Haven’t we all at various points in time claimed that sport is a reflection of life? I am sure I have many times, and the claim does have a certain degree of authenticity to it. On the other hand, here is why that reflection sometimes is a mere mirage.
When a top tennis athlete steps between the lines, it becomes an all-consuming entity. One wonders how can someone like Federer (who embraces serenity) play scintillating tennis in a chaotic, constant evening bustle of New York?
Fair question…it is because once Federer steps on the court he probably is completely unaware of what transpires outside the lines.
Kind of like how a writer is completely unaware of his ambiance, when he/she is in the process of writing.
When you are involved in something you enjoy consummately, everything else ceases to exist or fails to intrude even remotely. In a similar way, I am sure it’s the same for the rest of the top-level athletes.
In such a vacuum, every second on court is an opportunity for them to create something, which for a split-second defies reality.
Here are two examples: Federer and Nadal. In real life, we are faced with realities day in and day out and are reminded of our limitations. Top-level athletes are no more or no less human than you and me.
But for those few hours between the lines, they create something that tingles your senses to go "How did he do that?" Those few hours every day presents them with an opportunity to create something novel, refreshing, and however terse it might be…for those few fleeting moments, something "unrealistic."
Those two seconds make an individual superhuman, sort of how Federer or Nadal felt at the conclusion of the two points presented above.
That’s the feeling that normal human beings will not experience, those two seconds of unconstrained, infinite, amorphous and boundless sensation of being superhuman.
The second reason is less abstract than the first one: "living in denial." Conventional wisdom professes it is to be avoided at any cost, for at best it can exacerbate the situation. Acceptance is the first step to addressing the problem and arriving to an acceptable solution.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Common problems such as marriage issues, addiction, reckless spending, for all of these and many more, accepting that there is a problem in the first step to solving the problem. Living in denial is not accepting the mere existence of the problem.
Think about the case of top-level athletes. Living in denial is an extremely important tool in their repertoire.
Consider someone like Lleyton Hewitt. He held an 8-1 record against Federer, and now it stands at 8-11.
In the past four years, Federer has had many victories against Hewitt, with each victory different from the previous one. He has beaten, out-slugged, grinded, whipped and completely decimated him.
Each victory has been different, but the end result has been the same. Hewitt almost has less than a 0.001 percent (in non-geek math terms, it’s a zero) probability of beating Federer.
It’s like saying, I can hope to come up with something equivalent to E=mc2, in my future. Sure, I have a non zero (the same 0.001%) probability too, but what the odds it will actually happen?
The next time they meet, what are the probabilities that Hewitt will swallow a huge dose of reality and think along those lines, though? He has to live in denial; it’s imperative he does. There really isn’t much point in stepping onto the court, if he believes he cannot beat Federer.
Of course, one can always counter-argue the easier option. It’s not that Hewitt lives in denial, but he sincerely swallows the reality where he knows he will not beat Federer.
Somehow after watching the south Australian for eight years, I fail to believe that. He lives in denial (which in this case is terrific for his chances as a top level tennis player) trying to draw any possible inspiration from the fact that he has indeed beaten Federer eight times previously…and then he steps on the court.
There really isn’t any other option for him. I am not claiming that living in denial will have the intended effect, but accepting reality is even worse.
Reversing roles, Federer himself has displayed such thought processes many times before. He turned around his losing records against Hewitt (from 1-8) and Nalbandian. Embracing reality would have done him no good.
Other than the fact that he improved in leaps and bounds as a tennis player, a minuscule part of him must have lived in denial until he managed to turn the rivalry around. That little voice deep inside that says, "You will eventually beat him."
Here is one for the future. How many of you seriously think Federer can beat Nadal at Roland Garros on a day, when all things are equal, and both of them are playing their best.
If it was me, I am not sure I would invest any money on Federer (I would love for him to pull it off, though) but logic does not recommend such an investment.
Given the way the 2008 final was a clinical rout, do you really think that Federer will embrace reality the next time he meets Nadal in the Roland Garros final? There is no real possibility he would do that.
The only attitude that he needs to embrace (if and) when he plays Nadal in the 2009 Roland Garros final is, "I am not going to allow myself to think of last years’ final. I know I can beat Nadal on clay. Let’s get the job done today; let's hit some of those winners.
It makes sense to me, that’s precisely what he must and should be thinking: live in denial. If I were him, that’s precisely what I would do.
"Feeling Super-Human" and "Living in Denial" are certainly two characteristics of sport that do not reflect life.
In two such unique cases, Sport does not mirror, nor is a reflection of Life; it is merely a Mirage.
P.S: Mate, if you love tennis to any extent that I do, you would love this article in the New York Times. Take my word for it; its a must read for every tennis junkie. It's long, but it's worth its weight in GOLD.
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about 1 month ago
sports is an escape from the real world. People watch and play sports to get away from the problems of life if even for a few hours. Good article LJS.
5 starz from me.
from about 1 month ago
i agree - you come from a consumer standpoint
i speak about the technicalities in the supply market (the people who are actually providing the commodity - the players)
cheers - and thanks for the penta-stars
about 1 month ago
hmmm ... deep.. very deep ...
POTD and 5 stars!
from about 1 month ago
cheers Dave - i like the phrase
deep ... very deep, thats what it was intended to be mate -
about 1 month ago
Although your article is about tennis, it could also describe my stint as a writer--a mirage.
from about 1 month ago
and mine too Dee - hope things are very well in the MMA house ... are they ? and shall I let you know when the next good tennis game is ?
from about 1 month ago
say hi to Mel for me !
from about 1 month ago
forgot to thank for the pick - thanks Dee
about 1 month ago
So very true--like all performers, athletes must learn to deal with the distractions of a live audience. It requires total concentration and immense preparation to take the stage of a center court. The miracles come without thinking--just reaction to a shot they've practiced a million times. Amazement comes later for them..I think this is why Roger loves to watch his own matches because he needs to witness that miraculous shot he created on the fly! Even he at times is wowed!
Then, too , if you come on the court believing you are not going to win--that you don't have a shot, you will lose...it is as simple as that. Blake believed he was going to beat Roger in Beijing--he finally did. That gives every other player faith that he too can beat Roger. Roger must continue to fight to win at Roland Garros. He has to believe he can win it--he is the second best clay court player--so "denial" must be a key ingredient in the players back pack!
Great Read! Thanks! jaa
from about 1 month ago
thanks for the pick Jaa - coming from you, it means a lot
once again - you are gonna think am a boring lunatic who keeps responding to your comments, by quoting your own lines
'The miracles come without thinking--just reaction to a shot they've practiced a million times.' - you should SOOO read the NYT article .... wallace speaks about exactly this point, that a top level athlete with time get used to obscenely short reaction time thats required to return serve and other shots
yeah - i do agree living in denial is a key tool in the arsenal
you and i would be thrilled am sure- when Rodge finally wears the red clay on his shirt - when he wins in RG
cheers
about 1 month ago
Nice article long john; real deep. potd and five stars bro.
from about 1 month ago
yeah - thats the response that seems common, DEEP
thats exactly what it was intended to be Rafal - cant wait to see whos next on your series ....
cheers - and thanks for the potd
about 1 month ago
LJS, great read - am still thinking about it.....and how it applies to NASCAR as well as tennis.....obviously the drivers in our sport have to feel superhuman to get behind the wheel of a race car and go those speeds, blocking out the world. And they do have to deny so much behind the wheel, like how hard the last crash was or how bad their pit stop was. So, their lives have to be full of mirages I think to do what they do - just like all other top performers in their respective sports. I think I have to have a glass of wine and read this again....
from about 1 month ago
hope the glass of vino treated you well (whats your fav? - mine is dry parched red - cabernet)
yeah - i do believe that this line of thought can be generalized across the board for all sports - for each athlete at the top of any sport has common psychological tendencies, its the mere practical application of that - that differs
cheers
thanks and the POTD M-Jo
about 1 month ago
Excellent article! Love it !
from about 1 month ago
may I ask - why you liked it ? i would love to know MA
from about 1 month ago
I love the way you've written it. And its different, makes you think :P and i havent stopped to think about something in a long long time :P i think my brain's rusted!
from about 1 month ago
or - its pristine and all set to go - you can use them for a long time to come
cheers MA - i wanted to know why you liked it .... it helps me to get feedback
cheers -
about 1 month ago
Sport is just sport, I guess...good on some days...and bad on its worse days...4 star read...
from about 1 month ago
Thanks -
from about 1 month ago
i actually did not understand what you said -
from about 1 month ago
What you deny, you cannot defy; defiance is not born in denial but in acceptance.
from about 1 month ago
accepting that you are gonna lose - does not defy it - thats a dead tunnel
from about 1 month ago
Acceptance applies to a past process not to things in the future...so, no one loses until the last rally is done
from about 1 month ago
on court - yes
in the mind - no
about 1 month ago
If Hewitt went on living in denial, he would not raise his game, he would not try to add more flair to his game; he would not evolve; there are things that one can change and there are things that one can't change --- one cannot change things that happened in the past---but one for sure can aim to change the ways things are in the present and Hope to change things as they might be in future. It is these AIMS in the present and HOPES for the future that drive the process of someone making an attempt twice over - cause they learn from their past mistakes, they learn from analyzing and understanding as to why they lost, how they lost and a PLAN or IDEA as TO WHAT or HOW that situation does not arise again... same applies to corporations...if they go on "living in denial" we would have corporations falling like nine pins all across the globe...so denial does not work...
from about 1 month ago
FUNNY - i hap to think exactly the opposite
not just for the sake of arguing - for that would be a waste of time for both of us
but some of the most horrific problems - can be SHUT OUT by living in denial
it works a finite time, if you know its for a finite time, then you can shut it out by living in denial, and choose to not accept that there is a problem - thereby circumventing it
it in specialized cases, where your learning is not dependent on that
in cases - where your learning is affected by that, you are right
from about 1 month ago
It is a contrarian theory and works for most...it is like investment...some like to invest when the share price is going down and some like to sell cause it might fall further down...bull and bears on Wall St. do swing both ways some times
about 1 month ago
Guess what, this article is worth a second read, so gotta add it to my favs..
from about 1 month ago
its like having a really bad boss when you are doing a PhD
shut him out - dont worry about him or her
but keep learning, your learning does not really get affected and you will graduate
and you circumvent the boss issue- in this case, your learning does not get affected
from about 1 month ago
shall i in all kindness day - Grazie !
from about 1 month ago
To learn you have to evaluate where you have to start and an evaluation of what you lack... the denial you are talking of is only denial of other's opinion or what other's thought on one's win or loss--but not denial of one's own situation--situational analysis cannot be made in denial---that will not put Hewitt back on court or even Federer back on the French clay...it is only acceptance, situational analysis, plugging the loopholes and the anger at being denied the glory and anger in the situation that made their obituary in the sport being written about
from about 1 month ago
but when you know - plugging the loop holes wont be good enough (lets face it, any loop holes Rodge plugs, will most prob still end up second best on clay), then denial that you will lose to Rafa - is the only way to go
no - i was not referring to what others say, analyzing one own situation
from about 1 month ago
The comment about others opinion was about the bad boss and shutting out comment that you made...Roger Federer does not deny that he is not able to play best on clay--- he is trying to raise his game and putting in all the efforts he can cause he believes that he can raise his game a notch more than he had been doing earlier on clay...he accepts that he has problems on clay, he accepts that probably Nadal has a better game than him on clay, he accepts that he has lost in the past to Nadal, he is willing to try not because he is living in denial as to his capabilities on clay, but because he thinks it is a mathematical equation that he has to get right and his belief that he can get the equation right... what he is denying is ONLY others perception that he may not be the best man on clay -- he is trying to defy that acceptance of other people in their belief that he is not best on clay--- so it is a question of the conflict of belief systems and not about "living in denial"
from about 1 month ago
If Roger Federer has to live in denial about being second best to Nadal on clay, then he has also to "live in denial" as to being the best on grass, which is it? We cannot have it two ways, we can have it only one which way, either for or againt? (Don't I sound like Uncle Bush when he said, "either you are with us or you are against us"-- just a side note)
from about 1 month ago
you dont live in denial about - things that go for you ... you only use that when things dont go well for you
so - he does not need to do it for grass ....
from about 1 month ago
its like saying- am happily married, hence am gonna deny that am happy - does not make sense
from about 1 month ago
That's why it is acceptance whether it is black or white, good or bad; denial cannot win the end game
from about 1 month ago
since we have bipolar thoughts, it would be interesting to write somethin together ?
about 1 month ago
say
about 1 month ago
Great article LJS, one of the best!
from about 1 month ago
thanks Captain - am very glad you liked it .... cheers
about 1 month ago
hey, your articles make me speechless !!!!!
about 1 month ago
but, if Federer can convert 1-8 stat into an 11-8 stat, then won't it be possible for him do the same with nadal or will that classify as height of optimism???
from about 1 month ago
i think you are beginning to like my work - am only very glad
Hewitt is different, Hewitt cant hurt Rodge cos his game his based on speed, eventually rodge will win
but rafa has the firepower to HURT rodge - especially on god forsaken clay
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