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Iconophile:

I think Walnut needs to get out more often. The last baseball game I attended had plenty of young people present. I suppose he is viewing baseball "through [the] prism of the past." LOL.

My Mother, who complains that I am very Unchristian when it comes to sports, would be ashamed by the fact that I managed to start a bitter discussion about sports in a forum about catholocism!
But seeing as even my mother (and so many others) was glued to the tv set to watch just about every game that took place during this Euro cup, and did not hesitate to insult a French friend of mine when he gloated over the the English defeat by France (My mother is English by the way) I don't feel too bad anymore.

Some of the criticisms I am reading here about Soccer (I'll condescend to the heretic term americans use for Football) sadden me and could only possibly come from somebody who has never experienced the fantastic feelings, positive and negative, that soccer brings to it's fans. There is a reason it is called the "Beautiful Game".
Only someone who has never seen footage of Pele, Eusebio, Maradona or Zidane (to name just some of the most famous) at their greatest could doubt that even God smiles whilst watching them from up above.
The greatest thing about Soccer however is it's globality, and that is something that no other sport can claim for itself, much less Baseball!
All this said however, I must concede that my genetic contempt for Baseball ended when I read a book by Stephen King, (I can't remember the name) about a little girl who get's lost in a natural park and who's only consolation is thinking about the Red Sox and occasionaly listening to the games on her walkman. A tribute to any real sport's fanatic!

However, in an attempt to rescue this topic and get it to have something to do with the forum, it might be interesting to study the sporting habits of Eastern Christians in the Diaspora.
For example, since most eastern christians come from Byzantine countries with serious soccer traditions and following (like Greece for example, or Russia etc.) it would be interesting to know if while maintaing their religious traditions they maintain other cultural aspects such as sport's culture or preferance.
This may sound silly until one sees images of an Orthodox priest (they didn't specify, but I have to imagine that it was the Patriarch of the Greek O.C.) handing out medals to the Greek Soccer team yesterday.
One of the most interesting thing's I saw this year concerning religion and soccer was in Belgrade where I went to visit a friend and to watch two Red Star v. Partizan games, a fierce and often violent rivalry. The Red Star fans based in Western Europe traveled to the game and carried their banner which has an Icon of the Theotokos in the middle, in a clear reference to their Orthodox faith. Partizan banners I had seen in the past carried the phrase "Orthodox or Death".
The relationship between sports and religion is obvious (if clearly misguided at times) and interesting, Orthodox football fans in non orthodox soccer-countries cling to their faith, do orthodox in non-orthodox non-soccer-countries cling to their faith and their sporting preferences?
A desperate attempt perhaps at giving some relevance to the topic.

Concerning the hooliganism aspect, if only we all lived in countries that could invade other's whenever they needed to let off a little steam, perhaps we wouldn't beat eachother up at soccer games!

The Forum member's opinions about baseball range from Americanist heresy to heaven. A good description of the Catholic Church.

Thanks Anhelyna for your good humor.

Christ is our peace.

Paul

I grew up in a house where the religion was baseball.
Wade Boggs, Don Zimmer, and Roger Clemens were the dark side. Until they wore pinstripes
Mike Torres was Judas. Bucky Dent was Luke Skywalker
A sport of mercenaries playing for the highest bidder that goes on for 3 and1/2 hours,yawn
Nothing compares to playing for your people.
Rangers vs. Celtics is a replay of the Battle of the Boyne.
You cant go from Barcelona to Real Madrid (unless your Figo)
Roma playing Juventus rich north vs real Italy
Manchester United Oi Oi Oi
Beisbol works in Cuba because you have to play for your hometown team of your birth
That would make Major League Baseball interesting
rather than a game of monopoly.

Hehe

Nae probs Paul.

Believe it or not , despite Football being a religion here in Glasgow , I don't watch it

I was brought up in Rugby territory - and still find that more interesting and breathtaking to watch.

However I will admit to being rather upset that Portugal did not win in the end [ well -- since my husband's ancestors came from there I do have a soft spot for that lovely country ]

I just think you are all mad

Yes, Filipe, you should be ashamed! You have committed barely confessible sin. The baseball/soccer rivalry is all in fun, so I don't thing we are taking it all that seriously - at least I am not.

All in fun?!!!
How many times does Bill Shankly have to be quoted before poeple realise that "Football is not a matter of Life or Death... its much more important than that!"
Fun indeed...

Oh WOW,

Filipe - you have been badly infected

It may be early in the morning in the US - but in Portugal - it's afternoon - go and have a glass of Vinho do Porto and let the world go by for a while

You have WAY too much time on your hands. It is only a game. No one's eternal salvation rests on the outcome.

Oh dear... you've all discovered my dark side...

This argument is moot anyway since everyone in his right mind knows that tennis is the best sport known to man.

Logos Teen

Aaaaaaaaaaargh - he's been watching Wimbledon in the rain again - and it always does

Did he say "tennis"?! Lord, have mercy...

Tennis? What part of Georgia are you from, boy?

The country club part, ByzanTN.

Naturally, football is insanely adhered to down here. Football has, is, and always will be #1 by far. But I, personally, am into tennis.

And Anhelyna, yes...I did watch Wimbledon! Maria Sharapova is a tennis goddess!

Catholics and Orthodox should love tennis anyway: Spain, France, Italy, South America, and Russia are definitely the biggest tennis-player producing countries in the world.

Logos Teen