The Playing Field

Sport and Culture Through the Lens of Science

Steven Kotler is the author of West of Jesus: Surfing, Science and the Origins of Belief. His magazine writing has appeared in more than 31 publications. See full bio

January 23, 2009

Fear and Flow

There’s a problem in football. The problem is that owners want to win and they want to win yesterday.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets to win. In fact, only one team does—which is, as they say, why they play the games.
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January 18, 2009

The Superbowl of Mind Control

Tune into almost any sports radio show and they're filled with TV talk. Same thing with their television cohorts. Sports journalism has become de-facto advertisement for the rest for television, a shame since the thing that makes sports so wonderful is they're one of the only forms of spontaneous entertainment left. Read More

January 16, 2009

Doublespeak

I had a chance to listen to a Senior VP at the Boeing Corporation speak this week and it again dawned on me-as it does most every time I hear the song of the Fortune 500-that these guys make no damn sense.

Not a freakin' lick. Read More

January 9, 2009

Who Says Golf Is Not A Sport

Golfers love to talk about their game as a sport. Tiger Woods, after all, weight trains like a fiend. But the critics will not be moved. It's a pastime says, well, almost anybody with a pair of eyes and a brain. Read More

January 1, 2009

Come On Baby, Just Sell Me Your Soul!

It's Bowl season again in college football and once more we are reminded that greed is good and commonsense be damned. Read More

December 29, 2008

Greed and Games

Money's been a bit of a hot topic as of late.

It seems some of us have more than others and recently, at least in the world of sports, the news about the haves has smothered the facts about the have-nots. Read More

December 22, 2008

A Question of Courage

Twenty years ago today, an Brazilian rubber tapper named Chico Mendes was shot and killed in front of his family. He was 44 at the time. Read More

December 15, 2008

The High Cost of Playing Ball

For a long time many experts felt that sports was one of the only recession-proof arenas in the American economy. Turns out that is not the case.
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December 8, 2008

Touchdown Jesus

Once again, God came to the football game. He was there yesterday, when the Philadelphia Eagles handed the New York Football Giants they're second smackdown of the season. Read More

December 1, 2008

Are Dogs Worth More Than Humans?

Last week, I wrote a piece about why the former Atlanta Falcon quarterback Michael Vick should be left in jail for the crime of dog fighting. My post brought on a bunch of commentary and rather than trying to address everyone's concerns individually, I decided to write a second post on the topic. Read More

Books by Steven Kotler

West of Jesus: Surfing, Science and the Origins of Belief

Sport and Competition Basics

From schoolyard chants to Super Bowl championships, playful competition finds its way into nearly all aspects of culture. Fighting to win draws on cooperation, concentration, coordination, and creativity--things worth striving for in their own right. That's why sports are more than just fun and games.

Go to the Sport and Competition Basics page for more on Sport and Competition including:

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Everyday Creativity

How to start living creatively and reap the benefits.

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Books by Steven Kotler

Sport and Competition Basics

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