Topic: mental attitude

[Old Meister]

Here I was, talking smack on the NW board. Telling a guy I didn't know that I'd partner with him even though he was bickering with a number of players who really were down on him. So I figure he has to have game to bring out that kind of aggression in other players. I always liked the "roosters". I just like spirited people who aren't afraid to crow. So I join in and play the hype game. The problem was is that I still didn't have that something that made me a player back when, in the day. I felt that my skills were as good but doubt just kept creeping in. These guys can play nowadays and what I thought I knew seems to be common knowledge for the most part. But not everything, So there I was, thinking maybe I'm finding out that I am now just an older man who is trying to relive the dream, nothing special, a real downer(70's term). So Im moping around"well I gotta do this, I talked the talk, that's easy". But honestly I'm not really feeling like I can back any of it up. About an hour before the "ordeal" was to begin I looked through a  book that I used to prepare for archery competiitons. I had a book marker on a page, it had a nice comparative set of lists, one for positive energy and one for negative energy. Positive- Joy fun love challenge optimism determination enjoyment --leading to--calm mental state- good concentration-relaxed muscles-leading to--high performance level. The other side was Negative energy----anxiety, anger,hate,fear,negativism,frustration,distrust--leading to---fast and frantic mental pace, poor concentration, tight muscles--leads to--low-level performance. All those feelings I had were on the negative side and just seeing them made me realise that I like this game, I have game that is a bit different from most due to where I come from and how I learned. I had no reason to go there and not enjoy myself and to put myself out there. And besides, I told the guy I would play back, I love to get into the head games of the game and blocking is all about that. So I just made up my mind that I was going to make anyone I played, deal with me rather than me deal with them. And I had a blast! I just got into this place where I 'played'. The last match I played , and lost, was against a tour player, probably one of the best I ever played. The problem was he had to deal with me. It was a long match and my friends were giving me encouragement for all the blocks I was making on him. My front man got into a funk but I kept going and though we lost it was close and a long time coming. Even though I would compliment him on a good shot he wouldn't acknowledge me at all at the conclusion of the match. I took that as the best compliment of all! Next time I might play front, my true love, and I will kick his arse. The whole point is that attitude is everything and if you're honest with yourself you can come to the conclusion that nobody cares if you play weak. But if you really enjoy this game and have learned how to do some"STUFF" then enjoy and do it! Nobody cares if you lose and it is alot of fun to win or at least make your statement.

[papafoos]

A positive attitude is an essential.  If you don't think you can beat someone, you're probably right.  Playing someone you know is better than you should only make you play that much harder.  No one is unbeatable and you need to get it in your head that you're the one that's going to prove it, even if the body says otherwise.

[bbtuna]

from an article on Mental Touhgness in foosball

Mental Toughness
It is best to know right from the start that in the end most games are won or lost on this issue alone.  If you are super great physically but you collapse mentally you can lose to people who are much lower than your physical development or experience. 

Foosball is about strategy as well but you can be the best strategist in the world and it won't do you any good if you go to pieces in the middle of a match, game, or ball.  It is hard to imagine how knowing this can start to make you stronger mentally or but as my dad used to say, “The first step to recovery, is admitting the problem”.  Only when you acknowledge the central importance of this, can you then embrace, study, practice, and finally harden this important skill.

Commit yourself to learning how to be mentally tough...anything and everything you can do to stay focused and confident...some people have confidence and toughness built in as part of their make up but others have to work at it.  Regardless of what camp you are in, you have to have the drive to do whatever it takes to get tough.

Be in the Moment…NOW
Start now! Each moment of each possession is important, treat them all by focusing on the now...not what you practiced, not how you will execute, not what happens if you do good or you mess up, not what your friends or onlookers will think, not past, not the future...you focus on doing all you can for each ball.  That’s it...who you are is not wrapped up in how well you do...you will be defined by your attitude and determination - if you want to win, you stay focused and let the chips fall where they may - nothing will put you in a better position to win as often as you are able… NOTHING, PERIOD

[bbtuna]

Kevin Skaltsis 11/2006
What you are describing is very common among skilled players at your particular level. Execution at your level is rarely a problem. Sometimes the inability to figure out a particular problem on the table can occur for any player and a coach can be very useful in these situations. However what you describe is probably attributable to what I call being mentally lazy. This is not to say you are lazy. A coach can also help in this situation, but probably not during the heat of a match unless it has been discussed prior to a match.

Being mentally lazy on the table occurs when a player wants a mental break from the stress of the match. A player will begin taking risks to gain an advantage at ill advised times. This many times can occur at a subconscious level. This makes it hard to combat because sometimes by the time a player realizes that they have made too many bad decisions or more precisely not enough calculated, well thought out good decisions it is too late to be successful in the match.

Sometimes a player can even realize they are making some bad decisions by, for instance, guessing but since some of those decisions end in a successful pass or goal they are lulled into a false sense of confidence and continue to roll the dice. You mentioned that this is gravy. I say that it is poison. Remember when you roll the dice, in the end the house always wins. That is not to say that you should never take a risk when playing. This is another subject, but closely related. Suffice it to say that risk taking during play should occur when you are in an advantageous position and the upside outweighs the downside.

An example:
You are up 2 games to 1 and 4-1 in the fourth game and you have seen your opponent habitually leave the pull side open for 3-4 seconds as you set up your rollover. If you can hit a good pull side front pin from the moment you set up then shooting that may end the match. If you get blocked the odds are in your favor to get another shot in that game to end the match.

The other time risk taking could occur during a match is when you are significantly over matched, you have been unsuccessful and you cannot solve the problems presented to you on the table. Keep in mind however that taking risks with a much more skilled player can sometimes result in them taking risks and ending the match much more quickly. Example: Billy starts shooting pull kicks, push kicks and everything else and ends your match in 3 minutes.

Rolling the dice or guessing also has a domino effect as you aptly described and things can go downhill very fast. It is important to learn to recognize immediately when you are taking risks at inopportune times and stop it immediately. This is easier said than done, but some good examples of people that take very few risks and are very successful are Jeep, Chad Hansen, Rico and Terry. The players that take more risks and are very successful are Todd, Billy, Tony, Tommy, and Mares. If you look at the two groups of players there is one thing that is glaringly apparent, the risk takers are more than likely more naturally gifted with speed and other physical skills that allow them to take risks. The exception probably being Rico and ironically he wins more than anyone. Blessed with natural ability and does not take many risks (read no guessing, plays every ball like it is 4-4 in the fifth game of the finals) = best in the world.

Combating mental laziness on the table means making a good decision on every possession. The first step in doing this is recognizing when you are about to make a potentially bad decision. Utilizing time outs could be the next step to fixing the problem. Use them when you recognize that you are about to make a potentially bad decision. If you are playing mistake free, but are starting to feel some stress, use a timeout to breathe and mentally commit to continue making good decisions. Constantly telling yourself to only make good decisions in matches also goes a long way in eliminating bad decisions. John Smith once told me when I asked him how he trains before Worlds that he does not touch a table for a week or two before the tournament. He told me he meditated about execution and only making good decisions on every possession. Chad Hansen also told me that before he won open doubles at the Worlds back in the 80s that he constantly thought about focusing on doing the right thing on every possession so as to not waste one. He said it was mentally draining at first and that it took him a year to build up enough mental fortitude to focus that much and win the World title.

[Old Meister]

Good stuff! I think there is one little item to add that makes it a whole lot easier, thus not creating so much stress but still allowing a high performance level, and that is that this game is FUN! Going into a tough match and looking at it as an opportunity to test yourself and LIKING IT, is, in my view, the best way to go about it. I mean you can win against weak players and the rewards are what they are but to play someone who's really good in any situation but especially a big tournament is what we live for, or should. Fear is the mind killer, joy is the grease that frees up movement and allows you to do everything you want. Many skilled players try to intimidate you with sweet ball handling and a dominate demeanor. If you welcome all of that and answer it with what you like to do then  the best interpetation of how to make points while blocking shots wins. What could be better than that? That's not to mean coming to a match with a big dumb smile is going to win it for you. But anyone who understands that the game is 90% between the ears after a certain point can relate to the fact that coming to a match with a positive expectation and not inhibited with fear is the best path to play well.

[bbtuna]

that reminds me of my favorite foosball quote by Todd L....he is equating fear and pressure

Overcoming Pressure

The key is to embrace it as a normal part of fighting to win. Expect it, look forward to it.  And then understand that the fear is the reason you practice and play. And obviously the fear is where the pressure comes from. So when you feel the most fear, you know that you have arrived to the place where you can face it and do something about it…   Todd Loffredo

[Old Meister]

I'm going to have to digest that one as I think fear is too negative, Todd or no Todd. I think you could replace fear with desire, that works for me. As arrogant as it might seem I think I'm right on this one. So go to your post Bbtuna and replace fear with desire and ascertain whether it might not be a better path,,,is yearning fear or desire? Besides, why in the world should there be FEAR in the game of foosball? Fear of what, a ball between the eyes? Fear of looking stupid? Fear of losing? Fear of winning? Fear of not being able to do what you falsly told yourself you were capable and should be able to do? Fear is the mind killer. Honesty with yourself is the best way to become the player you think you should be. If you think you are better than you really are(American Idol syndrome, lol) then you will always be disappointed. I learned this lesson recently,,,Go ahead Bb, give it to me, this is good stuff.

[bbtuna]

i relate to it because I have experienced the fear he talks about...maybe you don't, you would be the first i have met, but all things are possible

i can't edit a quote, it is what Todd said...it spoke to me but maybe not to all...I have used it with effect when i felt that coming on and so it is that much more reinforced for me

[ComebackKid]

Hi Tuna,

  I've been reading your posts for a while now and am really curious who you are.
I'm Paul Biquet, a semi pro from the Houston area.

[ComebackKid]

Now about Mental Attitude, This is crucial for success. I've been playing 35 years, and the most important thing I have ever learned about foosball is that once you reach the point of being able to execute the game physically, it is all mental. Being in the Houston area I get to play John Smith, Tracy McMillin, Chad Hanson, Scott King, and Eddie Gartman, all World Champions, and a host of other good players. Tracy and Scott are good friends of mine and we talk a lot. What I hear from both of them is the importance of doing exactly what tuna described:

Combating mental laziness on the table means making a good decision on every possession. The first step in doing this is recognizing when you are about to make a potentially bad decision. Utilizing time outs could be the next step to fixing the problem. Use them when you recognize that you are about to make a potentially bad decision. If you are playing mistake free, but are starting to feel some stress, use a timeout to breathe and mentally commit to continue making good decisions. Constantly telling yourself to only make good decisions in matches also goes a long way in eliminating bad decisions. John Smith once told me when I asked him how he trains before Worlds that he does not touch a table for a week or two before the tournament. He told me he meditated about execution and only making good decisions on every possession. Chad Hansen also told me that before he won open doubles at the Worlds back in the 80s that he constantly thought about focusing on doing the right thing on every possession so as to not waste one. He said it was mentally draining at first and that it took him a year to build up enough mental fortitude to focus that much and win the World title.

I'll post more at a later time, I love this stuff. Thinking about it, is, in it self, a good exersize.

[Old Meister]

I'm not saying I wasn't experiencing fear, it was crippling my game and I knew it. What I was able to do at home in practice was not what I was doing in competition. So what was I afraid of, looking stupid with weak play? The fear is what made me do that, what a viscious circle, being afraid of being afraid. So freeing yourself from that fear does not mean you should be emotionally flat. What is the opposite of fear- joy, confidence, boldness, energized. What a nice way to play foosball, free to go for what ever you want to. I was losing to players that I knew I should dominate and it was making me so frustrated I contemplated giving up the game. I knew I was missing something that I used to have in the 70's and 80's and then I realised I was not having fun. Now I am.  I'm back to wanting to play the best people I can find. I love to make them come out of their comfort zone and defend things they don't see much. They give me their best and I give them mine and God sorts it out. If they are that good that they give me a whupping well good on them because they also gave me a lesson I'll learn from. Great talent is not something I fear playing against, I hunger for it,,, Bbtuna, your posts have alot of good stuff to think about, I was hoping you would chime in. My whole point of the thread was to relay something that made a profound difference for me and wanted to explore it as much to get more ideas as it might also help people who can relate. I suppose that just by caring a certain amount of fear is present, I don't know, but I really enjoyed being free of it when it counted.

[bbtuna]

ComeBack,

my name is Charles Dangler and I am from MO...I started playing 75 or 76, got real serious in 76 and worked hard at my game until probably 79-80 and got seperated from it around 80-81 and totally gave it up when I married in 82

I started playing again in 2003 and I am a student of the game and have a lot of teaching/training in my background...I love information and so I collect it and have a store of my own thoughts which are not proved

I travel seldom because of money primarily but time off is another issue...I still work very hard for my age and physical condition...my game has weaknesses in it now that only tournament play can fix but it is sort of a catch 22 for me...still, I plod on and my game has made vast improvements over the last 2 years

I am not really ranked as anything having only been to a handful of tournaments but my skills are probably at the level of semi although I think this is mis-leading

i started learning serious tournament foosball in Chicago and my first mentor was Jevat Meha...I won't bore you or anyone else with more history, it isn't important

the quote above you attribute to me is from Kevin Skaltsis - I have been collecting stuff for the last 2 1/2-3 years things I thought we particularly good on different aspects of the game

I don't speak with a ton of authority because I don't have the pedigree to "prove" myself out and I still have much to learn but I am a student and teacher by nature...I have never had the benefit of personal training from World class players so although I am very advanced in many ways, I find from time to time, I have significant basic things missing

it is my goal when i am on these boards to encourage players regardless of their interest, recreational or tournament, and to pass along helpful information I have picked up and from time to time I put in my own theories

good to hear from you, bring all the good stuff you can, people are hungry for it

[bbtuna]

OM,

thanks, we are buds and all is good...I appreciate your comments and have really enjoyed watching your journey...you have been honest and careful of your evaluation of yourself, your motives, and how that stacks up to the current scene, as we both know, that is hard to do (Am Idol  )

anyway, each person deals with the mental distractions, fear, insecurity, etc differently but the important thing is to deal with them...some people seem to do this without any apparent effort, others really have to work at it

i like Todd's comments because here is someone who seems natural and born to compete at the high levels who is honest enough with himself to see that even after years and years of sucess he is not above having to face this basic element of competition...on top of that, he is honest enough and secure enough in himself to share it with the world

I am near or at the stage comeback is talking about...I can execute pretty much everything pretty much each time I want and the big weakness in my game is staying focused

I have some writing on this, it is one of the key learnings I have given a heading to...
I don't know if I have shared these before - these are game ones, I have others for training

1.   Embrace Fear
2.   90% of the game is half mental
                a.Be in the Moment…NOW
                b.When the going gets tough, the tough…win!
3.   Chance Favors the Prepared
                a. Plan to Win – strategy
                b. Manage The Game or the Game Will Manage You
                c. Play the Rules
4.   Favor no hole
5.   Possession is 9/10 of the law
6.   The 5 man is at The Center of The Game
7.   Adjust as Little as Possible But as Much as Needed – adjust or die, adjust to adjustment, continue what works
8.   General to Specific – zones, percentages, tendencies, specifics

[Old Meister]

Thanks Charles for your candor. We are not so far apart in a lot of ways. I think our journey is important. As thinking men who can sort it out and voice it, I think a lot of people come here to look at the posts and ponder it, mull it over and take from it what they can. I think I'm a bit more raw in my takes than you but we do seem to bounce ideas back and forth pretty well. It would be my greatest pleasure to someday partner with you although I don't know when that might be. It's on the Bucket list. I do think about what you say with an open mind because that is how a person learns and you have taught me alot. Thanks, I always welcome your opinion.

[Old Meister]

Charles, consider this, our age means squat other than allowing us to be part of a time where foosball skills were explored and defined. We can come to the table with what ever plan, take, view that we want and with our experience it is considerable. I, just last week, witnessed a gal, who is a top player, play a very controilled execution type game. Nothing of her game demanded strength but she was pure poerty in what she did. I loved it, it made perfect sense. Anyone with time on the table can pursue a control game and it is wonderful. When I was young I wanted to crush my opponents with speed and power and I mostly did. Now I like to embrace what time has done for me. Switching back and forth between styles and disciplines, from intricate to stupidly simple. This game is a plaything, I don't even know why fear should have a place at the table anymore.