Does modern technology affect team bonding and communication?

As a fan, I love that technology has given us insights into athletes' lives. With Twitter and Facebook, we're no longer dependent on the traditional media to hear their words, and we can communicate directly with the players.

But there's a flip side to modern technology. From SI.com:
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"Ask many coaches, general managers and older players and you'll hear a common gripe: chemistry on teams has been altered because of modern technology, and not for the better. The rise of smartphones, with all their instant-communication and entertainment options, have created insular worlds into which distracted players too often retreat instead of bonding with teammates."

and

"Coaches and managers are particularly frustrated at the paradox of players fraternizing less with their own teammates, and more with the "enemy." Players from opposing teams, they say, too often get each other's cellphone numbers and start calling or texting back and forth, often griping about playing time and occassionally [sic] giving up little secrets about their teams."

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Thoughts?

9 months ago Corvid 21 comments 2 recs |

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This is a great article, so a rec. Absolutely worth a read.

It’s currently sitting open on my tabs because I’d been considering a fanpost based off it. Players are now wearing headphones, and too busy talking to the thousands of people following them online to notice the player sitting near them. It really changes the dynamic of the team concept.

Despite the gratuitous look-how-old-this-guy-is “the Facebook” quote at the end.

by Timmay! on Aug 30, 2011 4:04 PM PDT reply actions

I believe it. Take Georgia Tech's basketball team from the 2009-2010 season for example

They were a mediocre team (which meant subpar for ACC standards) and hobbled into the ACC tournament. Then former coach, Paul Hewitt, created a ban on cellphone usage during that tournament. The result was reaching the ACC tournament championship game and a place in the NCAA tournament. I think there were only 6 teams from the ACC in the tournament that year and Tech was 7th in the ACC standing wise. They managed to advance to the second round before bowing out to Ohio State.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tournament/2010/news/story?id=5004075

Jeff Pendergraph:
FGM - 3
FGA - 111
Min - 30
Reb - 10

by Tofu Anonymous on Aug 30, 2011 5:38 PM PDT reply actions

I missed that story

Great link, especially the stuff about the cell phone ban bringing Derrick Favors out of his shell.

by Corvid on Aug 30, 2011 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions

There are two sides to every coin.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/6908844/information-age-changing-way-game-played

"I Am Mine"

by AK1984 on Aug 30, 2011 11:00 PM PDT reply actions

These are fairly different usage scenarios

Baseball has been notorious for years for using laptops, smartphones and now tablets (weird how he acts like this is some sudden breakthrough in the article) for tracking and studying various opponent tendencies. This is part of a player education function, and replaces paper charts and video sessions. Worth noting that this was mentioned at some point as being done inside the Blazer organization for purposes of seeing various defensive techniques and the like.

But the original linked article is about how using connected cell phones and tablets are creating wedges between players during non-work time, when they used to spend time building bonds that may help build an overall teamwork mentality. Has the proliferation of the ability to create a “personal bubble” where you can hide from everyone except those you want to talk to (or whom always agree with you) prevent you from extending yourself out to other people and growing bonds with teammates?

by Timmay! on Aug 30, 2011 11:37 PM PDT up reply actions

"using connected cell phones and tablets are creating wedges between players during non-work time"

When you’re off the clock, you’re off the clock.

"I Am Mine"

by AK1984 on Aug 31, 2011 12:48 AM PDT up reply actions

It's unrelated to the original question in the article and the dicussion.

The question above still applies. The question isn’t “should they not be allowed to do so?”, but instead “Is it affecting their team bonding?”

In a sport like baseball, based on individual stats, no problem. In basketball and hockey, sports that involve strong cooperation and knowledge of your teammates, does this affect on court performance?

That’s the question that’s much harder to answer.

by Timmay! on Aug 31, 2011 1:03 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not even sure how you define "non-work" time

In basketball (like many professional jobs), the line between work time and non-work time is blurry. It’s easy to call it non-work time if you’re at home with the family, but sitting in the locker room after a game? The minute you step on the bus from the hotel? Do guys isolate themselves in the weight room too? And shouldn’t shooting the breeze with colleagues during “non-work” times be part of the job? After all, a ton of work-related stuff is going to come up in the conversation — and guys who use technology to separate themselves from their teammates can miss out on a lot of good information.

One question that popped into my mind when reading the article: Do teams resort to “team building exercises” and other forced/artificial methods of improving communication more than they used to?

by Corvid on Aug 31, 2011 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions

I considered also going into the concept of non-work time in a road trip, but decided to move past it

As you note, there’s no such thing as non-work time in the NBA. Teams can set curfews on “non-work” time because for all useful purposes, they’re always on the clock when they’re not isolated from the team (eg in a home or hotel room).

I think team-building exercises won’t help, since they already practice with the team daily, which in definition should be a team building exercise. They could consider trying one specifically created by psychologists to strengthen bonds, but truth is, the best way to do that is by communication and time. Right now, teams have lots of time, but noticeably reduced communication. With each other at least.

Weirdly enough, for me the face of this concept is Lebron James. The master of ignoring all the press by putting on headphones and walking out the door. Imagine that, but doing it to your teammates and talking on Twitter instead.

by Timmay! on Aug 31, 2011 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions

Perhaps related to the technology/communication issue

You just reminded me — the Mavs are the only team with a full-time psychologist as part of the coaching staff.

Kalkstein, meanwhile, makes it his business to talk to all the Mavericks nearly all the time. Jason Terry tells ESPNDallas’ Jeff Caplan that Kalstein is so plugged in to the mood of the team, that Terry asks Kalkstein how his teammates are feeling, instead of the other way around.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/30191/the-stealth-mavericks

by Corvid on Aug 31, 2011 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions

Didnt the Blazers have a psychologist a year or two ago??

Also I remember the Blazers making a big deal a few years ago of taking “field trips” while they were on road trips. Specifically they were in Memphis, IIRC, around MLK Day, and went to some related sites. They made a big deal about how these trips brought the team together

Say it ain't Cho

by Sean in Vancouver on Aug 31, 2011 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions

The Blazers, like most teams, have a sports psychologist as a part-time consultant

The Mavs, however, have a full-time psychologist who is with the team every day. He wanders around practices in sweats and travels with the team, so he’s more like an assistant coach than a hired gun. Cuban says he hired the guy to help with communication and chemistry. So maybe the Mavs are just acknowledging that times have changed, and they’re approaching the team chemistry issue differently than the coach who bans cell phones. Ironically (considering the topic) the psychologist uses Twitter a bunch.

I remember the field trips — they seemed like a great idea. Pretty sure it was Chris Bowles who was coordinating them. He moved on to a different position within the Blazers, and I’m not sure if the trips continued.

by Corvid on Aug 31, 2011 4:47 PM PDT up reply actions

walking around practice in sweats?

“Hey Coach, how did that shot look?”

Coach: “I dont know Dirk, how do you feel that shot looked?”

Yeah, I very much liked the field trips, however thats probably something they were able to do because the team was basically a bunch of kids. I highly doubt Marcus Camby would appreciate being led around to historical sites all day. (Not that I think Camby is a jerk or anything, just the most Veteran player on the Blazers)

Say it ain't Cho

by Sean in Vancouver on Sep 1, 2011 11:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Personally, I think theres a big difference between

1) getting done with games/practices/etc and texting, tweeting, listening to music, or whatever, that happens to to make you be seperate., and

2) getting done with games/practice/etc and thinking “Hey, I don’t like my teammates, I dont want to be around them, I’m gonna listen to music, go on facebook, and ignore them all.”

IMO, its a little unfair to assume that, just because a player (or person in general) is on their phone/tablet/laptop, they are purposefully avoiding interaction.

Say it ain't Cho

by Sean in Vancouver on Aug 31, 2011 3:17 PM PDT up reply actions

To be fair, I made no assumption they dislike their teammates

However, their teammates may perceive them as aloof… or may not perceive them at all, because they’re also too busy looking down at their screens.

by Timmay! on Aug 31, 2011 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Hit post too early.

Regarding the last part… really, for me, the key is not about intent. You don’t need to intend to ignore your teammates to be ignoring them.

This would make for a very interesting psychological study.

by Timmay! on Aug 31, 2011 4:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Call the Mavs team psychologist, he should be free

I get what you’re saying, but to an extent, intent does matter. Spoken as (basically) a member of the same generation as most the tech savvy players, chances are at least some of them are texting/tweeting each other, while they’re 5 feet apart.

Say it ain't Cho

by Sean in Vancouver on Sep 1, 2011 11:42 PM PDT up reply actions

microchasm of society

Young(er) people spend most of their time on phones. There’s nothing more annoying than trying to have a conversation with someone who can’t tear their eyes away from mobile facebook. And this is from a 24 year-old with a smart phone, who currently has Facebook open in another tab.

Say it ain't Cho

by Sean in Vancouver on Aug 30, 2011 11:02 PM PDT reply actions

I was going to say the same thing

I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
Mark Twain

Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain_4.html#ixzz1IE4sPu16

by Tyler Durrden on Aug 31, 2011 6:38 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

It goes something like this:

I think the written word is ruining it…no wait, the recorded word is ruining it…no wait, the radio is ruining it…no wait, the television is ruining it…no wait, video games are ruining it…no wait, the computer is ruining it…no wait, texting is ruining it…no wait, social media is ruining it…

i like it here, there, everywhere.

by Name's Ash on Aug 31, 2011 8:38 AM PDT reply actions

No doubt.....

….but modern technology has changed social interaction throughout all of society not just basketball teams.

A personal ancedote.

I remember being called for jury duty about 20 years ago. Before the tools of instant portable communication had permeated our culture. I remember showing up, hearing the speech about the “nobleness” of Jury Service. Then the waiting with strangers period, as you all sit in a big room waiting to be called. Well about 20 years ago, when this period happened, people communicated with each other. Instant or temporary friendships were created as people forced together, communicated with one another…discovered things about the people sitting around them.

Recently I was called again. Almost the exact same experience. Same room, same “Welcome to Jury Duty” speech…but when the period of waiting hit? Instead of the forced bonding…or communication with one another…everyone broke out Cell Phones and Lap Tops. There was communication…but not with one another…

There is no going back. Our cell phones, our computer and internet tools of communication are unparralled in the history of mankind. But I think it’s folly to not realize that something is lost. We can now walk, or exist in large anonymous crowds and plug ourselves into our own “specific” world of private communication.

The spontaneous conversation with a stranger, or chance meeting…has become much rarer.

20 years ago in the Jury Duty waiting room, I heard conversations around me….people laughing and joking and learning about each other. 5 years ago, in that same room? I heard dead silence and only the barely audible sound of occasional key strokes.

"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"

by Krang on Aug 31, 2011 9:02 AM PDT reply actions