I forsake watching baseball in 1994 as an impressionable 14-year-old. I understood that the athletes were actually not making as much as they should be making and that the owners were raking it in hand over fist, but holy shit, they’re millionaires! I’ll forever remember the ESPN commercials of empty ballparks, out of work mascots, “Please come back” they plead. But let me stop myslef before I get really ranty about how much I hate baseball… Now, God is being pushed front and center by the Colorado Rockies who play over at Coors field.
David Zirn wrote in The Nation last week:
In a remarkable article from Wednesday’s USA Today, the Colorado Rockies went public with the news that the organization has been explicitly looking for players with “character.” And according to the Tribe of Coors, “character” means accepting Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior. “We’re nervous, to be honest with you,” Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd said. “It’s the first time we ever talked about these issues publicly. The last thing we want to do is offend anyone because of our beliefs.” When people are nervous that they will offend you with their beliefs, it’s usually because their beliefs are offensive.
So, why does God hate the Rockies? With their thin air, you’d think they devised some kind of crazy pitching scheme to combat the homerun friendly park. Or that with the thin air, they’d just out run their less in shape opponents [oh wait, all baseball players are out of shape and they don’t run during the game either]. Why has God allowed them to have a .464 franchise winning percentage (W949-L1094)?
Club president Keli McGregor had this to say:
…we truly do have something going on here. And [God’s] using us in a powerful way.
Yep, maybe he’s using you to show that building a sports team around the belief that having God-fearing players doesn’t work.
And one of their former outfielders, Mark Sweeney, had this to say:
You wonder if some people are going along with it just to keep their jobs. Look, I pray every day. I have faith. It’s always been part of my life. But I don’t want something forced on me. Do they really have to check to see whether I have a Playboy in my locker?
The article also touched on a new marketing ploy of “Faith Night” where churches/groups will get discounts and other goodies. In Atlanta, John Smoltz will stay afterwards for an intimate testimonial session. I remember reading this article in the NYT from 6.2.06 about faith nights and thought, hey, that’s not so bad. Not really that different from mini-bat night or free hat night. Imposing God on the rest of the crowd and the season ticket holders yes, but it’s just a night and they’re there for the baseball [those crazies] anyways.
But steering your franchise in another direction to that of the Almighty?
Any Denver area residents or Rockies fans out there care to chime in?
God I hate baseball.
You said:
Except that they’re not.
I don’t have a problem with that. And it isn’t just because I’m a Braves fan either 😉
What you’re seeing is just one more business trying to tap into the large money machine that is American Christianity. If they were already filling the seats, I’m sure this wouldn’t be happening.
That’s one example of how they did it one night in Atlanta. Reading the NYT article, I took this in:
As happening during the games.
Rereading both articles, I don’t think it’s clear how it’s all being played out during/after the games aside from the one instance in Atlanta you highlighted.
True. I’m not even sure I have a problem with them giving free stuff away to people who want it, but that’s definitely a much finer line.
I was at the game in St. Louis Sunday and they were doing it just like in Atlanta. The crowd was cleared after the game and then whoever wanted to be readmitted to the prayer night (or whatever they called it) could go in. I think it was going to be led by Lou Brock and his wife. I assumed it was meant to fill the stands and pay off the stadium debt.
I can’t get worked up about what they do in the stadium when the games aren’t going on. I wonder however about a hiring practice that is based on faith.
Man…I love baseball. I was watching the Phils game last night…a good one…and I was just dying to be out there on the mound hurling the rock.
I need to find an adult league and have my rotater cuff repaired. There’s no bigger rush than having that ball all alone out on the hill and facing someone down.
And, in my experience, Jesus has nothing to do with it.
Don’t tell that to Fernando Valenzuela!
I too messed up my rotator curff something nasty. Freshman year 2 man rotation will do that to ya. I couldn’t pitch sophomore year and to this day can’t throw a football or baseball around for more than 15 min. Flinging an ultimate disc though, no problem [just not too many hammers].
Aaron Rowand in center field has more to do with it.
It really pisses me off that the money we Denver taxpayers have put out to build Coors Field is being used for the establishment of religion.
The Rockies have dropped 11 of their last 13, so apparently God isn’t batting cleanup. Either that, or he can’t hit the curve. In any event, 3 out of every 6 people you ask in Denver will tell you that John Elway is God, and Elway doesn’t give a shit about the Rockies.
I rather like this anecdote shared by Rocky Mountain News columnist Mike Litwin:
Elway indeed. Over here, our Elway is Bon Jovi. Push?
Ooops, sorry, it’s Mike Littwin rather than Litwin. And I have to agree with him on this: “Since the owners refused to spend the money to make the team competitive, they had no choice but to turn to prayer.”
i read that article in the latimes last week (in passing), and i thought, “gosh, that jesus stuff doesn’t seem to be working to well for the rockies, does it?”
i’m a native denverite (actually aurora, the large, white square suburb directly to the east) but i grew up watching the denver bears triple a club at mile hi stadium.
that was baseball!
What do you want to bet me that the Rockies would take Sandy Koufax in a heartbear were he to suddenly reappear in his Dodger prime? Considering that Koufax is Jewish and wouldn’t start the first game of the 1965 World Series because it was Yom Kippur, I don’t think we’re going to hear him say how he’s been saved anytime soon. And yet he would put the fear of God into pretty much any batter he faced.
Let’s face it, baseball players come in all flavors of faith from none to over-the-top, but what counts is what they do on the field. I admire former Mariner catcher Dan Wilson for his faith and his willingness to acknowledge it, which means both that he credits his God for his talent and that he puts his money where his mouth is by supporting children’s charities in the Puget Sound area. But I have little doubt that his ability as a catcher and a recommendation from then-skipper Lou Piniella, who had worked with Wilson when they were both in the Cincinnati organization, had a hundred more times weight when he asked the front office to trade for Wilson.
Since this is Colorado we’re talking about, I have to wonder whether Dobson or one of his clones has gotten their sticky fingers into this.
since this is colorado we’re talking about, i have to wonder whether dobson or one of his clones has gotten their sticky fingers into this.
don’t know about dobson but remember denver is just about 60 miles north of the air force academy.
I guess that god must really be a Yankees fan, given their record of success of the last 80 years or so. I can picture him/her now, with a navy blue NY cap, seated in the skybox. And yet, something still needs to be done about the quality of the hotdogs.
and the $9 beers. can’t he just transubstantiate some water?
As far as the Yankees are concerned, I’d be more inclined to suspect a deal with the devil. And that would also explain the hotdogs.
as far as the yankees are concerned, i’d be more inclined to suspect a deal with the devil.
watch old 60’s musicals much?
I guess that god must really be a Yankees fan
How can you doubt it, since he sent his favorites Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle to lead the beloved Yankees to multiple championships.
And yea, there was much wine and beer, and a multitude of whores to motivate the team; and He saw this, and He was pleased, for another championship was in sight.
The problem for the Rockies isn’t their faith, its that the park is a home run mecca. Pitchers go there and get there confidence shattered because of all the runs that are scored. Also the thinner hair keeps pitches that rely on movement (curves, sliders, sinkers, etc.) from moving as much so the path of the ball is straigter and easier for batters to judge.
No pitcher in their right mind would go to pitch there. That’s why they’ve never been able to sign any good pitchers in free agency.
How do I know all this? I lived in Denver (or thereabouts from 1964-1988, and I still have family back there. Whe Denver only had a minor league team they never sent down pitchers for work there from the majors, only hitters, because hitters get a real boost to their confidence playing at a mile high.
.
As for the Christian angle, Harpers’ I think had an article a few months back about the number of Xtians in pro leagues, in part because they have been targeted by fundamentalist organizations who then try to parley the athletes fame into opportunities to witness. This is why you see all those players after football games going to the center of the field to pray together, and why you see so many of them pointing up to the sky (or the roof in domed stadiums) as if to say “Thanks be to God for my [touchdown, homerun, etc.]”
I think the “thinner hair” is only a problem for local sportscasters, but otherwise I agree. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the typo humor . . .)
targeted by fundamentalist organizations
Stealing ideas from Scientologists is a good way to end up in hell.
What will we be able to discern about their players’ characters, if & when they continue their losing ways? After all, success is a sign of God’s favor, correct? What would failure be construed as, other than unworthiness in God’s eyes? If they do not manage to build a consistent World Series-winning team, will that mean their players aren’t devout & holy enough? Will failure to make the playoffs lead to a new Inquisition in the locker room? Will Leviticus-style penalties be visited upon players who do not perform? “Keep your ERA under 3, or BE STONED TO DEATH!”
Seriously, how can this possibly be their long-term strategy to build a successful team?
Maybe that’ll be one of their promotions this season: the first 1000 people who show up for the game get a free autographed stone to chuck at the ungodly.
Wonder who they’ll invite to throw out the first stone?
I think you’ve stumbled upon an entirely new dimension in fundie sports marketing! It would be like a modern-day Tyburn Fair!
I love baseball. But I stopped watching in after the 94 disaster as well. But what has this got to do with baseball? It has much more to do with the particular individuals running that team.
Hate baseball for baseball reasons but don’t hate baseball because of wing nuts. That’s called bigotry and it’s particularly bad when it takes one team out of 30 and then pastes all of them as if it came down from the commissioners office as a mandate to all teams.
WTF
No, I hate baseball for baseball and baseball alone. This has nothing to do with me hating baseball.
I remember when the Dallas Cowboys were all over the Christian Comics…..the football team that prays, that prayin Tom Landry. They were even my favorite team when I used to watch football with my dad, but only because Tony Dorsett had such a GREAT ASS…..oops, sorry, CaveTracy popped out there a bit. Eventually though even the Dallas Cowboys discovered the many joys of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. There is still hope for the Rockies yet!
Speaking of sex drugs and rock n’ roll – how about them ’86 Mets!
I’m guessing this isn’t a draft thread?
Sorry to ruin it for the Rockies and their fans with character, but I have it on good authority (Jerry Springer on Air America Radio) that God is a Yankees fan!
Ummm, I think you Yankees fans have it bass-ackwards. Since the bible says you can’t worship god AND money. I think the Yankees are mammon-worshippers, and their money buys them ‘success’ on the field and God has nothing to do with it.
Come on, be honest with yourselves! d:p
However, god really does hate the Rockies.
Also, I’d love to be as badly ‘out of shape’ as your average major leaguer. On the other hand, I guess I could be in ‘good shape’ like Chicago Bears NFL player William “Refrigerator” Perry was.
i wouldn’t sweat it. dan o’dowd is notorious for trying all sorts of hair-brained “plans” to win at altitude. since none of them involve getting good players, they eventually fail and he moves on. seems to me this god thing is just another one of his “plans” … maybe next time they’ll try voodoo (should have gotten the live chicken 😉 )