When the Carolina Panthers face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, two of the most reliable finger-pointers in pro football will be on display.
Place kicker John Kasay can be seen extending a forefinger skyward after his field goals and extra points, an exercise that didn’t get much work in Carolina’s low-scoring victory Sunday. Teammate Mike Minter, a defensive back, is quick to raise a finger after interceptions and fumble recoveries.
These Panthers are among a growing number of athletes who make the gesture a reflection of their Christian faith. (If the TV cameras were to focus on the gloves Minter wears in games, they’d see Bible verses written on them.)
“What you’re seeing are players feeling so blessed, so taken by the rush, so exuberant that this is their way of sharing the experience with everyone,” said Carey Casey, president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Foundation. “They also know the moment may never happen again!”
Punctuating that moment with an upraised arm, forefinger aiming skyward, gets overshadowed by the more controversial and choreographed celebrations (i.e. cell phone calls from the end zone), but the finger-pointing phenomenon has never been more visible in sports.
In beating Philadelphia 14-3 last weekend, Carolina eliminated two active practitioners in running back Duce Staley and James Thrash. Staley jabs a forefinger skyward after his touchdowns, sometimes flipping the football aside and doing it with both hands.
Thrash, a receiver, does it with almost every catch. Fans in Philly get so excited by him that thousands have been known to raise their index fingers in response, turning the moment into something resembling a revival.
Kevin Harlan, longtime NFL and NBA announcer, says he first started noticing athletes holding an index finger aloft in 1990, when the University of Colorado football team did it on the sidelines as a tribute to former teammate Sal Aunese. The 21-year-old quarterback died the year before of cancer.
While basketball generally moves too fast for much celebrating, Harlan also noted that Doug Christie of the Sacramento Kings goes through a complex, finger-pointing ritual after his baskets that includes acknowledging heaven above and his wife in the stands. Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd does it — left-handed, by the way — almost every time he sinks a 3-point shot.
The Cubs’ Sammy Sosa gets more attention for his series of hand and finger gestures after home runs, but, if you look closer, he points a single finger to the sky every time he first steps into the batter’s box.
On the flip side, Cubs fans got darned tired of watching the Marlins’ Pudge Rodriguez pointing to heaven after his key hits in the playoffs. Same for Seattle Seahawks fans when they watched the Packers’ Al Harris, pointing his index finger all the way to the end zone as he returned an interception for a clinching touchdown.
What is God’s role?
“Does God care what’s going on in a football game, or whatever the contest?” Casey said. “I think not. But he does care what happens to all people and he can’t stop them from acknowledging him. The players are just saying they can’t take all the credit.”
All this religious pointing to the sky — and undoubtedly some athletes do it to simply to say they are No. 1 — appears to fall into two categories.
The gesture can be a specific dedication to someone who has died. Mark McGwire greatly popularized this concept in 1998, when he hit his historic 62nd home run, crossed the plate, hugged his son and pointed skyward with a forefinger.
The Cardinals slugger later said he was acknowledging that Roger Maris, whose record he had just broken, was looking down on the moment from heaven. Maris died in 1985 and his family was at the game.
Barry Bonds already was a regular finger-pointer, but then, after his father, Bobby Bonds, died during the summer, the San Francisco Giants slugger started dedicating the gesture to his dad.
In late December, the Packers’ Brett Favre drew similar attention in a Monday night game against Oakland a day after his father, Irvin, died at age 58 of a heart attack. His preferred celebratory gesture had always been two upraised fists, but on this night he pointed skyward with a single finger.
“I’ve been around people who have lost family members, and they say that person is there watching,” said Favre, speaking to the media after the game. “Angels or whatever. I’d say two weeks ago I didn’t really believe in that. I think we better start believing in something.”
The major category of finger-pointing is the general acknowledgment of religious faith.
That seems to be the case with quarterbacks Kurt Warner of St. Louis, Jon Kitna of Cincinnati and Aaron Brooks of New Orleans, who almost always point to heaven following triumphant moments. The same goes for pitchers Carlos Zambrano of the Cubs and Tom Gordon of the Yankees.
White Sox communications director Scott Reifert said pitcher Roberto Hernandez, who played here much of the 1990s, was the first on that team to point to heaven on a regular basis. “I think everything evolved from Tug McGraw holding up a clenched fist,” he said, referring to the highly excitable relief pitcher of the 1970s-’80s.
Bordering on pentecostal
Father Bill Seetch, religious superior at Notre Dame and chaplain of the football team, agrees the finger-pointing is more prevalent than ever and offers this insight.
“I’ll walk out on the field before a game and see players huddled in little prayer groups and occasionally I’ll overhear them,” he said. “Often what they’re saying is right from the Scriptures. Sometimes it’s very evangelical, almost bordering on pentecostal.
“I’ve noticed that it’s a lot of these kids who raise their fingers. So, I think it’s just an extension of their beliefs, whether they’re Catholic or Protestant or whatever. That’s the follow-up for them.”
Casey said almost every professional sports franchise has an FCA chapter, with many conducting Bible and chapel services before practices and games.
“There definitely has been an increase in interest in these among athletes,” said Casey, an ordained Protestant minister. “I can’t say why everyone attends and that everyone who does leads a great Christian life, but it does fill a spiritual void.
“I think those who come to the chapels realize they are a chosen few at a precious moment in their lives, including those who aren’t Christian. Even to the littlest athlete, it is something that just spills over into the games. Everyone has a gift to give.”
The Eagles’ Thrash left little doubt about his beliefs — and reasons for pointing — in a chat earlier this season with Ashley McGeachy of the Philadelphia Daily News.
“It is just a reminder to everyone that I’m in it for the Lord,” said the wide receiver. “And what greater platform to thank God than in front of millions of people who might be watching?”
The star receiver said he’s confident his teammates know his convictions are pure when he points to heaven after receptions. “If someone came up to me and said there’s not a place for God in football, I’d probably ask them: Where is the place for God?”
Kneeling to the ground and raising his hand skyward was one of the first things Indianapolis’ David Macklin did after recovering a fumble in Sunday’s 24-14 loss last Sunday to New England. He did it the previous week in a playoff win at Kansas City, where he recovered a fumble.
When the Colts played at Kansas City, Casey, a former University of North Carolina football player, conducted a chapel service the night before the game at the request of coach Tony Dungy.
An overflow crowd
The Casey said the session drew an overflow crowd, which was unusual on the night before a big contest. “The Colts always have been very active with FCA,” he said.
Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb also has been known to flash an occasional finger to heaven, but the quarterback took a knee and prayed on the sideline while teammate David Akers kicked the winning field goal two weeks ago in a win against Green Bay.
Casey says athletes are praying for the mere strength to meet the challenge of the outcome, but the mix of religious expression during sports events is a nettlesome proposition for those questioning its place in public arenas.
Earlier this football season, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Kitna, an avid Bible reader and quoter, was fined $5,000 by the league for wearing a baseball cap with a marked cross to a post-game interview.
The pro career of Danny Weurffel never took off, but the quarterback introduced a move at the University of Florida a few years ago that may be the next step in the evolution of religious expression on a playing field.
After each touchdown pass, Weurffel, son of an Air Force chaplain, would clasp his hands in prayer. It was a gesture that began a trend among Florida youth football league players.
