I’m watching the Minnesota Vikings play the Dallas Cowboys. On a recent play, Brett Favre was about to be sacked by a charging DeMarcus Ware, who came in unblocked from the right as Farve was looking left.
Just as he was about to be sacked, Favre dropped his shoulder and fell to the ground. Ware went flying over him just as his arms were about to encircle Favre. Favre’s timing was PERFECT. Impeccable, driven by self-preservation against an all-out assault.
Contrast this to a video clip of the Yellow Bamboo System martial artist who attempts the same, ducking strategy against a charging BBJ stylist. As he ducks, he is mounted and choked out by the grappler. This clip has garnered thousands of chuckles across cyberspace. Poor guy.
So what’s the difference? A lot actually.
Like most things, context is key.
In the Yellow Bamboo example, it was a one-on-one, head-to-head confrontation. The “attacker” KNEW and was ready to Anticipate, and Respond to the Defenders movement, whatever it may have been. This was set-up in the fight. “You attack and I ‘will do something’ to defend…” He knew the defender was ready for him and was waiting for his first counter-move so he could adjust. The BJJ attacker knew his attacker was going to do something so he was looking for it so he could counter it. And he did.
In the Football example, Ware attacked with total confidence and commitment because he knew he had Favre “dead to rights.” He had a solid target who apparently wasn’t ready for his attack. He thought he had him and just knew he was going to LEVEL Favre. He didn’t.
I love football because of its unabashed physicality. I especially love watching those GREAT players, like the late Walter Payton, who had the rare skill of being able to make tacklers miss at will. “They ALMOST had him,” just before ending up on the turf and Payton running for a touchdown.
So, the strategy to get the heck out of the way by ducking is a sound one, but it takes lots of practice to develop the correct sensitivity and timing. And the Yellow Bamboo guy should have had some other skills to employ when his “technique” didn’t work. Â Football players, and good martial artists, do.
NOTE:Â I’m not sure how much DeMarcus Ware weighs…