I just got off the phone with “sports guru” John McCarthy. I asked him some questions about “home-team” advantage. He said that all things being equal in football or basketball – bet on the home team. Playing in front of your home fans is an advantage.
John said that in sports, it is “always” an advantage.
To make it very simple – people perform better when people cheer for them.
This works with football and basketball. It also works with every other sport. It also works if you’re a singer or dancer or comedian or any type of performer.
PEOPLE PERFORM BETTER WHEN PEOPLE CHEER FOR THEM!
I love the following story. It’s in the book The Spirituality of Imperfection by Ernest Kurtz and Katherine Ketcham. . . .
Some years ago on a sunny Sunday afternoon in
The little girl had a new jump rope, and the priest began to demonstrate the intricacies of jumping rope to her.
After a while Carmine began to jump, first once, then twice.
Mother and priest clapped loudly for her skill. Eventually, the little girl was able to jump quite well on her own and wandered off with her new-found skill.
Priest and mother chatted a few moments until Carmine, with the saddest, widest eyes imaginable, returned dragging her rope.
“Mommy,” she lamented, “I can do it, but I need lots of clapping.”
PEOPLE PERFORM BETTER WHEN PEOPLE CHEER FOR THEM!
You might not always have people around to cheer for you . . . but you can make sure that you’re around to cheer others on!
Have you watched Professor Pausch’s lecture yet?
Rob Gilbert
