[Sly Fox]

Bring your Super Sunday talk here. I'll start it with a story on Lovie from Baptist Press:

Chicago Bears’ Lovie Smith underscores his faith . . .
Jan 30, 2007
By Art Stricklin
Baptist Press

MIAMI (BP)--Lovie Smith had a limited amount of time during his Super Bowl XLI media session Monday, but the Chicago Bears head coach said he could spend hours talking about his star players and their efforts to get the team to their first Super Bowl berth in 21 years.

Smith also wanted to spend part of his allotted time talking about what was most important in his life, his faith in Jesus Christ.

“God is the center of my life. It controls all that I do. I hope I don’t have to spend my time telling my players I’m a Christian. I hope they see it in my life every day,” Smith said.

Since taking the helm of the Bears in 2004 -- his first head coaching job in the NFL -- he has led his team to back-to-back division titles and, now, to this year’s NFL championship game.

And he has done it in the same faith-based style of his close friend, mentor and opposing Super Bowl coach Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts.

“I could spend the rest of the day talking about Tony Dungy and what he means to me,” Smith told a ballroom full of media reps. “We have similar beliefs, and to see him go through the storms and see he’s the same person is truly encouraging.

“I’m happy we can to lead our teams to the Super Bowl. I’ve learned a lot from Tony Dungy.”

Smith grew up in a Christian home in the small east Texas town of Big Sandy, going to church regularly with his mother, his brothers and sisters.

“My mother always made sure we went to church and knew about the Lord. My faith has been with me all the time and I knew I needed God to be a part of my life,” he recounted.

Smith’s father battled alcoholism most of his life, which led his son never to drink, and his mom always emphasized to him the need for a clean mouth and a pure heart.

“Lovie always had a direct line to God,” she was quoted as saying in a recent New York Times profile of her son.

The result is a solid faith and values system which has served him well in the up and down world of coaching.

“I don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t dance, so what is there to do to get in trouble?” he said to laughs during the media session. “When my family gets here later in the week, we’ll have dinner out together. That will be our big excitement.”

After starting out as a high school coach in his hometown at Big Sandy High School, he spent nearly two decades coaching in college before Dungy brought him to the NFL as a linebackers coach in 1996 at Tampa Bay.

The addition of Smith to a staff which included fellow Christian and current Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herman Edwards proved to be a fulfilling spiritual combination.

“I’m so proud of Lovie to prove you can do things the right way in coaching without profanity,” Dungy said after watching his friend’s team defeat the New Orleans Saints in the NFC title game last week.

Smith said his lack of cursing in a sport often dominated by it is another way to showcase his faith without cramming it down anyone’s throat.

“I don’t have to tell you. I can show you,” Smith said. “Bring me the person that has ever heard a curse word from me. You won’t be able to find them.”

Sunday, on the Bears’ home team sideline at Super Bowl XLI, Smith’s calm demeanor as he guides his team will reflect something more important to him than the ultimate on-field victory.

“I believe that God has a plan for our lives,” he said, “and we have to try and fit into it.”

--30--
Baptist Press sports correspondent Art Stricklin is on site at Super Bowl XLI in Miami, filing daily reports on the spiritual side of the NFL’s championship game.

[LUconn]

Colts get an early 7-0 lead and the Bears try to play catch up but can't because their offense stinks. Although their D makes the game look respectable. 17-6

[TDDance234]

Put me down for 20-13, Colts.

Manning has to be on top of his game for them to have a chance on Sunday. He can't play like he's done so far in the playoffs. Unfortauntly for the Bears, Grossman isn't reliable enough to take advantage of the busted coverage that Brady and the Pats did.

[thepostman]

This game is going to be a close one simply because the Bears have a very good defense...if the Colts defense plays as well as they have been in the playoffs that is enough to slow down the Bears' offense...so my pick is Indy 17-13

As I said Chicago keeps it close because of their defense...

I want to see Peyton win the game, and am sick of hearing a certain Bears fan run his mouth to me all the time about how good the Bears are...so therefore I really want the Colts to win to just shut him up...I am so glad most of the media is saying the game will be close and aren't going crazy about the Colts killing the Bears like they did with the college national championship game....it should be a solid game, I just can't see a Rex Grossmen lead team winning the big one....plus how can you not love Peyton Manning??

[Libertine]

Interesting bit of info:

Statistically speaking, during the regular season, Chicago had a much better defense than the Colts and the Colts had a much better offense than the Bears. However, in the playoffs, Chicago's offense has been outstanding while their defense has been somewhat suspect and Indy's defense has been the best in the league while their offense hasn't really done all that much.

Then again, that may have more to do with the higher quality of AFC playoff competition.

[PeterParker]

Patriots win 21-13...oh, shrute (what the "WOOTLW" Bill & company?) I mean both quarterbacks can't find the rhythm and the game is settled by the kickers...the ex-patriot benedict Arnold sinks the dagger into the Chi-Town faithful in the waning seconds of XLI, prompting the Chi-Towners to quickly remind everyone that they own a recent World Series trophy.

[01LUGrad]

Sadly, the World Series trophy resides in St. Louis at present. As a Cubs fan, I haven't been exactly pleased with the outcome of the last two Series' results.

I love this stuff. NO ONE is picking the Bears. ESPN has temporarily changed its name to "WLPMNETWHASHCN" (We Love Peyton Manning Now, Even Though We Have Always Said He Chokes Network). Does everyone realize that Manning's passer rating in the playoffs is almost 10 points lower than Rex's? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Rex is better than Peyton. We all know that isn't the case, but, people might want to stop and think before they say that Rex is going to choke. Remember, Grossman has had 5 bad games this year. The Bears lost 3 of those games. Everyone says he had a bad game against the Saints, but someone please remind me who won that game.

The Bears' defense is designed to stop an offense like the Colts. The cover 2 scheme demands a lot from the middle linebacker position. Can anyone name the Bears' middle line backer? I enjoy hearing about how the Bears' defense is average or even week. Interesting. Didn't everyone say that the Bears couldn't handle the Saints' high-powered, #1 offense? How did that game work out? [Wait...are you telling me that the Colts aren't the #1 offense?]

The Colt's defense has been given much credit over the past few weeks. I guess it always helps when the opposing team completely abandonds the run in the second half, making defensive play-calling pretty easy (everyone yell "pass!"). The Bears are not going to abandon the run. Not because they don't trust Rex (even though that's all you will hear on the above mentioned network), but because they have to running backs who are going to come at you and hit you in the face over and over again. Let's see how the baby horse's hold up in the second half against that.

This is going to be one of the greatest tragedies in ESPN history (Right behind how they handed the National Championship trophy to OSU this year, and then had to confiscate it after Florida gave them an epic beat-down), but the Bears are going to win this one. I'll say 30-24 just to stick a score on it.

[LUconn]

it's pretty silly to be so confident about it. If the Bears win, which is obviously possible, it will be an upset. The fact is They came from a bad division in the weaker conference. They were 2-2 vs the AFC and I'll admit the W vs the Jets was good but the L vs the fins, is bad.

[Libertine]

I'll say this as a Colts fan (at least, I've been a Colts fan for the last month since Denver choked themselves out of the playoffs), Bernard Berrian scares the crap out of me.

[01LUGrad]

it's pretty silly to be so confident about it. If the Bears win, which is obviously possible, it will be an upset. The fact is They came from a bad division in the weaker conference. They were 2-2 vs the AFC and I'll admit the W vs the Jets was good but the L vs the fins, is bad.

What would you say about the Colts' loss to the mighty Houston Texans? (no disrespect to one Samkon Gado intended)

[LUconn]

I would say that's football anybody can beat anybody. What would you say to a Texan fan predicting an easy win before the game? You'd say they're certainly capable but it's not likely.

[01LUGrad]

Houston Texans= 6-10
Chicago Bears= 13-3, NFC Champions

Chicago Bears>Houston Texans

(And I thought I wasted my money on math at LU!)

[Sly Fox]

Its good to see the Texans generating so much discussion on here.

[bigsmooth]

let's end that texas blah blah......colts win a close one 28-24

[LUconn]

I think anybody can beat anybody, obviously. But to me, Bears = Paper Tiger.

[RubberMallet]

i think the weaker division/weaker conference is somewhat weak because their defense and offense were 2 of the best all eyar....if they were both middle of the pack in such a bad division than yeah....but they were annialating people....any team can beat any team. thats why betting on professional football can be a bad idea....

i think the bears are coming otu super hungry....if the bears can pound the ball and keep manning off the field then i think they have a real good chance. devin hester has to make plays and the defensive ends have to be quick to give the linebackers a chance to pickup run or pass...

i have no educated prediction

[01LUGrad]

I think anybody can beat anybody, obviously. But to me, Bears = Paper Tiger.

I say Colts=better at paper football

[PeterParker]

Sadly, the World Series trophy resides in St. Louis at present. As a Cubs fan, I haven't been exactly pleased with the outcome of the last two Series' results.

True...it was more of a dig at Chi-Town, that at least they could console themselves with the World Series Trophy, but alas, they only own it in memories.

My hope for the XLI game is that it is competitive and that the zebras are unnoticable during the game...not like last years game.

[Sly Fox]

Further evidence of the No Fun League taking things way too far ...

NFL pressure on Indy church to cancel Super Bowl party called ‘outrageous’ . . .

Feb 1, 2007
By Michael Foust
Baptist Press

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--The National Football League has told a Southern Baptist church in Indianapolis it will run afoul of federal copyright law if it hosts a Super Bowl party this Sunday, even though the league makes a major exception for such large-scale viewings at sports bars.

Fall Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis was one of probably thousands of churches across the nation scheduled to host a party this Sunday evening as part of an outreach to the congregation and the community.

But now, the church -- whose hometown Colts will play the Chicago Bears -- has canceled the event under pressure from the NFL, which says large-group events can show the Super Bowl on a TV no larger than 55 inches wide. The church had planned on showing the game on a projector that would have resulted in a 12-foot screen. A 55-inch screen would be too small for the hundreds that were planning on attending. NFL policy also prohibits the use of multiple televisions. The league even said the church legally couldn't show a video highlighting the Christian testimonies of Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy and Chicago coach Lovie Smith.

Falls Creek senior pastor John Newland says the NFL technically has the right to do what it did, although he disagrees with both the law and its application. In an e-mail, he told the NFL it was wrong to prevent a Super Bowl party at a family friendly event such as a church, while allowing Super Bowl viewings at bars that serve alcohol that "destroys the lives of millions of people every year in our country."

"The churches of this great country are often the very people reaching out to help those whose lives are ruined by alcohol and yet, we are told that we cannot host an alcohol-free party to watch the Super Bowl, while bars across America are free to do so, using the exact same technology we had planned to use and more," he wrote.

Newland also pointed out that, unlike churches, bars hosting Super Bowl parties stand to gain financially from the sales of drinks and food.

"[W]e only seek to provide a family oriented atmosphere for people of all ages to come and enjoy the game, without the distractions of alcohol and other things that are inappropriate for young children," the pastor wrote.

Newland told Baptist Press the church won't file any legal action, although it will ask its legislators to change the law.

"Between 40 and 50 percent of our church on any given Sunday is under the age of 18," Newland told BP. "Our kids don't have anyplace to go watch it in a party-type atmosphere, unless it's a very small party. We wanted to provide a place for our kids and our teenagers to watch the game. Plus, we wanted to inspire them by the stories of faith -- especially Dungy and Smith."

Mike Johnson, an attorney with the religious liberty group Alliance Defense Fund, said the NFL has a double standard.

"It certainly smacks of anti-religious discrimination to me," he told BP. "Federal copyright law includes the right to control how a broadcast is displayed. There's no dispute about that. But it certainly seems that the way that they are enforcing their policies here is discriminatory. The idea that they would allow exceptions for bars and restaurants but not for churches and other family friendly venues is just outrageous."

The NFL first sent a letter dated Jan. 25 via overnight mail to the church, saying the congregation's use of the "Super Bowl" name and its plan on charging admission to show the game "on a big screen" violated the NFL's copyright rights. Newland responded to the NFL by saying the church would drop the admission -- which was to help pay for food -- and would not use the "Super Bowl" name. The NFL then replied saying the church still would be in violation of copyright law because it was using the large screen.

"From everyone I've talked to, [the NFL] can say exactly what they've said to us," Newland said. "Really and truly, if we're going to be law-abiding citizens -- and the Scripture teaches us that we need to obey the laws of the land -- then we have no choice but to comply. If this was a matter of civil disobedience, where they were challenging us to not obey God, then that's a whole different matter. But this doesn't even come close to that."

Newland added, "[W]e are going to try to get our legislators to get the law changed."

The league said the church -- if it held a Super Bowl party conforming with the law -- should not show the video highlighting the Christian testimonies of Dungy and Smith.

"While this may be a noble message, we are consistent in refusing the use of our game broadcasts in connection with events that promote a message, no matter the content," NFL attorney Rachel Margolies wrote Newland.

Bars and other businesses that operate as "24/7 365 days-per-year sports viewing establishments" are the only exception to the group-viewing rule, provided they don't charge admission, she said.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello explained the copyright rule, telling the Indianapolis Star, "We have contracts with our [TV] networks to provide free over-the-air television for people at home. The network economics are based on television ratings and at-home viewing. Out-of-home viewing is not measured by Nielsen."

Nielsen rates TV shows through the use of television meters placed in a "cross-section of households." During sweeps months, the organization also uses diaries. Unless church members and guests were among that select group, it is unclear how the church’s planned showing of the Super Bowl -– or a bar’s -- would affect ratings.

"I don't lend too much credence to [the NFL's] argument [regarding Nielsen],” the ADF’s Johnson said, “because if that were the case then they should also be going to all the sports bars and restaurants and other venues and imposing the same restriction. It seems to me a bit of a disingenuous argument."

Johnson said litigation is possible -- if a church is willing to participate -- although he believes it may be unnecessary.

"This is one of those things that may not even require litigation," he said. "It seems to me that when people hear about this, it may just be one of these things that public outcry can solve. This may be one of those kinds of grassroots efforts where we shine a little light on the situation, and it achieves the desired result."

--30--

[thepostman]

the NFL better get moving...there are going to be tons and tons of churches around the country doing the same thing....especially large youth groups...they need to shut all those parties down...

this is seriously the dumbest thing I have ever heard

[LUconn]

I don't understand how they have any right to do that since it's broadcasted for free over the air. I know it says that the copyright laws include that but I just don't see how that could be legal. I know they're charging to get in but I'm sure they're not making any money off it since 1. it's a church and 2. the money used is probably going towards food, drinks, etc.

[01LUGrad]

I smell conspiracy...The NFL secretly wants the Bears to win, so they are banning the church party in Indianapolis just in case there is a close game and the church members start praying for the Colts.

Seriously, this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

[RubberMallet]

i'm going to watch it at a buds house...hes got a 61" dlp....i guess i can't watch it there...

[El Scorcho]

I read the Sports Illustrated version of this article from which I drew the following to paragraphs, that basically sum up the NFL's argument:

1) Initially, the league objected to the church's plan to charge a fee to attend and that the church used the license-protected words "Super Bowl" in its promotions.

2) "We have contracts with our (TV) networks to provide free over-the-air television for people at home," Aiello said. "The network economics are based on television ratings and at-home viewing. Out-of-home viewing is not measured by Nielsen." It is also the reason no mass viewings are planned in large arenas like the RCA Dome or Conseco Fieldhouse.

[Sly Fox]

The church should know better than to use the trademarked Super Bowl name in its promotions. But otherwise this is a bunch of hooey.