these matches are so long they do have to mow the pitch at halftime. (Hey -- I know they call it a pitch, not a field. Told you I was not a redneck newbie.)

At its heart, soccer is the perfect socialist sport. That's why it will never catch on among Americans the way football or basketball has -- regardless of how hard ESPN or ESPN Deportes tries to force feed it to us. Soccer is a redistributive dreamer's delight, with most of the potential risk-reward strategy of the sport removed by rule. It is a self-esteem cornucopia, where a blistering rout of, say, 2-0 seems so close in the score book. No one's feelings get hurt at 2-0. And on and on the socialist feel goes.

A liberal's only complaint with soccer is that it entails such low scoring that there's no point trying to have a youth league where no one keeps score. It's 0-0. We all know that already. You can't even pretend not to know the score. Then again, 0-0 is the perfect score for a "no score" league, I guess.

American Thinker

 

John Wooden’s Credo…

Coach Wooden will always say one of the great influences in his life was his father, Joshua Hugh Wooden. He talks about the philosophies his father handed down to him: “Two Sets of Threes” –
1. Never lie.
2. Never cheat.
3. Never steal
1. Don’t whine
2. Don’t complain
3. Don’t make excuses
On the day Coach Wooden graduated from elementary school in Centerton IN, he received from his father a two-dollar bill (which Coach Wooden would give to his own son Jim) and a 3 x 5 card. Written on one side of that card was a verse by the Rev. Henry Van Dyke and on the opposite side, Joshua’s  personal Seven Point Creed (Coach Wooden carried a copy of the Creed with him his entire life) –

1. Be true to yourself.
2. Make each day your masterpiece.
3. Help others.
4. Drink deeply from good books, including the Good Book.
5. Make friendship a fine art.
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day.
7. Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.
Four things a man must learn to do
If he would make his life more true:
To think without confusion clearly,
To love his fellow-man sincerely,
To act from honest motives purely,
To trust in God and Heaven securely.
–Henry Van Dyke

OLYMPICS: Olympian says there's 'no atheist at top of Bobsled run

WHISTLER, British Columbia (BP)--Lyndon Rush knows his sport gives him plenty of opportunities to be vocal about his faith in Jesus Christ, and he wants to make the most of those chances.

"You know there's no atheist in a foxhole, right?" Rush asked. "There's no atheist at the top of a bobsled run, either."

The Canadian bobsled driver, who is competing in his first Winter Olympics, takes advantage of the dangers in his sport, such as traveling at speeds in excess of 90 mph, to be a witness for Christ by praying with his teammates before their runs and by talking often about the Lord. He's found an openness to his spiritual leadership, even among teammates who don't profess to be Christians.

"I've had atheists on my team and they have no problem talking to God before the run," Rush said. "Everybody likes it. Even the atheists, for instance, they like how it sets the tone. We all come together and I pray about things that they want, too. Maybe they're not in a period of their life where they believe in God, I guess. I don't know. I don't really believe in atheists."

Rush may not believe in atheists (choosing instead to believe what Romans 1 says about all men knowing the truth but suppressing it in unrighteousness), but he does believe in his responsibility to share his faith with everyone, including atheists.

"I pray about the prayer before the race," Rush said. "God, lead me to say the right things and maybe touch these guys. I really care for the guys that I slide with. My team, they're like brothers. We go on tour and we get to know each other real well. It's a great chance for me to share what I believe. I want those to be believers who I care about, right?"
"One of my guys at the beginning of the year told me that he's an atheist," Rush said. "By the end of the year, he's not an atheist anymore. He's not a believer yet, but he's coming around. I think it's more important than winning medals, to be honest with you."
Baptist Press

“I’ve Given Up Everything For This”

“I’ve given up everything for this. It means everything to me. It’s why I work hard. I got what I came here to do. I got a gold medal; I have what I want.”
Tears have a funny way of releasing things. Lindsey Vonn’s tears were no different. As she stood at the bottom of the mountain at Whistler, Olympic Gold as her prize, the Women’s Downhill Champion’s tears shone brightly in the sun.
She must have been thinking of all the years she spent training for this moment. She must have been thinking of all the expectations that were placed on her shoulders as the favorite for these Games. She must have been thinking of the pressure that mounted as she sustained a shin injury just two weeks before the Games began.
She had been single-minded in her goal of becoming the world’s best women’s downhill skier. She had disciplined her body and her emotions for years as she trained for these Games. And she had persevered through intense suffering and setback. And now she stood as Olympic Champion.
Simply put, Lindsey’s tears were tears of joy, and release, and satisfaction. She had every right to shed them, for this was her moment, one to be applauded and admired. Her tears were the sweet, crowning jewels of her Olympic glory.
Here’s a truth we all know, and one Lindsey either suspects or will soon discover: Olympic glory fades. So does the glory from being a successful preacher, or pastor, or writer, or musician, or businessman, or businesswoman, or student. We all strive for perishable wreaths at different times in our lives. And we strive for them in vain.
You know well the passage where Paul compares himself to an athlete. He writes:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable (1 Cor 9:24-25).

This echoes another passage, perhaps penned by Paul as well:

Let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross (Heb 12:1-2).

So we gain an imperishable wreath when we are single-minded in our pursuit: to obtain the prize promised by the gospel. We gain an imperishable wreath when we lay aside the sin that clings to us, exercising self-control in all things. And we gain an imperishable crown when we persevere in our race, enduring suffering as it comes, following Jesus every step of the way.
We may imagine that the bottom of our mountains will bring tears as joy and relief as well. But the tears we shed are simply an expression of a deeper longing within us, a longing that will one day be satisfied. Our tears today are just like anything in this world:  shadows of a brighter reality, or echoes of a sweeter song.
Our prize is a place with a Person, and this Person will “wipe away every tear from their eyes … neither shall there be crying … for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:4). It is in that day that we will wear our imperishable crowns of righteousness, because of Him and for His sake. And in that day we will be satisfied by our greatest joy: Jesus.
Congratulations to you, Lindsey. May you find Jesus as your imperishable wreath when the glory of your triumph begins to fade. And may we all see your inspiring example as a reflection of the higher call we have on our lives. May we run the race with single-mindedness, exercising self-control, disciplining our bodies for the sake of the gospel, and persevering through suffering, all so that we might obtain the prize we seek:  eternity in the presence of the One whose glory never fades.
Gospel Coalition

Holy Hitter

Albert Pujols loves baseball - and Jesus | Scott Lamb, Tim Ellsworth

Associated Press (Inset: Liz Sullivan/Spash News/Newscom)

ST. LOUIS—Standing before 500 men and boys, St. Louis Cardinals superstar Albert Pujols spoke about being satisfied in Jesus Christ as part of "Manly Night" Jan. 16 at Lafayette Senior High School.
"As a Christian, I am called to live a holy life," Pujols said. "My standard for living is set by God, not by the world. I am responsible for growing and sharing the gospel."
The annual program, sponsored by West County Community Church, is an evangelistic event that features testimonies from Christian athletes. A local martial arts instructor, former NFL star Aeneas Williams, and Pujols each spoke. "I can't think of a greater place to celebrate my 30th birthday than with you guys, sharing my heart and lifting up the kingdom of Jesus," Pujols said.
World Magazine

My Super Bowl Pick

Who will win the Super Bowl? Well my heart says the Saints and my head says the Colts. I did pick this match-up before the playoffs started so here is my Super Bowl pick:


Saints 31, Colts 28

A Simpler View of Sports

Kevin DeYoung takes a look at CT’s lengthy cover story on “Sports Fanatics.”

Here’s an excerpt of Kevin’s evaluation:

The lofty prose makes for tricky reading, but I think this is the super-smart way of saying “God is playful and creative, and in heaven we will glorify God with our bodies. Play sports as a reflection of these realities.” If that’s what Hoffman means, I’m all for it. But honestly, the whole argument feels overblown, like a lot of fancy words trying to infuse sports with heavenly typology. Hoffman, it seems, wants sports to be in the realm of special grace, where I am happy to have them in the world of common grace. Sports are games. They’re fun. They can bring out the best in us and the worst, just like everything else in life. They are blessings. And they can be idols. If Hoffman had talked about that, I would be all over it. God knows we need conviction for deifying sports teams and sports stars.

But in the end, I don’t think a theology of sports needs to be terribly complicated. Sports is yet another avenue to live out rebellion or another way to glorify God. But the glory is not because the perfect backstroke gives us a glimpse of heavenly play and heavenly bodies. Rather, because the backstroker, or point guard, or slot receiver, is humble, honest, and works hard unto the Lord. Let’s not make things more difficult than they have to be. Sports can be a waste of time, a wasteland of vice, or an oasis of God-glorifying people and principles. It depends on what you make it.

And if there are winners and losers, that’s ok. Because, you know what, that’s sort of what life is like too.

If you’re looking for some good resources on how to think about sports from a Christian perspective, see Stephen Altrogge’s Game Day for the Glory of God: A Guide for Athletes, Fans, and Wannabes (Crossway, 2008), Ted Kluck’s The Reason For Sports: A Christian Fanifesto (Moody, 2009), and C.J. Mahaney’s sermon, “Don’t Waste Your Sports.”
Justin Taylor