1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Joining in on postgame prayers?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Batman, Nov 12, 2007.

  1. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    I always joined in the prayers, then I rode the bus back to the school and then went to practice the next morning and joined in the wind sprints and tackling drills as well.
     
  2. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    I've covered some games in the South where they practically bring out the snakes after the game.

    I usually just wait till the hoedown's over and finish adding up my stats before I head down to get my quotes.
     
  3. ECrawford

    ECrawford Member

    Actually, the point of the prayer (if you're talking about the large midfield gatherings with both teams) is to acknowledge that they are all part of a bigger Team, and in that context, I would think anyone who would want to be affiliated with that group would be welcome in the prayer.

    A prayer involving just a single team -- more something seen at the parochial high school level than at the college and pro level -- I'd see more as a "team" thing to be avoided.
     
  4. Exactly. It's the same reason we sing that song during the Team America pep rally before entertainment events in stadia and arenas. Not that it, like prayer, has any reason to be performed at the entertainment event -- I mean, we don't salute the flag before the coming attractions in a movie theater -- but to each his own...
     
  5. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    Not what I was saying. I usually try to stand a few feet back from the crowd, and more often than not stand abouthalfway between both huddles so I can run and grab whoever breaks first. But once in a while I'll be trying to hear a postgame speech by a coach and they'll wrap it up and launch into the prayer before I can get away. Those times, I'm surrounded by parents and players who are all holding hands, or putting hands on shoulders or some such, and I'm the only one not doing it.
    I don't want to do it, because it looks like I'm joining in the celebration. And while I believe in God, I'm not exactly Charlie Church. But I will bow my head and be quiet out of respect to others around me (as I think up interview questions and how to write my story), and have a hard time grasping why others have such difficulty extending that courtesy.
     
  6. NoOneLikesUs

    NoOneLikesUs Active Member

    Excellent point.

    I'm not a believer and I'm starting to be pretty damn upfront about it. But it took me a very long time to get to this point. I know as a 17 year old I did not have the knowledge to properly challenge the faith I was brought up in.

    Now, I do not consider religion as something I should respect. An irrational belief in the supernatural irks me and a public display of this behavior disturbs me more.
     
  7. IGotQuestions

    IGotQuestions Member

    Anyone catch Kitna, Warner et al kneeling in circle on field to pray yesterday? I find it to be mere posturing, myself. I know Kurt is religious, but it bugs me as much as when players kneel in the end zone after a touchdown to pray. WTF? Do they pray in public at any other time? Likely not. And, do these same players go into their locker rooms to find the players who WERE hurt and pray for them? Just asking.
     
  8. MU_was_not_so_hard

    MU_was_not_so_hard Active Member

    Like a couple others, I've been on both sides of this.
    In high school, my soccer coach would lead a prayer before a game. It was certainly not non-denominational. The first couple times, I stood outside the huddle. But I tell you what, after a few times, I just started getting in w/ everyone else because I was sick of the stares and the two or three comments I got.
    Whoever said it's not so easy to just exclude yourself obviously hasn't been in that position.

    Now, as far as joining in w/ a team you cover, you can be happy that no one got hurt w/o joining in on their celebration of it.
     
  9. Keystone

    Keystone Member

    I cover sports in the red part of a blue state and prayer huddles for football teams at the public schools are very common. The coaches and players, for the most part, don't seem to be super religious (like the softball team mentioned earlier), but the huddle is simply the way things have always been done.

    The coaches do particiapte, but it's almost always led by the players themselves. But I did see an assistant coach lead the postgame prayer after the playoff game I covered Saturday night. Didn't think much of it, though.

    It's a tradition and some of the programs here stretch back over 100 seasons. I'll admit that if (or should I say when) somebody decides to raise a stink about it, it will light a huge firestorm.
     
  10. MU_was_not_so_hard

    MU_was_not_so_hard Active Member

    Where I'm at, it's the same thing. A lot of people come here and are shocked that 80,000 people are treated to a pregame invocation (at a college game) or even most of the high schools. On-field prayers are standard for both.
     
  11. IGotQuestions

    IGotQuestions Member

    It's to the point across the country, though, where the message is watered down. Kind of like everyone putting flags in their car windows and on bumpers post 9/11. It's herd mentality.
     
  12. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    God has just announced She doesnt like sports.

    So, everyone, cut it out.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page