Abstract

“Win or Go Home!” TNT uses this slogan in its coverage of the NBA playoffs, but the phrase has wide appeal. It reflects a dichotomy between “playing to win” and “just playing.” However, as in most dichotomous situations, a third option is overlooked when focusing on the two. In this case, the third option is that of creative engagement in the game. Engagement is fundamentally different from being goal driven or playing to play: engagement is about creating sport experience through enacting the three p’s of patience, positivity, and possibility. This paper outlines a contrasting perspective centered in mastery and control. It then articulates a basic model of the three p’s where these three are linked in creating moments and experiences within the structure of a game. Creative engagement is examined through analysis of specific sport performances in the 2011 MLB World Series. The practical relevance of this approach for both sport performance and theory are addressed. A connected exploration is undertaken into the potential for participants to jointly accomplish a shared experience where the opponent is negativity. In the final section, the societal applications of this approach are discussed through the lens of softball and baseball as Olympic sports.