Glenn Coffee picked God over Mammon. It defies logic, and flies in the face of everything modern America represents. How dare the former Alabama football player put his emphasis on something beyond this world; why lay up your treasure in heaven when you can do it in San Francisco? Sure moth and rust and earthquakes might corrupt those treasures, but life is supposed to be about money.

However, Coffee wants his focus to be on something permanent. According to the Sacramento Bee, “And money throughout your life has nothing to do with your salvation in Christ. A lot of players get that money. And they chase that money, man, and I feel that they’re really missing the true meaning of life.”

Another interesting part of the article was Coffee’s answer to the issue of his arrest for possession of a gun. Coffee explained that he likes guns, wants to collect guns and doesn’t have a problem with the use of a firearm for self-defense. In other words, he sounds like a typical Southern man—we like God and guns.

However, is Coffee correct about the corrupting influence of money? Certainly, we see the comments of Christ in the New Testament. The Son of God was very clear about the influence of wealth—often we trust in it instead of in God. But Western Civilization is largely the result of the rise of a work ethic that said material success is often a sign of God’s blessing. The role of Calvinism and the Protestant Work Ethic made the accumulation of capital possible, and in no small measure helped create the blessings we enjoy today in a powerhouse economy that has defined the 20th and now 21st centuries.

You get some negative with the good.

A survey of college football will show that some people (boosters at certain schools) pick winning over everything. Some schools cloak themselves in the label of “God” and then associate with pieces of crap in an effort to win at all costs. (Perhaps they should listen to the warning of St. Paul who quoted Euripides in saying that “evil company corrupts good morals.”) Today one SEC school plans to build a statue to a laptop thief (yes, he stole the laptop if you read the police report and not something that idiot Phillip Marshall writes). Doing the right thing doesn’t matter—winning is all that matters.

The same things can be seen in high school athletics. High school athletics has long since traded in its virginity for winning and high profile coaches. Does anyone remember Hoover High School’s time on MTV? The growth of televised high school games increases the stakes for everyone involved in high school sports. It is only a matter of time until the nonsense we see in college athletics trickles down to high school sports. While the absurdity of building a statue to a piece of crap isn’t likely to happen at most high schools, some will embrace the hypocrisy seen in college.

And college football is about to experience a substantial change, and this is a change that pushes it further away from its past and present. Mr. College Football points out this simple fact in his latest post. According to Tony Barnhart the Big Ten is telling everyone, “We can afford to give the athletes some money and we are going to seriously think about doing so. If you can’t, that’s your problem.” And according to the same report, the SEC is likely to push for this as well. What does this mean? “That sound you just heard was the commissioners of the MAC, WAC, Mountain West, Conference USA and Sun Belt banging their collective heads on the table. Keeping up with the big boys is tough enough to do as it is. This would make it nearly impossible.”

This could be a good thing for the sport. Provided that it moves away from the pretense that academics or anything but money matters to the BCS conferences and schools. Hypocrisy is a bad thing for the sport. Eliminating that would be one giant improvement.

But is the pursuit of money the best thing in life? There are consequences for individuals and even organizations. Coffee recognized it and picked a new path. The major football conferences have picked their own path. It might be good for the sport. Or we might see more statues to laptop thieves and academic cheaters. Only time will tell.

32 thoughts on “Alabama’s Coffee picked God over Mammon”

  1. Thanks for the reminder about Coffee. I haven’t heard much from him since his initial decision to retire. Let’s pray that God uses his testimony mightily to bring others to Christ.

  2. I love how a fan of a school that was caught cheating the last seventeen of twenty years is so eager to cast stones.

  3. All of this will force what is the ugly secret that sleeps in every Football Fan’s Bed. Big Time College Football is nothing more than the USFL for the NFL.

  4. FYI:

    I love how a fan of a school with the most sanctions in the SeC history and 3rd all time in NCAA history can throw stones. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been just like the white trash Auburn fans can’t cherry pick which years they want to count the Iron Bowl. BTW, I thought you only came on here when we write articles on your ag college?

  5. Dumarse Barnturds. We served our time. We don’t fear the the past. It was just decade and a half of loose canons. But you stupid bastards just go on and on and on like the phucking Energizer Bunny. It has been as regular as clockwork for 60 or more years. You never learn and are so corrupt that nobody thinks you want to clean it up. If half of what you shytheads are suspected of right now is discovered to be true, you’ll be lucky if they don’t shut your arses down permanently. Don’t ever dis us for having the right to comment on your dirty arses. You’re an embarrasment to the State. RTR!

  6. Uh, ok… LOL!!! Bama only cheated in theclast decade????? LOL!!!!!!!!! You guys are a freaking joke. The pathetic thing is that you guys aren’t just talking trash, rather, you actually believe the crap that comes out of your mouths.

    Also, I’ll be happy to go toe to toe with the next one of you who try to suggest I’m stupid and uneducated. Tell you what… Let’s compare academic credentials. I’ll guarantee you that I win. Any takers? 🙂

  7. FYI, you don’t read so well do you he said that it was a, the last, decade AND A HALF of coaches

  9. Watch out, guys!!! FYI is a self proclaimed intellectual powerhouse!!! He wants to compare academic credentials !!!!!! LOL !!!

    Silly Barner…

  10. If FYI and Bill Gates went toe to toe with academic credentials, then I guess FYI would win.

    Bill Gates attended Harvard, but never graduated. I guess that means FYI is smarter…..(if he graduated from college).

    Barner logic……..again. Bless his heart.

  11. Hey FYI, I will be glad to compare education credentials. What do you have? (Besides a Sociology degree at Auburn. That doesn’t count.) And Graduating from the Lee County special ed class doesn’t either. Bragging about your education while trolling on a Bama site and getting mad because we laugh at Auburn speaks volumes about your stupidity, and a piece of paper won’t change that.

  12. Seems that Sports by Brooks …that ridiculous rumor monger that you folks love to quote when he is putting out false rumors about Auburn, now says that $aban’s “sausage factory” fueled by oversigning recruits will come to an end now that recruits are catching on.

    Cue the “Sports by Brooks is an idiot” quotes.

  13. People have no clue what they are talking about in regards to oversigning, and Alabama’s recruiting class in 2012 and 2013 will be top ten, probably top three both years.

    Recruits don’t seem to be concerned as far as the 2012 class goes. No matter how much negative recruiting that Auburn has tried to shovel since Saban’s arrival.

    Of course, the bigger question will be if Auburn will be able to afford another top notch laptop thief quarterback with all the NCAA scrutiny on the Plains.

  14. Ok Brando,

    B.A. – Auburn
    M.S. – South Alabama
    Ph.D. – Large university in Florida (avoiding specific name because some of you are just crazy enough to look it up, figure out who I am, and pull an Updyke).

    Published in over 20 academic journals and books; have presented at more than 50 international scientific conferences;currently a professor at a major Midwestern university.

    How about yourself, hot shot?

    BTW Whore, I didn’t come on here to brag about academic credentials. However, I thought I would challenge you guys given your constant suggestion that we Auburn fans are somehow less intelligent. Incidentally, the rest of the developed world outside of Alabama recognizes that a degree is a very valued commodity. Sure, Bill Gates didn’t need one… are you Bill Gates? LOL!!!!!!!

  15. I think it is rather interesting about the academic credentials of most of this site’s readers. When I first started the website, the typical reader held some type of graduate degree–and the median income was almost 3x that of the typical Alabamian. Some of that has changed with readership beginning to look a bit more like the rest of America and Alabama. Can we call this the democratization of the Internet? However, the typical reader here has more education than the typical person on the Internet. Honestly, that shocks me as football appeals to a broad base. I expected readership to look more like the rest of Alabama.

  16. What a phucking laugh!!! If by some phucking miracle that shite he just posted is true then it just reinforces what a bunch of dumbarse dick munchers the Barners are. What God fricking PHd published in X journals, etc., etc., etc. would come on this blog and argue with internet junkies about sports AND be stupidly wrong about his assumptions too? Answer – nobody but a damn Barnturd. They must be giving away sheepskins free at Barnturd U. Oh yeah, I forgot, they are and apparently not just in sociology. God, what a dork. Wonder if there’s another Nobel Prize winner in the world who wants to come on here and duke it out with us dumbarse internet Rambos? ROTFLMMFAO!!!! RTR!

  17. Wow, FYI, you are a professor, and a published author, and you find the time to spew your hate as an Auburn fanboy on a Bama site. Like I said, all that paper, (if you are honest) and you are still stupid. Imagine that. I have an education, and I can be a Bama fan, and I like to post on a Bama site. But I am not dumb enough to go digging around on Auburn fan sites trolling. I could care less what an Auburn site would think about us Bama fans. Yet you are here, thinking you can win an argument with a bunch of people who hate Auburn. If you were so smart, you wouldn’t waste your time here, when there are articles to publish and kids to teach. I know I wouldn’t want my child to be educated by someone as dumb and hateful as you. I think you are full of sh!t, regardless if you have a degree or not.

  18. The stats for “oversigning ” will show that Auburn and Old Piss are at the top. Bama is in the middle. Go sling your runny poop somewhere else Aubies.

  19. You need to go talk to Sports by Brooks about the oversigning accusations. He is the one putting it on a national board.

    Also check out Jon Solomon on the Birmingham News. He stays away from mentioning Bama because of the potential for boycotts.

    Auburn will only have 73-75 players on scholly if all of our recruits qualify.

    NOW ….HOW IS IT THAT AUBURN IS OVERSIGNING?

    $aban will have to “dispose” of 9 scholly players. That is oversigning.

  20. Like I said, Alabama’s 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes will be top five or better. Oversigning has not in the past hurt Alabama or Nick Saban; it will not hurt Alabama in the future. As for Sports By Brooks, people can disagree over an issue without disregarding everything someone says. Has ONE single recruit ever said they picked a school because they were afraid of oversigning? It certainly does not seem to be an issue in the next recruiting class either.

    Clearly, Auburn has cheated in the past and we know Auburn cheated in recent times thanks to the HBO special report. If anything the continued attention will haunt Auburn’s recruiting as SEC rivals continue to pound this issue into recruits.

    Since Auburn is down to so few players, was this attrition planned or was that caused by many of the players being kicked off the team for felonies?

  21. If I had to ask any fanbase in the country that question, without a doubt it would be Bamas.

  22. Hey Hoopie, how many has Auburn kicked off them team since January? I think Auburn oversigns because they know a certain percentage of the thugs and rapists they recruit will eventually get caught.

  23. And FBJ, if the question happens to be “Who has the dirtiest program in the SEC”, without a doubt it would be Auburn.

  24. Auburn is the dirtiest program in SEC history, but their fans act like victims and try to market God to make them look legit

  25. Aubie has signed more than Bama every year but 1 since Saban came here, and more than the SEC limit of 25 every year. Of course you haven’t been in everyones oversigning crosshairs like Bama simply because of the Tubbs and Franklin controversy and the mass expulsion of thugs. Simply put, for 3 years now you haven’t been able to keep (pay enough) anybody on your team! As for the phucking genius – a la next Nobel Prize winner; it was always my assumption that common sense was much more important than education. I mean lets face it dumbarse; what good will the Nobel Prize do you if you try to cross 5th Ave in New York City against the green light. I think the shite going on at Aubie right now just may be the equivilent of crossing against the green light! RTR!

  26. Crimsonite,

    The problem with your argument is that it assumes that common sense and a good education are mutually exclusive. BTW- who’s trying to win the Noble Prize? My comments were directed at your (the collective UA folks on this site) constant exclamations that we Auburn fans are stupid. While not all uneducated people are unintelligent, it’s fairly safe to say the overwhelming majority of college grads have at least average intelligence or better. There is a strong correlation between IQ and academic success. Incidentally, I noticed that Brando still hasn’t followed through with his part of the challenge.

  27. Since you are apparently so smart I shouldn’t have to explain that Nobel Prize was simply a snide remark in referance to highly educated, high I.Q. persons arguing with unknown persons of a very questionable quality on of all things; an internet sports blog. And no I did not insinuate that education and common sense are mutually exclusive. Not a normal education anyway. However, an education with all the added fruit salad you claim you have is generally the realm of nerds; and never have I met a nerd with any common sense. Which might explain what YOU are doing on this blog! As for you getting bent out of shape because a Bama fan on a Bama site said Aubies are stupid, then you should check back here in Sept. There is little nastiness on here at the moment because of the off season and the tornado. But normally you Aubies come on here and say things 100 times worse about our intelligence and lineage than we say about yours. And since everyone else in my family is an Aubie I surely know Aubies are stupid!

  28. Hey FYI, I have a BS in math, and in art. I am no doctor, but I am an artist. I am a musician and a painter. I have a good job, and enjoy my life. I am a big Bama fan of course, but I never troll Auburn sites and never will. And you think you are being smart, by coming on a Bama site spewing how smart you are. I don’t care how many degrees you have, if you say you are PhD and a loser troll on a Bama site, that is just sad on your part. If you were really so smart, you would be able to see how pointless and stupid you look. For a smart Auburn fan, you sure are dumb.

  29. My gosh, you guys act like children sometimes. It’s really very simple: You called Auburn fans stupid, I responded with a simple challenge in like manner. Jeez, how dare someone contradict you? BTW Crimsonite, your snide remark about the Nobel Prize was noted and countered with an equally sarcastic remark.
    Brando, great for you for not “trolling” AU sites. Let me tell you the basic difference between you and me. Although I love my alma mater as much as you love yours, regularly visit a wide range of Auburn sites, and generally try to read anything I can about Auburn, I also don’t believe every sunshine pumping piece of BS that AU boards say… which leads me to check out other sites such as this one. That is, I try to avoid drinking the Kool Aid without considering all the available facts. You, on the other hand, seem quite comfortable to take every bit of positive Bama news and negative AU news as though it is holy gospel, and then act offended that someone has a different opinion. Besides that, I enjoy talking trash and having a good debate. If you never really visit other (non-UA) boards, as you proclaim, don’t you get tired of hearing the same biased crap over and over again (that’s not meant as an insult, rather, I’m just reflecting the logical notion that any fan site is inherently biased)? Don’t you ever wonder what other non-Bama people are saying?? You say it is sad that I visit this site on occasion. I suggest it is sad that you only seek out positive confirmations about your football team. Perhaps the difference is that I don’t live in Alabama anymore, and don’t get to enjoy regular friendly banter.
    Here’s the deal fellas. I’m just having fun poking around and occasionally commenting. 99% of the crap I read on here goes in one ear and out the other (“Auburn is a cult”…. Really???? – Tell me you guys don’t really believe that). I don’t hate any of you, as you have suggested, and really don’t care if you think me or the rest of the Auburn family is stupid. I just thought it would be fun to mess with you guys a bit. I didn’t realize you would get so bent out of shape. Brando, I think it’s great that you’re an artist. We’d probably get along very well. I’m also an artist and musician, and no, not all professors are nerds… we actually have lives outside of the universities and our research. LOL!

  30. No, FYI, I enjoy reading and talking about Bama football here and can’t help but notice pompous people like you here with your very weak attempts to convince us all of your ‘intelligence’ when your actions seem pretty dumb. A troll is a troll, no matter how you spin it. I really hate to think someone like you is teaching anyone anything. And if your feelings get hurt or if your emotions get the better of you when we make fun of Auburn, you bring this criticism on yourself by feeling the need to post. No one cares what you think about Bama. But we have real and strong beliefs based on facts and the circumstances that Auburn is playing dirty, and recruiting dirty. Its not kool-aid, but reality. Auburn is really under investigation. 5 of them. If you choose to turn a blind eye, then you just might be a cult member and don’t even know it.

  31. Guys it looks like he’s trying to tone it down a bit. Give him the benifit of the doubt for the time being. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I drink all of the Crimson colored Kool-Aid intentionally because Auburn and Tennessee fans in general are arseholes. Those two schools were the Deep Throats that did us in for 15 years while they both were worse than we were. And your fans made life for us worse than 40 hells during the whole period. Ya’ll mostly shut your mouths for 2 years after the 36-0 beatdown until about the 5th week of the season last year. After we lost to USCe you bastards came out of the woodwork like swarm of neuclear cockroaches. I’ve never seen so many loudmouthed arseholes in one place my entire life. And all the while you were winning with a cheating QB who shouldn’t have been allowed to play, a defense filled with cheap shot artists, and some day we’ll know how many bought players. You have no honor. You’re actually proud of the awards you stole last year. We are justified! RTR!

  32. Didnt General Coffee get arrested for having a concealed gun in his car?

    Hey Crimsonturd, how about your schoolboy Hightower pimp slapping his girlfriend and the Bama-brain washed daddy didnt file any charges. That’s what I call spineless.

    How about Rolando McClain beating down another student. That got swept under the rug.

    BamaButthole, your team last I checked is on probation, homer, and until you prove any wrong doing by AU, then shove a sock in it. Lord knows everyone has tried getting AU recruiting into trouble including Bama, LSU, and Arkansas because they are jealous we have been taking great players away. Alabama has as well. So get used to the fact that AU will be toe-to-toe with Bama and will beat you including your unbeatable “dynasty” teams. Will we lose some games this year, probably… But next year in 2012, I fully expect to compete again for the NC. That is truly what scares your redneck fanbase. It is that Nicky has met his match. 28-27 in your face.

    Heisman, SEC Champs, NC champs, Crystal-how you like them apples.

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