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Dr. Richard Lustberg, Ph.D.


On The Couch:
 The Week In Review
(3/03)


NEW BLOG!
New Regular Posts

Print Media Appearances

NYDailyNews
Dr. Lustberg speaks on Sports Stars and Celebrities dating

Courant.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on office pools

Wave Magazine
Dr. Lustberg speaks on youth sport

ABC News
Dr. Lustberg speaks on ABC News

The Free Press - Mankato, MN
Dr. Lustberg's quotes are pure fiction

The Vail Trail
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
being a sports fan

OrlandoSentinel.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Forgiving Fans

Birkshire Eagle
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Red Sox's Nation

SignOnSanDiego
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
sports fans' emotions

Time
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
the fans' reaction to the Mets' collapse

New York Post
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Met Fans lost season

seattlepi.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Mike Hargrove

reviewjournal.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Michael Vick and Dog Fighting

Newsday.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
fan behavior

STL Today
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Barry Bonds and why he's a polarizing figure

Athens News
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
fan support

InfoSports
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
youth sport

KansasCity.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Post Traumatic NFL-Football Disorder

FresnoBee.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
focus, concentration, and preparation.

SignOnSanDiego.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
fan's behaviors

BerkshireEagle.com:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
how the fans relate to the players

Daily Herald:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
the psychology of Rex Grossman

Courier News:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
being a sports fan

Examiner:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
the Baltimore Ravens and the positive energy fans create

PajamasMedia:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
the psychology of autographs

ESPN.com:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Teammate sabbotage

VC2:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Steroids

Kane County Chronicle:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Superstitions

Christian Science Monitor:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Issues about youth sport

smh.com.au:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
World Famous swimmer: Ian Thorpe

NewsReview.com:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
the psychological importance of having a sports franchise in your city

Philadelphia Daily News:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Terrell Owens

Winston-Salem Journal:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Athletic Competitiveness

The Boston Globe:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
The Minds of NFL Kickers

USA Today:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Baseball Players' Fatigue

Journal Gazette:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Mental Illness in Athletes

The Associated Press:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Hero Worship

Newsday.com:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Alex Rodriguez

ReviewJournal.com:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on
Ben Rothlesberger

PJM News:
Phil Mickelsohn Infatuation

Unabated Sports:
A Doctor In The House

Sports Central:
Dr. Lustberg speaks on Trash Talking

PE
Dr. Lustberg speaks on Rituals

Canoe
Dr. Lustberg speaks on Lucky Charms

Coloradoan
Dr. Lustberg speaks on Superstitions

Orlando Sentinel
Dr. Lustberg speaks on The Death of Tony Dungy's Son and Depression

Star Telegram
Dr. Lustberg speaks on fan and owner loyalty

Jacksonville
Dr. Lustberg speaks on losers

Belleville News Democrat
Dr. Lustberg speaks on emotional reaction to games

Star Telegram
Dr. Lustberg speaks on the line between players and spectators

Des Moines Register
Dr. Lustberg speaks on "how young is too young?"

DenverPost.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on perpetual losers in sports

dailypress.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on players and their uniform numbers

SignOnSanDiego.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant

latimes.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant

PE.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on athletes who have returned to their old teams

OCRegister.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks  on athletes and their jersey numbers

Mets Inside Pitch
Dr Lustberg speaks  on the psychological aspects of being employed in the major leagues and having your position reassigned.

post-gazette.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks  on enduring a long string of losing

Hartford Courant
Dr. Lustberg speaks on athlete's sudden illnesses

NorthJersey.com
 Dr. Lustberg speaks on the Yankees/Red Sox epic rivalry

Mercury News
Dr. Lustberg speaks on Barrett Robbins and Mental Illness in Athletes

phillyBurbs.com
Dr. Lustberg speaks on the passion of sports fans

York Daily Record
Dr. Lustberg speaks on superstitions in sports

Denver Post
Dr. Lustberg speaks on trash talking in sports

The Duquesne Duke
Dr. Lustberg speaks on fans and sports

Chicago Tribune
Dr. Lustberg speaks on superstitions

Sunday Herald
Dr. Lustberg speaks on Barrett Robbins’ struggle against bipolar disease

New York Daily News
Dr. Lustberg speaks on the impact of the Jets playoff loss

The San Diego Union-Tribune
Dr. Lustberg speaks on the history of player/fan violence

New York Times

USA Today

Dallas Morning News

Denver Post

Chicago Tribune

The Baltimore Sun

Philadelphia Daily News

Daily News Sports

Denver Post

San Francisco Chronicle

Newsday

Orlando Sentinel

San Diego Union Tribune

timesunion.com

WebMDHealth

The Providence Journal

The San Diego Union-Tribune

UK Casino News

CBS NFL Kid Zone

The Kansas City Star

The Dallas Morning News

Star Telegram

San Diego Union Tribune

Forest Grove News Times

Scroll Online

The Daily Free Press

MyrtleBeachOnline.com

Toronto Star

San Francisco Chronicle

Orlando Sentinel

Femmefan.com

Monterey County Herald

Lincoln Journal Star

ChicKnits

Reveries Magazine

The Mercury News

International Network on Personal Meaning

Christian Science Monitor

Preteenagers Today

San Antonio Business Journal

eSports Media Group

The Marion Star

PsychNet-UK

The Record (Hackensack, NJ)

The Plain Dealer

delawareonline.com
The News Journal

iparenting.com

Christian Science Monitor

The Journal News

El Tiempo

The Observer & Eccentric Newspapers

outsports.com

 

 

Performance anxiety for football fans
Bucks County Courier Times

Kate Fratti

I almost smacked myself with my computer keyboard to stay awake on Friday as I researched my latest assignment: “What would be the psychological ramifications of another Eagles disappointment on the road to the Super Bowl?”

People care about this?

I am the wrong girl for the job — the girl who never has declined an invitation to a tailgate or Super Bowl party, but who rarely has seen the inside of a stadium or paid more than a moment’s attention to the game unless you count the halftime show.

Hi guys! I’m here for the dip and the 6-foot hoagie.

I didn’t even know there was an NFC playoff game to sweat until I failed to leave a daily news meeting fast enough last week and ended up sitting through a “buildup to the big game” planning session. Editors thought I stayed to join in the sports fun, but I was just trying to unsnag my sweater from the back of a chair. By the time I’d freed myself, I’d been assigned. Stuck again.

So here I am pondering fans’ emotional attachment to their team. I did come across one interesting fact. Believe it or not, experts say some guys’ testosterone levels rise and fall with the success and failure of their favorite football team.

That’s right. According to the science, following the Eagles’ win over the Vikings Sunday afternoon, it was frostier than usual in a lot of Minnesota homes, but all warm and toasty and filled with the strains of Barry White here in Philadelphia and its suburbs. Intimacy — or the lack of it — determined by refrigerator-sized gladiators crashing up and down a frozen field in pursuit and protection of a pigskin.

What gives?

Experts say fans’ emotions (and sex drive, apparently) sink and soar with their team’s performance because they let themselves identify with the team so closely. It has to do with feeling good about yourself without ever having to leave the couch.

“Fans get a heck of a lot more upset than players about the wins and losses,” says sports psychologist Richard Lustberg.

Never mind that even if the Iggles go to the Super Bowl, the most loyal fan’s life will not improve an iota — he won’t get a better job, a cooler car or a date with the girl of his dreams. His kids still will talk back, the dryer and dishwasher still will give out on the same day and the dog will continue to track in mud.

Of course, the same will be true if the Eagles lose, fans say. Better they should win. At least there would be that to live for.

And identifying with the Eagles is easy. To do so is to see yourself as a proven talent with a lot of heart for whom glory is just around the corner. Has to be. How many times can the gods snatch away a chance at Super Bowlsized success before they tire of teasing and finally toss the faithful and hardworking the dream?

Surely the number of times is three. Four would be cruel even for the sports gods, fans say. So cruel, the testosterone drain would be audible around these parts.

In the meantime, and in anticipation of sure glory, I’m going to research another psychological question over the next three weeks. Given what I’ve learned, what selfrespecting non-sports fan would let a beer-sodden, Buffalo-wing-stained man in green war paint anywhere near her after the big win?

Never mind the plastic Eagles beak and goofy jersey, how could she be sure he was making love to her and not just celebrating the prowess of Brian Westbrook?

Me, I’d need to know — maybe give him a party hat and noisemaker and send him out to the back yard for awhile to see if the ardor held up.

Kate Fratti, whose opinion column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, will order hats and noisemakers for friends who want to participate in the study.

January 18, 2005 6:16 AM

 

 

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