Controlling the controllable
27 Sep 2010
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly Business Day column, says players can only control themselves — which is why they have to stay fit.
I missed the last three minutes of the Lions’ victory against the Sharks, but the first 77 minutes again highlighted how important fitness is to succeeding in sport.
The Lions defended more than they would have liked in the opening 40 minutes and there was a suspicion that the first-half tackling would be their undoing in the last 10 minutes and that the home team would not have the fitness levels to last the pace.
A lack of fitness has been synonymous with any Lions performance in the past three to four years, perhaps even before that. Bizarrely, the players did not see the importance of being fit and conditioned to play rugby. The coaches believed it to be the responsibility of the players and it was one bloody mess after the other.
Lions coach John Mitchell, during his two years as All Blacks coach, and as coach of Australia’s Western Force, has not relented on the fitness of his players. He has always believed that if a player has something left in his legs in the final minutes of a brutal contest, that player has got a chance to finish a winner.
When I worked with the Springboks between 2000 and 2003, one of the more enjoyable experiences was a workshop with a Jamaican sports psychologist and motivator, and while I forget his name I’ll never forget the one exercise he did the with players.
He asked the team why they believed they were losing and as the players answered he would jot down the reasons.
The media were ‘anti the team’, said a player, and it was why they were losing.
The referees were anti-SA and it was impossible to play against any team who had the referee on their side, said another. Late kick-off times made it impossible to be at their best, said a few players.
Other reasons were the weather conditions, the quality of the opposition, match venues, the lack of good training facilities when overseas, the location of the hotel, the bus time to training and match-day engagements, jerseys that were either too heavy or too tight and in the odd instance too big. And, said one, don’t get us started on the hotel food.
The sports psychologist wrote down each answer on a flip chart without countering any of the reasons. He just called for more and the players responded. Team selection, they said, was not always good. The coach’s game plans were not always that sound and there was uncertainty in understanding the thinking of the coach.
‘What about you guys?’ he asked. ‘What is it you are doing — or not doing — that is contributing to losing?’
Some players looked surprised at the question. The odd one even looked shocked at the mere suggestion the players may be responsible for anything.
One player said he could be fitter. Another said he could work harder at his skills. Another added there could be greater communication within the team.
It was at this point that the friendly consultant reacted to a player’s comment.
‘Can you guarantee me the communication will be better in the team and that there will be a better team spirit and a winning culture?’
The player said he couldn’t give such a guarantee because he couldn’t talk on behalf of his team-mates and he couldn’t necessarily influence them positively to do what he believed would benefit a winning culture.
‘Exactly,’ said the consultant. ‘And you can’t control what the media say or write. You can’t control who the opposition coach selects, where the game is played, what time the match starts and playing conditions.’
The player could also not control the coach or the coach’s thinking. All the player had control over was himself, and as a professional sportsman the only guarantee a player could give was that he was in optimum physical shape for every game and that every day was an opportunity to improve his skills .
‘Is that it?’ asked a Bok player. That these were the only things the players had to worry about just emphasised how much there was to worry about, because being fit and skilled are not minor details in the life of a sporting professional.
Mitchell has ensured an environment that rewards those with something in their legs at 77 minutes, but if this Lions team is to develop into the real deal then hopefully the players will believe in the controllable elements of their sport and not seek comfort in hiding behind what they can’t control.
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192 Comments
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27 Sep 2010, 11:26 am
Dragons!
27 Sep 2010, 11:27 am
Got it! As per usual I will now read the article.
27 Sep 2010, 11:30 am
Strange article, not Keo’s usual style. This reads like some fairy tale with a moral lesson worked in.
27 Sep 2010, 11:32 am
Isn’t this fitness what “Jake White’s Winning Ways” was supposed to introduce to the Lions in the first place?
Methinks “John Mitchell’s Winning Ways” may be worth a punt eh Keo?
27 Sep 2010, 11:33 am
When I worked with the Springboks between 2000 and 2003…
So Keo, whats your winning ratio?
27 Sep 2010, 11:33 am
…and that’s why in 2007, with the sharks having 2 hands on the trophy already, Bryan Habana gave them one big mighty kick in the nut sack.
seriously though….being super fit also benifits (strenghens)the mind, focus and concentration.
27 Sep 2010, 11:35 am
@Cyborg(Cyborg)-4:
jake was with the lions for 1 CC season only…and their defence and fitness improved tremendously.
Instead of retaining “winning ways” and taking their advice on changes needed….they selected **** Muir.
the rest is history.
27 Sep 2010, 11:38 am
you did not work with the Boks…you worked on kampstaal gate
27 Sep 2010, 11:42 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-7: jake made money out of the lions that’s it
27 Sep 2010, 11:43 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-7: Why did Jake only last 1 season, then?
27 Sep 2010, 11:46 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-10:
Probably because the Lions couldn’t afford to pay him the raise he was asking for…
27 Sep 2010, 11:53 am
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-11:
more likely they couldn’t afford to keep restocking the minibar in his room.
27 Sep 2010, 11:54 am
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-11: jake is no better than divvy..@ least with divvy you get what u c…jake is the snake
27 Sep 2010, 11:54 am
@mountaingoat(mountaingoat)-9:
well, that’s generally what a “consultant” does, isn’t it?
..makes money for providing specific advice or expertise?
not rocket science this,ne.
27 Sep 2010, 11:56 am
@gunther(gunther)-12: on top of that pay his son to be his fetcher LMAO
27 Sep 2010, 11:56 am
@mountaingoat(mountaingoat)-13:
…and what you see is a completely embarrasing lunatic with no idea.
no way…give me jake anyday.
27 Sep 2010, 11:57 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-14: jake couldn’t consult tygerberg…lions paid him and he consulted with eddie
27 Sep 2010, 11:59 am
@mountaingoat(mountaingoat)-13:
jake is the snake
and paul was the walrus.
27 Sep 2010, 11:59 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-16: bottom line is divvy is going to NZ as the coach of the Boks next yr…
27 Sep 2010, 12:02 pm
@mountaingoat(mountaingoat)-17:
Another plus for Jake in my opinion.
whenever he thought he needed some help, he wasn’t affraid to get it. Big man.
not like the twakster….he doeasn’t know why we are losing and doesn’t need advice.
And let’s face it, who wants to be involved with him and be tarnished by him?
27 Sep 2010, 12:04 pm
@mountaingoat(mountaingoat)-15:
his son used to fetch his beers from his fridge until Afriforum complained that it was white slavery.
the anc youth league also complained when they said there must be no more jobs that are reserved for whites.
so now solly tyibilika fetches his beers and everyone is happy.
27 Sep 2010, 12:04 pm
@mountaingoat(mountaingoat)-19:
no body denies that.
lets hope he gets a clue quick
27 Sep 2010, 12:06 pm
Refs bungle Lions v Sharks
31 minutes ago
The refereeing trio that handled the Currie Cup thriller between the Lions and Sharks can count themselves lucky.
27 Sep 2010, 12:12 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-20: jake had to get advice else the Boks would have been downed in the WC even by the Poms during the group stages…bottom line is Jake won the 3N 1st up…after that he got the better of the route to the trophy
27 Sep 2010, 12:14 pm
@gunther(gunther)-21: LMAO
27 Sep 2010, 12:14 pm
Nice read Keo, could not agree more, and also highlights again my massive concern that no such expert is currently part of our coaching team at national level…
But then, it is not even the norm at union level so should we expect anything less?
27 Sep 2010, 12:16 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-23: refs did not bugle anything..they were consistent in their kuk officiating
27 Sep 2010, 12:25 pm
@mountaingoat(mountaingoat)-27:
Referee? Didn’t see a ref on the pitch, but I did see my garden gnome frollicking around.
27 Sep 2010, 12:29 pm
@Die_Valk(Die_Valk)-28: I dont think the ref had a bad game, i missed one call at the end by not sending it up to the TMO, other than that he had a good one, you cant blame the sharks try on him, it was the assistant who missed that and to be honest he could have been unsighted by the tackler who had a go at Mvovo.
27 Sep 2010, 12:31 pm
@MacToogie(MacToogie)-29: he missed one call……. i promise im not the ref in question
27 Sep 2010, 12:32 pm
@MacToogie(MacToogie)-29:
Are you serious? The trio of officials had shockers, Jafta had no clue at the breakdowns and awarded a try that he could not have seen. Don’t be fooled by our **** commentators constantly licking arse.
27 Sep 2010, 12:36 pm
@gunther(gunther)-21: is that why solly kept missing practice?
27 Sep 2010, 12:42 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-32:
Comrade, we must peruse the NGC minutes!
27 Sep 2010, 12:44 pm
@Die_Valk(Die_Valk)-31: First a question, are you a sharks supporter?
27 Sep 2010, 12:44 pm
Keohane you should travel more, being away from helps with your writing – no alcohol, no kids, no nagging women (I mean JC and Ryan)
Good article keep it up.
27 Sep 2010, 12:53 pm
@gunther(gunther)-18: I am the katman…
27 Sep 2010, 12:55 pm
@katman(katman)-36:
And I am very, very hungover…
27 Sep 2010, 12:59 pm
@mountaingoat(mountaingoat)-17: And now that the Lions have kicked Jake out and dumped his possessions on the front lawn, he’s trying to milk poor keo in an embarrassingly public divorce. Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives…
27 Sep 2010, 13:02 pm
So, this is what Keo sounds like when he puts some effort into his attempts at being a rugby journalist.
Not too shabby. In fact, a good article.
About time somebody tells the players that they need to take responsibility also. Just a pity they don’t care what Keo write any more.
27 Sep 2010, 13:02 pm
@Die_Valk(Die_Valk)-31: What about the touchie who was too busy looking at Mvovo’s arse to notice that he had stepped in touch
27 Sep 2010, 13:04 pm
Jafta must be EJ cousin ..they even look the same
27 Sep 2010, 13:05 pm
@nama1(nama1)-39: How good has Davy Jacobs been in the CLT20. I’m well impressed…
27 Sep 2010, 13:09 pm
@katman(katman)-38:
That’s what happens when a journalist allows himself to be “embedded” by other people.
27 Sep 2010, 13:12 pm
@nama1(nama1)-43:
Don’t you have to be married first for that sort of thing?
27 Sep 2010, 13:13 pm
A good article. I am shocked.
27 Sep 2010, 13:13 pm
@WP_(WP_)-42:
He’s been playing really well for a couple of seasons now. Especially in the shorter formats of the game. Hope he’ll keep it up.
I think they can make a place for him if Bouch steps down from ODI’s and T20. Let AB keep wicket.
27 Sep 2010, 13:17 pm
Keo you missed the last 3 mins of the match. That is the second sadest thing I have read today, after that Jorrie Muller incident.
Shame.
27 Sep 2010, 13:19 pm
@nama1(nama1)-46: Ja, I though a little bit inconsistent in recent seasons but clearly talented and has an edge to him… And obviously becoming more consistent…
Ja, haven’t you seen Bouch has been dropped from both ODI and T20 squads for the upcoming series against Zim and Pakistan. Ingram has taken his place…
27 Sep 2010, 13:19 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-33: chief, in as much as i agree, can i first off-load the luggage off the Range.
27 Sep 2010, 13:21 pm
@WP_(WP_)-42: I was at Centurion – the 2nd semi against the Redbacks on Saturday. Was very impressed with Jacobs and Colin Ingram. BIG future for Ingram!
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