Bruce Feiler - Where God Was Born, Abraham, Walking The Bible

Does the NFL Own the "Hail Mary," Too?
Friday, February 2, 2007

The NFL has clearly benefited from all the coverage about the faith of Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith. But now it's taken its control of the Super Bowl brand to absurd lengths. The league has sent a cease and desist letter to a church in Indianapolis saying it can't host a Super Bowl party at the church on Sunday night. Come on! Their argument: The church is profiting from the game and exceeding the size screen that anyone can project the game on: 55 inches.

Upon hearing the news, Bill Shoulta, pastor of Melbourne Heights Baptist Church in Louisville, had no initial plans to stop a planned Super Bowl program at his church, which is to include a talk by University of Louisville backup quarterback Hunter Cantwell but not an actual showing of the game itself.

In fact, he looked at the situation humorously.

"How absurd!" he said of the NFL's stance. "... Maybe churches should get a copyright on the NFL's use of such terms as 'Sunday,' 'Saints' and 'Hail Mary Pass.' Every time a player points heavenward, goes down on one knee, or shows the sign of the cross after a touchdown, maybe the cheerleaders should pass the offering plate.

"Let's charge the NFL for hyping the personal faith of the respective head coaches for the Bears and Colts. Perhaps we should be reimbursed for the loss of income that churches sustain from members who attend Super Bowl activities."

Wait. So it's okay for Sports Bars to promote Super Bowl parties but not churches? Who's a little full of themselves now.

Labels: Religion in America, sports

Posted by B Feiler at 4:50 PM
Permalink Digg this Post Email this Post

0 Comments: