"Monday Morning Quarterbacks"

“Monday Morning Quarterbacks”

 

The term “Monday Morning Quarterback” made its first known appearance in a 1931 speech by Harvard quarterback Barry Wood, who used it to describe criticism from the comfort of 20/20 hindsight. (Synonyms include “Armchair Quarterback” and second guessing.) Often the “experts” expressing the “couldas, wouldas and shouldas” are self-appointed and non-accountable “analysts”. Politics, sports, business, ministry and other areas of life can be targets of these faultfinders.

Karen and I recently saw “Sully”, a movie detailing USAirways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009. The pilot, Capt. Chesley (“Sully”) Sullenburger, “landed” the aircraft on the Hudson River in New York after a bird strike disabled both its engines. All 155 passengers and crew survived with only five serious injuries. The incident turned Sully into a national hero. However, an investigative panel (aka group of “Monday Morning Quarterbacks”) maintained that he could have made it back to LaGuardia Airport or gone to Teterboro Airport in northern New Jersey and his career was thus threatened. But when all the facts were in and evaluated it was determined that Sully had acted appropriately in this potentially tragic situation. This supports my contention that anyone can be a “MMQ” but it’s much harder to be a “Sunday Afternoon Quarterback”.

During my CPE training I encountered a skilled care facility nurse who was grieving the loss of a resident she’d served for some time. She shared with me the things she wished she’d done for the patient which might have prevented her death. With God’s guidance I was able to encourage the caregiver that she’d done well and to rejoice that she’d had the opportunity to assist her friend in her times of need. The nurse illustrates that sometimes we can become our own “MMQ’s” when there’s no reason to question our actions.

God in His mercy and grace hasn’t allowed us to see the specifics of what’s ahead for us (we’d likely be terrified if we could). Indeed, “…you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.” (James 4:14) but “The Lord will guide you always….” (Isaiah 58:11). David recognized this when he wrote, “My times are in (God’s) hands….” (Psalm 31:15) and God assures us that He knows and guides our future (“’…I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’”—Jeremiah 29:11).  (See “Directional Signals” for some ways God does this in our lives.)

Let’s let God be our “Sunday Afternoon Quarterback” and put the MMQ’s where they belong: on the sidelines!

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan