I have been intrigued my whole life in guys that handle pressure very well. Many 'disappear' or run away from pressure when the game is on the line. But some either have a special ability to block it out and become laser focused, or they embrace the pressure as more fun and a catalyst to perform at a high level..When the game is on the line, they seem to step up to be a force.
Take Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in golf, for example... When Tiger was at the top of his game, the comparisons with Nicklaus were happening all the time.. Unfortunately now, with Woods' back problems and surgeries as well as off course distractions, Woods will probably never catch Nicklaus in majors wins. Both highly competitive, both great thinkers of the game... But I thought their mechanisms of handling pressure were about as different as could be.
Nicklaus was a pretty competitive athlete in other sports... He could have played college basketball at Ohio State and probably could have been a pretty good football player as well...His Dad was a college athlete in football and he was raised to be a competitor in all the sports he played. Nicklaus was one of those guys that EMBRACED the pressure.. He would interact with crowds in close matches, put smiles on his face, and almost would ASK for the pressure to be there because he thought that was fun. Nicklaus had his share of 2nd places as well but he always seemed to want that big moment to prove himself.. When everyone else was nervous to make a mistake in a big circumstance, Nicklaus would play all the better, most of the time.. I always respected him for that.
Tiger, on the other hand, was very "to himself" on the course..Did not talk or interact with anyone outside his caddy except for a nod to the crowd after finishing a hole. I think he enjoyed competing against himself the most... He certainly was a great champion, but he was laser focused and blocked out others and what was going on around him on the course, to succeed.. Very different than Nicklaus. Incredibly talented and when Tiger got on a roll, he was close to impossible to beat.
Lots of similarities but different manifestations on the course......WHO DO YOU THINK WAS A GREAT PRESSURE PLAYER IN ANY SPORT???
Take Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in golf, for example... When Tiger was at the top of his game, the comparisons with Nicklaus were happening all the time.. Unfortunately now, with Woods' back problems and surgeries as well as off course distractions, Woods will probably never catch Nicklaus in majors wins. Both highly competitive, both great thinkers of the game... But I thought their mechanisms of handling pressure were about as different as could be.
Nicklaus was a pretty competitive athlete in other sports... He could have played college basketball at Ohio State and probably could have been a pretty good football player as well...His Dad was a college athlete in football and he was raised to be a competitor in all the sports he played. Nicklaus was one of those guys that EMBRACED the pressure.. He would interact with crowds in close matches, put smiles on his face, and almost would ASK for the pressure to be there because he thought that was fun. Nicklaus had his share of 2nd places as well but he always seemed to want that big moment to prove himself.. When everyone else was nervous to make a mistake in a big circumstance, Nicklaus would play all the better, most of the time.. I always respected him for that.
Tiger, on the other hand, was very "to himself" on the course..Did not talk or interact with anyone outside his caddy except for a nod to the crowd after finishing a hole. I think he enjoyed competing against himself the most... He certainly was a great champion, but he was laser focused and blocked out others and what was going on around him on the course, to succeed.. Very different than Nicklaus. Incredibly talented and when Tiger got on a roll, he was close to impossible to beat.
Lots of similarities but different manifestations on the course......WHO DO YOU THINK WAS A GREAT PRESSURE PLAYER IN ANY SPORT???
