A Blessed Baseball Result?

Florida Tampa One pastor says Tampa Bay's success may have come from them dropping the word "devil" from their team name.

by Steven Norris

Published: Wed, October 22, 2008 - 9:52 am CST Last Updated: Wed, October 22, 2008 - 9:57 am CST

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Devil be gone!
For 10 years, they were a losing baseball team with a fiendish
nickname: the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Then the club exorcised the "Devil" from its name, and
suddenly Tampa Bay is in the World Series.
The Rays won the pennant less than a year after they put the
Devil behind them, and some Tampa pastors would like to think
that's the reason why.
Rev. Wayne Newman of Bay Life Assembly of God says the Rays'
turnaround may be God's way of saying, "If you get the devil out,
you're liable to go somewhere."
Rev. Tom Atchison of New Life Pentecostal Church of God says at
the very least, the name change has allowed more Christians to root
for the team.
Both admit that with the World Series starting tonight,
attendance is likely to be down at their Wednesday night services.

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ccsteamer Says:

Thu, Oct 23, 2008 at 7:40 am

Oh, Come on… That makes as much sense as stating that they won because I wore their sports shirt that day or Boston lost because I wasn’t watching a particular play in which Tampa Bay got a 2 run home run.

It’s not just Christians rooting for the team. I am a Boston Red Sox fan and I thought they gave us a great season and a wonderful ride but that’s not because I am “A Christian”, I am a fan. Do the Tampa Bay Rays deserve to win the world series? Yes, but the name, gender, age, race, creed, religous beliefs have absolutely nothing to do with it nor does it affect the outcome. Rev. I suggest you don’t miss a play and get on with your life according to someone’s belief….