Most people don’t realize there’s a relationship between Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb’s comment on HBO that white quarterbacks “don’t get criticized as much” as their African-American counterparts, and his performance against the Detroit Lions, when he passed for 381 yards and four touchdowns.

When athletes withhold (or suppress) their feelings it’s a form of lying that demeans them and lowers their self-esteem, creating psychological baggage that affects their ability to focus and process information. But when they speak up and release their feelings and emotions, they perform close to their skill level on a consistent basis. Such was the case with Donovan McNabb.