MM#105--March Madness SPECIAL--The Anatomy of the NCAA Upset

Welcome to the theory to action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time to help you take action immediately, and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now, here's your host, David Kaiser.

Hello, I'm David and welcome back to another special March Madness Mojo minute. Tonight in the NCAA Tournament, more history can be made when Cinderella story, the 15th seed St Peter's peacocks face off against the number three seed Purdue Boilermakers. If the peacocks defeat those Boilermakers history will be made, because it will be the first time a 15 seed has advanced this far in the tournament. Now one week ago, I was fortunate enough to attend the first NCAA, March Madness, St. Peter's game and Indianapolis. It was my first in person March Madness game and that was able to watch history made in real time when St Peters defeated the blue blood School of the Kentucky Wildcats as a two seed. Men St. Peter's went on two nights later to defeat the seventh seed Murray State and captured the nation's attention because of this Cinderella story.

 Now let me say I'm an avowed NCAA tourney junkie. I just love this stuff. I love the inside basketball stuff, the game within the game, so to speak. And so to me, there is an anatomy of an NCAA upset. I watched it up close with the St. Peter's and Kentucky game. And there is a storyline and a thread you can follow. And I'm not sure why heard this theory. But it has been fascinating to me. Ever since learning about it, as I've watched upset after upset over the years. So just like a biologist dissecting a frog, let's put on our scientists goggles, and cover up ourselves with our prescribed white lab coats and begin to dive deep to understand how Cinderella stories happen. And how most underdog teams actually defeat some of the most talented rosters in all of college basketball, year after year. Now, as an aside, let me quickly talk about the game. The actual game I was at. We were sitting pretty close to the court and I'll be sure to post some video and pictures from the game. Perhaps I can put them in the show notes or figure out how to put them the best way onto the Mojo Academy website. But we had some diehard Kentucky fans sitting all around us. 

In fact, I would venture to say that the arena was probably 90% filled up with Kentucky fans who drove those four hours from Lexington and the state of Kentucky to Indianapolis to watch Big Blue as they call their beloved Wildcats. So the Kentucky fans were in full force they were wearing their Kentucky gear all day long. And so it was kind of fun to watch them really break down as as the as the game proceeded. Nevertheless, let's get back to this theory on the anatomy of an NCAA upset now at its foundation. We have to understand this important point because it's probably the most important point. These all of these schools but most importantly, all the blue blood schools have 18 and 19 year old kids playing with them. They're extremely talented. Yes. But all those most talented teams, like I said there's blue blood schools. For example, The Dukes the North Carolina's that Kentucky's those schools getting the most talented players are the 18 and 19 year old kids. Now the most talented players in all of college basketball, are put in what we call bucket because they're called the one in done. Meaning they will play one year in college basketball because they cannot Come straight out of high school and go to the NBA, the professional basketball league, I believe it was in 2006, there was a role change, not allowing that to happen. They increase the year, the age requirement to 20 years old. And then they included language, saying something to the fact of one year out of high school, unquote.

And so because of those two role changes, you have the most talented players coming out of high school, stopping at major college programs around the country for at least one year. So they are the one and done. They are in that they are part of that bucket of one and done players. And that's important because when you start watching the biggest upsets, and how the tactics of the game, there are some things to look for. I call these benchmarks when I'm watching a game. Number one, can the underdog team get to the second half and stay within striking range of at least 10 points or less? That's one benchmark. The second benchmark is while in the second half. Observe the underdog team. Can they use the television timeouts of 60 minutes 12 minutes, eight and four minutes as a gauge and a barometer. 

To keep the underdog team believing that they can win most especially in the very big David and Goliath matchups. For example, the Kentucky St. Peter's game, we watched that up close and you could see throughout the whole second half, that St. Peters was using those timeouts merely as a gauge. They were they were they were not getting outside themselves. They were playing in four minute spurts from you know from the second half that that's 20 minutes to the 16 the under 16 minute first TV timeout, then they would use that next benchmark of the 12 Minute TV timeout, then the under eight TV timeout, then the under four. That's an important gauge. And coaches will coach to that. Very good coaches will coach that. Now this theory of using the TV timeouts has been around for at least 20 years in major college basketball, especially in the NCAA Tournament in the NCAA division one tournament. So as you are watching that David and Goliath matchup, you can make a mental note. 

The most important of all the TV timeouts is the under eight minute mark. TV timeout if the underdog team is still within striking range. After that eight minute mark is eclipsed and they get to that TV timeout, the pressure dramatically shifts to the heavily favored team. In this case it was Kentucky they were feeling the pressure from St Peters. And the expectation levels for the heavily favored team in this case it was Kentucky was obviously super high. Those players will get in that under eight TV timeout. Look up at the score look up at the time and realize the pressure is dramatically on them to pull out this victory. This coincides with they are 18 and 19 year old men. Now all of this reminds me of a great nugget of wisdom by Joe de Sena in his book Spartan up and he teaches us how to survive one of his death races or Spartan Races, both of which are extremely difficult to complete. He teaches this psychology trick and let's go to the book for this quote. Quote, The way to get through anything mentally painful is to take it a little at a time. The mind can't handle dealing with massive with a massive iceberg of pain in front of it. But it can deal with short nuggets that will come to an end. 

So instead of thinking, Ah, I've got 24 miles to go in this marathon. Focus on making it to the next telephone pole in the distance whether you're running 20 or 100 20 miles at a time that distance has to be tackled mentally and physically one mile at a time. The ability to compartmentalize pain into these small bite size, small bite sizes is key. Unquote.

Now, folks, that's pure psychological greatness right there. And you can see where this translates into how a very underdog college basketball team can feel can defeat one of the most favorited basketball teams in March Madness. It's a one elimination tournament. And this is how most underdog basketball coaches have their teams believing that they can seriously win. This is how they create the miracles. And it's a beautiful thing to watch. You can watch it unfold in front of your eyes. So tonight when you're watching the St. Peter's peacocks take on the Purdue Boilermakers look for this storyline to unfold. And if you're St Peter's, if you're a fan of St. Peters, and you want them to win your back in the Cinderella story, here are some benchmarks to look for. Ken, St. Peter stay in the game early on. Can they hang around in the first half while not getting blown out? Can they not get caught up in the emotion and simply just keep executing, no matter the pressure from the other team. 

Now granted, this is far easier said than done. Great teams will make adjustments at halftime. Can St Peters be prepared for those adjustments and make adjustments themselves. And then importantly, in the second half those first four minutes of the second half is when you will see all those adjustments come to fruition. Then those first four minutes of the second half, you will see all the adjustments made. Can you can St Peters make those adjustments from the heavily favored team. Then, can St Peter's get to the 16 Minute television timeout? And are they still within striking range? The pressure will increase even more on the underdog team St. Peter's in this case, can they then make it to the under 12 minute TV timeout? If so St. Peters will be gaining confidence, you will see it in their body language.

 And then the most important one, the big one is can they make it to the underrate TV timeout. If they do this is huge. Because as we've talked about, the pressure dramatically shifts from one team, the underdog team to the heavily favored team. They're expected to win. And now they're feeling the pressure. They are under eight minutes in the game was was still within point scores of being decided one way or the other. And those 18 and 19 year olds, those one and done players will begin to feel an immense pressure compounded on them. Now, then, as they come out and play if they can make it to the under for TV timeout. Now the nation is captivated. Everybody is watching. They might have been watching the score in the second half and watching another game. But now they're riveted they're all eyes have switched to this game. Everyone will be on the edge of their seats and the Silla Cinderella storyline will be playing out once again right in front of us. Everyone will be rooting for the underdog to make it happen again, Americans love the underdog. It's part and parcel of just being an American, I guess. 

So to wrap up this very, very fun, special Mojo minute and tie together all these loose ends. And while also keeping Joe dissenters great words in mind. What are those items in your life that seemed daunting to you? Like a heavily favored opponent in the NCAA Tournament? That is hard to overcome. How can you break those down into short little nuggets? How can you break those down? That daunting task or that daunting event into telephone poles of which to measure yourself by telephone poles along that marathon route like we talked about before? Then think back to those nuggets of wisdom on this anatomy of the NCAA upset us those television timeouts in the NCAA college basketball. again in the second half, use those as your own benchmarks or create your own benchmarks rather. Because you want to eat that elephant one bite at a time. And then as you make it each one of those benchmarks gain confidence and then you can accomplish your own upset, just like St. Peters did, and defeating the heavily favorite Kentucky Wildcats on that first Thursday in March. Congratulations to the St Peter's peacocks by making history and also defeating Murray State in their second round game. I'm grateful that I was able to see it in person and watch history being made. But tonight the nation is watching. 

Can St Peter's pull off another Cinderella storyline? We now know the anatomy of the NCAA upset and we'll be watching and we'll be cheering you on St. Peters to be the first 15 seed to make it to the round of Elite Eight. If you can do it, it will be spectacular. This tourney is a joy to watch, and especially how it unfolds especially that game within the game. So go peacocks the nation loves your Cinderella story.

Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this theory to action podcast. Be sure to check out our show page at T Mojo academy.com where we have everything we discussed in this podcast as well as other great resources. Until next time, keep getting your mojo on