Minute9 Comment: Visual Symbolism - Players with Bibs Overheads

The placement of bibs over players' heads could signify a team ritual, a coach’s specific instruction, or a visualisation technique aimed at enhancing focus and mental preparation pre-game.

Unity and Symbolism

This gesture might symbolise unity among players or represent a team strategy or tradition, fostering a sense of cohesion and shared purpose.

Eye Covering in Speeches: Impact on Audience Perception

Limited Research Landscape

While specific research might be scant, Wostmann et al.(2020) offer insights into the potential impacts of covering one's eyes duringa speech.

Effects on Audience Attention and Engagement

Increased Attention: Eye covering may pique curiosity, eliciting greater attention fromthe audience toward the speaker's words or gestures

Emotional Connection: This action might evoke emotions or establish a deeper emotional connection with the audience by conveying vulnerability or intensity.

Focus on Verbal Content: Eliminating visual distractions (like eye contact) could direct the audience's focus more toward the speech's verbal content.

Speaker-Audience Rapport

However, deliberate eye covering might impede the establishment of speaker-audience rapport, as eye contact typically aids in building trust and connection.

Conclusion

While the visual act of covering players' eyes or one's own eyes during a speech may have potential impacts on audience attention and emotional engagement, more extensive research into this practice could provide clearer insights into its effectiveness and implications for communication strategies.