Very few things are as completely stupid, vulgar and offensive to me as the idea that God is majorly preoccupied with the outcome of a football game, basketball game or boxing match. It's just so, so, small and pointless of God to be caring about such things with all the struggle, starvation, genocide and war in the world going on. Hundreds of thousands dead in a civil war in Sudan? Yeah, sure, but what's the point spread on the Superbowl?

I know, I know. It's not an either/or thing. God is surely big enough to keep an eye on both, but the Superbowl ends with one side declaring moral victory, and Darfur goes on. God, dude! How 'bout some prioritizing?

Personally, the kind of God I'd like to see is a God who would prefer a contest in which everyone tried their best, played fairly, expressed concern for the mental and physical esteem of their opponents as being equal to their own health and well being, and at the end of the game, no one could say who won because no one bothered to keep score.

Fans would not take it personally at the outcome of the game, blame or dislike fans of the opposing team, nor judge them as being misguided, dangerous and deserving of humiliation.

As you can tell, I spend a lot of time following sports.

When I was in grade school (yay, verily, these many years ago), I was briefly the "manager" for the football team. All went swimmingly for a while. I lugged the ball bag to the games, picked up after the little jocks in training, and generally stood on the sidelines a lot and watched the team routinely get hammered.

Then along came Mark, a high school kid, a member of some Jocks for Jesus club, and the coach's new hand-picked assistant. Before each game, Mark would gather the team around in a huddle and solemnly proclaim to all that the Lord was with them, the 12th player on the team, as it were, a sort of cosmic quarterback. If everyone would just listen to the Lord's plays they'd whip the other team, which, presumably, was headed up by Satan.

The team never did stop getting hammered, and after a while Mark stopped showing up and offering his pregame pep-sermons. I never did figure out if some parent complained to the coach, or if Jesus just got tired of supporting such a losing squad.

In any case, it was a stupid thing for a high school kid to do then, and it's a stupid thing for adults to do now. Maybe god does support one sports franchise over another. If so, he, too, is stupid and only stupid people should be bowing their heads to him.

Krattenmaker finds fault with a deeply felt statement by Seattle defensive back Michael Boulware, when he says, "It's about Jesus Christ ... and what he did on the cross. That's what I'm really here for -- to advance His kingdom, not just win a game." Boulware could have used the Super Bowl platform in myriad ways, but remained pretty humble in this statement. Good for him.

There are much more important issues out there.

"Yo take that fool! God gave me that pass and intended for me to win because yo sucka ass can't get on your knees and give up to god like me! Its a prayer contest fool!"

I have an idea. Lets take two teams - one with religious players and give them a high school coach. Make another team of players and give them pro coach. Let's see how far god's team gets.

Its not that I'm against religion. I am offended each time my mother tells me that god intended for me to continue my education past my engineering degree. I am offended god intends something for me. Lately, God intended for me to go to Taiwan. My mom didn't take it so well when I told her god didn't do anything, the opportunity came because I worked hard to make it happen.

Does anyone remember the name of the Vikings player who, after they won the Super Bowl, refused to visit the White House with the team because "Satan" was in office? He was later arrested for raping a 17 year old girl at a party he and a friend hosted for a group of high school girls.

Isn't it strange that the brand of Christianity they choose is the one that condones this type of behavior towards women.

"I'd like to thank my personal Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for this victory.

He obviously wasn't on the side of all you losers on this glorious occasion."

So what, precisely, was the point of this article? It proves only that those who speak so loudly about tolerance are the most intolerant people out there. Don't like what Christian players have to say? There's a thing called the "off" switch. (Isn't that what you libs always say when someone objects to the likes of Howard Stern?)

And for Anthony Prior to compare playing in the NFL with slavery of all things just shows the ludicruous lengths Salon has gone to dis Christians. If multi-million dollar contracts, nice houses, nice cars and fan adulation comes with slavery, where can I sign up?

After their performance this season, perhaps the Sixers should seek guidance from the Jewish or Islamic faiths next season. During the past season, the teachings of Jesus did not lead Allen Iverson to share the ball with his teammates and Christ's death on the cross did not inspire Chris Webber or other Sixer stars to sacrifice their bodies playing tough defense.

Just another example of over-paid simpletons being used to further the cause of religious extremists.

I believe it was Frank Broyles, the former coach at Arkansas, who said that God usually roots for the team with the two best defensive tackles.

I think these gatherings perfectly embody the state of religion in this country. Its easy and satisfying to make a showy public display of your faith and give lip service to God and the teachings of Jesus. But to actually "love your neighbor as yourself", well that's just too demanding.