Lost in Hubris — Games lost due to over confidence
We all have heard the story of hare and the tortoise. Hare in hubris decides to sleep during the finishing line and the tortoise goes on to win the race.
Hubris means excessive pride or overconfidence. Let’s look at the magic hubris can do.
Round 1: 2018 world pentathlon championship.
How many of you know what pentathlon is? Pentathlon is an Olympic sport consisting of 5 different events that end with a cross country race. This was the 2018 world championship. At the last few corners of the race. James Cook, v Prades and another player are all neck to neck. Prades makes a sprint and edges past both. The gap widens as they reach the final corner. He is just 100mts away. Others are still behind. He is winning the gold medal. Prades clenches his fist in celebration of his imminent victory. As he is about to cross the line, he opens his arm in triumph. To his surprise, in the last moment, James Cook put all his energy and edged him. He lost by a mere 0.03 sec. Had he not become overconfident and given his best till the end milliseconds. The result would have been different.
The race was lost in hubris. This was a case of one man’s foolhardy. But teams usually don’t make such mistakes. Right?
Round 2: Basketball. Cibona Zagreb vs KK Partizan.
How many of you have seen any basketball game even if it’s a movie scene?
The match was neck to neck. In the ending stage of the game, Partizan was leading by 2 points. They got a free throw. Free throws are like the free hit in cricket or penalty in football. Partizan had a chance to increase their lead. They missed. They soon got another one. But they missed this too. Cibona suddenly nailed a three-pointer to take a one-point lead. If you throw from far (the baseline) you get 3 points else one. There were just 6 seconds left, Cibona started celebrating on the court.
Amidst their celebrations, Dusan Kecman of Partizan scored a three-pointer in 0.6 sec. Thus ensuring their victory from jaws of defeat. One unwritten and very well-known rule in sports is not to celebrate a win until the game is over. I guess Cibona had never heard this rule.
The game was lost in hubris. This was a case of one team’s foolhardiness. But can everyone make such a mistake? From everyone I mean the team, cheerleaders, fans, the broadcaster. Let’s see.
Round 3: American College football, Stanford vs Cal
How many of you have seen a rugby match even if it’s a movie scene?
Americans are strange. What the world calls ruby they call football and football they call soccer. This too was a close game. By the end of the fourth quarter, it looked like Cal was going to win. What could happen in Last 10 second? A lot. Stanford’s Mark Harmon kicked a 35-yard field goal with four seconds left. Cal fans, as well as the players, couldn’t believe it. In the final few seconds, Stanford had scored a goal (touch down). They were winning. Fans were celebrating, the person recording the tv footage was celebrating, the Stanford band started walking to the ground to celebrate. By now you know “Picture abhi baki hai mere dost” meaning it ain’t over. Still, there were 4 seconds.
The ball was in Cals player Moens hand with the entire Stanford players running towards him. Stanford players had heard of that unwritten rule. Moen threw the ball to Rodgers, who then threw to Dwight, who then threw the ball back to Rodgers, who then threw the ball to Ford, who then threw a no-looker to Moen. Moen was running a full sprint towards the end zone when the clock was down to 0. The Stanford band was now in the ground ready to play the winning tune. Referees huddled together to discuss something. 27 second later the results were out. Cals had won. In the last second, Moen had scored a goal. So shocking was the ending that this game came to be known as “The play”. The game was lost in hubris.
Like all these people hubris could cost you dear. If you become overconfident, a tortoise could defeat you. Dont be the Hare in your story. Always remember It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.
