Things That Make You Go, Hmm? - Part 3

Continuing the tradition from Part 2.... Winning breeds another tradition in which casual observers, fans and officials give perennial winners, the benefit of the doubt. There's another name for that benefit of the doubt, it's called bias.  

Bias which feeds the ego, is the fact that few are pleased to hear their beliefs, based upon their knowledge or experience, are possibly outdated or incorrect.  This team didn't get to the playoffs all these times, and have so much success because they are undisciplined or sloppy. Hmm. 

This kind of illusory superiority or bias, keeps one from knowing when they or others who share their views, are out of their element... 

Over time this bias becomes a self induced bubble of deception or delusional thinking, which ultimately leads to a failure in seeking out higher wisdom, insight and advice.  We all know where that leads, a self perpetuating feedback loop or a perpetual loop of errors, many identical. Hmm.

Hence history repeats itself. Funny how that team just seems to keep winning in the same manner, over and over again?  Oh, those losers are whining about the officiating again, it's all circumstantial, these guys are the best ever.  Hmm. Witnessed many a time over the decades, in many a sport by this old goat...

I can see by your eyes you must be lying  

When you think I don't have a clue 

Baby you're crazy

If you think that you can fool me

Because I've seen that movie too

The one where the players are acting surprised... 

When their actions become so absurd.... 

Past or present....

Try FIFA, Dunga makes a hard tackle on the player, not the ball, no problem. Opponent's defenders breathe hard on Kaka or sweat on Ronaldo, it's a foul, ejection or penalty shot to win the game for the favorite sons, Brazil. Hmm.

Try MLB, the Stengel Yankee's, Ford must have caught the edge of the plate on that one, strike three. Mantle didn't swing, must have been a bad pitch, ball four. Hmm.

Try NBA, McHale or Ainge, mug and assault Magic, no blood, no foul. Cooper sweats on Bird, 2 shot foul and a technical. Hmm.

The latter indeed evident in the form of a former denizen of the mystic parquet at Da Boston Gaaaarden, an old Lucky Charms leprechaun who caused many a Celtic game, opponent and in particular, Laker teams efforts to win a title, go afoul. Hmm.

Pun intended and we could go on. Moving West... In closing, we're not saying that all great teams or dynasty's did not arrive at that level of stature without extreme effort, great coaching and collective talent.

What we are saying is that bias, which is part and parcel with habitual winning, contributed in giving those teams, an edge. Said edge can make all the difference in a world where the margin between winning and losing is razor thin. Pun intended.

Many refer to this edge, including Gillette, as the Razor's Edge or winning edge. As they say in the game, everybody does everything they can to get an edge. Take it from the best ever in this official NFL video, if you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin hard enough.  Just sayin, it's one of those things that's make you go Hmm.  Putting away the soapbox now.