Failure is...
I heard something on the TV a few days ago that struck me as funny. It was one of the NHL players talking about the playoffs. He was going through the usual cliches: "We're taking it one game at a time.", "We're giving it 110 percent.", "We know what we got to do and we have to go out there and do it." etc. etc. etc. But then he said "Failure is not an option."
Wow, does that ever put the pressure on. Because obviously it is an option. You really only have two choices in these sports situations, you either win or you lose. Succeed or fail. It's pretty basic. So by saying that one of those options isn't an option you really better be winning.
I'm not sure the origin of that line but it got famous in Apollo 13 when Ed Harris said it. It made more sense there because it was about calculations and getting something right and lives were at stake. There was no room to experiment or make a guess because of the seriousness of the situation. What's the big deal if you lose the game or series? You go golfing earlier, you get traded to another team, or...nothing. You're still getting paid the megabucks. Failure might actually be an OK option, you might get some time to heal up or relax on the beach.
Anyway, I know a lot of crap comes out of athletes mouths but that one really made me laugh because it seemed so intense for nothing.
It was a New Jersey Devil who said it I believe and they lost the next game and got knocked out of the playoffs. Failure was an option.
Wow, does that ever put the pressure on. Because obviously it is an option. You really only have two choices in these sports situations, you either win or you lose. Succeed or fail. It's pretty basic. So by saying that one of those options isn't an option you really better be winning.
I'm not sure the origin of that line but it got famous in Apollo 13 when Ed Harris said it. It made more sense there because it was about calculations and getting something right and lives were at stake. There was no room to experiment or make a guess because of the seriousness of the situation. What's the big deal if you lose the game or series? You go golfing earlier, you get traded to another team, or...nothing. You're still getting paid the megabucks. Failure might actually be an OK option, you might get some time to heal up or relax on the beach.
Anyway, I know a lot of crap comes out of athletes mouths but that one really made me laugh because it seemed so intense for nothing.
It was a New Jersey Devil who said it I believe and they lost the next game and got knocked out of the playoffs. Failure was an option.
posted by Biggles at 11:15 AM
1 Comments:
You make a great point. Whatever happened to the smart-assed comments from interview subjects. It appears that the athletes of today are all trying to be the sound byte of the momment with some insightful comment. What we need is some wise-ass to answer the hockey questions with basketball or baseball analogies. Just completely mess with their heads. Enough with the serious megabuck stars and their quotes of the day.
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