McDaniels and the Zen of Coaching

by Ponderosa on Oct 29, 2009 12:36 PM MDT Comment 17 comments

In listening to McDaniels during press conferences I have glimpsed a trait of his coaching method that provides us with great insight into his thinking. He never dwells on the past game and seems entirely focused on the next challenge. I believe he has imbued the entire team with a Zen approach to performance that incorporates characteristics of martial arts training.

In Zen systems the focus is upon being present - aware acutely of your surroundings, your inner energy and thoughts, your sense of muscle action and limb position. It is a discipline which can be learned although clearly some have a more innate ability than others.

Being present means being fully aware now. Anything in the past is forgotten, whether 5 seconds ago or 5 minutes or 5 years, it is done and unchangeable and not worthy of attention. The future is only a possibility which hasn't yet occurred and has too many variables to control. Worrying about something that hasn't happened yet is a waste of mental energy and a distraction from the here and now. Performance is peak when the athlete is most in the present as completely as possible. They are better able to react and be creative when not burdened by the past or thoughts of the future.

McDaniels is teaching his players to be present during practice and especially during games. If you failed to defend a pass, you forget it and prepare for the next play. You see a formation you haven't prepared for, you create the response to counter it by being present to the possibilities. There is no play except the one that is happening now. There is no game except the one you are currently playing. You have not accomplished anything except what lies directly in front of you. A player uses a move on you that is successful that you've never seen before and you counter by being in the flow of the present and let your body respond naturally. You cannot be overconfident because the past is done and does not relate to the present. There is no future because it has not yet happened.

It seems so simple to just remain in the present doesn't it? Well it really isn't easy at all. Part of the training the Broncos are doing is visualization of the plays being performed perfectly over and over again. Situational practice creates a present that will be seen in the games and allow flow of physical and mental performance to be fully present to the situation. Here's an example of how difficult it is to remain in the present. Imagine that in a guilt free world you could have a dinner date and night of passionate romance with anyone your fantasy can conjure - Angelina, Halle, Megan, or if you are female the male of your choice. The only catch is that you will be told about this date at 8:00 in the morning and if you think about what will happen this coming night even once it will not be allowed to occur. It's fine for players to imagine winning games, the contest with their opponent, or holding the Super Bowl trophy. The only catch is it never will happen if you don't remain in the present for every play, every game.

When I teach golf to juniors I really emphasize the power of being present for every swing. It is easy to see the effects of losing this focus in tournaments when you only need a par to win the trophy. If you think about the result instead of the process of being present, you almost certainly will hit a bad shot.

Swordsmen in Japan learn the process of being present in order to achieve incredible speed and performance that allows creativity that bends and molds to the skills and technique of the opponent.

We have in coach McDaniels someone who truly understands that it is the process that creates great performance by coaching remaining in the present to achieve long term goals. We have a Zen master of football coaching leading our team. I couldn't be more pleased. This approach is going to get the most out of our talent and teamwork.

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The whole field of sports psychology has transformed...

athletic performance over the last 30 years.

Heck, even the Blue Angels use daily group visualization practice to get ready for their flight performances.

McDaniels has packed so much learning into his head, for a person so young. It’s impressive.

He was groomed to be an NFL coach, the way Tiger Woods was groomed to be the best golfer in the world.

"See if you can guess what I am now?" - John "Bluto" Blutarsky

by OrangeKnuckleDragger on Oct 29, 2009 12:54 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Totally agree.

There is tremendous sophistication now in all areas of sports performance.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. A. Einstein

by Ponderosa on Oct 29, 2009 2:07 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for bringing this out Ponderosa and much appreciated.

by bfree2bronc on Oct 29, 2009 2:35 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Ponderosa, Good Post

I´ve always thought that the ultimate Zen artists are CBs.

They have the toughest jobs and no matter who they are, they are gonna get beat. If you let that stay with you the next play, you´re going to get beat again and again.

Fans can be Zen too. So no matter whether or not Denver wins or whether Orton succeeds, remember to enjoy this ride. The struggle pleases us, not the victory.

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by TJ Johnson on Oct 29, 2009 2:43 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs

Thanks Dude!

I think the quarterback has to be totally in the moment to be successful. The CB’s also are challenged to let go of the past when they inevitably get beat.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. A. Einstein

by Ponderosa on Oct 29, 2009 3:23 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I interviewed Charles Dimry, who played CB for the Broncos in the 1990's

He made much the same comment. We were talking about some draft picks and he commented that for CB’s, physical skills weren’t even as important as their emotional strength – the ability to ignore the lat play, good or bad, and make the next one.

Moreno/Buckhalter in '09

by Emmett Smith on Oct 29, 2009 4:52 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, and Rec'd!

Moreno/Buckhalter in '09

by Emmett Smith on Oct 29, 2009 4:53 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

In many endeavors in sports

It is the ability to forget that is more important than the ability to remember.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. A. Einstein

by Ponderosa on Oct 29, 2009 8:03 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

a better example than Zen

I began studying Buddhism long ago, so I’m not in any way critical of the analogy, but there are no true Buddhist martial arts. Kendo was influenced by Zen Buddhism, but the best example is probably Kung Fu.

My point is simply that there already is a martial art that combines Zen-like ideas into its practice.

A doctrine insulates the devout not only against the realities around them but also against their own selves. The fanatical believer is not conscious of his envy, malice, pettiness and dishonesty. There is a wall of words between his consciousness and his real self.

-- Eric Hoffer

by Colinski on Oct 29, 2009 8:03 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs

Several of them, in fact

While gung gu in all it’s many forms does have some reflections of Zen, many of the Japanese arts were even more influenced – no by Buddhism per se, but by the cultural interpretation of Zen Buddhism, a Japanese variant of the over-arching spiritual path. The concept of mushin — ‘mind like water’ — which is common to zen and nearly all of the Japanese martial arts is just one example.

I found that Ponderosa is accurate in his portrayal of the zen state and of the way it is taught in a physical if not martial setting. In another life, (in a different life, it sometimes seems) I was a shihan in aikijujutsu and have some experience in that area

Moreno/Buckhalter in '09

by Emmett Smith on Oct 29, 2009 10:25 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs

I thank Colinski and Emmett for their clarification.

I’m using Zen in a broad sense reflecting the type of learning and teaching. I certainly don’t mean to lecture on comparative religions or philosophy about which I know little. The type of teaching and learning which emphasizes being present to the moment is all I’m trying to demonstrate.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. A. Einstein

by Ponderosa on Oct 30, 2009 12:01 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

And did it well!

Moreno/Buckhalter in '09

by Emmett Smith on Oct 30, 2009 12:56 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess I was making subtle point

That is — there’s a mental element involved in the practice of certain martial arts, so it’s already in the art and doesn’t need to be added. My comment was less about the particular philosophy or belief involved than about ‘how’ to view a martial art.

I admit to being slightly biased here. My first sensei, in Tae Kwondo, was an American. My second sensei, for Shotokan, was also an American. My experience with Kung Fu/Tai Chi was very different than the first two, since my sensei was Chinese.

I can’t claim to have extensive knowledge of the martial arts but Kung Fu struck me as having more of a mental element — but this was also because of who taught me. I’ve also read a little on the subject and the Japanese forms — at least Kendo — strike me as having a philosophy closer to what we might call a chivalric code, but I can’t claim more than a superficial impression given my lack of experience.

Buddhism has different forms, and my understanding of the subject is taken more from Tibetan Buddhism, although I like Zen. The truth is that I’m an academic Buddhist and I have difficulty seeing any martial art in combination with Buddhist beliefs. Shaolin karate started in a monastery so the spiritual/mental aspects are integral to its practice.

The section on internal forms of wushu (Chines martial arts) in Wikipedia helps explain my point.

Some styles focus on the the harnessing of qi and are labeled internal

-- Eric Hoffer

by Colinski on Oct 30, 2009 7:25 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

Perhaps I shouldn't have used the word Zen.

I don’t think any of us think of golf as a martial art. Rather than focus on the martial art aspect I would like us to see the advantage of teaching any physical discipline as having a peak performance mentality that necessarily includes the ability to be fully aware of the present state of one’s external and internal environment and not be distracted by what has just occurred or what is yet to occur. As a Buddhist there is a depth to your perception that I certainly don’t mean to challenge because it means something profound to you. I honor that completely. I just like to point out that McDaniels uses teaching techniques that are more Eastern based in philosophical bent than others in the NFL.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. A. Einstein

by Ponderosa on Oct 30, 2009 8:04 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

no, it's fine

It’s actually an interesting subject. And it’s not as if you’ve offended me. The don’t knock that chip off my shoulder religious view is pitiful, IMO. If it were that easy to get under my skin then that would say something about my beliefs.

The only point I was making in all this is that the Western dichotomy between physical and mental is the problem. Physical skill without corresponding mental discipline is ridiculous. Moreover, it’s not just discipline, as we use the term, my sensei could perform spectacular feats that looked like magic. I was just using this thread to introduce something marvelous and generally unconsidered by most.

-- Eric Hoffer

by Colinski on Oct 30, 2009 8:59 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

Now I understand.

And I totally agree that the dichotomy between physical and mental is indeed an artifact of Western thinking. Coherence and synthesis of all aspects of staying present is the goal. Thanks for the dialogue which has gone deeper than I expected.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. A. Einstein

by Ponderosa on Oct 30, 2009 9:53 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs