The Wonderlic: Utility & Flaws in Athlete Assessment

Success in the NFL and other sports consists of four core factors:

Tom Landry, former Cowboys coach (Wikipedia)

Background

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Stereotype threat reflects the behavioral effects that result from an individual’s fear that his actions will confirm a negative stereotype of a group to which he belongs.⁶ Stereotype threat can manifest in anxiety, which can impair performance and trigger a self-fulfilling prophecy.  The stress related to his or her group membership causes the individual to underperform, thereby unintentionally corroborating the underlying group stereotype.

The Tim Tebow Craze…How Does He Do It?

The recent Tim Tebow craze has been nothing short of remarkable.  The second year quarterback out of the University of Florida has led his Denver Broncos team to seven wins in his eight games as a starter this year.  He has done it in dramatic fashion, posting fourth quarter comeback wins in an incredible six of those games.  One who doesn’t know football would assume that his statistics would need to be at least above average to win so many games in a short period of time, but that simply is not the case.  He ranks dead last (32^nd) in the NFL in the categories of completion percentage and yards per game.  He is only completing 48.5 percent of his passes and averages a mere 117 yards per game.  So what is it that Tim Tebow has that makes him such a winner?  In this article, I am going to tell you a few of the traits Tim Tebow possesses that have helped him become such a great winner.

Image via Wikipedia

1.  Drive to Succeed

Tim Tebow always has had an innate drive to succeed.  His mindset is to live every day to the fullest and do as much as he possibly can with his time.  Whether it is through football or in other areas of life, Tebow has always wanted to be the best he can be and gives all of his effort in his endeavors.  In football specifically, nobody practices and plays harder than Tebow.  Practice is just as important as the games themselves, since what you do in practice prepares you to do your best in games.  Tebow realizes this and takes it to heart.  Tebow once said “I don’t believe it’s the will to win.  It’s the will to prepare.  If you wake up early, stay late, grind, games will come easy to you.”

2.  Confidence

Confidence is another trait that Tim Tebow possesses that enables him to do seemingly miraculous things.  Even though he is evidently not nearly as talented as many other NFL starting quarterbacks, he always keeps his head high and truly believes that he is going to do good things on the football field and win.  Even in his interviews, when he is often criticized for not having great statistics, he doesn’t ever let his critics get to him.  This confidence on and off the field is contagious; it instills a sense of confidence in his teammates and encourages them to also give everything they have each day in practice and on game days.

3.  Leadership Qualities

Tebow’s leadership qualities are crucial to his success as well.  For a moment let’s go back to his Florida days.  After being upset by Ole Miss in 2008, Tim Tebow gave one of the most memorable post-game speeches in not only college football history, but in sports history.  Now often referred to as “The Promise,” Tim Tebow came out and promised the nation that nobody would practice and play as hard as he would for the rest of the season.  He didn’t even field questions from the press, he just gave his 45 second speech and left the podium.  This is a perfect example of how Tim Tebow is a great leader.  This speech instilled a sense of pride in Tim Tebow’s teammates and eventually the team went on to win its third ever National Championship.  A good leader takes things into his own hands while getting others to buy into what he is saying and follow him, and that is exactly what Tim Tebow has shown he can do.  Even while highly doubted and criticized in the NFL, Tebow continues to make passionate pre-game speeches that rally his teammates around him and make them play their hearts out.  His teammates recognize his innate drive to succeed and win, contagious confidence, and extraordinary leadership capabilities, and they give it their all for him.

As an athlete, no matter what level, no matter how skilled you are, I would strongly encourage you to try to match your drive to succeed, confidence, and leadership qualities to Tim Tebow’s.  It is clear that if you can do this successfully, the sky is the limit as to what you can accomplish.

Sources

http://briandoddonleadership.com/2011/04/22/23-leadership-quotes-from-tim-tebow/

NBA Players Use Lockout to Pursue Education

With the NBA lockout lasting nearly 150 days, NBA players needed to find something to keep them busy.  Several decided to take their talents overseas, including Deron Williams and Tony Parker, some decided to stay put train here in the United States, and others focused on doing work in the community.  Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Baron Davis, and New Orleans Hornets guard Trevor Ariza had a different idea.  These four decided to head back out to California and re-enroll at UCLA and take classes.  Each of them were stars while playing their college ball at UCLA and left for the NBA prior to finishing school, so they all decided it would be a great time to head back to school and inch closer to getting their degrees.  Additionally, being in California has enabled these players to continue their training routines at top-of-the-line facilities and train with other All-Star caliber NBA players.

Image via Wikipedia

Ariza explains that he decided to go back to school for his two sons.  “Eventually they’re going to realize that their dad fulfilled his dreams doing what he wanted to do and still got his degree. For them to see that will be a great example for them to follow,’ said Ariza.  He believes that this lockout is not such a bad thing in that it has a real chance at encouraging other players in the same position that he is in to go back and continue their education.  With the recent news that the lockout is coming to an end, Ariza plans to continue to take online classes.

UCLA’s athletics assistant director of academic services Kenny Donaldson played a big role in recruiting these former players to come back to school.  He has always reminded former players that even though they may have left school early to go to the NBA, it is important and possible that they return at some point to work toward their graduation.  “When the lockout looked like it was going to be a definite thing, I kind of sat down with each of them and laid out a game plan,” Donaldson said in talking about these four NBA players.  “You don’t want to get them back in something that they’re not going to be interested in. I presented them with options and they found classes that they thought would be interesting, and are easing back into it right now.”

Other NBA players are also returning to school.  Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Randolph rented an apartment in Baton Rouge within walking distance of his former school Louisiana State University.  He only played one season at LSU before being drafted in the NBA, so he was eager to get back to school.  He enrolled in a math class in the summer and has taken three classes this fall.  “I don’t have the basketball distraction. I’m a more focused student now after being in the real world for a couple of years,” says Randolph.

Image via Wikipedia

With the average NBA career lasting just under 5 years, there is a lot of life for most players after basketball.  Even though many NBA players often receive outrageous contracts that make them multi-millionaires, many others aren’t nearly as fortunate.  The league minimum salary still makes those who receive it extremely wealthy in the meantime, but with the average career length being so short, getting an education can be crucial for many.  It open the door to countless opportunities in life after basketball, and many players are urged to head back to school so they are ensured to be taken care of financially later in life.

As an avid fan this NBA lockout seemed absolutely ridiculous and was certainly extremely frustrating.  However, when I look at it from a different point of view, I realize that period of time really gave players a chance to do things they otherwise wouldn’t have, as was true for Love, Westbrook, Davis, Ariza, Randolph and others.  It is refreshing to see so many players deciding to go back to their respective universities and really use the lockout to their advantage.  Other things matter in life besides playing your sport, and it’s important for all athletes to realize that and utilize whatever opportunities they get to pursue other things, such as getting their education.

Sources

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=mc-spears_nba_players_ucla_080911

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/08/10/11/some-nba-players-back-school-due-lockout

http://www.takingbadschotz.com/?p=1530

Tips for Success in College: Transitioning from One Level to the Next

When you leave high school you have collected a huge array of activities that work for you in succeeding in what you need to do. As you enter college those ideals and efforts have to be tweaked for maximizing success. Sure you can use those same methods from high school but chances are you will just come out mediocre in what you do, instead of fully succeeding. All the added pressures and ideals you have to uphold through compliance, academics, and your athletic team sometimes seem unlikely to accomplish but with the right information I can help relieve some of that and turn it in to positive energy towards your academics, athletics, and life

1. Make sure your teachers know who you are! It is important that your teachers know what is on your plate, so introducing yourself in your classes and explaining that you are an athlete will help your teacher comprehend. Make sure you continue to communicate with them throughout the semester; because it is said the better you know a teacher the more they will help, be concerned, and give you a little bump if you need it when the end of the semester comes

2. Take advantage of the Athletics Academic facility. The academic section for athletics is a huge area to lend help for success. Your advisors are willing to help you when you are struggling, will communicate with your teachers, and help get something set up to assist you better to understand the class materials. Tutors are very important in the athletic department because they can help you tremendously; if you academic department through athletics doesn’t supply tutors in house I am sure they still offer them, so you should defiantly ask and take advantage.

3. Get to know Student Services through Athletics. Student services is a place where you want to know all the people. They are willing to help you because they want you to succeed. They have a wide array of knowledge in their office that can help you in all areas; they will help you out in whatever situation you need and if they cannot help they will refer you to that right person.

4. Talk to your coach. It is good to have a bond with your coach, go to their office and have a conversation with them. Just talk to them, get to know them and let them get to know you. Explain what you have on your plate and what other concerns you have. Forming a bond with your coach is beneficial because it will help when you have a problem or situation by simply opening up another route.

5. Get to know the Athletic Director. You may not understand why you should know the athletic director but it is very beneficial. They are powerful within the university and could help you out when needed. Make sure you take time to introduce yourself to them and have a little conversation. Not only will this relationship benefit you during your college years but also beyond.

6. Set up a weekly schedule for yourself. A good time management tip is to make a weekly schedule that puts a certain amount of study time for each class, your practice times, and your class times. If you can stick to a schedule like this it will benefit you greatly. It will lend a hand because you won’t be doing last minute studying and homework assignments, in most classes this will either put you ahead of what you need to do or keep you right on target for the whole semester.

7. Get sleep. As an athlete you need your sleep, especially in college; practices are more intense and school is more tedious. Make sure that you are getting adequate amounts of sleep at night and not pulling all nighters multiple days in a week

8. Eat properly. You may be wondering how eating falls in with success but if you don’t have energy you aren’t going to function properly in the classroom or on your playing field. Make sure that you are eating good energy foods. Fast food every night will only harm you not help you.

9. Be Smart. Be smart with what you do. Know the rules of your team and the university before partaking in sketchy activities. Also remember that your muscles and vitals are more important to you than anyone else, so think twice before drinking or indulging in something that will harm your body, performance, or academics.

10. Stay motivated!! Sometimes it is draining being involved with many activities and no time for you. Stay motivated even when you feel like giving out, it will only pay off in the end.

I hope that you find these tips helpful in succeeding in college, both in athletics and academics. It is a rigorous life and schedule indulging into college level courses along with the intensity of college sports. I hope this list of tips helps relieve stress and leads to success on the field and in the classroom.

The Development of Aaron Rodgers

In his three and a half seasons as a starter for the Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers has almost already established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in not only Green Bay Packers history, but in the history of the NFL.  His progression from a mid-to-late first round draft pick into Super Bowl MVP has been nothing short of spectacular.  In this article, I will take you through his career thus far as quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.

Image by elviskennedy via Flickr

Season 1 (2008-2009)

As Brett Favre finally threw in the towel as a Green Bay Packer after the 2007-2008 season, Aaron Rodgers at last got his chance to showcase his talents and shine.  He had been patiently waiting since he was drafted in 2005 to get his chance to start in the NFL.  The Packers really liked what they had seen out of Rodgers in practice, exhibition games, and a few random fill-ins for Favre as he left games a few times over that three year period, so they were ready to give Rodgers the shot he believe he deserved.  Rodgers was ready to roll.

He played in all 16 games in his first season as the Packers’ starting quarterback.  He had impressive numbers, including a 93.8 passer rating (6^th in the NFL), threw for 4038 yards and 252.4 yards per game, recorded 28 touchdowns (all 4^th in the NFL) with 13 interceptions, and completed 63.6 percent of his passes.  For being virtually a rookie, these numbers were more than impressive.  Although Rodgers only led them to a 6-10 record and failed to bring them to the playoffs, the Packers organization knew they had a bright future ahead of them.

Season 2 (2009-2010)

Entering his second season as the starter for the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers began to gain more and more confidence as each day passed.  Although his statistics were very solid in the previous season, Rodgers knew that he needed to improve several aspects of his game to help his team win games and hopefully bring them to the playoffs for the first time.  He needed to cut down on his interception total of 13 and also really wanted to focus on completing more passes and complete them at a higher percentage.  If he could improve on these few aspects, the team was bound for more success.  And he did just that.  Throwing for 30 touchdowns (4^th in the NFL) and only 7 interceptions (tied for 1^st in the NFL for starting quarterbacks), completing more passes and completing them at a higher percentage (up 9 and 1.1% respectively), and elevating his quarterback rating to a stunning 103.2 (4^th in the NFL), Rodgers led the Packers to an 11-5 record and the Packers secured a spot as a Wild Card team in the playoffs, facing the former NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals in the first round.  The Packers would end up losing to the Cardinals in a 51-45 shootout in overtime, the highest scoring playoff game in NFL history, but throughout the entire season and playoff game, the Packer offense shined more than it had in recent history.  Only good things were to come for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

Season 3 (2010-2011)

Prior to the 2010-2011 season, Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy posted a team photo in an open spot next to all of the other previous NFL Champion Packer team photos in the team clubhouse.  Mike McCarthy and the entire organization were confident in the talent they possessed on both sides of the ball, and knew that winning the Super Bowl was not by any means out of the realm of possibility.  So, their ultimate goal was to bring the Vince Lombardi trophy back home to title town.  Rodgers delivered.

Despite recording remarkable numbers in the 2009-2010 season, Aaron Rodgers still saw room for improvement.  In the previous season, he was sacked an astounding 50 times, up from 34 in the previous season.  The 50 sacks were tied with Ben Roethlisberger for most in the NFL.  Yes, the Packer offensive line was banged up and struggled to protect Rodgers throughout the year, but Rodgers knew that it wasn’t all on them.  He knew that he needed to find a way to get rid of the ball quicker to avoid all of these sacks and hits.

The regular season definitely had its ups and downs, but in the end, their goal was achieved.  Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to a 31-25 defeat of the Pittsburgh Steelers to secure the Vince Lombardi trophy, and Rodgers was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.  Rodgers ranked 3^rd in the NFL in passer rating (101.2) and was sacked only 31 times throughout the regular season, down 19 from the previous year.  But his playoff numbers really made his season.  He posted a near 110 quarterback rating and recorded 9 touchdowns in four games in the postseason, both tops in the NFL.  Rodgers did everything he needed to do to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory.

Season 4 (2011-2012)

Even though the goal of winning the Super Bowl was achieved last year, Aaron Rodgers is evidently still hungry.  He has consistently improved throughout his years as a starter, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down one bit.  His quarterback rating of 129.1 through eight games this season is nearly 29 points higher than any other quarterback in the NFL this season (D. Brees 100.6), and puts Rodgers on pace to shatter Peyton Manning’s NFL single-season record of a 121.1 passer rating.  He is also on pace to break Dan Marino’s single-season passing yard record by over 150 yards, and is on track to break Drew Brees’ record of completing 70.6% of his passes for a single season.  Rodgers is currently completing 72.5% of his passes.  Oh, and Rodgers is also on pace to lead his team to an undefeated regular season record, a feat that only two teams have ever done before (1972 Dolphins and 2007 Patriots).  We can’t say how this season will end up for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, but we have to believe that the record books will be altered in some way.  There really seems to be no limit to what Aaron Rodgers can accomplish.  By the end of his career, he may very well go down as one of the all-time greats in NFL history.

References:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7200/career

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/sports/nfl/nfl-analysis-rise-packers-aaron-rodgers

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/passing/sort/quarterbackRating/year/2009