A Strong Mind: Blake O’Neill
Choosing a Strong Mind
The University of Michigan was poised to win a huge rivalry game against in-state opponent Michigan State. Then the unthinkable happened. 10 seconds left in the game. Simple play. Punt the ball away and make a tackle. Great players on the field, on both sides of the ball, including a punter who had made an 80 yard punt earlier in the game, 80 YARDS! Of course you will punt the ball away and let the clock run out, game over, Michigan wins!
Well…we all know what happened next. A dropped snap and failed attempt to salvage a kick led to a Spartan touchdown. It was a victory that left nearly 100,000 fans speechless (some in tears) and Spartan fans that left the game early kicked themselves over missing the historic punt.
This heated rivalry is often described as being on the level of sibling hatred – and it’s an accurate description. Blake O’Neill, Michigan’s punter, would later receive numerous hateful tweets from victim-minded fans* that included suggestions of suicide and death threats.
Blake O’Neill, could easily play the victim here. But he doesn’t. He does the exact opposite. He takes responsibility for his mistake. He acknowledges his role in the play that led to yet another Wolverine loss to the boys wearing green and white.
He spoke with the media (which he didn’t have to) and openly discussed would could have been a very painful 3-4 days.
He noted that there are learning opportunities both on and off the field related to the game and the aftermath. He knows that he has a choice in his mindset and he is actively choosing a strong mind, the Mindset of a Champion.
He courageously and maturely speaks about the play and the series of events that have played out since that game-changing play. What a great example of how an athlete can choose to respond to a very difficult experience.
It should be noted that the large majority of Michigan fans have been very supportive and encouraging of Blake as he lets go of one mistake and moves on to preparing for the next game.
Dr. Tim White is a licensed psychologist and a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. He is known for his extensive knowledge and emphasis on the mind-body connection, most notably in the recovery from injury / return to sport process. Having worked on staff as an athletic trainer with the New York Jets, University of Utah, University of Michigan and many other professional and NCAA Division-I athletes, Dr. Tim White has the experience to prepare elite level athletes to excel on and off the field.