Steal this Thread! Week - 14, Do or Die Edition.

 Yet another thread to be stolen. 

From MaPatsFan: I don't mind thread stealing as it gives people a chance to get a little "goofy".  However, I DO like the idea of a separate thread.

    This thread (named in dubious honor [or honour for Comedic.Sans] of a book titled Steal This Book) is a thread that was designed to be stolen.  Random thoughts, check.  Inane observations, perfectly fine.  Multiple segues, the more the merrier.  Goofy pictures, haiku, whatever.  If the thread gets unwieldy, I'll create a new sandbox for us to play in.  Feel free to jump in, the water's fine.

A couple restrictions, however.  To keep this from becoming a war, we need to steer clear of politics, and religion.

On that note, I'm going to diverge from my usual silliness for a moment.

I've already mentioned that I'm an instructor in Tae Kwon Do.  The reason I mention it, is that on a routine basis I "coach" people into doing things they don't believe they are capable of doing.  Whether it is gaining flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, or sticking bits of their flesh through piles of wood or concrete.  Everyone has mental hurdles that they refuse to jump.  I had them, too, along the way, and continue to confront them from time to time.  One of my hurdles was the jump 360 heel kick speed break.  You jump in the air, spin around 360° and break a board (10" 1 x 12 pine) that is held by two fingers at chin height.  You have to be able to do it with either foot, and I'm going to be 46 in January.  The first step is deciding that you're going to do it, the second is doing it.

I love to hear stories by World War II veterans.  Inevitably something needed to get done (a machine gum implacement was cutting through their troops), so they took it upon themselves to do it (they charged the implacement and took out the gunners).  These are guys who cared more about their buddies than themselves.  As Spock put it, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one."  (The idea has been traced back at least to Caiaphas).  This mentality was seen over and over where the troops won against superior numbers.

The reason I'm bringing all this up is that there are going to be mental hurdles for the Patriots as we go on here.  December is not the time to question whether you can or can't do something.  Now is do or die time.  There are no rookies in December; you are either a pro, or you’re not. This is where the rubber meets the road.  They’ve got to approach it with that mentality.

Luke: "Ok, I’ll give it a try." (Rookie mentality)
Yoda: "No! Try not. Do or do not. There is no try." (Pro mentality)

 Here is the training film.  Same thing goes for breaking concrete. Trying just gets you hurt.

As I wrestled in high school, there was a sign on the wall that said, "It's not the size of the man in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the man."  (Mark Twain said, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog", but it's clear that this idea predates him.)  What that means is the fight goes to the guy who wants it more, not the most physically gifted.  Have we seen any games like that this week year?

What is it going to take to win out ?

1. Guys at every position (including coaches) are going to have to want it more than the guy they have to beat.

2. Guys are going to have to make plays

-- Coaches are going to have to coach and play situational football.

-- On defense, the line is going to have to explode into the backfield (Think this: if the guy throws the football, your kid will die)

-- The linebackers are going to have to make tackles are first contact. 

-- The corners are going to have to make plays on the ball knowing the safeties have their backs.  There is a danger of trying to do too much, but there is even more danger of doing too little. 

-- On offense, the linemen (including Tight Ends and backs) are going to have to hold up (just imagine your 13 year old daughter or 80 year old grandmother back there, can you dig a little deeper now?). 

-- The backs are going to have to play through first contact. 

-- The receivers (including backs and Tight Ends) are going to have to catch any piece of garbage thrown their way, and make blocks downfield. 

-- Brady is going to have to play smart, make good throws, and not force plays that aren't there (eat the ball if needed).

There is pain involved in playing December football.  Everybody is hurt, I understand that and I also understand the instinct for self-preservation.  This isn't rational thought time, this is adrenaline crazed humans rising above human capabilities time.  This is, "pain just pisses me off", time.  Now I can't pretend to have an NFL skill set, but what I do have is a mentality that says, "I want it more than the guy across from me", "Knocking me down makes me try harder", "If I can't outperform you, I will be a pain in your side the whole time and in the end outlast you".  If they can't do that, they deserve to sit home in January.  No excuses.

I leave you this:

Yoda:  "Judge me by my size do you?  Opened can of whoop-A$$, you have!"

via elsieyogakula.files.wordpress.com

Now may the silliness begin.