CrossFit Athletic Group

Fellas,

I have a confession to make. I am ashamed about it, but I have come to realize how open all of you are with me - sharing personal things about your family, your fears, and your future - and how I am not holding myself accountable to that as well. So... uggghhhh... here we go. Here is my confession.

I am a heavy participant in social media.

I have been since the moment you met me (maybe with the exception of Jay). I am a slob. I have my own accounts, comment on anything that I feel the need to comment on, share pictures, write short things, write long things, judge things I see that don't align with my beliefs, scroll through pages and pages of information that does nothing to "inform", and refresh the screen any chance I get for something new to grab my attention. Matter of fact, I will share my social media browsing history from last Thursday. Ah gawd it's bad.

• Joel Klatt postgame
• A Way Out - Game Column from MGoBlog
• WTKA Roundtable about the Rose Bowl
• Sam Webb ranting on the field after the Rose Bowl
• Blake Corum's run vs. Washington two years ago
• Iowatch! on MGoBlog
• umgoblue11's comments on MGoBlog
• Can Michigan's Defense Stop Washington's Offense?
• Blake Corum's run vs. Washington two years ago (again)
• 247 Sports recruiting rankings
• 247 Sports Transfer Portal rankings
• The Neck Sharpies on MGoBlog
• Tyrone Wheatley's Rose Bowl game vs. Washington
• And finally, this video (probably for the 84th time) just for the feels:

• okay and this one

My brain was getting pimped out to anyone or anything with maize and blue titty tassels. And even more embarassing than my recent gluttonous consumption is the fact that I run my own social media website called championsclub.squarespace.com.

...........

I'm outnumbered in my efforts coaching you guys. I'm at a disadvantage while coaching you guys; you are Michigan plotting 7(!) offensive linemen out on the field and I'm Penn State wondering how it's possible to cover all these gaps. You see me and your Champions Club people for an hour in a day, you hear a message and get a dose and come out with a physical and mental response.

And then your attention goes elsewhere.

Sometimes elsewhere is important, and sometimes it is not. Either way, even an evening or morning text or phone call doesn't tip the scales much in favor our favor. Subtraction is needed, not addition.

...........

Social media gets a bad rep. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and whatever else... TikTok? Snapchat?... have just as much informative stuff and thought-provoking content as any "professional" media outlet. So to say we need to get off social media is lazy and generalized. Probably. I'm not really sure how those sites work.

What gets disguised as "social media" is Joel Klatt's YouTube channel, or the Fox News ticker, or the bingeworthy category in Netflix, or just about every post in the Beast Mode section of our website. In fact, I don't even think "social media" is the right term for it: more like mindless media or distracting media.

I would like to do some kind of challenge or assignment with regards to subtracting some forms of media from your daily routine once the pro football season ends (giving us a little window between that ending and March Madness starting) but I'm not really sure the specifics. But after talking to Saporito about it, he suggested that the more important than willpower or effort at this point is to just simply be aware of what you're actually doing - same as slouching or standing with your feet turned out. So he was the first participant and wrote down a full day of media:

• Bitcoin YouTube video 1
• Bitcoin YouTube video 2
• Bitcoin YouTube video 3
• Bitcoin YouTube video 4
• Call of Duty Warzone Tips and Strategy
• Amon Ra St. Brown Podcast
• Michigan State vs. Penn State basketball game

So let's start there: write down all of your media consumption during a normal day. Keep it at home or bring it in to the gym. Either way, ask yourself what you actually gain from each source.