You'll Probably HATE this One!

All right -- so everywhere you look professional athletes are getting into trouble. They're inappropriately groping exotic dancers (as opposed to "appropriately" offering dollars to watch them dance and remove their clothing -- I'm so glad that we have determined what is and isn't "appropriate"!), involved in shootings outside gentleman's clubs, conducting disorderly, and generally engaging in all manner of decidedly un-gentlemanly behavior on any number of Minnesota's 10,000 or so lakes. They're violating substance abuse policy, firearm policy, under-age alcohol provision policy, animal rights policy, and even their own probation. Things just aren't going well personally for a lot of these cats (not supposed to be a Bengals jab, but take it however you like), and it's never a secret when the rap sheet repeats another unsightly refrain.

So what do we do? What should we think? If you listen to much sports talk radio (and if you don't -- good call!), people have pretty much had enough. "SO much talent, SO much money, SO much of whatever life could possibly offer, and look at 'em throw it all away!" they decry. Points granted, of course. Ever since the Tank Johnson incident before the Super Bowl, though, I've started to hear more and more people who want those whom trouble seems to find to be disallowed to play. The issue is, I think, really quite interesting.

Here's the deal: I have two jobs. I work part-time as a "Distribution Clerk" for a dvd by mail rental company. Essentially, I stick labels and stuff envelopes. I also work part-time on a church staff. There I help create environments and provide direction for people to take their next step spiritually. Now let's say I get into trouble with the law. Let's say it's something . . . not TOO bad, just because it's me that I'm talking about and the hypothetical is, indeed, hypothetical, but something . . . bad enough. What happens to me?

I lose my job at Life Pointe. Immediately and without apology or regret. Done.

I keep my job sticking labels. No discussion necessary. Doesn't matter.

What does this mean? I don't know, I just thought it was an interesting perspective -- "caught between two worlds!" (Only neither world has ANY of the money or groupies generally associated with professional sports.) An interesting double-take on the grace/judgement continuum. And a chance to touch a relevant topic without saying a thing. See, sometimes we CAN learn from those halftime coaches interviews!