From: niepornt@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Marc Nieporent)
Subject: Re: Bonds "choke"?
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 06:24:05 GMT

In article <48354@shamash.cdc.com> jblixt@mips.COM (Jon Blixt) writes:
>In <1992Oct6.184644.22727@sni.ca} dave@snitor.sni.ca (Dave Till) writes:
>}In article <48202@shamash.cdc.com} jblixt@mips.COM (jon blixt) writes:

>}}First of all, I'm not saying Barry Bonds choked.

>}}I do, however, have a fairly simple question.

>}}Is there such a thing called choking and does it occur?

If choking means simply "not succeeding" then it occurs.  If it means
"being flawed in character so that you are incapable of winning
important games" then there's no reason to think it does.

>}}IMO, I answer yes to both questions.  To me, choking is not
>}}performing a skill which you regularly accomplish given different
>}}circumstances.

>}I have always found the concept of "choking" to be something deeply repellent.
>}And, until now, I haven't figured out exactly why.  Here's a stab at an
>}essay I have always wanted to write; it is called "Donnie Moore Is Dead,
>}and You Don't Look So Good Yourself".  (This is not meant to be a flame of
>}this particular post, by the way.  No offense meant.)

>None taken.

>}Important athletic events, such as playoff games, pennant races and World
>}Series contests, are often thought of as tests of will and strength, as
>}opposed to mere tests of athletic ability and skill.  Some people believe
>}that a true "winner" is someone who can triumph when the going gets tough;
>}these people believe that certain athletes -- the "losers" -- "choke" when
>}under this pressure.

>My definition of a winner is someone who accomplishes the same tasks he
>regularly does during a tough situation.  To remove this from baseball for
>a second, I give this example.  Davey Crockettype shoots guns for 
>enjoyment,  from 20 yards he never misses a target of a bear(BTW he uses
>an elephant gun:)).  One day in the woods, he comes across a mean, hungry bear
>with a flesh-eating look in its eye(no flames please just an example).  
>He is faced with the same shot he has never missed, but due to the pressure
>of being killed he misses completely.  Which is a good thing, cause you
>never want to piss a bear off.  

But you have a bad example right there.  You just said that from 20
yards he *never* misses.  But baseball players fail all the time!  Barry
Bonds was the best in the majors this year, and yet he failed 55% of the
time!  Why should he suddenly stop failing in the post-season against
excellent pitchers?

>}I think no one can dispute that certain people perform better under stress
>}than others.  However, I strongly dispute the idea that the ability to
>}perform under stress is proportional to the "character", "inner strength"
>}or "reliability" of the person in question.  When we, as fans, say that
>}athletes are "choking", we are not merely criticizing a lack of skill or
>}effort -- we are questioning an athlete's moral worth, and suggesting that
>}this athlete is an inferior human being.

>Except for the last part about being inferior I have to agree with you.
>Situations in sports exist where two competitors of approximate equal 
>ability square off.  If competitor A consistantly defeats competitor B(
>don't ask for a definition for consistant since that's my opinion), we
>have to attribute it to something.  That something usually is will or
>moral character, in other words, intangibles.  When these intangibles 

I have a better idea.  How about "TALENT"????  Combined with a bit of luck?

>never tip in the favor of competitor B, he is by my definition a
>choker.  This is not a lifelong label, but it is a cruel one.  I 
>remember Calvin Schiraldi, pitcher of the Red Sox, after being the losing 
>pitcher to the Mets saying something like"I don't think they(Mets) feel
>as good as I feel bad."

>}Look at Donnie Moore, for instance.  He was the ace reliever for the 1986
>}California Angels, and gave up a key home run which lost his team the
>}League Championship Series that year.  He was accused of "choking", and
>}never recovered from the blow; he eventually shot his wife and then himself.

>We live in a cruel world. I hope that being labeled a choker was not
>the reason behind Moores tragic death. 
 
For what it's worth, that's what the media reported that all his
friends/acquaintances said.

And the fact that the world is cruel doesn't mean we have to help
perpetuate that cruelty.

Try -- for a change -- just assuming that your favorite team/player
wasn't quite *good* enough, or that they got unlucky.  See if that
changes your perspective.

Even if BOTH teams are "winners," even if BOTH are "great in the
clutch," only one can win. 

-- 
David M. Nieporent   | Orioles 1993 World Series Champions
niepornt@phoenix.    | Mike Mussina 1992 AL Cy Young Winner
   princeton.edu     | Roland Hemond: SIGN BARRY BONDS!!!!!!!!
Vote Clinton/Gore '92.   Four more weeks!!!   		"Bloody urine"