Are You Falling For The Head Fake?

by Jeff Weak of Your Voice Your Ad

I was just on You Tube and watched the Top 10 NBA Fake Plays. They were amazing. The video I watched showed clips of players using misdirection to disguise what they really wanted to do. The tricks included the head fake, ball fake, injury fake, timeout fake and so on. These men controlled the basketball like a yo-yo on a string.

On the video, I marveled at the gamesmanship as well as the good sportsmanship shown. On the court, you have two opposing professionals playing a sport at a high level. Equals suggesting, “You may get me today, but I will get you tomorrow.“

The “Your Voice Your Ad” Blog:

Of course, Your Voice Your Ad is a political blog and not a sports blog, so I am not here to discuss basketball tricks. I am here, however, to discuss the similarities between the activities on the video and real life politics. But, by now, you get that.

When it comes to politics, do you feel like you’re getting faked? You are and so am I. The fake is happening to us every day.

Deep down you know you’re getting and we’re being faked. Tell me you’re not the guy flying over the jump shooter only to see him hit the three pointer behind the arc or drive to the basket. I know you are because I ‘m the guy that fouls and gives him a chance for an extra point or two from the free throw line.

An Example of a Political Head Fake:

I realized I was falling for the fake as I watched the TV coverage related to the death of Michael Brown and the rioting in Ferguson Missouri. My family and I were heading to St Louis for a short vacation during the height of the rioting and I wanted to make sure we would be safe, so I watched. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Without real facts about what happened, the neighborhood exploded. The police officer involved went into hiding and protestors from all over the country took over Ferguson Missouri. Hands Up United was born.

Those in control of the message and the media promoted “Justice”, and “Black Lives Matter”, but, it was clear over time that these political activists’ real political agenda was not unity and healing, it was and still is class division, race division-Division. Initially I was mad, but then realized I too had fallen for the fake and over reacted.

Back to Basketball:

If in the basketball analogy, the opposing player with control of the ball is the faker, then in real life politics, the faker is in control of or dictating the message. When the opposition controls the message there is a high probability that they, as a component of political gamesmanship, will offer you a fake. The goal of the fake is to take your focus away from the opposition’s ultimate agenda.

If a player falls for the fake, then the team loses on that possession. The opposition will continue to run plays at the exposed, undisciplined player until a change in the lineup is made. If the team loses on too many possessions, it will lose the game. Discipline compared to the lack thereof.

Don’t Fall for the Fake:

Reacting to a fake appropriately takes discipline and discipline comes from understanding your opponent and their tactics. Be confident and committed to reacting in such a way as to not compromise the truth. You will over react sometimes, but those instances will become fewer and fewer as you continue to practice not to fall for the fake.