Prayer not a good winning strategy

OK, Naperville H.S. District 203's brouhaha over football coach-led prayer at gametime doesn't rise to the importance of Palatine H.S. District 211's discrimination against a transgender female in the girls locker room, but it's important nonetheless. District officials agreed with the Freedom From Religion Foundation that Coach Mike Stine's leading of public prayers before games violates constitutional ban on practice of religion in the public arena, including the football one. Team leader Dan Bumpus, claiming to speak for all players, says the team will continue the prayer next season without Coach Stine involved. Bumpus claims the team has a constitutional right to practice religion "collectively" in the public square. That's a personal Bumpus view which has, in fact, no basis in constitutional case law. The District is skittish about even a team-led public prayer saying "The District will not restrict their freedom of expression as long as players respect its policies and coaches do not participate." Whether this will satisfy the Freedom From Religion Foundation is still in question. What isn't in question is the outcome of Coach Stine-led prayer before their last playoff game - a November 14 loss to Waubansie Valley, which didn't resort to public prayer in slaying their football rival. Apparently, to paraphrase Napoleon on warfare, 'God is on the side of the better football team.'