ESPN the Magazine

Here is an article in this month’s ESPN the Magazine has an amazing amount of Christmas without any Santa. Written by Rick Riley, the subtitle says it all, “There are some games where cheering for the other side feels better than winning.”

Riley writes:

They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.

It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.

Did you hear that? The other team's fans?

They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.

It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.
Read more>>

Riley doesn’t dwell on the fact that the opposing team was Grapevine Faith "Christian" School in Grapevine, Texas (I don't think Christian was mentioned one time), or that, obviously, their acts of grace and kindness towards the Gainesville “maximum security students” were religiously motivated. He let their actions tell the story … a good sign of good writing.

This story moved me; it’s what we look for in the Amy Writing Awards, but unfortunately, the feature didn’t include an identifiable scripture, such as Hebrews 13:3: Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering (NIV).

Regardless, the article accomplished more than intended-- going beyond reporting to inspiring faith. Thank you, Rick Riley, for writing this excellent story.