Sport, it could be argued, is actually a higher type of religion in that no wars, civil, sectarian or otherwise, have broken out because of it, or conflicts involved in arguing to the death over the shape or colour of the ball or the location of holy jockstrap relics. There's a bit of biffo now and again, a few handbags thrown, one or two pitch invasions by infantile parents, but no beheadings that I'm aware of. One guy did die from a bouncing ball and it pains me to say that the practice has not been discontinued. And sometimes the gods let you down with gross and indecent behaviour. But generally speaking, this new religion is a harmless drug if taken in moderation and only becomes problematic in cases where followers become fanatically intoxicated, like rabid zealots to the exclusion of all else.