God has to be sick of sports, doesn't he? Sure His name comes up occasionally, but usually by some idiot in a champagne-drenched locker room who wants the world to know God was on his side.

I can imagine God rolling his eyes and thinking: "Your day is coming, my man.''

Forgive him, Lord, he knows not.

And then occasionally someone like Dodgers first baseman Shawn Green comes along and makes a quiet and emphatic statement about his faith. Makes you feel good about the whole world, doesn't it?

No matter what God you worship, no matter whether you're in the front pew or no pew at all, it's hard not to admire Shawn Green.

He's one of the quietest men in sports. Also one of the best. He's the guy who was routinely roasted last season for a decline in production. Turns out, Shawn was hurt, but never bothered to tell anyone.

Something about not making excuses. Wouldn't you like to see an ounce of this humility from George W. Bush and John Kerry?

Wouldn't you like to see it at the Emmys and at the traffic light and at the corner market?

Wouldn't you like to see it from the teenager across the street and from -- dare I say it? -- your local preacher?

God bless Shawn Green.

In case you haven't heard, Green will miss one of the games in San Francisco this weekend because it falls within Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.

For Jews, this is the holiest day of the year, the day there's to be no work or play during the period of fasting from sundown to sundown.

Green struggled with his decision. With the Los Angeles Dodgers locked in a National League West race with the Giants, the games are vitally important. The Dodgers play San Francisco Friday night and have a day game starting at 1:05 on Saturday.

The games Friday and Saturday fall within the Jewish Day of Atonement, which starts at sundown Friday and ends at sundown Saturday, Green reportedly figured he would be letting down his teammates if he skipped both games.

This is not the first time the Dodgers' star has faced this decision. Los Angeles was fighting for a wild-card spot in 2001 when he sat out a game against the Giants.

That's the only other time his faith and his job collided. He'd played in 415 consecutive games, but made it clear other matters were more important.

"I think it's the right message to send to kids and to families,'' Green said then. "There's something out there that has a lot more feeling to me than playing baseball.''

Sports and religion have had a strange relationship over the years. Some of sports stars wear their religion like a badge of honor. Others practice their faith quietly and forcefully.

When I covered the Washington Redskins, I once peeked into Joe Gibbs' office. He wasn't there, but the scene was stark and striking.

There was a neat desk, a sofa with a pillow and blanket and a coffee table. On the coffee table was an open Bible.

Some days later, I asked what he'd been reading.

"About King David,'' he said. "He was a man wealthy in the way the world sees wealth. Inside, though, he was hurting. I think there's a lesson for all of us in his life.''

Gibbs speaks to religious groups all over America, but in television interviews, he seldom mentions God. I asked him why.

"I discuss God if I'm given the chance,'' he said. "I talk about it if I'm asked. I'm not going to force my faith onto someone. Your faith comes through in the way you live your life, not the things you say.''

Shawn Green is not the first Dodger to miss a game because of faith. Sandy Koufax never pitched on Yom Kippur. He once pushed back a World Series start.

Some think would like to do even more. Pope John Paul II recently advised Catholics to stop worshipping sports on Sunday and get back to church.

Shawn Green would understand the meaning of that statement.

09/21/04 10:45 EDT