Does God care who wins the Super Bowl?

That provocative question was raised by Sports Illustrated in an article 20 years ago this month when several members of the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers claimed that God played a role in getting them to the Big Game.

The debate has now been rekindled following last Sunday’s "Minneapolis Miracle" when Stefon Diggs scored on a 61-yard pass play as time expired to give the Minnesota Vikings a heart-stopping 29-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints and a spot in today’s NFC Championship Game.

Part of the backstory, according to Minnesota tight end Kyle Rudolph who was interviewed on ESPN’s "Golic and Wingo" radio show the following day, is that that particular play had a name — "Heaven."

Hmmm ... maybe the Vikings, who have never won a Super Bowl in four previous tries, are in line for some divine intervention this year. But couldn’t Philadelphia, which has never won a Super Bowl, and Jacksonville, which has never been to a Super Bowl, make the same argument? (New England, of course, would be exempt. The Patriots have already won five championships, they don’t always play by the rules, and some would compare Bill Belichick to the devil himself).

Perhaps the greatest argument against divine intervention is Cleveland’s football team. As a kind, gracious and loving God who has a special affinity for the poor and downtrodden, surely He would have put the Browns in the Super Bowl by now.

The truth is, when it comes to the Browns and anyone else involved in sports, the old adage that "God helps those who help themselves" might be the most accurate.

END OF AN ERA — Speaking of Sports Illustrated, it was disheartening to learn that the iconic magazine will become a bi-weekly publication this year. Although my subscription has been spotty in recent years, I can remember looking forward to getting the mail every Thursday afternoon and delving into my freshly minted SI that evening. Now that ritual will become an every-other-week affair — like a lot of other things we do less frequently as we age.

CLEVELAND ROYALTY — Old timers might disagree, but it’s pretty clear that a changing of the guard has taken place in Cleveland regarding the city’s greatest athlete of all time. Most would now say that LeBron James has succeeded Jim Brown as the best ever. Admittedly, it’s difficult to compare athletes from different eras, let alone different sports, but there’s a new king in town, and he’ll likely reign in the hearts and minds of Cleveland fans long after his playing days come to an end.

A CASE FOR UCF — The College Football Playoff Selection Committee might want to rethink its methods and its metrics following Central Florida’s victory over Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day. The Knights finished the season without a loss, and although their schedule didn’t measure up to those in the Final Four, I wonder if they deserved a shot at a national championship.

YOUTH MOVEMENT — How can a powerhouse girls basketball program like Hiland have four freshmen making significant contributions to another successful season at the varsity level? One of the reasons is injuries to several key veterans, which have provided valuable playing opportunities for these rising stars. The other is that these girls get an extra early start in developing their basketball skills — some wonder if they might even learn to dribble and shoot in the womb.

COMING HOME — There’s no place like home, and Savannah Moore is heading in that direction. A former volleyball standout at Northwestern High School, Savannah will be taking over as head coach of the program, and she’s certain to bring her trademark passion with her. In fact, she reminds me of a coach with the same initials, even the same last name — Steve Moore. Savannah’s energy and enthusiasm mirrors that of Coach Moore, and her care and concern for her athletes is also quite similar. It would be unfair to put those kinds of expectations on the younger Coach Moore, but it would be equally unfair to not expect the very best from her. It may take a few years, but look for the Huskies to be a factor very soon in the always competitive Wayne County Athletic League.

THE MOORE FACTOR — Speaking of Steve Moore, he would almost certainly reject the notion that his coaching was a significant factor in the Scots’ amazing come-from-behind victories in both games of the Mose Hole Kiwanis Classic last month. Those of us who have watched him in those situations over the years would beg to differ. A former assistant coach of his said many years ago that Moore has the ability to "will his players to victory." I would have to agree. If Moore were to acknowledge any role of coaching in the victories, he would probably assign it to his longtime and trusted associate, Doug Cline, along with veteran assistant Bruce Martin and newcomers Drew Frizell and Dan Jurgutis. Not only is Moore a champion in victories, but he also excels in humility and modesty.

IRONMAN — Triway basketball standout Gabe Walker rarely gets a break. The talented senior has sat for an average of less than one minute per game through the team’s first 10 games. Opposing teams will do anything to get him off the floor, including a little extra pushing and shoving, hoping that he will retaliate and draw a technical or get into foul trouble. But the prudent Walker is too disciplined to fall for that. He takes the opponent’s best shot and then makes them pay at the free-throw line, where he has converted 73 percent of his shots so far this season. He also leads the team in scoring with an average of 22.1 points per game to go along with 8.7 rebounds per game so far this season. It’s no wonder first-year THS head coach Ben Holt is reluctant to take him off the floor.

WORTH NOTING — It was nice to see players, coaches, and cheerleaders from the Central Christian and Waynedale boys basketball teams gather at midcourt for a word of prayer following their game in early January. Teams don’t seem to do this as often in recent years, but it is a marvelous display of reverence, respect, sportsmanship, and perspective that reminds us, after all, that it really is just a game, and how you play it is far more important than who wins.

COACHING METRICS — One way to measure a coach’s value is to look at how he or she has fared at different schools. Former Akron head coach Keith Dambrot, who had great success in leading the Zips for the previous 13 years, is having a banner year at Duquesne University, a school with a storied but little-known basketball history. The Dukes are off to a 13-6 start and may soon be a national contender.

HELPFUL ADVICE — When Daily Record Sports Editor Mike Plant asked me to cover a high school bowling match earlier this month, I confessed that I knew little about the sport and had not even been in a bowling alley for more than 30 years, but the sage editor allayed my fears with a few comforting words of wisdom: "Don’t worry, just roll with it."

FINAL THOUGHT — Just as the swallows return to San Juan Capistrano and the buzzards to Hinckley every March, the potholes have returned to Wayne County this month with Oak Hill Road and Cleveland Road the early leader in size and number. Why is this note in a sports column? Because it takes a special skill — bordering on Formula1 level ability — for drivers to dodge these divots. It’s like an amusement park ride, but the stakes are much higher.