Are College Football Players Prayers Worthy?

There is is an interesting exchange over at Mirrors of Justice on this Issue. Prof Rick Garnett made an observation about the different attitudes that Notre Dame Players versus Boston College Players at their annual game. (THE NOTRE DAME PLAYERS WERE PUBLICLY PRAYING).

One of the contributors responds and basically suggested this was a "immature theology".

Prof Garnett responds with a theological point that why is it a good thing.

Then another contributor responds with perhaps what the Notre Dame Players are praying for is not really worthy of a prayer.

Well I guess it is from where you are standing. I not sure why praying for the passage of perhaps a particular piece of legislation to pass, a political candidate to win, to pass the bar exam, or success in business is any more or less worthy than a bunch of college kids praying for victory for their team.

I suspect folks would have a different viewpoint if they were in these 18 to 22 year old guys shoes. They practice incredible long hours and constantly are in a battle with injury and pain. All the while being students. They represent not only Universities but States. In fact they read in the paper how their performance if they do not well could affect the funding of the University!!! Numerous Coaches and their families have their jobs on the line if don't perform.

OH and there is yet more pressure pressure pressure. The Wall Street Journal in a fun way made a serious point about the stupidity of some in this sports message board culture. It might be stupid but it has real effect.

Let me give a position of one school and one position. That is LSU and quarterback.

In Coach Les Miles tenure here J Russell went from savior to disaster to savior again among the fans and hundreds of sports media outlets. His successor Matt Flynn same thing all in one year. Matt Flynn's successor Jarett Lee when from disaster to savior to disaster to perhaps glimpses of savior again. The current QB Jordan Jefferson went from savior, flirted with disaster in the thoughts of some in the media and fan base and now is savior again. That is just one position. This is repeated all throughout the country.

Try being basically a kid and after class hearing your name ridiculed on 100,000 watts radio stations and heck on national radio and TV. Quite a big leap from playing at high school

We have not even got into the concept of team and how these players must really find themselves to win.

In the Notre Dame example you have the added pressure of playing for Holy Mother Church herself it seems. That a easy thing to do the last few years (well a decade) looking at the performance of the Notre Dame football team.

So as I examine what I pray for in Life , and I think those things worthy of a prayer to God, I am not quite sure what these prayers they offer are well any less worthy of mine.

In reality Jordan Jefferson (insert about every college football player in the country) at the age of 19 has to read the most outlandish and hurtful things about him in the papesr at times. When he gets home if he did not do well it is shown in live vivid color and scathing commentary to what is now a worldwide audience via ESPN. It is a sort of pressure that I would expect would put lawyers and doctors in the hospital.