12/22/24
April 08, 2011
Pro Sports Teams Find Religion: Pro sports teams have begun offering religious themed nights in the U.S. for Christians, Jews and Mormons. People who attend the Oakland A's first Jewish Heritage Night will receive an A's yarmulke. After the Florida Marlins Inspirational Forum game, outfielder Chris Coghlan will discuss his devotion to his Christian faith. "Jesus is our rock, and every single day I go out to play for him. And to play hard," Coghlan said in a 2010 interview. "I owe that to him. He gave me the abilities to play this game."
MLB spokesman Matt Bourne says baseball has "confidence in our clubs to conduct ballpark promotions that are appropriate in tone and content."
But an A's yarmulke?
What will they come up with next, a Moses bobblehead?
posted by roberts at 09:02 PM on April 08, 2011
While I'm not a card-carrying Atheist, I do know a few people who call themselves Atheists, and almost all of them are slobberingly loyal sports fans. So, I think this guy is off-base...
posted by MeatSaber at 09:04 PM on April 08, 2011
I'm an atheist and I consider myself a pretty avid sports fan. I'm not a member of any groups or anything. Go Leafs Go (next season).
posted by insomnyuk at 09:17 PM on April 08, 2011
I'm not a member of any groups or anything. Go Leafs Go (next season).
As a fellow Leafs fan, you have to be an athiest. No "God" would do this to us...
posted by grum@work at 09:58 PM on April 08, 2011
In just MLB alone, there will be a wealth of options for devoted fans:
The Chicago teams will have a Churchgoing Mobster Bat Day in honor of Al Capone.
The Mariners will host a Broken Net/ Multitude of Fishes special
Cleveland and Atlanta are considering a Bring A Missionary to the Ballpark Day
Boston is looking at a Witch Trial Weekend concept
All the bird teams will do a simulcast On Eagles Wings special
Except for the Cardinals, who are planning a Matching Red Hat and Slippers extravaganza, complete with a seventh inning runway promenade
The Brewers are secretly planning a promotion entitled: "If God So Loved the World Why Did He Put Bud Selig Upon It?"
The D'Backs will fill the seats with their upcoming God N' Guns wingding
Houston? Gotta go with a Star of Bethlehem crowd pleaser
Minnesota will do an evening devoted to the Apostle Thomas the Twin
Kansas City is slated for a boffo "My Kingdom Is Not of This Earth" send up
Tampa Bay thinks it's only fitting to have a Bring Back the Devil game
Philly and Pittsburgh will play an Amish- themed day game in Lancaster County with a manually operated scoreboard and buggy whip justice for anyone caught using a radar gun or mobile electronic device
Padres and Angels? Business as usual.
posted by beaverboard at 10:00 PM on April 08, 2011
This is all bullcrap until I see a Hindu/Muslim/Sikh/Buddhism/Taoism night at an American sporting event.
posted by grum@work at 10:02 PM on April 08, 2011
It will still be bullcrap even then.
posted by Hugh Janus at 10:48 PM on April 08, 2011
A "bullcrap" night for the non-believers!!
posted by Mobley at 11:39 PM on April 08, 2011
As long as they have a night for the Flying Spaghetti Monster... and santa claus. All invisible deities in the sky deserve their night.
posted by justgary at 12:02 AM on April 09, 2011
But an A's yarmulke?
Easy now. A Jets Yarmulke has gotten this non-believer through more than one wedding without feeling like I sold out.
posted by cjets at 01:39 AM on April 09, 2011
"Jesus is our rock, and every single day I go out to play for him. And to play hard," Coghlan said in a 2010 interview. "I owe that to him. He gave me the abilities to play this game."
So what did Tsuyoshi Nishioka do to piss off Jesus?
posted by wfrazerjr at 11:00 AM on April 09, 2011
If they ever have an Episcopalian Night, they will be serving coffee and cookies* in between every pitch.
* Line stolen from Doug Marlette in Kudzu.
posted by Howard_T at 03:17 PM on April 09, 2011
@beaverboard : "The D'Backs will fill the seats with their upcoming God N' Guns wingding "
Surely that should be Snake Handlers Night. All the rattlesnakes you can handle and all the strychnine you can drink.
posted by dave2007 at 12:12 AM on April 10, 2011
So what did Tsuyoshi Nishioka do to piss off Jesus?
Being a godless heathen. Duh.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:43 AM on April 11, 2011
From story: "When you have a Super Bowl party in the atheist community, two people show up. We don't tend to be big sports fans."
Why?