06-04-2009, 12:10 PM
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->You've obviously never had to deal with your own adrenaline or emotions when pressure rises. There's no other way to know what it feels like to have to perform under duress unless you've actually done so.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->If you don't think that the pressure of a situation doesn't affect a players immediate ability in that situation then you're crazy or you've never been in a tight situation yourself.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Really, bz? This is what we're doing? "If you don't believe in "clutchness," you've obviously never experienced pressure or been in a tight situation?" I don't feel I need to respond to that.
1. There are crappy players that will come up with a big hit in a "game is on the line" situation. And that will be perceived as a "clutch" hit. The problem is that this same player will hit .200 in every other "game is on the line" situation. So...is that player "clutch" for coming up with that one big hit? Or do baseball players -- even average ones -- sometimes come up with big hits in big situations?
2. The players who are perceived as the most "clutch" are typically just the best players. They are more likely to get a big hit in a big situation because they're always more likely than the average player to get a hit in *any* situation.
3. There are people -- a LOT of people -- who believe that there is an intangible ability ("clutchness" "clutchiness?") to raise the level of one's game above their natural skill set when the pressure is on.
4. I agree that there are players who crumble under pressure. I'm not arguing against that. Even some very good players crumble under the spotlight. But I simply refuse to believe that there are players who play BETTER under the spotlight. It flies in the face of logic. There are players who don't let pressure affect them. That isn't the same thing as being "clutch." Clutch is a myth.
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->If you don't think that the pressure of a situation doesn't affect a players immediate ability in that situation then you're crazy or you've never been in a tight situation yourself.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Really, bz? This is what we're doing? "If you don't believe in "clutchness," you've obviously never experienced pressure or been in a tight situation?" I don't feel I need to respond to that.
1. There are crappy players that will come up with a big hit in a "game is on the line" situation. And that will be perceived as a "clutch" hit. The problem is that this same player will hit .200 in every other "game is on the line" situation. So...is that player "clutch" for coming up with that one big hit? Or do baseball players -- even average ones -- sometimes come up with big hits in big situations?
2. The players who are perceived as the most "clutch" are typically just the best players. They are more likely to get a big hit in a big situation because they're always more likely than the average player to get a hit in *any* situation.
3. There are people -- a LOT of people -- who believe that there is an intangible ability ("clutchness" "clutchiness?") to raise the level of one's game above their natural skill set when the pressure is on.
4. I agree that there are players who crumble under pressure. I'm not arguing against that. Even some very good players crumble under the spotlight. But I simply refuse to believe that there are players who play BETTER under the spotlight. It flies in the face of logic. There are players who don't let pressure affect them. That isn't the same thing as being "clutch." Clutch is a myth.