Wolverine Spirituality: Football, Meditation, & What J.J. McCarthy Taught Me About Courage

Meditation.

I’ve practiced it for years and recommend it to every man I coach. Most of the time, when I bring it up, there’s a predictable pause. Women usually nod knowingly, but the guys? They raise an eyebrow, shift in their seats, or let out an uncomfortable laugh.

You can’t really blame them. Spirituality—and meditation in particular—has been hijacked by an image that’s unrelatable for most men. It’s all about “yummy” vibes, coconut-infused electrolyte water, and people using words like “juicy” while sweating through overpriced yoga mats. Call it “warm yoga” and lower the damn heat already.

Masculinity has its flaws, sure, but why is "toxic masculinity" always called out while "toxic femininity" gets a free pass?

It’s a real thing, and it’s alienating a lot of men from engaging in spirituality—men who could benefit from it the most.

You want to know what real meditation looks like? Forget the incense and third-eye manifesting nonsense. Let me introduce you to J.J. McCarthy.

The Wolverine Quarterback Who Sat Still

A few nights ago, during the NCAA College Football Playoff, something remarkable happened. No, it wasn’t the game itself—it was fine, but nothing special. What stood out happened before the first snap.

Michigan’s quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, sat cross-legged in the end zone, meditating.

Millions of people were watching, cameras zoomed in, and there he was, in full lotus position, completely still.

Think about that for a second. College football is one of the most hyper-masculine, aggressive environments you can find. For a young man in his early 20s, moments before stepping onto the biggest stage of his life, to sit down and meditate? That’s bold.

Most men wouldn’t have the courage to meditate in private, let alone in front of a live audience of millions. I’ve been practicing meditation for decades, and even when I was a rabbi leading services for thousands of people, I struggled to let myself be that vulnerable.

But J.J. McCarthy didn’t hesitate.

Meditation: The Ultimate Act of Defiance

Meditation, stripped of its fluff, is one of the most courageous acts a man can take.

Dr. Viktor Frankl, my mentor in spirit and thought, put it this way:
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and happiness.”

That’s meditation—the practice of finding that space, no matter what chaos surrounds you.

It’s easy to find that space when you’re alone, in a quiet room, with soft music playing. But real meditation happens when life throws everything at you:

• When you’ve been laid off and have to walk through the door to tell your wife.

• When your wife tells you she wants a divorce.

• When you’re 90 days sober, sitting at a bar staring down a drink.

• When you get a diagnosis that changes everything.

Meditation isn’t just sitting cross-legged and breathing. It’s sitting in the discomfort, expanding that space, and refusing to let fear or chaos dictate your response.

What J.J. McCarthy Taught Me

Watching McCarthy meditate wasn’t just inspiring—it was a masterclass in presence.

He wasn’t meditating to look spiritual. He wasn’t performing for the cameras. He was grounding himself before stepping into the chaos of the game.

If he can do that in one of the most hyper-masculine, high-pressure environments imaginable, what’s stopping the rest of us?

When the world is staring at you, when the stakes are high, and when the noise is deafening, can you find the courage to sit, breathe, and expand your space?

Wolverine Spirituality: A Game Worth Playing

Meditation doesn’t require incense, mantras, or yoga pants. It’s about learning to find stillness in the storm and strength in the silence.

Like J.J. McCarthy, we all have moments where the stakes feel impossibly high. Maybe it’s not a national championship game, but it’s your life, your relationships, your sobriety, your health.

That’s when it matters most. That’s when we need to find that space, expand it, and rise up.

So, to my brothers out there who have been told that spirituality isn’t for men, or that meditation is some fluffy, feminine thing—think again. This is Wolverine spirituality. There’s nothing toxic about it, and it’s a game worth playing.

Are you ready to take the field?

Join Us
If this resonates with you, come join our brotherhood at Man Uprising. Together, we rise into the second half of life with purpose, courage, and authenticity.

Let’s do the work. Let’s rise UP.