From good to great?

Steve "Air" McNair

My hometown of Nashville was stunned this week by the death of NFL MVP quarterback Steve McNair in a somewhat strange murder-suicide with a twenty year old woman with who he was having an affair. McNair's murder brought floods of tributes about his football prowess, his leadership, and his contributions to our city. It also created questions about the post football activities of a married McNair who some say was struggling to fill the sports void in his life.

Remembering McNair brings up the question in my mind - whom do we define as great? Can someone go from a good man to a great man in the mind of others? Who is the judge of overall greatness? Should we even ponder the possibility?

I will remember Steve McNair as a great football player and a leader on the field. A first round pick of the then Houston Oilers, McNair became Nashville's most famous sportsman after leading the vagabond Oilers franchise from Texas, to Memphis, to Vanderbilt and eventually finding a Nashville home as the Titans and leading the team to within a few yards of Super Bowl glory in 1999 and the AFC's best record in 2000.

The NFL recognized McNair's on the field skill and ability in 2003 naming him Co-league MVP. Some of my favorite Nashville memories include Sunday's at LP Field watching McNair with my buddy Bill or a very, very cold Christmas Monday Night Football matchup versus the Cowboys cheering "Air" before our mouth's froze.

I also remember McNair as a great contributor to this community and especially the city's youth - a contribution I observed first hand as a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee. Through his personal Foundation, work with the BGCMT, his football camp, or even just encounters with young people, McNair stressed leadership, teamwork, and responsibility to our at-risk youth and I watched as they learned and responded to their football hero, his sincere heart, and his magnetic smile.

Many of tributes to McNair have gone further to describe McNair as "great" - fellow Titans called him a great teammate; those who were closer described him as a great friend, great dad, or great son. I didn't know him in those ways so I can't comment, but McNair's death has caused a bit of debate about referring to Steve, or anyone really, as "a great man." Can anyone really make that statement except our eternal Father? Even then, the Christian faith is taught that God will simply acknowledge a life "well done, (by) my good and faithful servant."

I have known many men who have achieved greatness for the abilities or contributions - McNair included. A few that are greatness impacted my life are my dad, a great father and husband, Dan Scott, a great teacher about God, my friends Aaron and Josh, great American's who served our country, I am sure I could go on for days... but a great man? I don't know if I can ever remember someone with that statement.

Maybe Bishop Joseph Walker, speaking at McNair's memorial, answered the question best, Walker related the New Testament account of an adulterous woman who religious leaders brought to Jesus, suggesting that she be stoned for her sins. Jesus replied, "Ye without sin, cast the first stone."

"And I have come to declare from the youngest to the oldest in America and over this world, it's time to have a stone dropping service,'' Walker nearly shouted.

"...Next time you write about Steve McNair, drop your stone. Next time you text somebody, drop your stone. The next time you Twitter, drop your stone."