MLB
RAYS KEEP WINNING AT HOME – AGAINST BOSTON
Despite a 0-6 record against the Boston Red Sox at
On Monday, Tampa Bay ran its record to 4-0 against Boston at home after beating the Red Sox 5-4 to hold on to its lead over Boston in the division. It also improved the Rays’ overall record to a major-league best 50-32.
Gabe Gross went 2-for-2 with two RBIs to lead
TRIVIA: When did the American League begin using the designated hitter?
(answer below)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Houston 4,
TRIVIA ANSWER: The American League began using the designated hitter on an experimental basis in 1973.
SPORTS SPECTRUM INSIDER
Getting to the heart of what matters in life -- in the words of an athlete in the news.
TODAY'S FEATURE:
Lance Berkman, first baseman, Houston Astros
BIO NOTE: Berkman is in his 10th season in the majors, all with
RECENT NEWS: Berkman, who went 1-for-2 and hit his 22nd home run this season, is in the top three in three offensive categories in the National League: batting average (.365, second); home runs (22, third); RBIs (68, tied for first).
FAITH QUOTE: "If you're a baseball player -- if that's what you do for a living, off the field a lot of times you are linked to what you do on the field. If I didn't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, it would be extremely difficult for me to handle the ups and downs of the season. When you're not performing well or the team's not performing well, from a mental standpoint it's very easy to fall into a rut and get down on yourself. It's easy not to express the joy that we're supposed to have. But having that relationship with Christ really helps to even things out."
DAILY WEEKLY POLL RESULTS
Readers were overwhelming in their support for Roger Federer to win his sixth consecutive Wimbledon title, despite a monumental collapse several weeks ago at the French Open to rival Rafael Nadal. Both are still alive in the tournament.
83 % said he would win
17 % said he would not win
U.S. OLYMPIC TRACK & FIELD TRIALS
A profile by Four Winds Christian Athletics on Stephanie Brown Trafton, who made her second consecutive U.S. Olympic team after finishing third on Sunday at the U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon. She leads the world in the discus with a best of 217-feet, 1 inch.
For Trafton, her season started in September with a new training facility, new training partner, and lots of motivation to get her body ready to compete at the 2008 Olympics.
"Even though I had everything to look forward to, I had a feeling that something was just not there during practice,” she said. “I was working hard, yet something was holding me back. My family and friends kept asking me if I was going to make the team, bring home a medal, and break the American record. I kept telling them, 'Yeah, okay...' but I had a feeling that it was an impossible task. I really didn't believe that I could win a medal or throw over 220 feet in the discus.”
“I finally admitted this sentiment to my Father, Jesus Christ. While praying about it, I had a breakthrough one day. God put into my heart one of the most commonly used phrases by Christian athletes; one that I had been ignoring for a long time. 'For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.' (Philippians 4:13) One word jumped out at me: 'CAN.' I realized that Christ has the ability to make the 'impossible' possible in my life. I believe now that I can do the things He has placed in my path while looking to Him for strength. The outcome of my season is out of my direct control, but as long as I stay disciplined, I know 'I can.' If it is God's will, I will accomplish my goal of winning an Olympic medal.”
“I had very weak faith growing up. It was not until I finished college that I stopped running from God. I had finished my bachelors degree and had a great deal of success in sports. I had a great relationship with my boyfriend of five years, but I still felt like I had climbed the ladder of success only to find out the prize at the top didn't mean much. The prize I had won wasn't lasting or eternal. It didn't seem to have any purpose. I started searching for purpose and God kept knocking.”
“After a lot of reading and praying, which was hard at first, God put it on my heart to put my faith and trust in Him. I had always been taught that reality was only what could be seen, heard or touched. Acting on faith was a big step for me. I asked God to help me in my unbelief and by His grace He started working in my life in ways that I could no longer ignore. The more steps I took in His direction, the clearer the path became until I finally found that this prize, His love, was the ultimate eternal gift. I knew I had found purpose most of us seek."
Now as Stephanie approaches the 2008 Olympic Games, she plans to go to
Note: Steve and Liz McConkey are founders of Four Winds Christian Athletics, an evangelistic and teaching ministry that works with track and field athletes all over the world. Their ministry can be found online at www.4WCA.org
MINI MEMOS
Putting the SS spin on today's sports news
OLYMPICS
I’m sure you’ve heard about the debate concerning evangelizing during the Olympic Games in
It’s not complex: some say you shouldn’t and some say you should (there’s a recent blog on reuters.com that talks about it).
The bottom line is this: It doesn’t matter what man says we should or shouldn’t do, what matters is what Jesus said, right? I mean, we’re Christians, which means “followers of Jesus Christ” or, as some like to say these days, “Christ followers.”
So, let’s take a look at what Jesus said, and then you can determine for yourself and not base it on anything except scripture:
Mark
Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 1:8: “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in
And in Romans 10, we see this:
13-15 “for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
NASCAR
This Saturday’s race, the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway in
SPRINT CUP STANDINGS
1. Kyle Busch 2,496
2. Jeff Burton 2,432
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2,352
4. Carl Edwards 2,262
5. Jimmy Johnson 2,220
6. Jeff Gordon 2,171
7. Denny Hamlin 2,150
8. Greg Biffle 2,119
9. Tony Stewart 2,042
10. Kasey Kahne 2,031
11. Clint Bowyer 2,021
12. Kevin Harvick 2,016
13. Matt Kenseth 2,001
14. Martin Truex Jr. 1,945
15. Ryan Newman 1,905
THIS JUST IN
Notes of significance from the Christian sports community
New Book: The Mulligan
By Wally Armstrong
After ending a successful career as a PGA golfer, Wally Armstrong began a venture of teaching golf and of using gold analogies to teach biblical principles. One of his latest ventures is teaching timeless truths through golf is a book called The Mulligan. It's a book that can be used by the Christian for edification, and it can be given to the non-Christian as an outreach tool.
Find out more about the book at www.wallyarmstrong.com.
VERSE OF THE DAY
“Be doers of the Word and not hearers only.” James 1:22
Coaches are teachers. Their job is to instruct players. Great coaches work hard to prepare their players for competition. They study their opponent, and come up with a game plan to produce the best possible outcome. Great coaches are constantly looking for ways to improve. But for all the hard work and effort great coaches give, it’s meaningless if their athletes don’t respond.
Imagine a coach doing his or her best to teach the team, prepare them for competition and then once the athletes got in the game, they decided not to do what they had been taught. The coach would be upset and the team would be unsuccessful.
James