Reading the sports page for metaphors has been a source of delight and serious learning about the power of metaphors, the whole communication process. The Super Bowl LIV was not only aa great game for the come back of the Kansas City Chiefs but how the metaphor resilient influenced the outcome. They made 21 points in the last quarter, down 10 at the end of the fourth quarter.
The quarterback Patrick Mahomes chose resiliency a year before when he decided to start serious work outs for the Super Bowl. The word was shared with the team and in games leading up to their final win they demonstrated come backs more than once. They had been resilient before the fourth quarter on the Super Bowl. The other motivating factor was to win the ring for their “teddy bear” coach, Andy Rreid, who had waited 21 years for the NFL grail. With grail we have a deep meaning theological word being moved to the trophy. The grail from the Grail Story has the question who does the grail serve? It has certainly served to motivate a lot of football players, coaches, executives, and fans.
Most of the memorable metaphors went to Patrick in the articles read. Rifle arm describe his passes with the reference to being the son of a major league baseball relief pitcher. Then how music entered I don’t know, but highly imaginative sports writers do this kind of writing. There was a executive who say Patrick as a developing Mozart. Mozart is great but how he developed is beyond me.
I hope you recognized the metaphors that came out of the big game.
Were I training the art of story metaphor listening I would be sharing these metaphors. Or handing out the article for those present to identify these metaphors. There are more than I will mention but I encourage your own efforts. Learning to hear and read metaphor will tell you a great deal, even open up a whole new world.
Patrick is more than a rifle arm passer. He is an astute quarter back who knows hoe to motivate and chose a word that can revive a team in the midst of defeat.
The definition of resilient: “adjective. springing back; rebounding. returning to the original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched. recovering readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyant.”
I first heard the word in recent years in association with grief recovery work. when I was an active chaplain supervising grief recovery groups. I don’t remember ever hearing the word in relation to recovery. It is new on the scene and now it is new in the sports world. Maybe Patrick heard it someplace else to move it to his own experience and the experience of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Shalom,
Marlin Whitmer
retired hospital chaplain
mwhtimer80@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment