The Pick Six

I'm a big fan of analogies.

If you are familiar with the game of football then you already know what a pick six is.

A pick six is defined by an interception returned by the defense for a touchdown. If you are on the offensive side of the ball this is one of the most devastating things that can happen in the game. In a matter of seconds the quarterback can throw a ball that was intended for a receiver to gain yardage and it ends up in the hands of a defensive player that scores to change the game.

Some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game have the most pick sixes in history. If you are lucky enough to be Aaron Rodgers, you only have two pick sixes in your career, one of which was called back. But if you are like the other greats, you've had several.

1. Brett Farve has thrown 32 pick sixes in his 19 year career in the NFL. He played in a total of 302 games. He has also thrown for 71,838 yards. He has played in 24 playoff games, had 28 comebacks and has had 43 game-winning drives.

2. Drew Brees has thrown 27 pick sixes in his 266 game career in the NFL. His career completion average is 67.3%, He has 49 game winning drives, He has thrown a total of 74,845 yards in his career. He has also broken more records than I have time to mention, but needless to say I'm proud to be a Saints fan.

3. Peyton Manning has also thrown 27 pick sixes throughout the 266 games that he played in the NFL. In 2013 alone he threw for 55 touchdowns, which is the most in the NFL in a single season.

4. Tom Brady has thrown 13 pick sixes throughout his entire career with the New England Patriots. He has won six Super Bowls and four Super Bowl MVP awards.

What do these four men have in common? They have all made this mistake, more than once. In a split second they were suddenly responsible for a drastic change in the game that wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for them. More often than not, the reason for the pick six is due to a mistake made by the quarterback. If you notice the above listed quarterbacks are just a few of the greatest of all time.

So when am I going to wrap it up and get my point across?

Think of yourself as the quarterback. Even if you are the best you will fail. It's what you do after the mistake that counts. You have a team of people surrounding you that are ready to pick up the pieces and work extra hard with you to make up for your mistake. Those teammates are your family and friends. The real ones are always there for you and will do whatever it takes to help you to shake back.

The head coach is Jesus, of course. Your assistant coaches are your teachers, your mentors, your pastors, your bosses, anyone that tries to guide you in the right direction. At the drop of a hat, they too have to come up with a plan to make up for the consequences of your mistake. Will they always be warm and fuzzy? No. Will they be upset and disappointed? Yes. Will they do everything in their power to help you succeed? Yes.

The fans and cheerleaders may not be your best friends but they are your people. They are rooting for you and praying for you from a distance. They may not be in your every day life but when it's time to rally they will be there front and center. They also might be bummed initially but will put that aside and use their words of encouragement to build you back up, piece by piece.

There is no success without failure. Shame cannot thrive where vulnerability lives. You will notice that these players take ownership of their mistakes and do what it takes to make it right. They admit that their mistakes were their own and won't blame it on their teammates.

We too should do the same.

The bottom line is this:

I may have just thrown the pick six but God has provided me with a team and support system that I don't feel worthy of. When your loved one throws the pick six, show up for them. It may be the most devastating part of the game but it's also where the greatest lessons are learned. The best quarterbacks in the league are rarely defined by how many pick sixes that they threw, but by all of the other accomplishments that they have had in their career. We too should give each other that same opportunity.

xoxo,

Mary-Ellen