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ToddJBehme	Post subject: Religion and sports Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 2:33 pm
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2003 1:01 am Posts: 113 Location: Suburban Chicago	In the sports section of today's Chicago Tribune, the ledes of both the lead story and the column packaged with it mention that the Bears' first-round draft pick is the son of a preacher. I'm not sure why that's highlighted. Do you think the writers were suggesting that it's a contradiction for a child of clergy to play football? I don't think it is, and I don't think the fact that his dad's a minister was important in either lede. What do you guys think?<p>[ April 25, 2004: Message edited by: Todd J. Behme ]<p>[ April 25, 2004: Message edited by: Todd J. Behme ]</p>
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Steve O'Brien	Post subject: Re: Religion and sports Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 3:04 pm
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 12:01 am Posts: 17 Location: Staten Island, NY, United States	I recall hearing a relevant anecdote years ago on Barry Gray's interview program on New York radio. Before a boxing match starts, one of the fighters makes the sign of the cross. Someone asks a priest attending the bout whether that will help the guy. The priest replies, "Only if he can fight."<p>[ April 26, 2004: Message edited by: Steve O'Brien ]</p>
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Oeditpus Rex	Post subject: Re: Religion and sports Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 9:34 pm
Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2003 1:01 am Posts: 1324 Location: N 36° 57' 9", W 121° 24' 2"	Can't be sure, especially without reading the lede, but one guess is it's meant to imply that the player won't embarrass the Bears with scandals over drugs, women, etc.<p>Anybody who's ever known a Preacher's Kid knows it ain't necessarily so.<p>And, no, it's not important. (What do the other 44 players' daddies do?)
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Matthew Grieco	Post subject: Re: Religion and sports Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 9:49 pm
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 1:01 am Posts: 2266 Location: New Jersey	It's an old reporter's trick. When the person you're writing about isn't interesting, find someone in his family who is.
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