The 2008 baseball season is now over with last night's Phillies game 5 win over Tampa to conclude the World Series and give Philly its' first pro sports title since 1983. Up until this point when I hear Philadelphia Phillies I think of:- Watching Mitch Williams as a 12 yr. old boy serve up a home run to Joe Carter of the Blue Jays as the Jays won in stunning walk-off fashion in the 1993 World Series.
- Their mascot - the most ridiculous in sports in my opinion - the Philly Fanatic.
- Fargo Native Chris Coste - the Phillies back up catcher
- The home run call of Sportscenter anchor, Steve Berthiaume, which comes from 1 Samuel 16:1. Berthiaume says the following after a Philly player hits a home run: "Fill thine horn with oil....and ggggoooo!"
Now thinking about this metaphor/analogy....it seems to me that it makes zero sense at all. And if it does make some kind of sense - it seems to me that taking a Biblical concept and using it as a home run call - seems pretty lame.
The context of 1 Samuel 16 is coming off the heals of Saul's reign as King of Israel. Saul disobeyed the Lord and did not follow through with His commands (1 Sam. 15). A new King was going to be anointed (David) and the Lord tells Samuel to "Fill your horn with oil" - the oil being placed in the horn - to carry to David and anoint him as King. The Lord tells Samuel to "Go" and do this. The only connection I can really make here is the horn was looked at as an instrument that communicated power - which a long ball in the Major Leagues is a demonstration of strength and power.
The last thing that seems odd about this analogy is who in the world reads 1 Samuel in the middle of the OT to come up with creative sports calls on ESPN? And if Berthiaume is a Christian and read this in 1 Samuel it seems rather strange that he would use this in such a bizarre way. The media isn't just flat out crazy covering politics - the sports media is right in line and is just as crazy.
1 comment:
Wow. That is bizarre. Thanks for reporting on this amazing homerun call. Were you the 1st to pick up on the Biblical allusion?
Even though it didn't make any sense, I actually think it was an amazing use of the Bible. Ryan, Zach and I always attempt to use Biblical allusions in conversations, frequently in slightly incoherent ways.
So, with that being said, be sure to greet all the brothers with a holy kiss!
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