Calhoun’s 17 straight region titles; Apologetics; Eating Crow
Today we will examine the topics of “Eating Crow,” Hal Lamb’s 17 consecutive Region Championships and Apologetics as the subject relates to Coach Diane Smith’s Lady Jackets recently capturing the Class AAA State Softball Championship. That section will be more about people (mainly critics) than accomplishments which have so adequately been reported and described in this section of the Calhoun Times.
Coach Hal Lamb’s and the Jackets’ 17 consecutive Region Football Titles
Alex Farrer has already reported the happening of the Calhoun defeat of Murray County on Friday night to climb to the top of consecutive region football championships in Georgia. He will offer more remarks in today’s edition. What I am about to write is a short personal commentary and opinion on this remarkable accomplishment.
I want to congratulate Coach Lamb and his coaching staff for more than a remarkable job of developing championship teams. The consistency of Coach Lamb and his staff is admired by this old coach over all aspects of the events of these past 17 seasons. Young men not yet born when the first title was won played and started on this 17th championship. Those babies and those parents of 17-years ago could not possibly even have dreamed of or imagined the accomplishments ahead of them. ic. Then we will add the letter “s” to apologetic and what appears to be a plural of a word actually gives a new meaning or limitation to the word as used. Maybe you have not heard the word used. The reason is it isn’t used prevalently in everyday speech or experiences of most in society. Apologetics (from a Greek word meaning, “Speaking in defense”. Apologetics is the religious discipline of defending is the religious discipline of defending or proving the truth of religious doctrines through speaking and writing
Apologetic is the word meaning defending in writing or speech an action, an idea or philosophy.
Cheers and Jeers or “Eating Crow”
Cheers: Let us notice the cheers first. The vast number of congratulatory messages made to Coach Diane Smith and the Calhoun Lady Jackets by phone, email, social media and personal contact has more than amazed this old coach. Coach Diane was touched so greatly by the outpouring of con- gratulations. The warm emotions of and congratulations with admiration and love had to be a wonderful experience for the coaches and players.
They understood they have overcome the greatest of obstacles along their tough journey to the state title. Each coach and every player had to feel a sense of contributions by reason of the outpouring of happiness for them.
Coach Smith was lowkey about her desires and dreams before the championship was earned. That attitude on her part disappeared after the last out in Columbus. She did not hesitate to being conscious of her detractors along the way. The coach readily admitted she wanted to win this one more than any other.
That sentiment was embraced by me more and stronger than any sentiment I have felt in times past. This writer’s sentiments were enriched by just thinking of the discomfort of those detractors along the way.