Does It Take Their Restaurant Critic To Write A Great Sports Op-Ed For The Times?

Perhaps, appropriately so. But Frank Bruni is so much more than their restaurant critic that, on the strength of this inspirational piece, his editors ought to assign him the sports beat more often. What Bruni didn't mention in his op-ed was the proliferation, some would say infestation, of evangelicals in professional sports who wear Christ not only on their sleeve but on their jerseys. Every time they score they perform an on-field celebration praising Jesus for the feat. And when they win a championship they will remove their game jerseys to reveal handwritten signs to the glory of God on the front of their white Tees.

If such celebrations aren't outlawed, they should be. Is there such a thing as "taunting" a fan or an adversary who does not believe as they do? I have one question for Kaká: was his red card in the 2010 World Cup, ridiculous and unjust though it was, punishment from God? Because Kaká hasn't been the same player since and the ungodly (unless you're Catholic) imperialists of old — the Dutch knocked out Brazil and the Spanish, destroyers of ancient civilization — were given their day in the sun. Ours is not to question why. But maybe, just maybe, God was telling all of these athletes not to take His name in vain. It's only a game. In all fairness, though, many evangelical athletes do not flaunt their faith. Here's a list of top evangelicals in sports, whom we wouldn't have known as such, except for Tebow now that he's so Christ-demonstrative in the Big Leagues.

"Tebowing" — photos courtesy of tebowing.com.

This Sunday when my quarterback-challenged Chicago Bears meet godly Tim Tebow and his Denver Broncos warriors for Christ at Mile High Stadium, the only team in need of a miracle are the Bears. Will they get one? NAAANHHH ... But if they do, I might consider converting, aka, personal salvation, as long as I'm not required to be a Republican.