(HokieSports.com)
In the world of sports, teams – no matter the league, game or location – are obsessed with two goals: winning, and getting excited about the hope of winning. Every aspect of the operation of a team is focused on one of these two aspirations. Earning glory on the field can help you earn glory in the bank account, but even for teams devoid of hope, the sales pitch is all about hope. We hope to win. We hope to make you proud. We hope you’ll join us.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press) Have you ever heard a song for the first time, immediately decided that you don’t like it, and then found yourself humming it two weeks later? That’s because when things become more familiar or recognizable we naturally begin to like or prefer them. It’s called the exposure effect. BAM! My B.A. in psychology finally served a purpose! I think that same effect exists in our exposure to news media. At first glance something may not seem particularly newsworthy, but if we are continually exposed to updates or new reports about it, suddenly it is newsworthy. In an odd way, things can be important merely because they garner the news’ attention. It can reach a...
Georgia’s Greg Mulkey uses an iPad during a meeting of tight ends. (Photo: Michael A. Schwarz, USA TODAY)
College football has just begun, but as any true fan of the game will attest, it never truly ends. The pursuit of NCAA compliance (and efforts to identify and leverage potential loopholes, police potential infractions and avoid potential downfall), the business of scouting and recruiting (and the dedication to improve those operations), off-season conditioning and training (and the advances to maximize health in preparation for a game working in direct opposition of it): all of these “off-season” endeavors and more have turned college football into a 365-day challenge.
David Shaw explains it best when he opens his TEDx speech from earlier this month with “yes, a football coach was invited to speak at Tedx……good luck”. Except Shaw isn’t any ordinary football coach. He has already produced a 30-minute lecture in the heat of the 2011 Heisman trophy voting about how Andrew Luck was […]
Kentucky was well on its way to its eighth National Championship this time last year, but we weren’t focusing on that. Its coach, John Calipari, could almost add a title to his impressive coaching resume. Six of his UK players were just months away from NBA stardom. But Twitter and Facebook zeroed in on Anthony […]
