Friday, February 19, 2010
Streaks, for better and for worse
Hello again, everybody! This is Mario Fernandez, point guard of DKV Joventut. The first round of games in this year's Last 16 is already over and all teams in our group still have chances to advance. Everything is up for grabs, really, as Aris, Le Mans, Alba and my team have the possibility to make it to the Quarterfinals. Being strong at home is always considered the key to advance in such a short group stage as this one. Well... it is not happening in our group, and I give you some examples. Le Mans lost at home to Alba in Week 1, but bounced back with a road triumph against Aris in Thessaloniki, Greece. Then in Week 3, we managed to get an important win at Le Mans and Aris downed Alba in Berlin to stay alive in the Quarterfinals race. Moreover, all the winning margins have been quite narrow. No team has won a game by more than 8 points! Like I said in my last blog, this Last 16 group is crazy!
I would like to write about how streaks are seen in a team, not only the winning ones, but also the losing. When a team is on fire and the dynamic is good, everything works well and several wins in a row can accumulate. Everyone adds something valuable to the group and gives his best, and there's no kind of fear around the team. When you are on a winning streak, you feel you are able to beat any opponent, anytime, anywhere. No matter if you play at home or on the road, your team faces the game with maximum confidence, a product of all those consecutive wins. On the other hand, if you start losing one game after another, the situation is completely opposite. Pessimism fills most players' minds and you never seem to find the moment to start winning again. Everyone has problems to give his best and it is difficult to play with any kind of flow. Like everything in this life, streaks are only temporary.
An issue that all players talk about is the atmosphere generated after the games, depending on the result your team obtained. It is very, very different to start a working week with a win or a loss at your back. Which are the differences? Well... there are plenty of them! If you won the previous game, everyone is willing to make jokes, is willing to smile. You are more than ready to practice and optimism is over the roof, at all levels. You always find smiling faces around you. On the other hand, if you lost the previous game, everything is... quite different, let's put it that way. There is no room for jokes because the pressure is at a maximum. Silence is a must throughout practice and pessimism suddenly appears. Faces are not the same, either, and everyday life is more difficult. It all depends if the ball goes in or not!
The magic trick to keep winning - or change the dynamics if you are losing - remains a secret. At least, I don't have it! Like I said before, everything is temporary, especially in the professional sports world. For that reason, I believe it is critical to give things their proper importance and manage to be even-tempered in terms of actions and behaviour. The most important thing, however, is never give up and keep working hard. This much is certain: working hard does not guarantee a win, but NOT working hard guarantees a loss.
Good luck to everybody and see you next time!
POSTED BY
MARIO FERNANDEZ - BADALONA, SPAIN