Sex and Football
by Motte Brown on 10/30/2008 at 5:30 PM
This week, Ben Roethlisberger and the 5-2 Pittsburgh Steelers travel to FedEx field to battle the 6-2 Washington Redskins ... and their scantily clad cheerleaders.
Forget about the much anticipated match-up between the Steelers stingy run defense and the NFL's leading rusher Clinton Portis, can Big Ben keep from being distracted by the Redskins' cheerleaders who do their pre-game stretching near the opposing team?
Here's the report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
"I'm not a big fan of playing there because it is loud, they're really good at home and they try to make their cheerleaders stretch in our tunnel before we come out of the locker room. That's just not good," Roethlisberger said yesterday.
The practice by the Redskins cheerleaders was so legendary around the league that when commissioner Roger Goodell sent out a memo to all teams last year banning the practice some dubbed the "Redskins Rule."
"The couple of preseason games I've played down there, we've seen it," Roethlisberger said.
And it's a distraction?
"It can be, let's be truthful. They've done it before. I've heard a rumor that they're not allowed to do it anymore."
Of course it's a distraction for the players. And it's a temptation for the viewers. It's one of the reasons I'm glad I don't watch NFL games anymore. My wife's loving "Turn away!" still rings in my head. =)
1. Ranae Norris said the following at 5:51 PM on Oct 30:
So sad…and all the more reason to be a Steelers fan, since they have no cheerleaders!
2. pass the ammunition said the following at 7:12 PM on Oct 30:
This completely contradicts the male sexuality article! On the one hand, males are not hungry sexual animals after only one thing ready to rape and pillage...but yet professional athletes can't focus on their JOB because a few attractive women are strutting around in two-pieces?
Once again, the responsibility is on women to control male sexuality...not one line of the post mentioned how the players should exercise self control. I like to think that males are normal human beings.
3. Chris said the following at 8:23 PM on Oct 30:
Something tells me that if the Steelers warmed up in front of the cheerleaders in nothing but their jock straps, there'd be a lawsuit.
Of course, the image of Casey Hampton in just such an outfit might actually be grounds for a lawsuit.....
4. BDB said the following at 9:37 PM on Oct 30:
Motte would be much happier if he could blog about politics and use the names of the candidates...
5. Leah said the following at 11:52 PM on Oct 30:
pass the ammunition: goodness, this isn't contradicting anything! The fact that skimpily-dressed women distracts guys does NOT mean they have uncontrollable sex drives which causes them to act like animals.
Of COURSE cheerleaders stretching in two pieces is going to distract guys.
In regards to the OP: All the rugby league teams in Australia have cheerleaders, although cheerleading in Australia is not quite the same level as that in the US. (ie, it's cheerleading and a bit of dancing, not gymnastics :P). The different teams' cheerleaders are dressed differently, some skimpier than others.
One team two seasons ago ditched their cheerleaders for a drum squad. (That was pretty awesome). I don't know if they stayed with that plan or went back to the cheerleaders.
6. Leah said the following at 11:54 PM on Oct 30:
pass the ammunition: I don't see how you can think it's absolving guys from responsibility - did you miss the last line where Motte refers to his responsibility to turn away? Nobody is suggesting the guys can't do their bit to avoid the temptation. Nobody is saying it's the women's responsibility to control the men's sex drives. But it is the women's responsibility to be considerate towards men, and stretching in those outfits right infront of them isn't what I'd call considerate to them.
7. lemon said the following at 12:22 AM on Oct 31:
I second everything Pass the Ammunition said. I mean, the way I hear male sexuality described I often wonder how they make it through a day at the beach..
8. SC said the following at 6:58 AM on Oct 31:
I am saddened that my favorite team would stoop so low!
9. John the Aggie said the following at 7:29 AM on Oct 31:
I respect your decision to give up the NFL for the sake of avoiding visual temptation, but to me it almost seems to be going to far. I'm a Cowboys fan, and they are famous for their cheerleaders. Even so, there is maybe once or twice per game when the cheerleaders end up on camera, and it's certainly not hard to "check the time" or go get some chips or something when that happens.
I mean, it's almost like saying I should give up going to college because there are lots of immodestly dressed and highly attractive girls there... so long as we are not living under rocks, we are going to run into temptation!
10. Dan Gill said the following at 7:31 AM on Oct 31:
The male sexuality article did not say that men are not tempted by scantily clad women. It warned against portraying all men (and teen boys) as sexual predators who think about nothing else.
The outfits that cheerleaders wear and the poses they take are way, way, over the top. Yes, they are a distraction. The players are TRYING to exercise self control. Their jobs depend on winning. That just goes to show what a distraction semi-nude females are.
I have come to the conclusion that most women just don't understand how easily men are visually stimulated. I counsel men who are trying to come out of pornography and sexual addiction, and I include myself in that group. Week after week I hear how hard it is not to take that second look. Women are responsible for what they wear and how they act, just as men are.
11. LeeLee said the following at 7:43 AM on Oct 31:
Seriously? You're seriously posting on this?
And #2 pass the ammunition - I agree with you.
12. IMO said the following at 7:49 AM on Oct 31:
pass the ammunition--
You honestly do not see the difference between the two blog posts?
These football players are being specifically enticed. That is the whole aim of the cheerleaders. They are not just innocent bystanders on the sidelines. This is their intent: to entice. This is where the perversion of the male sexuality lies.
Plus there is a HUGE differene between TEMPTATION and TEMPTING somebody to sin and the actual SIN itself.
If you had a boyfriend, for example, why would you purposely allow him to be tempted by sin? Seriously, that is biblically wrong to do. I have a feeling though you wouldn't care if your boyfriend went to a strip club with his buddies. Cuz well it's on the guy to be responsible, right? And you know what--it is to the point that he shouldn't be in the strip club in the first place.
Motte is speaking from a man's point of view.
Why don't you just let him do that?
13. IMO said the following at 8:21 AM on Oct 31:
All the women on this comment blog who agree with pass the ammunition:
LISTEN TO THE MEN! (hmm like Dan Gill, Motte, and John the Aggie --who is respectful and does acknowledge the "visual temptation")
Oh, I guess their opinions don't matter, right?
It shows your respect level.
14. Adam said the following at 8:34 AM on Oct 31:
Big deal.
They could put clowns in the tunnel stretching and it would probably cause more of a ruckus.
These are players that get paid millions of dollars to be the best at football for 48 hours per year. They should be able to block it out.
It would be interesting to see if it is still happening during the regular season - or if was just preseason (practice) games.
Finally, I enjoy watching NFL on TV. The sexuality element only comes in during a commercial or two. The only time you even see cheerleaders is basically in a passing shot on the way to a commercial break. You're likely to deal with more temptation going to the grocery store during the summer than watching NFL.
15. peter said the following at 10:16 AM on Oct 31:
The whole point of the male sexuality article is that, yes, men do have powerful sex drives. When perverted, it is a very bad thing. When it is not perverted, it is a beautiful thing, but still distinctly masculine. Men who ARE pure still are tempted easily, and always need to be on their guard. Men are always responsible for their actions. That doesn't mean women can't help them in their efforts to be pure.
16. Kate said the following at 10:19 AM on Oct 31:
As a loyal Pittsburgh girl, I have to admit my first reaction to this article was "YEAH! Take that Redskins!! We don't even need cheerleaders!" Sadly, there was no one to high five following the outburst.
But, maybe this is my female perspective, but I've never really noticed the cheerleaders during NFL games. Though I have to say, if Roethlisberger only requires a pretty cheerleader in a tiny outfit to distract him from winning . . . Oh dear. I would think on that professional level you would have the ability to focus on the game. Though it is a cheap shot to try and distract opposing team like that. But I doubt it works.
17. mk said the following at 10:56 AM on Oct 31:
and so the moral of the story is: go watch hockey; a real sport with no scantily-clad cheerleaders (or if they have 'em, you don't see 'em) and in which the men don't stand around in spandex pants scratching themselves for a full 5 minutes in-between every play.
go jackets, and go habs!
:)
18. Tami said the following at 11:04 AM on Oct 31:
I am with Kate... it's a total cheap shot, and a subversive strategy.
BOO on Washington. That's a way tacky, trashy strategy to use. If they can't rely on their own skills to win, then that shows their true sportsmanship (or lack thereof).
And yet, I hope that guys for whom it is their super-highly-paid JOB to WIN and put "mind over matter" can learn to ignore this. [In the words of Homer Simpson: "Think unsexy thoughts! Think unsexy thoughts!" OK, I know it's not as easy as that.] Not to oversimplify the nature of visual temptation, but I think these guys learn mental strategy as well as physical skills, correct?
For the record, I too see this as way different from the previous article and post on sexuality. This post is talking about trashy strategy deliberately employed to throw men off their game; those articles are talking about not demonizing masculinity and sexuality within the confines of how God created men to be.
Both men and women have a responsibility to use the God-given aspects of their masculinity and femininity with honor and respect for the other. Especially in this culture, it takes some learning and un-learning, but by God's grace we *can* learn.
19. H.A.P. said the following at 11:33 AM on Oct 31:
lemon comment #7
This is exactly why my husband and I don't go to public beaches. :) Know your weaknesses and avoid temptation...it's easy to say and hard to do.
20. BDB said the following at 11:35 AM on Oct 31:
Lemon (#7) wrote:
>>I mean, the way I hear male sexuality described I often wonder how they make it through a day at the beach..<<
Well, if you go the beach in Washington, people are usually wearing a heavy coat...especially this time of year...ah, a rocky beach...
21. Tami said the following at 12:57 PM on Oct 31:
Laughing because many beaches in CA are as BDB describes as well. Even sandy, surfer-filled beaches! :) Fleece hoodies, full wetsuits, and flannels are de rigueur. If you see someone in less than that, your first thought tends to be, "Boy, that person is CRAZY!" And then, "Wow, they must not be from around here."
So folks, Northern (and even Central) CA offer plenty of opportunities to visit God's wonderful oceanic creation. Just bundle up. :)
22. pass the ammunition said the following at 3:36 PM on Oct 31:
Question: does anyone here actually KNOW any pro cheerleaders? One of my friends cheered for the Rams--despite appearances, they consider themselves professional athletes and trust me, what the players are thinking is furthest from their minds and they couldn't care less.
23. Leeandra said the following at 4:41 PM on Oct 31:
Lousiana State University keeps a live tiger on campus named Mike. His sole purpose in life is to intimidate the football team's opponents.
On game day, the tiger handlers rile Mike up and put him in a cage at the entrance to the opposing team's tunnel at Tiger Stadium, so that they have to run right by a live, snarling, full-grown male tiger before the game.
And so, the question: the ladies, or the tiger?
(Sorry...I'm a lit geek who couldn't resist;).)
24. Beatrice81 said the following at 10:02 PM on Oct 31:
Pass The Ammunition is right.
One Boundless article declares "male sexuality" (as if a single cookie-cutter model applied to all males) as just perfect the way it is; this article portrays male sexuality as the thing that turns males into passive helpless creature incapable of maintaining their professionalism for a mere 4 hours.
So here's the essential question. The male habit of sexualizing virtually everything -- is that "God's design", or is it "man's fallen nature"?
25. Oh Louise! said the following at 12:45 AM on Nov 2:
Re: Dan # 10
"Women are responsible for what they wear and how they act, just as men are."
I agree with this. I've never understood women's readiness to buy into today's over-sexualized images. What happened to leaving something to be desired? Then you hear complaints about the type of men they attract. Well, look at how you present yourself!
Women need to be accountable for their actions! I model part-time and have NEVER, yes NEVER, had a situation where I had to wear something that was too provocative or compromising. You have a choice! I understand that an American Apparel ad is probably the antithesis of Proverbs 31:30, so guess what? I'm not going to apply for it! It's that simple.
I hope it doesn't sound super self-righteous. I am by no means a prude...I wear swimsuits to the beach like any other women does. But I do think, like Dan eluded to, that women don't really understand the power they have. If they did they, they might be a bit more mindful of how they harness it.
26. Leah said the following at 1:55 AM on Nov 2:
pass the ammunition: I don't think anyone's suggesting the cheerleaders are personally out to cause opposition players temptation. It's the executives behind the decision who have placed the cheerleaders there to cause a distraction.
Beatrice 81 - show me the quote from the article which suggests men are "passive", "helpless" and "incapable" or maintaining their professionalism when tempted.
The article did not say that at all. It said the cheerleaders were TEMPTING, which created DISTRACTIONS. The guys really can't be faulted for that. They COULD be faulted for continually staring, but for that initial temptation of which they had no warning? Not their fault.
Them being tempted doesn't make them passive, helpless, or incapable of maintaining professionalism.
I think people who find "Redeeming Male Sexuality" and this article to be contradictory need to take a few lessons in reading.
Nowhere does "Redeeming Male Sexuality" suggest that guys are (or should be) completely able to turn off their sex drive just because temptation walks across their path. Nowhere does "Sex and Football" suggest that a tempting cheerleader completely destroys all of a man's defences or turns him into a sex-driven maniac.
Both articles work together to paint a picture of a man's sexuality - one that is stimulated by what he sees, and one that he is responsible to control. One that a woman, while not being obliged or responsible to control, can do her bit to help if she cares enough to. One that a woman should not purposely extort just to distract him from his work or winning a game. One that, even if a woman were to do these things, a man is still responsible to control, to become neither a sex-driven pig or a quailing, helpless victim.
27. David said the following at 10:39 PM on Nov 2:
Perhaps the underlying issue, such as "Why are there cheerleaders wearing anything remotely suggestive to begin with?" ought to be questioned....as it has been many times before.
This isn't about fb player self-control. It's about the wickedness we've come to accept as a minor inconvenience.
28. Loris said the following at 8:35 AM on Nov 3:
Nicely done, Leeandra! I salute another lit geek.
29. J.T. said the following at 1:08 PM on Nov 3:
This might come across wrong, but why do "professional" cheerleaders need to stretch? All the NFL cheerleaders do is stand on the sidelines and wave their arms around. I don't need to stretch before I do the YMCA.
30. Katrece said the following at 1:14 PM on Nov 3:
Any woman knows exactly what she's doing when she dresses like one of the pro-football cheerleaders.
I don't think the vast majority of women are unaware of the message their clothes convey. If I choose, which I wouldn't, to wear a skin-tight, low-cut shirt, I can't blame the guy, or claim innocence. Of course a new believer would need guidance in this area. But if you've been following Jesus for awhile, prayerfully you've given your wardrobe over to God.
Quit putting all the blame on men. Yes, they are responsible for their responses to temptation. But read scripture and see what it says about those who tempt others to sin. Women are, knowingly, too busy trying to allure men to themselves. Look at all the magazines for women (which I don't read), they're filled with sexually-provocative clothing styles that they try to convince women to buy.
Women, we are not stupid. Let's start holding accountable all those women who pretend they are stupid and unaware of what they're doing in this area (especially if it applies to you).