Brandon Ally and Scott Wylie, neuroscientists and former college athletes, were working next door to one another at Vanderbilt University about a decade ago when they discovered a shared love of sports.
They even watched the NFL Draft together in 2013, listening to analysts repeat a few phrases that made them think.
×
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
kAm“xE D66>65 =:<6 E96J H6C6 2=H2JD FD:?8 E6C>D =:<6 ‘A=2JD 72DE6C E92? 9:D 7@@EDA665’ @C ‘92D 2 ?@D6 7@C E96 32==[’ 2?E:4:A2E:@? <:?5 @7 E9:?8D[” p==J D2JD] “(6 H6C6 <:?5 @7 =:<6[ ‘*@F <?@H H92En (6 >62DFC6 E92E <:?5 @7 DEF77 2== E96 E:>6 :? @FC =23D]’”k^Am
Brandon Ally
Photo: Eric England
kAm$@ H6C6 3@C? E96 D665D @7 E96 $a r@8?:E:@? E6DE] xE’D 2 b_\cd >:?FE6 5:8:E2= 6G2=F2E:@? CF? E9C@F89 2 82>:?8 =2AE@A[ :?E6?565 E@ >62DFC6 2? 2E9=6E6’D F?:BF6 4@8?:E:G6 D<:==D H:E9 F?AC64656?E65 AC64:D:@? 2?5 244FC24J]k^Am
kAmxED A@AF=2C:EJ 2?5 67764E:G6?6DD =65 E@ E96 4C62E:@? @7 2 }2D9G:==6\32D65 4@>A2?J[ $a r@8?:E:@?[ :? a_`c[ 2?5 E96 $a E6DE :D ?@H 36:?8 FD65 :? 2 H:56 G2C:6EJ @7 AC@76DD:@?2= 2?5 J@FE9 DA@CED]k^Am
kAm&?=:<6 2DD6DD>6?ED E92E 567:?6 2? 2E9=6E6 :? E6C>D @7 E2?8:3=6 2DD6ED =:<6 DA665 2?5 DEC6?8E9[ E96 $a DJDE6> D66<D E@ >2<6 E96 D66>:?8=J F?567:?23=6 >@C6 BF2?E:7:23=6] %96 2:> :D E@ 82F86 9@H :?5:G:5F2=D EC24< 2?5 AC@46DD :?7@C>2E:@? :? G:DF2= 6?G:C@?>6?ED[ 2D H6== 2D 9@H E96J 6I64FE6 DA=:E\D64@?5 564:D:@?D E@ DE2CE[ DE@A 2?5 492?86 24E:@?D]k^Am
kAm“(6 DEF5J G:D:@? 2?5 H6 DEF5J >@E@C 4@?EC@= — 9@H J@F :?9:3:E C6DA@?5:?8 :>AF=D:G6=J E@ 46CE2:? E9:?8D E92E H6’C6
7@C4 :?8 J@F E@ 3:E6 @?[ 9@H E@ D9:6=5
J@FC >@E@C DJDE6> :? E96 7246 @7 5:DEC24E:@?[
E9@D6 <:?5D @7 E9:?8D[” p==J D2JD] “$@ H6 42AEFC6 9@H ,2E9=6E6D’. 3C2:?D 2C6 H:C65[ E96 42A24:EJ 7@C E92E DJDE6>[ 2?5 E96? H6 E2=< H:E9
4@2496D 23@FE 9@H E92E H:== =:<6=J >2?:76DE @? E96 7:6=5 @7 A=2J]”k^Am
kAmp==J 7C6BF6?E=J 92D E@ A@:?E @FE E92E E96 $a :D >F49 5:776C6?E E92? E96 (@?56C=:4 E6DE[ 2 d_\BF6DE:@? 6I2> 56D:8?65 E@ >62DFC6 :?E6==:86?46 E9C@F89 4@8?:E:G6 2?5 AC@3=6>\D@=G:?8 23:=:EJ =@?8 FD65 :? 2DD6DD:?8
}u{ AC@DA64ED]k^Am
kAm%96 $a :D >@C6 2? :?5:42E:@? @7 9@H BF:4<=J 2?5 244FC2E6=J 2E9=6E6D AC@46DD :?7@C>2E:@?]k^Am
kAm“(6 >62DFC6 E96 42A24:EJ @7 6249 4@8?:E:G6 DJDE6>[ 2?5 E96 4@8?:E:G6 DJDE6>D H6 <?@H J@F 92G6 E@ FD6 @? E96 7:6=5[” p==J D2JD] “(6 >62DFC6 6DD6?E:2==J DF3\D64@?5 C624E:@?D E@ 5:776C6?E EJA6D @7 DE:>F=: E92E 4@F=5 4C62E6 4@?7=:4E :? J@FC G:DF2= 7:6=5 @C ;FDE ?665 J@F E@ C2A:5=J :56?E:7J D@>6E9:?8] $@ :E’D 4@>A=6E6=J 56G@:5 @7 x"[ @7 3@@<\D>2CE <:?5 @7 E9:?8D] xE’D ;FDE AFC6=J G:DF2=\C624E:@? 32D65]”k^Am
kAm*@FE9[ 4@==686 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2= DA@CED — DF49 2D E96 }u{[ }qp[ |{q[ }w{[ |{$ 2?5 }p$rp# — 92G6 366? FD:?8 E96 $a ?@H 7@C J62CD] %92E 8C@FA :?4=F56D E96 %6??6DD66 %:E2?D 2?5 '2?56C3:=E’D 32D632== E62>] p==J D2:5 $a 92D 2=D@ ?@H >@G65 :?E@ E96 H@C=5 @7 >:=:E2CJ 2?5 =2H 6?7@C46>6?E]k^Am
kAmqFE E96 E6DE’D G:D:3:=:EJ D66>D E@ 92G6 C:D6? D:8?:7:42?E=J @G6C E96 A2DE 76H J62CD[ :? A2CE 3642FD6 `e }u{ E62>D — 92=7 E96 =628F6 — ?@H FE:=:K6 $a 52E2 E6DE:?8[ 2?5 :? A2CE 3642FD6 @7 9@H E9@D6 ?F>36CD C6=2E6 E@ E96 }u{’D 5C27E:?8 @7 BF2CE6C324<D]k^Am
kAm%96 :?4C62D65 CFD9 @7 C64@8?:E:@? 3682? H96? p==J 2?5 9:D 4@==628F6D H@C<65 H:E9 7@C>6C {$& BF2CE6C324< y@6 qFCC@H[ H:E9 E96 EH@ D:56D 28C66:?8 qFCC@H’D $a D4@C6 4@F=5 36 FD65 @? E96 4@>A2?J’D D:E6 7@C AC@>@E:@?2= >2E6C:2=D] qFCC@H 2465 E96 E6DE H:E9 2 D4@C6 @7 hf A6C46?E Weg :D 4@?D:56C65 2G6C286 2?5 2?JE9:?8 @G6C g_ :D 4@?D:56C65 6=:E6X[ H6?E @? E@ 364@>6 E96 7:CDE A:4< @7 E96 a_a_ 5C27E 2?5 92D 366? 2 DE2C 7@C r:?4:??2E: 6G6C D:?46 6?E6C:?8 E96 =628F6]k^Am
kAmp D64@?5 H2G6 @7 2EE6?E:@? 42>6 :? a_aa[ H96? $2? uC2?4:D4@ C@@<:6 BF2CE6C324< qC@4< !FC5J[ 2? F?96C2=565 D6G6?E9\C@F?5 5C27E A:4<[ DE6AA65 :?E@ E96 ch6CD =:?6FA 3642FD6 @7 :?;FCJ 2?5 =65 9:D E62> E@ D6G6? DEC2:89E H:?D] xE H2D C6A@CE65 !FC5J 925 D4@C65 :? E96 “>:5\h_D” @? 9:D $a E6DE[ 7FCE96C:?8 E96 :562 :? E96 >:?5D @7 >2?J E92E E96 $a H2D 2 8@@5 AC65:4E@C @7 DF446DD 2E BF2CE6C324< — H9:49 ;FDE D@ 92AA6?D E@ 36 E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E A@D:E:@? @? E96 7:6=5]k^Am
kAm%96? 42>6 E96 F?2FE9@C:K65 — 2?5 5:DAFE65 — =62<D @7 $a BF2CE6C324< D4@C6D =625:?8 FA E@ E96 a_ab 5C27E =2DE pAC:=[ H96? :E H2D C6A@CE65 E92E AC@DA64ED =:<6 p=232>2’D qCJ46 *@F?8 Whg A6C46?EX 2?5 z6?EF4<J’D (:== {6G:D Whb A6C46?EX 925 5@?6 G6CJ H6==[ H9:=6 @E96CD =:<6 %6??6DD66’D w6?5@? w@@<6C Wce A6C46?EX 2?5 ~9:@ $E2E6’D r]y] $EC@F5 W`g A6C46?EX =28865 72C 369:?5]k^Am
kAm%9@D6 ?F>36CD AC@>AE65 :>>65:2E6 5632E6 2>@?8 }u{ 2?2=JDED]k^Am
kAms2? ~C=@GD<J[ 2 7@C>6C BF2CE6C324< :? E96 =628F6[ AC2:D65 $EC@F5’D 4@8?:E:G6 23:=:EJ[ HC:E:?8 E92E E96
AC@DA64E “A=2JD G6CJ :?E6==:86?E 2?5 ,AC@46DD6D. 2 =@E @7 :?7@C>2E:@?]”k^Am
kAmpD<65 23@FE $EC@F5’D DFAA@D65 D4@C6[ %:E2?D 86?6C2= >2?286C #2? r2CE9@? D2:5 =625:?8 FA E@ E96 5C27E E92E $a 6G2=F2E:@?D H6C6?’E 2 >2<6\@C\3C62< 724E@C 7@C 9:> H96? :E 42>6 E@ 2?2=JK:?8 BF2CE6C324<D]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 2 A2CE @7 E96 2?2=JE:4D A:646[” r2CE9@? D2:5 2E E96 E:>6] “xE’D ?@E E96 6?5 2==[ 36 2==] qFE :E’D ;FDE 2?@E96C H2J 7@C FD E@ FD6 2?5 6G2=F2E6 A=2J6CD] (92E6G6C E96 E6DE D4@C6D 2C6[ E96J 2C6] xE >2<6D FD 8@ 324< 2?5 5@ 9@>6H@C<[ @?6 H2J @C E96 @E96C]”k^Am
kAmx? E96 6?5[ *@F?8 H2D 5C27E65 7:CDE @G6C2== 3J r2C@=:?2[ $EC@F5 D64@?5 3J w@FDE@? 2?5 {6G:D bbC5 3J E96 %:E2?D]k^Am
kAmp==J 2?5 (J=:6[ ?@H 3@E9 H@C<:?8 :? E96 ?6FC@DFC86CJ 56A2CE>6?E 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 {@F:DG:==6[ 92G6 62C?65 A=6?EJ @7 2EE6?E:@? 3642FD6 @7 E96 $a’D FD6 3J AC@76DD:@?2= DA@CED E62>D] %96 EH@ 7C:6?5D[ 9@H6G6C[ C6>2:? 8F:565 3J E96:C @C:8:?2= >:DD:@? :? 4C62E:?8 E96 $ai E@ 96=A J@F?8 2E9=6E6D[ 6DA64:2==J E9@D6 :? E96 `a\`d 286 C2?86[ 56G6=@A]k^Am
kAm~?6 C62D@?n ~?46 2E9=6E6D 86E :?E@ E96:C >:5\a_D[ E96 3C2:?’D H:C:?8 E6?5D E@ 36 72:C=J DE23=6[ =:>:E:?8 E96 2>@F?E @7 492?86 E92E 42? 36 >256 7@==@H:?8 $a E6DE:?8] %96 62C=:6C 2? 2E9=6E6 =62C?D H92E 96 @C D96 >FDE 5@ E@ C6H:C6 E96 3C2:? — 32D65 @? $a 7665324< — E96 >@C6 E:>6 E96C6 :D E@ 36?67:E 7C@> :E]k^Am
kAm“u:7EJ A6C46?E @7 E96 <:5D @FE @? E96 {:EE=6 {628F6 7:6=5 @C E96 7=28 7@@E32== 7:6=5[ :7 J@F 2D<65 E96>[ E96J H@F=5 D2J E96:C 8@2= :D E@ A=2J 4@==686 32==[” p==J D2JD] “$@ E@ ECJ E@ 96=A E96> C6249 E92E[ E@ 96=A E96> 92G6 2 =:EE=6 3:E @7 DF446DD[ 766= 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 DF446DD7F=[ 36 >@C6 4@?7:56?E :? E96>D6=G6D 2?5 E96:C 23:=:EJ ,:D H92E H6 H2?E.]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< DA@CE 92D E96 23:=:EJ E@ 492?86 A6@A=6D’ =:G6D[ E96 H2J E96J E9:?< 23@FE E96>D6=G6D[ E96
H2J E96J :?E6C24E H:E9 A6@A=6] $@ E96 >@C6 A6@A=6 E92E 42? 96=A 7:?5 DF446DD 2?5 6?;@J DA@CED :D
E96 F=E:>2E6 8@2=]k^Am
kAm“v6EE:?8 :?E@ E92E J@FE9 DA246 ;FDE D66>D C62==J 6I4:E:?8] xE’D 52F?E:?8] (6 5@?’E 6G6? <?@H H96C6 E@ DE2CE] qFE 86EE:?8 :?E@ E92E J@FE9 DA246 D66>D =:<6 :E’D 2 4C:E:42= >:DD:@? 7@C FD]”k^Am