Practice Preparation is Deliberate

The folks at OpenEducation.net informed me of a couple articles recently written about deliberate practice, a concept that has long been studied in relation to expertise and talent development. The beauty of the work, originally from the mind of Dr. K. Anders Ericcson, is that becoming really, really good in a field is a grueling task for which many people are not willing to sacrifice their time and energy... or they are simply afraid to attempt. A summary from Time Magazine suggests the discipline one must have in order to nurture true talent:

Ericsson's primary finding is that rather than mere experience or even raw talent, it is dedicated, slogging, generally solitary exertion — repeatedly practicing the most difficult physical tasks for an athlete, repeatedly performing new and highly intricate computations for a mathematician — that leads to first-rate performance. And it should never get easier; if it does, you are coasting, not improving. Ericsson calls this exertion "deliberate practice," by which he means the kind of practice we hate, the kind that leads to failure and hair-pulling and fist-pounding. You like the Tuesday New York Times crossword? You have to tackle the Saturday one to be really good.

The challenge of deliberate practice from a coach's or teacher's perspective is the actual design and implementation, especially when the so-called leader has such a wide range of players or students in his or her classroom. Some students have no experience with the topics being taught, while others have years of mature skills. In order to take on an approach to teaching and learning that entails personalized goal setting -- individualization that actually promotes the overall team vision -- teachers and coaches need help. They need great assistants, daily practice plans, and even guidance from within the classroom via the students. In our basketball practices, which are deliberate by definition -- with organized time slots for down to the minute drills and challenging work second to second -- we provide leadership and team building opportunities for the players on a regular basis.

The enjoyment comes at the end of the day, when we have worked so diligently to achieve daily goals. The process may not always seem fun for the players, but on another level, they know the physical and mental work has to be rigorous -- deliberate -- to get one step closer to the program's vision. Expertise at the highest degree, as in the elite, is something that has been nurtured through devoted training sessions, coaching, self-reflection, and hours upon hours of physical and mental effort. Yes, there may be natural aspects in brain or body type that allow the greatest to enhance potential, but those individuals still must have the appetite to eat away their days through focused and intense practice and preparation. In a sense, they immerse themselves in the activity of choice to become the absolute best.

The Goal is to Have a Goal, and a Good One

In my experience, one of the most trendy items to cover in the preseason is the topic of goals. I do not know the percentage of coaches that ask their players and teams to set them, but I would venture to say goal setting is one of the strongest correlated variables in sports preparation. Some come up with goals the right way, while for others, creating realistic challenges is quite a conundrum.

Sport psychology literature warrants that goal setting is a very effective performance technique, particularly when goals are specific, measurable, reachable, and process oriented. Many people, though, do not know how to lay out the laws, nor stick with them, throughout the course of a lengthy season -- even a drawn-out week. More often than not, I have worked with an athlete who attempted (or was forced) to write down his goals, submit them to his coach, and then forgot what he wrote because he never saw the list again. Or it was not reflected on or reviewed in a structured manner. Sound familiar to anyone?

Goals are good. They help to motivate. They can keep one focused. They influence one's confidence -- hopefully in a good way. They may even be good for team building if discussed, criticized, and reworked among peers, coaches, or teammates.

And if they are personal but can still aid the team in its overall philosophy, then being able to construct goals is a true asset -- even a talent. Muss cited Andrew Bynum's goal to get 20 and 10 each game this season. Nice, though Coach Jackson doesn't believe the 20 can happen within his system. I wonder if Phil told his young big his thoughts or if Bynum had to read about them as we did? And I wonder if the budding star explained to his coach why he thought he was going to average an astounding double-double? Did he actually plan his outcome goals with performance goals this past summer? Was there time to pre-meditate before presenting a potentially enlightening moment to his philosophical coach? Hoopscoach reports Michael Curry sacrificed free time to stay in prime shape and work on his game consistently in order to prove to himself and others that he deserved what he dreamed. I hope Bynum put in the mental and physical work, too.

A player and a coach can talk the talk. But each has to write the talk (and have support provided along the way). At the very least, structure the talk that leads to the walk... otherwise, the goals are empty -- as the hoops will be without any follow through.

Dissecting QB Development

Great quarterbacks are a special breed. One of the toughest positions to learn and play in all of sports, a quarterback has to be mentally tough enough to handle pressure from all angles, both on and off the field. Saturday's New York Times article about USC QB Mark Sanchez highlights many psychological components of performance, from his father's creative development activities to his ability to learn from mistakes.

On focus:

When Sanchez took batting practice as a teenager, his father quizzed him on the periodic table as each pitch was about to arrive. While gauging the speed and location of a fastball, his brain was also attempting to recall the atomic weight of magnesium.

When he was younger, he dribbled a basketball while wearing glasses that blocked his view of the ball — all the while facing rapid-fire questions on multiplication tables.

And when he dropped back to pass a football, working on his touch by lobbing the ball over a goal post, he had to know who the 13th president was. Answer: Millard Fillmore.

On leadership:

This focus on leadership comes easily for Nick Sanchez. A former Army sergeant, he is a captain in the Orange County Fire Authority and a member of the national urban search and rescue team. The search-and-rescue duty took him to New Orleans after Katrina, to New York after the Sept. 11 attacks and to Oklahoma City after the bombing of the federal building.

“In a sense, it is like football,” the elder Sanchez, who is a regular at U.S.C. practices, said of his rescue efforts. “The group I’ve been with has been very successful. We live together, we work together. You can call the same play 50 times, and there’s always a different result. It might be a traffic accident, a residential fire — you have to function, react and deal.”

On personality:

His arm may be strong — he threw a ball 60 yards to Ronald Johnson in a season-opening win over Virginia — but it is matched by his personality. Sanchez plays with a let-it-all-hang-out vibe, always eager to look for a big play. During the week, he bounds around the practice field, pumping up teammates or peppering coaches with questions. His teammates have dubbed him the Mexican Jumping Bean.

“Leinart and John David were very methodical, in-control guys,” said Jeff Byers, a fifth-year senior guard. “Mark knows what’s going on, but he’s got a much higher energy. He’s very charismatic. The O-line, we love him.”

Cerebral Matter

Each week, “Cerebral Matter” highlights articles, anecdotes, and analyses related to the psychological aspects of performance.


Head Games in auto racing:

The battle for the IndyCar championship is won on the course, but Helio Castroneves is trying to influence the outcome off the track.

Castroneves, who enters Sunday's Detroit Indy Grand Prix on Belle Isle 43 points behind driver points-leader Scott Dixon, has refined his strategy to include mind games with the New Zealander.

"I'm trying to do everything I can," said Castroneves, who will start on the front row with Dixon after turning in the second-fastest qualifying lap Saturday of 102.412 mph. "We're trying to get into his head."

Sarah Palin is prepared to deal with pressure. After all, she was a sportscaster and still is a competitor.


Ian Poulter is fed up and sick of dealing with distractions:

"It's just so mentally draining to be in this position, to listen and read and to get all the b.s all week. It's seriously, seriously mentally draining."...

...“They are the people I feel really sorry for,” he said. “They are going to be feeling pressure as it is and you don't want to be standing over a three-footer with so much doubt in your mind, not knowing if the ball is going to run straight.”

Music is great to listen to on many levels. It can change a person's mood instantly – one of the reason athletes use it to mentally prepare for competition. But, did you know listening to those tunes can actually help one heal?


Modeling is how we learn. Young athletes emulate veterans in various ways. Players even choose their numbers based on who they love as kids:

“When I was in high school, I used to watch basketball and the Chicago Bulls,” Aceves said this morning. “Dennis Rodman was one of the best players at that time. The way he played, he played a lot mentally. He made the other players get frustrated.”

But you’re not nuts, right, Alfredo?

“But I’m not nuts,” Aceves said, laughing.

Is your favorite coach really that valuable?


Can Nadal keep up his torrid mental pace?

“I think I help a little bit, him to play to this level,” Nadal said. “He played well today, but I didn’t play with normal intensity. I play a little bit less intensity than last few months for sure. Probably I’m a little bit tired more than usually.”…

…Despite flying from the United States to Beijing and back in the last two weeks, Nadal said jet lag was not as much a problem as mental fatigue from a grueling season.

Is an addiction to crossword puzzles healthy? What is happening in your mind gym?


Maybe it’s ok to be bored…at least some of the time:

In a recent paper in The Cambridge Journal of Education, Teresa Belton and Esther Priyadharshini of East Anglia University in England reviewed decades of research and theory on boredom, and concluded that it’s time that boredom “be recognized as a legitimate human emotion that can be central to learning and creativity.”

Phelps Wins Again

Michael Phelps' latest victory did not result in a gold medal, but it did demonstrate the main reason for his eight Olympic wins. He smashed the competition on this site's latest poll, claiming just under 60 percent of the total, or 92 of the 157 votes. D-Wade finished in a far away second with 15 percent of the count, while Nastia and Yao tied for third. Every athlete tallied one vote except the two-sport star Rebecca Romero.

It is safe to assume that Phelps does indeed possess that tough of a mind, although the prediction did not entail this much of a massacre. The votes come from people around the world, so it is interesting to note that humans everywhere are equally impressed with the swimmer's mental game and accomplishments. (It would have been insightful to have been able to read a reason for each selection).

The outcome may have something to do with his popularity and the number of times we were able to watch him race, hear him talk, and read about his training (psychologically, the more we witness or vicariously spend time with a person, we come to think that we know the individual -- even if we never meet him -- hence, the obsessed sports fanatic).

As discussed previously, it is very difficult to measure greatness, especially remarkable endeavors across various sports. Phelps' mental ability to maintain his level of perfection throughout competition is unquestionably the reason he was the most favored answer of the proposed question.

Cerebral Matter

Each week, “Cerebral Matter” highlights articles, anecdotes, and analyses related to the psychological aspects of performance.

• To a reporter who asked for her motto when she was on the “brink of mental defeat,” (Dara) Torres coolly replied, “You know, I’ve been doing this for so long that I don’t get on the brink of mental defeat.” (NYT)
  

• Silver medalists at the Olympics seem to perform what we call an upward comparison — they compare themselves against someone better off than them. Bronze medalists seem to perform downward comparison — they tend to compare themselves with people who did worse. (PT)
  

• While (Candace) Parker admits to some physical and mental fatigue, she is attempting to use these Olympics to do more than help the United States win its fourth consecutive gold medal in women’s basketball.
  
  With her resplendent smile and transcendent game, Parker is close to becoming the first international icon in her sport…
  
  …With her ability to dunk with flair, Parker has changed the women’s game. Gail Goestenkors, the coach at Texas and an assistant with the national team, said that while recruiting in July, she noticed that many high school prospects were dunking, a mental barrier she said Parker helped break. (NYT)
  

• The Twins demoted (Francisco Liriano) after Oakland pounded him for six runs and five hits in two-thirds of an inning in an 11-2 drubbing.
  
  So when Liriano’s mechanics appeared out of whack last Wednesday, Redmond said he suspected why.
  
  “This is the team that he blew his arm out on,” Redmond said. “I think that might have been something to do with it. It might be a little mental thing for him to get over. But he made it.” (NYT)
  

• Their coach has been known to sing to them — Bob Dylan, no less — and ask them questions, to shake up their thinking. And sometimes she drops her Socratic ways and tells them to control the ball better.
  
  Either way, it worked Thursday night for Pia Sundhage of Sweden, one of the great hires by any American sports federation. Under Sundhage’s tutelage, the American women displayed mental resilience, outlasting their own dangerous lethargy, as they won their second straight gold medal in the Olympic soccer tournament with a 1-0 victory over Brazil. (NYT)
  

• When asked if he was tired physically, emotionally or mentally, Nadal said, “Yeah, I think it is a little bit of everything, no? Probably the toughest thing is mentally, no?” (US Open NYT Blog)
  

• This morning’s (August 21, 2008) New York Times shows Usain Bolt’s new world record, relative to the 250 greatest 200-meter sprints ever. Not only does this not look like a normal distribution, it doesn’t even look like the tail of any standard distribution (Justin Wolfers) has ever seen... (Freakonomics NYT Blog)
  

• “There is a huge amount of social and psychological forces keeping people from quitting,” Ori Brafman said. He gave an example of an experiment by a Harvard professor who auctioned off a $20 bill. The catch was that while the winner got the $20, the bidder who came in second had to pay the amount of his bid, but got nothing in return.
  
  The experiment was done repeatedly with a variety of participants, and most bidders dropped out at about $12, usually leaving two to fight it out, Mr. Brafman said.
  
  “They didn’t want to be a sucker, paying $12 for nothing,” he said. The record? A bid of $204 for a $20 bill.
  
  “Rather than thinking about winning, they’re playing not to lose,” he said…
  
  … “It is as important to teach someone how to quit as staying committed,” he said. “Lots of times people just stop showing up, and that’s wrong.” Rather, he suggested, say something like “ ‘I tried to work it out, and this not a good match for me.’ Do it in a responsible manner.”
  
  The truth is, it sometimes shows more courage to leave than to stay. (NYT)
  
  

A Coined Path

What happens when you’re ranked No. 188, playing the world No. 1 in the U.S. Open, on a court that has more fans than the one you prefer to play on, in a match you don’t believe you can prevail in?

Well, if you’re Julie Coin, you win. And that is impressive considering the circumstances.

How many times does an athlete actually admit that she wasn't expecting to win? Or answer honestly with a gasp of disbelief? Who has the capacity to even fight from the underground up, especially when starting a competition with a monotonous mindset?

The qualifier from France played each point with focus and energy and found herself with a 6-3 first set win. She lost the second set 4-6, but maintained her forehand, serve, head game and rhythm. Then she blasted a couple of aces in the final set before holding on to triumph, 6-3.

It was a classic case of the best player crumbling and the extreme underdog reaching within, gaining confidence, and staying patient.

The greatest upset in tennis history? I’m not sure about that, but Julie surely coined her newly discovered path -- a humble winner headed to the next round…

Striding Toward Mainstream

One of the reasons the Games are so captivating is that the world is able to view all sorts of athletics, 24/7, from the traditional swimming and gymnastics events to the rising basketball popularity to the track and field competitions to the fascinating table tennis and beach volleyball matches.

Usain Bolt has sprinted and danced into people’s hearts and living rooms faster than his world-record breaking runs. His success is substantial for his country and his sport. He has been referred to as a “freak of nature”, as an “anomaly”, and a “wonder”. One may question his mental makeup since he appears blinded by youth, a class clown who seems to want nothing more than to play around with his peers only minutes before he takes his mark. I’ve heard people question his pre-run routine. “Why is he not focusing?” “How can he be so loose?” “Is he just cocky?”

I’d argue that he is anxious to get started; he just releases his energy in another way. He makes himself feel welcome, wanted, and psyched to get started. It must be difficult to keep all of that excitable energy inside oneself in front of 91,000 screaming fans. Bolt often states he just wants to have fun and enjoy himself -- and I'm sure his words help ease his nerves.

Here is a shout out to those events everyone else does not necessarily care about. For example, imagine the pressure of an Olympic skeet shooter. He or she must be still, quiet the mind, utilize a steady finger, and fire at a small target after years of training. Props to the participants who love what they do and become the best in the world.

Rebecca Romero certainly knows about working toward perfection -- in two different Olympic sports. She already won a silver in rowing four years ago, a sport that is mentally and physically grueling.

Romero then set her sights on Beijing, but in cycling -- and saw all of her hard work pay off.

Here is a fitting excerpt about the mental game in rowing from the Otago Daily Times:

Rowing New Zealand high performance manager Andrew Matheson said every crew would prepare in their own way.

He believed the mental game is what sets an Olympics apart from the annual world championships, where New Zealand have been a dominant force in all three stagings since Athens.

"It's a small but significant difference. A lot of it comes down to the mind, handling the pressure," Matheson said.

Kudos to the athletes who do not necessarily get as much attention as Phelps or Nastia or Bolt. They are all awe inspiring, from a physical and mental perspective, and as deserving as any to be thrown into the mainstream.

Pushing Fast Forward on the Moment

After Lolo Jones collected herself from the Beijing Olympic track, just minutes after collapsing to her knees and replaying the heartbreaking trip-up that cost her the gold medal in the 100m hurdle final, she told NBC this:

"I felt the gold around me...but if you can't finish the race, you don't deserve to be the champion."

Her honesty shows her character. The fleeting thought demonstrates her demise.

What happened? She was in the lead, her face exemplifying the intensity and focus that made her one of the favorites. Just the day before, she sent a message of her own that she was out to win and certainly could. But when she fired over (and into) the ninth hurdle, a look of agony, disbelief, and astonishment came over her as she attempted to make up for the ever precious second of lost ground. She was beaten. And her mind did it. It got the best of her because she already "felt the gold" around her.

More specifically, Jones’ mind jumped out in front of her. Up until that point in the race, she was on autopilot. Her body was doing what it was trained to do – sprint and leap. She was in the "no-think" phase. Yet, by her post-race comments, it can be interpreted that she, albeit only for a split second, fast forwarded to a another image. She envisioned the outcome, the medal draped around her neck.

The predictive imagery may have cost her the win (it even prevented her from medaling at all). As soon as she thought of another scene, one that entailed a different set of movements, she became distracted. Her mind-body connection that was operating so smoothly became slightly disrupted. She was moving so fast, that what appeared to be the most inconsequential of reactions, actually infiltrated her momentary action. The thought, the image, ruined her rhythm and cost her the race.

Some may say she choked. Contrary to that cliché, though, it had nothing to do with sudden athletic asphyxiation. She was taken away and plagued with a prophecy that made her jump to the future. It wasn’t choking in the sense of holding back or freezing in pressure performance, often characterized by over-thinking. And it wasn’t panic either, where one ceases to think at all. (See Malcolm Gladwell’s analysis of choke versus panic). It was more about a subtle, yet abrupt cognitive reorganization of psycho-physiological capacities.

There was not a decrement in performance caused by the inability to cope with the conditions. Rather, there was a transfer of attention -- a shift from the unconscious (instinctual motor program from years of training) to the conscious (fast forward to a different scene) and then back, in less than a second, to the previously non-analytical unconscious. The flow of performance was in disarray, however minimal. Lolo’s motor program became confused and her foot hit the hurdle.

Gladwell explained the differences in modes to ESPN:

The basic idea is that all of us have two different ways of "knowing" how to perform a physical task. The first is conscious knowledge. If I ask you how to use a can opener, you can tell me. The second is unconscious knowledge, which is the knowledge that we have that we can't really describe.

For example, if you gave me a picture of blank keyboard and asked me to write in appropriate letters in the right places, I'd have to think really hard before I could do that accurately. My conscious knowledge of a keyboard is pretty weak. But right now I'm typing at perhaps 40 words per minute, and I'm having absolutely no trouble finding the right letter on the keyboard without thinking at all.

That's my unconscious knowledge system at work, and in that mode I'm a great typist. These two systems are quite separate. And on tasks that we are good at -- like typing, in my case, or throwing a baseball in, say, Derek Jeter's case -- our unconscious systems are way better than our conscious system...All those airballs by the Kings in Game 7 with the Lakers were the shots of players who suddenly start to think about where each letter was instead of just instinctively typing. That was Knoblauch's problem too, and the more he worried about his throwing the harder it was to get back into unconscious mode.

Some of the most popular “chokers” have been ranked: Bill Buckner, Chris Webber, and Jean Van de Velde each made the list. Actually, Buckner may have not choked, but lost focus, much like the fast forwarding of Jones. Webber seemed to have panicked; he experienced an exodus of any rational thought whatsoever. Van de Velde…well, by definition, he choked. He became tight. He over-analyzed. He fell apart.

Maybe Michael Phelps can attribute his record setting Games to his amazing ability to focus on the present. He merely makes no mental errors, and, most importantly, has no fast forwards. He stays in the moment.

Alicia Sacramone? Perhaps it was as comprehensible as a technical mishap. Or did she envision a hopeful moment in the not-to-distant future that caused her to shift attention and enter conscious mode -- a place where one is more likely to resort to a heightened awareness of action and surroundings that impedes trained movements?

Even Lolo, one of the most talented, most humble, and most dedicated athletes, is not immune to mistakes. After trying to deal with the unforeseen, she later stated, “Sometimes you just lose your mind.”

Unfortunately for her, it was too late to catch up to it.

Talking to Yourself Doesn’t Mean You’re Crazy

Remember Karl Malone’s mouth moving mantra before he shot free throws later in his career? Ever notice Tiger chattering pre-putt or post-shank? If you’ve been watching various Olympics events, you may have observed many athletes muttering or moving their lips as they get ready to run, swim, or vault.

American hurdler Lolo Jones (who wanted to put pressure on her opponents in the 100m semifinals) and others have mentioned that they talk to themselves to keep them psyched up for the imminent and intense competition. No, the talking doesn’t mean they’re insane – it’s actually a mental technique that athletes utilize to stay at the top of their game.

In psychological terms, the talking is referred to as self-talk (not a very complicated term, huh?). It’s also known as verbal persuasion, a component of Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Verbal persuasion, which can be initiated by oneself or a third party, entails triggers or statements of encouragement that are repeated to a person with the idea that, the more one hears something, the more one starts to believe it. In a sense, one learns to develop or maintain a mental rhythm of vocab.

Athletes use self-talk or verbal persuasion to increase self-efficacy (otherwise known as situational self-confidence). They may also employ self-talk to motivate, focus, or regulate athletic arousal. Often, self-talk is applied during a mental routine to prepare the body for movement or combat negative thoughts and unfavorable emotions.

There has been a wealth of research in psychology that supports the advantages and usefulness of self-talk, especially when combined with other peak performance strategies.

Athletes are involved in running conversations with themselves all of the time, but they may not even realize it. They really need to ask, “What am I saying and is it effective?” The heightened awareness will help them create a mental game plan, and hopefully one that parallels the 80-20 approach emphasizing the positives.

Learn to talk to yourself the right way -- it's a valuable performance tool. At the very least, tell yourself that.

Why Team USA versus Germany was Meaningful

During today’s game, it was commented that the outcome was meaningless -- at least as it relates to seedings heading into the medal round. Well, it sure did not appear meaningless to Team USA. Often times, there is a lack of energy and intensity in a "meaningless" game. Not today. The players came out of the gate focused and motivated. Other observations:

• High energy circulating from the tip
• Defensive pressure all over the court – ball pressure, help-side, and playing passing lanes
• Lightening quickness in transition
• Solid play well into the third quarter that led to an extension of the lead

The process and outcome were meaningful for the team's momentum and chemistry as it heads into the next game against Australia.

I have been impressed with Kobe’s leadership and noticeable development as a teammate and representative of his country. His interview with Pao Gasol on Saturday was refreshing. To see him joking around with a teammate, noticing that he can be “boys” with another star, was a superb situation. He is also highly motivated by the atmosphere at the Olympics. He was genuinely excited during the swimming relay on Sunday morning (there was a shot of him screaming and cheering from the stands) and must have heard about Jason Lezak’s complimentary remarks. Kobe later talked about his intent to uphold his team’s end of the bargain (not letting the USA down).

I’m sure his team is also motivated by the women’s team, who has just been pounding opponents.

And, how about Lebron’s dunk in the third quarter against Germany? When that lane opened, Doug Collins’ anticipation skills forced him to let out an “Uh-oh.” A moment later, Bron-Bron jumped off two feet outside the paint for a powerful, in-your-face, leaning hammer slam.

When Does Great Become Greater?

It’s true -- the world witnessed athletic greatness when Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympic Champion in history with the gold medal medley relay on Sunday in Beijing. He has now accomplished what no other participant in the Games has been able to do and, as ESPN columnist Jemele Hill argues, redefines greatness.

Tread water lightly, though -- many athletes truly have not been able to win eight golds. Not because they couldn’t, but because the opportunities didn’t exist.

There is no doubt that Phelps is a magician, a mega-star, a multi-talented freak in the water. His focus, his motivation, his ability to deal with pressure, and his routine set him apart…as well as his sportsmanship and gentlemanly dealings with the press who would like nothing more than to get closer to him than his tight, world-record breaking swimsuits. But, comparing him to the preeminent athletes of all time? In traditional team sports? When there is only one championship per year? Come on. That is almost as ridiculous as the media’s portrayal of the newest fastest-man-in-the-world’s reputed pre-celebration during the 100-meter sprint. (A scene that was hyped up in the media and, by the time it was televised on NBC, had to be shown in slow motion just to catch the reported chest pounding).

Why do we need to rethink greatness? Phelps is great. Like, ludicrously great -- there is no argument.

But comparing him to Michael Jordan or the greatest athletes in other sports in history?! If MJ had a shot to win eight competitions related to basketball in one year, is it not thinkable that he would? How about a new Olympics sport featuring basketball skills and a classic Jordan in his prime? Picture this line-up over a 7-day period:

1) 1-on-1
2) Free Throw Contest with Eyes Shut
3) Slam Dunk Championship
4) Defensive Stopper Game
5) Hot Shot Field Goal Shooting Match
6) Fundamental Footwork Competition
7) Most Creative In-Air Finish Moves
8) 5-on-5 Championship

These add up to eight separate events. And I bet he’d have a good chance at taking all of them – especially if he was committed to achieving greatness, by the preceding definition set-forth that includes “athlete”, “mental toughness”, and “limits”.

I was extremely elated and relieved when Kobe Bryant questioned the interviewer during the NBA Finals when the latter asked, yet again, about the comparisons between Kobe and Jordan. Bryant responded with a plea hovered around a smile and a “let it go” attitude. He asked that the discussion be halted because there is no other Michael Jordan.

There is no other Jordan. Just as a colleague of mine reported recently that there is no other Pistol Pete in response to the Ricky Rubio eagerness. No other Joe Montana or Tiger Woods or Wayne Gretzky or Lance Armstrong or Jackie Robinson or Lusia Harris or Althea Gibson. (Talk about enduring strain and mental toughness? One certainly has to include the last three. Read William C. Rhoden’s book).

By no means am I suggesting that Phelps’ accomplishments be undercut. I’ve dedicated the past week to him, his regiment, his words, and his training. I haven’t missed an interview. But to question other greats in comparison to him? Insane. Others don't train like he does because there aren’t opportunities to win as much as he does.

Dara Torres was determined to enhance her performance. Age doesn’t matter, especially when one continues to train and has all of the resources available to be at the top of her game. Impressive, yes. Impossible, no.

Let us be proud to witness such intensity, concentration, and determination. But do not underestimate what other renowned performers have accomplished. Great can always become greater, particularly when there are unprecedented goals and new technology-- just look at the world records falling on a daily basis.

Phelps captivated us, but don’t let his mastery hold us captive.

Wade-ing Through Beijing

What Dwyane Wade is doing is impressive – maybe not as ridiculously captivating as Michael Phelps, but surely worth watching. In fact, Wade personally reports the swimmer’s success.

Two players stuck out to me in the game against Greece: the high-flying, energetic, versatile Lebron James and the energizer, slasher, defensive guru, D-Wade. The word is he isn’t known for defense in Miami, but don’t tell him that (actually, Craig Sager did, and Wade seemed surprised). His perimeter aggressiveness and execution has been phenomenal, especially against the Greeks who constantly run pick and rolls, back cuts, and ball reversals. Coach Musselman agrees.

Wade is motivated and focused and plays with something to prove. He didn’t like playing third wheel to King James and NCAA champion Carmelo Anthony when they all entered the league. Now, he is coming back from injury and has his sights set on returning to the status that earned him an NBA Finals MVP. I’ve always loved his game and have much respect for him as a player, leader, and teammate. He accepts his role and then performs admirably. (He did miss a free throw box out of the shooter when he first entered the game but then made up for it with a spectacular steal and no-look lob pass to Kobe Bryant for a dunk).

The USA team showed that if it can share the ball (23 assists on 36 field goals) and force turnovers (25 attributed to the opponent) to enable transition scoring, then it may not need to convert free throws (albeit 23 attempts), shoot over 40% from the three (7-20), or out-rebound the other team (38 each).

Phelps Gives Lesson in Mental Game

For someone (like myself) who works with and studies the mental makeup of athletes for a living, there is nothing like having the opportunity to analyze Michael Phelps’ performances in these Olympic Games on a daily basis. At any moment, while viewing the NBC broadcasts or researching various news sites, another quote or anecdote is communicated about his idiosyncrasies, his training, his emotions – even his ever-present mother.

It’s no surprise that the common viewer can quite easily understand what makes him so good. He puts in the effort, sets challenges, stays positive, and enjoys himself, his teammates, and his ability to represent the country (and really the global sport of swimming for that matter).

He also has the perfect swimmer’s body and continues to work on his strength and athleticism. For instance, he knew that he could put in work that would enable a more effective and explosive turn, so he initiated an intense strength and conditioning weight workout. His powerful force and technique off the wall is more evident than the Spanish basketball team’s reason for posing for a team picture in a potentially, politically slanted manner.

Other remarks we’ve heard or read about Phelps:

• Has the best mind of anybody else
• Maintains a bulletin board of motivational reminders
• The bigger the event, the bigger the performance
• Works harder than anybody else
• Wants to destroy competition
• Gets out and seizes the lead or puts it in cruise control and then blitzes by
• Wants to make a statement
• Sets high goals and wants to do something nobody has done before

Again, he is proof (it’s considered unsound to “prove” anything in psychological research, but Phelps gives me good reason and – ha – proves there is an exception) that the greatest of the greats are at that level because of their ridiculous mental toughness and head games. Tiger wants to demolish every one, every course, and will only call it quits when he can’t compete anymore. Jordan felt the same way – a couple times. Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Pete Sampras. Lance Armstrong. Brett Favre. Oh, right.

The most elite athletes are so focused, have picture perfect bodies for their sports, and train and play with a confidence of which others become jealous insofar as labeling the hardest workers arrogant or pompous. Phelps seems to be such an encouraging model for the cause of the elite. He enjoys setting new World, err Phelps, Records. He means something to his USA teammates, yet he also draws on their energies and their accomplishments. It’s stated best in The Australian:

Fellow Olympic gold medalist Aaron Peirsol said it was Phelps' mental strength that separated him from the rest.

"At this level I do believe it is more a mental game than it is anything and it takes a certain amount of guts to do what Michael is doing," Peirsol said.

"He has just pushed us and we have all pushed each other, what Michael is doing is elevating everybody else's performance."

Phelps is taking forward just one lesson from that relay race.

"Jason (Lezak) just proved that anything is possible," Phelps said. "He was a body-length behind the world record-holder with one lap to go in a 100m freestyle race, and he came back and got his hand on the wall first."

The impressiveness is astounding. It’s not like there is a defense out there, directly impeding his swimming stroke or holding his feet as he prepares to sprint towards the finish. In sports like swimming or gymnastics or golf, one’s own mind may act as a better "D" than even the Celtics’ championship curtain.

On the other hand, the thoughts one generates can truly help an athlete prepare and perform, rather than harass and halt. And we (sport psychologists commenting on the mental game, coaches, aspiring athletes, and the layperson) are lucky to be able to watch possibly the greatest athlete of all time give a master lesson in how to control one’s mind and behavior -- whether he wins three more gold medals or not, Phelps is the PROOFessor.