NFL: No Fans Left

In less than a month, the National Football League will begin a new regular season. I used to enjoy watching their games on TV. This year I plan to shy away from that even more. 

Many fans like myself are opposed to the NFL permitting players to disrespect “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Last year, the league started pairing that with “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which has been called a “black national anthem.” Despite widespread criticism, Commissioner Roger Goodell declared, “We, the National Football League, believe black lives matter…Without black players, there would be no National Football League.” 

That’s not entirely true. The league existed before segregation in professional sports ended. I’m not against “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as a song. It originated from a Christian hymnal. However, playing a “black national anthem” before games is divisive instead of unifying. As stated before, I do not support the Black Lives Matter movement.

The league has also succumbed to the homosexual agenda. While channel surfing on a friend's TV a few weeks ago, I briefly stopped on the NFL Network. An ad came up declaring “football is gay” and featured a rainbow-colored NFL logo. I searched for this on their YouTube channel to give it a “dislike.” It had over five times more of those than “likes” plus many written complaints.  

The Minnesota Vikings will always be my favorite team, but I’ve become less enthusiastic about following them. Their Facebook page recently had pride memes posted. Offensive line coach Rick Dennison got removed from his post for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccination but then was reinstated as “senior offensive advisor.” Players like starting quarterback Kirk Cousins have been criticized for not getting jabbed. Will they soon require proof of vaccinations for fans to attend their games?

Another thing I don’t like about the NFL is how they are adding extra games. Last year, two more wild card teams were added for the playoffs. Just like other major league sports, the NFL is allowing too many teams in the postseason. It defeats the necessity to play well enough throughout the regular season for the opportunity of becoming “World Champions.” I’d rather see division winners only qualify for the playoffs.

This year all teams will play 17 regular-season games. The odd number means half the teams (including the Vikings) will have one fewer home game than those played on the road. To lengthen the season, the league could have given each team an extra bye week as they did once before in 1993. Another option would be to play an 18 game regular season as the defunct USFL had in the 1980s. That still gives every team an equal number of home games.

I wish the league would play their games without all the greed and politicization. That would stop the increasing exodus of fans. Nevertheless, I hope all the Christian players have successful seasons this year. One I’m rooting for is Tim Tebow. He is attempting a comeback as a tight end with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Tim makes the team, we could see him Tebowing again. I’d rather watch that instead of players kneeling during the national anthem or doing end zone celebrations that have gotten ridiculous.

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” - Colossians 3:17

Another Sleeper Hit? A Review of “Overcomer”

Alex and Stephen Kendricks are former pastors from Georgia who have gone on to become successful filmmakers. The two brothers have put together six powerful faith-based movies over the past sixteen years. Their 2015 release “War Room” reached number one at the box office. Hopefully, their latest production “Overcomer” does likewise. I saw it two days ago.

Alex plays John Harrison, a high school basketball coach who loses players due to a local manufacturing plant shutting down and families moving away. Meanwhile, the principal (played by Priscilla Shirer who starred in “War Room”) asks John to oversee the school’s cross-country program. The coach is reluctant but agrees to do so. Only one student shows up for the tryout: a fifteen-year-old girl with asthma. Despite Hannah’s handicap, she gradually improves her running skills. 

During a hospital visit with his pastor, John inadvertently meets another patient who had lost his sight and legs due to diabetes. As they get to know each other, John realizes Thomas is a former cross-country runner who happens to be Hannah’s biological father. They hadn’t been in contact since her birth. A reunion causes a rift with Hannah’s grandmother who raised her. Nevertheless, Thomas plays a significant role in Hannah’s next race.

The main message of “Overcomer” is that circumstances shouldn’t define us. Our identity as believers must be who we are in Christ. Even ministers need to be reminded that God’s love is not dependent on what they do for Him.

Admittedly, my expectations weren’t too high when first hearing about the subject matter of “Overcomer.” Just like with John Harrison, cross country is a sport I’m not excited about (although I took part in that during ninth grade). However, the storyline has many surprises that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend this movie.

“Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” - 1 John 5:5

A New Name

In this age of political correctness, debates over “offensive” nicknames for sports teams have increased. Four years ago, members of Congress from Michigan and Oklahoma sent a letter to the NFL insisting the Washington Redskins change their name. Other professional teams that experienced protests include baseball’s Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians. The latter will stop using its Chief Wahoo logo (pictured here) on their uniforms beginning with the 2019 season.

High school and college sports haven’t been exempt from this controversy. Until June 2012, the University of North Dakota teams were called Fighting Sioux. That name was dropped due to pressure from the NCAA. They are now called the Fighting Hawks. Many UND students and alumni still call their teams Fighting Sioux.

Surveys have determined most Native Americans don’t mind the use of Indian names for sports teams. One long-time Redskins fan of American Indian descent emailed the team saying, “I am very proud of the name and our fight song. I do not find them offensive or derogatory.” Florida State’s use of its Seminole name is officially sanctioned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The old UND Fighting Sioux logo was designed by an American Indian artist.

It seems the ones who protest the loudest regarding this matter are politicians. A Washington Redskins spokesman pointed out in a statement, “With all the important issues Congress has to deal with such as a war in Afghanistan to deficits to health care, don't they have more important issues to worry about than a football team's name? And given the fact that the name of Oklahoma means ‘Red People’ in Choctaw, this request is a little ironic.”

There are accounts in the Bible of names changing for nations and especially individuals. Abram became Abraham. Sarai became Sarah. Jacob became Israel. Daniel was given the name Belteshazzar by King Nebuchadnezzar. In the New Testament, Jesus gave Simon the name Cephas (or more commonly known as Peter). After his conversion on the Damascus Road, Saul became Paul.

Over the years I’ve known a few Christians who changed their name to something more biblical. One man who I evangelized with a few times changed his name to Elihu. Another man who used to be my best friend renamed himself after one of the early church leaders. Sadly, my friend ended up betraying me by pursuing an adulterous relationship with my then-wife. Changing one’s name doesn’t automatically produce a change of character.  

A name change will also not affect a person’s eternal destiny. Before your life ends, you want to make sure your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Then when you get to heaven, you will get a new name that’s between you and the Lord Himself. I’m curious to find out what mine will be.

“To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” - Revelation 2:17

Memories from a Cautiously Optimistic Vikings Fan

Sports fans in America love rooting for the underdog. Just over a year ago, the Chicago Cubs had many people pulling for them (myself included) as they won their first World Series in 108 years. Now another franchise with a reputation of losing big games has a chance of finally winning it all. It happens to be my favorite football team.

The Minnesota Vikings began playing in 1961 as an NFL expansion team. Eight years later, they appeared in their first Super Bowl but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. Three years after that, I started watching Vikings games on TV while growing up in Moorhead, Minnesota. The following season, they reached Super Bowl VIII, which was played on my tenth birthday. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a Super Sunday for me as the Vikings lost to the Miami Dolphins.

Nevertheless, I remained a Minnesota Vikings fan with quarterback Fran Tarkenton as my favorite player. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, I watched almost every Vikings game on TV. They consistently won their division but never went all the way through the playoffs. Among the disappointments I endured seeing were two more Super Bowl losses and the infamous Hail Mary game against the Dallas Cowboys. By the end of the decade, I was watching fewer games and spending more time at the roller rink.

In December 1980, I was home one Sunday afternoon watching the Minnesota Vikings play poorly against the Cleveland Browns. I left the living room just before the game was over. Suddenly, I heard Mom and Dad cheering as Ahmad Rashad caught a winning touchdown with no time left. Since then, my parents jokingly asked me to leave the room whenever the Vikings faced defeat. They often seemed to play better when I wasn’t watching them. Similar incidents happened with come-from-behind playoff wins over the New York Giants in 1997 and last week’s “Minneapolis Miracle” against the New Orleans Saints. I had been watching the latter game from a restaurant but left early thinking the Vikings would let that game slip away.

Dad had talked of us seeing a Minnesota Vikings game as a family but that never happened (he passed away last month). My parents went to a game by themselves in 1984 when the Vikings had one of their worst seasons ever. They barely won that contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I attended my first Vikings game two years later after moving to Minneapolis. One night I was at a club where the disc jockey announced he had two free Vikings tickets for the first person who could tell him who played keyboards on the Beatles’ song “Get Back.” I knew the answer was Billy Preston and rushed to the DJ booth to claim the tickets. A college classmate went with me the next night to see the Vikings beat the Dolphins in a preseason game.

Due to the high prices plus preferring the comfort and convenience of seeing games on TV, I never sought to buy Vikings tickets. Still, I’ve been to a few other games. In 1999, a friend’s mother had season tickets and offered to let her son and me attend the home opener. The Vikings lost that one to the Oakland Raiders.

Starting in 2013, I’ve spent part of the year living with a Vikings fan who’s also an occasional evangelist. As Mr. Minnesota, my roommate dances around near the stadium in a Mask-like outfit attracting crowds and then hands out specially-designed gospel tracts. In exchange for filming him, Mr. Minnesota bought both of us tickets for that day’s game if he found a pair from a scalper who wasn’t charging too much money. I haven’t been to a winning game with Mr. Minnesota except for one.

Prior to a Vikings game against the Houston Texans in 2016, I approached a homeless man sitting near the stadium displaying a sign asking for help. After offering him a bag of Doritos, this man offered me a ticket someone had given him. Mr. Minnesota later bought one off the street. Both of us got to see the Vikings win 31-13. At that point, they were 5-0 for the season but then slumped to finish with an 8-8 record.

This season I initially shied away from watching NFL games in response to many players not honoring the national anthem. Gradually I relented as the Minnesota Vikings played better than expected and finished the regular season at 13-3. I’m still a bit reluctant to watch today’s NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. As much as I want to see the Vikings win, I don’t want to get my emotions stirred up and then experience another letdown. The Vikings have lost in their last five NFC Championship appearances including two in overtime. But if they win today, the Vikings will compete in their first Super Bowl in 41 years…and in their home stadium to boot!

Here’s something else worth noting. Back in late 1976, I had a dream of having been in some kind of coma and then asked my mother if the Vikings had won the Super Bowl. She said they did by beating the New England Patriots. In real life, the Vikings eventually lost that season’s Super Bowl to the Raiders who had narrowly beaten the Patriots in an earlier playoff game. However, this dream would become prophetic if both the Vikings and Patriots win their respective games today and then if the Vikings come out victorious in Super Bowl LII.

Regardless, I won’t base my happiness on the outcome of a football game. Some might call me a fair-weather fan but I disagree. The Minnesota Vikings will always be my favorite team. But even former head coach Bud Grant told one interviewer, “Football is entertainment. It’s not life or death.” In response to his being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Bud stated, “We’re stars. We’re not heroes. We’ve done nothing heroic.”

As Christians, we can always be winners. In fact, Romans 8:37 says we are more than conquerors. After throwing last week’s winning touchdown pass, Vikings quarterback Case Keenum told a Fox Sports reporter that the most important moment of his life was meeting his Lord and Savior. Go Team Jesus!

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” - Colossians 3:2 (KJV)

Super Sunday

Every year millions of people gather around televisions to watch the Super Bowl. The first time I ever watched it was on my tenth birthday in 1974. I was full of excitement since the Minnesota Vikings was one of the teams playing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. That morning at Sunday school, the teacher noticed my zeal for the big game. In front of the whole class he asked me, “Which is more important…church or football?”

Without hesitation I replied, “Football.”

My dad scolded me when he later found out about this. Back then I didn’t see any benefit in going to church. We attended a traditional institution that gave me wrong perceptions of Christianity (it would be another 17 years before I realized how real God is). 

The Vikings ended up losing Super Bowl VIII to the Miami Dolphins. It would be their second of four Super Bowl losses during the 1970s. My favorite team hasn’t returned to the big game in almost 40 years. I would like to see the Vikings win it at least once before the Lord returns.

Meanwhile, the Super Bowl has become like a national holiday in America. While I worked for Billy Graham’s World Wide Pictures during the late 1990s, pastors often picked a Sunday night service to show one of our evangelistic films. I advised them not to do so on Super Bowl Sunday. Most nonbelievers would prefer watching the game instead of going to church to see a movie.

On a related note, it’s interesting to point out the largest crowd ever gathered at the now-defunct Metrodome (where the Vikings used to play) was not for a sporting event but a Billy Graham Crusade. I was one of those in attendance that Sunday night. 

When I do watch the Super Bowl, one thing I don’t care for is all the hype and commercialism surrounding the game. I wish more Christians showed that level of enthusiasm for getting the gospel out. After all, our Savior won the ultimate victory for us on a more important Super Sunday.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57

Back to the Future

Today millions of people will gather around TV sets to see the Seattle Seahawks take on the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. Despite the fact I enjoy watching NFL games, I plan to avoid certain parts of the telecast. One of them is Queen Latifah singing “God Bless America” before the kickoff. This is the same woman who at last Sunday’s Grammy Awards officiated a mass wedding that included homosexual couples. The Super Bowl halftime shows also had a couple of profane incidents by their performers. Although the commercials are often clever and entertaining, I’d rather just watch the football game.

Prior to previous Super Bowls, my mom and dad often asked me to make a prediction. Usually, I haven’t come close to the final score but there have been exceptions. Prior to Super Bowl XXXVI, I picked the St. Louis Rams to beat the New England Patriots 20-17. However, I also told my parents that the game could go into overtime with the New England Patriots pulling off an upset. As it turned out, the Patriots won 20-17 on a last-second field goal. That game almost went into overtime.

A similar thing happened seven years later when the Arizona Cardinals faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. Wanting to see Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner win another Super Bowl (as he did once before with the Rams), I picked Arizona to win 27-24 but had a feeling they would lose. Sure enough, the Steelers won by an almost identical score of 27-23.

Years ago I used to think it would be cool if one could know in advance the results of major sporting events like the Super Bowl. Some of you might remember the movie “Back to the Future II” in which Marty McFly travels in Doc Brown’s time machine to the year 2015 (which is now only one year away). At an antique store, Marty bought a sports almanac with the intent of bringing it back to 1985 and become rich through gambling. Marty’s plan backfired when his nemesis Biff Tannen temporarily stole the time machine and gave the sports almanac to himself. It resulted in a disastrous change of events that could only be corrected by going further back in time.

In real life, people ruin their lives by attempting to access future information through satanic means such as horoscopes and fortunetellers. The future ultimately belongs in the hands of God. Some people attempt to discern future events through hidden codes in the Bible. These folks should get to know the actual author of the Bible by reading His word. 2 Peter 1:19 (KJV) says that we have “a more sure word of prophecy.”

One of my favorite Bible verses is Joel 2:25, “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.” In her book “The Secret to True Happiness”, Joyce Meyer points out, “With God, ‘plan B’ can be even better than ‘plan A’ would have been.” So even if you made many bad decisions in the past, you don’t need the aid of a time machine to turn your life around. Put your total trust in the Lord.

“Remember the things I have done in the past.  For I alone am God!  I am God, and there is none like me.  Only I can tell you the future before it even happens.  Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” - Isaiah 46:9-10 (NLT)

Holy Addiction

Years ago a friend of mine wore a T-shirt that read “Addicted to Space Invaders.” For a while I was addicted to video games. One of my favorites was “Dr. Mario.” I would spend up to $10/day on that game. This was when most video games still cost only a quarter to play.

One dictionary defines addiction as “relinquishing ourselves to the control of something or someone else.” Addictions usually don’t happen immediately. Alcoholics often start with just one drink. If they don’t know how to “hold their liquor”, they gradually drink more and more until they cannot control themselves. 

Everybody gets addicted to something. Some may choose drugs, pornography, gambling, food, sports, TV, or playing computer games for hours. I’ve heard people declare they have a caffeine addiction. While I often drink coffee, I will occasionally go without it for days to prove to myself that I’m not addicted to the stuff.

Another kind of addiction can be the latest ride at the amusement park. Many people look for an activity to give them an adrenaline rush. Proverbs 21:17 in the Message Bible reads, “You're addicted to thrills? What an empty life! The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.” 

Once I heard a pastor point out how people can make themselves hungry for anything. Before he went into the ministry, this man developed an addiction to cribbage while serving in the U. S. Air Force. Initially he didn’t have an interest in the card game but soon was playing it regularly with his military buddies.

On the other hand, people can become addicted to spiritual things. 1 Corinthians 16:15 (KJV) says, “Ye know the house of Stephanas...and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.” Carman wrote and recorded a song about being “Addicted to Jesus.”  Another minister I know stated on his web site, “We admit that we have an uncontrollable, holy addiction...the garbage dumps and the slums of the third world!” Getting high on God results in godly behavior. 

1 Timothy 3:3 in the Darby Translation warns against being “addicted to contention.” 2 Timothy 3:4 in the Message Bible says that in the last days people will be “addicted to lust, and allergic to God.” People can also get addicted to gossip and bitterness. 

What are you addicted to?

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:21

The Name of the Game

I enjoy watching football and baseball games on TV…especially if the Vikings and Twins are playing well. But one thing I loathe is the increasing number of sporting events and stadiums named after businesses. 

During the 1980’s, organizers of college bowl games started giving corporate sponsors “naming rights.” All these games used to have simple names like the Rose Bowl and the Cotton Bowl. Now we have games such as the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl and The Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. What’s really confusing is many of these games change their name every few years. For example, this year’s Belk Bowl (to be played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina) was previously called the Meineke Car Care Bowl, the Continental Tire Bowl, and before that the Queen City Bowl.

Nowadays, most major league teams play in venues named after a corporate sponsor. In 1990 when the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves announced their new arena would be called Target Center, I was surprised. That sounded more like a shopping mall than a sporting venue. Until two years ago, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis hadn’t succumbed to this trend. The stadium has since been renamed Mall of America Field. I could accept the name change if the Metrodome was part of the largest shopping center in the U. S. But the Mall of America is located ten miles away in the suburb of Bloomington.

Even the players now are offering money to get their names recognized at stadiums. E.J. and Erin Henderson of the Minnesota Vikings recently made a $20,000 donation to have a new scoreboard installed at their old high school in Aberdeen, Maryland. In exchange, the two brothers asked for their family name to be displayed on the scoreboard. The Aberdeen School Board denied their request. For one thing, the total cost of a new scoreboard is actually $50,000.

Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 6…

1“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

Some churches have miniature plaques or bricks acknowledging the names of donors who contributed to causes such as a building project. If a pastor chooses to honor these donors, that’s between him and the Lord. But congregation members shouldn’t seek public recognition for their giving.

So the next time you are about to give in an offering or fundraiser, examine your motives. God wants us to be generous but with no strings attached.

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” 
- Proverbs 22:1