Hey everyone.... Let's pretend Dodger Stadium is as intimidating as The Bronx. Thank God Darvish started Game 7.
"Afraid" is probably going too far... that's why you added it. But players across all sports have mentioned certain venues being intimidating. You've experienced enough sports in your lifetime to already know this.
Extensive research shows that, historically, players actually don't play better or worse on the road or at home. They don't shoot better or hit for a higher average or anything like that. Almost all of the "homefield advantage" in major sports is based on refs/umps very slightly favoring home teams with their calls. It may be "intimidating" for the time they are standing there and listening to it all and as far as their whole experience goes, but data suggests that when they are batting or pitching or shooting or throwing or catching, elite athletes are able to tune all that stuff out pretty well and do what they normally do.
Is this research based on the regular season or playoffs? Huge difference in the atmosphere in a playoff game vs. regular season. Also, just using the NFL as example, there is a bunch of other factors besides just the referees playing into the homefield advantage. You think the Jaguars who play all their games in the Florida weather aren't at a disadvantage going up to New England in January and playing in the snow?
Link ? Surely officiating helps, but players have repeated over and over being more comfortable at home and The Bronx being more intimidating than other places.
That’s silly! Pettis doesn’t have time to teach them to dive, he is studying outfielder statistics to maximize his windmilling(or lack there of)capability. Catching a ball in full stride without diving is generally accepted as a good play but hey if risking a dive to make a play look more exciting gives you a tingle in the nether regions then rock on.
In college basketball homecourt is definitely a huge factor. Winning on the road in college basketball is extremely difficult. If you follow the sport you see big teams/heavily favored teams lose every single year almost always on the road. I'm not sure what effect home field has in baseball but I think there is something to home court/field advantage. Though it varies by sport and level I'm sure.
