Steve Blass, Steve Sax, Rick Ankiel, Isaiah Briscoe

[SilentsAreGolden]

I truly believe Briscoe has the same condition these baseball players had, which was a sudden and inexplicable loss of the ability to do what they always could do. Blass and Ankiel were pitchers who lost control of their pitches. I vividly remember Ankiel's descent and it was painful. He couldn't get anywhere near the plate. Sax was a great second baseman who all of a sudden couldn't make routine throws to first. And I think Briscoe is going through the same thing. His FTs are not even coming close. I hope I am wrong, because at least in Sax and Ankiel's cases, they had to change positions.

 

[elwood_blue]

What happened to those guys was 100% mental right? It seems like chronic overthinking to the point of not being able to do routine things they previously gave no thought to. You might be onto something.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

What's promising is those guys (don't know them, just guessing), lost their ability to do something with no apparent reason.

Briscoe IS still new to college, and I bet his nerves are most of why he's so off. I wouldn't quite say that he "lost it", just yet.

 

[mj2k10]

A lot to this.

His Nike EYBL numbers, spread over 3 years, on a ton of attempts, were pretty solid. In fact, during the spring/summer of 2014, he finished 15 of those games shooting 103/129- 79.8%. I'm assuming that no one was just making those numbers up.

I know that he had a major meltdown at the FT line in one of his biggest games last season, going 6/18 when his team played St. Anthony's (and missing 6 in a row in the final minute). I have to wonder if that's become some kind of worm that's eaten away all of his confidence, because clearly, there was a time when his FT's weren't like this. Right now, he looks like Charles Barkley swinging a golf club.

 

[KA4Prez]

Baffling. A PG who is 18/54 from the FT line on the year.

 

[docholiday51]

In Briscoe's case one would think the FT shooting would come back to some degree at some point. He has made a few FG's in the last games that he probably wouldn't have attempted 3 or 4 games ago.

I don't expect miracles but some improvement is a reasonable expectation

 

[Lumpy 2]

I truly believe Briscoe has the same condition these baseball players had, which was a sudden and inexplicable loss of the ability to do what they always could do. Blass and Ankiel were pitchers who lost control of their pitches. I vividly remember Ankiel's descent and it was painful. He couldn't get anywhere near the plate. Sax was a great second baseball who all fo a sudden couldn't make routine throws to first. And I think Briscoe is going through the same thing. His FTs are not even coming close. I hope I am wrong, because at least in Sax and Ankiel's cases, they had to change positions.

You left out Mackey Sasser, a catcher for the Mets who got so bad he could barely throw the ball back to the pitcher

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

Briscoe's jumpers have looked solid the last two games. I think he's turned the corner there for sure. The free throws are a different story. To solve that, I think Briscoe only needs to watch a few scenes from Tin Cup:


Roy: You're the Mexican Mac O'Grady. Figure out why I'm shanking...I'm catching it on the hosel? Moving my head? I'm laying it off?
Romeo: That, too.
Roy: I'm pronating.
Romeo: When you're not supinating.
Roy: I'm clearing too early, too late. My swing feels like an unfolding chair!
Romeo: Put your change in your left pocket. Go on, do it. Now, tie your left shoe in a double knot.
Roy: Tie my left shoe?
Romeo: Right now, do it! Turn the hat backwards. Turn your hat around. Do it, Roy! Take this tee and stick it behind your left ear.
Roy: I look like a fool!
Romeo: What do you think you look like shooting chili peppers up Lee Janzen's ass? Do it now or I'm going to quit. I swear to God I'll quit. Good. Take this ball and hit it up the fairway.
[Roy hits the ball straight]
Romeo: You're ready.
Roy: How'd I do that?
Romeo: Because you're not thinking about shanking or Molly. You're not thinking. You're looking like a fool, hitting the ball pure and simple...
Roy: F*** you.
Romeo: F*** me, huh? Well, you're cured.
Roy: That's it?
Romeo: That's it. Your brain was getting in the way.
Roy: That's hardly ever been the case.
Romeo: No s***, Sherlock.

 

[ohiocatfan826]

Chuck Knoblauch

 

[CatEye2010]

Briscoe's jumpers have looked solid the last two games. I think he's turned the corner there for sure. The free throws are a different story. To solve that, I think Briscoe only needs to watch a few scenes from Tin Cup:


Roy: You're the Mexican Mac O'Grady. Figure out why I'm shanking...I'm catching it on the hosel? Moving my head? I'm laying it off?
Romeo: That, too.
Roy: I'm pronating.
Romeo: When you're not supinating.
Roy: I'm clearing too early, too late. My swing feels like an unfolding chair!
Romeo: Put your change in your left pocket. Go on, do it. Now, tie your left shoe in a double knot.
Roy: Tie my left shoe?
Romeo: Right now, do it! Turn the hat backwards. Turn your hat around. Do it, Roy! Take this tee and stick it behind your left ear.
Roy: I look like a fool!
Romeo: What do you think you look like shooting chili peppers up Lee Janzen's ass? Do it now or I'm going to quit. I swear to God I'll quit. Good. Take this ball and hit it up the fairway.
[Roy hits the ball straight]
Romeo: You're ready.
Roy: How'd I do that?
Romeo: Because you're not thinking about shanking or Molly. You're not thinking. You're looking like a fool, hitting the ball pure and simple...
Roy: F*** you.
Romeo: F*** me, huh? Well, you're cured.
Roy: That's it?
Romeo: That's it. Your brain was getting in the way.
Roy: That's hardly ever been the case.
Romeo: No s***, Sherlock.

One of my favorite movies of all time. And that quote is so true. I was playing golf once with a scratch golfer who all of a sudden couldn't pull the trigger. Would just stand there, waggling, like Sergio who couldn't stop re-gripping the club. And it was a freaking scramble! We finally just started yelling, "Hit the damn ball". Well, that didn't help. Poor guy pretty much melted down on us.

It's obviously mental with Briscoe. But as sure as the switch went off, I think it'll go back on for a sensational shooting % very soon. (If he does, remember you heard it here first )

 

[Xception]

I went through a mild case of this playing baseball , was a pitcher but primarily played shortstop . For no reason I couldn't accurately get it to first base , moved to second base and still had issues . It didn't start as a mental block but once it started happening the mental aspect exploded . I was thinking about my release point , leg plant , grip , velocity , all during the throwing process .

It was like I had no muscle memory to rely on , it was kinda like learning how to throw all over again . It only happened in games though as I could throw fine in practice , I always thought it was too much adrenaline that led to some anxiety . It eventually stopped and never had any effect on me throwing a football as qb or playing basketball .

 

[Jkwo]

His shot has looked a little nicer the last couple games I believe.