Gary Lineker in a spot of bother

[Ernest]

Hope nobody issues a fatwa on him and he ends up like Salman Rushdie

Gary Lineker has apologised after describing a prayer celebration by two Muslim Montpellier players on Wednesday night as "eating grass" on Al Jazeera TV.

...

"A terrific effort from Karim Ait-Fana, who scored from just outside the area and then ate grass ... as you do," said Lineker, as the pictures showed the 23-year-old French winger and his Moroccan colleague Younes Belhanda, 25, bending down on their haunches and bowing their heads to the ground.

...

"It's a stupid remark and sheer ignorance," said Ajmal Masroor, a London based imam. "This is very unprofessional from a football legend who is supposed to be a role model.

"The fact it was on Al Jazeera makes it even more unacceptable. The players are not asking anyone else to join in their worship they are making a gesture in thanks to God - saying they are 'eating grass' is outrageous.

"I am stunned - seeing this makes me sick.

"He should apologise or be sacked by Al Jazeera. If someone makes the gesture of the cross and a commentator mocked them I would deem that equally offensive. Its not an outsider's right to belittle or mock players for making a religious gesture."

 

[The Fifth Column]

religious people in over-reaction shocker, what a surprise!

 

[guster]

Who grassed him up?

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

"Its not an outsider's right to belittle or mock players for making a religious gesture."

If people start bringing religious gestures into the sporting arena, it's their own stupid fault if it doesn't get the reaction they want.

 

[Acker79]

"Its not an outsider's right to belittle or mock players for making a religious gesture."

If people start bringing religious gestures into the sporting arena, it's their own stupid fault if it doesn't get the reaction they want.

Nevermind, misread.

 

[Max Paper]

Religion is a load of bollocks and the sooner the whole world realise it the better

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Resists temptation to crack the old joke with the punchline "move St John to inside right".

OK. Almost resists.

 

[Winker]

Something else for muslims to mown about...

 

[Mutts Nuts]

Hope nobody issues a fatwa on him and he ends up like Salman Rushdie

Gary Lineker has apologised after describing a prayer celebration by two Muslim Montpellier players on Wednesday night as "eating grass" on Al Jazeera TV.

...

"A terrific effort from Karim Ait-Fana, who scored from just outside the area and then ate grass ... as you do," said Lineker, as the pictures showed the 23-year-old French winger and his Moroccan colleague Younes Belhanda, 25, bending down on their haunches and bowing their heads to the ground.

...

"It's a stupid remark and sheer ignorance," said Ajmal Masroor, a London based imam. "This is very unprofessional from a football legend who is supposed to be a role model.

"The fact it was on Al Jazeera makes it even more unacceptable. The players are not asking anyone else to join in their worship they are making a gesture in thanks to God - saying they are 'eating grass' is outrageous.

"I am stunned - seeing this makes me sick.

"He should apologise or be sacked by Al Jazeera. If someone makes the gesture of the cross and a commentator mocked them I would deem that equally offensive. Its not an outsider's right to belittle or mock players for making a religious gesture."

Arguing about religion in the 21st centuary is ridiculous .Darwin proved it to be bollox in the 19th centuary

 

[The Lemming Stomper]

Something else for muslims to mown about...

 

[Mutts Nuts]

Something else for muslims to mown about...

Should we Turf them all out?

 

[Guy Crouchback]

If people start bringing religious gestures into the sporting arena, it's their own stupid
fault if it doesn't get the reaction they want.

Sing to the hokey pokey tune:

You put your right hand up, you put your right hand down,
Left shoulder, right shoulder staring at the ground,
You do the Artur Boruc and you turn around,
and watch all the huns freak out.

Oh Holy holy Goalie, Oh holy holy goalie,
oh holy holy goalie, Thats what he's all about

He makes the huns all greet, he makes the huns all cry,
they run to the polis and they've got a teary eye,
The silly bastards think that he's committed a crime,
but thats what they're wrong about.

Oh Holy holy Goalie, Oh holy holy goalie,
oh holy holy goalie, Thats what he's all about

Does it wind you up, does it make you mad?
Fat hun ugly hun, yer mammy is yer da,
do you hate the holy goalie, do you sing the sash?
well you can ram that up your arse

Oh Holy holy Goalie, Oh holy holy goalie,
oh holy holy goalie, Thats what he's all about.

They tried to get him stopped, they tried to get him banned,
but the holy goalie can't be stopped 'cause he's a catholic man,
he sent me here to tell you, that no matter what,
his ritual won't be stopped!!!!

Oh Holy holy Goalie, Oh holy holy goalie...

And now he went to play for a team whose nickname is the Saints and who
play at St. Mary's Stadium

Anyway, people should just relax about religion in football: if a player wants to cross himself, let him!
If he wants to kiss the ground or do a rain dance or whatever - let him! It's a free world we live in.

Arguing about religion in the 21st centuary is ridiculous .Darwin proved it to be bollox in the 19th centuary

Actually Darwin proved very little, but that's a subject for another thread.

 

[Glenn-Murray]

Arguing about religion in the 21st centuary is ridiculous .Darwin proved it to be bollox in the 19th centuary

No he didn't.

Religion is bollocks, but it has nothing to do with Darwin.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Anyway, people should just relax about religion in football: if a player wants to cross himself, let him!
If he wants to kiss the ground or do a rain dance or whatever - let him! It's a free world we live in.

...and if Gary Lineker wants to compare a religious gesture to eating grass, let him. 'Live and let live' applies both ways.

 

[bhamex1901]

He's taken the lawn into his own hands there.

 

[Guy Crouchback]

...and if Gary Lineker wants to compare a religious gesture to eating grass,
let him. 'Live and let live' applies both ways.

Exactly! And knowing Gary Lineker to be a gentlemen on the pitch and outside it,
I am quite sure he didn't mean to insult anybody.

 

[Mutts Nuts]

No he didn't.

Religion is bollocks, but it has nothing to do with Darwin.

Darwin introduced the theory of evolution as opposed to the world being created in 6 days with 1 day of rest because god was knackered

 

[Bigbelly]

He's taken the lawn into his own hands there.

 

[Guy Crouchback]

Darwin introduced the theory of evolution

You see, 'theory' is the key word here. It's just a theory which hasn't been proven yet.

the world being created in 6 days with 1 day of rest because god was knackered

With all due respect, but your explanation of the Book of Genesis would seem
to entail a measure of oversimplicity. I might as well describe Darwin's theory
as "from goo to you by way of the zoo."

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

He's taken the lawn into his own hands there.

Mower! Mower!