WGN Morning News Blog

Some people are numbers people when it comes to sports. They’ll look at the Seahawks offensive numbers versus the Bears defensive numbers and attempt to predict the outcome of Sunday’s big game.
It’s true that numbers measure past performance. Very simply: Rex Grossman’s completions divided by his attempts give you his completion percentage. That’s math. That’s how we determine objective facts in our world.

Statisticians aren’t allowed to say "Brian Urlacher only had eight tackles but he’s such a nice guy, let’s call it 12 tackles." We all understand it doesn’t work that way.

Phil Clark was a football guy who is now a numbers guy, and he says both have taught him a lot about life. After playing at Northwestern, the Cowboys drafted him in the third round in 1967. He played for the Bears in 1970.

These days, Clark has turned to the principles to Numerology for his sense of direction. The study of Numerology holds that the letters in your name, your birth date and about 25 other components can give you insight on how you can improve your life.

"Numerology holds your likes and dislikes," Clark said. "But the higher purpose is the growth of the soul."

Clark doesn’t do predictions for those looking for a point spread, but he says Numerology does give him insight into Sunday’s big game.

"[Urlacher’s numbers] show physical power that others would feel; leadership," Clark said.

Ah. OK. Wow.

Clark says the power of Numerology works through vibrations in the nervous system. He claims different letters have different vibratory rates depending on where they fall in the alphabet.

Certainly, vibrations are detected by our ears, which send messages to the brain, but beyond that, I haven’t spoken to anyone who knows of any peer-reviewed studies that confirm vibrations in the nervous system or souls.

" ‘Each letter has a vibratory rate by its position in the alphabet’ isn’t based on any known fact or principle of science. To me the claim is gibberish," said Dr. Robert Carroll, author of "Critical Thinking about the Paranormal."

"Numerology is a mathematic Rorschach test where people find all kinds of ways of linking numbers to people and events," said Jim Underdown of the Center for Inquiry in Los Angeles. "Such numbers are manipulated to say just about anything, and cannot be reliably used to predict or discover anything."

But Clark points out that "There’s a lot of things science won’t accept. … [Scientists] give all the credit to the brain. Just because it can’t be measured doesn’t mean it can’t be applicable."

Using Numerology of some kind has gone on for centuries. Clark says the elite once used it to make decisions. However, just because someone’s been doing something a long time, doesn’t make it right.

Math is a pretty exact science, so I’m sure numbers lend the appearance of credibility for some people lured by the idea of someone tapping into their "inner potential." But chances are, you’ll remember the numerologist’s vague "hits" and forget their misses.

To be fair: Could there be anything to Numerology? I suppose anything's possible.

But adding "ology" doesn't make it a science. It seems hypocritical to add it and then say you're not beholden to the rules of objective confirmation. Extradordinary claims require extraordinary evidence; Numerology promises to answer your questions, when it can't even answer its own.