SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND....SPORT

ALAS, ATHLETES HAVE CHANGED.
WHERE HAS ALL THE COURTLY MODESTY GONE?
THE FEW TATTOOS OF YESTER-DECADES USED TO SAY “MOM.”
NOW THE HUMAN BILLBOARDS SAY, “ME, AND MORE ME.”
WE WILL NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT JEWELRY. BIG PAPERWEIGHT SIZED JEWELRY.

ALL TOO MANY ATHLETES ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH MERE SUCCESS.
ACHIEVEMENT IS NOW PUNCTUATED WITH SPIKING, RIM-HANGING, STRUTTING, FIST PUMPING, AND OTHER GALAPAGOSIAN FLOURISHES.

STANDARD ISSUE HANDSHAKES ARE LEFT FOR OLD-TIMER’S GAMES.

NOW IT’S ALL ABOUT HIGH-FIVES, LOW-FIVES, AND CHEST-BUMPS;
ANYTHING TO EXPRESS SUPERIORITY OVER THE PATHETIC OPPONENT.

“ME MAN…YOU WORM! “

THE GRACE IS GONE.

HOWEVER, A NEW GRACE HAS ENTERED THE COMPETITION.

GOD’S GRACE.

DA’ BIG MAN IS IN DA’ ARENA.

A SWELLING NUMBER OF ATHLETES NOW MAKE A PITCH TO THE BIG FAN IN THE SKY BEFORE THE PITCH IS THROWN.
AN INDEX FINGER, OR EVEN TWO, POINTED TOWARD THE SKY OR SKY DOME IS A WAY OF THANKING THE CREATOR FOR THAT EXTRA BASE HIT….AND THE CONTRACT INCENTIVES.

TO ONCE AGAIN MAKE COMPETITION FAIR, WE MUST HAVE A SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND SPORT.
AFTER ALL, A SACRIFICE BUNT IS NOT A SACRAMENT.

NOTE TO THOSE ATHLETES WHO BELIEVE IN THEIR GOD:

IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOUR GOD IS OMNIPOTENT
(AND WHICH GOD ISN’T?) WHY BOTHER WITH A PHYSICAL DISPLAY?
JUST THINK, AND MAKE A WISH, AND YOUR GOD WILL GET YOUR REQUEST.
KIND'A LIKE A TEXT MESSAGE WITHOUT THE PRETEXT.

AND

DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOUR GOD WANTS TO IMPROVE YOUR BATTING AVERAGE AND RAISE THE OTHER GUY’S ERA?