3:11 AM
Bingo King
Woman Basketball Star Unexpectedly Teaches Poker Lesson
When Candace Parker went from high school fame to stardom at University of Tennessee, then on to the pros with the Los Angeles Sparks, everyone knew she would be good for women's basketball. Who would ever expect she could also be good for your poker game?
After Candace and Lisa Leslie powered the LA Sparks to another victory last month, I went looking for one of my journal entries. Even though I do not regularly follow sports, other than poker and the occasional golf match when Tiger is playing, 6'4" Parker had gotten my attention during the 2008 Olympics.
When I surfed into the gold metal game of women's basketball between USA and Australia, Candace was at the free throw line. She was the new kid playing for USA , and the announcers kept talking about how she beat out five male competitors in high school to win a slam-dunk contest. My ears perked up, and I laid down the TV remote.
The setup for each shot at the free throw line was a masterpiece, and I was fascinated. I studied the screen, just as I do when I want to get a better look at a poker player during a televised final table. In poker, I watch for any telltale signs that will help me the next time I confront that player in a live poker tournament. In other sports, I look for lessons that can help the strength of my game.
The way Candace Parker handled her actions at that free throw line spoke to me. She was the perfect model of calmness, consistency, and preparation. It was a life lesson that flows seamlessly from the basketball court to the poker table.
This is what I observed during that 2008 Olympic game. Each time Candace went to the free throw line and prepared for the shot, she did exactly the same thing. Exactly! You might call it her personal ritual: She settled herself on the line, bounced the basketball three times, touched her left upper arm with her right fingertips, took one more bounce and shot. Time after time, you heard that familiar whoosh of the ball as it flushed the net.
Actually, her arm tap intrigued me the most. Some might say she was just wiping the sweat off her fingertips, but I'm convinced that it was actually a physical anchor, which helps Candace trigger a positive outcome.
Today, Candace Parker is a role model for how to excel at any skill and be a star. This is the lesson she teaches - combine a repetitive, consistent setup with calm and centered focus; anchor your success with a physical trigger.
Whether in business, life, or sports, find what works and repeat it. Use a physical anchor to cue consistent, desired actions. Try it at the poker table and for life.
By the way, yes, at 6′5″ I did play basketball in high school, and, yes, I was very good. More about that another day.
When Candace Parker went from high school fame to stardom at University of Tennessee, then on to the pros with the Los Angeles Sparks, everyone knew she would be good for women's basketball. Who would ever expect she could also be good for your poker game?
After Candace and Lisa Leslie powered the LA Sparks to another victory last month, I went looking for one of my journal entries. Even though I do not regularly follow sports, other than poker and the occasional golf match when Tiger is playing, 6'4" Parker had gotten my attention during the 2008 Olympics.
When I surfed into the gold metal game of women's basketball between USA and Australia, Candace was at the free throw line. She was the new kid playing for USA , and the announcers kept talking about how she beat out five male competitors in high school to win a slam-dunk contest. My ears perked up, and I laid down the TV remote.
The setup for each shot at the free throw line was a masterpiece, and I was fascinated. I studied the screen, just as I do when I want to get a better look at a poker player during a televised final table. In poker, I watch for any telltale signs that will help me the next time I confront that player in a live poker tournament. In other sports, I look for lessons that can help the strength of my game.
The way Candace Parker handled her actions at that free throw line spoke to me. She was the perfect model of calmness, consistency, and preparation. It was a life lesson that flows seamlessly from the basketball court to the poker table.
This is what I observed during that 2008 Olympic game. Each time Candace went to the free throw line and prepared for the shot, she did exactly the same thing. Exactly! You might call it her personal ritual: She settled herself on the line, bounced the basketball three times, touched her left upper arm with her right fingertips, took one more bounce and shot. Time after time, you heard that familiar whoosh of the ball as it flushed the net.
Actually, her arm tap intrigued me the most. Some might say she was just wiping the sweat off her fingertips, but I'm convinced that it was actually a physical anchor, which helps Candace trigger a positive outcome.
Today, Candace Parker is a role model for how to excel at any skill and be a star. This is the lesson she teaches - combine a repetitive, consistent setup with calm and centered focus; anchor your success with a physical trigger.
Whether in business, life, or sports, find what works and repeat it. Use a physical anchor to cue consistent, desired actions. Try it at the poker table and for life.
By the way, yes, at 6′5″ I did play basketball in high school, and, yes, I was very good. More about that another day.
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