At the moment of glory, no one is as revered as much as the successful athlete. Few people go through as rigorous training and preparation as the world-class athlete. Everything that they do is designed for success. They have another special quality. It is how they prepare mentally and emotionally that help them to make quick decisions, perform flawlessly, under pressure in a highly public forum. This preparation is the basis of this blog. Enter their world.
OK, I admit it. I'm a huge homer. I am a big Dallas Cowboy fan, and, perhaps, an even bigger Tony Romo fan. Despite the many people who criticize Romo, label him a choker and think he only puts up big numbers, Romo has orchestrated more 4th quarter comebacks in the last decade than any other NFL quarterback. I particularly like to quote him because what he says often provides so much insight into the mindset of an elite athlete. Here is what Romo had to say after he fired the winning touchdown with 7 seconds left to play in the opening game of the 2015 NFL season against the New York Giants. His leadership helped the Cowboys to a 27-26 win. “What you have to understand is that you rehearse this and prepare for is in your mind way before the game,” Romo said. “The more times you can do that, it just feels like you’ve already gone through it. You can make it a repetitive thing that is systematic and not random.” "You've just got to stay calm," Romo explained. "At that moment, at that point in the game, you can't just fall on it and protect the football. There's not much time left, and you've got to have poise in that situation when random things happen. Someone misses a block, ball is on the ground, whatever it is that comes up, you find through the years if you play long enough that the experiences you've had you can just get calm, get back up, trust your guys around you to do their job and then go through the progression." Though the game was exciting and came down to the last play, Romo understands the importance of maintain the proper level of arousal, mental visualization, and the need to stay calm throughout the game. He also understands that great plays and exciting comebacks are about preparation and deliberate practice. For more on mental conditioning, download the Mindfuel app: http://appmc.hn/1aekztQ. For more about the Dallas Cowboys franchise, buy the book, Razor Thin: The Difference Between Winning and Losing. Excerpts taken from ESPN.go.com.
The lyrics of a very popular song from B.o.B. featuring Trey Songz includes a phrase could be the most valuable mental conditioning tip you can have for dealing with adversity.
"But not for long."
Every athlete and performer makes mistakes and experiences errors during practice as well as during games and competitive events. Mistakes are part of the game, and there is no such thing as perfection. You can always do better, and you can always improve. Problems occur when errors weaken an athlete’s confidence and mental focus. Successful athletes are able to let go quickly after a mistake.
When you focus on a past mistake, you create noise in the system, you increase mental distraction, your mindset becomes negative, and this can erode and destroy mental toughness. The negative self-talk we tend to get into after a mistake distracts us from the focus and concentration we need to achieve our best performance.
It is quite easy to get into a negative frame of mind, dwell on mistakes, and focus on failure. We all do it to some extent. We can get caught up in negative self-talk. However, we need a way to get back on track. We need a way to re-focus, to re-boot as quickly as possible.
"I'm having a bad day."
"I'm playing badly."
"My opponent is making me look bad."
"That was embarrassing."
"I'm not ready for this."
"This isn't working."
"But not for long."
Try to be aware of your negative self-talk. Try replacing your typical negative self-talk with this phrase:
"But, not for long."
Give it a try. This is a great way to increase your mental toughness and improve your emotional resilience. Let me know how it goes.
Last night, prior to Game 4 of the 2015 NBA Finals, Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors, made a change in his starting line-up. He replaced Andrew Bogut with Andre Iguodala. That move along with a change in defensive strategy and a change in his substitution rotations, made all the difference in the world. Although the Cleveland Cavaliers got off to a 7-0 start, Kerr did not panic nor throw out his game-plan. Instead, the Warriors called a time-out, quickly bounced back and finished the quarter by outscoring the Cavs, 31-17. Kerr made a crucial decision, but more importantly, he made a commitment to the strategy for Game 4. He did not waver. The strategy paid off in a 103-82 win to tie the series, 2-2.
Working with elite and aspiring athletes, performers and other professionals at all levels for years, I have come to a recent revelation or refinement concerning the art of mental conditioning. This revelation is about our mindset consisting of five basic modes. Mental conditioning is enhanced when we understand each mode, its proper timing and its function within our personal performance enhancement system.
To cut to the chase, most of us, whether we are aware of it or not, are in constant evaluation mode. We are hardwired and socialized to be in evaluation mode. We live in evaluation mode. We measure, we assess, we predict, we criticize, we worry, we comment--24/7. That's the way we roll.
How's it going? How's it coming? How am I doing? Am I getting there? Did I get there? Am I there yet? Are we there yet? Why aren't we there yet? What's wrong with me? What am I doing wrong? Why are things going wrong? Here I go again. Am I behind? Where should I be? Who's ahead of me? Am I losing? Am I winning? What do I need to do to catch up? I can't catch up. I knew I should have worked harder. Is this is a mistake? I'll never get this right.
Evaluation mode is embedded in our self-talk. By the same token, most self-talk keeps us in evaluation mode. In evaluation mode, our self-talk tends to get very harsh very quickly. Staying in evaluation mode too long or at the wrong time creates anxiety, self-doubt, and, even worse, panic. If you are anxious, you stayed to long in evaluation mode.
Because of this tendency to over-evaluate, we don't really learn or value the four other modes. We tend to stay in evaluation mode due to our fear of failure. Our over-use and over-reliance on evaluation mode keeps us anxious and prevents us from being in other equally important modes. Most importantly, we don't sequence our modes correctly and in a way that puts us in the best position to succeed. Here are the five modes.
Practice Mode: This mode requires experimentation and trial-and-error. In this mode, we try new behaviors and get feedback about possible feasibility, usefulness or utility. This mode provides the opportunity to experiment, to dabble, to invent, to create, to try something new. This is where we allow for and even encourage mistakes. This is where we study our craft. In this mode (and only in this mode), we have the luxury of getting out of our comfort zone. This is where we get information about whether this new behavior is worth rehearsing.
Deliberate Rehearsal Mode: This is the mode that takes our successful experiments from Practice Mode and turns them into muscle memory. This is where we repeat, repeat, repeat. We hone our craft, we improve, we focus on getting things just right. This is where we sharpen our sword. We rehearse until get it right and then rehearse some more until we can't get it wrong. This is the mode that gives us information that we have the necessary competence to be successful and the confidence to perform. Here we rehearse the skills to execute the necessary sequence of behaviors to reach our goals.
Preparation Mode: This mode is about getting ready to perform, both physically and mentally. This mode focuses our mental conditioning as well as being the time to plan and organize. When here, we structure our time and energy in such a way that we develop our plan of action and commit to its proper execution. Here is where we focus on our mental imagery, our visualization, and get in the right frame of mind and achieve the optimal level of arousal. This mode is a transition mode from practice and rehearsal toward performance mode. It allows us to be in the best position to achieve peak performance.
Performance Mode: Game-time! Simply put, this is where we execute. If in the proper mindset, we follow our plan and allow our muscle memory to take over. Adjustments are minor or minimal in this mode. We have planned well, have committed to our plan, and let the plan work. Most importantly, we are not in evaluation mode. If we allow ourselves to get in evaluation mode during the game, we will become distracted, particularly by our self-talk. If we get into evaluation mode, our self-talk will get involved and that will engage our brain's cortex. That mental chatter will likely become a distraction. It will disrupt our muscle memory and reduce our game-time speed and efficiency in decision-making. This does not mean that we are unaware of situational variables, but we maintain our overall game-plan. Performance mode basically requires us to suspend our analytic mind and focus strictly on performance.
Evaluation Mode: This mode is most effective as a post-game activity. It re-engages our cortex. It allows for more complex post-game problem-solving. It occurs and should occur following a performance or event. It allows us to objectively and dispassionately assess our performance, our game-plan, our step-wise progress, after the fact. It allows us to gather data about our ability to execute our plan. It allows us to determine what we did well, what we need to continue doing, what we need to improve or develop, and what we need to eliminate. Most importantly, it allows us to get back to Practice Mode, armed with important information about what more we can do to improve.
So, be more mindful of being in the appropriate mode at the appropriate time and make sure you stay out of Evaluation Mode (our current default mode) when you should be in one of the other four modes. Your mental conditioning and your performance will improve significantly as a result. Just ask Steve Kerr!
The Atlanta Hawks have been excellent this season. Predicted to miss the playoffs, this team has set a team record for most wins in the regular season (59) and has a strong fan following as a result of the Hawks' gritty performance. It is a year to remember. The Hawks value has gone up so much, the new ownership may have to pony up $1 billion to snag the team.
As good as things have been, there are warning signs that suggest that this Hawks team will not get their NBA championship this year. Thus far the team has displayed a delicate balance in which selfless teamwork and a carefully crafted rotation of starters and bench players has proven very effective. Anything that upsets that balance can be difficult to handle. Here are some factors that will come into play as the Hawks wind down the regular season and prepare for the playoffs:
1. Major Distractions: The Atlanta Hawks do not do well when distracted. They started the 2014-2015 season poorly with a 5-5 record following the Danny Ferry scandal and suspension.
The weeklong All Star Game hoopla that surrounded the Hawks players receiving 4 bids to the All-Star Game resulted in a corresponding 3-4 record in and around the ASG break.
This week the arrests of Hawks players, Thabo Sefolosha and Pero Antic, during a New York nightclub incident in which NBA player Chris Copeland was stabbed are looming as a huge distraction as the regular season ends and the NBA playoffs begin. The Atlanta players were arrested for disorderly conduct, obstruction, and resisting arrest in the early morning hours at a popular nightspot in Manhattan.
2. Injuries: The mid-season loss of Sefolosha for 23 games contributed greatly to the mid-season February swoon that the Hawks experienced. He came back in late March, but has now been lost for the season after he broke his leg in the late-night altercation mentioned above.
Sefolosha is important to the Hawks' substitution patterns. He has the highest defensive rating on the team. His loss to the rotation will be felt throughout the playoffs, however long the Hawks remain in contention. He was a huge contributor to the November through January win streak.
3. Timing and Momentum: The Hawks may have peaked too soon. Their impressive 19 game winning streak ended in January. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Since January 15th (when their record was 19-20), the newly-crowned Central Division champion Cleveland Cavaliers are 32-7 and boast the league's best offense. They have clinched the second seed in the Eastern Conference. With a cast of new players, it took the Cavaliers half of the season to find a rhythm and chemistry. They have it now. They have LeBron James.
5. San Antonio Spurs: Following early season injuries and a championship "hangover", the defending NBA Champion Spurs are relatively healthy and have won 9 games in a row. They are in contention for the #2 seed in the Western Conference. They have Kawhi Leonard, the league's best defender.
6. Golden State Warriors: The Warriors have the NBA's best record this year at 64-15. They have a 36-2 record at home. They have the Splash Brothers in the backcourt.
These disturbing trends do not look good for the Atlanta Hawks. Let's hope I am wrong.
Several months ago I wrote in this blog about Your Fitness Identity. This post is a follow-up to that. In that post, I discussed the importance of identifying, assessing, enhancing, establishing and/or regaining your fitness identity.
When I talk to many people about their recreational sports participation for any length of time, it is clear that in addition to their pursuit of enjoyment and perhaps momentarily reliving past glory, a majority of us experience moderate to considerable angst, frustration, disappointment, a sense of failure, self-criticism, and performance anxiety. Much of it tends to be very similar to the negative feelings of our youth. Rather that achieving what we want from recreational sports (improved fitness, stress relief, a break from a long day at work, social connection, team camaraderie), we end up having surprisingly familiar patterns of negative feelings. Where do those feelings come from? Where are those feelings supposed to go? What can we do about it? Can we enjoy our sports without reliving the past?
Most people think that hiring a mental conditioning coach or a sports psychologist is strictly for elite athletes who aspire to participating in professional sports. The common perception is also that most of the athletes that reach out to for help with mental conditioning are having difficulty performing in their chosen sport.
Additionally, rarely is mental conditioning considered as something to enhance or improve current performance or for achieving superior performance. It is typically thought of as a fix for severe problems in performance not necessarily for growth, enjoyment, or development.
The reality is that more and more non-elite athletes are hiring coaches and psychologists to simply get the most enjoyment that they can out of recreational sports that they love. These athletes realize that regardless of their level of proficiency or activity level, engaging in a program of mental conditioning can help them to get the most out of the time they spend participating in those activities.
These athletes come to the realization that they could enjoy their sport(s) more and reduce or eliminate the anxiety and frustration they experience before, during, and after they play their sport. Getting some help with mental conditioning is a good idea.
We think nothing of taking music lessons or taking an evening course at the community college. Those of us who love sports, competition, and fitness should consider finding a mental conditioning coach or sports psychologist to help us to get the most out of our recreational sports experience. You don't have to be a professional athlete to get help.
Super Bowl XLIX provided so much drama and excitement. Thank you New England and Seattle.
It was also memorable and valuable for what we can learn from it. Despite the outcome and the fact that the Super Bowl trophy belongs to the New England Patriots, it can be said that both teams played like champions.
Let's look at the anatomy of championship mindset and what mental conditioning is necessary to compete for a Super Bowl. This Super Bowl was a lesson in putting yourself in the best possible position to win. Both teams did so much to make themselves champions. Understandably, most pundits will look at the reasons for winning and losing. But, I want to analyze the post-game reactions by the players and coaches for some potentially more useful insight; beyond winning and losing.
Vision
If you can't see yourself doing it, you probably won't be able to do it.
"I just had a vision that I was going to make a big play and it came true," said Malcolm Butler, rookie New England Patriot defensive back and Super Bowl hero, after making a game-winning interception to end the game and seal the victory.
Preparation
"Goal line, preparation, the formation they were in with the two-receiver stack, I just knew they were throwing a pick route," Butler said. "It was on the line, we needed it, and I just beat him to the route and made the play."
Individual and Team Resilience
Two plays before, Butler was covering Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse during his improbable, on-his-back, juggling catch down the right sideline that seemed to propel the Seahawks to a sure victory.
Butler was step-for-step with Kearse in coverage on the play, but it was just a once-in-a lifetime effort by the Seattle receiver. While staring a bitter loss in the face, Butler did not quit, however.
"I went to the sideline, wasn't feeling too well, my teammates were trying to cheer me up and said I made a great play," Butler said. "I just went up and deflected it. Nine times out of 10, it usually goes away from him. As I was looking, he was bobbling it and caught it. Just devastating."
Two plays later, though, "it was the best feeling ever."
Butler knew he had to get past the previous play and that he might be targeted again.
"I'm pretty sure he knows I'm a rookie, and who wouldn't try a rookie?" he said [referring to Seattle quarterback, Russell Wilson]. "I was ready."
Mental Toughness
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, the MVP of the game, asked for the key to victory, responded, "Mental toughness."
"It's just a lot of mental toughness,'' Brady said. "I think the whole team had it. Coach always says, 'Ignore the noise and control what you can control.' We had two great weeks of practice. That's what it took. That's what we needed to be focused on and that's how we got the victory.''
"It wasn't the way we drew it up," said Brady, who won his third Super Bowl MVP award. "It was a lot of mental toughness. Our team has had it all year. We never doubted each other, so that's what it took."
Leadership Responsibility
Pete Carroll, the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, took full responsibility for the loss, rather than push his players under the bus.
“We were on the precipice of another championship,” Carroll said. “Nobody to blame but me.”
Confidence
Even the losers of the Super Bowl must have confidence. During the last play, the interception by Butler, the Seahawks felt good.
“I didn’t have any doubt,” Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin said. “At that time, you didn’t think there was anyone on the sideline who didn’t think we’d score.”
“When they made the call, I didn’t question it,” said Wilson. “We thought we had them. I thought it was going to be a touchdown when I threw it. When I let it go, I thought it was going to be game over.”
Passion and the Will to Keep Winning
With no intention of retiring, MVP Brady seems to be ready to do it all over again.
"I love doing it, so I don't want it to end any time soon," he said. "A lot of decisions I make in my life are how to sustain it. That takes a commitment in and of itself. You have to put it in the bank, as Coach always says, so it's there when you need it."
I, for one, would love to see a rematch next year. But, the rest of the NFL might have something to say about that. If they have learned anything, each team is preparing to put themselves in the best position to win next year's Super Bowl right now.
Excerpts from espn.go.com (2/1/2015), nytimes.com (2/1/2015), and newsday.com (2/2/2015).
Welcome to my annual Super Bowl prediction! OK, that's not true. This is the first time. I've never attempted this (I did do a post Super Bowl analysis once upon a time). Please be gentle.
Anyway, here goes. With all unfathomable, unknownable and unpredicable factors being accounted for and controlled, the most important intangibles, or X-Factors, in winning this year's Super Bowl XLIX are:
X-Factor #1: The New England Patriots have the longevity, stability and culture of a proud and successful franchise with a mindset and expectation of winning. Similarly to the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA, the Patriots have a strong organization that has installed a unique system of success and excellence that has stood the test of time. Advantage: Patriots
X-Factor #2: The Seattle Seahawks have incorporated a very systematic approach to mental conditioning that is unmatched in professional sports. Their collective use of sports psychology. positive psychology and mindfulness has provided great value. They believe in their ability to be resilient and have leveraged that for two years. They could not have comeback against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship without this cultivated and deliberate approach. They have the mental skills to deal with adversity and bounce back from real-time setbacks. Advantage: Seahawks.
X-Factor #3: The Seattle Seahawks are defending Super Bowl Champions. They have the recency effect going for them. They will have swagger. Advantage: Seahawks.
X-Factor #4: The Patriots have lost the last two Super Bowls in which they have played. They were favorites in each loss. They have a Super Bowl albatross around their necks. They are slight betting favorites again. The Seahawks are slight underdogs. Advantage: Seahawks.
X-Factor #5: The Patriots have lost the last two Super Bowls in which they have played. They were favorites in each one. They have the motivation of having something to prove. They are not playing the New York Giants. Advantage: Patriots.
X-Factor #6: Deflate-Gate has been a great distraction to the Patriots. This has to affect their focus and preparation to some degree. Advantage; Seahawks.
X-Factor #7: Nevertheless, the absurdity of the media coverage and sensationalism surrounding Deflate-Gate has kept the Patriots loose and relaxed. Advantage: Patriots.
X-Factor #8: Marshawn Lynch is in full beast mode. He has also kept the Seahawks loose and relaxed, by taking the focus and pressure off the rest of the team. Advantage: Seahawks.
It is difficult to quantify each of these X-Factors, but if you add them all up, I give a slight edge to the Seattle Seahawks in a surprisingly low scoring game. Overall Advantage: Seahawks.
What's your prediction? Your comments are welcomed.
I am a performance video junkie. In following people on Facebook or perusing YouTube videos, I have watched an abnormally crazy number of great performance videos related to all types of activities. What has been amazing to me about the comments (beside the incredibly inappropriate and/or negative ones) is the frequency of comments about how talented the performer is. The second most frequent comment is how the viewer wished he/she could do that.
These comments provide great insight into the type of mental conditioning that is so pervasive and so counterproductive to success and excellence. Many people incorrectly assume that performance, success and excellence are primarily a result or function of talent (by definition, a seemingly fixed asset). Thus, their wish is that they had been annointed somehow with the talent for that activity, sport, etc. Alas, they weren't lucky when talent was handed out. But, what's luck got to do with it?
What they do not realize is that those so-called talented people were also simply highly invested in learning to do the activity. Ultimately, each of those individuals spent an incredible amount of time mastering the steps involved in the achieving the result that you see: the performance.
As Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford, points out, successful people approach problems as a learning process. While invested in the result, they see it as an opportunity to learn and grow and, therefore, are not paralyzingly afraid of an imperfect result. They view their skills as capable of change, growth and improvement. Dweck identifies this as a growth mind-set.
Individuals with a fixed mind-set, on the other hand, see their talent or ability as finite (and, typically pre-determined). You're creative and artistic, or you're not. You're good in math, or you're not. You're a great player, or you're not. If you see yourself this way, Dweck says, any mistake or failure is dreadful. But also, any attempt to learn and grow is also to be avoided.
So, if you possess a fixed mind-set, you think your future success is determined by the hardware and software package (i.e., talent or potential) that was given to you at birth.
Dweck's work has had major implications for coaching and peak performance. The way we talk about performance to others and ourselves, she says, tends to foster one mind-set or the other. "You're so talented," is praise from someone with a fixed mind-set and might make developing athletes, performers, and students begin to fear their performances. This type of "feedback" is such that any failure, setback, or less than optimal performances that could suggest they aren't so good. not so talented. This dynamic sets up the development of anxiety and aversion of the activity itself.
"You must have worked very hard to do that well," is an example of a more effective communication of praise. This statement is more rewarding, reinforcing and encouraging of more hard work. It leaves room for more risk-taking and discovery.
People with a fixed mind-set are constantly judging their underlying talent, Dweck says, and think others are judging them, too. "The growth mind-set is not about universal judgment," Dweck says.
If too focused, people get caught up in their self-concept and identity. I am good or I am bad. I am talented or I am not. Learning and growth takes a back seat to the protection of the self.
What Facebook and YouTube video posts don't typically provide are the images of the long hours of grueling and monotonous practice that goes into the performances that we see posted. Of course you don't see those posted. That would be too boring. Nobody would sit in front of their computer, tablet, or smartphone watching that. But that is what you need to understand, acknowledge, and praise when you comment on those videos.
If I could, I would create coaching software that allows you to see a great performance video once and then the video would become unavailable to the viewer until they had watched a follow-up video that showed them all the necessary steps to achieve the results. After a specified number of hours of viewing the practice video, the performance video could then be viewed again. That would be great coaching software.
Until then, I challenge you to consider that the next time you are on Facebook or YouTube and see a video of a great performance, you comment: "I bet that took hours and hours of practice." Now, that would be a useful comment.
"You just have to stay in the moment and understand the game, It doesn't end after the first quarter, second quarter. You just have to keep calm. I've played enough games to understand that. Maybe I didn't do that as well when I was younger.''
-Tony Romo, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, after a 24-20 comeback wild-card playoff victory over the Detroit Lions.
Romo provided leadership to the Cowboys with his perseverance, tenacity, composure, and experience. After being down 20-7 to the Lions, the Cowboys with Romo at the helm, bounced back and took over the game with 17 second-half points to win. They now play the Green Bay Packers next weekend in the quest for a berth in the NFC championship game on the road to the Super Bowl. Romo endured six defensive sacks and constant pressure from the Lions during a difficult first half to end up with 293 passing yards for the win.
"If you are mentally tough enough, and you've been through it, and I think experience helps you, you just get rid of those thoughts and understand that this game is going to go all the way to the end," Romo said. "Just don't give them anything to let this game get out of reach and it will find a way to get back at the end." Romo has the ultimate goal, the Super Bowl, in mind. “As players, we all want to be playing in that game and holding that trophy at the end of the year,” Romo said. “Just hoist it up and know that you accomplished your goal that you set. I know that’s my goal. I mean, everything else is just peanuts compared to it.”
An experienced, talented but much maligned quarterback, Romo, who has won only two playoff games in his career, understands the importance of taking advantage of rare opportunities for championships. "More than anything, you just know that every season is a different season,” Romo said. “I was around football enough to know, three or four seasons before then, how tough it can be.”
Romo's composure has rubbed off on the team.
"This team has done an unbelievable job with composure," tight end Jason Witten said after the game. "It's been that way since April. I think when you experience what we have the last few years, there's a mindset. The change that you wanna see, you have to go do something about it. I've said it all year, we watched those games, we talked about the handful of plays that were difference-makers in [the] game."
Will the talent, preparation, and mental conditioning of the Cowboys prevail in Green Bay?
Excerpts from nytimes.com (1/3/2015 & 1/4/2015), sports.yahoo.com (1/4/2015), nfl.com (1/4/2015), and madison.com (1/6/2015). For more on Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys, check out the book: Razor Thin: The Difference Between Winning and Losing.
"Truthfully, before the season even started, we felt different, The biggest thing is, we stay together, we play together. We're more of a family. We respect one another and we try to bring out the best in each other. That's the difference."--Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver, who scored three touchdowns and 114 yards on six receptions against the Eagles in Philadelphia.
After three consecutive mediocre, non-playoff 8-8 seasons (and much criticism from fans and the media), the Dallas Cowboys are back on top of the NFC East after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday night. The Cowboys are 10-4 and in solid playoff contention with two regular season games to go.
What are the keys to the Cowboys success this season?
1. Making solid personnel decisions based on football needs rather than marketing needs.
The Cowboys came very close to drafting Johnny Manziel this off-season. While Manziel could still develop into an excellent NFL quarterback, the Cowboys resisted that splashy, sexy move. The drafting of Manziel would have created a media circus and disrupted a team that needed a quiet, focused off-season to prepare for 2014. The move would also have created the quarterback controversy that has plagued the Cleveland Browns, who did draft Manziel, the entire season.
Instead, the Cowboys have found talent in unexpected places. The Cowboys' quarterback, Tony Romo, was an undrafted rookie, when he signed with them. DeMarco Murray, the NFL's leading rusher this season, was drafted in the third round out of Oklahoma. Jason Witten, their veteran tight end, was also drafted in the third round out of Tennessee.
The Cowboys also stayed true to their long-term strategy of building a strong offensive line to take advantage of their talented skill position players. Rather than focusing on getting more star players, they continued to draft and sign quality linemen to protect Romo and open holes for their running backs.
2. Learning the lesson of continuity and patience.
The Cowboys resisted the temptation of making wholesale changes to pacify frustrated fans. They stuck with Jason Garrett as their head coach. There are not many teams that would have shown the patience, confidence and loyalty to their head coach that the current regime in Dallas did. This patience is paying dividends this season and, probably, beyond.
The Cowboys have also stuck with their talented but aging stars like Romo and Witten. Romo is one of the most criticized and polarizing players in the NFL. Romo has been criticized and questioned for his talent as well as his ability to deal with pressure situations for years, yet the Cowboys have always had extreme confidence in his play and his leadership, as well as his mental toughness. Witten, always a solid citizen in the locker room, continues to prove his NFL Hall of Fame credentials with his blocking and pass catching.
Despite off-field problems early in his career, Bryant has also matured and the Cowboys have stuck with him as well. His performance this year as been crucial to their success.
There is much football yet to be played this season, but the Dallas Cowboys are in the thick of things due to their maturity, patience, and sound decision-making at the top.
How quickly can a coach lose his influence on the team? When teams lose, we tend to blame the coach. Is it fair?
Yes and no. Peer pressure can destroy a team. Team culture will dictate the outcome. Culture and work ethic are viral. When you have individual players that negatively influence the team, you lose the team. Do you have a team virus?
As a coach, you want your players to talk, to communicate, to give each other information and feedback about the situation at hand. However, you don't want players to "throw each other under the bus" during the game.
For example, watch out for players who call out, blame and berate other players during the game. When things go wrong, do you have a player who will yell at other players for mistakes, blown assignments, bad passes, lack of hustle, etc.? Often if a player is yelling at his/her teammates, they have lost focus on their own responsibilities, even for a split second. If he/she yells at a teammate, after the fact, you now have two unfocused players (maybe more, if the other players hear it and start to worry about their mistakes and whether they will be blamed and ridiculed, too).
The other team will pick up on this and will smell blood. They are more likely to go on the attack and take advantage of this negative dynamic.
Watch for body language and non-verbal behavior in your players for evidence of the team virus.
A missed assignment, a mistake, or a blown coverage is for the coach to address and correct. Make sure your team understands this. If a teammate gets involved in the coaching (especially during play), that may not be what you want. In fact, if you are a player in the game, on the court, in the field, you want to quickly forget the mistake and move on. Instructions are better given before play, not after a play when players can do nothing about it anyway.
Coaches should coach and players should play. Don't give your opponent the advantage by letting your players coach themselves and negatively affect team cohesion.
Don't let negativity and player influence go viral. Don't let your season get away from you due to a team virus.
During the 2011 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks, I wrote a blogpost about LeBron James suggesting that he was thinking too much:
Bless his heart, he is doing it again with the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron may be too smart for his own and the team's good. As he works to help build a winning team and a climate of success in his return to Cleveland, he may be back to thinking too much about his role, his teammates, how to facilitate, how to fit it. Of course those issues are important, but that is the coaches' job.
Right now, LeBron is still the best individual basketball player in the world. He is best and the team works best when LeBron lets himself be LeBron. He works very hard at his craft. He is at his best when he lets his extreme mental and physical preparation to what it does best: let his talent and muscle memory take over during games. It is his teammates responsibility to also do what they do best to act and react to his lead.
Yes, it will take time to make it all fit fluidly. This is a different team than the Miami Heat. Their point guard, Kyrie Irving, is a young, immature, shoot first, point guard. The team is used to losing. The team will be better in March and April than it is now.
Yes, LeBron is a thoughtful, mature, generous, gracious teammate who want to be patient with his young team. He is also a force of nature, will, intelligence, preparation and talent. Only he can unleash that combination and bring himself to that point where purpose and preparation equal peak performance.
At this point in his career, with this team, his most valuable leadership trait is his example as a player. He may make a very good coach in the future, but now, in Cleveland, he must lead by example. He must be willing to create that "flow state" into which all of his teammates can enter. That is what the city of Cleveland wished for. They are waiting. We all are waiting.
"Right now we've really figured out how to bond together as a group. True chemistry is built through adversity. It's tough because it could cut either way. It seems to have brought us together."
--Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, in an interview prior to last season (October 2013).
And the adversity just keeps coming. Many people have predicted another losing season for the Los Angeles Lakers, who have lost the first five games of the 2014-2015 NBA season. Though, Bryant, their leader, returns after two injury-plagued season, the team is not expected to return to the Lakers' typical place as an elite, championship-contending playoff team. Nevertheless, despite it being early in the season, Bryant has displayed an unexpected and surprising level of maturity in his reaction to the losses.
The Lakers are losing their games by an average of almost 15 points per game. Despite averaging 27 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in five games this season, Bryant seems to realize that the Lakers need him to display a new Kobe. The losses are frustrating; but the Lakers do not need just superstar, super-scorer Kobe. They also need:
Professionalism:
“I know him and I know he’ll stay professional about it,” Clippers forward Matt Barnes, who spent two seasons with the Lakers, said of Bryant. “You always want to see someone who’s had a historical career go out in the right way, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen that way. It’s going to be a long season for him.”
Leadership:
“They still take his lead,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said of Bryant. “He gives that team toughness, he gives them resolve. I guarantee you, whether they play well or not, they’re not going to be a team that gives in, because Kobe never gives in.”
Mentoring:
“You have to be able to assert yourself, especially on a team I’m playing on,” Bryant said. “I don’t want chumps and I don’t want pushovers. If you’re a chump and you’re a pushover, I will run over you. And so it’s important for them to have that toughness and to say ‘I believe in myself. I can step up and make these plays, I can perform.’ I think that’s very important.”
“Absolutely,” he said. “A lot more teaching. A lot more communication as opposed to the players we had in the past. Here it’s really kind of teaching, how to get things down, how to deal with the emotional roller coasters that take place throughout the course of games, the challenge of things and figuring things out.”
Resilience:
"We can't get discouraged by it," Bryant said. "It's a very long season. You just have to stay the course. Keep on looking to improve, keep on looking to get better and things will eventually break.
"You have to understand there is nothing you can do with what's transpired. You have to move on to tomorrow. Right? You have to. Kicking and screaming is not going to do anything.
"Lakers fans know it's a process. Things can turn pretty quickly. We've seen it there before. If there is anything we're relying on, we're relying on our history, what we've been able to accomplish and how quickly we are able to turn things around."
Loyalty:
"I've enjoyed a great amount of success here. You can't just enjoy the successful times and then run away from the bad ones. No, I don't even think about [departing]. I'm a Laker."
His leadership is in his mindset and mental conditioning. That is why he has been successful for so long. That is why he has come back from potential career-ending injuries. And, now, he needs to help others' mental conditioning. He just might turn things around. He's a Laker.
Excerpts taken from nytimes.com (11/1/2014) and sports.yahoo.com (11/2/2014).
“If you work hard one day and you improve, and then you don’t work hard for three days, well guess what? You’re not going to be very consistent, The good teams establish how they’re going to go about their business. They do it day after day. That’s how you build your mental toughness, that’s how you build your conditioning, that’s how you build your discipline, and that’s how you win.
“You start off the season, and you have everybody saying they want to win a championship, but very few are willing to pay that price every single day. When you study championship teams, you see the drive that they have. I know what Michael [Jordan] did when he was here. I know his mentality. I know what [Kevin] Garnett did in Boston, I know what Larry Bird did in Boston, I know what Isiah [Thomas] did in Detroit, I know what Magic [Johnson] did with the Lakers, and you don’t sneak around. You’ve got to earn it.’’
--Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls head coach, discussing the team mindset entering the 2014-2015 NBA season.
The Chicago Bulls are one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference of the NBA and contend for the Finals Championship this year. To that end, the Bulls opened with season with a win over the New York Knicks, 104-80.
The Bulls spend the summer upgrading their team talent. They signed Pau Gasol, giving him a contract for three years, worth $22 million. In his debut with the Bulls, Gasol scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. They drafted a collegiate star, Doug McDermott and brought in, Nikola Mirotic, arguably the best player in Europe. They have ex-MVP Derrick Rose, back from two years of injuries, at point guard.
Despite the talent upgrade, what may determine their standing this year is their success at developing the mental toughness that Coach Thibodeau is speaking of. The desire to win must be followed by the will to put in the work and the daily preparation that is required to excel and succeed.
All NBA teams and players want to win. Who will put in the time and energy to make it happen?
Racism is alive and well (and disgusting). Yes, we all should be able to see that. That isn't news. Is Bruce Levenson a racist? Is there a lesson there?
The better lesson may be that Bruce Levenson let fear (albeit racially-based) and ignorance drive his business decisions. He and the NBA lost millions of dollars in Atlanta and drove a potentially valuable brand, the Atlanta Hawks, into the ground. It appears he is most guilty of being an ignorant, horrible business man. How did he do that?
Very simply, he failed in some extremely basic ways. He forgot some fundamental principles of Business 101.
If his first question was "How do I bring in more fans?" then he started strongly. However, he quickly lost his way. Even if his second question was "Why do white fans fear black fans?" he might not have been incorrect. It's just irrelevant. A great businessman understands this:
1. Current customers are easier to keep than new customers are to find.
Levenson stupidly thought that he needed to build a virtually non-existent white fan base rather than build a growing, diverse fan base that was capable of building momentum and sustainability. He needed to ensure that his customers kept coming back again and again. If he saw black fans, he should have brought them back time and time again. Instead, he wanted to lose current customers and gain non-customers. No business school teaches that.
2. Do your research. Don't rely on faulty assumptions, anecdotal evidence or hearsay.
Levenson didn't do his homework. He made assumptions, He fostered stereotypes. Whites are rich, black are poor. More white fans are better than more black fans. Blacks in large numbers are scary and most whites are scared. Black cheerleaders, hip-hop music, and black people kissing on the Jumbotron are threatening.
Atlanta is the home of a large, hugely affluent black population. Atlanta blacks have money and do spend it. Levenson just ignored that fact.
3. Look at successful business models and replicate them.
The Atlanta Falcons of the NFL are right next door. They sell out their home games. They have a strong black fan base. They have a inclusionary approach to attracting fans. They have a diverse fan base. Black and white fans from a variety of backgrounds come to the games and they are rabid, loyal, excited fans. Their fan base has come together. Their fans don't scare each other away.
4. Don't alienate your loyal customers.
Despite the racially-tinged Michael Vick dog fighting debacle, the Atlanta Falcons have survived, recovered and prospered by leveraging their strengths as a brand and as an attractive product. The Falcons knew what they had and gave their fans an experience to embrace. All you have to do is walk around the Georgia Dome before a Falcons game and see the tailgating and merchandising to see their success model at play.
5. Money is not black, white, yellow, or brown. Money is green.
It may benefit the NBA to actively get rid of stupid, ignorant, fearful owners who ignore sound business practices. Racism may not go away, but it can be effectively neutralized and neutered. Not a bad outcome, I must say.
I attended a great professional basketball game on Tuesday night. It was the deciding Game 3 of the WNBA opening round, conference semifinal match up between the Eastern Conference's #1 seed, Atlanta Dream versus the #4 seeded Chicago Sky in Atlanta's Philips Arena. The game included a classic individual match up pitting the Dream's leading scorer and two-time WNBA scoring champion, Angel McCoughtry, against last year's WNBA rookie of the year, Elena Delle Donne. I expected a great game, but I did not expect a greater lesson in leadership in the Sky's 81-80 comeback victory over Atlanta to win their Eastern Conference semifinal series 2-1. The Dream had led by as many as 20 points and were up by 17 with just over 8 minutes left, at home, no less.
Turning Point What all the news wire cover stories did not mention was the importance of an incident that, in hindsight, was the real turning point. Both stars struggled during the first half. As a team, Atlanta shot the ball well in the first quarter. Atlanta kept pouring it on in the second quarter and led by as many as 20 when Erika deSouza drove to the basket to give Atlanta a 44-24 lead with 5:46 left. The Dream was shooting 60% from the field and playing great team basketball.
The Sky looked beaten. Delle Donne had scored only two points in the first quarter. Angel was doing a great job on her defensively. The team was helping McCoughtry with stifling defense. Delle Donne could have given up, she could have let frustration get to her; but, she persevered and scored an important 13 second-quarter points. She drilled a 3-pointer that cut lead to 52-41 just before halftime. A solid performance by the Sky's star, but her team was still behind. She showed great poise, grit and determination, but it wasn't looking like enough for an historic comeback. However, lost in the Dream's big lead and forgotten by halftime, was an all too typical Angel McCoughtry meltdown near the end of the half. Although McCoughtry had reportedly been displaying considerably more maturity this season, this was crunch time with playoff survival and advancement hanging in the balance. With 3:20 left in the first half, McCoughtry was fouled by the Sky's Tamara Young, on a shot toward the basket.
Young had been doing a great job of defending McCoughtry. The Dream star had been frustrated by Young's physical, pesky defense. McCoughtry got in Young's face and they had some words. The officials gave McCoughtry a technical foul for her troubles. McCoughtry's teammates, realizing that McCoughtry continued to talk to the referees, physically pulled her away from a second technical foul and automatic ejection. They realized that they needed their teammate to stay in the game and seal the win. During the subsequent timeout, the entire Dream team surrounded McCoughtry to keep her cool and relaxed. Dream teammate DeSouza even resorted to rubbing McCoughtry's ears to keep her from flaring up again. Seemingly, it worked. Despite the break in momentum, the Dream still led 72-55. It seemed that the Dream had recovered. Delle Donne Sparks The Rally
Ever tenacious, though, Chicago scored seven straight points, including a three-point play from Delle Donne, to cut the margin to 10 points with 7:02 remaining. Sensing blood and following Delle Donne's lead, Chicago continued to attack and take advantage of Atlanta's increasingly poor shooting and passing. Still rallying, the Sky scored six straight points to complete a 14-2 run and trim the deficit even more to 74-69 with 4:27 left. "We just got away from what we were doing so well," Dream coach Michael Cooper said. "We took some quick shots and bad shots and let it kind of get away from us." Without their poise nor the leadership of Angel McCoughtry, the Dream was in jeopardy of throwing away a clearly winnable game. It became clear that McCoughtry's tantrum had led to the entire Dream losing their team poise and focus. With the Dream looking for leadership, McCoughtry wasn't the same player who scored 39 points in the second game of the series in Chicago. On Tuesday night in Atlanta, she only shot 5-for-18 from the field and scored 17 points. Most tellingly, McCoughtry made one of eight shots in the cruicial fourth quarter.
"I think we were playing to win," Dream player Sancho Lyttle said. "We just stopped executing, and all of a sudden it was a one-point lead and we wondered, 'How did that happen?'"
What happened was that the Dream's star player failed to accept the leadership challenge. She failed to keep her cool and deal with adversity. She failed to assert her will and lead the team to victory.
Meanwhile, the quiet and poised Delle Donne hit a runner with 8.2 seconds left enabled the Sky to complete a 17-point, fourth-quarter comeback and beat the Dream by one point. The resilient Delle Donne posted a game-high point total on 10-of-19 shooting from the floor and 11-for-11 for the line. The 10 field goals matched her career high. McCoughtry, who had drawn the defensive assignment to guard Della Donne, had been physical and somewhat effective, but Della Donne, kept her composure and continued work hard for her points. "We put the ball in her hands, and she made the plays," Chicago coach Pokey Chatman said.
"In the fourth quarter, they put the ball in my hands. The team trusted me," Delle Donne said.
The Comparison and the Future By contrast, following a number of questionably poor shots after her meltdown, Dream forward Angel McCoughtry's attempt at a game-winning jumper from the right side bounced on the rim several times before falling away as the horn sounded. "It was a resilient effort by my team," Chatman said. "They stayed the course, and when it got late, my star player stepped up." The role model for that resilience was Delle Donne. The difference was one point but the real difference was leadership. The Sky had it, the Dream didn't. The Sky moves on and the Dream looks ahead after another season of disappointment. Can Angel McCoughtry find maturity and develop the leadership that she and the Dream so desperately need? Will Elena Delle Donne lead this #4 seed to a championship through grit and resilience?
Excerpts from the Chicago Tribune and ESPN.go.com (August 27, 2014).
"Won't call no names cause that's not my job. It just applies to whom it may concern. You know who you are, but if you don't you never will."
--Outkast, lyrics from "Mainstream."
You all know the drill. We live in a society of instant gratification. We like swag. We learn to posture and pose early. We have parents who have been brought up to believe that everybody deserves a medal just for showing up. You might even demand a medal even if you didn't show up. We perceive and expect success to happen overnight. We have few effective role models. We never see all the hard work they did to achieve success. Often, those few role models we do have eventually, tragically, crash and burn. So, success seems sudden and short-lived and, thus, based on celebrity and fame. Face time is important, substance isn't necessary.
We move and talk fast and often, perhaps to hide the lack of substance. Sustainability and the long view doesn't matter. The ice caps are melting anyway.
A good buddy of mine talks about Po-ZZers. Yes, that is how he spells it. Po-ZZers are the guys who wear the t-shirts that have the slogans. You know the slogans: "Witness." "Watch My Swag." "We Are Gonna Shock the World." "Shock and Awe." As if the t-shirt is all they need to impress and intimidate. But, when it is time to perform, they don't, they can't. They haven't earned the jersey, then just wear the t-shirt. Po-ZZers.
I get it. If we work hard, it might not pay off. The lizard brain rules. Pleasure and satisfaction should be immediate. I get how it should work. But
However, success doesn't really work that way. Excellence is achieved through repetition and the difficult and slow development of competence. It takes time, it can be repetitious and tedious. It's not exciting. It's not fun. The 10,000 hour rule is real. What counts is the love of the game, not the love of the fame.
Stanford University Psychologist Carol S. Dweck's 2006 book 'Mindset: The New Psychology of Success' focuses on the positive implications of what she calls a ‘growth mindset’ – the belief that success is determined by hard work. This contrasts with what she refers to as a ‘fixed mindset’ – the idea that talent is innate and there is nothing we can do to change it.
So, put the work in. If not, it will show. You will get embarrassed. You can't expect the outcome without going though the process. If you take the easy way when preparing, it's probably because you haven't really seen anyone work hard to succeed or you don't really want the outcome. You just want the attention that comes with being a Po-ZZer.
So, do you just want attention or do you really want to win? Do you want to achieve excellence?
Did you leave it all on the practice floor today? Did you give it all you have?
All elite athletes and, the teams they play on, seek, refine and try to maintain an identity. The most successful are able to achieve greatness as a result of being successful in establishing and maintaining that identity. Often, the difference between winning and losing is often a matter of the battle of identities. A battle of strength and wills comes down to a battle of identities.
This identity acts as a guide map that assists them to perform at the highest and most efficient level. It helps them stay on course and maximize focus. It improves their ability to stick with their strategic vision as well as consistently make good decisions, even under the most stressful and extremely competitive conditions.
Even weekend warriors and other recreational athletes can benefit from developing an identity to help optimize performance.
For example, as an aging recreation athlete, I have had a more and more difficult time with physical conditioning, maintaining a healthy weight, and performing at a satisfying level. I recently realized that despite my continued involvement with sports as a participant, fan, coach, and psychologist, that I had lost my identity as a fit individual.
That lack of identity as a fit individual has greatly affected my performance as an athlete. This crisis of identity contributed to a very subtle, but clear lack of vision that translated into an inconsistent workout schedule, sleep habits, and nutritional choices. It also contributed to a unclear set of priorities and a lack of mindfulness in daily activities and behavior.
It became easier and easier to believe that I lacked motivation and needed to find "it" fast. What I really needed was to regain my fitness identity. At this point in my life it is more important to have that fitness identity than to be an athlete, but without it I had no chance to continue to perform satisfactorily at any level (nor to regain any significant level of fitness).
My fitness identity serves as a basic component of a solid foundation on which "motivation" stands. If I have a strong identity as a fit individual, motivation takes care of itself, because actions are not made up of micro-decisions that may or not connect with my mood or "motivation." With a strong fitness identity, my actions flow and are consistent with my identity. Conversely, without a fitness identity, I am leaving my actions to chance and a flow inconsistent with fitness.
Reconnecting with my fitness identity has quickly and dramatically affected my physical posture, my body language, energy level, and my exercise calendar. It has also had an effect on the perceptions of friends and colleagues, who have noticed a difference. Most importantly, I do not have to agonize about whether or not I am going to the gym.. I just go. It is a part of my daily activities and I no longer put myself in a position to decide on a day-by-day basis. It has affected my stress and relaxation level. It has been a huge boost to my exercise routine in that it has affected the energy level that I bring to my workouts.
Fortunately, a majority of us had a strong fitness identity at one time (even if we have lost it). Youth is a natural source for a strong fitness identity. However, some of us are not so lucky. A greater number of people in our digital, sedentary society, are no longer influenced, instructed, nor encouraged to develop a fitness identity early in life. Many of us are not mentally or physically conditioned for a fitness identity. It is much easier to develop a fitness identity as a child than it is to try as an adult to regain one.
Do you have a fitness identity? Have you lost touch with your fitness identity? How helpful do you think it is to have a fitness identity? What will you do to retain a fitness identity?
"I definitely think at the beginning of the season a lot of things were flowing, and I had a rhythm of everything and was getting used to everybody and playing with them. I don't know exactly what happened, but something happened where I got the short end of the stick, and I'm trying to figure out my place. I'm just dealing with it. It's a business here in the WNBA." -- Shoni Schimmel, WNBA & Atlanta Dream rookie.
The WNBA Atlanta Dream's Shoni Schimmel was voted the MVP of the 2014 WNBA All-Star Game after a 29-point explosion. Those 29 points are an WNBA All-Star record.
Schimmel was voted a starter on the East All-Star team by the fans, despite being a bench player for the Dream. She averages 7 points per game during the regular season. Schimmel's seven three-pointers also set a new All-Star Game record. Her eight assists were the most of any player on the court, and she also grabbed three rebounds and two steals.
A collegiate star, who led her team to an impressive run in the NCAA tournament, the rookie guard has a huge following of fans across the country, particularly with Native American fans, so it's no surprise that she had the highest selling jersey so far this season. Schimmel grew up on a reservation in the tiny, rural, northeast Oregon town of Mission.
Obviously, Schimmel was in a zone at the WNBA All-Star Game. One of the reasons may be that she started the game, voted in by the fans, endorsed and cherished by the masses.
Schimmel felt she belonged, felt she could be free to perform and shine.
"The hoop kept getting bigger and bigger. I wanted to lay it out on the line and that's what I did," Schimmel said about the game.
In the first regular season game after her MVP honor, Shoni followed up with a solid 17-point, 8-assist effort, again in a reserve role. However, in that game and beyond, her minutes continue to be limited and she has yet to start. Certainly, Schimmel has much to learn. She is prone to rookie mistakes, turnovers, poor defense, and streaky shooting. She is experiencing a typically difficult transition from college to professional basketball, in which physical and mental conditioning can be a challenge. She is not a physical specimen. She is not particularly strong, fast, nor does she jump well.
Nevertheless, Schimmel brings a flamboyant, unique style of play to the game which she calls "rez ball."
While some players have a starter's mentality and some can more easily come off the bench, it is beginning to be clear that Shoni has a starter's mentality that consists of a strong ego, extreme pride, and irrational confidence, etc.
Some players need to analyze the situation, size-up the opponent, come in and provide energy by coming off the bench. That type of player may be extremely rare.
By contrast, to play at her best, Shoni needs to feel unleashed, unfettered, alive, free to improvise and create. Somehow, coming off the bench does not foster that feeling. As with any elite athlete, if Shoni sits too long and thinks too much, she loses her edge, her effectiveness, her natural feel for the game. If she doesn't start, she doesn't feel that she has the coach's blessing, a "green light."
“Just have that killer instinct and go out there and just play whatever you’re feeling,” said Schimmel. “Hey, you’re open? Pull up. Throw a behind-the-back pass? Why not?”
Eerily, the situation is frighteningly similar to the one basketball legend, Pete Maravich, found himself in as a rookie as a new member of the Atlanta Hawks. Like Schimmel, Maravich joined a winning team, with a veteran roster. After a record-breaking college career, Maravich, was brought along slowly. Despite a huge contract and even bigger expectations, Maravich did not fare well. Fearing that Pete would alienate the veteran players, most of them black, the coaching staff chose to bring Maravich off the bench and limit his minutes. Losing his confidence and not fitting in, Maravich and the Hawks never developed a chemistry.
Maravich played poorly and inconsistently, soon lost his confidence, losing the trust and patience of his team and the coaches. Unable to find a comfortable role, he was quickly deemed an expensive bust. He was labeled a spoiled, insecure, collegiate gunner who played for his coddling father, Press Maravich at LSU; not ready nor made for the NBA. Critics emphasized his lack of natural ability, speed, quickness, and jumping ability.
Once traded away; however, Maravich found his groove with the New Orleans Jazz, becoming a perennial NBA All-Star and a true legend. Despite his well-know, off-the-court struggles, Maravich, once set free, displayed a unique creativity, artistic flair and true gift for the game of basketball.
Could history be repeating itself?
Of course, the current medical condition of the Dream head coach Michael Cooper, complicates the situation. Cooper is on medical leave following surgery for tongue cancer. A member of "Showtime" as a player with the Los Angeles Lakers, Cooper is no stranger to successfully dealing with a legendary, creative, unique point guard. Cooper played many years with "Magic" Johnson.
Clearly, prior to his surgery, Cooper cautiously chose to bring Schimmel along slowly. Ironically, Cooper coached the East All-Star team and had no choice but to start Schimmel. Her outstanding performance created a dilemma for Cooper. Although a strong supporter and believer in Schimmel, he now had to decide her short-term future. Keeping her development slow and deliberate or setting her free, were the options. Cooper had to either admit his mistake or save face. However, the decision was now even more complicated, with Cooper gone on medical leave. If interim head coach Karleen Thompson chose to start Schimmel, it could be seen as undermining Cooper's strategy and make him look bad. If she continued to keep Schimmel in a reserve role, she would be seen as a supporting Cooper, potentially maintaining team order and cohesion.
So, for the meantime, Cooper is recuperating and Schimmel sits, as the Dream suffer through a current four-game losing streak.
Can the Dream bounce back and can Schimmel shine once more? Stay tuned. Don't forget the lesson of Pistol Pete in Atlanta.
Excerpts from WNBA.com, ESPN.com, and HuffingtonPost.com.
