Traction wrote:richard_leeds wrote:Is any successful elite sportsman not "self assured"?
Self assurance is an euphemism for confidence and all top athletes suffer from a lack of it at some stage or other, some for longer periods than others...
Pretty much aggree, look at strikers in football.
Case Study, Andy Carrol ยฃ35m from Newcastle to Liverpool, same day Fernando Torres for ยฃ50m from Loverpool to Chelsea. Carrol came to Liverpool injured, spent 4 weeks getting back to fitness, Chelsea pretty much had a fit Torres. Torres spent the better part of almost Febuary and March till he got his fiorst Chelsea goal, Carrol when fit got his first goals in the first 2 games (i think).
Look at Paula Radcliffe the Marathon Runner, she can win any marathon set to her on a yearly basis, get her in a Olimpic event and she just fails to deliver, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 she pulls out of the first and the second she finished 32nd.
Take a look at the best example of a confedence sport, you can drive long and play with the ball with your irons all day long getting the ball to within 5-10ft of the pin all day, but if your having jitters with the putter, forget it as you will be 2 and 3 putting all day long. Where as the wee guy that isnt playing as well with the driver and his irons and wedges and placing his ball within 20ft all the time and is holing out on the putting green will beat you all day long.
Confedence is something that is confused with arrogance or flipancy sometimes, if you are winning it comes accross as arrogance, if you are losing it comes accross as flipancy. Either way you loose as people dislike both arrogance and flipancy.
Ive always liked Vettel, not always liked Hamilton. This season i have started to like Hamilton more, especially after Monaco. My dad on the other hand has always disliked Vettel, after Top gear he now has changed his outlook.
Then again i pretty much support most of the grid, however Ferrari and Alguersauri are my 2 main dislikes on the grid, but im not as Hate/Like as i once was, i try to give people a chance to prove themselvs to me first now, i usually base my opinions on a long term view now, i try to give at least one full season for a driver, or for a car or team, about 8 GP.
Theres no point of it in Motorsport, however in other spoers like Football, things are diffrent for me due to the city i live in. Your either one or the other. And there is enough hate in Rangers V Celtic matches for my entire year and more.
Motorsport, and in particular F1 is my release to enjoy sport for what it should be, not hatred for one team so virlant that bombs get sent to the oposing team. There is just no place in sport for hatred.