Two Minute Warning

In close college games, especially those for conference championships—have y’all ever witnessed coaching crews on the sidelines wringing their hands and barking out orders in total turmoil and chaotic confusion? Then, after the two-minute warning goes off, look out! All heck breaks loose?!

Well sure, of course, we all have. I’ve seen my fair share of coaches, even head coaches in tight games, who’ve acted more like a bunch of boys screamin’ and arguin’ over whose turn it is to ride the 4-wheeler! By contrast on other occasions, have you noticed how the winning coaches behave given those same tough situations? Rarely do they demonstrate demeanor with quacked-out emotions for all to see. Winning coaches usually remain calm as a cucumber even if their innards are churning so profusely they could produce butter!

Let’s say they hold it together, while sticking to their game plan making no excuses. They are well-disciplined and resolute in executing what they believe will win the game, not afraid to make adjustments as needed. Those coaches have a long fuse, they bond together without finger pointing, and they are steadfast in their goals.

Winning coaches have a knack of bringing players together as a team without the meow-meow alley cat fights. In other words, the leadership qualities at the helm and the behavior of the coaching staff transfer onto the teammates. The character of the head coach will either unite or divide not only coaching staffs, but his players as well.

I am reminded today that our country is much like a team. The two-minute warning is up and we are scrambling like a bunch of coaches who are losing their conference title. Finger pointing is at an all-time high, we’re in peril and not very well disciplined. Our head coach runs on a record of division, and therefore split his players in half, alienating the fans and boosters.

We took a quarterback who never played high school or college football, yet he was drafted to the pros without so much as a single stat questioned. He wasn’t vetted by the sportscasters because they were in awe of him. So, he slid onto the scout’s radar because he was so dog-gone likeable, but never played a down in the pros either, and now is appointed the head coach of America’s team.

He keeps running the same game plan, refusing to make adjustments and blames his previous predecessor—a coach from an Ivy League school who left his position as the most unpopular coach in decades, because he wasn’t afraid to make the hard decisions. Being the perfect scapegoat, naturally the current coaches’ losses are entirely the other guy’s fault. But, he is more popular than ever, and believes that’s good enough to keep his job as head coach. He refuses time and time again to listen to other ideas or opinions and never surveys the game plan laid out in the Constitution of the United States. He doesn’t have time to seek or meet those who are his greatest allies and refuses to take his briefings in person from his coaching staff, choosing instead to receive them electronically.

A time management guru, his golf game is extraordinary, thus saving his schedule for the more important matters of foreign affairs such as talk-show appearances. He can’t spare one ounce of his time trying to protect any ambassadors on any foreign soil and has, instead, run the ol’ quarterback sneak for the last several weeks. He’s gifted at outsourcing and believes strongly in delegating responsibilities, appointing Coaches Reid and Pelosi to run deceptive drills, ram through the defensive line, never knowing for sure what was in the drop back pass play until the healthcare touchdown went through the uprights!

Of course, he did this play action to protect all members on America’s teams. This action resulted in a hammering of players and divided America’s team even more.

The Two-Minute Warning is up!