psychological warfare in sports

Ali? Are you serious? I didn't know that acting like an arrogant little bi*ch was considered psychological warfare. Or does that only prove his genius?

Psychological warfare can take many forms. Ali definitely used mind games to gain an advantage over opponents.

Many of the Moroccan track guys back in the day used to use some nasty tactics. But, they were more team tactics than anything. Look up the Olympic 10000m with Skah from the 90's.

Doug Flutie!

Diggory Venn wrote:

Psychological warfare can take many forms. Ali definitely used mind games to gain an advantage over opponents.

One could also argue that there was a significant psychological aspect to the Rope A Dope strategy. I'd think that pounding on your opponent that much only to have him come back at you seemingly unfazed would be as demoralizing as it would be physically tiring.

I'd also throw out the Anderson Silva of a few years ago. I don't follow the UFC anymore, but I seem to recall that when he was a relative unknown, he was very humble in interviews. Never claiming he was going to knock anyone out in the first round or anything like. Just saying that he wanted to have an entertaining fight for the fans. That could have got to some. The calm guys are the ones you should worry about. Or, as Cicero said, "real gangsta a$s n!gg@s don't flex nuts, cause real gangsta a$s n!gg@s know they got 'em."

alia wrote:

Ali? Are you serious? I didn't know that acting like an arrogant little bi*ch was considered psychological warfare. Or does that only prove his genius?

You aren't too smart are you?

Ali was always trying to psych out the opposition one way or another.

And he's still the prettiest.

Ali was an idiot with a tiny brain. Nothing more.

Read "On the Run" by Liquori. He was psychology warrior.

alia wrote:

Ali was an idiot with a tiny brain. Nothing more.

Einstein's brain mass was smaller than average. Just sayin'.

Diggory Venn wrote:

Which high-level athletes have been the best practitioners of the art of psychological warfare? Some that come immediately to mind:

Muhummad Ali

Deion Sanders

Martina Hingis

Michael Jordan

Roberto Duran

Obviously Mike Tyson in his prime was unsurpassed at the art of intimidation.

Tyson was certainly intimidating, but his intimidation mainly only worked against second-rate fighters. Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield, and Lennox Lewis practically laughed in his face when he tried his intimidation act on them, and they all beat him easily. By contrast, Roberto Duran completely unnerved a prime Sugar Ray Leonard in the weeks leading up to their first fight. He also instilled enough doubt into the mind of a prime and much larger Marvin Hagler that Hagler never dared attack with abandon and Duran was almost able to win the fight.

The guys sending these down at 100mph

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIqBCikoRyc