Birmingham team to wear Bible-themed jerseys

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

lets take the other side say that using christian symbols and scripture is a form of pushing christian beliefs off on people that are not christians.  would not using the american flag and american symbols be a form of pushing pride, patriotism off on those that don't have an allegience to america or is offended by what america stands for?

i actually had a discussion with someone in a chatroom, who actually thought american symbols like the flag should not be permitted to be on team uniforms or incorporated in to team logos because it was a way of pushing pride and patriotism which was really racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and imperialism. in fact this user went to say that the american flag should be taken down in the same respects the rebel flag and the nazi flags were taken down. as the american flag was the equal of the stars and bars and the swastika. at that point i gave up trying to reason with the user. i left the room and went to a sci-fi room and had a discussion about ufos and the Dexter Monterrey Hoax. which was more interesting to me and more of a rationable discussion.

[gordie_delini]

seriously, nothing?  man you guys suck......can't even appreciate a good joke when you see one....can't even talk about the idea....can't even understand the irony of the post....*sniff*

sorry.....

....what was the joke again?

the joke was -

how about if the New York AFL team, in response to the Birmingham jerseys, puts MOSES on the fronts of their jerseys for a game, you know, the Jewish response to SAMSON? heh, heh, get it? What city has a large Muslim community? Their team could have MOHAMMED on there- except for the whole part about representing the prophet.....

anyway....so yeah....that was the unappreciated joke...go back to like, page 2 or something for the original comment...

[IceCap]

that rediculous. what about the nonreligous type, i for one would be offended.

What's there to be offended about?

the fact that they are pushing a particular religion.

the act of pushing religion i find rather offending.

Then get a helmet and toughen up.

Having someone promote their religion isn't any more offensive than someone promoting a poker tournament or Hooters coupons at a game.

Besides, being "offended" isn't a horrible, scarring offense, despite what PC nutjobs say.

It's part of life. Get used to it.

Yeah, the Christians are the majority, so we should all just let them do whatever they want

Nowhere did he mention Christians or majority.

Learn to read between the lines. He basically said that people should accept that religion (Christianity, in this case) is going to be promoted, and non-Christians should get over it, beause being offended isn't all that bad

[gojetsgo]

I wonder if they'll still sell beer and play loud music during the game.

Believe it or not, some branches of Christianity like beer and music.

Was that ever in doubt? Hasn't everyone had a few beers with a preist at some point?

now only if someone would have a beer with a rabbi....

It's all about the Manishevitz. As a Jew, we can get plastered with the best of them - but we prefer to do it on super sweet wine.

[NMLSooner]

I am a Christian, and by most standards, a very conservative one. And I must say, those are the stupidest things I've ever seen. I can't imagine anyone wearing them in public.

[T-man3]

I am a Christian, and by most standards, a very conservative one. And I must say, those are the stupidest things I've ever seen. I can't imagine anyone wearing them in public.

I can't imagine anyone wearing anything related to the Bible on there clothes, I understand wearing a cross neckless. I just don't see it.

[floydnimrod]

What if some of the players on the team aren't Christian?

Are they Okay with wearing biblical jeresys?

[bhambruiser]

the radio guys are gonna love this

[pooter]

What if some of the players on the team aren't Christian?

Are they Okay with wearing biblical jeresys?

It is sort of like the minor league hockey team that wore the 1980 Miracle On Ice Team USA jerseys and they were not Americans.

[CZzyzx41]

Kinda like fans that wear jerseys with their own name and number when they aren't really players on the team.

Oh and Jesus wasn't a zombie. He knew math. Everyone knows zombies are stupid. They don't remember friends. They just want brains. I think the whole "stick your hands in my wounds" thing is a bit icky though.

[VitaminD]

i could see the fight against the NJ Devils and even the Duke BlueDevils being that they are referance to a satanic image, but the TB DevilRays is a stretch. but being that this has nothing to do with the teams original namesake thats just overly tacky.

Sorry to dredge this up. I've been away, but I saw this in passing, and needed to set the record straight.

The hockey team in New Jersey and the mascot of the university in Durham, NC have as little to do with the Antichrist as the baseball team in the Tampa Bay region.

The hockey team was named to honor the Jersey Devil, a creature of local folklore. A bastard child of a teenaged prostitute? Yes, if you believe the myth. Freaked out the locals? Yup. But the Antichrist? Nope.

The Duke teams were named for Les Diables Bleus, an elite French fighting unit from World War I. Their uniform consisted of brilliant royal blue cloaks. The nickname was taken back to the States after the war and adopted by the teams as a tribute to the valor of the men who fought under that name. Nothing to do with Satan/Beelzebub/Kathy Lee Gifford (depends on your religion and taste, I s'pose...)

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

i could see the fight against the NJ Devils and even the Duke BlueDevils being that they are referance to a satanic image, but the TB DevilRays is a stretch. but being that this has nothing to do with the teams original namesake thats just overly tacky.

Sorry to dredge this up. I've been away, but I saw this in passing, and needed to set the record straight.

The hockey team in New Jersey and the mascot of the university in Durham, NC have as little to do with the Antichrist as the baseball team in the Tampa Bay region.

The hockey team was named to honor the Jersey Devil, a creature of local folklore. A bastard child of a teenaged prostitute? Yes, if you believe the myth. Freaked out the locals? Yup. But the Antichrist? Nope.

The Duke teams were named for Les Diables Bleus, an elite French fighting unit from World War I. Their uniform consisted of brilliant royal blue cloaks. The nickname was taken back to the States after the war and adopted by the teams as a tribute to the valor of the men who fought under that name. Nothing to do with Satan/Beelzebub/Kathy Lee Gifford (depends on your religion and taste, I s'pose...)

with the blue devil one, you may have another argument by those that need to be in strait jackets in Creedmore State Hospital may bring up, that by honoring an war symbol its offensive to the antiwar people in the sense that it pushing war on to people that don't believe in war and that anything that pushes war has to go. if anyone remembers the recent WWII battleship controversy in San Fran, you'll know what im talking about. Since its NC, anyone that tried that argument against Duke would probably be ran out of the state by an angry mob.

[rams80]

i could see the fight against the NJ Devils and even the Duke BlueDevils being that they are referance to a satanic image, but the TB DevilRays is a stretch. but being that this has nothing to do with the teams original namesake thats just overly tacky.

Sorry to dredge this up. I've been away, but I saw this in passing, and needed to set the record straight.

The hockey team in New Jersey and the mascot of the university in Durham, NC have as little to do with the Antichrist as the baseball team in the Tampa Bay region.

The hockey team was named to honor the Jersey Devil, a creature of local folklore. A bastard child of a teenaged prostitute? Yes, if you believe the myth. Freaked out the locals? Yup. But the Antichrist? Nope.

The Duke teams were named for Les Diables Bleus, an elite French fighting unit from World War I. Their uniform consisted of brilliant royal blue cloaks. The nickname was taken back to the States after the war and adopted by the teams as a tribute to the valor of the men who fought under that name. Nothing to do with Satan/Beelzebub/Kathy Lee Gifford (depends on your religion and taste, I s'pose...)

So wait...they're named after French soldiers?

I for one have lost a lot of the fear/respect I had for that nickname.

[DEAD!]

The Duke teams were named for Les Diables Bleus, an elite French fighting unit from World War I.  Their uniform consisted of brilliant royal blue cloaks.  The nickname was taken back to the States after the war and adopted by the teams as a tribute to the valor of the men who fought under that name.  Nothing to do with Satan/Beelzebub/Kathy Lee Gifford (depends on your religion and taste, I s'pose...)

So wait...they're named after French soldiers?

I for one have lost a lot of the fear/respect I had for that nickname.

come on now, it's common knowledge that they have "surrendered" soooooooooooooo many times on the football field .....

[zmbyn6]

the radio guys are gonna love this

Who, Rick and Bubba? BTW they can only wear the jerseys during the pre and post game so unless you get there early noone will ever know!

Faith Night set, but with a twist

from The Birmingham News

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

STEVE IRVINE

News staff writer

The Birmingham Steeldogs plan to wear their Bible-theme jerseys when the Louisville Fire visits the BJCC Arena for their May 5 arenafootball2 game.

But the promotion, which Steeldogs Managing Partner Scott Myers said is the first of its kind, will come with a twist.

The Steeldogs will only wear the jerseys during pregame warmups and postgame festivities because of af2 regulations. If the Steeldogs wear the uniforms during the game, Meyers said, it would result in a $25,000 fine from the league.

"We went full speed ahead, basically got ahead of ourselves, and it's in direct violation of the league's uniform policy," Myers said. "The basic issue and I think the biggest issue for the league is that we were changing the surnames (on the back of the jerseys).

"We're disappointed but still excited. It changes things a little bit but I still think the overall concept of what we were trying to do with the jerseys - being innovative and unique - remains there."

The idea was hatched during a discussion between Myers and Third Coast Sports President Brent High. Myers said the Steeldogs contracted Third Coast Sports to market three games designated as Faith Night during the 2006 season.

"(High) told us about a local company called Christian Throwback Jerseys, which basically takes professional team jerseys, modifies them with some type of biblical theme and sells them," Myers said. "In the course of talking with them, in the excitement, I said `Tell them to do a Steeldogs throwback jersey and we'll wear it in a game.'"

Cornell Jackson, the company's owner, jumped at the opportunity.

"My first feelings were very positive," Jackson said. "I was thrilled to asked to be part of Faith Night. When we all sat down together, I was grinning from ear to ear."

Jackson designed the jerseys to mirror the black, orange and white jerseys worn during home games by the Steeldogs. The small "Steeldogs" under the V-neck collar was replaced by "Samson" and the player's name on the back of the jersey was replaced by a book from the Bible. The books went together with the players' numbers to form either a chapter or verse in the Bible.

Starting quarterback Ryan Hawk, who wears No. 12, will have James on his jersey, referencing James 1:2. Backup quarterback Robert Kent, who wears No. 1, has Genesis on his jersey, referencing Genesis 1.

"We made sure the corresponding verses on the back of the jerseys had a good, positive message," Myers said. "We weren't just arbitrarily throwing (the verses) on jerseys."

Jackson said the original set of jerseys had `Soldiers' on the front but the change to `Samson' was made later.

Myers said media outlets throughout the United States and Canada picked up the news and response has been largely positive, even though Philadelphia Daily News columnist Frank Fitzpatrick wrote it was "the stupidest idea in the history of sports promotions - one that surpasses even Disco Night, Kiteman and the Joe Millette Growth-Chart Calendar giveaway."

During the May 5 game, Meyers said the Steeldogs will now wear their regular home-game jerseys, after making the switch from the Bible-theme jerseys after pregame warmups, then wearing them again for postgame festivities.

Myers said everything else will go as planned. A pre-game concert featuring Christian recording artists Audio Adrenaline will still be held, Bibles will still be available at the door and the postgame festivities will include a public auction for the jerseys with proceeds going to Cornerstone schools of Birmingham.

"It's still going to be a great time and a lot of fun and I hope a big success," Myers said.

E-mail: sirvine@bhamnews.com

[bhambruiser]

yeah i had heard where they had to back off a little bit on this promotion. I am personally not opposed to people handing out bibles and promoting faith...that is all cool with me.

I am glad they won't wear the jerseys for the game.

actually rick and bubba don't do their games- matt coulter and roger shultz do...but just imagine the confusion

"Genesis 1 back to pass...the throw is to Hezekiah 14...he fumbles and it is picked up by Zechariah 22...Holy Columbus Ohio!"

[tater]

seriously, nothing?  man you guys suck......can't even appreciate a good joke when you see one....can't even talk about the idea....can't even understand the irony of the post....*sniff*

sorry.....

....what was the joke again?

the joke was -

how about if the New York AFL team, in response to the Birmingham jerseys, puts MOSES on the fronts of their jerseys for a game, you know, the Jewish response to SAMSON? heh, heh, get it? What city has a large Muslim community? Their team could have MOHAMMED on there- except for the whole part about representing the prophet.....

anyway....so yeah....that was the unappreciated joke...go back to like, page 2 or something for the original comment...

You realize Samson was a Jew ... and his history is told in the Old Testament, just like Moses?