My thoughts about why the Cards lose close games

[PortlandCardFan]

traveler...

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That women defies the laws of gravity!!!

 

[SECTION 11]

Dude; I normally don't reply to such ignorant posts but here goes. Everything I said in my previous post contributed to the Cardinal's loss. Would a speed receiver have stretched the field? Would a return man have helped instead of that slow paced antelope we have? The Secret is not used for such important things like football. If you found it you might not have so much time for football research, Dude.

Bro, that's pretty thin, man. Bro, man, dude.

 

[Duckjake]

Negative thinking? Man, I was POSITIVE the Cards were going to lose

Actually I believe that certain people have an inborn characteristic so that whatever those people predict the opposite occurs.

You can read all about it when I finish my book "The Power of Negative Thinking".

 

[Russ Smith]

In all seriousness I certainly believe in positive thinking with respect to the guys on the team. The "here we go again" mentality has been with this team for ages, that's what drove me nuts with Jake you could see in games where he'd make a dumb play and the whole team would let down because of the here we go again. He'd make a great play and lift the whole team etc.

I just don't believe negative thoughts by fans can influence the outcome. Loud screaming fans yes, we've all seen that impact with false starts and things in certain stadiums.

But negative thoughts causing losses is right out of Ghostbusters to me.

There were a lot of positives in the first game but in the end we lost and as Tim kawakami wrote about the 49ers yes the drive was ugly and yes the opponent was lousy Arizona, but in the end a win is a win and that's the ultimate goal in the NFL.

 

[CardLogic]

40's concept of the "power of negative thinking" comes closer to being reasonable than does the "Pottsville curse."

That's not saying much though...

 

[Lloydian]

It's fourth down. Smith fades back to pass. The rush is heavy, but the line is holding. Still, Smith can't find an open receiver. Desperate, he sees an opening to run through and makes the first down. And why did this happen?

Stinkin' thinkin'.

 

[AZ Shocker]

In all seriousness I certainly believe in positive thinking with respect to the guys on the team. The "here we go again" mentality has been with this team for ages.

Yep. A losing organization is "plagued" by this very notion. With absolutely no winning history to draw from, the Cardinals players do not have the necessary positive thoughts, hopes and expectations for winning. It's a mindset that even though the players and coaches do their best to overcome...the NFL is such a fine line for winning that one relatively "small mistake" (ie: Green not falling on the ball) becomes a large one thus perpetuating the losing notion (mindset) over and over again.

In other words...had Green had that same opportunity to fall on the ball, but he was wearing a different uniform from a different team...the chances of him reacting differently and properly falling on that ball to seal the victory would have been much greater.

 

[Pariah]

Couple of things re: the "secret."

1. It is "used" for such unimportant things as football. In the movie they even talk about getting a cup of coffee with it.

2. In the film, there's a guy who says something along the lines of "hey, we don't need to know how it works in order for it to work. When you flick a lightswitch, do you know how electricity works? Heck scientists don't even really know how electricity works."

That seemed pretty ignorant to me. I couldn't believe that made it into the final cut of the movie. Of course scientists know how electricity works.

3. Doesn't the premise of the Secret basically imply that you are the only person in the universe that matters? If we all collectivey "used" the secret to will the Cardinals into winning a football game, are the players in that game just pawns to our own end? What about all of the football fans that are collectively sure of their own teams' outcomes?

4. In conclusion, the "secret" is bunk.

JMHO

 

[chickenhead]

I'm a skeptic with regards to the thread, and yet I think the prevent defense is negative psychology directly instituted into a game plan. Each and every cushion you give ugives the offense more confidence and the defense less.

 

[Pariah]

PS--this is not to say I don't believe in the power of positive thinking. I do, just not in the way the secret does.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Couple of things re: the "secret."

1. It is "used" for such unimportant things as football. In the movie they even talk about getting a cup of coffee with it.

2. In the film, there's a guy who says something along the lines of "hey, we don't need to know how it works in order for it to work. When you flick a lightswitch, do you know how electricity works? Heck scientists don't even really know how electricity works."

That seemed pretty ignorant to me. I couldn't believe that made it into the final cut of the movie. Of course scientists know how electricity works.

3. Doesn't the premise of the Secret basically imply that you are the only person in the universe that matters? If we all collectivey "used" the secret to will the Cardinals into winning a football game, are the players in that game just pawns to our own end? What about all of the football fans that are collectively sure of their own teams' outcomes?

4. In conclusion, the "secret" is bunk.

JMHO

Totally, completely and entirely - AGREE!

 

[jefftheshark]

3. Doesn't the premise of the Secret basically imply that you are the only person in the universe that matters?

I have always suspected this to be true.

Therefore, the Cardinals must have been put into my life to teach me humility.

JTS

 

[RedStorm]

All I will say is that when the 9'ers got the ball at the end of the game, even though our D was playing very well, my thought was that we would blow it.

Also, during Gm7 of the World Series in 01, when the Dbacks were batting in the ninth, losing the game, with possibly the best reliever in baseball against them, I knew they were going to win.

So, you can thank me for 2001 and blame me for Monday night. Sorry.

 

[RedStorm]

Couple of things re: the "secret."

1. It is "used" for such unimportant things as football. In the movie they even talk about getting a cup of coffee with it.

2. In the film, there's a guy who says something along the lines of "hey, we don't need to know how it works in order for it to work. When you flick a lightswitch, do you know how electricity works? Heck scientists don't even really know how electricity works."

That seemed pretty ignorant to me. I couldn't believe that made it into the final cut of the movie. Of course scientists know how electricity works.

3. Doesn't the premise of the Secret basically imply that you are the only person in the universe that matters? If we all collectivey "used" the secret to will the Cardinals into winning a football game, are the players in that game just pawns to our own end? What about all of the football fans that are collectively sure of their own teams' outcomes?

4. In conclusion, the "secret" is bunk.

JMHO

I watched the secret. My mom was pysched up about it.

What I could not get past is that the entire universe is my "Genie" in a bottle just waiting to give me whatever I command. Talk about dangerous. Putting me in the same class as God. Bad news.

 

[40yearfan]

All I will say is that when the 9'ers got the ball at the end of the game, even though our D was playing very well, my thought was that we would blow it.

Also, during Gm7 of the World Series in 01, when the Dbacks were batting in the ninth, losing the game, with possibly the best reliever in baseball against them, I knew they were going to win.

So, you can thank me for 2001 and blame me for Monday night. Sorry.

Ya know, that's crazy, but it's right. When Gonzo came up to bat, you could just feel that he would come through. Maybe it's more precognition than positive/negative thinking. Maybe some of us are just psycho psychics.

 

[JC_AZ]

well i went back and forth during the game but on the last drive by san fran i was saying to myself over and over were gonna win this thing, guess my thoughts didn't project all the way to the bay

I guess I will take the blame then... When we scored to go ahead I did not even consider at that time that we would win... I KNEW the hammer was waiting in the form of some fluke event (missed fumble recovery to end the game?)... so I guess my not-so-positive attitude about the way the game was headed was the cause you might be referring to...

 

[JeffGollin]

It's fourth down. Smith fades back to pass. The rush is heavy, but the line is holding. Still, Smith can't find an open receiver. Desperate, he sees an opening to run through and makes the first down. And why did this happen?

Not because of "stinkin' thinkin'." It happened because either (1) the scheme didn't call for a defensive player to police the middle or (2) the player responsible for staying home in the middle didn't execute.

Cure: Not "positive thinking", but "to correct what went wrong."

That said - I do think that the originator of this thread is onto something - i.e. the way teams emotionally deal with both success and adversity can have an impact on the outcome of games.

But I think this has more to do with making both negative and positive emotions work for you rather than against you. I also believe strongly that there's no cookie cutter formula. Each situation is different.

But it has been my experience that individuals and groups - who can (a) quickly replace their initial frustration with a calmer, more level-headed demeanor and (b) have "short memories" so they (c) can focus on the next challenge - fare better than the folks who rip out their hair and continue to dwell on "what went wrong before."

Finally, I don't think the mindset of a team playing under Wiz today represents any lingering carry-over of attitude, from the teams who played under Dennis or Mac or Tobin. It's a new season with many new players playing for a new regime.

 

[Duckjake]

Finally, I don't think the mindset of a team playing under Wiz today represents any lingering carry-over of attitude, from the teams who played under Dennis or Mac or Tobin. It's a new season with many new players playing for a new regime.

I disagree mainly because the mindset sure seemed to carry forward from Stallings to Bugel to Ryan to Tobin to McGinnis to Green. Same quotes from the players and coaches and same results every year.

Its in the culture. Football teams develop traditions that pass on from one group of players to another whether they, or we, want to admit it or not.

Having met Whisenhunt I really think he has what it will take to finally purge that nonsense. It won't be easy to change 20 years of bad habits but if anyone can do it he can.

 

[AZ Shocker]

Having met Whisenhunt I really think he has what it will take to finally purge that nonsense. It won't be easy to change 20 years of bad habits but if anyone can do it he can.

I'm gonna have to agree with you there. Good hire no doubt!

 

[justAndy]

I'm already thinking of how many mistakes the Cards will make this Sunday.
Maybe a lobotomy is in order...
The only mindsets that need changing are parts of the Cards organization.