04/24/24
January 20, 2013
Ravens Will Meet 49ers in Super Bowl 0x2F: The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers won the conference championship games Sunday and will meet in the Super Bowl. Ravens coach John Harbaugh and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, brothers born 14 months apart, will face each other after knocking off the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons on the road.
So how far will E!SPN and the rest of the sports media beat the "brothers coaching against each other in the Super Bowl" thing into the ground? I predict they will reach the Earth's molten core by Thursday.
posted by TheQatarian at 11:52 PM on January 20, 2013
The Puppy Bowl just became a viewing option.
posted by etagloh at 12:23 AM on January 21, 2013
So how far will E!SPN and the rest of the sports media beat the "brothers coaching against each other in the Super Bowl" thing into the ground? I predict they will reach the Earth's molten core by Thursday.
Over/under on number of times that the fact they sprang from the same set of loins (though possibly not exactly in the same phrasing) is mentioned on the telecast: 283. WHO YA GOT?
posted by Bonkers at 01:30 AM on January 21, 2013
The over. Easily the over.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 08:19 AM on January 21, 2013
I don't, Mr B. Remember that this is also going to be Ray Lewis' final game. I'm sure all of the stories granting sainthood upon him will eat into some of the sibling rivalry stories. Remember the "Jerome Bettis is from Detroit" Super Bowl from a few years back? I'm taking the under.
posted by NoMich at 08:33 AM on January 21, 2013
I'm going over because I think they'll parlay the two. From the Harbowl angle into "and now onto someone else all the Ravens consider a bro..."
posted by Mr Bismarck at 09:56 AM on January 21, 2013
Even though the Ravens did get to play a home game to start off with, their run to the SB reminds me a bit of the run that Cowher's last Steelers team put on as a wild card, winning big time road games and staying in their road whites for the SB.
Flacco is now the career leader in road playoff wins among QB's. He's going to get a nice contract from somebody.
posted by beaverboard at 09:58 AM on January 21, 2013
I suspect he's going to get a franchise tag from the Ravens first.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 10:08 AM on January 21, 2013
I'm sure all of the stories granting sainthood upon him will eat into some of the sibling rivalry stories.
He's playing the God card pretty hard. I think there will be so many stories claiming redemption for Ray Lewis that we'll be begging for more coverage of the Harbaugh brothers.
posted by rcade at 10:37 AM on January 21, 2013
I can deal with the brothers Harbaugh take and the Ray Lewis on a mission from god angle.
I'm just glad we'll never have to hear any more of the bogus comparisons of Tom Brady to Joe Montana.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:41 AM on January 21, 2013
Without a strong rooting interest, the storyline I was hoping to see was another Super Bowl championship for Brady and the Hoodie. The run of excellence New England is on reminds me of the Dallas Cowboys under Tom Landry in the '70s and '80s.
posted by rcade at 10:49 AM on January 21, 2013
I'm just glad we'll never have to hear any more of the bogus comparisons of Tom Brady to Joe Montana.
They are hardly bogus comparisons.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 11:28 AM on January 21, 2013
I'm just glad we'll never have to hear any more of the bogus comparisons of Tom Brady to Joe Montana.
So they'll compare Flacco and Kaepernick to Brady, other quarterbacks and the ghosts of QBs past. Got to fill up the news holes with something.
posted by roberts at 11:54 AM on January 21, 2013
posted by roberts at 12:08 PM on January 21, 2013
One more of the TV commercial QBs exits the playoffs. Rodgers, Manning, Brady. I couldn't be happier.
posted by dyams at 12:13 PM on January 21, 2013
Other than a Dodge Dart spot or two, which commercials feature Brady? Even in New England we don't see 1/10th of the spots with Brady that we do for Manning or Rodgers.
posted by yerfatma at 12:41 PM on January 21, 2013
I'm getting pretty disgusted with all the God talk from Ray Lewis. He may not have committed a double-murder but he at least helped cover it up. The hypocrisy is unbelievable.
posted by insomnyuk at 12:54 PM on January 21, 2013
I'm getting pretty disgusted with all the God talk from Ray Lewis. He may not have committed a double-murder but he at least helped cover it up. The hypocrisy is unbelievable.
Are criminals ineligible to be Christians? What punishment or penance would you consider sufficient before he can speak of his faith again?
posted by Etrigan at 01:05 PM on January 21, 2013
Actions speak louder than words. His words are hollow. He can say whatever he wants, doesn't mean I have to like it.
posted by insomnyuk at 01:07 PM on January 21, 2013
So is there any action he could take that would redeem him in your eyes, to the point that he would be allowed to talk about his belief in a faith that emphasizes forgiveness and redemption?
posted by Etrigan at 01:16 PM on January 21, 2013
Nope, it's too late for that. No one was brought to justice for the murders of those two young men. Ray Lewis was even convicted of obstruction of justice. The suit he wore the night of the killings was never found.
He even settled out of court with the victims of the families.
If Ray Lewis was serious about his faith he would be humble about it, not arrogantly assuming that God is on his side on the football field. At this point it's worse than Tebow was last year.
posted by insomnyuk at 01:22 PM on January 21, 2013
oh yeah, and he has six children by four women. A real class act.
posted by insomnyuk at 01:23 PM on January 21, 2013
I have no problem with anyone who humbly follows in their faith and backs it up with good actions:
Matthew 6 "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
posted by insomnyuk at 01:32 PM on January 21, 2013
So basically there's nothing he could ever do, right? I am completely ambivalent about Ray Lewis, but I don't know that cherry-picking facts tells us much about him. How old is the youngest of those 6 kids? I have a feeling some of that was a long time ago given one of kids is playing in college now. Can you really say you know what it was like to grow up as Ray Lewis did? I can't.
"I had no one at home to confirm, help, release, whatever," he says. "I've got six kids? I've never had a conversation with a man about a woman--ever. I've never had a man sit down and say, 'Son, let me tell you about women.'"
posted by yerfatma at 01:32 PM on January 21, 2013
Ray Lewis was even convicted of obstruction of justice.
For which he received the maximum sentence for a first-time offender.
He even settled out of court with the victims of the families.
So when he sees that the unborn daughter of the man who died (at the very least) because of him is provided for, that's somehow a negative.
oh yeah, and he has six children by four women. A real class act.
Is he not providing for them?
What's your threshold for how many children by how many women a man is allowed to have before he's not allowed to be a Christian anymore?
If Ray Lewis was serious about his faith he would be humble about it, not arrogantly assuming that God is on his side on the football field. At this point it's worse than Tebow was last year.
So it has nothing to do with the deaths of two people. You just don't like Christians who are uppity about their faith.
posted by Etrigan at 01:39 PM on January 21, 2013
Nice use of racial code-words Etrigan. Your tireless defense of Ray Lewis is sickening. I'm done here. Later!
posted by insomnyuk at 01:49 PM on January 21, 2013
What racial code-words, "uppity"? If there's a dog whistle here, my ears are going.
posted by yerfatma at 01:54 PM on January 21, 2013
Yes, I intentionally used "uppity" there (it's definitely a dog whistle). I did it because complaining about how many kids he has by how many women makes it a little difficult to not view your entire issue with Ray Lewis -- which expands every time you're called on it -- through a racial lens.
Do I get sick of the "Jesus let me catch that ball" bloviating? Constantly. But I just roll my eyes; I don't set myself up as the arbiter of which people deserve to call themselves Christians.
posted by Etrigan at 02:05 PM on January 21, 2013
What punishment or penance would you consider sufficient before he can speak of his faith again?
He's never revealed what he did wrong, who murdered those two men and why he got rid of his bloody clothing from that night. There's no basis to forgive and accept the redemption of someone who won't say exactly what he did.
No one has been convicted of those murders. Lewis broke the promise he made before his last Super Bowl trip to meet with the families of the two men, despite his promise being relayed by announcers Phil Simms and Greg Gumbel during the game broadcast.
Given all that, I have trouble believing in his professed Christianity and won't be tuning in to any talk about what an excellent fellow he's become.
posted by rcade at 02:11 PM on January 21, 2013
I did it because complaining about how many kids he has by how many women makes it a little difficult to not view your entire issue with Ray Lewis -- which expands every time you're called on it -- through a racial lens.
Give Ray some credit. He's given racially tolerant people a pretty damn good reason to hate him.
And his kids didn't come up until we were debating his professed Christianity. Having six children out of wedlock with four women and not raising any of them in his own home does not suggested he's much of a Christian.
posted by rcade at 02:17 PM on January 21, 2013
According to his lawyer, at least, Lewis doesn't know who killed them. He testified that he never saw a knife. He certainly helped cover it up, but he admitted to that and pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.
I think it's possible for a reasonable person to think that he personally killed Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar, and that his friends and his legal team got him out of it. But I also think it's possible for a reasonable person to think that he didn't do it, but freaked out when he realized that he was the one who was going to pay for it one way or the other.
And I admit that, despite asking what penance would suffice, I don't think that anything Lewis does will ever satisfy the people who say he could redeem himself but just isn't quite there yet. I may well be wrong.
posted by Etrigan at 02:26 PM on January 21, 2013
And his kids didn't come up until we were debating his professed Christianity.
No, they didn't come up for two rounds of the conversation after his professed Christianity came up.
Having six children out of wedlock with four women and not raising any of them in his own home does not suggested he's much of a Christian.
Why? Is he not supporting them? The Bible seems to be ambivalent about whether you have to raise your children in your own home.
Again, my real problem here is with people who say "Nope, that person is insufficiently deserving to call himself a Christian." The whole point of Christianity is that you get forgiven. Dismas was one of the first people taken to Heaven by Jesus, recall.
posted by Etrigan at 02:32 PM on January 21, 2013
He's never revealed what he did wrong
Again, not defending him, but isn't it possible the terms of some settlement from the incident prevent him from discussing it?
posted by yerfatma at 02:36 PM on January 21, 2013
Again, not defending him, but isn't it possible the terms of some settlement from the incident prevent him from discussing it?
I doubt it. We'd have heard about that by now.
posted by Etrigan at 02:41 PM on January 21, 2013
The whole point of Christianity is that you get forgiven.
After you admit what you did!
Why?
Because Christians are taught to abstain from sex until marriage, have children with the person they marry and stay with that person forever. Lewis had to be taken to court at least twice to pay child support.
You say nothing Lewis does would satisfy his critics. I think you have an exceptionally low threshold for what he has to do to be accepted as a changed man.
Ultimately, whether Lewis is a good Christian is a private matter. But in public, where he's professing his Christianity loudly and the media will likely use it to spin a tale of redemption, it's fair to judge whether that's a bunch of BS or not.
And how full of crap is Lewis about religion? Check out this passage from a 2006 SI story:
Lewis won't go so far as to call himself the Second Coming, but he's close to believing himself a prophet of sorts, and if martyrdom is the price, so be it. "God has me to do what people are afraid to do: tell the truth," he says. "Yes, racism does exist. Hatred exists every day. I'm not afraid. The worst thing that could happen to me -- and I don't see it as the worst -- is to be killed and go to heaven."
posted by rcade at 03:13 PM on January 21, 2013
Matthew 6:1-7 sums it up pretty well, and Verse 1 is the crux: "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven."
I wear a Cross around my neck, but it's not to brag about my preferred religion. It's a quiet reminder about why I'm here (and how poorly I live up to what the Cross requires). Athletes who invoke their religious beliefs are, I'm sure, fully sincere in their professions of faith, but my impression is that they should do a bit more theological study than theological speech.
Oh, by the way, before the game - actually as I was exiting church and speaking with our priest - I said that Baltimore would not win the game, but New England could very easily lose it. I think I was pretty close to correct.
posted by Howard_T at 03:21 PM on January 21, 2013
Because Christians are taught to abstain from sex until marriage, have children with the person they marry and stay with that person forever.
Whoa. Back the truck up here, man. Not even Catholics are taught those things anymore. You're saying he's a bad Christian for not conforming to your version of what it is. That's the whole problem here.
You say nothing Lewis does would satisfy his critics. I think you have an exceptionally low threshold for what he has to do to be accepted as a changed man.
The first thing you asked for was for him to do something he has said he can't do. He testified in court that he doesn't know who killed those two men. You're saying that he's lying, and if he doesn't admit his lie, you'll never believe that he's not lying. That's not Catch 22, but it's in the high teens.
posted by Etrigan at 03:34 PM on January 21, 2013
Other than a Dodge Dart spot or two, which commercials feature Brady? Even in New England we don't see 1/10th of the spots with Brady that we do for Manning or Rodgers.
He was in the youth football commercial that Ray Lewis also appears in. Nowhere near the roughly 800 products Manning pedals.
posted by dyams at 04:08 PM on January 21, 2013
Not even Catholics are taught those things anymore.
Yes we are. Here's one story among many: Pope Benedict 0x10 urges bishops "to beef up their teaching about the evils of premarital sex and cohabitation."
You're saying he's a bad Christian for not conforming to your version of what it is. That's the whole problem here.
So everyone's a good Christian, then? From Tim Tebow to Ray Lewis and everyone in between?
He testified in court that he doesn't know who killed those two men. You're saying that he's lying, and if he doesn't admit his lie, you'll never believe that he's not lying. That's not Catch 22, but it's in the high teens.
People lie, Etrigan. Under the weird logical construction of your comment, it's a Catch-22 to believe they lied and hold out on forgiving them until they tell the truth.
But isn't that how it always works? People thought Lance Armstrong lied about using PEDs. Now he's revealed that it was a lie, so people know that his original story was a lie. He wasn't put in a Catch-22 by people who waited for the truth.
Lewis has never given a full, convincing accounting of what happened that night or why he discarded his bloody suit. Until he does, talk of his redemption is premature.
posted by rcade at 04:11 PM on January 21, 2013
A central tenet of modern Christianity seems to be the judgment of others' professions of faith. Opinions on whether coreligionists are in fact Christian enough may have been part of Christ's teaching right from the start. Perhaps Christians have always eaten their own in this manner.
posted by Hugh Janus at 04:13 PM on January 21, 2013
rcade, it looks like your argument is "Ray Lewis killed those people, and I'll never believe that he didn't, and any talk of his redemption has to start with him admitting it." Mine is that I don't know whether Ray Lewis killed those people, and that it's not my place to judge whether he's a good or a bad Christian anyway.
And redemption is a whole different matter, and so nebulous a concept that we can't logic each other into accepting the other person's personal judgments on it, especially since I haven't actually said what mine is.
posted by Etrigan at 04:47 PM on January 21, 2013
Uh, gentlemen? I'm seeing a distinct lack of Sports in my Sportsfilter this morning. Just saying...
posted by hincandenza at 04:58 PM on January 21, 2013
I did it because complaining about how many kids he has by how many women makes it a little difficult to not view your entire issue with Ray Lewis -- which expands every time you're called on it -- through a racial lens.
Steve Garvey is black?! (I may be dating myself here, but he's the first one I think of when fathering multiple children with multiple unwed women.)
posted by grum@work at 05:05 PM on January 21, 2013
Christianity, kids, multiple wives, Ray Lewis, murders...this sounds like a pre-Super Bowl story by a tired media looking for anything to write two days before the SB.
posted by roberts at 05:23 PM on January 21, 2013
Uh, gentlemen? I'm seeing a distinct lack of Sports in my Sportsfilter this morning. Just saying...
Amen to that ...
posted by cixelsyd at 05:36 PM on January 21, 2013
There's no basis to forgive and accept the redemption of someone who won't say exactly what he did.
As far as I know, it's not you that gets to do the forgiving or redeeming, but God. Your opinions on these matters should mean nothing to a Christian. But, I'm not a Christian, so I could be wrong...
posted by MeatSaber at 05:41 PM on January 21, 2013
rcade, it looks like your argument is ...
Stop arguing your point by restating mine poorly.
Lewis is making public proclamations of his Christian faith all the time lately. It's likely to be one of the stories of the next two weeks.
You're the one who wanted to talk about whether he was a worthy Christian. So we did.
Your opinions on these matters should mean nothing to a Christian.
True. But when Lewis uses the huge media platform granted him at the end of playoff victories to glorify God and profess his religious faith, should we pretend he didn't say anything on the grounds that we're intruding on a private matter?
posted by rcade at 06:00 PM on January 21, 2013
I don't know much about Ray Lewis, but I'll tell you this much. There's actually being a Christian, and then there's sitting on the sideline talking about what a nebulous concept redemption is.
The truth is it's not really that nebulous, but it is often the result of intensely personal interpretation. To me, the paradox - and I'm saying this from experience - is that if you actually think about it, members of the community that have a deep understanding and preach the concept of redemption are more likely to have sinned. Do I go around making this point in public? No. But I would half-jokingly share with you in private that you could almost map this relationship on a chart. I, anecdotally, can testify to the fact that some of the most moving speakers and advocates of religion, are literally the most fucked up people one on one. One very pious person I know - if you heard this person speak about God on a Sunday, your jaw would drop - has personally threatened to kill me because he thought I was sleeping with his wife. Turns out, despite his stirring speeches, he may in fact suffer from mental illness.
Now, the rub is, I can't judge this person, at least publicly. And by "can't" I mean that, in a personal situation, as a member of a flock, it probably best serves me to look for the commonalities with my brother rather than the differences. And maybe in my heart of hearts, I do accept him. But does this mean I have to be his friend, hang out with him, and as a good Christian, turn the other cheek and pretend like nothing happened? Fuck that.
And of course, the bigger picture is, I don't fucking know Ray Lewis personally. So I don't know what the fuck he did. But it is not unusual for the media to construct story lines about people I don't know, giving me bits of information, and telling me who I should root for and who I should not. But it is wise to treat this as pure entertainment. Real redemption is a matter between Ray Lewis and God, and probably not something I have a say in.
So let's stop quoting the Bible, because honestly it's a little insulting to treat practicing Christians as a bunch of retards who exist only to be victimized by your lifted passages of scripture.
To me, the real issue at hand is that in the NFL - especially if you're black - if you are a "team player" on the field, you are given a pass for all of your off-the-field antics. However, if you are an on-field "diva," you are more readily crucified. I can't fully explain this phenomenon, but I believe it to be true. Race card aside, quarterbacks like Roethlisberger and Favre get a pass for sexual deviancy because they are consummate team players. Meanwhile, Vick, Owens, Moss, Bryant, Burress, Ochocinco, not to mention countless NBA players - these guys are typically high-wattage stars in their positions, but are treated like unsignable charlatans when the sports journalists pick up on their off-the-field transgressions. I mean, Moss yelling at a food caterer led to his ousting in Minnesota. For fuck's sake, yelling at a food caterer? I still can't get over that.
So you better watch out when the media - or anyone for that matter - is telling you how great this sports player is and how bad this other sports player is. History has shown some people really know how to cash in on this phenomenon. Manti Te'o, you better get your act together.
But God also gave us brains to use, and I don't think it's fair to say that a Christian cannot actively analyze the sexually deviant or murderous intentions of a person simply because said person is peddling the redemptive Word of God, in order to at least make a personal decision to protect him or herself from the influence or ongoing false idolatry of such perpetrators. And I'm not saying Ray Lewis is any of that. But you had to go there with all that redemption is nebulous shit.
posted by phaedon at 06:18 PM on January 21, 2013
rcade, it looks like your argument is ...
Stop arguing your point by restating mine poorly.
So tell me how I'm wrong.
You're the one who wanted to talk about whether he was a worthy Christian. So we did.
No, I'm the one who wanted to know how someone else arrived at the conclusion that he wasn't.
posted by Etrigan at 06:25 PM on January 21, 2013
True. But when Lewis uses the huge media platform granted him at the end of playoff victories to glorify God and profess his religious faith, should we pretend he didn't say anything on the grounds that we're intruding on a private matter?
Not at all. In fact, I tire of all the Christian grandstanding every time I see someone of Lewis's ilk win something. I'm just saying that anyone, outside of God, who chooses not to forgive or redeem Lewis is ultimately talking to a wall. In their eyes, only God can redeem them, so I doubt he gives a flying f**k what insomnyuk or any of us other mortals think...
posted by MeatSaber at 06:41 PM on January 21, 2013
No, I'm the one who wanted to know how someone else arrived at the conclusion that he wasn't.
And when people answered your query, you told them it's improper to judge Christians. Don't open that can of worms if you don't want worms.
I have no problem with people viewing Lewis or his Christianity differently than I do. I am explaining how I view him.
Your premise that nothing from Lewis would satisfy my criticisms is simply false. He could tell us what happened in full and keep his promise to talk to the families of the two murdered men. If he wasn't involved, was just a bystander as two men died in a street fight and has no knowledge of the killers, as some believe, it should not be an onorous burden for him to explain himself.
If he had done this originally instead of lying to the police, telling others to lie and getting rid of his bloody white suit, there would be less doubt about the veracity of his story.
posted by rcade at 06:55 PM on January 21, 2013
So is there any action he could take that would redeem him in your eyes, to the point that he would be allowed to talk about his belief in a faith that emphasizes forgiveness and redemption?
I think 'faith' today emphasizes no gay marriage, poor people feel entitled, and don't take our guns more than forgiveness and redemption.
I don't know him, so I have no idea if he lives a 'christian' life or not. Since I don't believe the majority that claim to be christian do, I doubt it, but I really don't know.
All I ask is if he loses the superbowl he admits that god let him down. I don't think that's too much to ask.
posted by justgary at 09:43 PM on January 21, 2013
Thanks for accusing me of racism Etrigan. Really classy. You and Ray Lewis should party together in Miami.
posted by insomnyuk at 12:34 AM on January 22, 2013
I need a "guns don't kill people, ray lewis kills people" shirt stat.
posted by phaedon at 01:13 AM on January 22, 2013
(What would Tebow Think)
That God let him down when He told him to sign with the Jets instead of the Jags.
posted by rcade at 09:32 AM on January 22, 2013
Uh, gentlemen? I'm seeing a distinct lack of Sports in my Sportsfilter this morning. Just saying...
I think that's the beauty of SpoFi...any reasonable discussion about sports figures/personalities can move to the left or right and continue if we stay reasonable...
Not to mention it gives great insight into the different personalities we have in our community. Such as whose Catholic, is one this thread has provided. It helps in future discusions to know where different members are comming from. The Sandusky threads give excellent insight as well.
I guess all I'm sayin is I don't mind a little levity in my sports talk.
posted by Folkways at 09:43 AM on January 22, 2013
WWTT
(What awould Tebow Think)
That Manti Te'o's main problem is a lack of imagination?
posted by Mr Bismarck at 09:46 AM on January 22, 2013
Just a thought - if the Patriots had won would everyone on the list be bashing Tom Brady for having children with multiple partners, some outside of marriage? What about questioning his on or off field conduct?
No, we'd get force fed what a perfect player and human being he is.
We all have flaws, people. The perfect Christian does not exist.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:26 AM on January 22, 2013
People should talk more often about Brady's illegitimate son, if only because Bridget Moynahan named him "John Edward Thomas" so that Brady's son's initials are "JET."
posted by Mr Bismarck at 10:34 AM on January 22, 2013
Just a thought - if the Patriots had won would everyone on the list be bashing Tom Brady for having children with multiple partners, some outside of marriage? What about questioning his on or off field conduct?
As far as I know, Tom Brady has never taken action to impede the investigation of two murders that denied justice for the grieving families.
posted by NoMich at 10:53 AM on January 22, 2013
If Tom Brady wore a "Psalms 91" shirt under his uniform and talked about his Christian faith often in post-game field interviews, his child out of marriage might come up for criticism.
The media wouldn't do it, but then again the media isn't criticizing Lewis about his kids either.
posted by rcade at 10:53 AM on January 22, 2013
No, we'd get force fed what a perfect player and human being he is.
Don't tell me you'd argue that point. Don't make me go The Full Maddux.
posted by yerfatma at 11:01 AM on January 22, 2013
Geez, I think the bottom line of all this yakking is that whether Ray Lewis is a good Christian is besides the point but if he wants to stop all the yakking he should be a bit quieter on the topic instead proclaiming it in every interview and media spot. Tebow wasn't getting the shit because he's Christian but because he's so loud about it.
I'm waiting for one of the many Muslim players in the NFL to be MVP of the season or Super Bowl. And talk about how his faith and the Quran gave him strength to lead his team. Oh yeah, that's gonna blow this kind of shitstorm right into lunar orbit.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:45 AM on January 22, 2013
If Tom Brady wore a "Psalms 91" shirt under his uniform and talked about his Christian faith often in post-game field interviews, his child out of marriage might come up for criticism.
Blammo. Nailed it.
posted by jerseygirl at 12:48 PM on January 22, 2013
That God let him down when He told him to sign with the Jets instead of the Jags.
Nah, man, he's being tested. Some real Job shit.
posted by tron7 at 12:59 PM on January 22, 2013
I think it's possible for a reasonable person to think that he personally killed Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar, and that his friends and his legal team got him out of it.
That's enough for me to think that he should not get the amount of positive attention he gets from the media. If there's even an outside chance a guy got away with murders we should just avoid putting the guy on a pedastal. Ray Lewis gets that positive attention because he's as good an entertainer as he is a linebacker. If the guy had the personality of Navarro Bowman he'd be ignored completely and if he had the personality Barry Bonds he'd have horrible horrible things written about him.
posted by tron7 at 01:24 PM on January 22, 2013
Nah, man, he's being tested. Some real Job shit.
Tebow could have been tested like Job if he signed with Jacksonville! It would have been so great. I need Walter Bishop to send me to an alternate universe where this happened.
posted by rcade at 01:28 PM on January 22, 2013
If Tom Brady wore a "Psalms 91" shirt under his uniform and talked about his Christian faith often in post-game field interviews, his child out of marriage might come up for criticism. Blammo. Nailed it.
Have to disagree as no one would have seen it because we would have all swooned at the thought That Greek God was taking his shirt off.
posted by yerfatma at 01:47 PM on January 22, 2013
The real issue here is that insomnyuk said he was leaving and then didn't leave. Liar! God hates you.
posted by THX-1138 at 04:04 PM on January 23, 2013
Nice use of racial code-words Etrigan. Your tireless defense of Ray Lewis is sickening. I'm done here. Later!
He did say later...and the next comment was "later"...so...
posted by Folkways at 06:37 PM on January 23, 2013
He said "done here". Then he wasn't done. Lie.
Your defense has angered the Lord. Get right with Jesus tout de suite.
posted by THX-1138 at 08:34 PM on January 23, 2013
Don't run people off for words said in anger. Things get contentious, you go to your corner, take a breath.
posted by yerfatma at 08:48 PM on January 23, 2013
I'm going to say to you people what I said to Dad when I was a 10-year-old boy sobbing my eyes out in 1977: Please don't leave!
posted by rcade at 09:23 PM on January 23, 2013
I'll second/third that, folks. Differences of opinion are what make this list.
posted by cixelsyd at 11:24 PM on January 23, 2013
No they aren't.
posted by yerfatma at 08:06 AM on January 24, 2013
God Almighty is not a fan of humorous contradiction. Or Python.
posted by THX-1138 at 11:26 AM on January 24, 2013
My God loves Python...
She told me so the morning after...
She also told me to never call anyone a liar...
Now weather I could lie or not she never said...
posted by Folkways at 03:46 PM on January 24, 2013
Ahh, I see. Your God is Hillary Clinton.
posted by THX-1138 at 06:35 PM on January 24, 2013
I had the Ravens written off earlier this year. Joe Flacco is the best least-respected quarterback in the NFL.