"That’s God setting it up, to make it so dramatic, so rewarding, so special."
On Sunday, an emotional Russell Wilson gave his thoughts on the victory of his Seattle Seahawks team on the way to dramatically securing a playoff place and discussed what he regarded to be God’s role in it all.
According to The Nation sports editor Dave Zirin, similar exhortations and proclamations of a religious nature by pro athletes tend to have little impact on fans.
Speaking to Off The Ball tonight he said: "It becomes like the scenery, no different to a television jingle after a while. For most fans, it's in one ear and out the other and it's not something that has an appreciable impact. But it also does send messages to potential fans, consumers out there in the audience who make up a very hardened religious minority in the United States."
Zirin spoke about the reason why faith plays a bigger part in American football in comparison to other sports, and how evangelical Christianity has established a foothold.
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