Comments about ‘BYU is lone holdout for not playing on Sundays’

Way to go BYU!! Keep up the no play on Sunday and you will be respected in the real world by real people. I am all for keeping this rule in place!!

Eric Liddell was the Scottish Olympic athlete who made headlines back in 1924 when he abstained from running in one of the events he qualified for simply because his heat was to be held on a Sunday. (Commemorated in the 1981 film 'Chariots of Fire')

So I suppose -- even 100 years ago -- one could already raise eyebrows with such convictions . . . but, yeah, I'm not sure as many people would even get what that movie was supposed to be about even these three decades later.

Well, I sure hope this will not cause any problems with the scheduling of decent games for BYU. There are enough days in the week that Sunday does not need to be used to play college sports. It's bad enough that professional sports are mainly on Sundays.

I loved the movie 'Chariots of Fire', and admired Eric Liddell's personal integrity in the choice he made. And he was blessed for his efforts.

The no-Sunday rule is unchangeable for BYU, so the NCAA or whoever is having heartburn about it will just have to work around it.

Go Cougars!

Instead of complaining about being left out of conference expansion, the BYU faithful should celebrate the price they pay for holding to their conviction on Sunday play.

Sadly, most BYU supporters want it both ways.

They want the honor of their convictions and the honor of the world at the same time. They don't want the consequence of having to choose between their convictions and the honors of the world.

Wonderful BYU. I'd say, "stick to your guns," but, they don't need to hear my voice. They hear a higher calling.

I could care less what it costs BYU... do what is right, let the consequence follows... and don't whine.

Its been a while, but as I remember Eric Liddell did not whine and complain about the consequences of his personal integrity.

And he did not insist that the world accommodate or "work around" his personal choices.

Instead he courageously accepted the consequences of his choice not to compete on Sunday and made the best of his competition on other days.

BYU supporters would do well to follow Liddell's gracious and courageous example.

Keeping the Sabbath holy has its own rewards. Thank you, BYU!

@Howard S.

For once I actually agree with your post. BYU fans need to be proud of what BYU is and what it stands for, and not moan and complain when those standards cause them to be shunned by the world. Remember it is a blessing to be persecuted for righteousness sake (Matt. 5:10). The No Play on Sunday policy is just the tip of the iceberg. The unbending positions of the LDS Church on issues like gay marriage will probably make BYU increasingly a pariah in academic circles, as we have seen recently with BYU being shunned by the PAC-10, no doubt due partially to the church's involvement with Prop 8. I hope there will be solidarity between the other religious schools like Notre Dame, TCU, and SMU on these issues, but it is disheartening to read that those schools have given in to the world on playing on the Sabbath.

What strange comments! No where in the article does it say that BYU is whining about "being left out of conference expansion," yet BYU followers are being urged not to do it. And they certainly have never ask the world to "accommodate or work around our personoal choices."

This is not the first time Sunday participation has come up. We all know the university's (and the Lord's) view of it, so let's leave it at that.

Once upon a time, individuals made their own choices to play, buy, sell, barter, or work on the Sabbath, and most of the world accommodated God's commandments.

Now those who try to accommodate the commandments are seen as oddballs imposing their personal choices on the world.

How times have changed.

I am not a BYU fan, but I appreciate their stance of not playing on Sunday!!
I am opposed to Sunday play for colleges and over exposure will someday destroy college athletics.

I'm glad not everyone is sitting around bored on Sundays.

Sounds like another "holier than thou" article from the reporters at Deseret News. It's funny that Chariots of Fire and Eric Liddell are brought up, Mr. Liddell being a Protestant Scot born in China and no mention of his rival Harold Abrahams an English Jew. That movie had religious undertones (i.e. Christian vs. Jew) that made the Christian seem more worthy of GOD's liking or worthiness (the chosen people if you please) though they both respected each other. Whether this is fact, you can't always believe what MOVIES want you to believe, even getting Mr. Abrahams wifes name wrong.

Back to the article, now the college and professional money machine does not care if BYU or players from BYU want to play on Sunday, it's a moot point and really.. when was BYU even revelant in college sports, Steve Young didn't mind playing on Sunday and even won a Super Bowl on the Sabbath. The great-great-great-grandson of Brigham Young didn't have a problem playing on Sunday, and I would consider him a good person, lightning never hit him. Their stance will only leave them and their players behind.

A big thank you to the BYU Cougars for taking a stand, even though standing alone. You're example of integrity is appreciated!

I find BYU’s no-play-on-Sunday rule admirable, but what I don’t understand is why it is so important for BYU students not to compete on Sundays, but it is okay for LDS professional athletes to compete on Sundays. I understand that BYU is not the equivalent of the LDS church, but am I the only one that finds it odd that many (most?) of the same people who cheer on BYU’s commitment to not playing on Sunday, also cheer on the LDS professional athletes that do play on Sunday? Is playing on Sunday okay or not? Is it just okay if you get paid for it? I remember many years ago when people celebrated a talented BYU football player who gave up an NFL career because he said playing on Sunday was wrong. Great, I get that. But does that mean all LDS athletes should make the same choice? If not, why not? I would think that if all LDS professional athletes quit or stopped playing on Sunday, that would send a more powerful message to the world about the Sabbath than BYU's no-Sunday-play rule.

To respond to Wolf. BYU is the institution owned, sponsored and operated by the LDS Church. That is why they take the stand against Sunday play. Professional teams are not connected to the Church and the Church allows each individual to make his own choices about what to do on the Sabbath. Just as doctors and a myriad of other people are required to work on Sundays because of their profession these professional athletes are required as well. They have a contract that mandates they play.

To compare the two is a bit childish. There have been BYU athletes in the past who have foregone a professional career because they individually chose not to play on Sundays. That is what free agency is all about.

There are so few people that really trust in the Lord to be obedient to His law, and know that His blessing will follow. The blessing may be a business success, or it may be academic achievement, or it may even by personal growth. Look at Chick-fil-A, whose business model reflects deep Christian value of never being open on Sundays. They are one of the fastest growing business in the country. What made us great as a nation, was obedience to Diveine Law, and not to personal wealth and gain.

Many years ago, I was one of a committee of people who ran a youth basketball program. (In Calgary) The subject of Sunday practice and games surfaced and, knowing that there were hundreds of LDS players throughout the city, I told the group that if they went ahead with this Sunday issue that they would immediately lose several hundred players who would probably form their own league and attract others who adhere to the Sabbath Day policy.
The talk of Sunday play ended.
The Church, (and BYU) cannot change the policies and tenets of their beliefs just because they get a little criticism from the public. We are all very proud to be an immovable lighthouse in the storm, which tosses the ships of peer pressure around.

Criticize all you want, ye naysayers.
Here is my prediction, and you can take it to the bank!!!
Ready, ya better sit down for this one...

BYU will completely dissolve its intercollegiate invovelment in extracurricular sports before it buckles to any pressure to play on Sundays.

And I say, good for them. Instead of criticizing, maybe you should try to understand why this would be so important that they would drop out of a zillion dollar program for such a principle.

I love it! Go Cougars! Nothing wrong with holding up a commandment.

Thank you NCAA for allowing the Cougs to participate in athletics with that standard.