I have no idea, after half a century roaming planet Earth, if tough talk matters in sports. If bold words can actually influence an outcome.
Did it in any way affect the game when Joe Namath guaranteed victory in Super Bowl III? Did it somehow galvanize his team when Kevin Stevens told the world the Penguins would sweep the Boston Bruins after losing the first two games of the 1991 conference finals?
Did it galvanize the other guys when Anthony Smith guaranteed a win over the Patriots in 2007 or when the Steelers got cocky — or were perceived to — before the 1994 and 2001 AFC title games?