David Tarkington

What Does Jason Collins "Coming Out" Mean?

On Monday, April 29, journeyman NBA center Jason Collins released a statement of his coming out as gay. My first reaction to hearing of this "landmark" announcement by an active player in one of our four major professional sports leagues was, "Who is Jason Collins?"

Suddenly a player who averaged 3.6 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game and 0.9 assists per game in an 11 year NBA career is the most talked about player in the nation. During the season of the NBA Playoffs featuring LeBron, Durant, Wade and a host of other superstars, this story moves to the front page. Jason Collins now makes on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Unfortunately, it's not because of his skill on the court. Nevertheless, the nation knows who Jason Collins is.

The story truly isn't about basketball. In fact, I expect our next headline will be an active NFL player or MLB player stepping out in this way. Based on the reaction publicized in the media, it's a given.

What does Collins' coming out mean for me? Not much, honestly. However, it does once more reveal that we are now in the season where to be LBGT is not only accepted, but celebrated.

In Albert Mohler's Tuesday Briefing, he shares of the "overwhelming celebration of homosexuality and the marginalization of all who disagree." He's right. According to media reports, the adulation placed on Collins is huge. Tweets and quotes from current and former players, coaches, Presidents, and others who have come out as LBGT is immense.

Statements of affirmation get top billing in reports:

However, those, who dare to say anything somewhat critical or concerning about Collins's statement or the homosexual lifestyle are being, predictably, labeled as close-minded, hate-filled, and uninformed. We are living in the day that was predicted by Josh McDowell years ago in his book Right From Wrong, where tolerance is the norm, but only tolerance of things outside biblical mores and long-held Judeao-Christian ethics.

This is evidenced in the response to comments made by ESPN analyst Chris Broussard on Outside the Lines. I applaud Broussard's consistency in his statements and am not surprised that he is being demonized by many. His statement is as follows:

"I'm a Christian. I don't agree with homosexuality. I think it's a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is. [ESPN's] L.Z. [Granderson] knows that. He and I have played on basketball teams together for several years. We've gone out, had lunch together, we've had good conversations, good laughs together. He knows where I stand and I know where he stands. I don't criticize him, he doesn't criticize me, and call me a bigot, call me ignorant, call me intolerant.

"In talking to some people around the league, there's a lot Christians in the NBA and just because they disagree with that lifestyle, they don't want to be called bigoted and intolerant and things like that. That's what LZ was getting at. Just like I may tolerate someone whose lifestyle I disagree with, he can tolerate my beliefs. He disagrees with my beliefs and my lifestyle but true tolerance and acceptance is being able to handle that as mature adults and not criticize each other and call each other names.

"... Personally, I don't believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals, if you're openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that's a sin. If you're openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that's walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I do not think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian."

The above statement was actually a clarification of what was said earlier and it is apparent that he has thought through this and is not being swayed. While some have seen and will see it as hateful words, the reality is that a proper reading (if an unbiased one is even possible) shows nothing more than an individual stating what he believes based on his faith and personal mores.

I know there are many who see the LGBT lifestyle as wrong. For some, it's based on their faith. For others, it is based on personal feelings. Regardless of the reason, it is true that those who dare speak out against the lifestyle, especially in our current culture, will find themselves marginalized and considered uncaring, unloving and wrong, in addition to many other labels.

No, homosexuality is not the biggest sin out there. It's not the only sin. It's not the worst sin. But, it is sin.

I don't know Jason Collins, but from all that's been said about him from former teammates, coaches, friends and current players, he is a great guy. He is the kind of friend anyone would want. He is now more than a journeyman basketball player. He is the face of the gay athlete in America (sorry, Martina and Greg Louganis) and will be touted as an inspiration for high school, college and other pro athletes to declare their LGBT affinity publicly.

I don't think he should be demonized by those who disagree. That will happen and it's unfortunate.

What should be the response of Christ followers to Collins and others who struggle with same-sex attraction? (Yes, I used the term "struggle with same-sex attraction" rather than "who are LGBT" and that was intentional.) We should respond as Jesus stated when asked what the greatest commandment was. . .

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” - Luke 10:27 (ESV)

We must remember that love does not mean affirm. Jesus loved sinners (that would be all of us, by the way) but did not say "Just stay the way you are." Sin is a cancer that spreads quickly. We are all infected and all sin is equal (that's hard to fathom) and we all need a Savior.

Oh, I understand there's an agenda. I know there's a concerted movement at work. Still, in the midst of all of that are individuals in need of life, a life that is full and free and clean.

That's what Jesus offers.

That's why we're here.

Related articles

Boy Scouts, the Gay Agenda and the Local Church

ESPN's Chris Broussard under fire for Jason Collins coverage, calling homosexuality a sin

ESPN Reporter Questions If Collins Can Be Gay, Christian

Jason Collins comes out

REAL Manhood: Dan Werner - Dad & Coach

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. Psalm 103:13(ESV)

Dan Werner is an excellent football coach. He has been coaching for over twenty-five years. Werner worked as an assistant coach at numerous colleges over the years. Schools such as Cornell, Louisiana Tech, James Madison, Murray State, UNLV Auburn, Miami and Mississippi appear on his resume. 

Dan met his wife Kim in 1993 at a party in Ruston, Louisiana where he coached at Louisiana Tech. Kim and Dan were a perfect match an football was a common love. They fell in love with each other and were married. There would be many moves in their future. Moving is always traumatic for a family, Dan told Kim, but much less traumatic than having nowhere to go.

Kim and Dan soon had two children, a daughter named Maya and a couple of years later, their son Ian arrived. Ian would soon be diagnosed with autism. This took a toll on the family, especially Kim, since she was the primary care-giver while Dan was working and traveling.

Then, the phone call came. Dan was on the road when he received the news. Kim was dead. She was just 37 and in great health, but had an enlarged heart. Dan was grieving and so were the kids.

He knew he could not be the father he had to be and continue working as he had been. In the past, he justified that Kim would take care of everything at home. That was no longer an option.

Dan resigned from his college job. A small private school in Batesville, Mississippi was looking for a football coach. The headmaster of the school had been praying for an experienced coach, but this was ridiculous. Werner was overqualified, but he took the job.

This coaching job would mean stability. He could coach and provide for his family, but more important, he’d be able to be at home with his children and give them a sense of normalcy as they grew through their grief together. It was a healing time for the Werners.

He coached successfully for a number of years before Ole Miss called again. This time it was different. The Ole Miss coach was an old friend who offered Werner the job of Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach. The difference? He would have time to be with his family. After consulting his children and gaining their approval, he once again is coaching college football.

Dan Werner was given an opportunity to shirk his responsibility. He could have justified in his mind the torrid work schedule, but he didn’t. He gave up the dream job to work at a high school. He did this and accepted the higher calling and responsibility.

When Sportianity & Christianity Collide

The largest religion in our culture is being challenged. People who adhere to this religion are having their faith questioned. 

This religion is known as Sportianity. Adherants gather weekly, and sometimes more than once a week, to celebrate and fellowship together. Some meet in large open-air facilities. Others meet in smaller venues. Others are proponents of the "house church" movement and gather with a small group of friends in homes. The more missional of the followers meet in public places known as Sports Bars, to engage with others in the community. 

Just as with all religions, different denominations have developed.

There are the Footballists and Basketballists. These two denominations, like many other mainstream ones, are divided. There are the College and Pro sect within each denomination. Sometimes they can fellowship together, but often they stay in their own arenas.

There is also the Baseballians. There is a small offshoot group here called the Collegians, but the vast majority are Major Leaguians. 

For the most part a follower of a certain sect is very faithful, but there are those - we call them "stadium hoppers" - who tend to just go where the biggest crowd is at the time. 

Meeting places for these denominational groups can be found throughout the nation. However, there are some pretty strong regional groupings. Where I live, the SECers dominate. I must say that recently, the SECers have expanded their mission program into Texas and most likely will continue to grow in that region.

In the north, there are some unique religious groups. These are known as Hockeyists. They're a uniquely northern denomination, but with snowbirds and the retirement of many, there have recently been more of these people spotted in the southern parts of the nation.

We can laugh about this, well at least I can, but at the same time it brings to mind some questions. As a follower of Jesus Christ, where does this sports world fit? I'm a proud member of the Y-chromosome club. I enjoy sporting events. I have my favorite teams. I have the hats, the shirts and the jackets with logos embroidered upon them. I enjoy going to the games. I like cheering for these athletes who do amazing things on the field of play.

So, does God care?

Does God have a favorite team?

There are a number of teams with religious names. Does that mean God likes them more? Is God a fan of the Saints, the Angels, the Padres or for my Catholic friends - the Cardinals? Or, as some have stated, is God a fan of the Denver Broncos because Tim Tebow is the quarterback?

I'm not a Tebow-basher. Neither am I big-time Tebow fan. I like him. I respect him. As a brother in Christ, I admire his willingness to verbally give glory to Jesus Christ. The Tebow story has pushed Christianity to the forefront of the sports page. This is why it's so interesting. Two of the nation's top religions are meeting - the religion of Christianity and the religion of sports. 

I think this is why so many people have a problem with Tebow. Much has been said about "Tebowing" and his camera ready prayer poses. Tebow even reached a pinnacle in pop culture. He was parodied on Saturday Night Live.

Does God show favor to certain athletes or teams?

NO - God doesn't show favor as many would define it. God doesn't care that Team A beats Team B so that a person's Fantasy numbers will go up. God doesn't show favor so those who have bet on games can beat the spread. God doesn't love the Christian on Team A more than he loves the Christian on Team B. 

YES - God does show favor on His children at times. This word "favor" has been used by some who teach a false prosperity gospel. This is not the biblical definition. A good biblical example of one in whom favor was shown is Daniel. There are others like Moses, John the Baptist, etc. 

Whether God is showing favor on Tim Tebow or any other athlete can be debated at length. Regardless of the influence of God in a football game, there is only one reason He would show favor on anyone - that is to bring Himself glory.

I don't believe God cares if the Broncos win. I do believe God cares about Tim Tebow just as he cares and loves all His children (regardless what team they're on, or even if they never even make the team.)

Even the fictional coach in the film "Facing the Giants" understood this. Win or lose, God receives glory. He said this over and over.

I like this quote former University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy made after his team was beat soundly by the University of Alabama in the 2009-2010 BCS National Championship Game. ABC reporter Lisa Salters interviewed McCoy and McCoy responded to a difficult question about how it felt watching the game from the sidelines, with the question alluding to how difficult it must have been that his college career ended so abruptly in the biggest game of his life.

Said McCoy: “I always give God the glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life. And I know that if nothing else, I’m standing on the Rock.”

Win or lose - this is right response. To God be the glory.

Can You Believe What These School Employees Did?

The stories continue to pop up every year or so. It seems that teachers, principals, school employees and coaches are doing things that literally threaten to destroy western civilization as we know it. It's hard to believe that all around our nation, parents willingly allow their children to be taught by these heinous people. How could a sane mother or father even consider putting their child under the tutelage of someone such as this.

That's right.

It's happening all over.

Teachers, coaches and sometimes even principals are daring to . . .are you ready for this? They are bowing their heads.

What!?!

I know, I know, you're upset. You cannot believe this is happening. Thoughts like "What is this world coming to?" run through your mind. It's a travesty.

The latest evil culprits were football coaches in Sumner County, Tennessee. This is the county where my brother lives, so he alerted me to this story last night. Apparently, the players on this local public middle school team gathered for a student-originated, student-led prayer time. The coaches were there as well, not leading, but they dared to bow their heads while the students prayed.

That's right. Bowed their heads.

That's it.

And that's what started the fire.

Channel 4 (WSMV) in Nashville covered the story. Here's a portion of their coverage. . .

During a student-originated, student-led prayer, four coaches bowed their heads. They didn't say a word.

But the principal and the district found out.

"We've been telling our principals to kind of be looking for those things, because that is kind of a shift in how things have been done," Sumner County Schools spokesperson Jeremy Johnson said. "It can in no way appear like it's endorsed by Sumner County Schools personnel."

Channel 4 asked if bowing one's head qualified as endorsing.

"It depends on what it looks like," he said. "That's where you kind of get into the gray area that we're having to deal with."

Each coach had to sign a letter stating he understood the district's revised policy.

Staff can be there when students pray but can not appear to take part, even outside school hours.

Of course, people in the community were shocked. Some are angry. Some who haven't stepped foot in a church for decades will claim to be Christians just to have something to argue about, no less.

This is just the most recent story. There are high-profile stories similar to this every year. Now, public school employees and legal advisors, even in our county, are instructing coaches and teachers to step back, not close their eyes and not to bow their heads for fear of being sued. The Sumner County policy was put in place following a lawsuit brought to the district alleging violations of the "separation of church and state" by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU.) 

I am a supporter of our local schools. I support our teachers, administrators, coaches and all in our community committed to serve and lead our children. Our church has been supportive for years and connected with our local schools strategically as a "business partner."

The initial reaction when I read stories like this is to get angry and to focus too much on the politics of the battle. The focus I must have, and we must have as children of God is the Gospel. 

David Landrith is the Pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee, located in Sumner County. On his blog this morning, he shares some solid truths regarding this story.

Regarding the ACLU lawsuit, I believe the school system is headed in the wrong direction.  In my opinion, they have made two serious mistakes:

First, they have over-reacted out of the fear of a lawsuit.  Because of this fear, they are instituting policies that are unnecessary and that I believe are unconstitutional.  The irony is that in responding to the ACLU’s claims in an excessive way, they may actually be violating the First Amendment rights of teachers and students.

The idea that a coach or teacher cannot bow their head out of respect for student-led prayer is, quite frankly, ridiculous.  Additionally, to tell the teachers that they cannot attend “See You At The Pole,” which occurs before school hours, just doesn’t seem to be constitutional.  Maybe the ACLU should represent the teachers!

Secondly, there is a lack of clarity in what the actual policies are.  As the rules are handed down the line, there have been all kinds of prohibitions communicated. The student pastors of our county were told one thing in a meeting that is not always the practice at schools in the county.

I don’t know if these are official policies or not,  but teachers have expressed to me that it is being communicated to them that they cannot do certain things; things like to wear or display a cross, have a Bible on their desk in their office, have scripture verses displayed in their personal work space, listen to Christian music in their office, or participate in a prayer at a Christian organization such as FCA or Bible study.

Maybe this is official policy and maybe it is not.  If it is, again it seems to be a violation of the teachers’ First Amendment rights on the free exercise of religion.  If it is not, someone should make clear to the teachers and the community what teachers can and cannot do.

This the United States of America!  You can’t ban people from practicing their faith in the marketplace – whether it’s a Muslim, Buddhist, or a Christian.  Christianity should not be favored over other religions. However, Christians should have the same rights as everyone else.

I agree with David and he spells this out more in his blog post here. 

While I read this stories and think "Wow! That's unbelievable!" the realization comes to me that it will just be a matter of time when we are facing the very same thing here in our county. Remember, it wasn't that long ago that Bartram Trail High School in St. Johns County was in the news for similar reasons. There was also the story out of Pensacola regarding the athletic director and school principal.

Now, I'm not hoping this happens. I know our school district leaders are praying, oops. . . hoping it never happens. I'm no prophet, but . . . it will happen. This is more than a political battle. It's more than a Constitutional issue (BTW - the separation of church and state is not in the Constitution.) It's a spiritual issue. 

Pray for our schools, our teachers, administrators, coaches and all employees in the school district. Those who are believers in Christ cannot just "turn that belief off" when they go to work. Pray for them.

Makes you wonder if men like Tony Dungy or Joe Gibbs would have been able to coach high school football, doesn't it? The photo above is of Dungy and his Indianapolis Colts praying together in the locker room.

Real Men Run Away Sometimes

What does it mean to be a real man?  We work through the definition in our Men's Church and other meetings.  We have a definition of what it means to be real.

R- reject passivity

E - expect the greater reward

A - accept responsibility

L - lead courageously (Thanks to Robert Lewis and Men's Fraternity for the clear definition.)

I was talking to one of our men today in preparation for the junior high boys' mentoring program we're involved in.  This Friday we are discussing the issue of temptation.  I shared that when dealing with temptation, this is when a real man runs away.

It seems strange to use that phraseology, but it's true.  As a man, I often want to take on the challenges of life and run full bore into the battle.  However, there are some things that, as a real man, it is best for me to run away.  

Do you struggle with any secret sins or consistent temptations?  Let me rephrase that "I know you struggle with some sort of secret sin or constant temptation."  I believe we all do.  We tend to categorize sin.  I think that is to make us feel better.  We put serious sins in one category and little ones in another.  The truth is that in God's eyes, and I know you've heard this, a sin is a sin.

OK, so here's the deal.  We all face temptation.  By the way, to be tempted is not a sin.  How do you respond when temptation comes.  I face temptation.  There are a few areas, one especially, that I know is a weak spot in my armor.  I know when the Enemy will tempt me in this area.  I know how he's going to do it.  I know the lies that he says.  I know all this.  But. . .you know what?  I still find myself at times falling.

Yep, alert the media - I still blow it!

The frustrating thing is I know I'm blowing it.  I know the strategies the Enemy uses, yet I sometimes walk right into his trap.  You may be just like me.

So, what's a man to do?  RUN!

There are areas in each of our lives where bowing up and jumping in is just not the smart, or right thing to do.

Here's a good example.  Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers is an MVP candidate this season.  He is one of the major reasons the Rangers are preparing to play in the American League Championship Series.  With all the negative things we hear about professional athletes nowadays, Hamilton is a breath of fresh air.  Oh, don't get me wrong.  Hamilton is far from perfect.  He would tell you that.  Yet, as a Christian, he is a transformed man.  He is a child of God. . .with weaknesses.  He story is exciting now, but a few years ago, it was anything but.  He was considered a bust as a baseball player.  This was not because he didn't have talent.  It was because he was continually falling into problems with his drug and alcohol addiction.

He came to know Christ and his life was changed forever.  He's married and has children and is playing a game for a living.  What could be better?  However, he knows where his weaknesses are.

Back in 2009 photos hit the internet showing Hamilton drunk and partying with a couple of ladies in a bar.  Neither of the women was his wife.  This was another athlete in scandal.  He had been very vocal about his faith and his recovery, and yet here were the pictures showing him in very compromising positions.  Hamilton didn't deny the photos were of him.  In fact, according to reports he had immediately confessed this indiscretion to his wife and to the Rangers organization.  It was months later the pictures hit the web.  Yet, he still needed to comment.  Here's what he said:

"I'm embarrassed about it. For the Rangers, I'm embarrassed about it. For my wife, my kids," Hamilton said. "It's one of those things that just reinforces about alcohol. Unfortunately, it happened. It just reinforces to me that if I'm out there getting ready for a season and taking my focus off the most important thing in my recovery, which is my relationship with Christ, it's amazing how those things creep back in.

"Honestly, I hate that this happened. But it is what it is. You deal with it. I realized that, obviously, I'm not perfect, in this ongoing struggle, battle, that is very real. A lot of people don't understand how real it is.

"As soon as it happened, I called my support system -- my wife, the Rangers, and told them what had happened. I was absolutely open and honest about it.

"I went to get something to eat. Obviously, I eat at restaurants that have bars in them all the time. I wasn't mentally fit to go in there, spiritually fit, and it just crossed my mind, 'Can I have a drink?' Obviously, I can't."

He owned up to it.  He wasn't proud of his sin, but there was no excusing it.  Repentance and forgiveness are the healing elements.  Consequently, there was no story anymore.

So, here we are a year later.  The Rangers have clinched the AL West and the celebration is going to begin.  How do professional sports teams celebrate these types of victories?  With champagne, of course.  So, how's Josh going to deal with this?

(From MLBFanhouse.com) Josh Hamilton, whose bouts with alcohol and drug abuse nearly ruined his career, avoided the Texas Rangers' locker room celebration -- and the beer and champagne showers that followed -- as the team celebrated its first Western Division title in more than a decade.

Instead, Hamilton opted to speak at church not far from where the Rangers were playing in Oakland on Saturday.

"So it would be kind of hypocritical of me to come in here and douse myself with alcohol and smoke cigars and then go out there and talk about Jesus," Hamilton told The Dallas Morning News.

Some teammates wanted to pour bottles of water on Hamilton and he told the newspaper several days ago that he thought about wearing goggles along with a wetsuit and or raincoat to avoid making contact with the alcohol.

"I'm excited and what happened yesterday as far as the guys celebrating in here, that's part of it,"Hamilton told ESPNDallas.com on Sunday. "It's not for me. I'm not saying that I wouldn't have liked to have been in here with them. I just felt like it was in my best interest if I didn't participate. But it's amazing that it just so happened to work out that we clinched the same day they are having Faith Day and I'm speaking out there."

That is a real man.  A man who knows his weaknesses.  He knows who he is and who he is not.  He decides the only thing he can do is to not put himself in the situation where the temptation will overpower him.  As the Bible says, God always provides a way out.  

This is true for all of us.  Whether your temptation is alcohol or drugs like Hamilton's or maybe the most prevalent temptation among Christian men - pornography, or maybe something else like gluttony, gossip, greed, etc.  Joseph is our example from Scripture.  When Potiphar's wife was tempting him sexually, he did not go to her and "play with fire" thinking he could handle it.  He ran away.  He was still accused, but he knew and God knew that he had done nothing wrong.

Integrity - "without wax" - that's what God is calling from men and women today.

Back to Hamilton.  Last night the Rangers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS.  It was time for another celebration.  What was Hamilton to do?  This actually made Yahoo! News today.

This time, the Texas Rangers’ celebration started with Josh Hamilton(notes).

Left out of the party when the club clinched the American League West title in late September, Hamilton on Tuesday night dashed into the visitors’ clubhouse and into a torrent of ginger ale after the Rangers beat theTampa Bay Rays in the AL division series.

“The guys really doused me good,” he said later, having slipped out of the clubhouse when the ginger ale ran dry. “They gave me a lot of hugs and congratulations.”

He smiled and raised a green plastic bottle of soda. He’d pushed a pair of ski goggles to the top of his forehead.

“You know,” he said, “this stuff burns your eyes just like that other stuff does.” 

Hamilton’s life and baseball career were nearly ruined by years of drug and alcohol abuse. Still fighting that fight, Hamilton led the Rangers to their first AL West title in 11 years, won the AL batting title and is a leading MVP candidate.

Yet when they laughed and sprayed each other with champagne after clinching the division in Oakland, Hamilton stayed dry and sober in the trainer’s room. His teammates brought him along this time, laying in wait, armed with Canada Dry bottles, and together they carried on for 10 minutes after their 5-1 victory at Tropicana Field. 

“It meant a lot,” he said. “It just says a lot about my teammates, them understanding the sensitivity of my situation.”

Not far away, in the hallway outside the clubhouse, Hamilton’s wife, Katie, and various friends, including his pastor from North Carolina, beamed.

“I think that’s precious,” Katie said. “It’s so wonderful that they’re sensitive to him.”

Hamilton wore a broad smile as he passed team president Nolan Ryan.

“Nolan!” he shouted, and held aloft his bottle. “Ginger ale!”

Ryan laughed.

“Hey,” he answered. “Nice going!”

A couple of last thoughts.  Run from temptation.  It's the only way to win.  Also, it's good to have a band of brothers who understand where you're weak so they can watch out for you.  That's what the Rangers teammates did for Hamilton with the Ginger Ale.

We're Moving Up - from #120 to #102

Last year the pre-season rankings of college football teams had my alma mater - the University of North Texas Mean Green (the mascot is an eagle, in case you wonder why we're a color.  Could be because Mean Joe Greene played there, but probably not) was ranked number 120.  That sounds better than last, but that is exactly what it was.  After a few years of winning the Sun Belt and going to the New Orleans Bowl, the Mean Green has fallen on hard times.  So, what did we do?  We hired a high school coach, Todd Dodge.

Dodge was incredible at Southlake Carroll High School as coach, but so far has had a hard time bringing that success to UNT.  

Last off season many Mean Greeners (yes, there are a lot out there) were calling for Dodge to be fired, but he has been retained.  He's an offensive genius (meaning - we can score 90 points a game, but we may give away 92.)  However, this year is his last chance, many believe.

The Rivals.com rankings just came out and lo and behold, we're moving up.  We are now number 102.  Now, for those who only look at the top ten, this may not seem like a big deal, but mark my words - one of these days folks will be talking about UNT the way they talk about Boise State and Utah now.  It's going to happen.  I may not be alive to see it, but it will.

This year the Mean Green get a new state of the art stadium.  They play some tough teams out of conference this year (Clemson, Rice, Army and Kansas State - and K-State is coming to Denton to play.  This is a big deal.)  Then, it's a full slate of Sun Belt action.

You gotta have faith.  

Here's our schedule.  I know all my friends in Florida care about this:

Date Opponent Location Time (CST) Results Media   Sat, Sep 04  Clemson at Clemson, SC   2:30 P.M. ESPN U    Sat, Sep 11  Rice Denton, TX   6:00 P.M.   Sat, Sep 18  Army at West Point, NY   11:00 A.M. CBS College Sports    Sat, Sep 25  Florida Atlantic * at Boca Raton, FL   6:00 P.M.   Sat, Oct 02  Louisiana-Lafayette * Denton, TX   6:30 P.M. Sun Belt Network    Sat, Oct 09  Arkansas State * Denton, TX   6:00 P.M.   Sat, Oct 16  FIU * Denton, TX   6:30 P.M. Sun Belt Network    Sat, Oct 30  WKU * at Bowling Green, KY   2:00 P.M.   Sat, Nov 06  Troy * Denton, TX   6:00 P.M.   Sat, Nov 13  Middle Tennessee * at Murfreesboro, TN   2:30 P.M.   Sat, Nov 20  ULM * at Monroe, LA   TBA   Sat, Nov 27  Kansas State Denton, TX   3:00 P.M.

* Conference Games

Somebody Get a Proofreader for These Teams

A year ago Washington Nationals player, Ryan Zimmerman, took the field with the name of his team misspelled on the jersey.  His jersey said "NATINALS".  Yesterday one of the San Francisco (that's F-R-A-N-C-I-S-C-O) Giants, Eugenio Velez took the field with a typo.  

Nice. Here are some other uniform blunders. . . 

Check out the "Z"

Check out Gretzky's name. That's like misspelling Michael Jordan's name on a Bulls jersey (or Wizards).

Good ole Mark Brunell.  At this point, he must have been the only Redskin.

Here's Zimmerman of the Natinals

I found these on this page - http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/a-history-of-misspelled-jerseys 

March Madness - Tips On Filling Out Your Bracket

March Madness is here. This is the best sports event of the year.  Yeah, I hear all you college football fans who think the BCS Championship is the biggest event - sorry, not without a playoff.  What about the Super Bowl - fun, but too much hype and rarely lives up to it.  As for the other sporting events that folks think are the biggest around:  Daytona 500, WrestleMania (do they even have that anymore?), the NBA Finals, World Series. . .they just don't compare.

There's something about having all these college basketball teams - many we hear about all the time, but some who find a way to win their conference tournament and end up dancing, that make it such a great event.

Just think about it, without the NCAA Tournament, unless you have a child attending one of these schools or lived near the campus, how many of us would even know about these schools from this year's tournament and tournaments past. . .

• Gonzaga
• Winthrop (shout out to Andy Crissinger)
• Butler (The Gators still grimace when thinking of this team)
• Murray State (The Racers - near where my parents live)
• Siena
• Arkansas Pine Bluff
• Morgan State
• Wofford
• Richmond
• Lehigh
• North Texas Mean Green (of course if you go to church here, you know about the Mean Green)

These schools are legit and yet, some are small and others just don't have the publicity of an ACC, SEC or Big 12 school, so this is the only chance to see them.

So, get your brackets ready and remember, you can do more than one.  Here are some suggestions:

1. Pick one bracket with your brain, not your heart, based on who you think will win each game. This is for the serious pickers who look at odds and matchups and waste way too much time studying the players' stats.
2. Pick one bracket with your heart, not your brain, based on who you'd love to see win.  It's good to watch "Hoosiers" before picking this bracket.  Underdogs are always exciting.  In this bracket, North Texas wins it all.
3. Pick one bracket as a mixture of both your brain and heart.  This is what I have done.  Though, I did not pick North Texas to win it's first game, I did pick Tennessee to win it all.  I know, I know, it probably won't happen - but they did knock off Kansas earlier this year when the Jayhawks were No. 1.  I just want to see Pearl sweat all over that orange jacket on national television.  I have UT playing Kentucky in the finals, but I couldn't pick Kentucky.  Do you know why?  Because I've never liked Kentucky.  Simple.
4. Pick one bracket based on team colors.  The best uniforms win.  In this one, Minnesota will never win a game.
5. Finally, pick one bracket based on the mascots.  Ask yourself this question, if these two mascots were to battle in real life, which would win.  In this scenario, you have to remember that the North Texas Mean Green mascot is actually an eagle.  Still, they're playing the Kansas State Wildcats, so it's hard to pick who would win.  I go with the eagle.  Other teams aren't so intimidating:  The Wofford Terriers (their mascot is the bug eyed black and white Boston Terrier), Sienna's mascot is a Saint Bernard (another dog that doesn't seem deadly, but can bring you a flask of brandy if you're trapped in the snow), Murray State's Racers (race horses) can out run the Vanderbilt Commodores so they win, UC Santa Barbara Gauchos could defeat Ohio State in this bracket since OSU is simply a nut.  However, who would win between Clemson and Missour? They're both Tigers.  You see how this works?  In this scenario, the championship game would probably have the Oakland Grizzlies playing the Montana Grizzlies.  Grizzly Bears are mean.

Well, hope you enjoy the games.  You can watch them on CBS Sports website and they even have a "Boss Button" (not that I'm recommending it) that you can click when watching at work.  When the boss comes around, click this button and a fake spreadsheet and PowerPoint screen comes up to hide the game. Funny. I wonder how much work is not done during this month because of these games?

Not that I would ever stop from working to watch basketball, but just so you know the North Texas - Kansas State game comes on at 2:40pm today. Good thing I have multiple screens on my computer and can multi-task.

Here's my bracket.  It's the heart/brain combination. 

 

In Alabama, Nick Saban Has More Facebook Fans Than God

Saw this headline and thought. . .Hmmm, Didn't know God had a Facebook Page.  Little did I know?

Well, apparently, some research has been done on this.  Why?  Who knows.  

God wins just about everywhere in the South except for Alabama, Louisiana and Florida.  Apparently, we like our Starbucks more.

For the full article, you can click here. 

A Day at Upward

Upward Basketball is a ministry we have hosted at our church for seven years. Each year hundreds of children participate in our basketball and cheerleading leagues.  This year it's up to almost 350 participants.  This means we have games Friday evenings and all day Saturday for eight weeks.  That plus the practices makes for a very busy and full week of sports ministry here at First Baptist.

On Saturdays, I get to watch as people come and go and as games are played.  In the afternoons I put on my striped shirt and referee for four or five games.  Then, normally around 7:30pm or 8:30pm I coach my son's team.  I get a variety of perspectives: spectator, referee, parent, and coach.

Here are some things I've noticed during these Upward games. . .

• Even in the leagues where no score is kept (Kindgergarten - 2nd grade) every parent and coach knows the score.  Some kids do, but not all.
• Apparently it's a big deal with the Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits arrive on Saturday mornings.
• It's impossible to referee a game where both coaches and all the parents think you've done a good job.
• "Dribble it, pass it, we want a basket" is the most used cheer.  Every cheer squad does this cheer and if you're here all day you hear it over and over and over and over. . . 
• A day eating nachos and cookies normally ends in a stomach ache by the end of the day, yet I still find myself eating nachos and cookies all day.
• Girls like to play basketball wearing earrings, makeup, necklaces and nice bows.
• Our referees don't get paid.  I am one, so therefore, we're getting what we pay for. :-)
• Some folks really get uptight about the Upward colors.  It's funny.  This year the colors are orange and blue and Gator-haters are having a really hard time wearing the uniforms and coaches shirts.  I just tell them it's Boise State colors.  They change every year.  Will probably be red and black again next year.
• Parents yell at their kids while they play, thinking they can hear them.  Most of the time the kids can't hear anyone.  At least that's what I tell their coaches when they get frustrated because the players aren't doing what they say.
• For many players, the end of game trip to the concession stand is the highlight of the day.
• The longer the day gets, the shorter my temper gets. Not a good thing.
• The older girls wear the best looking socks.
• The computer doesn't always make the teams equal.  This is very frustrating to me.
• All in all, Upward is the best sports program I've seen with the focus it has.
• Games starting at 8:30pm.  That's just too late.
• The ladies that work and set up the concession stand are incredible.
• Unbelievable referees (excluding me).  These folks donate all their time.
• Amazing to see this many people volunteering so much time for the kids in this community.
• A loose basketball just hit the fire alarm pull button.  Now the alarm is going off.  Fun.
• God is all over this program.  Praying that many lives will be changed.

These are just some observations.  You should come out sometime and cheer these kids on.