Monday, December 12, 2011

We are not bound by your dictums, Bob Costas

Tebow  getting Tebowed
Tebow (L) getting Tebowed
Last night, during halftime of the otherwise fabulously entertaining Giants-Cowboys game, Bob Costas indulged himself in spewing the same thing that every other overpaid pundit seems to have emitted lately: pablum posing as apologeticism for Tim Tebow. Sadly, the remote control was at that moment just out of reach.

Costas, unlike most of the other nine hundred, did not even have the decency to acknowledge that, yeah, there is something a little annoying about Tebow's non-stop demonstrations, but instead went right to "… Tebow, whose sincere faith cannot be questioned, and should be respected …" It was then that I managed to get to the mute button.



Giant cow statue from South Park episode 'Cow Days'
And remember what happened
to the real cows in that episode
At the risk of reinforcing Eric Weiner's preconceived notions about "Angry Atheists," let me just say that, no, we need not take Tebow's faith on faith, and more importantly, that there is no reason whatsoever why it should be respected. Tim Tebow, same as anyone else, has the right to believe whatever fool thing he wants to believe without fear of retribution from the government, and I will defend that right to the death. That does not mean that his belief should be any less immune from criticism or mockery than any other, be it political, philosophical, conspiratorial, or just plain woo. There are no sacred cows.

I see by Kenneth Fang's transcript that Costas went on to cite Frank Bruni's latest column approvingly. I was going to say a few words about that thing, too, but someone with a sharper scalpel has already taken care of that.

(cow pix from here and here)

5 comments:

Uncle Ebeneezer said...

Ugh...this is worse than his pearl-clutching lecture about end-zone dances and sportsmanship etc.

I fantasize about a player who is ridiculously talented (Brady, Rodgers-level) and openly atheist. I imagine them telling the press corp that every touchdown they score is proof of their human mastery of the physics involved, and a direct challenge to the outdated, imbecilic belief in the supernatural. They could make an A-shaped hand signal to flash after every success, and declare each victory a celebration of secularism and modernity. I would love to hear Costas' reaction to something like that.

Has there ever been an openly atheist sports star (one who actually talked about their non-belief?)

bjkeefe said...

I share your fantasy. Where is the NFL equivalent of Pete Stark? Sheesh. Even the Google results for atheist athlete are littered with stories about religious athletes.

I'm also waiting for one (1) star in any of the major male sports to announce he's gay, while he's still playing.

Also, I'm looking to sell road salt in Hades.

bjkeefe said...

One guy I just thought of. No longer an active player, but still making a paycheck as part of pro sports, so some kudos are in order.

Back when there was some three-day fauxtrage frenzy about Francisco Cervelli clapping as he neared home plate after hiting a home run, Harold Reynolds was the only guy on MLB.tv who spoke up unambiguously in Cervelli's defense. The relevant part here is that he said something like, "How come nobody gets upset about all those guys who point at the sky after they get a hit?"

Anonymous said...

I loved NBC's recent highlights of Denver getting their butts kicked. Tebow was doing his usual pregame endzone pray and display; the announcer captioned it with:

"Tebow Assumes the Position."

:-) :-)

(I presume he's been fired.)

-------

The disgusting speed with which all the pundits jumped on the Tebow hayride, with the clear subtext of "here's a gen-yoo-wine miracle justifying the Fundament Christopath world-view", made me throw up in my mouth a little. So my heart rejoices to the Lord (thankyew jeebus!) every time he's gotten his ass kicked subsequently (and there has been a blessed abundance of them), especially when invariably he then gives us his martyred victim, "How couldst thou have forsaken me, of all thy most gifted servants?!..." little-kid-who-just-dropped-his-lollypop-in-the-sand look.

Squeeze us off a few, you little punk shitbag.

WHAP!
ThankYouSirMayIHaveAnother?

WHAP!
ThankYouLordMayIHaveAnother?

WHAP!
ThankYouDetroitMayIHaveAnother?

WHAP!
[sniffle] ThankYouOaklandMayIHaveAnother?
....

Behold, ladies and gentlemen, yet another republican Queen for a Day.

bjkeefe said...

Great rant! Wish you'd signed your name, or at least given your handle.

By the way, in case you ever need a little antidote to the punditocracy on this matter, and you didn't already know, see the master, also.

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