A Believer in the Booth

This is Jim Graham from the masculine dirty podcast where we explore relationship and start a religion every week their chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds.

Enjoy it. Sure, but most of all, thank you for listening you for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network so you turn on the ballgame on the radio and who you hear the voice the guy that's paint a picture of the guy that is portraying the slamdunk value the game-winning touchdown while sit next to one of those guys right now he's heard all over the country. He is the voice of the deacons the way force deacons.

He is Stan cotton only of ever interviewing national show Stan, have you ever been a truth before, but is like a first I was going on.

This is like the first deal have known you for 30 years. What's up with all the writing is a kind and adaptable bins I had to bring a big hitter on a guy that could recent numbers back to hear it. Enter Stan cotton well it is great to be with these two Nubian in a business relationship with you all over all these years, plus a personal relationship with you and your family Christmas church together all those types of things it's it's great to sit here and talk to her for a few minutes, and in these crazy times in which we live and surprise the Lord right so he's in control still is exactly right. So were actually go in the booth with standard in here him him stuff that he may not hear about what really goes on. We calls his big Division I college basketball, football games, even some baseball games and other things at Wake Forest University.

You have heard his voice many times on a lot of our Truth Network stations. As we exit carry the Wake Forest Demon deacons. We like the deacons part lot better than even partly sure their sports games are you here Stan, the voice of the exposed washing about his faith in. I would love to go there first and what is it that brought you to the Lord to me. I know 5 million for years and you've always had a love for Jesus. Tell us a little bit about that and even the compatibility that has been in such an intense industry of sports right where there is maybe some not so Christian things going on.

Well, I think, noted that the first thing with my faith. It's it's kind of a legacy of our family and had the incredible opportunity to grow up in a family where Christ was honored and lifted up and worshiped and was at her grandparents. My parents way it was.

I just feel so blessed to have been raised by the parents, and I was raised by so I have always looked at that as a gift to me from the Lord as a young boy five, six years old. I'm not. I knew right away. Not just because my parents taught me that, but you just God took my heart and I knew that alone and left alone to myself I wouldn't get done that I needed a Savior and a Savior was Jesus Christ and so wishes been part of my life for so long and I'm one of those types of people that it takes all contrite and in the body of Christ in that that the church takes all different kinds of people and personalities all those types of things. I'm just one of those types of people stew that I try to live it is best that I can and I think depending on whom your circle is that that has can have a massive impact other than just saying it. I think all of us have to live it with a live Christ and Christ crucified. And that's where I think the church a lot of people have gotten in trouble over the years because they they say one thing and they live another in adventures. That's not the way supposed to be gone and so I tried to do that just be who I say I am and I make mistakes every day, but I think people know my heart.

I hope I hope they do and I hope I reflect a lot. Christ is the voice of Stan cotton also voice the decent Stan cotton longtime friend of mine great man of God. He's speaking know firsthand when you hear him say he try to live out his faith. Your hear a guy who's been in the middle of the Cameron crazies right behind Coach's with who knows what's being said these in the deans were Caroline is playing he's in the article you know call in the way force the big football game with a lot of the line so some folks say that sports doesn't own character, it reflects character course we we know both are true, but what is that done in your own life being in that as a believer in Christ you walk in church Sunday morning. After some happy crazy huge bench clearing brawl on Saturday night. What what is you know it's it's interesting because I think probably sports more than anything else reflects life and as believers we are introduced were part of the dark world which is supposed to be the light in them. I just think it's maybe more than anything else.

The best reflection of the world that we live in sometimes and in an odd kind of away and it takes all kinds and so those of us who have the truth and know the truth will limit regardless of the circumstances that were in we are to be in the world but not a part of it.

Or maybe I'm saying that the wrong way but were called to live in a dark world were disposed to reflect the love of our Savior and hopefully I do that with my life, but sports is is crazy. I mean it's it's dark and light black and white and up and down all over the place. But we just try to be a steady, calm voice, and that sometimes raging sea is a champion in the face of sports you bump into some godly people who been an encouragement to you as well talk about a little bit about how that's been a blessing to you and a lot of people unbelievable me. The people like the Tony done Jesus of the world are everywhere. Thankfully, the biggest influence in my life is a is a man Bonnie McCann sparks he was my high school football coach went on to Carson Newman University as a college football coach and is in top 10 in the country all time.

When she died a few years ago, but this is a guy that was unapologetic about his faith and why am a football coach.

It wasn't to win games. It wasn't to be on the right side of the scoreboard. It was to win souls to the Lord and I goodness the people of the thousands of young men and women that he influenced over the course of his life just amazing, but absolutely, there are are strong believers men and women throughout sports who are making that stand every single day and it's it's a wonderful to see and because of their platforms. I can have such an influence over young people and old people like and it it's great to see the end and love seeing those types of people and just having the opportunity to meet so many of them and be around them. Over the years has been wonderful.

Stan Collins, William Stu Epperson, this is truth talk TruthNetwork.com you get all the archived on our podcast meet Stan there. I want Stan to be a spot here and would take you back return with the crucible sports. Now it really can form your character also reveal your character. Just… It's absolutely an exhilarating thing and people do you know fan is short for fanatic in your around all the time but stand there was a moment in your life.

We were laying there with a busted up knee as a potential progeny quarterback come out of Tennessee and you could've been on the other side you given a guided is on the field. It did guys like you talk about, but something happened take us into that and that crucible for your faith and the trajectory of your life.

After that injury and what God was doing. There is a lot of people are facing these Been sports media for 42 years now and that was not what I wanted to do that. I wanted to be a ballplayer and early on I was pretty good one and I thought that you without question, this is going to. This is the blueprint of my life.

This is where God's going to take me problem was I was 17 years old and thought I knew you know what my future is going to hold and I'm not gonna sit here and tell you that that you, God struck me down almost like I don't believe God works that way. I believe he deals in circumstances and my circumstances changed now is there guiding principle from our heavenly father absolutely. But I do think that he's a God of circumstances, and so how firmly we are grounded in him helps us move through those circumstances, and so here I am thinking of a football player one day and five minutes later. I'm not a football player anymore and so is open okay and I credit my father and can spark some I mentioned earlier is okay.

We now big boy that you don't have sports to fall back on his okay and I reminded saying Stan your your and athletes, not who you are, your child of God, that you are in your core and your soul so your circumstances have changed.

You need to square this this was I'm in the orthopedic surgeons office and just had fluid drained out of my knees pretty much told me your careers over and my dad takes me and looked me square in the face and you need to square this with the Lord.

Right now, not next week, and so here I am, I was a believer in and I was able to do that is okay God, if I'm not a football player. What am I is, like, will figure that out and media became an option which I took and kept running with then again that was was a long time ago and so I just all of that out fall back on stew and just look if goddesses enter your life if you really are looking to him and not yourself in your own strength.

He'll take you on the rod in your life if you just trust and believe and let it happen. He's not gonna let you down and so that's kind of a short condensed version of my life's course which didn't go as I planned, but I look back on it now while the things that I've been a part of the things that God has shown me and taught me, even with meeting my current life.

My only wife but had my circumstances not change that way. Probably would've never met her would not have the two lovely daughters. I have a granddaughter I have all those types of things we can all look back in our life. It's okay. Here's was God a puppeteer. No, but was but does he through circumstances help direct your life.

Absolutely yes. And so I look back now at how all the dots were connected and see his hand in his fingerprints all over it. We promise to going to do that right there is compelling and very fasting some stuff out here and as I hear your story or testimony.

Stan got the voice to Deke's will be right back will talk to you real quick about what happens inside that booth and what is been your the highlight of the sports side take us to whether it was one of those goals.

The national platform March madness: games the ACC tournament moral stand on after this and be sure you download the podcast to hear the whole conversation TruthNetwork.com 42 years in the broadcast industry. Unbelievable.

Stan cotton's name is legendary. If you don't know if you ever heard them call game you missed out us and I got right there stands get to sit down with you and I'm Stu Epperson this is truth talk this guy in the last segment please download the whole thing and listen to a listen to your family. Listen to with the kids it's struggled with an injury and listen to what how he dealt with that and how God used that crazy circumstance to even send in another direction where he's impacted thousands for Christ is also special teacher and involved a whole lot of things with his local church. Stan cotton the voice to Deke's gonna take us into the booth. What's the craziest stuff that goes on in their doctors may we hear the games called we are you guys give us updates we are you guys calling big-time gains down the wire take us back behind the seasonal that we well it's been a crazy week.

We have over the course of the years sponsors friends whatever sit in the booth with us in Canada watch and experience what we do and they come out there with a completely different idea. While I understand now how sausages and a little bit and it's in your world.

You know it is just different than people think it is. But you know it's funny.

Have you been so many that's that's why love what I do because everything is different regardless of whether it's for a championship or just a regular season game. You never know what's going to happen and that's why it kinda reached in and grabbed my heart because in a way stew. I still feel like I'm playing because you're part of the game.

A small part. Not a player not a coach but you are helping paint that picture for those who want to be there but just couldn't be in so you're part of it and you I won't like for us to win. And so, in these tight games my stomach. It's tight just like him playing or whatever but you know the course of my weight for his career. At least you have to think about things like you mentioned to you the Orange bowl ACC championship games. I remember my first season and this will date me.

This will help people figure it out. My first season at Wake Forest was the great Tim Duncan's senior year and just being a part of one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game. Not only at the college level, but in the NBA.

I think you could make the argument that he's one of the best forwards ever. If not one of us to forwards ever to play the game, but even throughout names and calling the names of Tim Duncan Chris Paul Josh Howard, Jeff T. Ishmael Smith. Some of these guys are playing in the NBA right now Subaru rusted root absolutely ran off shoulders now recall his name. Well, I miss Randall yet. Ms. Randolph and Mr. Rusty didn't witness rusted root to but your grade is a world championship ring with the bulls but guys play in the NBA right now. You called her games guys in the NFL right now. You called or gave you called or touchdown you called interceptions.

Their big pickups reverse down absolutely and so you experience all these these great moments in not just wait for sports, but ACC always types of things and eat, but in him is I've gotten older stew it's it's the it's the people is those relationships that mean more to me than you have done X amount of ACC tournament games are of all these bowl games.

Wake Forest right now section ROS will record you remember the relationships with people like Alphonso Smith, the ACC's all-time interception. Later he got on the headset the other day during the gator bowl is in Haiti recognize my voice.

He was on our side. Unreported acorns headset and I knew his voice and we we had a chance to talk and reminisce the great Riley Skinner the quarterback from Jacksonville Florida. In football, but just the players and coaches that you meet over the years and you develop relationships with, and you're able to share family updates and all these types of things really means more to me than the games but yeah just being a part of of of Wake Forest over the years and we've had some great broadcast teams and think it's mostly it's all men that I worked with maybe will will have a young woman work with you soon. I hope that's the case, that would be great but just being able to work with these men and see how dedicated they are to their craft and in helping us do what we do. It is been great.

It's a lot of fun. It's been a joy in my professional life and to be involved in sports for 4+ decades now Stan cotton people turn the radio on to hear the game play no games on it.

8 o'clock at night exerted on or they show up maybe half hourly a lot more goes into this then just you know prepare me.

This is your job you're calling my mentors, I said you're a missionary disguised as a sports broadcaster but your zone, you're not shown up though and on headsets call the game when they're warming up.

There's a lot that goes into this thing absolutely amount work on charge for every game and look at video games involving teams and I'm gonna call him is a lot of work and is it's it's a full-time job and you want to make it that if you want to do it the right way.

There's a lot of preparation goes into it and a lot of moving parts and have to come together on game day weathers football game or basketball game or coaches show and their 23 of us are on the year but there's so many other people behind-the-scenes that that work so hard and are so valuable under such integral parts of our team that you we could do without them.

So a lot of moving parts. The people may not see or understand. But it's a lot of fun and again we we've worked with some great people over the years.

It's going to practice it's it's sing down and just talking with coaches and players getting to know that our job at the end of the day is to tell the Wake Forest story were storytellers on game day.

The game is part of it. The background stories of the players and coaches. That's part of it all that goes into telling the wake story and hopefully we do it well enough to keep people tuning in to sportster broadcasting to those relationships. Guys use you to let your light shine to be a witness for him and in a tough stuff and the challenges we speak to the people that may never think of a microphone. They may never host a national radio show like this limit ever call a big ACC tournament game and mix with the likes of Chris Paul or MBA guys.

Tim Duncan, but can you talk about the importance of Christ living through you where anyone is right now the main thing is that as believers, all of us are put in different circumstances different locations again enema, bottom line guy, our bottom line is to reflect Christ who lives in us.

That's what were supposed to do and that's who were supposed to be and I learned that as a very young man I would note a ballplayer. What I was a child of God, still am 61 years old. I'm still a child of God and so that's our calling. I think is believers is to live Jesus for people, let them see him in the way we handle everyday situations just relationships with people.

How do you treat your server at a restaurant may be cliché nowadays to to say what would Jesus do, but no, there is great truth and that we are supposed to be that for people because there's so many people never pick up the word who will never darken the door of a church and so it's so true that for many people. Sometimes the only Jesus. They will see you and me and others who are believers to live the way were supposed to live and to love regardless of the circumstances love our our our neighbors as ourselves.

That's our calling and if we do that, then I think we've we've answered the bill. I think we've lived as were supposed to live all of the athletic analogies in Scripture pulses. I press toward the mark of the Cesar behind that so that's a word of exertion of of athleticism, says way were all running a race we will run that race to win were running for a crown that doesn't fade away trophy may fade and may in the end up in the trophy box and end up in a trashcan down the road, but the crown for Christ it last forever, and that's really the attorney focus.

I guess right, absolutely.

We are to give it everything we've got one as if to win.

No work with these basketball teams and football teams and others say want to win the devotes so now college boards are 12 months out of the year and they are working and doing everything they can to win. That's how were supposed to live our lives as believers we are to live life to win it to win it right and so we gotta give it everything we have are: no one works harder this thing than Stan cotton and I dare not call him somewhere, October, November, when there's like three sport still going on. I try to resist years. The cost is in a stand that's coffee because it's crazy and it is you got me.

Just after footballs over and basketball season. At least their days here and there we can do this and it's it's been great to catch up where I got good word out where to put air in Clemens North Carolina yearly music and near the coffee and the chatter in the background which such an honor to sit down and talk to my friend Stan cotton gloves.

Jesus loves porches need to see how God's will in the sports in your life are your weaving the gospel, ensuring a venal light to folks that need to hear about Jesus and that form and you can still hearing the voice that ekes tuning the next big game day for Wake Forest for the coaches show just just a top-notch job. Stan got the boys to decent down the podcast to get it TruthNetwork.com or wherever you can. Your podcast on Stu Epperson.

We encourage the Lester, wherever you are. Remember Hebrews chapter 12 because they were surrounded by this great crowd of witnesses like that coasted encourage you in Christ, early Stan, let us lay aside the weights, the sooner the weights and encumber us, and let us run with patient race seven force and virtues was born part fixing your eyes on Jesus were to tell you. Here's to broadcasters.

We got our own problems we can fix any of you but we can point you to Jesus and he can change your life like change my life. Like exchange stands like so standing survey of English. This is the Truth Network