millerx Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 It seems like I hear so many players in interviews saying things like "god has a plan" or " I just put my faith in god" or " god gave me this ability" etc..?? One of my favorite Homerism's (Simpsons) is when he and Flanders are competing in a putt-putt contest and tells Flanders (after he catches him praying before the match) " I already prayed and we BOTH can't win". ... Honestly... is it a microcosm of the larger society? is there an abnormal amount of religious people that play sports? or maybe it's along the lines of "Bull Durham" just handing out pre-meditated, mundane quotes? Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Honestly... is it a microcosm of the larger society? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moneymakers Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 God is bigger than the boogie man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 When you play a sport where your life is at risk very often, why not pray (even if it's just hoping there's something greater out there) to look over you and get you safely through another game? Maybe it's got to do with being superstitious/peer pressured, You know, I guess I'll pray before/after a game cause many other players do and if I don't and get hurt, I'll wish I had prayed. Or maybe some players are just very religious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbimm Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Maybe athletes with an abundance of faith have been blessed with extraordinary athleticism therefore allowing them to share their faith with a larger audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Many ahtletes born with an born with an abundance of talent find that blind faith that doesn't require them to think about the world around them allows them to concentrate on getting the most out of their talent. IMO, it's also part of why athletes in particular seem to be overly superstitious. If one can sit back and chalk things up to "God has a plan" it makes it much easier to dismiss negative things and focus on perfecting your craft. Hmmm...sounds like a good research question... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 I dunno, I never listen to anything they say outside the white lines, before or after. Like actors when they aren't acting, athletes off the field have as much relevance as the guy behind the McDonald's counter. Post-game interviews are almost always worthless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 If you look at what many athletes SAY and then what they DO, they're about as devout as I am. IMO most of it is just mouthing cliches. If you're looking for it, it will pop out. The converse is that those that believe feel compelled to mention it; if someone is atheistic/agnostic or even believes in God, just doesn't believe in an "active" God, he probably will just talk about the game and not make any mention of his beliefs. "Leon, that was one heck of a game you had; how did you do it?" "I'd really like to thank evolution and natural selection for favoring my ancestors and allowing me to end up with this eye-popping athletic ability." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackass Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 If you look at what many athletes SAY and then what they DO, they're about as devout as I am. IMO most of it is just mouthing cliches. If you're looking for it, it will pop out. The converse is that those that believe feel compelled to mention it; if someone is atheistic/agnostic or even believes in God, just doesn't believe in an "active" God, he probably will just talk about the game and not make any mention of his beliefs. "Leon, that was one heck of a game you had; how did you do it?" "I'd really like to thank evolution and natural selection for favoring my ancestors and allowing me to end up with this eye-popping athletic ability." Great points. I think it could be partly economic as well. i would guess people from poorer backgrounds tend to be more religious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 "Leon, that was one heck of a game you had; how did you do it?" "I'd really like to thank evolution and natural selection for favoring my ancestors and allowing me to end up with this eye-popping athletic ability." OK, who let Jimmy the Greek use Chavez's login? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 OK, who let Jimmy the Greek use Chavez's login? a seance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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