Media & Sports Journalism ..........your thoughts?
I'd be very interested to know who in the media has played sports and at what level. There are times where the lack of journalistic insight appears to be from a lack of sports competition experience. The gap of applicable knowledge has at times yielded lack of insight which in turn compromises some articles. I'm speaking specifically of all media (minus Chris Peak) who writes about Pitt, Steelers, etc. I'm not talking about technical knowledge, although that helps tremendously, but it's unrealistic for most journalist have it. But two areas that surprise me the most are pretty fundamental. confidence and competition.
1) Confidence - The media seems to question the authenticity of team confidence. A team either knows they can win, thinks they can win or doesn't believe they can win. When they know they can, they win at a very high rate, when the think they can, they win at an average rate, when they don't think they can, they win at a lower one, all things being equal. Although, talent doesn't even come into the equation in many instances.
I'm from the Beaver Couny area. I played basketball and baseball in college. I've played against and with many players from Aliquippa in pick up basketball games. In Aliquippa, just because they're from Aliquippa, they think they were brought on this earth to win and all competitors were placed on earth to be there Washington Generals. They have ZERO expectation of losing. There tradition is based on more than just talent. Players, regardless of era immediately consider a loss an aberration,..... an anomaly....... a periodic injustice from the gods that somehow caused them to lose......stars mistakenly became misaligned. It's NEVER the opposing team or player it's always something else. I'm not exaggerating. I'm being complimentary, not critical.
On Pitt's confidence of winning 4th quarter games. Belief in winning is real. It's not coach-speak. Once ingrained, it can become permanent, just like it can be ingrained to not finish games in the 4th quarter, which is what last year's game against Houston showed. Narduzzi's staff's biggest challenge which they've succeeded at, was changing the culture between the ears.
2) Competition - This one both surprised and disturbs me the most. The essence of sports is competing. When the Steelers were going up against the Pats in there first game and Tom Brady's eligibility was in question, the media asked the Steelers' players if they were happy on perhaps not playing against Brady. The players universally, preferred for Brady to play. but the media disbelieved them. I don't understand that.
Sports without competing is like dating a girl who you are not attracted to. Why even go out with her if there's no attraction factor. Something has to click. Mental, emotional, physical, money. Something!!!!! When I played, I ALWAYS wanted to play against the best. My friends and I drove 20-30 miles merely hoping to play against a legend or superior talent. This of course was pre-AAU.
Now some were okay with just going to the same playground and playing against the same players they've played against for years. Not playing against superior athletes meant not experiencing a high emotional competitive environment that makes sports fun. No competition, No anxiety. No heart flutters. No adrenaline.= No satisfaction. Somehow this concept is not believed by most in the media.
I don't get it. I'm interested in other's thoughts on this subject
I'd be very interested to know who in the media has played sports and at what level. There are times where the lack of journalistic insight appears to be from a lack of sports competition experience. The gap of applicable knowledge has at times yielded lack of insight which in turn compromises some articles. I'm speaking specifically of all media (minus Chris Peak) who writes about Pitt, Steelers, etc. I'm not talking about technical knowledge, although that helps tremendously, but it's unrealistic for most journalist have it. But two areas that surprise me the most are pretty fundamental. confidence and competition.
1) Confidence - The media seems to question the authenticity of team confidence. A team either knows they can win, thinks they can win or doesn't believe they can win. When they know they can, they win at a very high rate, when the think they can, they win at an average rate, when they don't think they can, they win at a lower one, all things being equal. Although, talent doesn't even come into the equation in many instances.
I'm from the Beaver Couny area. I played basketball and baseball in college. I've played against and with many players from Aliquippa in pick up basketball games. In Aliquippa, just because they're from Aliquippa, they think they were brought on this earth to win and all competitors were placed on earth to be there Washington Generals. They have ZERO expectation of losing. There tradition is based on more than just talent. Players, regardless of era immediately consider a loss an aberration,..... an anomaly....... a periodic injustice from the gods that somehow caused them to lose......stars mistakenly became misaligned. It's NEVER the opposing team or player it's always something else. I'm not exaggerating. I'm being complimentary, not critical.
On Pitt's confidence of winning 4th quarter games. Belief in winning is real. It's not coach-speak. Once ingrained, it can become permanent, just like it can be ingrained to not finish games in the 4th quarter, which is what last year's game against Houston showed. Narduzzi's staff's biggest challenge which they've succeeded at, was changing the culture between the ears.
2) Competition - This one both surprised and disturbs me the most. The essence of sports is competing. When the Steelers were going up against the Pats in there first game and Tom Brady's eligibility was in question, the media asked the Steelers' players if they were happy on perhaps not playing against Brady. The players universally, preferred for Brady to play. but the media disbelieved them. I don't understand that.
Sports without competing is like dating a girl who you are not attracted to. Why even go out with her if there's no attraction factor. Something has to click. Mental, emotional, physical, money. Something!!!!! When I played, I ALWAYS wanted to play against the best. My friends and I drove 20-30 miles merely hoping to play against a legend or superior talent. This of course was pre-AAU.
Now some were okay with just going to the same playground and playing against the same players they've played against for years. Not playing against superior athletes meant not experiencing a high emotional competitive environment that makes sports fun. No competition, No anxiety. No heart flutters. No adrenaline.= No satisfaction. Somehow this concept is not believed by most in the media.
I don't get it. I'm interested in other's thoughts on this subject
