Tuesday Morning Quarterback on Tuesday Night!
Base10 finally got around to reading Tuesday Morning Quarterback on Tuesday Night! But TMQ has some great insights this week. I especially like this observation about Bill Belichick. After noting that Bill B. may go down in history as one of the best coaches in the history of the league, TMQ reminds us,

[R]emember, Belichick was considered a failure at Cleveland, where he compiled a modest 37-45 record. During his Browns years, Belichick was widely mocked for grimacing and looking disoriented on the sideline. Then he had his weird episode of being head coach of the Jets for about three hours, and again was widely derided. Now we should be discussing whether he is the best-ever coach.

One lesson to learn: Know [that] what Belichick did was initially unsuccessful, then widely mocked. He didn't give up.

This is a good lesson in life, but also know that if you persist in something, and all about you call you mad, you may very well be wrong. Unless you're George W. Bush, in which case you cannot be wrong because you have some extrasensory gift for judging world events.

All this talk is very inspirational but TMQ does not stop there. In an extra-inspirational column, TMQ talks about athletes who attribute their success to God,

Of course, many athletes who praise God after victory do so because what they want to express is humility. But it just doesnt work. The way to express humility after a sports victory is to praise your teammates, because they actually had something to do with the victory. Don't praise God, because God had nothing to do with whether both your feet came down inbounds.

At this point, the athlete who is sincerely religious might respond, "What I mean is that if I live a moral life and then prevail at the Super Bowl, this gives glory to God, and shows people that if they live a moral life, they will be rewarded, too." That sentiment is admirable. But sometimes athletes who are completely contemptible human beings prevail at the Super Bowl, and then what is the message? Observing the world, we don't see much relationship between those whose for whom virtue comes first and those who get on magazine covers or receive megabucks bonuses. Living a moral life is a goal unto itself, and is its own reward: The reason to live morally, regardless of whether your inspiration is faith or secular philosophy, is that living morally is the right thing to do. As for giving glory to God -- when you help your fellow man or woman, this gives glory to God. Sports events are only games.

Base10 particularly likes TMQ's proposed Athlete's prayer. Truly a fine one, and certainly one Base10 would teach his children had he been so blessed,

The Athlete's Prayer
God, let me play well but fairly.
Let competition make me strong but never hostile.
Forbid me to rejoice in the adversity of others.
See me not when I am cheered, but when I bend to help my opponent up.
If I know victory, allow me to be happy;if I am denied, keep me from envy.
Remind me that sports are just games.
Help me to learn something that matters once the game is over.
And if through athletics I set an example, let it be a good one.

It really is a good column. Well, Base10 has had enough of the intersection of God and sports, but certainly not enough of each. TTFN.
- posted by Base10 @ 11:48 PM