"I'd like to thank God for this touchdown."

[ST88]

Many times, in an interview, you will hear a professional or college player in one sport or another give thanks to God for his/her abilities, and for the opportunity to do well during the game.

How do you feel about this? Do you think this is an acceptable way of acknowledging God, or is it some kind of media-driven pose designed to make the player look good? Or is there some other reason players do this?

[Shild]

Do you think this is an acceptable way of acknowledging God, or is it some kind of media-driven pose designed to make the player look good?

Depends on the player, but I guess (and this is only a guess) that it is the latter more often than the former.

Individual motivations aside, I see nothing wrong with the act of a Christian saying "I thank God" in public. To me, it would be the same if a Hindu football player said, "I thank Vishnu for this touchdow."

I have no right to criticize anyone for their peaceful religious expressions.

[Overcomer]

I have often wondered about this myself. Certainly, some of them are truly sincere and truly do appreciate the fact that God is in their lives and has given them the opportunity to pursue the sport they love.

I remember seeing Tony Fernandez (shortstop) being interviewed following a world series game in which he played. He had hit the winning home run for that game. In the interview afterward, he thanked God for it.

The next night, his team lost when Fernandez made an error that led to the scoring of the winning run. No one interviewed him, but what struck me was this:

God is still God and he is still good and we still owe him thanks whether our lives go wonderfully or not. Fernandez thanked the Lord for blessing him with a home run. Would he have praised God following the game in which he made the costly mistake? I don't know Fernandez or how close he is to the Lord to be able to say. But it made me wonder.

[k-nug]

What amuses me, even as an athiest, is rap artists who promote all sorts of crap like dealing crack, gun violence and prostitution thanking God at the Grammy's for His Inspiration. It gives me a good hard laugh.

[Greatest I Am]

Do you think this is an acceptable way of acknowledging God, or is it some kind of media-driven pose designed to make the player look good?

Depends on the player, but I guess (and this is only a guess) that it is the latter more often than the former.

Individual motivations aside, I see nothing wrong with the act of a Christian saying "I thank God" in public. To me, it would be the same if a Hindu football player said, "I thank Vishnu for this touchdow."

I have no right to criticize anyone for their peaceful religious expressions.

What about if a player or other successful person thanked Satan.
Would he/she be allowed the same leeway.

Regards
DL

[Vladd44]

Perhaps teams could just log their prayer hours. Whichever team with the most gets the win. No need to even play the game.

Wouldnt make much of a halftime show though.

[sledheavy]

LOL! YES. I've been waiting for this one. But there's a more worse thank god moment. When music artists/ actors, or more appropriately the rapper thank god.

'yo I just wanted to give thanks to god.....for our new album entitled 'ho's gotta die'. One love ya'll."

lol, ok maybe not that dramatic, but those get to me.

But I do have a little brother, well not little anymore, he's 14 and 6'1, lol, and has been playing football since he was three. But he credits god for just about everything he does. Especially now that he's going to a catholic school.

I say more power to him, even if I don't believe.

[k-nug]

Do you think this is an acceptable way of acknowledging God, or is it some kind of media-driven pose designed to make the player look good?

Depends on the player, but I guess (and this is only a guess) that it is the latter more often than the former.

Individual motivations aside, I see nothing wrong with the act of a Christian saying "I thank God" in public. To me, it would be the same if a Hindu football player said, "I thank Vishnu for this touchdow."

I have no right to criticize anyone for their peaceful religious expressions.

What about if a player or other successful person thanked Satan.
Would he/she be allowed the same leeway.

Regards
DL

That's exactly what Tool did when they won a Grammy a couple years ago.

[Angel]

Many times, in an interview, you will hear a professional or college player in one sport or another give thanks to God for his/her abilities, and for the opportunity to do well during the game.

How do you feel about this? Do you think this is an acceptable way of acknowledging God,

It would be an valid way to acknowledge God if the player prayed about God helping them play at their best. If that prayer was not done then I don't believe God would have anything to do with a person's ability in sports anymore than He would for a non-believer's ability.

or is it some kind of media-driven pose designed to make the player look good?

I believe it is in many cases but many times we don't know the intentions of people. This though is probably no different than the PHarisees who prayed in public just to appear super-religious to a society of people who would be impressed by such acts.

Or is there some other reason players do this?

There can be more than one reason - some genuine and would probably be right to God and some reasons are not so genuine.

[ThatGirlAgain]

Many times, in an interview, you will hear a professional or college player in one sport or another give thanks to God for his/her abilities, and for the opportunity to do well during the game.

How do you feel about this? Do you think this is an acceptable way of acknowledging God, or is it some kind of media-driven pose designed to make the player look good? Or is there some other reason players do this?

Does anyone seriously think God takes sides in sporting events? Can the defensive player honestly say that God kept him from making the tackle? Let's face it, God was not involved.

Humility is not a crime, but put the thanks where they belong: coach, teammates, parents, wife for believing in him, fans for encouraging him, or whoever. They should not be slighted. But do not ask me to believe that God was involved in making the point spread.