BJU to Participate in Intercollegiate Athletics

[Greg Linscott] Besides, Don is just bitter they aren’t fielding a hockey team or competitive curling, eh? :-)

You’ve left preachin’ and gone to meddlin’

[Don Johnson] As an alum, I am all for BJU succeeding. I worry about this decision because of the attitudes we all seem to share to one degree or another when it comes to sports. When I was in school, there was a constant problem with one or two groups looking down on the rest of us because of their sports prowess. My kids tell me that the problem still exists to this day in the intramural program. I can hardly imagine it becoming any less when the ‘elite athletes’ of the school make the school team, while the rest of the ‘peons’ just play ‘intramural’. I’m really not sure how this is a step forward, spiritually speaking.

Quite frankly, this already happens within other areas of the school. When I was there, some Bible majors looked down on the rest of us because of their theological prowess. We just didn’t measure up to their spiritualness because we were not going into “ministry.” So whether it is sports, or Bible majors, or tiddlywinks, you are going to have that issue. People just need to get over themselves and the rest just need to ignore the idiots that think they are better than everyone else.

I’m wondering how this will change the dynamics of the intramural athletics. Will the intercollegiate athletes have time to practice with their societies’ teams and play in the games? When I was there, debaters frequently did both, but scheduling time for two debate partners to work together is easier than scheduling a whole soccer team.

I have no opinion either way. Just wondering out loud.

Michael,

To answer your question, intramurals will still be in place throughout the school. Their schedule, however, may be slightly “squeezed”. Those who are playing on the intercollegiate team, however, will not be able to play intramurals in that particular sport. NCCAAII rules would prohibit it. If “John” is playing soccer for the BJU team, he won’t be able to play soccer for his society “Pa Jammas”.

IIRC, in its Florida incarnation, Bob Jones College played inter-varsity football. That is until Senior got wind of gamblers taking bets on BJC. Again, IIRC, Monroe Parker was a player on the team.

I remember Dr. Bob Jones Sr telling the students about the gambling problem. The Swamp Foxes must have been a powerful team. Nevertheless, I don’t believe gambling on BJU games would be a problem today.

I agree it won’t be a problem in 2011 and forward. However, it does mean the school’s founder saw no problems with initially having inter-varsity sports.

[fjbarnes] I remember Dr. Bob Jones Sr telling the students about the gambling problem. The Swamp Foxes must have been a powerful team. Nevertheless, I don’t believe gambling on BJU games would be a problem today.

They were called the Swamp Angels. They participated in other sports as well. All games were home games and much of their competition was against high schools and smaller junior colleges. Dan Turner gives a good account in his “Standing Without Apology.”

Ron, I thought you played for the swamp angels? Seems like I heard that somewhere.

[Larry] Ron, I thought you played for the swamp angels? Seems like I heard that somewhere.

No, Larry. I fought with the Swamp “Fox”.

Oops … sorry to underestimate you … I feel horrible now.

Ok, it’s time for some humor. According to the late Dr. Gilbert Stenholm, Dr. Bob Sr. once owned a dog named Satan. I doubt if the pet ever became the Bob Jones College team mascot.
Ok, back to the previous discussion.