by Chris Doyle | May 27, 2016
Greetings! Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
I hope this weekend, and especially Memorial Day, will be a blessed time for you. My last topic reflects on what is the purpose of this holiday.
Let’s get to it!
- Respectfully disagree with Ann Graham Lotz
Ann Graham Lotz, the daughter of legendary evangelist Billy Graham, shared in an interview why she will be voting for Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election. View the interview here.
She references Daniel and his experience of captivity in Babylon, as the prophet served in government authority. Her explanation, however, is rather confusing.
“Daniel was a man who lived under four world emperors,” said Lotz, “none of whom were children of Abraham, none of whom were members of God’s family — but God used all of them… all four ended up giving praise to the God of Daniel because of what they saw in Daniel’s life. The first one was Nebuchadnezzar, and God actually refers to Nebuchadnezzar as ‘my servant’ in the Old Testament.”
Lotz also gave a justifiable explanation of voting for Trump saying “everybody is redeemable” and said Christians are not to change the world through a political system but through presenting the Gospel.
First, in regards to Daniel, he was somebody who stood against ungodly leaders. He refused to eat the food offered by Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:8), and God raised Daniel up to influence the King not the other way around (Daniel 1:17-20). Daniel was admired because he stood by his convictions and obeyed God.
Applying this to today’s circumstances, I believe the proper way to use Daniel’s example in the presidential election would be to demonstrate obedience to God and vote for righteousness not for a candidate who openly stands against biblical teachings. And like Daniel, God would bless such a voter.
Second, Lotz is correct that the Gospel is what will change the world and not a political system. But her application is wrong. This would be the very reason NOT to vote for Trump. The Gospel goes against the norm and what may seem popular to do. If Lotz believes the Gospel is more powerful than a political system, and I believe she does, then don’t vote for a candidate who speaks contrary to the Gospel message. Speak up for a voting decision that promotes the Gospel by voting for a third party candidate who will especially speak up for the sanctity of life and does not demonstrate a lifestyle contrary to what the Bible teaches.
Lotz is correct that we need to pray for our leaders, and I’m glad she said she is already praying for the candidates. Praying for them is the proper thing for Christians to do, but voting for the ones representing the two major parties is not.
- One more shout out to Chewbacca Mom
As you are reading this, Candice Payne’s 15 minutes of fame has probably run out. At the time of my writing on Friday morning, May 27, it was just a week ago her social media frenzy ignited. I remember seeing for the first time that morning the video of her putting on the Chewbacca mask, laughing hysterically and virally causing such an uproar of good cheer, as well as Kohl’s selling out its supply of Chewbacca masks across the country.
In less than 48 hours of her shooting the video and posting it online, she was making appearances on national talk shows, speaking at a fine arts conference, getting all kinds of gifts and meeting famous people.
I’m glad she has been warmly received, and knowing she is a Christian, I pray God may use her unexpected bizarre experience to make Him and His Gospel message known.
Check out Kelly King’s blog about Chewbacca Mom here.
- Mr. Smith offers proper view of modern America
Ryan Smith’s blog “It’s the End of The World as We Know It” may initially appear to be about eschatology. This wouldn’t be a direct study of end times, though. It’s more of how a Christian should consider why America is in a failed condition morally.
Check it out. I think you will find his piece enlightening.
- Challies shares a series of his religious beliefs
Tim Challies is one of the most popular Christian bloggers. Last week he started a series titled “Why I Am Not…” and opened with why he is not an atheist. This week, he explains why he is not Roman Catholic. You can check on this week’s blog here.
Challies explains fairly his disagreements with the Catholic church, and I found it helpful and confirming. I too believe there can be Catholics who are true believers in spite of the teachings of Catholicism.
I look forward to Challies’ explanation of other views, especially liberalism.
- Thunder report
The Oklahoma City Thunder hosts the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals series this Saturday, May 28.
The Warriors collected their second win of the series Thursday night, but they did not have such a dominating victory. There was even a chance OKC could have pulled within three points with :33 seconds left in the game. But Golden State did close the gap on the Thunder’s three wins in the series, which makes Saturday’s game VERY interesting.
The Thunder still looks like the team in control of the conference finals, but OKC needs to get the win Saturday night and finish off the series. I shared last week about two key factors were winning the opening tip and the play of the 2-guard position between Andre Roberson and Dion Waiters. Both players did not perform well last night, but I expect them both to return to replicating their impressive performances from Games 3 and 4.
Thunder Up!
- Observe Memorial Day
Please take time this Monday to observe Memorial Day. Check out the site www.usmemorialday.com for the history of this holiday as well as suggested observances. The site also provides resources of prayers and poems reflecting Memorial Day. Here’s a segment from a poem on the site titled “Remembering Their All” by Colleen Reddaway Cook:
Memorial Day, a time to pay tribute for the ultimate sacrifice.
Celebrate with your picnics, beach outings and reunions,
But teach your children about the sacrifices made,
Pride in the United States and the courage of the past.
Men and women, no matter how large or small the part,
Left their all behind, footprints of war imprinted in the annals of time. Let us give them bitter-sweet honor of a hero-respect
…and a heartrending thanks.
by Chris Doyle | May 20, 2016
Greetings!
Happy End-of-School to you! Have you gone on Instagram yet to make your “first day-last day” photo composite? I’ll be going on Facebook soon to look specifically for yours!
I’ve got three politically-related topics and three randomly fun topics. Let’s get to it!
1. “None of the Above” is catching on!
In the March 4 edition of DHD, I introduced the concept of voting “None of the Above” in regards to this year’s presidential campaign. It’s possible you read this and didn’t take it seriously, especially since I referenced the Richard Pryor movie Brewster’s Millions, as voting “None of the Above” was part of the plot. By the way, if you have a chance to watch an edited version of this movie, you should. The story is creatively hilarious.
I am serious, though, when I emphasize voting “None of the Above” or “Leave It Blank,” and it appears I’m not alone. John Fund with National Review wrote this week on this option, and I learned something quite fascinating. The State of Nevada offers “None of the Above” on the ballot.
“Indeed, the Silver State has had a non-binding None of the Above option on its ballot since 1976,” Fund wrote. “In its first year, that entrant ‘won’ a GOP congressional primary. Many Nevada voters would like NOTA expanded so that if it came in first, the election would be declared invalid and a new election would be quickly called in which none of the candidates who lost to NOTA would be eligible to run again.”
Way to go, Nevada!
Fund also shares that this could be a legitimate result, if enough voters were to catch on and prevent both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump from collecting the 270 electoral votes needed to be elected U.S. President. If that were to happen, the House of Representatives would elect the next POTUS. This has actually happened, as John Quincy Adams became president in 1825 under such method.
2. Hungry for a Third Party Nominee
Fund’s articles ends with the considering alternates to vote for in the November election. He mentioned Gary Johnson, former New Mexico governor, who is expected to represent the Libertarian Party on the ballot in all 50 states. I’ve looked at Johnson’s platform and don’t find it appealing. He seems to be big on legalizing marijuana and prostitution and doesn’t mention Sanctity of Life at all.
As of now, I have not found a candidate to support. I did some research and found a list of an abundant of candidates on http://www.politics1.com/p2016.htm. This was an interesting discovery. Those of you who have attended the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting might be surprised to see that Wiley Drake is running for president. You can check out his website at www.wileydrake.com
3. Trump’s list of nominees for SCOTUS
Donald Trump did make a smart move this week by releasing 11 possible nominees he would consider for the U.S. Supreme Court. You can check out the bios of the 11 judges here provided by the Wall Street Journal. Tom Strode with Baptist Press offers a good summary response to Trump’s submission, which has mixed reviews.
If Trump could be trusted, looking at this list of judges, I could say he would score a point with me. But Trump does not present himself trustworthy. He has backed off on promises and past remarks on many issues. And he continues to say everything is negotiable. It is these comments and others that prevent me from supporting Mr. Trump.
4. Focusing on Foster Care
May is National Foster Care Month. This is a major issue, and I’m glad to see encouraging results in supporting foster care, not only from actual foster parents, but also from church groups and ministries getting involved in promoting and offering support.
My friend Kate Downing offered her own experience in foster care and adoption in a blog on WordSlingersOK.com this week. Check out her inspiring story here.
5. Nine years in the books!
On May 19, my wife Karen and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary. Our wedding day was one of the best days of my life, and I will always remember it fondly.
Because of busy schedules, we plan to do the typical “dinner and movie” on Saturday night. Fear not, though! We have big plans celebrating our 10th anniversary, Lord willing. As of now, I am planning a trip to Ireland, including a train ride across the country.
6. Thunder thoughts
Sunday night is a big game for the Oklahoma City Thunder. I’m looking forward to it. Here’s a couple of “nuggets” that I think could be contributors to a Thunder win that night.
First, the Thunder need to win the opening tip. I know it sounds silly, but I think it will help OKC to score immediately on the first possession. Also, the Thunder have benefitted from gaining first possession in the fourth quarter (which is a perk from winning opening tip). If you recall in Game One of this series, Kevin Durant banged a three at the beginning of the final period to tie the game 88-88, and they went on a big scoring spurt from there. Beating Golden State is all about making runs and preventing runs. Steph Curry is going to score, but you’ve got to keep him from having a “Curry Flurry” like he did in the third quarter of Game Two. Not getting the opening tip won’t be a major end-all, but these little advantages in the game, I think, help with the Thunder’s psyche.
Second, the two-guard position is key for the Thunder. As difficult, and almost impossible, as it may seem to get Andre Roberson involved in the offense, OKC needs to figure out how to recreate a similar setting to Game Six of the San Antonio series. Feed Roberson more back screen passes with him going to the basket. Pray for him to come alive miraculously again from 3-point land, like he did in the final game against the Spurs. Golden State is pretty much giving Roberson a pass in the way they are defending the Thunder’s offense (and understandably so). With three days’ rest between games, Coach Donovan and staff need to figure out how to get Roberson more involved. Plus, along with Robertson, Deon Waiters needs to be reliable as he has shown he can be. Usually, when Waiters is hitting from deep, the Thunder win.
Game Three this Sunday is H-U-G-E! Thunder up!
by Chris Doyle | May 13, 2016
Greetings!
If you are tired of presidential election blogs, go ahead and skip this week’s Doyle’s Half Dozen.
I open this DHD addressing three popular justifications from Evangelicals who plan to vote for Donald Trump in the November election. I also pose three questions to challenge these same Evangelicals, as well as myself.
Before I begin, please know that I have friends who have made all kinds of voting decisions. As it is during every political season, there are always disagreements in how to vote. However, this presidential election is the most polarizing ever in my life time, possibly in American history and especially among Conservative Christian voters.
I humbly share with you that I struggle with the disappointment of no strong conservative representation in this year’s presidential election and don’t consider myself the exact authority. However, I do listen to many great Christian leaders and have been involved in healthy dialogues about this election. I recommend to you and other Christian voters to do the same.
- “Not voting for Donald Trump means Hillary Clinton wins”
This is the most popular rationalization Evangelicals use to solidify their position. So let’s analyze this and see if it holds true.
First of all, I live in Oklahoma, considered to be one of the most conservative states in the U.S. In fact, if I recall, Oklahoma is the only state that had every county support Mitt Romney in the 2012 election. Also, according to www.270towin.com, Oklahoma has voted for the GOP candidate in every presidential election since 1948.
If you can remember from high school civics how the Electoral College system works, each state has a set amount of electoral votes in a national election, and whoever wins the popular vote in that particular state will receive all of those electoral votes. A candidate must receive 270 electoral votes to win the presidential election.
Now, considering the voting reputation of Oklahoma, I am pretty confident all seven electoral votes will be going toward Donald Trump this November, whether I choose to vote for him or not.
Does this mean I believe since it’s already been decided that I shouldn’t vote? No, not at all. I believe all Christians should observe their civic duty and be active citizens. I also believe there is more involved than deciding whose little box on the ballot sheet I’m going to darken. As a Christian voter, you have a powerful opportunity to demonstrate obedience to God. However you conclude, you can demonstrate a vote for righteousness and consider which candidate, from your research, best represents the principles God made known in His Word. This can happen in every election.
This year’s election, however, makes it more challenging to determine how to vote for righteousness. But I can tell you how I have concluded because I believe God is greater than any election system. I will not vote for either Clinton or Trump. At this point, I will either vote for an alternative candidate, or I will leave it blank and have my vote be classified as an under vote.
Kevin Baird offers an excellent response to this: “It may be a foregone conclusion that a certain candidate may win an election or for that matter it may be a forgone conclusion that one of two unacceptable candidates will win an election. That natural reality does not release a Christian to empower a ruler by their vote. God’s sovereignty is at work through all things, but my personal actions must demonstrate obedience to His precepts.”
- “We are not voting for a pastor”
I think this is the most ridiculous response. I’m sorry, but it’s major weak sauce.
If you are having to make excuses for Donald Trump in order to vote for him, I would question your own life principles. But the biggest problem I have with this silly remark is it can be equally used for Hillary Clinton. Seriously, how can this weak response nullify a person from voting for her? She would meet the same qualifications as Trump in this line of thinking.
Russell Moore has pointed out that outside of Jesus Christ running for President, everybody would fall short. Everybody has flaws and failures, but when it becomes too obvious that a candidate totally objects Biblical instructions, such as does not believe in needing forgiveness, this is too glaring of a flaw.
No we are not voting for a pastor, but I still desire to elect one who will attempt to adhere to a pastor’s guidance.
- “Trump said he is pro-life”
If you truly believe Trump values the sanctity of life, I have some property I would like to sell you. Nobody who genuinely understands and respects the process of life, the development of life, and recognizes Who is the Creator of life, would offer any support for Planned Parenthood, the world’s largest abortion provider.
To trust Donald Trump to make executive decisions favoring the Pro-Life platform is very risky. It is not in his line of thinking. He may say he is Pro-Life, but based on other things he has said, there is no evidence to support his statement, rather there is evidence to prove him wrong.
- What would Trump have to do for you to NOT vote for him?
For my final three DHD topics, I pose questions that I would like answers from an Evangelical Trump voter. My first question involves the moral standards of such voter. What would Trump have to do for you to NOT vote for him?
Usually, the defense involves why this voter would not vote for Hillary and would give an elaborate response on why they disagree with her. Most of what would be shared I would support. In no way would I defend Hillary Clinton. How she views the issues is the complete opposite of my view.
But my question is to directly get this voter to tell me why they are FOR Trump. What is it about his platform that you believe is favorable? They may find some legitimate views, but as inconsistent as Trump has been on the issues, it would be hard to hold him to anything, especially when he says everything is negotiable. It is evident that Trump is not strong on social issues, and I don’t believe such are negotiable.
So I welcome a dialogue on what would Trump have to do to convince Evangelical Trump voters to change their support. Obviously these voters are fine with him supporting Planned Parenthood. They seem to be okay with him calling a national Southern Baptist leader a “nasty guy.” They seem to think it is okay for Trump to reference a male body part in a nationally televised debate. They seem to be okay that he has made favorable comments about same-sex marriage and transgender issues. He makes slanderous, baseless remarks about other candidates and doesn’t apologize for them.
So what would Trump have to do to break the deal? There are six more months in this important campaign. Have you considered what else he may do that would be against Christian moral principles? Are you ready to justify these actions? Or have you identified your breaking point?
- What if Trump selects a favorable running mate?
This question I am posing to myself, and it can be a difficult question for me. I am already stunned by people I do respect who are in the Trump camp, especially Ben Carson.
My past voting record will reflect that I have voted for a presidential candidate because of the VP candidate. Every time this has happened, and it has happened three times, the candidate I supported lost. Since I have been burned three times under such conditions, I believe I have learned my lesson this year.
I am curious if it were to happen. It could make an interesting twist when Trump makes his running mate announcement. But unless Trump himself makes stronger stances on important issues, the running mate selection is a non-issue.
- How can the Gospel be shared through your involvement in this election?
Here is another sincere question I have for my Evangelical Trump voting friends. Can the Gospel be presented through your voting decision? Maybe it can, and I would love to hear how. This is not a snarky statement.
As I said, I have many friends who have differing voting views. I know some are respected Christian leaders. One thing that makes this election interesting is the possibilities of healthy dialogue between Conservative Christians. And I do encourage all dialogues to be “healthy,” even respectful and kind.
I have had some conversations about this election, and they allowed for topics relating to the Gospel to be mentioned. Considering our lives are compared to a vapor (James 4:14), this year’s election is only a blip in comparison to eternity. How can your decision on this election affect eternal decisions?
by Chris Doyle | May 6, 2016
Greetings!
This Sunday is Mother’s Day, so I thought I would use this week’s Doyle’s Half Dozen to pay respect to many admirable mothers who are well known and in my own life. Since there are so many mothers I hold in high regard, I had to be creative in how I would categorize some of them. To go with DHD’s theme, here are six categories of mothers I hold in high esteem.
1. Old Testament Mothers
- Leah – I feel sorry for Leah. Jacob made her feel unloved and ashamed. Even her father used her in a plot of deception. Through her difficult life, she remained faithful to God, and God blessed her with many children.
- Jochebed, mother of Moses – Though she is not mentioned by name in the Bible, her story is told in Exodus 2:1-10. This brave woman went to great lengths to prevent her baby Moses from being killed. She is a warrior in sacrificing her own time with her son for him to be under the care of Pharaoh’s daughter, yet she was able to nurse him.
- Hannah – This woman demonstrated great, passionate faith in God and pleaded to have a son. Hannah was blessed to be the mother of Samuel and remained faithful to her promise for him to be reared in the temple under Eli’s guidance.
- The widow of Zarephath – There are many exciting stories involving Elijah. One of the best involves his time during the famine with the widow in Zarephath who was ready to make the final meal for her son and herself. For this single mom to answer Elijah’s request of making a small meal for him, prior to making their meal, is a powerful demonstration of faith. As the story goes, God blessed this widow for her faith.
2. New Testament Mothers
- Mary – Is there a more famous and respected mother? She was so young yet so brave. Many misunderstand her purpose, but this woman was brave, faithful, humble. She withstood much criticism and cultural pressures as a young woman with child. She was a part of Jesus’ ministry, even when it was not popular, and was there when he was crucified.
- Elizabeth – I always liked Elizabeth. She was a rock for Mary. And she too was a strong woman of faith, bearing a son later in life.
- Lois and Eunice – This grandmother-mother team was influential in Timothy’s faith. The Bible never says whether or not Timothy’s father was involved in his life, but what is said is how Timothy became a man of God, one entrusted and mentored by Paul. Timothy’s Godly character is credited to Eunice his mom and Lois his grandmother.
3. Movie Mothers
- Maria Von Trapp – How about acknowledging a step-mother? Who wouldn’t want to be raised by this wonderful character in The Sound of Music? Maria took on a tall task of caring for seven children. And though she experiences an elegant wedding, she walks down the aisle with a chorus singing degrading characteristics about her.
- Edna Spaulding – If you want to see a perfect example of a warrior mom, watch Places in the Heart starring Sally Field. She plays Edna Spaulding who goes through great tragedy and turmoil to keep her family together.
4. TV Mothers
- Caroline Ingalls – There’s not a whole lot I remember from watching Little House on the Prairie, but I remember “Ma” being a sweet, kind, faithful, stable figure on the show. I also remember she had a sneaky sharp wit to her, as she would handle issues with Harriet Olson, the town snob.
- June Cleaver – Who doesn’t admire a woman who does gardening while wearing a pearl necklace? People have fun with this Leave It to Beaver character, but I appreciate her guidance to two adventurous, sometimes clueless, boys.
5. Historical Mothers
- Susanna Wesley – She may be one of the most underrated mothers of modern history. She gave birth to 19 children though nine died as infants. Her husband was rarely involved and even left the family for a period of time. But this godly woman had a great influence on two great leaders of the Christian faith, John and Charles Wesley.
- Ruth Graham – The wife of Billy Graham was a great woman of faith. She was the daughter of medical missionaries and an anchor of prayer and support to her husband who spoke to the world about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And while he was traveling the world, she remained home raising five children, and all five are currently involved in ministry.
6. My mother
Lastly, I speak to you about the mother I admire the most. She is my hero. Her influence on the path of my life is too great to be described in one DHD topic. But I will give some highlights.
Hester Doyle is the mother to six children. Two are not her natural children, but she cared for them all. She endured the death of my sister Sally who died of cancer in 1997.
She allowed me to go 1,200 miles away for college and then the start of my adulthood, which I travelled often over a span of 12 years and even experienced a car wreck and a few winter storms. I never mentioned to her about the time I picked up a hitchhiker, and I even let him drive while I napped in the backseat.
And while raising her children, she served as a pastor’s secretary of one of the more influential churches in Oklahoma City. The duties she handled are now delegated to about five church staff assistants. The operations weren’t computerized most of the years she worked, yet she knew every church member, where they lived and their children’s names, even a few more facts about them.
Now, I share the privilege with my siblings to help care for her at this time of her life. I know I live too blessed of a life. It is all to the praise of God, but none of the blessings could have happened without my momma.
Happy Mother’s Day!
by Chris Doyle | Apr 29, 2016
Greetings!
I hope you survived the week. For some in Oklahoma, that can mean a lot, especially with more weather threats projected this weekend.
But no talk of weather in this week’s edition of Doyle’s Half Dozen. Here we go!
- True love (grace+truth) to the transgender
I read a blog by Anna McCarthy titled, “When he became a she – walking in love.” It’s about McCarthy encountering a friend from her past who is now identified as a woman.
This is an excellent case study on how a Christian should connect with people. She recognized her friend feeling uncomfortable and gave a wonderful exclamation, “Hey! I know you! It’s good to see you!” I couldn’t think of a better greeting or a better way to engage her friend.
I also liked what she said about Jesus not being afraid of sin. In fact she gives a great description of how to love like Jesus. It’s a good, thought-provoking piece, and I won’t say McCarthy is wrong in what she wrote.
What I would offer to you is have the intentions to share both grace and truth when connecting with people. Some of us need to work on sharing grace; others of us (if not all of us) can improve on sharing truth. Is there an exact script or an expected response? No, but if we truly want to demonstrate the love of Christ, we should allow for both grace and truth (John 1:17) to work because Jesus always shared both. And those who followed Christ were never the same after they met Him (2 Cor. 5:17).
Last week I shared a link to Russell Moore’s article “What Should the Church Say to Bruce Jenner?” I think he gives excellent guidance and also recognizes how what the culture offers will not relieve the suffering that transgender people experience.
Also, for those who readily offer general criticism to the church, allow yourself some objectivity when expressing reproach. Not all Christians demonstrate a hateful manner toward transgender persons. During the 2014 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, a resolution was passed by attending messengers titled “On Transgender Identity.” Here’s a portion of the resolution:
“RESOLVED, That we extend love and compassion to those whose sexual self-understanding is shaped by a distressing conflict between their biological sex and their gender identity; and be it further
“RESOLVED, That we invite all transgender persons to trust in Christ and to experience renewal in the Gospel (1 Timothy 1:15–16); and be it further
“RESOLVED, That we love our transgender neighbors, seek their good always, welcome them to our churches and, as they repent and believe in Christ, receive them into church membership (2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Galatians 5:14)…”
- What to do about Target
We all know about what has happened at Target stores and the retail company’s bathroom policy. Here’s what I would say about it.
If you want to boycott, boycott. If you think you can have a Christian witness by going to Target, go ye therefore.
Sometimes boycotting can be effective. Sometimes it has no effect or can even backfire. But what I would suggest is change the focus. Support businesses you know operate by Christian principles. There are major chains like Chick-Fil-A and Hobby Lobby. There also are local entities run by Christians who would welcome your business.
Let’s find ways to show the culture what we do support and help businesses that exemplify good business ethics and intend to win the respect of outsiders (I Thess. 4:12).
- Grieving for Falls Creek and families
The Baptist Messenger reported this week about the deaths of two employees who experienced a fatal accident on Friday, April 22. The cause of their deaths is under investigation, and it has been stated any previous news reports are speculative at this time.
I do pray for the families as they grieve and for those who worked closely with these men. Falls Creek is a close-knit community of staff members, and a tragic loss like this will be heavy on many people.
May God provide a comfort that only can come from Him.
- Who is Amanda Green?
I am fascinated with the front office administration of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Yes, I do work the Thunder home games, but my interaction with any front office personnel is rather limited. I barely know who most of them are.
I should clarify that saying the Thunder front office fascinates me, I first and foremost mean Sam Presti, Thunder general manager. Next to Russell and KD, Sam Presti would be my favorite Thunder personality. By the way, it’s hard not to say his first name without his last. They flow together.
But this DHD topic isn’t directly about Sam Presti. Rather, it’s about Amanda Green, who serves as the basketball operations coordinator for the Thunder. I remember reading about her a year ago, but this week, a New York Times article featured her titled, “Keeping the Thunder on Their Game.”
The article is a great read and presents Green well. But I also enjoyed reading it because it shares insight from Sam Presti. I liked the quote he said, “I hire people, not positions.” And I’m impressed that he keeps lists of people he would be interested in hiring.
I have shared with friends that I love the movie Moneyball because it gives a great perspective of upper management in professional sports. Though it’s a baseball movie, I often think about Sam Presti in similar fashion to Billy Beane, who is played by Brad Pitt. Now, after reading this Times article, I think Amanda Green is Peter Brand, played by Jonah Hill.
- Thunder stuff
I’m excited about the Thunder’s second round playoff series with the Spurs and hope it can live up to its billing. Both teams feature healthy rosters, which is a premium for NBA teams this season and in the playoffs.
I don’t have the confidence to say OKC will win the series, but I want to believe this could be a great matchup with many close games. We shall see starting Saturday night.
- Men’s Rewired
The Men’s Rewired retreat is this weekend at Falls Creek. If you are going to be down there, please let me know. I will be getting there late, though, because I have the privilege of picking up Tony Evans at the airport Friday night and driving him to Falls Creek.
If you’re not familiar with Tony Evans, read about this powerful speaker here.
My wife is impressed. In fact, one night this week in the wee hours, out of the blue in her sleep, Karen made the statement, “I can’t believe you’re picking up Tony Evans at the airport.”
Should be a fun weekend!
