"Like an Assassin"?

Mental Toughness to the Extreme...good? bad? unhealthy? what's your take?

Being a Vikings fan, I watched with more interest than usual for Monday night's MNF game featuring Favre vs. the Packers.  Of course, the Minneapolis area has been buzzing about this match up all week, if not since #4 signed with the Purple.

So, on my drive home from teaching school on Monday, I hear the local sports station interview Mike Ditka, and ask him how much of a revenge factor is going through Favre's head.  Ditka said it wouldn't be like that at all, it's all about the will to win and treating the game like that (or something or other).  "Yeah right," I thought, "this guy is gonna wanna rip through the Pack to make a statement, maybe his biggest statement to wrap up his career.

So, I am then watching the pre-game show on ESPN, which has Ditka, Boomer, Keyshawn, Cris Carter, and Tom Jackson.  Once again, the topic comes up about "whether this game is a revenge game for Favre or not."  Ditka gives his same answer that he gave KFAN earlier in the day on the radio - "Brett is more focused about winning.  It's not about revenge."

The other guys laughed at that one...

Cris Carter -- Cris was let go by the Philadelphia Eagles and Coach, Buddy Ryan, who said, "All he does is catch touchdowns."  When he was picked up by the Vikings and they played the Eagles, he wanted nothing more than to DESTROY them.  Final result: 6 receptions for 151 yards and a 78 yard TD on MNF.

Tom Jackson -- He said that he "made stuff up" about the opposing team, just so he could get into a 'revenge-type' mindset (WOW!).

They all commented on Michael Jordan's Basketball Hall of Fame speech, where he called all kinds of people out, really surprising the entire crowd, and turning many of them off [Story Here].  A former assistant coach of his on the Chicago Bulls said that Jordan is "like an assassin", meaning he's a cold-blooded killer, approached the game that way, and, therefore, dominated the game.

It got me thinking about an interview that Tiger Woods did with Barbara Walters on 20/20, and she asked something like, "Do you go into each tournament expecting to win."  His response was something like, "I don't even know why the others bother showing up. (DOUBLE WOW!).

All of this gets me thinking about referees.  In 2007, I did a Thesis project on "The Mental Apsects of Officiating."  One of the 5 common characteristics among elite level hockey refs is that they possess the "Mindset of a Champion."  Well...I'd hate to tell you and others who get squemish about such things, but these people who think like champions do wonder why others show up.  They are arrogant in some regards (most never act so outwardly -- it would diminsh their character -- but believe so inwardly.  They are obsessed with winning and do what it takes.

So, the question finally comes down to: "How bad do you want it?"  Really bad?  Or only if it is easy?  Referees aren't playing to win or lose.  But many do play for keeps.  It's a unique world where a hockey ref is in a brotherhood that is constantly in competition with each other.  There are [percentages that are always present] in the hockey referee world...where does your mindset, competitive streak, and drive fall on that percentage?

Are you "like an assassin"?  I know I am. I know that Favre played like one on Monday. (One more WOW!).

[SWAT Team]