Sports Comm Ch 12

A Matter of Ethics: Chemistry in the Clubhouse:

"team chemistry" - going into 2015 baseball season, Washington Nationals were favored to win the National League and advance to World Series. Led by young superstars Bryce Harper and Steven Strasburg. They later acquired Jonathan Papelbon, a pitcher who played important role in Red Sox world series champ in 2007. Harper and Papelbon were talented but accused of lacking maturity. After Harper failed to hustle to get to first base on a ground ball, Papelbon shouted "run that out" when Harper returned to the dugout they confronted each other, images of Papelbons hands around Harpers neck. They barely finished season w/ winning record and didn't make it to the playoffs.

Interdependent teams

(football, baseball, hockey) require that athletes collaborate to earn a victory

Independent teams

(wrestling, track and field, gymnastics) include those where the culmination of individual effort contributes to a teams performance

Case Study: More than Talent Required:

- 1999-2000 NBA season, the LA Lakers hired Phil Jackson, who had recently retired after coaching the Chicago Bulls to 6 NBA titles. With 2 of the leagues most talented players (Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O Neal) Jackson was considered to be a pivotal piece in the puzzle as he helped lead the team to 3 titles during his first 3 seasons. The following year, they went 11-19 to start, and recovered finishing with more than 50 wins. They were eventually eliminated from postseason - During the off-season Jackson sought to further position the team to win. Management aggressively pursued a trade for Karl Malone and Gary Payton, many considered LA to be one of the most talented group of players. With 4 Hall of Fame players taking the floor each night, the appeared unstoppable on paper. BUT team faced setbacks from early injuries and tension between the teams 2 star players Bryant and O Neal. Bryant displayed disagreement w/ Jacksons coaching style and criticized him for employing a game strategy that didn't fit his talents. Jackson soon demanded that Bryant be traded. In response LA sided with Bryant and they traded O Neal and terminated their contract w/ Jackson. Lakers failed to make playoffs the next 2 seasons, and were unable to return to championship form until Jackson returned as head coach for 2007/8 season.

Theoretically Speaking: Social Loafing:

-rope pulling experiment showed that when in a group people tended to exert less effort on pulling a rope than the individuals who did it alone - "social loafing" describes the phenomenon noting that as the number of people increase, people tend to feel deindividualization - as size increases, potential for dissociation from individual achievement and decrease of personal accountability result in lower exerted effort - cohesive teams are less likely to experience social loafing which results in heightened team performance levels - one function of team cohesion may be that sense of social attraction and integration to the team counteracts social loafing and thereby enhances individual effort and team performance

5 behaviors/ stratagies identified as having positive effects on team cohesion:

1. Sarcasm and teasing, joking/mocking/ and ridicule of athletes that allowed them to collectively laugh together. The non-sport side allowed them to build personal relationships. 2. Motivational speeches, allowed athletes to interact as a team afterward while stressing team over individual effort. Relinquishing personal agenda for good of the team 3. Quality opponent, respect that coaches afforded the opposition, increased cohesion as players bonded at higher levels. When coaches described opponents with respect, athletes percieved increased cohesion after accepting that no opponent should be taken lightly. Connection and focus of their teammates during weeks they played higher caliber opponents as coaches often approached difficult games differently in speeches. ex) Red Sox vs. Yankees or Ohio State vs. Michigan, rivalry sets up a clear "us vs them" 4. Athlete-directed techniques, encouraging teammates to develop their own connection, including spending time together off of the field, lifting weights or studying together 5. Team Prayer, during pre and post game interaction was successful because it emphasized that every team member must perform up to his or her maximum ability. Internal conflicts and tensions among players had to be eliminated

6 Differences of socialization

1. girls more often play indoors 2. boys tend to play in larger groups 3. boys groups tend to include a wider age range of participants 4. girls play in predominately male games more than vise versa 5. boys more often play competitive games 6. girls games tend to last shorter period of time than boys games

4 primary behaviors identified from group affiliation unique to teams

1. in group favoritism, includes preferential treatment given to members simply due to their association w/ the team (reason Pelini was fired due to many on and off field incidents.. "Our crowd what a bunch of fing fair weathered fans fing they can all kiss my ass on the way out the fing door" 2. Out-group derogation, occurs by assigning positive traits to group members and undesirable traits to those not 3. unrealistic optimism, the perceived benefits individuals feel they obtained from their team affilication, as fans w/ greater connection to the team are more likely to experience a state of euphoria toward their team 4. Sense of voice, identification provides as they are able to overshadow unsuccessful performances by emphasizing athletic qualities the team possesses despite a loss (player injury, bad call by an official)

2 behaviors were found to deter cohesion

1. inequity (when coaches showed favoritism, use of poor communication skills, and/or bragging about the ability of other athletes. Favoritism included allowing individuals to do less work or miss team functions (meetings/events/practices) Jealousy in sports, categories such as scholarship funding and attention from the coach were found to be negatively correlated with team cohesion 2. embarrassment and ridicule: reflecting such behaviors such as yelling at athletes or benching them for poor performance. Affected player being reprimanded and also the players who witnessed the event.

team cohesion mediated between two dimensions

1. reflecting the task (desire to achieve the groups goals) 2. social functions (desire to develop and maintain relationships) fulfilled by the group

______, Philadelphia 76ers, was heavily criticized by coaches, teammates and fans for being routinely late or absent.. He later had a postgame tirade where he criticized his coach and media for being suspended for violating this norm. "We're sitting here, and I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we're talking about a practice" he used the word practice 14 times

Allen Iverson

Expert

Drawing upon ones skill or knowledge to emphasize why compliance is necessary // "Having coached five conference championships, I know that the best way to approach this season is to run extensively during practices each day"

Interview w/ Dale Earnhardt Jr.: To an outsider, NASCAR is an individual sport. NASCAR fans know differently. How important is assembling the right team? (

Each team consists of 10-15 people that work directly on the race car and thats not counting your motor department or pit crew. They each have their own responsibility and thus each affect how your car performs and it doesn't have to be off by much to hinder the performance of the car. We measure things in hundredths-of-a-second and fractions of an inch. Everything has to be clicking. If there is one fracture in the overall makeup of the team, it jeopardizes the whole team.

Required Positive Behavior

Established team practices requiring grade point averages, study sessions, community service, or other behaviors that produce favorable public exposure (acceptable)

Girls learn to communicate to show authority or power, use skills to understand the rules or work around them to establish status among participants

False, boys

Boys learn to communicate to build connections, include others, cooperate, support others

False, girls

Coerced Self-Abuse or Degradation

Forcing teammates to drink unknown substances or engaging in drinking contests. Coercion also includes food and water deprivation or using rookies as personal servants (unacceptable)

Interview w/ Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Describe the chain of command on race day.

Have a race strategy before race day based off of practice speeds, qualifying and team debriefings. The crew chief will implement that strategy and decide if we need to sway from it due to circumstances in the race. The crew chief is privy to lots of info on top of the pit box, so he is the conductor. He decides how to adjust the car, when to make pit stops and so forth based off the info the driver gives about the car. The driver is very important when it comes to working w/ the crew chief. The spotter on the roof does most of the talking. Those are the top 3 then pit crew and mechanics fall under that.

______ are a common communicative norm (harassment, abuse, humiliation) that many consider to serve as important rites of passage for initiating new members into the group

Hazing rituals

Team Socialization

Involve teammates in public performances that include skits, singing, dressing up, or team roasting (acceptable)

_____, first NBA player to come out during an interview noted he didnt come out sooner because of the distraction it would cause for his teammates

Jason Collins

______, Cleveland Browns, was released from the team following off-field incidents that management perceived as a distraction to the team

Johnny Manziel

Reward

Providing resources (positive encouragement, playing time etc) to encourage compliance in achieving team outcomes // "its unselfish to play from players like Sandra that has helped us be the team we are"

Legitimate

Relying on ones formal position to ensure compliance from players or teammates // "As the team captain, I feel it is necessary that we stay after practice and run to improve our conditioning"

Coerced Deviant Behavior

Requiring teammates to engage in tattooing, piercing, or branding. It can also include public displays of embarrassing clothing and/or simulated sex acts (acceptable)

Coerced Abuse of Others

Requiring teammates to harass other players or non-team members, destroy personal property, or engage in acts of vandalism or theft (unacceptable)

Skill Development and Assessment

Requiring teammates to participate in non-mandatory preseason or early workouts or practices that might include physical exertion or tests of endurance unrelated to sport performance (acceptable)

_____, represent the general atmosphere or climate teammates are expected to maintain

Social norms

Because team cohesion level affects individual group member behavior, there is an emphasis on the important role of the coach in fostering cohesion to further enhance team performance

True

NCAA prohibits football players from on-field celebrations that draw attention to the individual rather than the team

True

Success of Usain Bolt during 2008 and 2012 Olympics followed giant celebrities such as Carl Lewis and Jackie Kersee in drawing considerable attention to track and field in the 80s

True

There is a tendency for gay/lesbian athletes to remain in the closet to protect their team from backlash in the media

True

Individuals consider their commitment to team as a more meaningful aspect of their self-concept

True, "my support never waned even though the cubs havent won a world series for more than a century"

by identifying to a local sport team, an individual becomes attached to a larger social group

True, who are you? unl student// husker fan

Referent

Using player or teammate desire for a strong relationship to gain compliance // "If you expect me to respect you as a player, then you need to be willing to put in the additional effort that is necessary"

hazing youth into homosexual activities served

as a mechanism to prove allegiance to a team

______ is an important sport outcome- defined as the sense of belonging or sense of morale individuals experience as a function of their team membership

cohesion

despite the threat of stiff penalties hazing

continues to be a common occurrance

ex of hazing at pro levels:

dressing as women, carry equipment for veteran players, sing at meals - Larry English of Chargers was forced to pick up a $15,000 bill for returning players as an annual hazing ritual - Johnathan Martin, tackle for Miami Dolphins, walked off the team due to continuous abuse and harassment from teammate Richard Incognito, this lead to finding of many texts showing the extent of abuse, and an intensive workplace review of the org. and other NFL teams

informal leader

emerge as inspirational figure for the team

Interview w/ Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Do roles on your team stay well defined or do they get blurry at certain points? (

for most part they are well-defined as far as the "road crew" and competition. You see more utility-type players in admin roles or front office positions. My company, JR Motorsports, my sister runs the company and she covers many areas. the economic climate over the past 5 years forced us all to rethink how we do our jobs, because the sponsorship game changed. their priorities changed and so it forced employees to put on a glove and become educated in other areas. For that reason, you sometimes see situations bleed over in responsibilities and roles.

Practice norms

include many of the same game expectations yet do not tie directly to team productivity

Competitive norms

include things such as teams expected game preparedness and work ethic (ie be punctual and attend w/ mindset that results in productivity from other players)

Passive Victim of Abuse

instances where players have been kidnapped by fellow teammates, abandoned in isolated areas, tied up or taped w/o permission, or berated for non-sport related behaviors (unacceptable)

Off-season norms include behavoirs such as

keeping in contact w/ teammates and sharing workout strategies that are developed. Also expect others to maintain a healthy lifestyle that would not adversely affect the team while continuing to train and compete in the sport during off season ex) 2008 NFL pro bowl lineman Casey Hampton was criticized for coming back to training camp almost 30 pounds overweight and unable to perform basic conditioning requirements

12 former Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University band members were charged w/

manslaughter after a band member died due to injuries suffered from a beating resulting from a hazing ritual

Interview w/ Dale Earnhardt Jr.: What qualities do you think comprise a winning team formula in NASCAR?

must have strong team leader for sure, that starts at the very top with the owner. You have to have clear communication especially between the driver and crew chief. And you have to have a work environment that is enjoyable to come to. The industry is a grind as they race 38 weeks out of the year and much of that is on the road. No other major sport has a schedule like that. It is important that the culture of the race shop is fun an enjoyable because if it isnt it becomes quite detrimental to the performance of the race team.

strong ______ correlation between hazing and athletes commitment to participating in the sport

negative

83% _______correlation between cohesion and performance

positive

video footage 2008, Illinois Glenbrook North HS girls soccer team, showing teammates

putting tabasco sauce and vinegar in the eyes of freshman players & covering them w/ fish guts, spam and pig intestines

hazing behaviors for male sports tended to

reinforce masculine traits which aided in fostering a homophobic culture

group norms

serve as a standard for how group members begin to understand how they are expected to behave as members of the team

Much of what individuals learn about group behavior, norms and roles can be traced to their

sport participation

formal leader

team captain

games socialize children into

understanding how, when, and why to talk. games also are influential in dividing individuals into a gender communication culture (masculine or feminine)

Coercive

use of punishment by team leader to obtain compliance from other team members // "if you don't start passing the ball around, then i'm going to ask coach to pull you from the game"

Interview w/ Dale Earnhardt Jr.: In many other team sports, players have little control over who else is on their team. How much control do you have and how often do you exert it?

varies per team but usually a crew chief of team director handle personnel decisions. They may ask for a drivers input, or a driver may recommend someone, but for the most part they have a better handle on whos good.)

method of residues

whereby we seek to eliminate individuals from contention until we are left with those we are most willing to consider