The anger within
August 6th, 2005
ESPN.com: Page 2 : The anger within
To play with anger is an art form. Most of the greatest athletes in the world can’t do it. Somehow the emotion takes over their game. But what about those that can? There are a chosen few who have found a way to turn the anger within into a virtue. Most discover early that’s what they need to do to reach greatness. They “force” anger, use the ability to take something — anything — that has made them mad and use it against itself to elevate their performance.
For most, it’s remained hidden. Never part of the discussion, never an element they share with the world on their SportsCentury.
August 6th, 2005 at 10:22 pm
the article is clearly addressing athletes far, far better than i am, but yeah, anger helps if you can focus it. i used to have a bad habit of finding someone to be peeved at during volleyball games, and sometimes it would help and sometimes it would hurt. nowadays i’m more mellow. (i think.)
one other thing is the kind of anger that the article didn’t talk about – anger directed at oneself. a lot of vb players i’ve talked to and i myself often play badly, then get really pissed at ourselves, and that helps focus us in the next match and play a lot better.
August 7th, 2005 at 12:14 pm
i think why i liked it is how it is not only applicable to athletes – anger helps me focus my research, sit down and get to work.
agree about the anger directed at oneself – maybe that’s more an asian thing.
August 7th, 2005 at 12:57 pm
i realized that the article is part of a series? are they doing a writeup on each of the seven sins? if so, perhaps anger at oneself can fit also under pride. feeling i am a better player than what i just did, thinking i should show people what i can do, etc.
August 8th, 2005 at 11:09 pm
yeah they are writing about the seven sins.
anger about oneself: there is a distinction between ‘i can do better than this’ than ‘i feel superior to him’ – the first would be more anger, the second more pride, i think.