A story went around in the preseason describing texts he made to Philadelphia brass before the draft.
Apparently Russell asked for Daniel Jeremiah's phone number after the Senior Bowl (Jeremiah was a scout for the Eagles at the time) and immediately began sending texts to Jeremiah which said, 'If the Eagles draft me, I will lead the Eagles to championships.' Philly really liked him, but apparently (thankfully!) not as much as Seattle did. Even on Draft Day, Russell sent one of those texts to Jeremiah.
He is so confident of himself, but it's not confidence in who or what he is. He's not self-absorbed over his footspeed, or his read process, or his arm strength. None of that. He's confident in his ability to overcome whatever obstacles are ahead of him, and he's humble enough to bluntly ask for advice from people who have already succeeded at the things he's now attempting.
Supreme confidence (in his dedication, commitment, and focus) combined with supreme humility (every. single. post-game presser he essentially leads with 'I have so many things I can improve on, and I love that!') is a deadly, deadly combination. He's going to be a good one for a long, long time.
Go Hawks!
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Psychologically, you should be confident in yourself. And this confidence should be based in FACT. - Bobby Fischer
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title - Yeah, I think this is it. The dirty dirty seahawks have basically destroyed this era a 9er football. It's over. For nothing.
text - For the glory of the filthiest football team that’s ever walked. Makes no sense. - Fred.P.Soft, ninersnation.com poster
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Q. No Mariners post on Monday morning? Unforgivable.
A. This is a Mariners post. Hear me out, babe.
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Q. Kaepernick threw two 70 MPH bullets that could have broken Richard Sherman's face mask. Wouldn't that have been awesome if he'd read the radar gun going off the field, and kissed his bicep!
A. Y'know it's a funny thing ... "Pride goeth before a fall." It sounds like a cliche, but look at it in 3D Imax. Colin Kaepernick spent his rookie year gloating and partying (instead of learning how to read defenses). Now his life on the national stage is a blinkin' nightmare.
When we rate ourselves more highly than is the reality, when we lose our sense of danger, horrible things can happen. Hor. Rib. Bull.
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Q. Aren't you kinda piling on here? It's beneath you.
A. Kaepernick applied for a trademark. We're soft-pedaling this thing, man.
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Q. What is he supposed to do? Not enjoy the fruits of his labor?
A. When Russell Wilson stepped up on stage after the NFC championship, he asked Terry Bradshaw "What does it take to WIN the Super Bowl?" That really took me aback. Any normal person would have been gloating, or at least basking. Russell has an instinctive sense of danger.
He has become a real joy to watch. Russell Wilson is quite literally a 1-man NFL offense, and he does it with a light, airy style that makes you feel good about life and yourself. His confidence and joy are contagious.
There's a paradox working here. :: drumroll ::
During the Seahawk-49er game, which quarterback looked confident?
A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself, and yet is true. Many such paradoxes exist in the world. One is: Humble yourself to be exalted. Doubt yourself in order to become decisive. Be tough on yourself so others will go easy on you. Dr. D is going to apply for a patent on this stuff.
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Q. Is Billy Beane confident, crazy, humble, or what?
A. This from MLBTradeRumors:
- After A’s GM Billy Beane signed Billy Butler to a $30MM deal and traded third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Blue Jays, Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com isn’t sure what the plan is in Oakland.
Demonstrating again how difficult it is to think outside a box, a circle, or a dogmatic spiral down. But then, geniuses like Beane are expected to do things we don't understand.
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Beane is famous for the quote, "I'm always the dumbest guy in the room." He was talking about the super-sabermetricians he has on his staff. You think those sabermetricians told him to sign Billy Butler and trade Josh Donaldson?
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Yet Beane, whose sense of danger has him (1) frantically trying to improve a +157 runs ballclub (!!) ... has (2) the confidence to trade Josh Donaldson. (You think Jack Zduriencik would trade Kyle Seager?)
And Beane (3) retains this confidence right after the thunderous humiliation of his July 2014 trades!
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The "intangible" benefit: No Oakland A is ever comfortable.
This transcends WAR thinking. It's a meta-saber concept, one that exists outside of mathematics and reaches into the realm of humanity.
Sabes call anything non-mathematical an "intangible," thereby marginalizing it. This is classic Kaepernicking.
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Every Oakland A knows that winning the World Series is the goal. The only goal. The only possible goal.
Perhaps the A's haven't done that yet. But how many games have they won, the last 10 years, compared to the Seattle Mariners with a much larger budget? Just win, baby.
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Q. Do the Mariners deploy, or get any benefit whatsoever from, this Kaepernick/Wilson principle?
A. Jack Zduriencik also believes in competition. Not as fervently as Pete Carroll does, not as psychotically as Billy Beane does, but still.
- At shortstop, the 2015 Mariners could benefit from comp.
- In the OF, there could be a 4-to-make-3 and Michael Saunders could profit.
- At 1B/DH, Logan Morrison may still need to be popping tall.
- In the rotation, and in the bullpen.
Your 2015 Mariners are perhaps in more of a Russell Wilson mode than a Colin Kaepernick mode ... and in 2016ff it gets worse. All of the D.J. Petersons and Patrick Kivlehans are kicking at the door.
Just keep rooting Stars & Scrubs, babe. That means as many Aircraft Carriers as possible, which means as many scrubs fighting for jobs as possible.
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Q. Which Mariners are notably Kaep-like and Dang-R-Us?
A. Our choices:
| Mariner | Bicep Kiss or Film Room at 4 am? |
| Ackley | Acute Kaepism |
| Seager | Obviously Russellike in the long haul, but may have gone through a brief gloating phase |
| Maurer | Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to |
| Zunino | Think you can take it from here? Also his makeup bodes well for improvement at the plate |
| LoMo | We're guessing that he may have (1) Kaepism that (2) he has overcome. Could be wrong |
| K-Pax | Way hardcore dude, stares blankly and is always ready before the batter is |
| M's generally | Taking on Lloyd's personality |
| Dr. D | Can't for the life of him figure out why the "fall" cometh on such a delayed basis |
| Taijuan Walker | Looks like Dang R Us to me |
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:: kisses keyboard bicep :: ,
jemanji
Comments
Good Dr., You know good and well that it's to late for a patent. Jesus beat you to it years ago. "If you want to live you must die; to be first, be last; to lead, serve; and if you want to be righteous, you must first be a sinner." However, your application of an ageless, counter-intuitive truth to athletics is pure genius and illustrates its universality as the foundation of all of life.
... know that it's too late for a patent. I've got the patent on quips that go over (under!) people's heads, though. Or did Gary Larson file?
That was beautifully stated Jonezie.
Yasser Seirawan once said "Fischer thought there was a conspiracy against him. I think there's a conspiracy for me." LOL. ... Wilson is overt about his faith - signs his autograph with 1 Cor. 13 a lot - but it's an eyes-open approach. He's going to combine self-examination, and sense of danger, with an over-arc'ing sense of mission.
Great post.
After my life, I must be one of the most righteous fellows you have ever seen. ;)
I spend 30 minutes trying to figure out what you are saying and love doing so. When I finally get it (not always, but often), or even if I don't, it was worth every minute.