Sports Has Been A Bridge For Politics; Is There A Growing Link For Faith Now as Well?

On Christmas Eve, 2007, Sports Illustrated…which was quite a big deal then… ran a back of the book story by Scott Price, who had the chance to play then-candidate Barack Obama in a game of basketball. The story showed casual sports fans, who many times are also politics averse, a side of the candidate that they did not know about. That story of course was the first of many where sports and soon the be at the time President Obama crossed paths on his way to the White House. While it probably pales in comparison to all the other initiatives the Obama camp used for engaging casual voters (social media being one of the biggest), the ability for the candidate at the time to show that he could relate to the casual sports fan was very important. Did it sway the election the following November? Maybe not with huge numbers, but it is hard to think that a President who could make a jump shot (and who has a brother in law in Craig Robinson who was a coach) did not at least influence some people to cast a ballot. The other candidates made the odd NASCAR appearance, Senator McCain went on a few hunting trips, but none embraced a sports fan like former President Obama did.

We have seen other candidates for higher office use the engagement of sport to try and find common ground with swing voters over time. President Trump in his courting of athletes and his golf playing and dedication to the UFC, President Bush was a former Texas Rangers owner, and was able to find home plate more than a few times with a first pitch. President Clinton whooped it up with Arkansas at the Final Four and loved being around athletes.  President Kennedy was a football guy, Gerald Ford played at Michigan, Ronald Reagan was “The Gipper” in one of his most famous roles and so on. Heck, even Senator Marco Rubio, during his short-lived bid for the Republican nomination, had a targeted campaign ad tied to all things football from his love of the Miami Dolphins to marrying a former ‘Fins cheerleader to his passion for fantasy football.

That brings us to today, and an interesting way sports may be the front porch not through politics but through faith based leaders.

There have been numerous stories about a seemingly strong rise in younger people returning to seek out their faith, with a good summary here, and certainly athletes, especially American athletes, thanking God and being seen in prayer circles is not new. However what is new, or at least being reframed or noticed more, is the way a select number of leaders, as well as some very high profile athletes in select communities, are being put in positions to use sports as a natural way for them to communicate faith.

This past weekend our parish priest noted that Fernando Mendoza, who has used his faith-based messages not to boast but to convey his enthusiasm and his unusual path to success, was going to Las Vegas, a community which has the fastest growing population of young Catholics in America. I personally witnessed how sports and faith tied together on a different level when learning more about Zavi Samet, “The Monsey Mamba,” who became the alltime leading scorer at Yeshiva University this past winter and who is dedicated to his rabbinical studies but has used his basketball prowess to rally a community first, and with that comes a door being opened to learn more about his faith inspiration in a subtle but informative way.

Then there is Pope Leo. The first American Pope has not shied away from his affinity for using sports as a conduit to tell bigger stories, be it from his fandom of the White Sox to hosting college hoops next fall to spinning a basketball with the Harlem Globetrotters. While not of it shirks away from his bigger mission, it creates interest from those who may not be watching or listening and builds consensus not just for Catholicism, but for good acts being inspired by leaders of faith.

Again it is not entirely unique…Pope Francis was a dedicated soccer fan…but it does seem like the embracing of sport…especially American sport…is becoming more of a casual opening entre using the power of social media.

Is it a full movement, a coincidence, a trend being manufactured or something bigger. It has worked in politics and is not totally new to faith, but when you see several angles if you are looking and curious, and a parallel path to watch.

Sports once again opens conversation for common ground. Where it goes next is worth watching.

Never underestimate the intangible ability of sport to unite, especially when young people, or those of all ages, are searching for answers.