Christianity Today

Odds refers to odds-making, which we don't do at CTI. But we do have an annual fantasy football league, a tradition on our hallways since 1989. As one of the founders, I had the best record in season play the inaugural year, only to get trounced in the first round of the playoffs. Over the years, I've participated on and off—mostly off lately. These days, managing a fantasy football team takes an intelligence and dedication that is not for the fainthearted.

Maybe that's why I play golf instead, which takes a paradoxical combination of rhythm, focus, and calm, all in the midst of searing pressure (something like being a managing editor at deadline). Which brings me to another CTi sports classic: the annual golf tournament, which occurs every August. My team has yet to win it all, but I did sink an impressive 30-foot putt on the 18th hole two years ago, with everyone watching. (Old athletes don't die, they just keep rehearsing moments of glory.)

So we're not sports nuts around here, but we do enjoy our games. And being Christian journalists, a compulsively thoughtful bunch, we cannot let it rest at that. We're continually trying to justify our joys by finding theological meaning in them. Thankfully, Eric Miller, the author of this issue's cover story ("Why We Love Football," p. 26), is one of us in this respect.

Of all the CT editors, though, only one has any sports journalism experience: Mark Moring, the author of the second article in the cover package ("Fumbling Religion?" p. 32), was once a real-life sports reporter.

We come by our passion honestly, if, for most of us, vicariously.

And then there are endings: We say goodbye this month to our 2007 fantasy football league champion, Collin Hansen. We're glad he's leaving ...

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