Moral Character and a Strong Football Program

[Gamecock_girl_west]

Originally Posted by me4USC

He was buying jeans before he flew out to the Passion 2013 Conference in Atlanta. That's fairly unusual, I think. Of course, we could perhaps have a pic of him partying like A J McCarron.

AJ McCarron just won back to back BCS games. If a picture of him partying is the worst thing about him, who cares. All I care about is that we have good players on the field who keep their noses clean off the field. If they party/ memorize the Bible on their off time, that's fine. Just don't do anything stupid and play hard.

I'll even throw Manziel in that mix. Sure he had a disorderly conduct in the spring, but if he stays clean, has fun and plays hard then good for him. A person's faith or lack thereof has no bearing on their football skills.

I think that it is great that Dylan has committed to this undertaking. However, I also understand the issue that some had with Tebow using his position as UF QB to promote his personal faith. It is a fine line to walk as a representative of the University between promoting your faith and alienating some who may be turned off by it. Would we welcome a player who praises Allah or the Flying Spaghetti Monster in the post game presser for his abilities?

[me4USC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-CtJ...yer_detailpage

Marcus Lattimore recites his verse, Jeremiah 29:11, on TheBibleOutLoud. The verse is especially appropriate for him, I think.

[me4USC]

I posted my own verse last night at The Bible Out Loud.

Here is Dylan Thompson with his lady quoting from Colossians chapter 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=eDvXiHPk1TI

[johnnyb]

Ladies and gentlemen, this forum is about our football team, it so happens that at this point in time our football team is made up of a good number of young men who's religious beliefs happen to play a large part in their lives. If it is not something you care to hear and you cannot respond respectfully as per board guidelines, please feel free to hit the back button.

[TStone]

The reason I am posting this in the CockPit is because this is a testament to the strength of leadership we have on our football team. I know a lot has been said about Marcus Lattimore's moral character and how he has rubbed off on the team. It is good to know that even though Marcus is moving on we still have several strong leaders with high moral fiber and strength of character. Because of this I know we will continue to improve as a team. I honestly believe that our successes the past two years are due to a mentality change among our players that drive them to do good. It is almost like our success is directly proportional to the number of kids who get in trouble. Fewer incidents means more wins.

The BibleOutloud is a program started by Dylan Thompson to have people read the entire bible, in videos. Supporters include Michael Roth, Bruce Ellington, Marcus Lattimore, Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner, Florida player Trey Burton, and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn. The website is pretty neat: http://thebibleoutloud.com/

[Gaichon]

Pretty dang neat. Never heard of it before - thanks for posting.

[Spurticus]

I have gotten into some pretty "heated" arguments with members of
this and a couple of other boards for pretty much voicing my opinion
about the Lack of Moral courage with this team over the past decade+.
There is always going to be a group of kids who treat Sports and part of
being a Team, the same way they do authority in other life situations
(Family, School, Law Enforcement local leaders etc...), However, My main
issues have been that the LEADERS of this team over the past 12-14 years
have those kinds of authority issues, and lack of personal priorities and
disipline, and as a result, they failed to put their team mates, and the team's
Coaches and admin ahead of themselves. Trouble on and off the field as
well as in the classroom became common for us to hear and read about
in the local news, and we scratched our heads, and racked our brains to
understand why this team seemed to be on the verge of doing some
great things, but just couldn't get "over the hump". This started to change
about 3 -4 years ago. We started hearing less and less about off the field
troubles, and more about a few of our guys stepping up to be good
kids on and off the field, and working with their team mates to be that kind
of player / person as well. Now we have a group of upperclassmen who
were those guys, and who are our team Leaders. It is no surprise to me
personally, that this team is experiancing its greatest stretch of success
now, with so many of our high visibility leaders being guys with strong
moral values. Whether that be from a tight knit community in their lives,
or a close loving family, or from their religious faith and personal convictions
within it. Most cases, if you have one of the above, you have all or most
of them growing up. Guys now like Dylan Thompson, DJ Swearinger,
Connor Shaw, Justice Cunningham, TJ Johnson, Marcus Lattimore and
several others whose lives we've followed as a member of this team, and
who were / are not affraid to let their history of moral stability be a
tool to help others now. When your leaders have no other way but to
lead by the lessons they've learned in their lives, it should not surprise
us that success from them as well as the others they've guided is
growing, and replacing that program that couldn't seem to get over the hump.

[COCKDIESEL]

http://www.cockytalk.com/showthread.php?t=186396&page=4

[Nureye]

I think I remember Tommy Beecher being an outspoken Christian too, and Lawrence Taylor smoked crack in the locker room.

Which one is in the HoF?

When UGA was going 7-6 was Mark Richt any less of a Christian than he has been the last two seasons?

Being a Christian will not make you a better football player or leader.

However, if attending bible study somehow makes our team more successful on the football field, then I am all for it.

[bryarx]

Whether you are a christian or not, believe in God or not, whatever-

Having members of our athletic teams be outspoken Christians in no way HURTS the team. If anything, the added moral obligations they are imposing on themselves helps raise the moral character of the team, if only because they are raising it in themselves (as I see the team being an average of all the players). If friendships develop and they hang out after practice, or even being living examples during practice of holding themselves to higher standards and working harder, then it's a good thing for the team, again, regardless of what your personal beliefs are.

Even if I was an atheist Clemson fan, I'd be fine with having a bunch of Christians on the team - to help prevent off the field problems.

[robgusc76]

Originally Posted by Nureye

I think I remember Tommy Beecher being an outspoken Christian too, and Lawrence Taylor smoked crack in the locker room.

Which one is in the HoF?

When UGA was going 7-6 was Mark Richt any less of a Christian than he has been the last two seasons?

Being a Christian will not make you a better football player or leader.

However, if attending bible study somehow makes our team more successful on the football field, then I am all for it.

First off, thats a horrible comparison. Secondly, being a Christian doesnt make you a better football you're correct. But what it does, is instills discipline and principle into a player. The bible is an entire book on how to be a leader. Look at some of the most outspoken Christians in the NFL, Ray Lewis, Tim Tebow, Kurt Warner, all three of those guys were the leaders in the locker room. Players see other players doing the right thing, and it infects everyone. Character is the start of leadership.

[klempsux]

Originally Posted by robgusc76

First off, thats a horrible comparison. Secondly, being a Christian doesnt make you a better football you're correct. But what it does, is instills discipline and principle into a player. The bible is an entire book on how to be a leader. Look at some of the most outspoken Christians in the NFL, Ray Lewis, Tim Tebow, Kurt Warner, all three of those guys were the leaders in the locker room. Players see other players doing the right thing, and it infects everyone. Character is the start of leadership.

Not touching the whole Christian/Non Christian deal. However, if you're going to talk about leaders and players doing things the right way, please don't include someone who has had to throw out a bloody suit in order to cover up his involvement in a murder.

[Acockolypse Now]

We have a higher ratio of higher character guys now, guys that are leaders. Christian or not that's what matters, and why we're seeing different results on the field.

[SC Sandlapper]

Originally Posted by Acockolypse Now

We have a higher ratio of higher character guys now, guys that are leaders. Christian or not that's what matters, and why we're seeing different results on the field.

Amen

[seamus]

I like the idea that we are trading "characters" for players with character.

[OldPat]

Originally Posted by Spurticus

I have gotten into some pretty "heated" arguments with members of
this and a couple of other boards for pretty much voicing my opinion
about the Lack of Moral courage with this team over the past decade+.
There is always going to be a group of kids who treat Sports and part of
being a Team, the same way they do authority in other life situations
(Family, School, Law Enforcement local leaders etc...), However, My main
issues have been that the LEADERS of this team over the past 12-14 years
have those kinds of authority issues, and lack of personal priorities and
disipline, and as a result, they failed to put their team mates, and the team's
Coaches and admin ahead of themselves. Trouble on and off the field as
well as in the classroom became common for us to hear and read about
in the local news, and we scratched our heads, and racked our brains to
understand why this team seemed to be on the verge of doing some
great things, but just couldn't get "over the hump". This started to change
about 3 -4 years ago. We started hearing less and less about off the field
troubles, and more about a few of our guys stepping up to be good
kids on and off the field, and working with their team mates to be that kind
of player / person as well. Now we have a group of upperclassmen who
were those guys, and who are our team Leaders. It is no surprise to me
personally, that this team is experiancing its greatest stretch of success
now, with so many of our high visibility leaders being guys with strong
moral values. Whether that be from a tight knit community in their lives,
or a close loving family, or from their religious faith and personal convictions
within it. Most cases, if you have one of the above, you have all or most
of them growing up. Guys now like Dylan Thompson, DJ Swearinger,
Connor Shaw, Justice Cunningham, TJ Johnson, Marcus Lattimore and
several others whose lives we've followed as a member of this team, and
who were / are not affraid to let their history of moral stability be a
tool to help others now. When your leaders have no other way but to
lead by the lessons they've learned in their lives, it should not surprise
us that success from them as well as the others they've guided is
growing, and replacing that program that couldn't seem to get over the hump.

Quite simply, Spurt, thank you for the most perceptive post I've ever read on this site and please give me the privlege of allowing your words to do my talking for me on this subject.

[cockybusiness2]

Originally Posted by gamecockphilip

edited lol

jk

Man You tasteless... Get a life

[Mootsman]

This is interesting.

[behindenemylines]

Originally Posted by klempsux

Not touching the whole Christian/Non Christian deal. However, if you're going to talk about leaders and players doing things the right way, please don't include someone who has had to throw out a bloody suit in order to cover up his involvement in a murder.

So you are saying a person can't make a mistake or put himself in a bad position. Recover and learn from that ordeal and then become a leader with moral character and a rebuilt image? Interesting.

[klempsux]

Originally Posted by behindenemylines

So you are saying a person can't make a mistake or put himself in a bad position. Recover and learn from that ordeal and then become a leader with moral character and a rebuilt image? Interesting.

I think that people can. Do I think Ray Lewis did? No. He rolled on his friends to keep his ass out of jail and then started preaching about Jesus to keep the endorsement money.