Is "faith" a requirement under McD?

[TheElectricCompany]

8 minutes ago, Perry Turtle said:

Shady is one of McDermott's favorite players.  Shady is no choir boy, but he is a dedicated and fierce competitor on the field.  I think that's more of what McDermott is looking for.

Shady is an elite player in this league. I think that's what Mcdermott is looking. 

If you want my serious answer on the matter, no, I don't think it matters to McD. 

Faith absolutely can play a positive role in your perspective and personality,  but it is not a prerequisite for being humble, driven, dedicated, team first, etc. etc. 

Edited May 14, 2018 by TheElectricCompany

[Mickey]

4 minutes ago, Perry Turtle said:

Shady is one of McDermott's favorite players.  Shady is no choir boy, but he is a dedicated and fierce competitor on the field.  I think that's more of what McDermott is looking for.

 

Those are qualities that have nothing to do with faith. If that is what he means then I don't know why he would describe it using language that is clearly religious. The language he uses is problematic whether it truly can be inferred from that language that he improperly considers religion when making personnel decisions or not. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't but this question wouldn't even be asked without the constant references to "football, faith and family". I know that if I was on that team and an agnostic, I would feel compelled to hide that fact for fear of its effect on my career. 

[eball]

9 minutes ago, DriveFor1Outta5 said:

Why do I not understand what this means? PS took me a minute. I get it now, you were referring to the name Springsteen ? . I understand that, but Peterman never sounded that way to me. Maybe it’s because growing up I knew quite a few people with that name. 

 

Maybe you would have gotten the joke more quickly if his name was Schlongman.

[DriveFor1Outta5]

Just now, Mickey said:

 

Those are qualities that have nothing to do with faith. If that is what he means then I don't know why he would describe it using language that is clearly religious. The language he uses is problematic whether it truly can be inferred from that language that he improperly considers religion when making personnel decisions or not. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't but this question wouldn't even be asked without the constant references to "football, faith and family". I know that if I was on that team and an agnostic, I would feel compelled to hide that fact for fear of its effect on my career. 

You’d probably hide that fact regardless of what team you’re on. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

11 minutes ago, Mickey said:

 

If you are giving someone "bonus points" for being religious, you are disadvantaging those who have a different view because they aren't getting those "bonus points" and that is pretty much the definition of discrimination. It would be no different if you said that when the candidates have an equal skill set, I always hire the man. It is illegal in this state to make employment decisions based on sex, race, creed or sexual orientation, not even as a "tie-breaker".

 

 

Palpable rage is palpable.

 

Again, a completely unfounded concept put forward by eball shouldn't be taken as..pardon the pun...gospel truth.

 

[eball]

Just now, joesixpack said:

 

Palpable rage is palpable.

 

Again, a completely unfounded concept put forward by eball shouldn't be taken as..pardon the pun...gospel truth.

 

 

What "unfounded concept" do you speak of?  I believe I asked a question and encouraged discussion based upon the repeated public statements of our head coach.

 

Feeling threatened or something?

[Lfod]

10 minutes ago, Mickey said:

 

Those are qualities that have nothing to do with faith. If that is what he means then I don't know why he would describe it using language that is clearly religious. The language he uses is problematic whether it truly can be inferred from that language that he improperly considers religion when making personnel decisions or not. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't but this question wouldn't even be asked without the constant references to "football, faith and family". I know that if I was on that team and an agnostic, I would feel compelled to hide that fact for fear of its effect on my career. 

Some places in this world people are murdered for being Christians. They are  not scared to hide it so don't be afraid to hide you don't believe in it. Malala Yousafzai was shot in the face for standing up for womens rights. She displayed more backbone as a kid then you just represented right now. 

 

Martin Luther King Jr died  standing up for his cause. 

 

I don't care what a person believes but I'll respect them more for fighting for it. 

Edited May 14, 2018 by Lfod

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, eball said:

 

What "unfounded concept" do you speak of?  I believe I asked a question and encouraged discussion based upon the repeated public statements of our head coach.

 

Feeling threatened or something?

 

Not at all. I'm not a christian.

 

But at the same time I have enough common sense to understand that just because someone is out there saying he believes in something doesn't mean he's using it as a hiring criteria.

 

The only time I get nervous about religion is when someone's shouting it before they blow themselves up or shoot up a busload or room full of people.

 

 

[Mickey]

Maybe so because that particular prejudice seems endemic in the NFL. However, that makes this kind of prejudice more rather than less reprehensible.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

35 minutes ago, Gugny said:

For what it's worth, this is Sean McDermott's high school senior portrait:

 

 

Wow the hair made quite a difference 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 minute ago, Mickey said:

Maybe so because that particular prejudice seems endemic in the NFL. However, that makes this kind of prejudice more rather than less reprehensible.

 

WHAT PREJUDICE?

 

 

[eball]

1 minute ago, joesixpack said:

 

But at the same time I have enough common sense to understand that just because someone is out there saying he believes in something doesn't mean he's using it as a hiring criteria.

 

 

You should understand by now that there is no such thing as "common" sense or it wouldn't be so uncommon.  And stop putting words in my mouth -- I asked a question and encouraged discussion.  I did not presume anything.

[thurst44]

40 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

I know what you mean here, but this is entirely off topic and not really relevant to the OP's suggestion.

 

The issue is not whether McD is a "true Christian".  The issue is whether or not he allows his religious beliefs to interfere in otherwise objective/clear headed decision making.  I bet he does.

 

 

I have faith that he doesn't  (or at least I sure hope not)

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

5 minutes ago, eball said:

 

You should understand by now that there is no such thing as "common" sense or it wouldn't be so uncommon.  And stop putting words in my mouth -- I asked a question and encouraged discussion.  I did not presume anything.

 

On one hand you say in your OP:

 

Quote

is there a place for a player on this roster who isn't a devout Christian or (perish the thought) is agnostic or an atheist? 

 

Which begs the question, why wouldn't there be UNLESS McD has some sort of religious criteria for players?

 

But then, in the next paragraph, you give us the presumed answer:

 

Quote

Obviously McD can't come out and openly discriminate on the basis of religion but that's not what I'm asking.

 

Oh, but that kind of IS what you're asking in the above quote. See the issue I'm having here? Not trying to be combative or anything.

 

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by joesixpack

[nucci]

48 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

I have considered this very point a few times and thought of starting a thread on it myself.

 

I noticed right away when Josh Allen did his first interviews with WNY media outlets, he was working Jesus into his first few comments.  Did that play a role in the team wanting him over someone else, like Josh Rosen? 

 

I believe it is highly likely that McDermott allows his Christian faith to influence his decision making, even if he is not consciously aware of it.

 

 

No, McDermott has made it clear many times in how he speaks that he is devoutly religious. 

 

His use of "faith" is the religious meaning, not other more abstract meanings.

 

 

Kim Pegula is also very religious. Been written that was one of the main reasons he was hired.

[eball]

@joesixpack you're trying too hard.  If you have something to contribute, contribute.

[Dr. Who]

So far as I can tell, the foundation for this discussion is the perceived implications of "faith, family, football" and the presence of a number of players that have used rhetoric implying that they are Christians.  It seems a stretch to use the alliterative rhetoric of a mantra as a basis for suspicion.  Here's a less nefarious interpretation:  we value people of integrity and principle.  We treat each other first as family, not as an aggregate of contract businessman.  Athletic success will derive from good character and comradery.  That's a lot to say briefly, so, "faith, family, football."  There would have to be some hard evidence before I would take it to be code for exclusionary criteria or selection processes that use some kind of orthodoxy to cow religious dissent.  Indeed, without something concrete to anchor such a charge, it would be itself unethical and bordering on tinfoil hat paranoia.

 

Though I take it, to be clear, that the OP intended a relatively benign speculation.

[LeGOATski]

He may use "family, faith, football" as a personal motto. I haven't heard him use it in relation to the team process.

 

I think he's looking for certain personality traits. A couple of those are the willingness to buy into a process, of which all aspects are not known or meant to be understood, and leading a disciplined lifestyle.

 

It may seem that people of religious faith exhibit these traits more often than those without religious faith, but you can't directly link them.

 

Case in point: Zay Jones. Religious faith, but I would definitely question his discipline.

 

Opposite of that: Lesean McCoy? I may be wrong, but I haven't seen him portray himself as religious. And some of you may want to argue me on this, but he is certainly disciplined and willing to buy in. Even with his talent, I don't think he would've lasted this long or been as productive without those traits.

[Jay_Fixit]

1 hour ago, Soda Popinski said:

you may find some devout George Michael fans though...

 

FAITH

Guilty.

[Billsflyer12]

http://buffalonews.com/2017/11/24/inside-the-bills-team-chaplain-len-vanden-bos-blends-faith-and-football/

 

McDermott hired a full time team Chaplin just after he arrived.  I think is may have been the 1st time in organization history, if I remember correctly.