Seconds

Circulation Restreinte

Carlos Sastre won the 2008 Tour de France. Cadel Evans was second, for the second consecutive year. Evans had a chance to claim the yellow jersey during Saturday’s time trial but he did not capitalize on his superior potential against the clock. Either he hurt himself more than he let on when he fell in the Pyranées or he can improve upon his mental training.

Last year, the Australian had a chance to pass eventual winner Alberto Contador in a similar situation - one stage left, short time to make up - and could not. This year, Evans said that he felt good before the race and felt he cycled well but admitted that he was surprised when he learnt his standing after the first interval.

First of all, Evans should have responded earlier when he lose the yellow jersey to Frank Schleck in the Alps and attacked on L’Alpe d’Huez. Sastre took initiative and consequently gained the lead. Secondly, Evans should focus more on the mental part of the Tour de France. In 2004, Lance Armstrong devoted a significant part of his off-season training to the time-trial on L’Alpe d’Huez and smashed the rest of the peloton. Evans could visualize the course more or find more effective ways to relax before the stage.

The Tour de France is the physically hardest sporting event to win on the planet. Every cyclist dreams of receiving the yellow jersey on the Champs Elysées but only a few can. The Tour is also one of mentally hardest sporting events to win. Strategy (short-term, long-term, teamwork) is paramount and determination is imperative. The temptation for someone in Evans’ situation becomes to make the time trial into a big obstacle; the cyclist might treat the stage like it is a baromotre of whether his career is a success or fails. It is - and should remain - a regular bike ride where he must but the hammer down as hard as he can.

On the other hand, completing the Tour is an accomplishment, especially when falling in an earlier stage, which Evans did. Making the front page of L’Équipe is satisfying but for the 150 cyclist who can’t to that, they must satisfy themselves by overcoming obstacles and setting personal bests. They can’t mentally beat themselves up because they must come back next year: physically, mentally, technically, and strategically better than ever.

The Right "Stuff"

Kobe Bryant said that if he’d been told in training camp that Los Angeles would have to win three straight games to claim the Association title, he’d take it for sure. On the other hand, Phil Jackson felt that the Lakers hadn’t grasped the significance of their situation between Thursday and Sunday. In a sense, both were right.

Boston was laying their bodies on the line, playing through pain. Doc Rivers told them to play every minute of Game 5 like it was their last. The Celtics had bought into a season-long philosophy of team play and personal sacrifice for a long-term goal. You can only rely on short-term goals like “not in our house” for so long. Eventually, a team has to play hard, play smart, and play together consistently.

Finally the Lakers got the line more frequently but there is work to be done defending the screen and roll and Paul Pierce’s subsequent penetration.

Kobe has the right perspective. It’s not the end of the world if the team loses because they will be in good shape next year. After losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games in 2004, the Lakers experienced an annus horribilis followed by two mediocre seasons before acquiring the players to get to this point. Kobe’s dissatisfaction did not prevent him from winning the most valuable player award and he has always been able to overcome tribulations on and off the court.

Kobe understands that it’s only basketball and he has a record of performing under pressure. The Lakers need to get him the ball more often in isolation situation.

Likewise, Rocco Mediate understands that it’s only golf. From his performance on the back nine of the U.S. Open and following interviews, Mediate seems to have a good sense of perspective. He is honoured to play with Tiger Woods, not intimidated by him. Mediate also understands that he can’t control how his opponents play and said that it’s pointless to root against someone in golf. He added that he had tried to win with his putts on the eighteenth green, having assumed that Tiger would make his putts.

Balancing that calm attitude is Tiger’s intensity and determination. A new Nike campaign features Earl Woods speaking about how his son will be the most focused golfer in the world. It’s important to keep things in perspective but it’s also important to have a little bit of attitude.

Before Game 7 of the 1969 Finals between the favoured Lakers and the aging Celtics, L.A. owner Jack Kent Cooke ordered some Lakers championship balloons to hang from the ceiling of the L.A. Forum. Bill Russell - who wanted to win his last game as a player more than anything - walked over to Jerry West and told him that “those f----- balloons are staying up.” West averaged 38 points per game and won the Finals M.V.P. Award but Boston beat L.A. one more time, claiming their eleventh title at the time.

Rocco Mediate has a fair chance and I don’t think he’ll shoot himself in the foot today but generally speaking, it’s important never to bet against Tiger Woods.

Perspective

Pressure basketball has succeeded at almost every level (we all remember Rick Pitino’s failed transition to the Association in 1997) for a number of good reasons. Dialing up the intensity increases the sport’s difficulty and certain teams play much better at faster tempos, for starters.

Naturally, teams troubled by pressure can always practice. Talent is the single biggest factor for winning games (the reason Pitino’s Celtics floundered was because they did not win the 1997 lotttery) and passing, dribbling, cutting, and other skills can always be improved. Scoring also reverses the pressure by curtailing the opponent’s fast break; scoring is highly dependant on talent and mental training.

But the biggest improvements must concern mental training. First of all, teams must possess the capabilities to “slow it down”: see openings before they occur, understand what is happening, deconstruct the play into a collection of manageable actions, and take initiative to attack the opponent rather than watching the full-court pressure from afar. Intelligence is the great equalizer in all fields.

Fear of failure raises individual tension levels. The worst outcome from a single bad pass is a turnover and two (rarely three in transition) points. The worst outcome from a single loss is disappointment until the next opportunity to prove yourself. Basketball is not the be all and end but merely the beginning of it all.

People still take the sport too seriously. I actually agree with Bobby Petrino’s decision. His position with the Atlanta Falcons was horrible: the team’s best player was jailed for two years, players would argue with him on the sidelines, and the other thing worse than their current season was what the future held. For his own sake and making the most of himself, he made the right choice to move to Arkansas. Certainly, loyalty and commitment were compromised but nobody should put excessive stress on themselves until they become Randy Walker or Skip Prosser. Perhaps I am wearing rose-tinted glasses.

If a team plays for self-actualization, the final score is irrelevant. Players can still set new personal bests despite losing -- although this becomes frustrating if repeated over time. A basketball game is just two hours in length; control what you can and execute as well as possible. Players are in total control of their own excellence. The past is the past; don’t let mistakes compound into disaster.

Players’ health is also paramount, whether on the Association hardwood or the world’s pick-up courts, and it is never justified to give anyone the Mardy Collins at any level. Coaches are under excessive pressure and this adversely affects players, from seizing up at critical situation or creating a situation where flagrant fouls (among other inappropriate actions) are acceptable.

As Tim Duncan said about Isiah Thomas:

“It’s a bad situation when a coach puts himself in that position and goes after a player. It’s very uncalled for. I don’t know what his intentions were with that and we have bigger plans than trying to hurt somebody. I would hope that people would understand and respect that and obviously they don't.”
- Tim Duncan

The San Antonio Spurs play at a different level than the New York Knicks. The goal is to get to that level. As Irv Blitzer taught the world in Cool Runnings: “A gold medal is a wonderful thing. But if you’re not enough without one, you’ll never be enough with one.”

So relax, keep it real, and handle all basketball situations with peace of minds that comes from the self-satisfaction of knowing you did your best to be the best you are capable of becoming. Personal and team success comprise the big picture.

3:10 to Yuma

Compared to other western films that I have screened recently, 3:10 to Yuma compares quite favourably. I thought that it is one of the best films that I have seen this year. Like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, it explores the life of a Wild West outlaw who has reached the end of the road and must change their direction. Unlike Jesse James, it doesn’t drag endlessly and offers a tense and surprising conclusion.

3:10 to Yuma is driven by its lead characters, Dan Evans (Christian Bale) and Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) who initially represent complete opposites: good and evil. As they interact throughout the film, they discover that they are more similar than they thought. Their morals are not black and white but different shades of grey. Also, as they learn more about each other, they begin to respect their counterpart and see his perspective.

Due to its almost mythological history, the Wild West is an excellent setting the explore duality and multiple personalities. Outlaws and sheriffs are equally legendary. No character on the silver screen or person in the real world is entirely consistent with one particular trait and everyone makes both good and bad decisions. In this regard, I found the film to be most similar to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Like the Man with No Name trilogy, 3:10 to Yuma also provided an enjoyable mix of action and dialogue, drama and comedy.

Second chances also abound for the protagonists. Dan Evans regrets his service in the Civil War and seeks to regain the respect of his eldest son and Ben Wade is trying to discern meaning, beyond wealth and violence, in the world. Both redeem themselves to some extent on the trip to Contention where Wade is to catch a train to Yuma prison.

Highly recommended.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Interesting film. Promoted to excess. Well shot and director although it could lose a half-hour in length. One of Brad Pitt’s best performances although the supporting cast did better. All things considered, certainly worth seeing in theatres.

Certainly, the wide-angle shots of the Midwest make this movie. Viewing this movie at home rather than at the theatre would detract significantly from the experience. I appreciated the time-lapse shots of the sky and the recurring motifs of wheat crops and reflections in glass. There was a feeling that significant events passing and recognition of the characters’ introspection.

The film provides intriguing anecdotal evidence of morals. Jesse James, despite his crimes, is portrayed as a sympathetic hero whereas Bob Ford is completely ostracized by the public for his - seemingly righteous - actions. One would think that the world would be glad to be rid of Jesse James and the danger he posed but his celebrity was not without a certain type of charisma that drew others towards him. Similar to pop culture today, I suppose, given how so many attain renown for marginal, self-destructive actions.

Some suggest that Brad Pitt deserves recognition for his performance as Jesse James. I disagree because Academy Awards and nominations are usually allocated to extremely strong performances. Nevertheless, Pitt puts tremendous effort into his acting, allowing the audience to see into Jesse James’ thoughts at times. The eyes were also part Casey Affleck’s exceptional performance. Bob Ford was a complicated character and Affleck shows how Ford went from an unknown fringe character early to the protagonist of the latter half of the film.

The length is a severe drawback, although it is a two-edged sword. The film definitely dragged during the final third. On the other hand, the deliberate pacing is required to showcase the development of the characters. While he may be an outlaw at the outset, there is a sense that Jesse James may be remorseful and seeking redemption as time passes.

Identity, Choices, and Perspective

“No man can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which one may be true.”
- Nathaniel Hawthorne

Regrettably, I played on a summer league team that was absolutely blown out in the playoffs; fortunately, I was able to reflect on the outcome and develop some good rules for handling this situation in the future.

Establish and maintain a consistent identity: Once a coaching career is underway, every time one steps on the court they must determine beforehand whether they will play or coach that game. It is not possible to do both well and I don’t think it’s possible to have fun performing poorly, irrespective of the number of middling performances.

Select a role and define goals before beginning. Whether leader or part of the whole, execute responsibilities as best as possible.

Establish whether the team will be comprised of friends or players: It’s fun to run with friends just for laughs but it’s frustrating to play with teammates who hold different motivations. Once again, goals and responsibilities must be clearly defined and team objectives and obligations must be outlined collectively. The pursuit of glory and self-actualization can stress even the best relationships so prevent potential conflicts when choosing team members.

Establish a sense of perspective: Most of time, basketball is merely a game. Wishing for an entire guard rotation taller than 6-2 is vain because whilst that would be a boon when confronted by athletic teams, it’s not happening in a summer league.

It shouldn’t take an Ignmar Bergman film to understand that the hardwood is not paramount and that while the game is seductive, it should never wreak meaningful consequences, whether it is cross words among friends, clichéd aphorisms during the huddle, or stress after the game.

Comedian: “Aren’t there special rules for actors?”
Death: “No, not in this case.”
- The Seventh Seal