Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 10, 1995 TAG: 9509080049
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CODY LOWE
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Second-guessing is such a deeply entrenched tradition in sports it might as well be written into the rules. The day after the game - any game - we love to sit around and tell our buddies how we would have run the ball instead of passed it, or we devise elaborate torture for obviously biased officials.
So when the NCAA sent out a new interpretation of the rules against grandstanding by football players, its officials probably guessed there would be some grousing about them.
They probably did not guess the disapproval would reach into many of the nation's churches or force the NCAA into court.
Essentially, the NCAA decided that when a player kneeled for a momentary prayer in the end zone after scoring a touchdown, that it constituted grandstanding - inappropriately calling attention to oneself - and was something to be prohibited. The NCAA also contended - in a videotape explaining how officials would interpret the rules - that such a display delayed the game and would be penalized.
Of course, anybody who has ever watched a football game knows that players who engage in this kind of kneeling are usually back on their feet before their teammates arrive to congratulate them with a slap on the butt or the helmet. The kneeling prayer rarely lasts more than a couple of seconds.
It seemed obvious to just about everyone except the NCAA officials who released the videotape that the prayers neither delayed the game nor called undue attention to the individual player. The decision to penalize such behavior was patently ridiculous.
But even when that was brought to the attention of the association, it delayed rescinding the decision. It waited until Liberty University moved the issue into court.
More than one person noticed that Liberty and the Charlottesville-based Rutherford Institute that represented the school in court waited until fairly late in the week before their first football game to take the issue to federal court.
That made it an "emergency" and added some spark to the challenge. The story got national publicity, and both Liberty and Rutherford were spotlighted for their primary support group - conservative Christians.
We probably will see references to this legal challenge in both the university's and the institute's fund-raising appeals in coming months.
In this case, that shouldn't detract from the fact that they were right. They had a legitimate complaint.
The issue should never have gotten to court, of course. The NCAA rules committee should have backed down when it was pointed out that their interpretation lacked any semblance of logic.
Instead, the powerful collegiate sports association waited to act until it was obvious that a federal judge was going to enjoin them, at least temporarily, from applying the rules to Liberty University.
Liberty challenged the application of the rules on civil rights grounds, contending its players who wanted to pray were being unfairly discriminated against in a place of "public accommodation."
That may have worked legally, but the real issue was simply that it just doesn't make any sense to apply the rules the way the NCAA said it was going to.
Certainly, religious behavior can be regulated in college football. Players cannot hold a prayer meeting on the field that holds up the following kick-off, for instance.
But that wasn't what this fight was about.
Fortunately, somebody at the NCAA wised up. Momentary kneeling for prayer would be allowed, the association announced just before a temporary restraining order could be issued.
It was the smart thing to do. It was the right thing to do.
It was too bad the issue had to get to a courtroom, but it is heartening to realize that human beings sometimes can resolve disputes over thorny issues with a little common sense.
I have to admit I wasn't counting on that. I hadn't figured on addressing this issue in a column just yet because I anticipated that there would be lengthy legal challenges and defiant prayers on the field.
Instead, we got a reasonable accommodation for players who feel an obligation to thank God for success or talent or opportunity.
It's a good sign for religion in America.
by CNB