Happiness vs Anxiety or Anger

[Townie72]

I caught a few minutes of an interesting show last night on the car radio as I went for the umpteenth time to the grocery store to get items that were absolutely critical for the meal being prepared but somehow un-thought of until the last minute.

The subject of the interview was a psychologist that was frequently called in to help select jurors based on his looking at fleeting expressions on potential jurors faces during interviews.

This guy had also served as a consultant to NBA teams making high draft choices. The teams knew all the players being considered for high draft spots were great athletes, but the team was concerned about being more sure of how strong a player they would be.

The psychologist explained that truly great athletes were driven by either anxiety (fear of failing) or anger or a combination of both. And that “happiness” was the opposite of that. People that are basically happy frequently lacked the motivation --- supplied by anxiety and/or anger --- to excel in highly-competitive athletic endeavors.

As the guy explained his theories two images popped into my mind. As soon as he explained the impact of happiness, I thought of Tyler Roberson.

When he talked about anger or anxiety as drivers, I thought of Tyus Battle. Now I don’t know anything about what motivates battle or what his real personality is like. But I do know the guy is all effort out on the floor. JB has said this team is “gritty” and determined, and there is no one grittier than Battle.

I also thought of Larry Bird. As much as I admired Bird, I wish he was also a “good guy”. But in watching many interviews and watching even more games, I have come to the opinion that there just isn’t any softer side to Larry Bird. He was --- and may still be today --- a competitive S.O.B at his core.

The “grit” is why I am optimistic about this team. I get SU is offensively-challenged. I can see weaknesses all over the court from Frank’s handle and decision-making to Marek’s iffy shot to Pascal’s hands. We are going to win games on just toughness even when we cannot shoot well in the first half.

 

[OrOrange44]

I thought you were gonna talk about how it feels for a diehard fan...win or lose
Happiness until next game or anxiety and anger until next tip

That is very interesting about the drivers
Unless this team starts to shoot better they will need to "Battle"

LGO !!! Whip those Hokies

OO44 SUball

 

[bballbeadle]

I caught a few minutes of an interesting show last night on the car radio as I went for the umpteenth time to the grocery store to get items that were absolutely critical for the meal being prepared but somehow un-thought of until the last minute.

The subject of the interview was a psychologist that was frequently called in to help select jurors based on his looking at fleeting expressions on potential jurors faces during interviews.

This guy had also served as a consultant to NBA teams making high draft choices. The teams knew all the players being considered for high draft spots were great athletes, but the team was concerned about being more sure of how strong a player they would be.

The psychologist explained that truly great athletes were driven by either anxiety (fear of failing) or anger or a combination of both. And that “happiness” was the opposite of that. People that are basically happy frequently lacked the motivation --- supplied by anxiety and/or anger --- to excel in highly-competitive athletic endeavors.

As the guy explained his theories two images popped into my mind. As soon as he explained the impact of happiness, I thought of Tyler Roberson.

When he talked about anger or anxiety as drivers, I thought of Tyus Battle. Now I don’t know anything about what motivates battle or what his real personality is like. But I do know the guy is all effort out on the floor. JB has said this team is “gritty” and determined, and there is no one grittier than Battle.

I also thought of Larry Bird. As much as I admired Bird, I wish he was also a “good guy”. But in watching many interviews and watching even more games, I have come to the opinion that there just isn’t any softer side to Larry Bird. He was --- and may still be today --- a competitive S.O.B at his core.

The “grit” is why I am optimistic about this team. I get SU is offensively-challenged. I can see weaknesses all over the court from Frank’s handle and decision-making to Marek’s iffy shot to Pascal’s hands. We are going to win games on just toughness even when we cannot shoot well in the first half.

I hope this well-written, thoughtful post gets more attention when New Year’s and the game are behind us! Could you say more about why you thought of Roberson when you thought of happiness? But take your time. Tomorrow will do. Happy New Year!

 

[kcsu]

Melo always seemed happy

 

[Townie72]

On Roberson - I thought there was this gulf between what he could do physically and what he actually did. He could be a great rebounder in games and then disappear. I think it was a mental thing, not a physical one. So what would cause someone with that physical ability to underachieve? When this psychologist talked about guys with great physical tools who disappointed, Roberson came to mind. This might also explain JB's statement about "If there were anyone else ..." That might provoke anger in some. Roberson seemed unfazed by it.

On Battle and this team:

We see "grit" in a team when we see them do something hard. When JB said early on, "If we don't shoot well, we can't beat anybody" he hadn't quite yet grasped how mentally and physically tough some of these guys are. I think he was surprised and pleased by it and has said so in Pressers.

Anybody who has ever played basketball (especially) knows there are things that are "hard" to do.

Coming from 14 or 20 points down in the second half is HARD.

Diving on the floor going after a loose ball is HARD. (I've seen more of that this year than any I can remember)

Pressing full court is HARD.

Rebounding is HARD.

Driving to the Basket is HARD.

Passing the ball around the perimeter and jacking up three's is EASY (or comparatively easy) That's what I liked to do.

This has shown me they are willing to do the HARD things consistently. It would be nice if they could play a little bit better offense earlier in games so that they wouldn't have to try quite so hard. But shooting better doesn't appear to be in the cards.

 

[Townie72]

Melo always seemed happy

That's an outward appearance. Melo didn't play happy.

 

[tbonezone]

as you drove to the store again were you motivated by happiness or anger ?

 

[Townie72]

as you drove to the store again were you motivated by happiness or anger ?

Fear (If you are a married man, you'll get that.)

 

[OttoMets]

Melo always seemed happy

Yep. Bet we could think of a ton of counter examples on this. I appreciate the interesting initial post, but I've always observed the opposite. In most areas, anger isn't a productive emotion. It's why I've always found examples like the 'McNamara-face' so easy to mock. Even if you're a linebacker, anger usually distracts from performance, it doesn't help enhance it.

 

[Townie72]

Yep. Bet we could think of a ton of counter examples on this. I appreciate the interesting initial post, but I've always observed the opposite. In most areas, anger isn't a productive emotion. It's why I've always found examples like the 'McNamara-face' so easy to mock. Even if you're a linebacker, anger usually distracts from performance, it doesn't help enhance it.

I think what we are talking about is motivation not the transitory emotion of the minute.

This kind of anger permeates off season work outs, practices and games. It’s what drives you to perform and endure. It’s the emotion that underlies why and how you play. We aren’t talking about the momentary anger that might occur because someone fouls you hard.

When Bird lost one year to the Lakers, the next day he was practicing hard vowing that it would never happen to him again. That’s anger as a motivation.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

I think there are some who love the game so much they don't need to be motivated. Tough to tell from just seeing someone on TV. And surely such athletes would be in the minority but it seems to me they do exist. McNabb looked like that. Melo did. Ernie Banks is a classic example.

 

[SWC75]

I think there are some who love the game so much they don't need to be motivated. Tough to tell from just seeing someone on TV. And surely such athletes would be in the minority but it seems to me they do exist. McNabb looked like that. Melo did. Ernie Banks is a classic example.

Stan Musial played the game hard. He seems to have been the nicest man ever to have been a great athlete. I think maybe competitiveness is a personality trait in it's own right, in addition to anger, anxiety and happiness.

 

[kcsu]

That's an outward appearance. Melo didn't play happy.

Nice spin

 

[20Plus]

That's an outward appearance. Melo didn't play happy.

Absolutely love this

 

[20Plus]

I caught a few minutes of an interesting show last night on the car radio as I went for the umpteenth time to the grocery store to get items that were absolutely critical for the meal being prepared but somehow un-thought of until the last minute.

The subject of the interview was a psychologist that was frequently called in to help select jurors based on his looking at fleeting expressions on potential jurors faces during interviews.

This guy had also served as a consultant to NBA teams making high draft choices. The teams knew all the players being considered for high draft spots were great athletes, but the team was concerned about being more sure of how strong a player they would be.

The psychologist explained that truly great athletes were driven by either anxiety (fear of failing) or anger or a combination of both. And that “happiness” was the opposite of that. People that are basically happy frequently lacked the motivation --- supplied by anxiety and/or anger --- to excel in highly-competitive athletic endeavors.

As the guy explained his theories two images popped into my mind. As soon as he explained the impact of happiness, I thought of Tyler Roberson.

When he talked about anger or anxiety as drivers, I thought of Tyus Battle. Now I don’t know anything about what motivates battle or what his real personality is like. But I do know the guy is all effort out on the floor. JB has said this team is “gritty” and determined, and there is no one grittier than Battle.

I also thought of Larry Bird. As much as I admired Bird, I wish he was also a “good guy”. But in watching many interviews and watching even more games, I have come to the opinion that there just isn’t any softer side to Larry Bird. He was --- and may still be today --- a competitive S.O.B at his core.

The “grit” is why I am optimistic about this team. I get SU is offensively-challenged. I can see weaknesses all over the court from Frank’s handle and decision-making to Marek’s iffy shot to Pascal’s hands. We are going to win games on just toughness even when we cannot shoot well in the first half.

I love stuff like this thanks for sharing

 

[OrangeAl]

On the football side, Tim Green seemed to be able to channel all the anger in his golden-boy life into a mean persona on the field. (Though, I have no idea what kind of person he was away from the field).