You don't know until you do know.

Growing up I rooted for the Redskins simply because of my Mom and my Grandfather. They were both big fans. The Redskins' toughest competitor was the Dallas Cowboys. I guess it was the old Cowboy and Indian scenario replayed this time of the football field. I think it is a nice tribute for Dallas to name their team after people who probably had one of the toughest jobs back in the wild west. I also think it is very nice tribute for our Nation's Capital to honor the Native Americans by naming the team that represents America in the football as The Redskins. Each time I watched Washington play it caused me to remember our first friends and how they helped us when we first arrived in America.
The Dallas Cowboys have been considered by many as America's team. Any State I travel I can always find a Cowboy fan. They have amassed great appeal to Americans. I would watch Dallas as they played Washington and I as watched Danny White and Tony Dorset it was something to see. There was the hike and Danny immediately grabbed the ball and the game started. The Redskins would be fighting and pushing for the glory of being the one to "sack" the Quarterback. Dallas held firm, but Danny knew his linemen could only hold for so long. Danny would move around but always try his best to stay "in the pocket" which means staying in the center. Tony Dorset would come running down the side of the field. Sometimes he would cross over the field depending on the play. Many times I would watch Tony running and turning and running, while the Redskins were covering him and sometimes Tony would be double or even triple covered. Danny would throw the ball and Tony would catch it! Now how in the world could that happen? I wondered. Tony had people all over him trying to intercept Danny's throw, but they couldn't do it.
Back to football camp -
Tom Landry would come up with a new play, let's call it "down and out." Mr. Dorset would get the play and study it. His job was to run ten yards straight, stop and turn at a forty-five degree angle continue for another five yards, cut back and run five more yards and finally catch the ball. He knew that the ball was going to be there as long as he hit his marks and sure enough the ball was right there when he was. First Down! Danny White also had to study the same play. He knew exactly what route Tony was going to take when the play was called. He and Tony practiced and practiced and practiced until it became second nature. They practiced until Danny and Tony could see the play in their heads and that is what makes it successful. Okay, it's game time. The new play is called. The ball is hiked, Danny knows exactly how long it will take Tony to get to the point where Danny will throw the ball. Danny knows that the football and Tony will meet at that exact spot and that exact time in just a few seconds after he releases the ball. Everything has been timed down to the millisecond. Danny knows when Tony's foot hits a predetermined mark in his visual field that Danny's throwing arm must be a certain position. If not, he will either be too early or too late and the play will fail. So Danny waits, but something happens to Tony, he gets hit harder than intended and it slows him down. Danny slips on the wet field and loses his concentration for a moment. His line of blockers are starting to buckle and the Redskins are closing in. Since Danny has gone over this play so many times it is now automatic and he knows his visual clues will not let him down. He knows that Tony will hit the mark late, but he knows through practice when to release the ball based on Tony's exact position on the field. Danny let's himself throw the ball when it is time, even though the time has changed. His mind made the adjustments on the fly. Tony is not on the exact line he needs to be ever since he got hit, but he's run this pattern so many times, he quickly adjusts and even though he may be one second behind on time and slightly off pattern he will be at the receiving point. He knows that Danny will quickly pick up on the deviation and make the necessary adjustments. Tony hits his spot, turns around and there the ball is falling right into his arms as he is running full speed toward the goal posts.
This is part of the allure to the game. How do they accomplish those feats? We know it took a lot of practice, but what it really took was seeing exactly how the play will succeed in their minds even if it doesn't go as smoothly as hoped. How we do that in real life? Using the same techniques. Visualizing ourselves succeeding in whatever game we are playing (money, business, love, etc.) What do you think would happen if Tom walked out to the field in the middle of a game and said here's a new play, why don't you try it? What do you think the odds of success would be compared to the other way of presenting a new play? Exactly, not so good. The huge successes of these teams takes two things. The first is desire, the want to perfect the task at hand. To do it the best they can because they know that there are going to be unforeseen obstacles arise once they like Dorothy walking the yellow brick road start down the path. But they have a destination in mind and they can see it in their minds eye. When it is that clear then it is easy to let go because you know that you can make adjustments if necessary to achieve your goal. When I first started playing competitive pool, I asked the better players what part of the object ball do I hit with the cue ball to sink it? I was told that you don't know until you do know. That was a strange answer, so I continued to practice and practice until one day, I could sink a lot more balls and it wasn't because I figured out the exact spot to hit the object ball, my mind did. I just let it and it would see the cut. The whole point to the stories above is that success in life happens when you let it. How you let it is up to you. The Cowboys practice their plays ad-nauseam until it was like second nature and the same with pool when figuring out a cut shot. When you want something to happen in your life, the first thing is Tom Landry a plan on how to get it and then Danny White it until you know in your mind how it's supposed to play out. Then Tony Dorset the adjustments if necessary and you'll score many touchdowns.

Nameste'

Barry Brown, Author
"A Journey to Balance - Making Sense of It All."