How hard should PRO athletes take losses?

[doublejs07]

Just curious....

I came across this quote from Wale (rapper) after he went to his first hockey game last night at the Verizon Center...

So, Wale's report on his first hockey experience: the intermissions were too long. There weren't all that many black faces in the crowd. But the result on the ice, he said, was something this town needs about now: the team unity, the way the Caps "bundle up" after goals, and the way they win. Take the Wizards, for example.
"I don't want to look like I'm a Wizards hater," he said, "because I'm the ultimate D.C. supporter. I just question their effort sometimes, especially when you see them out in the club after a loss. Why are they always out in the club?


Link

I'm gonna use the Wizards as an example. If anyone has followed the team this season, their effort has been questioned by the coach(es), vets, frontoffice, and the fans. There are PLENTY of nights when the Wizards look like they couldn't beat a JV team. They were applauded the other night, becausethey played their #%%#+ off against the Magic (which they lost anyways). Most of the younger guys like Nick Young, Andray Blatche, and JaVale McGee have hadtheir minutes fluctuate due to their spotty play. Jamison and Butler have repeatedly called out the younger guys for goofing off too much before games, andgoofing off too much after games. If you're in the DC area and you go out on a Fri/Sat night, chances are you will see these dudes acting stupid in a clubor lounge.

I'll be the first to say that I have no issue with these guys going out. However, if you are putting more effort into your plans after a game, rather thanputting effort into actually PREPARING for a game, then it's a problem. I'm not 100% sure, but I think Josh Howard caught some flack last year forhyping up his birthday party (which was following a playoff game) before his team even took the court before a decisive game in the playoffs.

Going back to the original question....how hard do you think PRO athletes should take their losses? The NBA is obviously a players league...no questioningthat...however, it sucks to see a mediocre product on the court when you know they cut loose after losses like there isn't a care in the world....

 

[airjordan jb23]

They should be affected by them, but not get to caught up in it. I say not get to caught up in it because they have to move on to the next game. If you look atthe NBA, you have multiple games a week, you have to learn to learn from losses & move on to the next game. Take the pros & cons from the loss, thenlook to fix it for the next one, but as a player I don't think they should take it to hard. Be affected by it, yes, but not to the extreme because theregames in the near future that you have to prepare for.

With going out after games, I don't see a problem with it. You have to understand that they have to live their lives. & during the long 82 game seasonfilled with practices, traveling, & games, you don't have all the time in the world to hang out. But at the same time, you have to be prepared &focused on the more important thing first, which is the games, & not what goes on after the games. If thats handled well & what you do doesn'taffect your play or the upcoming game, then that's fine I think.

 

[daprescription]

I think the majority of the league doesn't really care. There's only that selected few that has their entire heart set on winning.

 

[lifelessons]

Josh Howard

dont compare him to those young bums

 

[dajoka004]

I've always been torn by this, in college sports too. I mean, if you lose, why are you at the bar just hours later, even after a road game? But I supposeeveryone needs those times to let lose. You just can't let it affect your play. There shouldn't be any partying the day before a game. And during theseason, there's no excuse to get hammered. You have the entire offseason to do that.

 

[downtown43]

= one of the bigger drunks on Maryland's campus, but he still comes to play on gameday so who knows...

 

[trasoul82]

Originally Posted by daprescription

I think the majority of the league doesn't really care. There's only that selected few that has their entire heart set on winning.

I agree. I can't really say I blame them, as most people don't really take their work performance personally. There are the select few who will showpassion, but everyone is not there because of love. I'll use Wayman Tisdale as an example. Granted, he did play 12 seasons, but he could have played more.So why did he leave? So he could settle down in Oklahoma and work on his jazz music. He basically set himself up for the rest of his life and then turned tofocus on his passion.

Or take someone like Yao. An absolute freak of nature. Whether or not he is competitive or not, he'd be a fool to be chillin over in China overseeing thedaily operations of an internet cafe. I think at the end of the day the Job of NBA players is to justify ticket prices. If monetory goals are met, theneveryone is happy, including the fans (Otherwise, why would they keep paying?). You got groupies and you got millions. Party it up, I guess.

 

[frankie valentino]

I think the ones that are truly affected by it are the ones who always magically seem to end up in the finals.

 

[jakecuevas]

its there job.

they need to take it tough but not let them affect them for the next game.

 

[vctry20]

I mean I don't know how hard they SHOULD take them. I don't think anybody should carry a loss over into another game on any level of sports.

IMO a lot athletes probably care about individual performances over Ws and Ls. Unless they're in the playoffs or finals.

In sports like basketball, I'll be a lot of the marquee players take losses hard because dudes like Kobe and Lebron can drop 30 every night, the money willalways be there, they will never be jobless as long as they can still hoop. So they want something bigger, they strive for more.

 

[curious24]

at that speed you have to care or you can easily be out....i mean i saw joe johnson play and dude is def trying 100% even though he has that contract.

 

[jville819]

Originally Posted by daprescription

I think the majority of the league doesn't really care. There's only that selected few that has their entire heart set on winning.

 

[prettyplaya]

whats up with this dude and his serious questions on nt all the time lol

 

[doublejs07]

Originally Posted by DaJoka004

I've always been torn by this, in college sports too. I mean, if you lose, why are you at the bar just hours later, even after a road game? But I suppose everyone needs those times to let lose. You just can't let it affect your play. There shouldn't be any partying the day before a game. And during the season, there's no excuse to get hammered. You have the entire offseason to do that.

I hear you....

in the case of the Wizards, what pisses me off the most is that these dudes 1/2 !$$ it on the court the majority of the time, but party without a care in theworld 30 minutes after the final whistle blows. Like I said before...I have no issue w. these guys going out and enjoying themselves....but @+@$, at least putsome effort in when actually doing your job

 

[mister friendly]

most people don't really take their work performance personally

If you get a F on a test do you stalk about it all night? No

 

[executive76]

I would assume after a certain amount of losing you would get used to it...it really depends onhow you lose blowout vs last second heroics etc.

and reg. season vs playoffs/championships

 

[stringer bell 32]

I believe they should atleast seem upset over a loss but it irks me when fans expect all athletes to take every loss like its life and death.


There should be a good balance between caring and realizing you can't win them all

 

[rpappy6]

They should take the loss seriously, but not like it's the end of the world. It is only a game.

 

[jville819]

I think the fans care more about losing than the athletes. In no way am I saying that the players like to lose but I think fans expect players to act the sameway that they feel.

When you watch a rivalry game or something and your team loses it pisses fans off to see your team congratulating the opposing players or smiling as they walkoff the court/field. We want the players to be mad and cursing and not even going up to the other players.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Everybody handles losing differently.

 

[dland24]

 

[blaxoid]

I get furious when ever I lose, any game. I think only some players in the L feel like that, and the ones that do are the ones that improve the most from theexperiences they learn in losses etc.

Conditioning is definitely a part of it though.. them Wiz cats have lost so much they hardly care at all

 

[shatterkneesinc]

depends on the coaches reaction

if coach doesnt care, player wont care as well

 

[de phx jose]

They should take it real serious, it's their damn job. I get mad when i lose a game of one-on-one or even just a game of Madden haha

 

[tmukg21]

Originally Posted by de PHX Jose

They should take it real serious, it's their damn job. I get mad when i lose a game of one-on-one or even just a game of Madden haha

theres 82 games ,160 i think in baseball

cry about every game? no. Your training level in the offseason determines how serious you will take it in the regular season

Kobe studies game film intensely but even he finds a way to pop bottles