Holy Shoot: Great Christian Conservative Moments in Sports

REGGIE WHITE
Year: 1998
God's Word: White, the NFL's so-called "Minister of Defense," turned what was supposed to be a five minute speech about his charity work to the Wisconsin state legislature into an opportunity to go all fire and brimstone for an hour, saying that the U.S. had "turned away from God" by letting "homosexuality—one of the biggest sins—to run rampant." Let us pause and think about that.

CARL EVERETT
Year: 2000
God's Word: Everett, an Apostolic Christian, believes the literal interpretation of the Bible has authority over all. It clearly had control of his brain when he raised doubts about the moon landing and denied the existence of dinosaurs, saying, "The Bible never says anything about dinosaurs. You can't say there were dinosaurs when you never saw them. Someone actually saw Adam and Eve. No one ever saw a Tyrannosaurus rex." It's true, we have seen Adam & Eve...pornos.

JON KITNA
Year: 1993-present
God's Word: After being caught cheating on his girlfriend back in 1993, Kitna crossed over to a holier lifestyle: no drinking or cussing, and worshiping J.C. on his way to the line of scrimmage. In 2004, the NFL fined him for wearing a cap with a cross during interviews, which is a sacrilegious to the god Reebok. Regardless, all his prayers and faith couldn't bring any salvation when he played for the woeful Detroit Lions... Just saying.

TONY DUNGY
Year: 2007
God's Word: After the Colts won Super Bowl XLI in 2007, coach Dungy requested that every player bow and pray the Lord's Prayer in the locker room—interrupting celebrations and interviews . Every player went with it, but it was a move some reporters and players felt was a bit forced. After all, God wanted Indy to win so players could shower with champagne, no?

A.C. GREEN
Year: 1985-2001
God's Word: Whereas NBA greats like Wilt Chamberlain are known for scoring just as much off the court as on, A.C. Green is known for being a virgin through his entire NBA career. Green also started the pro-abstinence youth group the A.C. Green Youth Foundation, handing out more promise rings than Lakers championships.

DWIGHT HOWARD
Year: 2004-present
God's Word: When Superman was still a draft prospect, long before he had a child out of wedlock, there was a lot of buzz over his perhaps too-strong Evangelical Christian values. Howard was quoted as saying he wanted to add a cross to the NBA logo and use his superstar status to, "make sure that everybody hears the truth about God." Maybe someday G-O-D will return the favor and help him develop a game beyond an arm's length away from the rim. Keep praying!

RYAN CHURCH
Year: 2005
God's Word: Clearly Ryan Church never got the memo that Jesus was a Jew. Back in 2005, he went on an anti-Semitic rant saying Jews would go to hell for not accepting Jesus. This is one Church you'd never mistake for a synagogue.

KISIK LEE
Year: 2008
God's Word: Lee, head coach of the U.S. Olympic Archery Team, went beyond the coach-player relationship when he missed the target (athletic greatness) and tried to baptize members of the 2008 Olympic team.

JEFF GORDON
Year: 1992-present
God's Word: Gordon was known to be extremely religious, reading the Bible before each race, and even going as far as taping handwritten scriptures on his steering wheel to remind him that Jesus is his co-pilot. Alas, he forgot to tape the scriptures that deal with infidelity and got caught cheating on his first wife.

DEION SANDERS
Year: 2001
God's Word: According in Sanders, God supposedly told him to only pay $1,500 of a $4,265.57 mechanics bill when he needed his car repaired. Good lookin' out, Big Homie! The mechanics of lesser faith doubted and sued Neon Deion. Not that you can blame the man—the Lord made him do it!