Metaphysics and the NFL

In spirit of superbowl and this forum I'd like to talk about something and pick the brain of ATS. It is known that NFL teams will find use any means necessary to gain any sort of edge on their opponent. However, not all players and teams are talking about visualization and meditation. Only the most successful ones. Here is a quote from Drew Brees.

The only way I know to fix it is the process throughout the week, your preparation in regards to knowing the gameplan cold and then going out there and executing it in practice, and then visualizing success, visualizing yourself in the moment, wherever you’re going, whatever the conditions are going to be. I find that when you do that, in many cases, you go out and you play well and what you visualize is what happens.

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Sports Visualization

Next is an article about the Seahawks (Pete Carrols) way of doing things.

On this Sunday morning, it starts with meditation with Gervais, whom Carroll began to integrate into the program in 2011, at first working on the fringes as a consultant, then becoming a sideline regular last year. For the newcomers to his sessions, Gervais keeps them short, about six minutes. For those with some experience, he prepares longer, more individualized meditations. No one is required to be here, yet about 20 players show up at various times every week to breathe in, breathe out and open their minds. The entire roster also participates in yoga class, which players enjoyed so much last year as an optional activity that the staff decided to make it a mandated part of player workouts this year.

The big idea is that happy players make for better players. Everyone in the facility, from coaches and players to personal assistants and valets, is expected to follow Carroll's mantras regarding positivity of thought, words and actions.

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Meditation

So Pete Carrol the enlightened monk huh? But seriously, these guys are a bit more "awakened" practicing what a lot of you here talk about and practice as well. We know that these things work to some degree, but my question is at what cost to the soul? They're essentially using forums of Magic AKA witchcraft which I would mostly define as tampering and bending the universe to ones own will. So again, at what cost to their soul, even if the intetions are 100% "good", are they messing with a sort've karmatic balance? Spending some sort've soul energy? Are they enlisting the help of demons without knowing it? Are you?
Magic

Fun food for thought. What if they're enlisting the help of demons and do know it. Could their be a war of different entities and forces during a football game? Add to it the thousands of fans in the stadium, millions watching, does the collective of fans affect the game of football at all? I'll bet it does. And I wonder if these teams have us chanting and saying things we don't even know. Are chants really forms of Mantras? Mantra So what is really going on here? You tell me.

So obviously this stuff relates to more than just football, and I'm no expert. So if you're knowledgeable and care to expand on any of these topics please feel free. It sure is interesting anyway. Few extras.
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Cool thread idea... - Flagged for exposure...need to contemplate before I reply toooo much -- but would like to watch where this topic goes...

I'm no expert but I do love watching/participating in sports & also practice some meditation, yoga, & martial arts...

Your OP is well researched IMO; however, I do believe you take a couple of isolated examples & then draw some pretty big generalizations about them concerning success & then witchcraft (???!!!) in the NFL...

I hope to be back with more...thanks for posting...strangely, I've been discussing some of the other philosophies you brought up with others lately...

No, no, no ...

I was a pretty high-functioning athlete up through college. We did a lot of visualization. My particular two specialties were high jump and hurdles. For high jump, a lot of what you do to prepare yourself mentally to make a jump is to visualize in your head the entire process of the jump - the approach, what it feels like, how many steps, how fast, when you turn, the take-off, how it feels when your body twists, the flight, etc. - every small component and detail you visualize over and over in your head as you step up to go in order to get the process primed because once you go, there is no time to think about it again, so you want it to be there.

It's a mind game.

Hurdles are sort of similar, but there are less little details to go through. Visualizing there is more concerned with getting your psych on and getting ready to go.

But if you watch the Olympic gymnasts, you will often see them off the floor with their eyes closed moving their upper torsos. They are visualizing their routines, getting ready to go, getting their game on.

It's not about opening your mind to demonic influences. It's about centering your mind on what you body is about to have to do, and it's about becoming one mind/one body. It's about making those motions you practice so much every single day even more instinctive. It's about not having to waste time in a performance thinking about it because it just happens because if you waste time thinking about it, it costs you in hesitation or a miss or a stumble.

NFL players use Adderall for focus.

According to Richard Sherman half the league is on the stuff.

www.nfl.com...

reply to post by Hiasyouwant


As promised, I am back to see where this has gone, & share some comments...

Initially, I have to agree with Ketsuko''s post above...I was a competitive athlete from very early years in swimming, tennis, & then, basketball, & volleyball. I learned at a quite young age to visualize optimum performancefrom decent coaches.

Yet, after mulling over it a bit, I think Pete Carroll has borrowed from another FAMOUS coach in the NBA v. NFL, Phil Jackson. It makes sense given that they were both in So. Cali at the same time... Both have some issues of their own, IMO, but it seems that Carroll has taken even a more holistic approach to his players well-being...including specialized counseling, organic diets, etc. in addition to meditation & yoga.... After a quick scanning, I didn't discover the actual strategies Carroll is using. In contrast, it is well documented that Jackson practices & implemented Zen Buddhism...

Regardless, without knowing their *exact* practices, it doesn't feel right to say that they would mis-use strategies to clear players' minds, center/focus them for their best performances to "sell their souls" & whatnot....

I know that I have my own methods for those & I always concentrate on my higher power, God, & what is willed by my higher, as well as what is best to ground me with the greater good...

As far as fans/crowds go, I'm sure anything is possible, but when it comes to chants/cheers, IMO, it is more about Noise (Decibels) than some collective consciousness...If something like that we're going on it would be publicized via YouTube or something...

I have lots of respect for Wilson, but I do hope Manning's Broncos team will win...so he can get another Super win & move on to his next level of coaching...

BABYBULL24
NFL players use Adderall for focus.

According to Richard Sherman half the league is on the stuff.

www.nfl.com...

LOL!

You are going to believe [scratch] the thug [/scratch], I mean, motor-mouth on this?

He's no doubt a great player, but he needs to stay off the chemicals &/or attend the meditation sessions...

Good luck to your Seahawks