I’d like to start this post by expressing my admiration of Morris Almond’s recent post to Jazzbots. It is with a touch of envy that I compliment him and his writing abilities. What it’s not enough for you to be a highly skilled basketball player? You’ve got to show up everyone with your authoring capabilities as well? Anyway, thanks Morris, it’s great to get your perspective.
As I was thinking about what I would post about today I scanned some of my favorite sports blogs and came upon this post, by Jack Cobra at YAYsports!.com.
In his post he talks about a tennis player who was fined for not trying his best in a match.
“Nikolay Davydenko was fined $2,000 for lack of best effort in his second-round match against Marin Cilic,” the governing body for men’s tennis, ATP, said in a statement on Friday.
According to ESPN.com Davydenko was already being investigated for betting involvement. The article and ensuing discussion on YAYsports! drew comparisons of the lack of effort of players in the NBA, and what could or is being done about it.
After reading this blog post and the accompanying comments, I thought that I would wait to write my blog until after I went to the local high school playoff game. You know, that way I could talk about the way the game is played with passion and emotion, and why can’t adults remember this attitude, and why can’t NBA players play with the same kind of effort as kids who aren’t even getting paid and all of that crapstuff. Trouble is I got sidetracked at the game by “bleacher brawl” 2007. I’ve come to the conclusion that the reason adults aren’t able to play sports for the pure joy of it, is the same reason that “normal” adults aren’t able to share “their” territory, or their perceived territory; meaning a seat in the bleachers. I don’t know the exact psychological name for this behavior, but I know it’s all related to group dynamics and crowd behavior. There are mutants among us, we are the mutants, when we join a crowd. The ugly side of sports rears it’s head once again.
The aforementioned show in the stands was an easy distraction for me. When I go to the Jazz games I have the same trouble with distraction. There is so much to watch and witness in the crowd, it’s hard even to notice the effort that’s being put forth on the floor. Many times I think it’s better to watch the games on t.v., if I really want to concentrate on the actual games, stats, players and their effort. For example, if I’d been in the crowd at the last Jazz vs. Laker game, I probably could’t have helped looking around to see famous people, etc. I probably wouldn’t have noticed the lack of effort and the selfishness of Kobe Bryant, that I was able to see very well on t.v. While his windmill dunk might have looked impressive, he knew very well how much time was left on the clock. Those two points might of given his team a boost as they beat the buzzer. Instead, those two tardy points more than likely reinforced to Kobe’s teammates; what a long and treacherous season they can look forward to with their team “leader.”
Back to the effort discussion, one of the people who responded to the YAYsports! story; Bink, had it right I believe. He wrote that until players have less of their money guaranteed, and more of it incentive based, nothing will change in the NBA. I think he’s right; as is often the case, many times it comes down to the basic things that motivate human behavior. One of those things is money. The amount of money doesn’t matter, the money is still earned in a certain manner. Until that manner is changed, the effort level in which it is earned will stay the same. Some people are going to put out the effort, game in and game out. A good example of an all effort performance was Kevin Garnett in Celtics vs. Cavaliers the other night. Some people will never put forth the effort they are capable of (no more names will be mentioned to protect the guilty). I think that coaches do have an impact to an extent, and I have no doubt that Jerry Sloan would pull a lazy, effortless player out of the game within a nano second.
Just one more reason that I’m a Jazz fan.
Linda, I’m wondering where the kid got the idea in the first place that “anything goes?” Do we learn these things directly from someone, or do we draw our own conclusions based on the depth of our experience? Of course how much depth can a 10 year old have in their experience? It’s the old nature vs. nurture. I don’t know the answer, just wondering what your opinion is.
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Linda McFarland on October 28, 2007 said:
The title of your article gave me a thought that I would like to share. We live in Idaho and like many crazy grandparents, we drive to Utah every Saturday to watch our 10 year old grandson play little league football. The game this last week was pretty special because it meant which position they would have in the playoffs. During the game one of the apposing team players kicked one of our players when he was on the ground. He was caught and they received the penalty. Following the game I was standing there talking to the grandson when a father came marching over with his son asking which player had been kicked. When the young man was found the father told his son to go ahead with his apology. The first reaction from him was “I shouldn’t have to apologize cause it’s just a game and anything goes”. His father looked him straight in the face and said “It is a game, but you will play by the rules!” The young man apologized, they shook hands and they left. What a great thing to see! A father insisting that his kid play by the rules!!!!!!!! What is this thing called cloning?? Oh, by the way, we won.