Forbes: The most influential athlete in American sport is...

[CF DolFan]

Literally no one thinks that.  That's a strawman argument.

but your actions say different. You constantly complain about Tebow and yet never about any of the other offenders.

[Spider-Dan]

Michael Vick and Ben Roethlisberger, combined, are not in the news as much as Tim Tebow.  Not even remotely close.  There's your answer.

I also talk about Mark Sanchez more than Vick; does that mean that I think poor QB play is "more despicable" than killing dogs?

[Landshark]

BTW all you had to say was "yes", that "actually good athletes" can say what they want, and "bench warmers" (although he was a starting QB) cannot.

There's a difference between starting and starting caliber. 

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Michael Vick and Ben Roethlisberger, combined, are not in the news as much as Tim Tebow.  Not even remotely close.  There's your answer.

I also talk about Mark Sanchez more than Vick; does that mean that I think poor QB play is "more despicable" than killing dogs?

Particularly if you are searching for news about Tebow.  You started the thread AND are complaining that too much time is spent talking about Tebow.

I would not have known about the Forbes article if not for you. 

[Spider-Dan]

I started this thread because I didn't feel like (further) derailing the already-existing thread where people were complaining that Tebow is oh-so-persecuted.  Such a claim is not quite consistent with an article declaring Tebow the most influential athlete in American sports.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I started this thread because I didn't feel like (further) derailing the already-existing thread where people were complaining that Tebow is oh-so-persecuted.  Such a claim is not quite consistent with an article declaring Tebow the most influential athlete in American sports.

Really so your claim is now that influential and persecuted are mutual exclusive. 

Martin Luther King, Martin Luther, Darwin, and Socrates were these men persecuted?  Or were they influential?  Or neither?  As you seem to be claiming one can't be both. 

[Spider-Dan]

Really so your claim is now that influential and persecuted are mutual exclusive.

Um, yes.  This is an unspectacular claim.

If you are currently wielding great influence, any persecution you may be suffering would be (relatively) rather minimal.  And if you are suffering great persecution, it's nearly impossible to simultaneously wield great influence.  If you don't have enough influence to keep yourself out of jail, how much do you really have?

That is, unless you consider a gang leader in a political gulag to be an example of "both," in which case I would have to simply disagree.  Emperor of the Leper Colony is not what I would call a persecuted person with great influence.

P.S. Influence doesn't count if you're dead.

[Sunstroke]

I bet you Ray Lewis did...

Ray Lewis has been mic'ed up more than any player in the history of the NFL, based on the number of clips they run on NFL Network, and I have never ever heard that man sing any song, much less a gospel number.

[Phishfan]

If you don't have enough influence to keep yourself out of jail, how much do you really have?

Seriously? This quote right here means Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was not an influential person. You may be the only person that feels that way.

[Spider-Dan]

He wasn't an influential person when he was in jail.  He became an influential person later.

Was Nelson Mandela influential when he was rotting in political prison?  Was Muhammad Ali influential when he was blackballed out of boxing?  Don't conflate future with present.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

He wasn't an influential person when he was in jail.  He became an influential person later.

Was he influential on August 28, 1963?  He wasn't in jail.  But he was quite hated. 

Was he influential on April 3, 1968?  I would say yes.  What happened on April 4th certainly suggests persecuted. 

[Spider-Dan]

Was he influential on August 28, 1963?  He wasn't in jail.  But he was quite hated.

Yes, he was.  Not sure what "quite hated" has to do with anything; how many millions of people hate Obama (or hated GWB before him)?

Was he influential on April 3, 1968?  I would say yes.  What happened on April 4th certainly suggests persecuted.

1) Yes, he was, and 2) no, it doesn't (in any meaningful sense).

Unless your definition of "persecuted" includes "my ex-girlfriend slashed my tires," the actions of one private person (no matter how drastic) do not create persecution.

[TonyB0D]

i hope tim tebow gets hit by a bus going to an atheist convention, while he is on his way home from his meth-smoking gay lover's house.

[CF DolFan]

i hope tim tebow gets hit by a bus going to an atheist convention, while he is on his way home from his meth-smoking gay lover's house.

That's called the "if he fails then that makes me look better" theory and you are not alone.  It's also why so many people rip Jesus and I get that too. What I don't get is if everyone really doesn't care about them and their morals why do those same people get so uncomfortable with them? I mean, just as has been mentioned many people have an easier time accepting known felons and inarticulate athletes than seeing someone give thanks to God and doing good deeds. Doesn't that seem just a little odd?

[Fau Teixeira]

i thought most felons ended up being born again christians in jail ?