How effective are motivational pre-game/halftime speeches for you?

[Rain Man]

The thread about the Lions' meathead coach got me thinking about all those videos of football captains or coaches with their players gathered around before games, exhorting them to victory and glory and having a gleam and stuff.

I never played organized football since my parents were committed to making me as unpopular as possible, so I never ate an orange in the locker room while hearing a halftime speech, or gathered into a pre-game mass to stand entranced by the motivational speaking powers of our local football standout.

I'll ask the question in a poll, and when the poll starts I WANT YOU TO GO OUT THERE AND VOTE! KILL THAT POLL! WE'RE IN THIS TO GET A THOUSAND RESPONSES AND YOU'RE GOING TO HELP US WIN! THIS IS YOUR DESTINY! YOU CAN DO THIS! GET IT DONE!

[Why Not?]

I mean, they are fun and part of the experience. Do they really matter? Let me put it to you like this....I bet many a coach has given an impassioned speech while losing or leading the Chiefs by a few points or before a playoff game or Super Bowl, only to see Mahomes use the sheet the speech was written on as a shot rag.

[ptlyon]

They should bring Al pachino in and recreate the scent of a woman court scene

[scho63]

I was really motivated pre-thread when I read the title but lost all motivation at the halfway point going through all the choices.

[BWillie]

Next to zero. But some guys need em

[ThaVirus]

I’m not a rah rah kind of guy so they never did anything for me.

I know it’s effective for others, though, so more power to ‘em.

[Bearcat]

I said minorly.

I've had rah-rah yelling bosses and it just doesn't do it for me at all... if anything, I'll probably laugh at the outburst.

I'd be at least somewhat motivated by stuff that went beyond cliches.... mentioning we can take advantage of a weakness or little reminders to get everyone focused.

And I have no idea how coaches do it, game after game and year after year, especially on a team that's been there and done that. Of course, there are always new faces and young kids to coach up, but keeping the energy high during the dog days of the regular season (well, September through late December) would be tough.

[poolboy]

just play some Phil Collins instead

[KC_Lee]

[loochy]

Not effective. It's tired, made up shit. If I'm not already motivated for real reasons, some words from a jackass won't help

[Cheater5]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Independent of the halftime speech, did you win or lose?

We won, 13 - 10 on a literal last second 37 yard field goal.

It was really more about the man giving the speech than what he said— we respected him that much. He pulled the seniors into a corner of the locker room, and reminded us that this is likely the last 24 minutes of organized football we’re ever going to play, and just make the most of our opportunities. Yeah, rah-rah kid stuff. But it was true. And we won.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Cheater5

We won, 13 - 10 on a literal last second 37 yard field goal.

It was really more about the man giving the speech than what he said— we respected him that much. He pulled the seniors into a corner of the locker room, and reminded us that this is likely the last 24 minutes of organized football we’re ever going to play, and just make the most of our opportunities. Yeah, rah-rah kid stuff. But it was true. And we won.

If they make a movie of that, I'll watch it. I'll offer a belated congratulations.

I wonder if that's the highlight of your kicker's life, whether he'll admit that to his family or not.