Years ago, Aesop warned about the dangers of getting complacent. He told the story of the hare and the tortoise, in which the hare raced out to a big lead over the plodding tortoise, decided to take a nap, and woke up just in time to see the tortoise cross the finish line first. Aesop […]
Beware the player who performs best when either far behind or far ahead. Someone gave me that advice years ago, and it comes to mind as the season unfolds for New Jersey Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk. A high-scoring winger acquired last year, Kovalchuk thrived when his team seemed to be out of contention. Then, with […]
Our family is on vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina this week, and the long drive to get here gives you time to think. In fact, it gives you time to think about thinking. Between the lights and the strictly enforced speed limits, it’s virtually impossible to make time. What a contrast to […]
How do you win a seven-game series? The obvious answer, of course, is to win four games before your opponent does. But doing that is tricky. Winning a playoff series is a psychological minefield in which each team must fight the temptation to put the math ahead of the moment. “It’s all about staying in […]
How do you win a seven-game series? The obvious answer, of course, is to win four games before your opponent does. But doing that is tricky. Winning a playoff series is a psychological minefield in which each team must fight the temptation to put the math ahead of the moment. “It’s all about staying in […]