Then that one in four is a dumb as bag of rocks.
Riiiight...
Not buying it.
Well it could be worse, we could be like Britain where three out of four sports fans will beat the crap out of each other no matter who wins! I pity the the Brits, less and less of them believe in God and more and more of their country is being overrun by Muslims.
But Satan did win one Stanley Cup with the Penguins.
Like God gives a rats who wins a football game. Sheesh.
Speaking in very general terms, I would guess that, all other things being equal, deeply faithful athletes are more disciplined and focused than their peers, and are far less likely to go out partying the night before, "the big game." That does not necessarily mean God 'favors' faithful players, so much as the lifestyle that arises from their beliefs enhances their performance.
Having said that, I would also contend that most people at the very apex of any profession do not get there without something of an obsession for their work and extreme degrees of self-confidence bordering on narcissism, both of which can push God out of one's life. So, while there may be some elite, top tier athletes who maintain very devout lives, I would guess that most of those who do obtain that status have done so by abandoning (at least in part) many of the things (i.e., faith, family, etc.) most of us in the comfortable middle of the bell curve try to balance.
Cool read.
Everything that happens in the world every second of every day is influenced by God.
Deliberately vague and equivocal wording. The survey is designed to maximize an affirmative response, so that believers can be portrayed as superstitious morons.