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Imagine two fighter pilots embarking on a journey into the unknown. They are wise enough to realize that certain risks await, but understand that when trouble arises, they'll stick together like glue. After all, under their watch, no man gets left behind.
Let's take a look at another scenario, like hockey, where teammates band together and dutifully follow the plays prescribed by the coach.
Together, they can win. Yes, a perfect pass will help Crosby score.
Now enter the dating jungle where, for many guys, the rules work pretty much the same as they do on the ice or flying into battle.
When male friends go out on the town, each teammate has his own unique place in the social structure.
Some will be on the hunt for love or sex, while others are there for the brotherhood. But, most importantly, like a great bra with terrific under-wire, they are each there to provide all-night support to their buddies.
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The wingman has one primary duty -- to help his single buddy hook up.
Watch out ladies -- in the dating jungle, guys have a well-honed game plan.
So what the heck is a wingman?
Well, bring in Chris and Sheldon, two of the hosts of the Comedy Network show Keys to the VIP, which sees men competing to try and pick up women in nightclubs through a series of challenges.
Sound like a competitive sport? Well, it isn't far off.
According to Chris and Sheldon, when guys are guzzling pints and plowing through a platter of saucy wings, they're also strategizing about how to meet the ladies.
"You can't just expect that you're going to get up to bat with no practice and hit a home run," explains Chris.
"Even if you're at the grocery store or a coffee shop, you should always be warming yourself up."
And a good wingman, they say, is an invaluable resource to bring on the mission.
"I have a couple of buddies, who shall remain nameless, who've been just terrible wingmen," admits Chris.
"They have no comprehension of what to do."
He also stresses the importance of the philosophy, what goes around, comes around.
"One guy can't always play the wingman and the other guy can't always be the pilot," he says.
Notes Sheldon, "A bad wingman would be someone who tries to steal the thunder."
"The wingman has to have selflessness," he adds.
When a single buddy is "going in" -- aka, approaching a woman -- his right-hand man must stay alert and be ready to intervene should things get messy.
Seems circles of female friends aren't the easiest to crack.
True, girlfriends are naturally protective of each other so, when a foreigner appears, it can be difficult to warm over a tight clique.
According to Chris and Sheldon, female clusters typically include a protective "mother hen" type, or far worse, a "dragon lady." Think of her as the bouncer, the one deciding who gets past the velvet rope, and you get the idea.
When faced with the cold shoulder, it's the wingman's job to jump in and defend his pal, pointing out his many great qualities, such as how ambitious, successful, funny and kind he is.
When I tell Chris and Sheldon that the "game plan" sounds unnecessarily complicated, they're quick to defend the system.
"You might think that girls are easy to figure out for guys, but they're not," says Chris.
"They can be cruel, they can stomp out a guy's pride, dignity and self-esteem."
Then again, maybe women are just naturally good at the face-off.
After all, it's all part of the game, right?
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CALLING ALL WINGMEN!
In honour of its new chicken wing menu this week, Pizza Hut and the hosts of the TV show, Keys to the VIP, have banded together for a Canada-wide mission to find the ultimate wingman.
Know someone who deserves a nod of appreciation (and the chance to win a trip for two to Las Vegas)?
Nominate your best supportive bud at: Wingstreet.ca.
WHAT ABOUT WINGWOMEN?
Yes, there is such a thing.
However, according to researchers Josh Ackerman of MIT and Douglas Kenrick of ASU, wingwomen work differently than their male counterparts.
The researchers observe that a woman's gal pals will give her space when she's flirting with a desirable prospect but will intervene when she's in the midst of an undesirable one.
On the flip side, male friends tend to leave their buddies alone even when he's chatting with an undesirable woman, but will step in and provide their best wingman support when he's encounters someone promising.
TANYA.ENBERG@SUNMEDIA.CA