Buzz
Professional sports are incredibly competitive, featuring top athletes and coaches from across the globe. Success is crucial, as failure often leads to swift turnover among players, coaches, and executives. Therefore, it’s no surprise that teams are always searching for new ways to gain an advantage. Below are 10 of the most unusual methods pro teams employ to get the upper hand.
10. Facial Coding Analysis
Psychologists have long used facial coding to analyze how expressions can reveal emotions, and animators rely on it to create lifelike character expressions. The Milwaukee Bucks, however, have enlisted a facial coding expert to assess the emotional resilience of players, particularly those under consideration for highly lucrative contracts.
The Bucks brought on Dan Hill, an expert in facial coding, as part of their evaluation process for the NBA draft. With Hill's analysis, the team concluded that Jabari Parker possessed the emotional strength needed to thrive in the NBA, while Dante Exum may not be able to emotionally endure the pressures. The facial coding study was a pivotal factor in the decision to choose Parker over Exum. Now, the Bucks and other professional teams are using 'emotion metrics' to better understand their players and optimize performance.
9. Using ‘V Energy’ for Motivation
Fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers were understandably upset with the team's management during the tenure of then-owner Frank McCourt. His ongoing divorce proceedings exposed financial mismanagement, which contributed to the disappointing seasons the Dodgers experienced during his ownership.
One of the most peculiar actions taken under McCourt's ownership was the hiring of a Russian healer who went by the name of Vladimir Shpunt. Despite being based in Boston, Shpunt was paid a six-figure salary by the Dodgers to channel 'positive energy' to the team from across the country.
Shpunt, who confessed to having little knowledge of baseball, relocated to the U.S. with assistance from Zhores Alferov, a future Nobel laureate in physics, who described Shpunt as an 'eminent scientist' and an 'outstanding inventor.' For five years, Shpunt was paid generously to channel positive energy to the Dodgers, even being asked to help player Jayson Werth. However, the 'V energy' didn’t seem to have any impact on Werth, nor is it easy to believe it had any effect on the team. Nevertheless, the Dodgers were clearly determined to explore every possible avenue to claim a World Series victory.
8. Zen Teachings and Meditation
There have been numerous fascinating coach-player dynamics in sports history, but the partnership between Phil Jackson and Shaquille O'Neal was undoubtedly captivating to witness. O'Neal, who now serves as a commentator for TNT, has frequently discussed Jackson’s triangle offense. Yet, one of the more intriguing elements of Jackson’s coaching style was his inclusion of meditation during practice, a technique he used with both the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. At times, Jackson also had the Bulls practice in complete darkness and silence.
Jackson was renowned for giving his players books as gifts, typically selecting ones with lessons that resonated with the individual. For instance, he gifted Shaquille O’Neal a copy of Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, humorously asking him to write a book report. O’Neal read it and responded, saying, "It's about a young man who's rich, famous, attractive, and surrounded by women—just like me."
7. The Rise of Highly Specialized Analytics
In modern professional sports, teams have significantly invested in analyzing players, both current and potential. To fully evaluate a player's worth, they now rely on advanced statistics. In the past, an NBA general manager might have only examined basic stats like points per game and rebounds, supplemented by scouts’ observations. Today, they dive into metrics such as PER (player efficiency rating), win shares, and rebound percentage (the proportion of available rebounds a player secures while on the court).
Baseball has taken this specificity even further. While a player's batting average, home runs, and RBIs used to be the primary indicators, teams now use extensive data to measure a player’s true value. A notable example is pitch framing, a metric that evaluates how well a catcher influences the umpire's strike calls. Catchers are now assessed on their ability to turn borderline pitches into strikes, regardless of their location in the strike zone. The impact of pitch framing is measured in runs saved, which can reach up to 50 over an entire season.
6. Adopting and Implementing Wall Street Techniques
Recognizing undervalued assets and identifying market inefficiencies are crucial skills for professionals on Wall Street. With their in-depth knowledge of advanced financial tactics, many investment bankers are discovering that their expertise has made them valuable assets in Major League Baseball.
Andrew Friedman, who previously worked with the Tampa Bay Rays and now serves with the Los Angeles Dodgers, exemplifies this trend. After transitioning from his role as an analyst at Bear Stearns to the Rays’ front office, Friedman applied his Wall Street expertise to transform a struggling team into a small-market powerhouse. He focused intensely on uncovering market inefficiencies, enabling him to sign players to cost-effective, long-term contracts and stay competitive with AL East teams boasting $100 million higher payrolls each season.
Friedman holds the data his team uses in such high regard that new hires are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement, ensuring that the front office retains a competitive edge through exclusive information.
5. Fostering a 'Positive' Environment
For years, it's been a given that competitive sports often come with a fair amount of yelling. While it may not reach the level of a Bobby Knight outburst, shouting and harsh reprimands have long been seen as a standard part of the experience for those striving for a championship.
But that’s not the case with the Seattle Seahawks.
Pete Carroll, head coach of the reigning Super Bowl champions, has made it a priority to create a joyful atmosphere for his players. Everyone within the organization is encouraged to maintain an optimistic attitude, with Carroll urging his players to "perform your role better than it’s ever been done before," rather than reprimanding them for errors. The Seahawks have adopted Phil Jackson’s technique of incorporating meditation into practice, along with adding yoga sessions and “imagery work,” which is part of Seattle’s Neurotopia brain-performance testing.
4. Surveillance on Par with CIA Tactics
Although this list was compiled before the emergence of “Deflategate,” it’s not the first time the Patriots have found themselves in controversy. One of the most infamous scandals in recent NFL history was “Spygate,” where Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots were fined and penalized for secretly recording the New York Jets’ sideline signals. A Patriots intern filmed the opposing team’s defensive signals so they could be analyzed, giving the Patriots a clear advantage by knowing the Jets' strategies ahead of time.
To fully capitalize on the information the team had gathered, the Patriots set up a concealed radio frequency that allowed a member of the staff to communicate with the quarterback long after the NFL's regulated time, which forbids sideline-to-field communication once the play clock reaches 15 seconds. This allowed the coaches to relay messages to quarterback Tom Brady during plays, with reports suggesting that they were informing him which receivers were open on each play.
A newly released book on the subject claims that the espionage hasn’t stopped and may explain the Patriots' outstanding home performance over the years, as well as why so few coaches have managed to find success after leaving New England.
3. Complete Absence of Hospitality
The Boston Celtics were one of the premier teams of the 1980s, and Red Auerbach was one of basketball’s most pioneering executives. It comes as no surprise, then, that Auerbach made sure the visiting locker room was uncomfortably hot, resembling a sauna, with freezing cold showers to match. The situation escalated to the point that, during the 1984 NBA Finals, the Lakers demanded air conditioning for their locker room. Auerbach provided it, still in its box and left on the floor.
The strategy proved successful for the Celtics, as Game Five in Boston saw the Boston Garden reach a sweltering 36 degrees Celsius (97 °F). Larry Bird was outstanding, putting up 34 points and grabbing 17 rebounds, all while the Lakers—led by all-time scoring leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—struggled, with some players needing oxygen just to keep going. Boston triumphed in the game and claimed the series in seven games, securing their second championship of the 1980s.
2. Early Morning Concert Performances
World Cup qualification is a matter of great importance for both athletes and their supporters. Often, securing a victory for the team becomes a collective national endeavor. Such was the case when the Swedish national team faced off against Portugal, with the home team leaving no stone unturned in their search for an advantage.
They initially attempted to leave the roof of the arena open, despite freezing temperatures and the high probability of snowfall. However, while keeping the arena roof open might only provide a slight advantage to the home team, hosting a concert outside the opposing team's hotel at 7:15 AM gave a clear edge. Markoolio, a singer/songwriter, organized the concert to disturb Portugal’s rest by rapping insults in a language they didn’t understand.
This wasn’t the first time such a tactic was used; Algerian fans had previously disturbed the Burkina Faso team’s sleep by blaring car horns, setting off fireworks, and using the notorious vuvuzela, one of the most disruptive noisemakers imaginable.
1. Code Breaking
Given the ease with which NFL sideline signals can be intercepted by opponents, many teams now implement protective measures to safeguard their calls. The Philadelphia Eagles, however, are particularly cautious and take extreme steps to prevent any rival from cracking their code. Head coach Chip Kelly uses multiple assistants who hold different placards at varying times, each wearing a specific shirt, arm band, or hat to disguise the signals.
To test the effectiveness of Kelly's code, ESPN enlisted a mathematician and a team of photographers during his time at the University of Oregon. Despite their efforts, they were unable to discern any correlation between the placards and colors used and the actual plays executed. Additionally, Kelly brought in Shaun Huls, a sports sciences coordinator and former Navy SEALS strength and conditioning coach, to ensure that his players were both mentally and physically prepared for the demands of the Eagles’ system.
