Football and Faith

It's often a scary mix.

I can remember hanging my head in embarrassment when Reggie Lewis said from a pulpit that Orientals can turn a TV into a watch and Hispanics are good at pro-creating.

I can remember sighing when Deion Sanders said that Jesus told him not to pay his mechanic.

I can remember feeling a bit wheezy when I heard that Tony Dungy commanded his whole team to take a knee and recite the Lord's prayer right after they won the Super Bowl.

So I was a little worried when I found how outspoken QB Jon Kitna is about his faith. Writing that I see how silly it is. I know I have certainly done things that would make my fellow believers blush. But there is a stereo-type about zealous Christian football players. They are loud. They say silly things about how God favors their team. And they splinter their team, since the teams are a mixed bag of those who believe and those who don't.

But Kitna seems to be different. An article in ESPN the mag said this: Kitna is a fanatic for Christ, there's no question. He often prays on his way to the line of scrimmage, to calm himself. But it's clear to teammates that he sees God as more than a lucky rabbit's foot, which is why, while the vast majority of Lions prefer to keep their beliefs private, Kitna's public pronouncements don't grate on them. Posers and prima donnas splinter far more locker rooms than religion. And Kitna walks his talk without sanctimony.

He is consistent. "It's about production on the field and consistency off it," Kitna says. "What guys really have a problem with is inconsistency -- people who say one thing and do another. Hypocrites. Chameleons. My teammates learn pretty quick that this is who I am, every day and in every situation."

People respond to that. In fact, since becoming a Lion in March 2006, 20 Lions have come to Christ. I get that figure from the article. Think about that number. It's insane! There are only like 56 guys on an active roster and some of them were likely Christians already. Those numbers are more gaudy than his passing numbers.

The only thing that bums me out about Jon Kitna is that he won't be the Lions' QB in like 10 years when my son is searching for a hero in the sports world. He seems like a good one.