CARDRUNNERS

What's Your Edge

Zimba's Blog

January 03, 2009

I was watching the first half of the FA cup 3rd round match between Liverpool and Preston North End when I heard the announcers mention that they felt PNE was "punching above their weight". I had never heard that phrase before; certainly not used in a soccer match. They were equating the phrase to playing above your head since PNE plays in a lower league with lesser players. The phrasing stirred some interesting thoughts in my head about what it really means. Do we all have an intrinsic weight class? What does it really mean to play above our abilities? Don't our abilities include the potential to reach higher?

About the same time this morning, I read Gordo16's blog post about his plans for poker in 2009. He detailed his rise in poker, his struggles, and his decision to step down and then out of poker. While his journey isn't the first I've heard following a similar path, I just wondered how it might have been different. Did punching above his weight lead to his present situation?

In poker, there are so many ingredients that go into being a long term winning player. I've detailed mainy of these in my past blogs: discipline, knowledge, adaption, emotional control, game selection, bankroll management, and life balance. The lack of any one of those areas is enough to derail long term success. Tilt, ego, burn out, dissatisfaction, and extreme frustration are all after effects of the above stated areas being out of control.

While it's not everyone's goal to be involved with poker long term, if it is, it is important to devote sufficient attention to each area. Someone can only 'punch above their weight' for so long before they get knocked out. So it is beneficial to learn what your weight class is. Self-knowledge is key.

In the end, Liverpool prevailed 2-0 and advanced to the 4th round. The commentators felt is was a just result. Liverpool was clearly the superior team by skill and reputation. But as anyone who has watched the FA cup knows, having heart, desire, a few lucky bounces can have you "punching above your weight" and onto the next round.

Entry Tags: soccer, poker success, mentality

Jan 4, 09 03:23:17

insightful

thanks Z

LesW

Jan 4, 09 06:04:10

It's a common boxing term (which is doubtless what you would guess).

Ostrich_