The Rams proposed expanding the EJD across Broadway and Baer Plaza
I’ve never had an interest in football, despite my mom and a brother being huge fans. Back in the 80s, the architecture department at the University of Oklahoma was in the building under the bleachers of the football stadium, a huge distraction when trying to complete a project for a Monday presentation. In the 20 years since the Rams moved here from Los Angeles I had zero interest in seeing a game, we even sold the two tickets to a game we got last year. To my surprise, I’m suddenly a Rams fan.
The St. Louis Rams drafted Michael Sam, football player, in the NFL draft on Saturday. They drafted Sam in the seventh round, not because they thought the league or the world owed him a job because he announced he was gay on his way out of the University of Missouri. They drafted him because they thought he might be one of those low-round picks who might pay off and help them be a better team someday.
As good as Sam was in college, the SEC defensive player of the year as a senior, there were always going to be concerns about where he fit in the NFL, because of his height (6-foot-2), because he is smaller than most defensive linemen, because nobody was sure if he could make the switch to linebacker in the pros. (New York Daily News)
We still don’t know what the Rams will do about the Edward Jones Dome, they will be free to leave St. Louis after the upcoming season ends, a decade earlier because we’ve not upgraded the dome to be in the top quarter of NFL facilities. I still don’t like NFL downtown, but I’d like the Rams to remain the St. Louis Rams, staying in the region.
When Sam came out in February there were many who compared him to Tim Tebow, a distraction that couldn’t cut it in the NFL:
While some compare this to the distractions Tim Tebow brought to the team, the two couldn’t be more different. Sam won’t be tweeting about his sexual orientation and slipping his sexuality into every statement the way Tebow did with Jesus and the Bible. Tebow infused his religion into everything he did, praising god to the press, leading a very public team prayer after every game, kneeling before God after success on the field. For Sam, his sexual orientation is just part of him. He doesn’t feel the need to proselytize for the “gay cause.”
Unlike Tebow’s religion, Sam will not make his sexual orientation the story. Tebow invited the media attention; Sam is already doing what it takes to minimize its impact on his future team. (Time)
Until Sam takes the field we don’t know how good of a player he’ll be, but I’ll be rooting for him and the St. Louis Rams.
Some questioned the poll topic last week, religion on an urban blog? Well, yes. The two are not mutually exclusive, at least not for some like Eric Jacobson:
Eric Jacobsen the author of Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith (Brazos Press, 2003) as well as numerous articles on New Urbanism (see related articles). He is a member of the Congress For the New Urbanism and a participant in the Colloquim on Theology and the Built Environment sponsored by St. Andrews University and the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship at Calvin College. He is a full-time student at Fuller Theological Seminary where he is pursuing a PhD in Theology and Culture. He is currently living in Passadena with his wife (Liz) and three children (Katherine – 7, Peter – 4, and Emma – 3). Formerly, he was the Associate Pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Missoula, MT.
With just 16.1% of the general population indicating no religious affiliation (Pew) the results ended up far different than I originally thought they would:
Q: Which of the following comes closest to your view on the origin and development of human beings?
Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process 70 [63.64%]
Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process 29 [26.36%]
God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time in the last 10,000 years or so 11 [10%]
This is interesting since the results are the opposite of the Gallop Poll this was based on:
Gallup has asked Americans to choose among these three explanations for the origin and development of human beings 11 times since 1982. Although the percentages choosing each view have varied from survey to survey, the 46% who today choose the creationist explanation is virtually the same as the 45% average over that period — and very similar to the 44% who chose that explanation in 1982. The 32% who choose the “theistic evolution” view that humans evolved under God’s guidance is slightly below the 30-year average of 37%, while the 15% choosing the secular evolution view is slightly higher (12%).
Pew has found similar results:
White evangelical Protestants are particularly likely to believe that humans have existed in their present form since the beginning of time. Roughly two-thirds (64%) express this view, as do half of black Protestants (50%). By comparison, only 15% of white mainline Protestants share this opinion.
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson hosts COSMOS: A Spacetime Odyssey
Even the term “creationist” has nuances:
Do “creationists” necessarily oppose an evolutionary understanding of the history of nature and the origins of species and humanity?
No. In principle all members of the three western monotheisms (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) are “creationists” in that they believe the order of nature exists because a reality beyond nature, commonly called “God”, is the ultimate cause of all existence. In this sense of the word, many creationists accept an evolutionary understanding of natural history. However, at least four types of creationism can be identified, and each has a distinctive view of the evolutionary sciences and human origins.
“Young-Earth” creationists hold that the sacred text provides an inerrant account of how the universe, all life and humankind came into existence; namely, in six 24-hour days, some 6-10,000 years ago. Human beings were created through a direct act of divine intervention in the order of nature.
“Old-Earth” creationists hold that the sacred text is an infallible account of why the universe, all life and humankind came into existence, but accepts that the “days” of creation are metaphorical and could represent very long periods of time. While many aspects of nature may be the consequence of direct acts of divine creation, at very least they hold that the very beginning of the universe, the origin of life and the origin of humankind are the consequence of distinct acts of divine intervention in the order of nature.
Theistic evolutionists also hold that the sacred text provides an infallible account of why the universe, all life and humankind came into existence. However, they also hold that for the most part, the diversity of nature from stars to planets to living organisms, including the human body, is a consequence of the divine using processes of evolution to create indirectly. Still, for many who hold this position, the very beginning of the universe, the origin of life, and the origin of what is distinctive about humankind are the consequence of direct acts of divine intervention in the order of nature.
Evolutionary theists hold that the sacred text, while giving witness to the ultimate divine source of all of nature, in no way specifies the means of creation. Further, they hold that the witness of creation itself is that the divine creates only indirectly through evolutionary processes without any intervention in the order of nature. (The Smithsonian’s Science, Religion, Evolution and Creationism: Primer)
As an Anti-Theist (atheist), I believe what many of us have learned through scientific research. Each sunday night for the last couple of months I’ve been tuning in to see COSMOS: A Spacetime Odyssey. In terms of St. Louis, these results tell me over 35% will continue to believe something regardless of facts to the contrary. With such numbers it is hard to change perceptions about place in our region. This show has religious folks upset, resulting in an Oklahoma Fox channel “accidentally: cutting out a mention of evolution and weekly stories like this:
Conservative Christians are really mad about the reboot of the legendary science series Cosmos, starring Neil deGrasse Tyson. The complaint? That an ancient myth about creation invented by Hebrews thousands of years ago is not being included in a show that is there to teach science. Christian conservatives have been taking to the airwaves complaining about the non-inclusion of ancient myths in a science program, with Danny Faulkner of Answers in Genesis whining, “Creationists aren’t even on the radar screen for them,” and Elizabeth Mitchell of the same organization decrying the show for having “blind faith in evolution.” (“Cosmic” meltdown! Neil deGrasse Tyson under siege from Christian right)
Please vote in the poll, located in the right sidebar
Millions have been tuning in Sunday evenings to see COSMOS: A Spacetime Odyssey on Fox, Mondays on National Geographic. Since the March 9th debut the show some have been upset by the presentation of evolution rather than creation.
The Cosmos reboot was fairly generous as far as leaving room for religious interpretation goes. But apparently, one Fox affiliate station in Oklahoma City decided there was still just a little too much science talk for their liking, so they cut out the 15-second mention of evolution. (Gizmodo)
That Fox station says the 15-second cut of evolution from the first episode was an “accident.” Right. The poll this week is from a 2012 Gallop poll, here’s a look at the question and answers:
Which of the following comes closest to your view on the origin and development of human beings?
Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process
Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process
God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time in the last 10,000 years or so
The poll is in the right sidebar, the answers will be presented in a random order to each viewer.
Slightly more than half the readers who voted in the poll last week selected answers supportive on the dress codes at Ballpark Village venues, conversely just under half selected answers unsupportive.
Inside the “Live” area the day before the home opener
Here are the results:
Q: The Dress Code at Ballpark Village Is…
a good thing 45 [28.85%]
no big deal 37 [23.72%]
a way to say “whites only” 27 [17.31%]
par for the Cordish course 15 [9.62%]
pointless 8 [5.13%]
offensive 7 [4.49%]
confusing 7 [4.49%]
Other: 7 [4.49%]
lame
A dress code is needed, but this one goes too far, after all it is called ballpa
a way to filter who is allowed in
The same as most clubs on Wash Ave.
The dress code at Ballpark village is a clear example sexism.
necessary evil
all the dress codes seem to apply to men.
Unsure/no opinion 3 [1.92%]
The various dress codes are outlined in the original post. In short, TV’s Daisy Duke would be admitted, but St. Louis native Nelly, dressed as he was in the Hot in Herre video, would be turned away. On Washington Ave I’ve seen young women wearing skirts so short any shorter they’d be flashing everyone. Presumably, that’s ok. We’ll probably check out a few of the venues but I don’t see any becoming a regular hangout.
Please vote in the poll, located in the right sidebar
Officially, Ballpark Village (BPV) doesn’t have a dress code, but venues within BPV do. When announced last week it caused a uproar, and was revised to allow team jerseys even on non-game days. The poll this week wants to know your thoughts, here is the relevant information pulled from stlballparkvillage.com on Friday March 28, 2014:
Ballpark Village:
No backpacks, loitering; no weapons; no panhandling; no solicitation; no disorderly conduct; no bicycles or skateboards; no professional photography cameras.
7 days per week anyone under the age of 18 is allowed admittance into Ballpark Village but must be accompanied by a legal guardian. After 9pm all guests must be 21 years old or older to gain admittance into Ballpark Village and its venues.
Ballpark Village does not have a dress code; however, please note that individual venues within Ballpark Village including Fox Sports Midwest Live! may utilize a dress code. Visit the individual venues’ website pages to familiarize yourself with their dress code policies. – See more at: http://www.stlballparkvillage.com/faqs#sthash.l2DNcs06.dpuf
Budweiser Brew House:
The following is not permitted under our dress code after 9pm: Main Level: sleeveless shirts on men, profanity on clothing, exposed undergarments on men, sweat pants, full sweat suits, excessively long shirts (when standing upright with arms at your side, the bottom of your shirt can not extend below the tip of your fingers), athletic shorts, excessively sagging pants or shorts, and bandanas. Second Level: the above list of prohibited articles of clothing and, in addition: jerseys (sleeved jerseys are permitted in conjunction with a Cardinals game or any other major St. Louis sporting event) and hats. Management reserves the right to deny entry or remove any individual who does not comply with the above dress code or the code of conduct. For any questions or concerns, please ask to speak to a manager. – See more at: http://www.stlballparkvillage.com/dining/dine/budweiser-brew-house#sthash.uFmvm3kE.dpuf
Cardinals Nation:
Cardinals Nation Guest Code of Conduct
The St. Louis Cardinals are committed to creating a safe, comfortable, and family friendly experience when fans visit Cardinals Nation. We expect fans who visit Cardinals Nation to observe the Ground Rules for Fans that we have in place at Busch Stadium. Our attire is baseball casual. No obscene or indecent clothing will be permited. – See more at: http://www.stlballparkvillage.com/dining/dine/cardinals-nation#sthash.D9GAnKr1.dpuf
Fox Sports Live Midwest:
The following is not permitted under our dress code after 9pm: sleeveless shirts on men, profanity on clothing, exposed undergarments on men, sweat pants, full sweat suits, excessively long shirts (when standing upright with arms at your side, the bottom of your shirt can not extendbelow the tip of your fingers), athletic shorts, excessively sagging pants or shorts, and bandanas. Management reserves the right to deny entry or remove any individual who does not comply with the above dress code or the code of conduct. For any questions or concerns, please ask to speak to a manager. – See more at: http://www.stlballparkvillage.com/dining/dine/fox-sports-midwest-live-#sthash.JU1HQKVT.dpuf
PBR St. Louis:
The following is not permitted under our dress code after 9pm: sleeveless shirts on men, profanity on clothing, exposed undergarments on men, sweat pants, full sweat suits, excessively long shirts (when standing upright with arms at your side, the bottom of your shirt can not extend below the tip of your fingers), jerseys (sleeved jerseys are permitted in conjunction with a cardinals game or any other major St. Louis sporting event), athletic shorts, excessively sagging pants or shorts, and bandanas. Management reserves the right to deny entry or remove any individual who does not comply with the above dress code or the code of conduct. For any questions or concerns, please ask to speak to a manager. – See more at: http://www.stlballparkvillage.com/dining/drink/pbr-st-louis#sthash.iCXUdBPH.dpuf
The Barn at PBR:
The following is not permitted under our dress code after 9pm: sleeveless shirts on men, profanity on clothing, exposed undergarments on men, sweat pants, full sweat suits, excessively long shirts (when standing upright with arms at your side, the bottom of your shirt can not extend below the tip of your fingers), jerseys (sleeved jerseys are permitted in conjunction with a cardinals game or any other major St. Louis sporting event), athletic shorts, excessively sagging pants or shorts, and bandanas. Management reserves the right to deny entry or remove any individual who does not comply with the above dress code or the code of conduct. For any questions or concerns, please ask to speak to a manager. – See more at: http://www.stlballparkvillage.com/dining/drink/the-barn-at-pbr#sthash.0DnS9ngX.dpuf
The Lounge:
The following is not permitted under our dress code after 9pm: sleeveless shirts on men, profanity on clothing, exposed undergarments on men, sweat pants, full sweat suits, excessively long shirts (when standing upright with arms at your side, the bottom of your shirt can not extend below the tip of your fingers), athletic shorts, excessively sagging pants or shorts, and bandanas. Management reserves the right to deny entry or remove any individual who does not comply with the above dress code or the code of conduct. For any questions or concerns, please ask to speak to a manager. – See more at: http://www.stlballparkvillage.com/dining/drink/the-lounge#sthash.N37rQy16.dpuf
The Skybox:
The following is not permitted under our dress code after 9pm: sleeveless shirts on men, profanity on clothing, exposed undergarments on men, sweat pants, full sweat suits, excessively long shirts (when standing upright with arms at your side, the bottom of your shirt can not extend below the tip of your fingers), athletic shorts, excessively sagging pants or shorts, and bandanas. Management reserves the right to deny entry or remove any individual who does not comply with the above dress code or the code of conduct. For any questions or concerns, please ask to speak to a manager. – See more at: http://www.stlballparkvillage.com/dining/drink/the-skybox#sthash.CvrSZ0p0.dpuf
The following BPV venues do not list any dress code:
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