Sports is a funny thing...

Hello, friends! 

Funny thing.  Apparently, my last post was actually post number 100 for this blog!  It has been a great time posting and sharing with y'all about my life and ministry.  Here's to 100 more posts!  =0). 

Many, if not all of you, know that I am a HUGE sports fan.  Like, huge.  Really big.  It may be a bit of a problem.  I am unabashedly a fan of the Saint Louis Cardinals, the Miami Dolphins, the Saint Louis Blues, the San Antonio Spurs, Matt Kenseth, and Tottenham Hotspur.  I have also been known to root for the LA Galaxy, the United States in any international competition, and Canada when the US is not present. 

Earlier today, I went to a Rams game with a few friends from out here.  For a fan who didn't have either of his teams involved (the Rams beat the 49ers 16-13 in overtime), the game was actually really fun.  Of course, for my friends who were 49er fans, as well as my brother-in-law, the game was probably much less fun.  This post isn't about my gametime experience though.  It's actually about what happened after the game. 

After the game, my friends and I were walking out of the stadium and we saw things get a little out of hand between 4 fans.  2 of them were obviously drunk and I wouldn't be surprised if the other 2 had thrown back a few too many at the Dome as well.  From what I could see, the 2 Rams fans got into the faces of the Niners fans.  The Niners fan pushed the Rams fan and thankfully a level headed citizen got between them before punches were thrown.  However, that didn't stop the Rams fans from chasing down the Niners fans and exchanging a few more choice words before heading in the other direction. 

There were a few thoughts that struck me. 

1) Sports makes us do funny things.  The Rams fan was literally half the size of the Niners fan but he was definitely the aggressor.  I don't think that in a million years these guys would have had more than a quick "how do you do" but because one guy was wearing the "wrong jersey" they got into it. 

2) Apparently, we don't grow up all the way.  What would possess a man to drink too much, swear in front of children, pick a fight with someone he'd never met, and almost get arrested?  I would like to think that as we get older we get smarter.  That may not be the case.  It actually got me thinking about how important the work that InterVarsity is on the college campus.  My hope is that we are graduating people who are less stupid and more Christ-like than when they started. 

3) It's amazing what a few weeks can do.  Today, the Edward Jones Dome was the home to public drunkenness and a verbal altercation.  In just 25 days, it will be home to 15,000 delegates from all over the world praising Jesus at Urbana.  It will go from a place of anger to a place of love.  It will go from a place of selfishness to a place of sacrifice.  It will go from a place of brokenness to a place of new life.  Hooray!  =0). 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam