Sideline Experts:

On Saturday, June 3^rd, Jason, Christy and I went to Sioux Park for a soccer game between the Sioux Falls “Spitfire” and the Boulder “Rapids” professional men’s soccer teams.

While we were sitting there, with one of Christy’s friends and her family, enjoying the game, people were “pumping” the crowd by throwing out all sorts of freebies. We caught 3 water bottles – YEAH! But, that’s not the story.

Directly in front of us was a man with several of his friends. It looked as if he was a soccer player too. He seemed to personally know many of the players on the Sioux Falls team.

Sioux Falls scored early, but went on to lose the game.

Throughout the game, this fine upstanding young man had advice for EVERYONE in the game. No one seemed exempt.

• The ref couldn’t make the right calls
• The line judges were making “pathetic” judgments

After all, why would anyone think the officials on the field were better positioned to make calls than this “sideline expert” in the stands? He even had “encouragement” for players on the Sioux Falls team.

• They missed plays they should have made
• They passed – only to have the opposing team steal the ball

What encouraging words did he offer? He shouted, UNACCEPTABLE repeatedly. He reminded them that they should be winning, because shortly into the game, the Rapids had a player red carded and leave the field. That put Colorado at a (10 players to Sioux Falls’ 11) disadvantage. Who can’t win with one extra player?!

Have you ever noticed the same thing happening in life? Sometimes, people on the sidelines shout the loudest about how “players” and “refs” should do their job. The world teems with “sideline experts.” You know the type. They have all the right answers and can point out all the mistakes and inconsistencies from their vaulted position off the field.

Here’s a more penetrating thought: Have you ever been guilty of being a “sideline expert?” I have – far more often than I care to admit. At those times, I try to remember one of my favorite quotes. Teddy Roosevelt said:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

How about you? What thoughts can you throw my way on this?

Grace and peace