Sports... the need to win

[ftball0000]

What's up OOT,

This isn't really a sporting event question, more just a question of what I'm going through right now and was wondering if it happens to anyone else.

All through out my life I've played sports and during that time I've always enjoyed them. I played little league since I was 7, and baseball and football in high school and then intermurals in college and since graduating I still play baseball and softball in the summer and indoor football and basketball, basically I've always been a active and competitive guy.

But over the last couple months its been changing... I no longer feel that need to win. I mean I like to win and still enjoy it, but now if I don't win, I very rarely get angry or bent out of shape about it. And it's not because I've gotten older and now suck, I still win alot, it just doesn't crush me if I lose, what I enjoy most now are the pickup basketball games at my local YMCA.

For example tonight is the last game of my indoor football league regular season, I'm the QB and we are undefeated, so it's not like we suck, everyone else on the team's mindset is "we must win" and I just don't care that much about the games, I'd rather just go have a good time, win or lose.

So basically now that I've told my background on everything, has anyone else gone through or feels the same way? Like you were really competitve at sports, but now the win at all costs attitude has been replaced by a go have fun attitude? Is this a part of "growing up" or maturing?

I'm interested to hear others takes on this, especally some of the older OOT members

Thanks,
-Ftball

[The X-Factor]

ftball,

I would have to say your feeling is prolly normal. Mine, however, was different from yours. Last year I played church league b-ball and the first few games or so I was kinda like you and didnt care if we won or lost and then I realized I had some miles left in the tank and I could still play and that competitive fire came back in me. I found myself caring just as much if not more than when I played sports in high school and college.

X

[guids]

Once I stopped playing sports in college, any team sport I participateed in I didnt really care about winning or losing, I just cared about playing hard, ie, I played more against myself than the other players (soccer hockey), becuase I knew that these stupid games didnt matter much anymoer. Now I gravitate towards sports that I am alone in, golf, powerlifting, etc.

[CappyAA]

I think I still care about winning or losing, but a loss doesn't stick with me like it used to. I used to sit around for hours moping about a loss in high school or college. Now, I get bummed out when I lose, but I am usually laughing and it is forgotten 5 minutes after the game.

[Shenlong]

Losing sucks. I've always been crazily competitive about most anything (exception of school, take that one mom and dad!), and probably always will. I've always chalked it up to having an older brother who would always try stuff first, and I always had to try to be better at stuff then him for my own sake. Carried over into other stuff, even though we rarely compete anymore unless it's with video games or making fools of ourselves in front of girls.

[Bicycles_Biatch]

welcome to growing up... getting older.. and having bad knees [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Jiggymike]

Newsflash: No one likes the idiot(s) who play supercompetitively at pickup basketball and try to turn it into the friging NBA finals. It's just a stupid game that you play for fun and exercise, it has no bearing on your life, so just let it go. OP you sound like you are turning into a normal person...the only time I was into winning was when I played youth sports and you had teams and it actually mattered. I guess I still get annoyed when I lose at some things (like video games) but that could be a result of the fact that my bro and I used to fight over that kind of stuff.

[funkymunky]

As others suggested, I think you're just maturing. I like to be competitive, and play hard, but I think you get to a point where you realize it really is just a game. It's not life and death, and there's nothing to prove.

I mean, really, does any body care who wins the pickup game at the Y? And does anybody keep a running tally of wins and losses?

So, chalk it up to growing older. And ... getting soft. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Ricky_Bobby]

The only ball sport I ever cared about was basketball and I can't remember a single time when I didn't care about winning. Unfortunately I haven't played must since I was 20 so I don't know for sure about getting older. I'm pretty sure if I had a regular game to play in I would still be competitive as hell. I played with guys who didn't care and it just wasn't fun for me. If no one cares about winning then it isn't a real game and is basically a waste of time. I was never crushed after losing for more than 10 minutes though.

But I was also wondering if getting used to losing in poker and avoiding results oriented thinking might have tempered your reaction to losing in sports.

[ftball0000]

thanks for replies guys, I really do appreciate them.

And to whoever said the thing about bad knees... I totally feel that, I am a catcher on my baseball team, and the next day totally sucks balls.

Thanks OOT for the replies, here is a pic of Marisa Miller as a thank you


-Ftball