One of my favorite moments from the Paris 2024 Games was early in a qualifying round match in a full-contact sport, played by two longtime rivals. The US team had given the ball up twice, back to back. The score was tied. The tension was high.

A marquis athlete—a captain and a legend—approached his teammate. He approached him with no haste, only intention. You could see it in his eye contact. There was no smile per se, but a softness. An acceptance. The captain held out his hand. "Hey," and he said his teammate's name. "We're good. All good."

His teammate did smile. His shoulders lowered. He went all in on the next play. Success! And then another. And another. And another. The game remained close. Again and again, the US athletes dispelled each other's tension. They won.

We all know correlation does not equal causation. And yet, there is something........

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