NO! To the Lingerie “Football” League

I didn’t know this was a real thing, but apparently, the Lingerie Football League is real.  I had seen various advertisements for this before, mostly on TV around the time of the Super Bowl each year, but had no idea that his is a full-fledged league, with actual games, tickets, refs and fans.  The LFL, as they call it, is hoping to expand to the new market of Nashville, Tennessee soon, but groups like “Girls Against Porn” have attempted to put a stop to this expansion.

Just reading the names of the LFL teams tells me that this entire “product” is scandalous, in the same vein as strip clubs, prostitution and exploitation of women.  Here are a few… San Diego Seduction, Dallas Desire, Los Angeles Temptation, Philadelphia Passion, Orlando Fantasy.  This CANNOT be what the next generation of young women and girls thinks is authentically feminine!

Many people automatically ask the question, “what’s so wrong about this?”  I ask, “Name one thing that is right about this.”  Nothing!  The objectification of women happens in so many places and in so many ways, why do women continue to allow it to happen to themselves?  Why do men continue to objectify women?  Why do we stand idly by and do nothing anything about it?

There’s no virtue in this.  There’s no honor, pride or goodness in this.  It’s pornography on the football field.  Not to mention on the internet, the TV (pay per view) and in magazines.

Tiffany Helfrich, founder and president of Girls Against Porn, has created a petition, in hopes of stopping the LFL from opening its doors in Nashville.  Here is what she writes about the petition…

Help put a stop to the expansion of this exploitation of women in America.  If you are inclined to sign the petition, you can find it HERE.

TrueMan up!

RMCMC 2010 – One Day Away

The 2010 Rocky Mountain Catholic Men’s Conference is only one day away.  Saturday, March 20, 2010 proves to be an epic event and I encourage any local (Colorado) men to make it a priority.  There are plenty of seats available and you can pay at the door.  The event takes place at the Pikes Peak Center in downtown Colorado Springs… merely an hour’s drive from Denver from the north or Pueblo from the south.  Here’s why an event like this is important.

1. As men, we thrive off brotherhood.  Brotherhood may be considered, simply, when men spend time together, preferably doing manly things.  Imagine what boys growing up together do – then make it relevant to adulthood and things that actually matter… that’s what this conference (and hopefully all men’s conferences around the country) are about.  Together, as men of faith, we encourage one another to grow in holiness, Sacramental behavior, daily prayer, and hopefully, to be better men.
2. Men need encouragement.  Think of this like an over-sized team huddle, when your team is in a vital spot and really needs to score a touchdown, or that gigantic defensive stop to win the game.  The quarterback or defensive leader should be trying to pump his team up so they pull off the incredible play.  The encouragement from the speakers, vendors, priests and bishops and the other men in attendance can be just the thing that most of us need to get our act together and win in the game of life.
3. Men need to continue to grow in holiness.  No matter where a man is in his faith journey, he can be a better man.  Events like a men’s conference show us the path to holiness, especially if we’re open to what the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives.

I encourage all of us to think about at least one man that we know that needs an invitation to something like this, and then make the invitation.  If you’re a man who’s attending a men’s conference, just extend the invitation.  If you’re a woman who knows of a man who needs to attend an event like this, it would be best to have another man extend the invitation at your request.  An invitation isn’t pressure to go, it’s a simple way of showing encouragement and extending a friendly hand.  Don’t be weak in your invitation and don’t be a power-monger either.  Be genuine and see what happens… it can’t hurt to ask.  Maybe you don’t live in Colorado and can’t get to the Rocky Mountain Catholic Men’s Conference, that’s okay.  There’s an event like this somewhere near you, and if there isn’t, I want to know!  (I’ll work to get something there!)  A men’s conference may be the thing that encourages a man to change his life for Christ.

To see more info, click HERE to go to the conference website.

Man up!

7 Days of Super Bowl Stuff -SBXLIV- Day 3 “Tenacity”

Tenacity… quite possibly one of the most important characteristics of a football player.  Being tenacious means that you hold fast to something, that you’re stubborn and obstinate.  Typically, in football, tenacity refers to winning.  It refers to the heart of a player, a heart that never gives up, never gives in.  A tenacious player will do anything and everything to win.  He’ll play beyond his body’s abilities, when he’s worn down, tired, beaten up.  Tenacity is a quality that a football player must possess because everyone else on the field, especially on the other team, is playing with a tenacity that won’t quit.

How tenacious are you in your faith journey?  Do you hold fast to something?  Do you hold fast to the Gospel Truth?  Are you stubborn about your prayer life?  Do you live the truths of the faith out obstinately?  The other team, Satan’s team, is tenacious in their beliefs.  His team is stubborn and obstinate.  If you come into your “faith game” weak, they’ll tear you apart.  Your tenacity must outweigh theirs.  Your tenacity  must be so overpowering that they can’t even stand to be in the same room as you.  The demons in our lives hate it, they literally hate, when we’re striving for holiness in Jesus Christ.  Being tenacious about the journey toward holiness will send them into a rage and they’ll fight even harder against you.  Your tenacity must continue to increase.  Increase it by praying daily, receiving the Sacraments and keeping your eyes on the prize!

This Sunday, the Colts and the Saints are going to be playing with incredible tenacity.  In the end, I believe the winner will be the team that holds fast to their game plan, to their strategy, to their beliefs.

This video seemed to capture some of the tenacity with which the New Orleans Saints played this season.  It sort of took me back to college, getting pumped for a game, making the big hit, tasting victory.  (I figured since I gave some Colt love on Day 1, I should send it back to the Saints today, Day 3.)  Enjoy.  (2:13)

7 Days of Super Bowl Stuff -SBXLIV- Day 1

Super Bowl XLIV is nearly upon us.  The potentially epic battle between two of the National Football League’s biggest “gunslingers” will commence next Sunday February 7th, and the game proves to be one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent history.  (It’s unlikely that this year’s game will top last year’s, especially the finish, by my team, the 6-Time World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers!)  Peyton Manning from the Indianapolis Colts and Drew Brees from the New Orleans Saints plan to take their teams to victory, but there can be only one winner.

I hear lots of discussion about these two quarterbacks, who also captain their teams.  On the one hand, you’ve got the likable character of Peyton Manning, the face of the Colts for the past 12 years and a common face in mainstream advertising.  Manning’s intensity and incredible vision on the field make him one of the elite at the position.  He’s been league MVP four times, including this season.  He won the Super Bowl in 2006.  He’s going to be hard to beat.

On the other hand, you’ve got the unlikely story of the New Orleans Saints, and their quarterback Drew Brees.  In 2005, Hurricane Katrina nearly destroyed the Louisiana Superdome, but after a nearly-$200 million dollar renovation, the team made it back to their home and worked their way to an almost perfect season in 2009.  Starting out 13-0 this season, the Saints were highly favored in the NFC to make it to the Super Bowl, and they did just that.  They did it behind the leadership and incredible ability of Brees.  Personally, I think both players are likable men.  I think they show incredible leadership and striking ability on the field.  I don’t have a preferred team in this case, but I’m predicting that Manning and the Colts will end up winning in a high-scoring, (poorly defensed) game.  Colts will win Super Bowl XLIV 38-31.

Ponder this for a moment…

Imagine if, when it came down to eternity, only one “team” was given the prize of salvation.  Only the winning team was awarded everlasting life with God the Father and the losing team, went to hell.  If you were on one of those teams, wouldn’t you put all your heart and soul into doing everything you could to be the winning team?  Well, the fact of the matter is that instead of it being a football game, it’s an actual war.  The battle is taking place, as we speak, for souls.  There is a winning side, and there is a losing side.  The winners receive uncontrollable joy, peace and love with God in Heaven.  The losers receive the exact opposite – the absence of love.  Knowing this, why is it that we allow ourselves to play on the losing team?  We have the ability to play on the winning team and the game has already been played.  Jesus Christ already died on the cross for us, and won us the victory.  You have the choice, today and everyday, to play on Christ’s winning team.  His team is playing for something more important than the Vince Lombardi Trophy.  There’s no time to lose.  Suit up, and play on the winning team today!

Man up!

Scandalous Commercial – Bad Manning

Have you seen the new Peyton Manning, DirecTV – NFL  Sunday Ticket Commercial?  I saw it today.  Blah.  The commercial has Manning not “manning up” but instead, giving into the all-mighty-endorsement-deal-dollar – and NOT being anything even remotely close to a TrueMan.  I used to have so much more respect for him.  The commercial is supposed to be about watching football, and seeing every game on NFL Sunday Ticket, in HD.  Yet, there isn’t a single scene of a football player, play, ball or locker room.  The entire commercial is scenes of scantily clad cheerleaders strutting around, doing high kicks and bouncing up and down.

Manning has the opportunity to endorse lots of products, and some of his endorsements have been great.  (Most of his commercial spots are hilarious.)  What I don’t understand is why Manning, and society in general, thinks that it’s okay to objectify women by showing them in this manner?  I fault the cheerleaders for objectifying themselves, but they’re only doing what appears to be glamorous by society’s standards.  I want to call to action the men involved; if men step up, women will gladly follow suit.  That means Peyton, the men at DirecTV, men watching that network and men reading this post.

Come on Peyton.  Did you have to stoop to this level?  Why didn’t you say, “There’s no football in this commercial.”?  Why didn’t you say, “Nope, I won’t make sexual innuendos, they’re unnecessary.  People will lose respect for me.”  You didn’t.  Next time, man up.

How does this affect the rest of us?  How do we make a change?  By starting in the home, then branching out to schools, work and in the public arena, men who hold women to a higher level of respect must first stand up to this sort of societal objectification of women.  Be strong, stand firm.  Your example will challenge others and will change hearts.  Once a man has truly cherished a woman, in a manner most fitting within God’s plan, he’ll realize the importance of his actions.  Men, we can make the difference.  Change starts with you.  Do it today.

Man up!

AFA Football Video

I love my job.  I have the distinct pleasure of serving the great young men and women of the Air Force Academy as the Catholic Campus Minister.  This video shows a glimpse into the real importance of the Air Force Academy as an institution, not just the football tradition.  Leadership, Integrity, Courage, Strength, Compassion, Force, Humility, Determination… all great characteristics of a TrueMan.  Go Falcons!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-8z1LLVh3s]

Man up!

Steelers' Santonio Holmes – NFL Fantasy Files

Here’s the best one of all of ’em.  This video shows Santonio Holmes practicing keeping his feet down after making a catch.  You might remember his Super Bowl 43 game-winning touchdown catch after you watch this!  Go Steelers!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu414kpBjeA]

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