Dolphins will involve "Christ the Redeemer" with their draft pick

[CF DolFan]

I don't think any DolFans would be offended but I seem to underestimate people these days. Will be kind of cool to see him in Dolphin colors.

Matt Cannata tweeted ...

One of the #Dolphins Day 3 picks will be announced from the base of the Christ the Redeemer statue that overlooks Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A Brazilian celebrity will announce one of the team's late-round picks. On that night, the statue will be lit up in aqua and orange.



Other teams that will be making picks around the world, according to the Sports Business Journal :

U.K.: Jaguars, Jets and Bears
Germany: Panthers, Chiefs and Bucs (all from Munich, where the Bucs will host the first NFL regular-season game in Germany this fall)
Mexico: Steelers, Cardinals, Texans
Brazil: Dolphins

[Spider-Dan]

Weird that Brazil would agree to this.  Seems kind of... frivolous.  Maybe it's common?

[EDGECRUSHER]

Weird that Brazil would agree to this.  Seems kind of... frivolous.  Maybe it's common?

NFL is doing this with many teams, lower draft picks being announced around the world by local celebrities. Ours seems like the most elaborate unless France blows up the Eiffel Tower to announce the Jaguars 5th round pick.

[CF DolFan]

Makes sense that Miami would go to Brazil. It's basically an attempt to gather more fans to the NFL just like the London games.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Not a fan of this on several fronts.

This is an example of your religion being shoved down my throat.  Would you consider it equally as cool if the pick was being announced from Mecca?  Or from the HQ of American Atheists, Inc? 

Not a fan of the exporting of the NFL.  Send the preseason games overseas and keep the regular season game here.  Just like many fotball teams play their preseason games here, but the regular season game stay in their home country.

Have retired players make the picks.  Not b-list celebrities.  A much better idea would be to honor the 30th anniversary of the Dolphin's undefeated team by have all the Dolphin picks be selected by players from that team.  Maybe invite the entire team for a reunion and use former players based on a connection -- draft a RB have Morris make the pick, draft a DE have Stanhill. 

 

[ArtieChokePhin]

Not a fan of this on several fronts.

This is an example of your religion being shoved down my throat.  Would you consider it equally as cool if the pick was being announced from Mecca?  Or from the HQ of American Atheists, Inc? 

It's about making the announcement from a landmark.   So fucking what if the landmark happens to be a religious one?   

Keep your political bullshit in the other forum.

[Spider-Dan]

It's about making the announcement from a landmark.   So fucking what if the landmark happens to be a religious one?

That makes it political, in exactly the same sense that making an announcement from a Holocaust memorial or from Mecca would be.  Just like military flyovers at NFL games, political topics don't stop being political when you happen to approve of them.

Personally, I don't have any problem with this from the NFL side, or even the American side.  I'm just surprised that Brazil would allow a famous religious monument to be used for something as crass and commercial as a draft for a foreign sport that no one in Brazil cares about.  The closest equivalent I can imagine is the US allowing the Lincoln Memorial to be lit up in the official colors of some cricket team from Calcutta on the eve of their sport's draft.  It's bizarre to me.

[Phishfan]

Why is all I've got.

[Downunder Dolphan]

I have to admit, I first did a double take at the title, thinking it read "Dolphins will invoke Christ the Redeemer with our draft pick"... is it that low we need Divine intervention?



After having an initial chuckle, I have to admit I still find this whole thing a bit weird... yes I know the NFL is trying to broaden it's international reach, and no doubt trying to create some kind of interest on a day when all but the most rabid fan has already switched off and goes "meh" at the prospect of a pick somewhere in the 100s.

I admit I really like Hoodie's idea of retired players announcing the new picks, especially for the 50TH ANNIVERSARY of our first Championship Team in 1972. Why the hell didn't someone at Dolphins HQ think of this? It seems so obvious and well, perfect...

Instead I am having visions this being a bit like when Jake & Elwood Blues arrive at the Saint Helen of the Blessed Shroud Orphanage, they look up at Christ on the Cross, and then freeze in dread.

Someone really thought this was a better idea?

[Dave Gray]

I'm cool with it.  I'm not offended at all.

However, I'm surprised that some people who believe in Christ wouldn't be offended that their savior's imagery is being used to promote a football team.

If I were in marketing, I would've axed this idea from the start.  ....I'm down, though -- let's go!

[EDGECRUSHER]

They are using the biggest landmarks in the respective countries, the one in Brazil is Christ the Redeemer. If they went to Saudi Arabia, they would do Mecca but there is no way it would be allowed as it is a Holy Place where Muhammad was born, where Christ the Redeemer is just a statue that symbolizes peace.

[Tenshot13]

They are using the biggest landmarks in the respective countries, the one in Brazil is Christ the Redeemer. If they went to Saudi Arabia, they would do Mecca but there is no way it would be allowed as it is a Holy Place where Muhammad was born, where Christ the Redeemer is just a statue that symbolizes peace.

Well when you put it like that, it seems pretty reasonable huh. 

[Fau Teixeira]

Personally, I don't have any problem with this from the NFL side, or even the American side.  I'm just surprised that Brazil would allow a famous religious monument to be used for something as crass and commercial as a draft for a foreign sport that no one in Brazil cares about.  The closest equivalent I can imagine is the US allowing the Lincoln Memorial to be lit up in the official colors of some cricket team from Calcutta on the eve of their sport's draft.  It's bizarre to me.

completely disagree, i've been to brazil and even lived there for a couple of years. this is 100% on brand for Brazil.  There is interest in american football there. I'd also even argue that in rio sugarloaf might be more iconic than the statue.

[Downunder Dolphan]

I'm cool with it.  I'm not offended at all.

However, I'm surprised that some people who believe in Christ wouldn't be offended that their savior's imagery is being used to promote a football team.

If I were in marketing, I would've axed this idea from the start.  ....I'm down, though -- let's go!

As someone from a Catholic background, I'm not offended - but I just find it weird, and not hitting its target audience. Especially compared to the idea of past players mentioned earlier which would be much more effective, at least for a US broadcast of a lesser day of the draft...

Outside of the USA, American Football is always considered a curiosity and borderline cult sport compared to other forms of football, no matter how much it's promoted. Soccer will always be considered the real football in Brazil as well as most of South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa - then there's Rugby Union and Rugby League which is genuinely International, plus Australian Rules (AFL) which is the biggest sport here. To put it bluntly, your version of football has the least amount of foot-to-ball contact of virtually any code that calls itself "football", and is probably the second most localized game after AFL (or third after Gaelic football in Ireland).

[stinkfish]

I'm not offended as a Catholic. All this is is the Dolphins' use of a well known world wide recognized iconic statue as a back drop. It'd be like using The Great Wall or Big Ben or the Sydney Opera House. Just because the statue is an image of Christ doesn't make it controversial for me.