The robbery and shooting of 49er WR Ricky Pearsall: Five reasons it is worth discussing

I begin each Sports and Spirituality class with prayer and a sports thought of the day. As much as I wanted to discuss the Irish win over the Aggies in College Station (Notre Dame 23 — Texas A&M 13) or the record set by Joey Chestnut who ate 86 hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes, (Unfinished Beef), I deferred to a topic very close to home that made national headlines: the shooting of the Forty Niners rookie wide receiver, Ricky Pearsall.

There are more pressing headlines to unpack, no doubt. But here are five reasons why my seniors and I believe this was an important matter to consider, reflect upon, pray over and learn more about. 

1. The national narrative.
The profile pic of San Francisco is the very first reason a number of my students thought this story was worth a class discussion. It's not easy to give this one a thumbs up either. 

I have resided in San Francisco for the past twenty years. My mother grew up in the City and my Grandparents lived and died here. It is home. Growing up nearly 30 miles east, I didn't plan to live here this long, but the City of St. Francis has a hold on me. Like every city in the world, SF has changed. In many ways it has grown and changed for the better...but you will never hear that on television.

The story that is being told about the City by the Bay is that it is incredibly dangerous and utterly filthy. San Francisco is lawless and crime is everywhere. Unhoused people rule the roost and there are no consequences for breaking the law. 

From time to time, it's not hard to believe that might be true. But, for those of us who live and work in San Francisco and love its 49 square miles, what we hear other people say and what the media prefers to show is the worst of the worst. Remember, this is our home. It is not a tourist trap. It is is not a suburb. Urban life is always demanding. 

Nevertheless, narratives aren't easy to control, but San Franciscans want the current one to change. We have struggles. We need reform. And, we are not alone. I have yet to find a place that is perfect. I won't paint a Pollyanna picture, AND this story is a set-back.

2. Questioning coverage of the case.
People have taken issue the fact that this story is getting extensive local and national coverage because it involves a high profile professional athlete. Noted. However, case like this one reminds all of us that violent crime can and does happen to anyone, at any time in the day, any where.

On Nextdoor.com I happened to run across the report of an attempted armed robbery at Alta Vista Park—one block from where I live—at 2:45 in the afternoon. The assault occurred in a very public area, in a well populated place—the Pacific Heights neighborhood for what purpose? A purse. My roommates and neighbors had not heard about this event.

The Pearsall shooting serves as a sad but important reminder that everyone must all be careful and pay attention to keep safe in public. We shouldn't need a reminder but we do. Pearsall's experience brought this to light.

3. Theodicy
Erin Pearsall posted a heartfelt update about her son via X on social media. A devout Christian, she offered a beautiful testimony of God's grace. I appreciate her words of gratitude, humility and belief. And her message points to an important question we might ask in considering what happened.

Her son Ricky was shielded and spared; he survived. Thanks be to God. And yet, a question this prompts is one I cannot answer.  Does God not shield or spare all people? Why do some survive? How is it that others go unprotected? The truth of tragedy of our takes on events present spiritual quagmires. One of them has a name: Theodicy.

Theodicy, (from Greek theos, “god”; dikē, “justice”), is the explanation of why a perfectly good, almighty, and all-knowing God permits evil and suffering. 

In many cases, there are no answers. Humanity has wrestled with this "problem" forever and people of all faith traditions have turned to religion for insight and understanding. I recommend reading the Book of Job. This book of the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament speaks to the problem of evil and the attempt for human beings to understand God's ways. It's pure mastery...and frustration. We all live and move and have our being somehow, somewhere in between...

4. The importance of being good at what you do
San Francisco police officer Sgt. Joelle Harrell ought to be commended for not only getting to the right place at the right time, but also for doing everything right. Though she said she wishes she could have been at the scene of the crime to prevent what had happened—"I happened to be at the other end of the street at that time, I got here as fast as I could. I got others here as fast as we could and everybody responded the way they should have. I couldn't be more grateful for that."

Tactically, she knew what to do. As written by NBC Bay Area News Coverage, 

She spotted Pearsall and noticed that he was bleeding from his head and his chest. He was losing a lot of blood and sh

"I used my strong hand to cover it and used my other hand to cover the other wound," she said. "It was causing a lot of bleeding. I didn't want it to bother him. I wanted him to be calm." 

Within seconds, she began trying to calm Pearsall and ask him for a description of the attempted robber. She said she then called for backup and broadcast the suspect's description over police radio. 

They were able to catch the assailant. She was able to accompany Pearsall to the help he needed. Others in the area were made aware that SFPD, though short 500 officers does indeed have a positive and effective presence. 

We need women and men to work in law enforcement and we need them to be good at what they do. They need our support, far beyond financial compensation. We all need to recognize the importance that comes with this work: a strong sense of mission and purpose as well as the affirmation that law enforcement keeps us safe, saves lives, and reduces crime. They must  hold one another accountable and recognize how they can and do promote the flourishing of our cities, homes and neighborhoods. Again, this story serves as a reminder.

5. Life IS precious and precarious
It is never easy to read about crime, let alone violent crime—including armed robbery in a place so close to home. When I read that Pearsall asked Sgt. Harrell,  Am I gonna die? my eyes pooled with tears. His question speaks to the fear he must have felt. 

Sgt. Harrell offered remarkable counsel. She recalled this interaction by reporting, "He looked at me...I said 'No,'" Harrell added, "I take off my hat because I wanted to make eye contact with him. I wanted him to hear me. I said to him, 'Listen, look at me. I know you don't know me, but I want you to trust me, it's not your time.'You're going to be okay. Okay? God is with us!"

Harrell's response came from a place of conviction: belief and faith in a God who is with us. Her words brought comfort and assurance that it was not his time. Obviously we don't know when it is. But when we ask that question— it's a gift that someone else can speak to it.

In 2010 when I had a major cardiac event, I was aware that I was in peril. The conversation between the EMTs and me came to a halt. Each person on the scene became very focused on how to address my heart and make sure I would stay alive.

At no point did I think I was going to die. I did not ask if I was because I felt an inner strength and awarness that it wasn't. I prayed the Hail Mary, as I always do when I am frightened or scared. I take comfort and assurance in Our Lady; I call on her to look over me. She did (as did my Grandma. A story for another time).

I don't know if Pearsall offered a prayer of his own or not, but I do know Sgt. Harrell did by her very words and actions. Living our prayers might be the best way to pray them.

In Closing
This story raises a number of compelling questions. How will this event impact the mayoral election? How might each candidate speak to it differently? What is the proper punishment? Should the assailant be tried as an adult? How ought we best continue the conversation about guns? Why do we struggle to see the value of life? Does a person really have a sense of when it is their time? When it is not? How can help others to recognize God is always with us?

The author Matthew Kelly claims that we are not teaching young people how to think but what to think. I hope this example, among others is an exercise in thinking. This past week as we had a tragic school shooting in Georgia. This tragedy in addition to others certainl gets us thinking. That exercise ought to begin with raising the questions. They are worth asking and answering. 

Photo Credits
Pearsall
Bow
Presser
Niners Statement

A Lesson from the U.S. Open Tennis Tourney and Shifting Surfaces

The 144th US Open tennis tournament began on Monday, August 26 in Queens, New York City. The fourth and final Grand Slam of 2024 presented a new and intriguing analog to sports to spirituality. This metaphor is still a work in progress, but that's okay. Why? Because the very place in which I work and spend most hours of my day is too. I have found there is a lesson to be learned

Tennis is unique in many ways. It is both offense and defense. It's individual and doubles', featuring men's, women's  and mixed competition. And, tennis is one of the only sports played on multiple surfaces. While each golf course is unique, whereas some pools run faster than others, though some sports compete on grass vs. turf, tennis is played on clay, grass or hard courts. Each surface demands different tactics and techniques to win the game.

This is not new to tennis, but  this year, the players feel the added challenge of playing on hard courts because their training for this "season" was interrupted by the Olympic Games. Whereas players typically matriculate from clay at the French, to grass at Wimbledon to the hard surface at the Open, the Olympics brought the competition back to Stade Roland Garros and its bright orange clay.

This is notable because each surface requires an athlete to adapt their playing style and strategy based on the specific bounce, speed, and movement characteristics of each surface. Such variables make it difficult to excel on every surface, every time. Essentially, a player who dominates on clay might struggle on grass due to the vastly different playing conditions. The fact that Rafael Nadal won 14 of his 22 Grand Slam titles on the clay courts o the French speaks to this truth.

I never gave much thought to this aspect of tennis. I considered it a novelty, as opposed to an added challenge. The impact of the Olympic Games in Paris however, highlighted the impact of those differences serving as an invitation to think again. 

Anyone who has had a home or work place remodeled will understand that building up requires breaking down. Passages and pathways we once took are now closed, blocked, rerouted and redirected. To me, it feels as though the surface has completely changed. Tennis players, I stand with you in solidarity?! I know I am not the only one who feels this way.

I reached out to a colleague to schedule a meeting about a student. I asked, "Where can I find you?" He replied, "I have no idea where to find me. I have gotten some work done in the male dressing room behind the theater yesterday and today. I’m unmoored." Obviously the male dressing room wasn't a viable option. I let my office be the mooring ball. 

So how do we manage? How do the athletes proceed?

Unmoored or unstable, a new surface requires maybe something more than a new strategy. It demands a little more attention to detail—looking up and looking down, rethinking where and how you might do something. Furthermore, a different surface reminds us you might not be able to control the controllables today or even tomorrow... but in time you will find your bearings.  

It's strange that sometimes we get reminders of what we already know: nothing in this life is permanent. Once you shake things up, you find a way to settle them down. This isn't a bad thing. The displacement lends itself to easy conversation with others about how they may be handling the shifting surface. 

Yes, it's very different to share a classroom with five other teachers representing three different disciplines but with ongoing communication and asking for help from others, we are making it work. I imagine it's not much different for the athletes. With practice, coaching, patience and a positive attitude, a player can focus on what it takes to make it to Arthur Ashe Court at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Complex!

Here's to anyone who is walking and working on new surfaces—keep grounded, find your moorings, play to your strengths and work on your weaknesses. And enjoy the U.S. Open!

Photo Credits
Nadal on Clay
Arthur Ashe
Coco 

Lessons in Leadership: The Importance of The Table, Thank you, Aaron Rodgers

One of my favorite stories from the summer involves a conversation that I did not have with Aaron Rodgers at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe. After a brilliant shot out of the woods, the Jets' quarterback's walked up the fairway until he came to his ball. As he waited for his turn to play, he stood behind a bunker ready to get it onto the green. Respectful of his personal space, fans stood several feet behind and around him, including me.

It was totally quiet. I broke the silence when I asked him, "Can we talk about Hard Knocks?" He didn't nod or concede.  He didn't even pretend to hear. I know he did. 

I said, "that scene when you encourage the other quarterbacks to have lunch with different members of the team. I loved that. I told my students about it. I think it's great advice."

Rodgers shifted his weight, kept his eyes on the hole in front of him and said "It was good advice." And then he turned to make eye contact with me. "Thanks for saying that. Thank you."

Thank you, Aaron. In fact, I think this is information for schools and students, teachers and teams to hear and to remember. In the midst of a lot of change at St. Ignatius College Prep, it is something I am working hard to facilitate and formulate. The purpose of this post is to offer than reminder.

In Episode One of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the New York Jets, number eight said: "Find a conversation at lunchtime with somebody new, don’t always sit in the same little group. Get to know your teammates a little bit. That’s part of the leadership role." I agree.

For one, anyone can eat a meal with a friend or a familiar teammate. But how often do we sit with someone we don't know...or know yet? It can be a risk. It requires putting aside our natural desire to be with "our people." But Rodgers was speaking to the other QBs as team leaders. He was offering a simple, tactile suggestion for how they might lead. Build a bridge. Share a meal and maybe a story, too.

Second, I don't take for granted that anyone is willing to sit down and break bread with another person period. The work place and our home life is so busy, quite often we eat on the run. But this is not good for our bodies or our souls. We need to sit down and slow down. And the table is a good place to make sure this happens.

But this year at St. Ignatius College Prep, where I work and teach, this choice isn't a given. How? Why? Our building is under construction. There is no faculty dining room. While we have a faculty lounge, the space is not conducive to sitting at table or sharing a meal. This fact actually kept me up at night. I thought to myself "this remodel means two years where faculty are without a lunch room. I don't want to be in a school community where everyone eats in their classroom or their office." Rodgers' message prompted me to seek a solution.

As I wrote in Magnanimity and More: Lessons for the New School Year from Pope Francis and Hard Knocks

Those of us involved in Jesuit education believe that "education happens at tables." In Sports and Spirituality, my seniors quite literally sit at tables. At SI, where I teach, we encourage faculty to eat with one another because we learn about other students, our coursework, we disclose our challenges and laugh a whole lot over a meal. And most importantly, we gather at the Eucharistic table for the Mass as an entire school community throughout the year. We begin the year with Mass of the Holy Spirit and conclude it with the Transition Liturgy. The Holy sacrifice of the mass commemorates one of the most important meals in Jesus' lives. So too, it plays an role in our formation, our identity and more.

This teaching is repeated at the beginning of the school year—serving as a wonderful reminder of who we are and what we do. It is an image that all can carry and remember, understand and pass on. I never want it to ring hollow. And yet, I knew the loss of the faculty dining room meant that it might. Where could teachers go for lunch? How might we even sit with someone new let alone have a conversation to get to know others without a table on which to share a meal? 

My colleague Maria and I went to the faculty lounge and took a quick inventory. Inside this room we found four different tables with a mismatch of oversized chairs—none all that conducive to dining. One table was balanced by a stack of detention slips. Another one served as the dumping ground for everything from DVDs to last week's croissants. We cleaned up and cleared out. I knew the task was imminent. According to the New York Times article "How to Make New Friends," I had all of three weeks to get the job done.

One veteran teacher said "You need faculty buy in. Ask other teachers what they want. " We did. Three teachers rearranged the couches. Buildings and Grounds brought in a set of smaller chairs and put five to a table. People started commenting on the change of the energy in that room. "It's so much better! People show up! They sit and stay." We have tried to keep this space clear of packages and the plastic paper trays teachers no longer want or need. It's a work in progress—but it's the work of the Office of Adult Spirituality. Maybe we are the QBs.... I like that. I also like that it's not perfect or brand new. We have made the most of what we have and it's good. That's ground for all of us to sow the seeds of community.

As you enter this new year, consider: How might you invite others to your lunch table? With whom might you strike up a new conversation? How will you lead? What might you learn?

Photo Credits
Cigar
Hard Knocks

Lessons on Leadership 101: Thank you, Riley Leonard

Is there a topic that characterized your summer reading? It doesn't make for a typical beach read or pool side topic, but a visit from former Notre Dame President, Father Edward "Monk" Malloy, C.S.C. inspired me to read quite a bit about leadership. In town for the Universal Notre Dame Night Celebration, Father Malloy promoted his new book People First: Reflections on Leadership. His example, his stories and his lessons piqued my interest and invited me to read more about this subject.

We are all familiar with leadership. Why? Every one of us is affected by it. Many of us are leaders. Some are good ones. I like to consider What makes a person a strong leader? What qualities are non-negotiable if one is to lead effectively? I found an important answer in a likely person in a likely place through a likely tactic. I just needed the example; I'm grateful for the reminder. Thank you Riley Leonard. Though Monk did not share this story, he could have and maybe his will in the future. Let the game—or in this case, the social experiment begin.

Vis a vi the transfer portal, Fightin' Irish football welcomed former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard to the squad. Though the 2024 season officially starts in August, Leonard came to Notre Dame earlier in the year. His move from Raleigh-Durham to South Bend was among the first and biggest transfers of the offseason.

It nearly goes without saying, that quarterbacks are leaders and loners—They carry the weight of their team's hopes on their shoulders. All offensive action comes through the QB. Indeed, they are the focal point. Moreover, Leonard's transfer to Notre Dame follows in the foot steps Sam Hartman, a of a high profile transfer from one year prior. Leonard decided to make his mark as a leader with some preparation that has little to do with X's and O's and everything to do with how those will succeed. 

Pete Thamel tells the story of how he used Quizlet, the website and app used primarily as a study tool for students, to  learn the names and faces of his teammates ahead of his arrival at Notre Dame.

“So Quizlet, you and I call them flashcards, but we didn’t have iPhones,” Thamel explained. “And he put all, let’s just say, 100 of his teammates, walk-ons, everybody. He put all of their pictures and their names in Quizlet and he memorized everyone’s name and face.”

The former Duke student-athlete showed off his academic side and passed his self-made assignment with flying colors according to Thamel. Likely more familiar with his teammates that some of the Fighting Irish’s returning players following his study sessions.

“So the first day he walked in if Rece Davis was the backup long snapper from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, he would walk in and be like, ‘What’s up Rece? How was your break and Muscle Shoals?’ The back of long snapper is like how does he know who I am? He said that he went like 100 for 100, he said he didn’t get one guy’s name wrong,” Thamel said.

The effort put forth by Leonard is a tedious and small gesture that could potentially go a long way for Notre Dame. Showing great initiative as he looks to lead the program this upcoming season despite it representing his only year with the team.

“So anyway, but I thought that was instructive,” Thamel said. “People are like oh yeah, he’ll just go in and start. It’s like well it’s kind of hard, like these guys have to be rallied around you. They have to like you, have to be connected to them, you have to be you have to build, you have to build through adversity sometimes. But that was one of my favorite stories of the offseason.”

It was one of my favorite stories, too. Learning someone's name and calling him or her by it is Leadership 101. I know people who resent given leaders because they have never gotten to know who they are, and in particular—their name.

I will concede that for some people like me, learning names doesn't come easily. I have a tendency to remember where someone is from before I remember their name. However, in Leonard, we are given a tool...a practice...a method for learning and remembering names.

I decided that I would enter into the 2024 school year doing what Leonard did. I committed to creating my own flashcards (sorry Quizlet) as a sort of social experiment. I wanted to know: Could I do it? Would I enjoy the first day more? How might my students feel when they hear their names? Furthermore, I love a good social experiment, an opportunity to see how my students will respond to particular situations or scenarios. I learn a lot about them, but also about myself. I enjoy talking to my colleague who teaches psychology for social experiments he asks of his students. I am on the search for my own. Though he did not intend for this practice to be one, Leonard created one that all teachers and coaches might consider for themselves.

The result? First, I have mad respect for Leonard. 100 names is A LOT. I had to learn but 60 and it wasn't easy. Second, it was a little more challenging than I thought. I started my own flashcards about five days before school started. I needed at least a week or two. I should have employed those study skills I had when I was in high school when I used flashcards regularly. They work!...if you use them/make a game of it. Most importantly, I DID learn my students names and many of them were surprised—even delighted. One student said "How did you know my name?!" I asked another student to give me the first letter of his name. He told me and I got it right. His response was "I want you know I am going to be your favorite student." I said, "I hope so."

Malloy is right. Good leadership starts with "People First." All of us have a name and it deserves to be known and used. Find a way—a tactic or a procedure to learn them. That's also being a good student. Here's to a great school year and football season!

Photo Credits
Riley Leonard
Quizlet
Teammates
Coach and Leonard

A Few Receptions from Netflix's Series: Receiver

Perhaps you caught the Netflix series Receiver. From the creators of Quarterback, "the eight-episode series chronicles the high stakes of a good catch." If you're like me, you were excited to share select scenes with fellow football fans and / or discuss them with anyone willing to listen.

Though I didn't find many outstanding connections to the curriculum of Sports and Spirituality I did ruminate over a few ideas. Several stories have stay with me. I thought they were worth putting into the Blogosphere for the purpose of dialog. I would like to know what you discover, decide, and question for debate. I hope we will. 

1. Why Receiver?
The opening show features five of the highest profile receivers in the game: Davante Adams (Las Vegas Raiders), Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings), George Kittle and Deebo Samuel (San Francisco Forty Niners) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions). However, one of these players is not like the others. 

Upon hearing the show's line-up, my friend John— who played college football—asked me a  logical question: Why is the show called Receiver? George Kittle is considered one of the best tight ends in the game. "My guess," I said, "is because it's about players who receive the ball. Kittle eclipsed over 1,000 receiving yards during the seventeenth game of the season. This feat was celebrated on the show." Who knows, maybe the director just knew Kittle would also provide more than his fair share of lively content. Thoughts? 

How we think about athletes, what we call them, the way they play the game in light of their position is worth on-going consideration. No doubt—the game has changed and will continue to do so. Names have too. Perhaps you have noticed that wide receivers are referred to more and more as wide outs. Players on the field receive the ball in many ways—short passes and longer ones, hand offs, some run the option, etc. Who receives the ball is worth learning more about. It's why I loved this series.

2. There's more to life—and to all of us— than what meets the eye.
Not one of these receivers is to be underestimated; each one is multifaceted, multidimensional. Yes, each athlete moves the ball in his own unique way. Deebo is just explosive. Jefferson makes catches no one should land—the work looks effortless. They are fantastic on the field but the lives they live off of it are dynamic as well. 

For now, Davante Adams is a "girl dad." Segments move from Adams breaking tackles and pulling down the pigskin to kissing, hugging and doting on his young daughters. In Episode 8, "Leaving Las Vegas" he says "Everybody's been teasing me about being a girl dad for the longest time." The camera turns to his beautiful wife who reveals that they are expecting a son. She adds, "the four of us had our own gender reveal party. Davante came dressed in blue. It good thing he was right." Adams shrugged his shoulders and responded, "I'll go from being a girl dad to just a dad." Blessings and congratulations to the Adams family.

Though one of the most elite in the game, Adams becomes relatable upon admitting that he too is a cheater. Meaning, he isn't ashamed of the fact that he will take a cheat day from his clean, healthy diet. Jefferson is no different—he eats candy morning, noon and night. He blames his mom. For Adams however, as noted The Most Relatable Moments in Receiver 

His fast food restaurant of choice is Taco Bell. Adams, however, also enjoys the perks that come with being endorsed by the beloved Mexican-inspired chain.

In Episode 5, Adams takes a trip to Taco Bell’s headquarters in the middle of the Raiders’ bye week, where he’s treated to a meal full of new and unreleased concoctions. 

“Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory is definitely a way to describe it,” Adams says. 

One need not be a pro-athlete to understand a Wonka Scrumdiddlyumptious bar or a Chalupa Supreme make just one kind of cheating okay. 

Other surprises include the fact that Amon-Ra St. Brown speaks German fluently. His mother, Miriam Steyer Brown, who hails from Leverkusen, Germany made a point of teaching her three sons the language. They had to study and read it and throughout the show she speaks to them in German. It's so inspiring to see St. Brown speaking German in many a post-game interview. Ja!

George Kittle presents himself as wild and wacky. The man wears crazy clothing, his hair styles are nothing short of eccentric. Even his behavior—Kittle is nothing short of hyper and yet, he is very traditional. "G" has been married to his wife Claire since 2019. They met during their freshman year at Iowa in 2013. I's obvious that she is his teammate for life. His parents, Bruce and Jan are in attendance at every game. More on this in point #4. 

While each receiver is unique, they share a lot in common. And just one of those attributes is that they will surprise you both on and off the field in the best way possible. 

3. More Drudge
In my blog post, Embrace the Drudge, I defined drudgery and why it's important if one is to achieve excellence. Every sport asks its athlete to engage in challenging, highly repetitive tasks that are  unavoidable or necessary for achieving a goal. Although it may be fun to work with a JUGS machine at first, my sense is that like anything you do daily, it can be monotonous. 

The routine started when St. Brown was in middle school. While on the 7-on-7 circuits as a kid in Southern California, his father noticed another kid’s elite catching ability and approached the player’s father for pointers. He learned the other kid honed his skill by catching 200 passes on the Jugs machine, so St. Brown and his dad added two more catches to outwork him. He's done it ever since.

The pay off? Since entering the league in 2021, St. Brown has a 1% drop rate. His three dropped passes in 265 targets is the lowest among all players with 200-plus targets in that span, according to ESPN Stats & Information, and his 74% reception rate is the fourth-highest.

Embrace that pigskin...err drudgery.

4. Speak things into existence
Football is an emotional game. Given the emotional nature of the game, it's no surprise football players respond, cope and manage it differently. George Kittle handles the stress, pressure and excitement with talking and more talking. Yelling. Screaming. Swearing. and more.

One of my favorite scenes is when he speaking to fellow "receiver," Christian McCaffrey about a special memory. He says "remember when we were at the Bruno Mars concert in Vegas? That was so much fun." His story has nothing to do with the game, but as Kittle starts dancing, it's hard not to appreciate this is another example of Kittle on Kittle.

In 2006, a self-help book by Rhonda Byrne was all the rage. "The Secret" informed readers to "ask, believe and receive." By speaking things into existence and believing in those desires anyone could make them happen. Get ready, for you will receive. Don't ask? Don't believe? You won't receive. 

Given his age, it's unlikely that Kittle would have been aware of the popularity of this book. I don't know if he subscribes to Byrne's philosophy, but plenty of people do. Do you? 

Time and again, George stands on the sidelines speaking out loud to himself. He will say mottos like Breathe in healing. Breathe out pain. He will tell himself it's time to score. Let's get some TDs. He will remind himself to that pain is temporary. Time to pancake someone! The director is no dummy. The next scene will often show was Kittle has just spoken into existence. I wish it were that easy. Still, I think it's an interesting point of discussion. What's your take on speaking things into existence?

FWIW: I tried this on hole #3 on Ocean and I did make birdie. 

5. The importance of family
No man is an island. No receiver is either. You may be watching the program to learn about the athlete on the field, but you'll end up learning a whole lot about the people that love them and ground them.

One of my favorite scenes is when Deebo Samuel, Mahogany Jones and their son Tyshun, Jr travel to Morgan Hill to visit a pumpkin patch. Deebo admits "I've never been to a pumpkin patch. It's different than I thought it was going to be." Seeing the WR take his two year old son on a miniature cow train as it rolls besides pumpkins and scarecrows feels a long way from the hash marks and turf of Levi's Stadium. 

Jones admits that not much gets Deebo's attention except for football and his son. "It's his son, football and me. Even when he has an off day, he's busy so when we do things I'm like O my God, I had so much fun." 

Deebo responds, "When I'm not around football, I don't want to be bothered by it. I know it's part of who I am but I feel like when I'm with my family, I think it's family time and I don't want to be bothered by nothing else." 

I left the series thinking that without family, there is no football. You think you're watching a show about five athletes in the NFL. You end up learning about and appreciating their nuclear and extended families. 

Their spouses, parents, siblings and family aren't just people wearing their jersey in the stands, truly they are sources of strength for five men who physically test and push the limits every weekend. Who is your favorite?

Touchdown
I wrote about just five talking points from Receiver, but I could have listed at least 500. For example, I still laugh at Amon-Ra's father, John Brown who refers to girlfriends as "Dream killers." He said "and if I had a daughter who was an athlete, I would tell her the same thing about a boyfriend." 

Those who watched Quarterback loved this series as well. It might be interesting to compare and contrast "take-aways" from each. I do wonder to what degree I enjoyed Receiver because it featured two 49ers. No matter, this program has me ready and excited for the 2025 NFL season and watching these players do what they do.. 

Maybe St. Francis had it right. it is in the giving that we receive. They give a lot to the game, their teammates and families. Their job? Receive all they can. 

Photo Credits
Deebo
George and Claire
Receiver
GirlDad