Alter Egos in Sports

We’ve heard all about alter egos in mainly movies and fictional books, however, one of the areas of life where we also get to witness this is in sports. The simple definition of an alter ego is another version of oneself, and examples of its existence is used to describe a character that lives more than one life, having a secret identity or having multiple personalities. Superman’s alter ego is Clark Kent, who works as a reporter, allowing him to keep track of ongoing events while at the same time keeping his identity a secret. Beyoncé's is “Sasha Fierce”, which allows her to perform on stage with extra self-confidence and sensuality is now one of the most popular live acts in music history. An extreme version of the depiction of alter egos in a movie can be seen in “Split”, where James McAvoy plays a character with 24 different personalities.

In Sports, it works differently. We experience moments from an athlete in certain scenarios that seem too good to be true, and can only be described as a version of that athlete, aka their Alter Ego. It is when they are in the zone. In the book “Stillpower: Excellence with ease in sports and life” by Garret Kramer, the description of the zone is as follows. “The zone is the heavenly place where external limitations cease to exist. It’s sort of an invisible thing, more of a feeling, really an experience. And since describing a feeling or experience is like trying to explain the unexplainable, let us continue the discussion by describing in greater detail what the zone is not. The zone is not the intellect. When athletes are in the zone, they exist purely in the present, with minimal thinking or analysing. The zone is not about trying hard. When in the zone, there is no conscious effort or grind. The zone feels simple, unbounded and easy. Although athletes in the zone are incredibly locked in, this focus is never forced. These players are experiencing such clarity and vision that focus becomes a mere afterthought”. Rather than go through the effort of explaining what the zone is when an athlete is in this form, it’s easier to call it their….yes you guessed it, Alter Ego. In some cases, it is self proclaimed by the individual in question, while on the other hand it is something observers have assigned to these individuals when they show behaviours that can be attributed to a different side of them.

Let us now take a look at some of the most popular Alter Egos in sports, and how some of them have given us moments of brilliance or just embracing a side of them that keeps them competitive. Listed in no particular order:

10. Long Sleeves + Gloves Henry

Like the saying goes…”Thierry Henry + Long Sleeves and Gloves, and you just knew the game was over before it even started”. Being Arsenal’s record goalscorer with 228 goals in total, voted the best Premier League player of the 2000s and as an important member of teams that won prestigious trophies over the course of his career such as, 2 premier league titles with Arsenal, 2 La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona, the World Cup and Euros with France, he didn’t exactly need his alter ego to be one of the most devastating strikers the game of football has ever seen. However, one thing was for sure. When Henry turned up with this look which saw him create moments that are forever etched in the memories of those who watched him play, a big performance was expected. You could call it Football Heritage. The long sleeves and gloves were out when he broke Ian Wright’s record to become Arsenal’s record goalscorer, scoring twice against Sparta Prague in the Champions League. His stunning goal vs Manchester City in a 2-1 win during the 2003/2004 season which saw Arsenal go unbeaten, gave us the famous picture of this look while he did his knee slide celebration. It always felt like his instincts were even sharper in these moments. He once said his infamous celebration vs Liverpool in which he smelled his gloves after scoring an 83rd minute winner was to show he sniffed out the error Steven Gerrard was about to make. Chuba Akpom, one of the younger players who looked up to him also discussed how he always wore long sleeves and gloves even when the weather was hot, just so he could be like Thierry. Whether it was due to his alter ego or him dressing warm for winter, you just didn’t fancy your team playing against this version of Henry.

9. Game 6 Klay

Klay Thompson, of the Golden State Warriors is one half of the “Splash Brothers” with Steph Curry, who has the most 3 pointers in NBA history. So it is no secret Klay is also a great shooter. “Game 6 Klay” originated from his 41 point game vs Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2016 playoffs, when the warriors were 3-2 down in the Western Conference Finals. This wasn’t your usual 41 point game, as Klay set a new NBA record for threes made in a playoff game with 11 of them in 18 attempts. Doing what he did in a must win match didn’t go unnoticed. The rest as they say is history. Klay went on to score 35 points vs Houston Rockets in 2018 with 9 threes which saved the Warriors from elimination, and he said “I guess you could say I was born for it”. They went on to win the NBA Championship that year. Again in 2019, Klay scored 27 points and made 7 threes also against the Rockets. Although this time they lost in the finals to Toronto Raptors in Game 6, Klay had already scored 30 points and he just couldn’t miss that night. Late in the third quarter, he went down and tore his left ACL. GSW had a chance to force Game 7 but now it seemed impossible with Kevin Durant already out, and now Game 6 Klay could not physically save the day. Klay is now back on the court after over two years away, and if the Warriors end up in a Game 6 scenario in the 2022 playoffs, do not bet against Klay.

8. Psycho Tom

Tom Brady who returned to American football 41 days after retiring, is the most decorated player in the sports history, winning seven rings in total. The quarterback currently plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a 19 year spell with the New England Patriots. One thing a lot of NFL fans who like and dislike Tom Brady agree on is the fact you don’t bet against him. For someone who has accomplished so much in the sport, he is unathletic and never really stood out as a superstar initially. What he is extremely good at has been executing plays down the stretch consistently. One time, he threw for 138 yards in the fourth quarter while facing a 20-10 deficit in an AFC Championship against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also had three straight third-and-10 conversions with throws of 20, 15 and 15 yards on a game winning drive in overtime of an AFC Championship against Kansas City. Another example was when he led his team to victory against one of the most dominant defenses of this era, with New England down 24-14 in the fourth quarter, like he had done throughout his career, he tossed touchdowns on two consecutive drives to give the Patriots a late lead before cornerback Malcolm Butler sealed the win with an unforgettable goal-line interception. And because Tom Brady has so many clutch moments, it has been easy for fans who want to see someone else dominate fall into the trap of doubting him until he proved them wrong again. According to the popular sports commentator, Skip Bayless, Brady always transforms into his alter ego and believes is what set him apart in games. This split personality allows him to channel his emotions in the biggest games to maximum efficiency, and this is what happened in Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 31-9 victory over Kansas City Chiefs when Brady and Tyrann Mathieu had a go at each other for most of the game. Brady did apologise after the game, but the damage had already been done.

7. Masked Lebron

NBA players have had to wear masks for reasons usually linked to injuries, like we saw with Kobe Bryant wearing one in 2012 after suffering a broken nose courtesy of Dwyane Wade who mistakenly hit him during the All Star game. When Lebron James put on the mask, something about it felt different. He was in a black Miami Heat Jersey, the lighting in the arena before the game was red, he had the jersey number 6 on, his mask was a black-carbon fiber one and he just looked like a villain who was prepared to destroy the opposition. He finished the game with 31 points on 13 of 19 shooting in a victory against the New York Knicks, and the league requested James change to a more traditional clear mask in their following game versus the Orlando Magic. Lebron appealed this decision, saying he liked the lightness and fit of the mask. Fans and fellow basketballers were sharing a lot of pictures of his new look, and even the Miami Heat started selling shirts with masked Lebron. "I think he played like Batman out there. I think it really helped him out. He played great," his former teammate Chris Bosh said. While black masks were not banned, the league preferred clear masks as it is easier to see the player's eyes. So now Lebron had to wear a transparent mask, and guess what he did 4 days later? He scored 61 points against the Charlotte Bobcats, which is still his career high to date. We all know Lebron doesn’t need a mask to dominate teams, something he has been doing since he joined the league in 2003. However, the coincidence of having his career high points with a mask on makes it difficult to dismiss the argument there is an alter ego in there.

6. Hoodie Melo

What makes Hoodie Melo so special is the fact Carmelo Anthony seems like a regular guy when he’s dressed like this. Rather than wearing his team’s jersey, he just looks like any other hooper playing basketball in the gym. Carmelo’s famous instagram highlights in the 2017 off season when he teamed up with Chris Brickley, a trainer who has also worked with Kevin Durant led to the popularity of his alter ego, as the videos show him knockdown shots from deep and in the paint with varying combinations of moves. As his ex teammate JR Smith described him, “Hoodie melo doesn’t play with a conscience”. Luckily for the opposition, Carmelo isn’t allowed to play with his hoodie in NBA games so we can only imagine what impact this version of him would have had.

5. J Gat

"I don't accept myself being the bad guy, I'm a winner. I'm a competitor. I'm a brave person. I'm a good person. I know this about myself and I have to act like that. Justin has only gotten as far as starting line. After the gun goes off, it's never Justin. It's always as 'J Gat". Justin Gatlin’s description of him being a different person once the race starts may come as a surprise to some, as he has been one of athletics’ most controversial individuals. In August 2006, he was banned for eight years after failing a drugs test for a second time, which was reduced to four years following his appeal. The first was in 2001 when he tested positive for amphetamines, saying it was due to ADHD medication. He then returned to win Olympic Gold in 2004 and then clinching the 100m and 200m world titles in 2005. When he won another world title in 2017 beating Christian Coleman and Usain Bolt, he received boos from the crowd. Being seen as a villain for most of his career, you could see in his demeanor that he embraced this role and maybe he needed an alter ego like “J Gat” to keep going. Despite his rival, Usain Bolt winning most of their battles, J Gat always showed up. Having to deal with fans seeing him as evil couldn’t have been easy, and sometimes an alter ego is all you need to ride the waves of life’s challenges.

4. Bronze Bomber

Deontay Wilder’s “Bronze Bomber” alter ego is believed to be partly inspired by former boxer, Joe Louis, who wilder looked up to. Louis was known as the “Brown Bomber” and Wilder adapted the name at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Wilder believes the alter ego makes him different from the other fighters, and it has helped him overcome criticism, and politics within boxing. He is able to block it out and channel his frustration into defeating his opponents. He does this through meditation and visualising the match which helps him get into a different zone of consciousness that only “Bronze Bomber” understands. "For me, when I turn into the Bronze Bomber, it separates me from all these other fighters. It makes me channel into another dimension that is scary. It's scary! I have a scary feeling when I turn into that man because I feel stronger. The way my mindset is, the energy that is channeling! All of that is real." according to Wilder. Wilder has arguably the most brutal punch in the history of the sport, all of which helped him claim victories over Luis Ortiz, Artur Szpilka, and Dominic Breazeale. That is what Bronze Bomber brings to the table.

3. Untucked Kyrie

Kyrie Irving is regarded by many, including fellow NBA players as one of the greatest ball handlers in the history of the game. He was the No. 1 pick In the 2011 draft, and he made one of the most iconic game winning three-pointers in game 7 of the 2016 Finals vs the Golden State Warriors. On the court Kyrie Irving is a magician with the ball, mixing creative shot making and finishing with innovative finger rolls and direction change on a level we’ve never seen before. He can certainly have noticeably different views off the court, such as once asking players to boycott the return of the NBA season following protests of the “Black Lives Matter” movement which he saw as a distraction, or choosing not to get the COVID vaccine which was seen as a hindrance to team chemistry by many in the NBA world. However, he also does things off the court he gets applauded for such as supporting the WNBA and pledging 1.5 million dollars to players who chose not or could not play due to health problems or social justice reasons. Kyrie was eventually cleared to play home games and currently in the playoffs for the Brooklyn Nets, he might want to untuck his jersey at least once as Nets are currently 3-0 down to his former team, the Boston Celtics. Every time his jersey is flailing in the wind as he confuses his opponents with his bag of tricks, he also makes incredible shots. When he’s in this zone, even the fans of the other team can’t help but admire the variety of ways Untucked Kyrie hurts their team. On Christmas day in 2018, Kyrie and the Celtics toppled the 76ers 121-114 in an overtime thriller. He finished with a double-double, scoring 40, with 10 rebounds and 3 assists, and yes he did it untucked.

2.Iron Mike

Talking about having a brutal punch, out of Mike Tyson’s 58 fights in which he won 50, 44 came via knockout. Iron Mike had an aggressive fighting style, with a lot of speed and strength, he was often called “the baddest man on the planet”. He became one of the most formidable fighters of his era, he intimidated and blew away opponents as he rose through the heavyweight rankings. He was angry and sometimes it got the best of him like when he bit fellow boxer Evander Hollyfield’s ear in the WBA Heavyweight Championship fight in 1997, which led to his disqualification from the match and suspension from boxing. He had a rough upbringing and had to persevere to survive on the streets of Brownsville. In an interview, to everyone’s surprise Tyson revealed he used to cry before almost every fight. Iron Mike having a stone cold personality and being vicious in the ring was never seen as someone who cried, but the reason takes on a whole new meaning. He said “I cried before fights because I was pretty scared, and by being scared, I’m really going to do something bad to this guy that his family is not going to like. Then, I’m going to be really guilty and feel bad at the end.” When he discussed his fighting alter ego, he further explained saying “He brought more than just fighting with him. He brought like, jealousy, envious, guilt, he brought a lot of stuff.” The former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world is now a host of the “Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson” podcast. He sounds like a different man and an example of how an alter ego which may have benefitted him in the ring wasn’t a healthy one, and it is okay to grow and learn from mistakes.

1.Paddy McGinty

Following her time representing Scotland in athletics and triathlons as a junior, Lesley Paterson retired to study theatre in California. She would eventually return to sport, becoming a triathlete. She still had anxiety at this point, and generally lacked confidence. This led to the creation of her alter ego, Paddy McGnity. She has discussed this in past interviews as a mental strategy, and it was created from her experience growing up in Scotland and cycling with men who were tough as nails who nothing really phased. When she had gone through years of racing with anxiety, she decided to become someone else. In her ESPN interview she said, “Inspired by the hard men I used to ride with in Scotland, my alter ego is a tough Celt called Paddy McGinty. He's the guy you want next to you when it all kicks off, someone not fazed by the circumstances, an incredible capacity to get the hard work done. Rain or shine. It's like having an instant super hero. When I put on Paddy's costume (my race kit), I can become all things I want to be on the start line”. Her methods of getting into character included trigger phrases written on her hands “Be brave” and “fight the fight”, and also included behaviours like grunting, frowning and clenching of her fists. This alter ego was very intentional and part of her route to success of becoming a 5 times triathlete world champion, through erasing doubt and raising her confidence levels.

Richard Collins, a sports psychologist said the use of alter egos can help athletes focus on aspects of their sport, and it is also helpful when things don’t go smoothly and athletes struggle to compete. One thing he also advises on is being aware in all of this, and that there are boundaries understood by coaches in sport or people close to us outside of it. Alter egos can just be an intentional change in behaviour that benefits us to succeed and grow as people, so maybe it is worth a try?