Coping with disappointment

The thing with sports is – there is always a loser.  That’s part of the reason that I love it so….  Sure, there is a winner aswell – and life is better with a win – but losing is part of what makes sport great.  The knowledge that if you don’t win – then you lose……  The thought of wanting NOT to lose spurring you on just as much as wanting to win…  I even know folk who would rather their opponent lost that they win….  Losing – and the fear of it is a powerful driver…

It’s so complete – YOU LOST!!  It does not happen so much in other walks of life….  IN business – everyone can win, no one has to lose (although there are plenty of losers across the business spectrum for sure), in arts – it’s more about opinion – someone’s winner is someone’s else loser – there is no certainty that YOU LOST!!!

There is a Bounty on your Soul

There’s a Fine Line in Love and Sports

The recent ‘outing’ of the New Orleans Saints bounty Programme (if you have not heard about it – basically players were given bonuses to deliberately ‘take out’ opposition players – often named star individuals) is another in the increasing occurrences of the blurring of the line between the win at all costs attitude that is common in professional sports, and the reason why we all started sports in the first place – it is Fun.

NO!!!!

Is this the most powerful word in the Sporting language???

Think about it….  How do you react to a negative compared to how you react to a positive….???

Putting aside the fact that what everyone should be striving for is to “not react” ideally – but to pro-act – to be ready / to have planned out all outcomes, to know what you are doing at all times etc etc (if only eh!) – hearing the word “NO” really does drive you more than yes I feel….

What a Day

Well – almost a week has passed and I can just about find time / the words to describe the events of Oman vs Thailand.  For those that don’t know (and you must have been wearing ear plugs – the noise generated would surely have traversed the globe) – Oman moved to the final stages of qualification for the FIFA world Cup in Rio 2014.  Given their past results in this process – this was a BIG day for Oman

And hence (in my job) a BIG day for me.  And believe me it was an awesome experience.

My Favorite Word

When working in sports, your brain is alive all day long.  When you earn a living doing something that you may do for free were life like that – there is a constant ‘brain-use’ – with ideas popping up, with thoughts growing, with plans afoot – it’s like Picadilly Circus / Times Square / Muscat City Centre Mall at 9pm (delete based on your “busy location” location) in the old grey matter.

Generally – sports does not have the history of business practice common in other fields, does not have the same level of investment (or belief) in systems that are sacred to the normal “suited and booted”, and does not place the same value in working to common business ideals.  “It’s Sport”.  With a professional approach only really in existence for the past 30 years (and often far less) – it is no wonder that things often do not work as they should.