Current studies in one of my fields of special interest, gene engineering, has uncovered something that i’ve known intuitively for a lot of time – the presence of the “stupid” gene. This gene is present in all people without exception, but is in particular active in sports people – in particular squash players and footballers.

A good example is the story affiliated to me by an australian friend who told of talented rugby footballer who, in the last minute of the game was competent to kick a field (drop) goal. This would have been an splendid achievement had his side not been trailing by four points, a field goal being worth only three. At the time his team was attacking the opposition’s goal line and can have scored a attempt (touchdown) worth five points. His team can have won the match, but his goal ensured that they would lose it.

This was a classic case of the stupid gene controlling the player’s activenesses.

In the game of squash, recent events have caused me to see the stupid gene in action firsthand. Of late, a few young players who climb my mountain to seek wisdom on the squash court, have shown me the power of the stupid gene is by no means diminishing but on the contrary, increasing. Each strategy has been explored and enforced leaving no stone unturned in trying to find a solution to the blight on the squash game of these tyros.
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