Nitpicking?

Really? Nitpicking?

Is it nitpicking when you say that someone is mentally unstable vs a player who is having psychological issues that hinder his performance?

Example: A striker who is stuck in a rut and can't seem to score for the life of him, I'd call that having psychological issues and usually once he does break his duck he is liberated. Would you call him mentally unstable for being in that rut?

If it's partly created by his own doing? Sure.

What? Are we confusing being a stupid kid with lots of cash to burn with being mentally unstable now? My god...

I think 'psychological issues' is a much better way to put it than 'mental problems'.

Anyway, Pato's main problem were his injuries, no doubt about it. If he didn't have those injuries his career would have had another turn regardless of his behavior. But it's the fact that he never truly tried to fight back, always falling down at the next pain, that really held him back.

Someone with a strong character and will, who puts football above anything else would have simply focused on that aspect sacrificing everything else in his life. Instead, Pato cared about dating the boss' daughter and going to the opera and stuff. He never showed dedication, and that's why he's where he is nowadays.

It's a shame, really. Once he was my favorite Milan player, and I had such high hopes for him.

Not just mental problems, but "mentally unstable", which is even worse. Like I said, most people use that expression for someone who's a step away from crazy and they're too polite to say it

Well I think that's subjective as he had muscular injuries, you can play through the pain with certain injuries but with muscle problems once you pull up there's nothing you can really do, especially for someone like him who had so much acceleration.

I agree that when he was injured he should have been more focused and kept his eye on the prize but what's done is done

And we're back to nitpicking.

Seriously, some call it "mental issues", some "mental problems", there's probably dozen of other labels we can throw into this psychology discussion.

My point stays however - yes, injuries started the whole Pato problem. But nowadays it seems to me that is is beyond just injuries and that mental/psychological/behavioral issues do create a negative pattern.

Don't want to start the whole blame game but it did not help having Ranaldinho at Milan at the time and his night life antics..

Not nitpicking, and I notice you didn't say mentally unstable and that's my issue. Danny called Pato mentally unstable, that's not the same as having mental issues or problems that effect his performance.

Pippo is spot on, you're nitpicking to absurd levels. I know semantics are important for precision, but your obsession with differentiating between 'mental issues' and 'mentally unstable' isn't productive.

Yes. But the whole point wasn't just semantics or technical terminology.

Yeah... right...

I'm sure you would both view it differently if I said you were the ones who were mentally unstable (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

Oh, now I get it, han personifies himself with Pato (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Because it's a terrible thing to say to someone, simple as, no nitpicking involved

Don't get your joke (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)