Let me be clear. I am not real big on athletes who bring God into the conversation after hitting the winning homer or scoring the winning touchdown. I don’t think God sits there on Game Day with a bowl of popcorn in front of his big screen TV with St. Peter to decide who he is going to let catch the big pass. I’m thinking he’s got other business occupying his mind besides multi-millionaire athletes such as starving children or victims of some catastrophe. But, before I lay myself to sleep tonight, I would like to give you a sneak preview of my little pre-bed prayer.

“Dear God: Thank you so much for Brian Wilson. That’s the Dodger pitcher, not the Beach Boy guy, though I am thankful for him and all those fine tunes which I heard over and over and over again from my teen sister’s record player back in the day. Anyway, I just wrote this book about the Giants-Dodgers rivalry, and I’m told that the more bitter the rivalry, the more books we might sell. Unfortunately, Brian was on his best behavior tweeting how much he adored the fans and mostly taking the high road about his sensitive departure from the Giants. Then, at the end of the Dodgers-Giants game the other night, there was The Beard chastising The Baer for not forking over his 2012 World Series ring. Never mind that the Giants president had already offered to drive the ring over to his house himself and kiss it, or something like that, but there was Wilson acting wilder than when he would start off the ninth by walking the bases loaded.

So, dear eternal Father, thank you for giving us this tantrum that is sure to rev up the rivalry and sell a few more books. And please, may the Dodgers re-sign Brian for next year so he can stir up enough interest in the rivalry for a second printing.

Amen.