A Class Act Getting A Raw Deal

     I watched the class AA state championship football game Friday night.  It was a tremendous game between two great high school football teams in the Buford Wolves and the Calhoun Yellow Jackets.  Most people around here were pulling for Calhoun to win, the thinking I guess being that they are a local team.  For my part, I was pulling for Buford. Calhoun has always been a rival, and I just couldn't find it within myself to root for them.  It was like choosing between the lesser of two evils.

Hal Lamb

     Calhoun ended up winning the game, and winning their first state title in 59 years.  While that is a great accomplishment, that is not what this post is about.  What happened after the game has created a controversy, and I just really don't understand what all of the fuss is about.  After the game, the Calhoun coach, Hal Lamb, was interviewed.  The first thing out of his mouth was that he wanted to thank his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I thought it was great.  He didn't preach, just gave praise to his Savior in his moment of victory.  A few minutes later, he again did the same thing while accepting the championship trophy.  During the trophy presentation coach Lamb said Jesus "helped us win today."  I heard this, but didn't give it much thought.  A little while later I went to a web vent about high school sports to read the trash talk that I was sure would be on there.  What I saw amazed me.
    There were almost as many posts about what coach Lamb had said than about the game itself.  Some people were up in arms because the coach had mentioned Jesus, but most of the comments were about why coach Lamb thought that Jesus had helped them win.  They didn't get the point.  I am sure coach Lamb was not inferring that Jesus had helped Calhoun any more than He had helped Buford.  I would imagine that he was only trying to give glory to Jesus, and to thank him for letting him be in the position he was in.  To me it is simple.
     Unfortunately, most people only want to start a fight, especially when it comes to others sharing their faith.  What should have been a great moment for the coach was instead picked apart by people that had nothing better to do than belittle a man for sharing his faith.  That is sad.  That is the world we live in now though.  I don't know coach Lamb, I have ever met him, and probably never will, but I admire him for standing on his faith.  From everything I have read, he is someone who not only talks the talk, but he walks the walk.  I have to admire that.
     As much as I am not a fan of Calhoun, kudos to them for ending the 4 year reign of class AA football by Buford.  This was the 4th year these two teams had played in the state championship, and Calhoun got closer every year.  This year they finally went over the top.  It was a great game, and neither team had anything to be ashamed of.  I wish I could say the same about some of the fans.