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Bio w/John F. Murray - Clinical & Sport Performance Psychologist PHD
Posted by: Scoop Malinowski - 10/17/2005

The Biofile John F. Murray
By Scoop Malinowski

Occupation: Clinical and Sport Performance Psychologist PHD.

DOB: November 30, 1961 In: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Hobbies/Interests: NFL playoffs and Super Bowl, European travel, a competitive tennis match, playing the piano, collecting pocket watches and sports cards, renting classic movies, playing with my two-year-old daughter Caroline, chasing my English Springer Spaniel Victor around the yard.

Favorite Movies: The Time Machine (H.G. Wells) is brilliant. I also like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Casablanca, Rocky, Dead Poets Society, Saving Private Ryan, Rudy, North By Northwest, The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, The Graduate, all three Godfather movies, and James Bond films. Rik Von Nutter, the Felix Leiter from Thunderball, is a friend.

Favorite TV Shows: All sports, 60 Minutes, 20/20, the History Channel, timeless favorites including The Twilight Zone, Mission Impossible, The Avengers, Get Smart, The Bob Newhart Show (he’s a Loyola graduate and psychologist), Miami Vice, and The Odd Couple.

Musical Tastes: As eclectic as it gets. I enjoy creating my own music on the piano. Smooth and New Orleans style Jazz hard to resist. Was there ever a bad Beatles tune? Classical music, especially Mozart and Beethoven, is still around for a reason. Sinatra lives forever. The unique sounds of Zeppelin, The Doors, and Elton John are stunning. John Lennon’s “Imagine” is one of the best songs ever written … an echo from the afterlife!

Early Career Memory (as psychologist): Having my first therapy sessions as a graduate student loudly criticized from behind a double mirror by a hostile, insane, and elderly psychologist on the University of Florida psychology faculty. I initially thought I was going to be thrown out of the program for incompetence. In retrospect, she needed a therapist (laughs)! I survived and learned about performance anxiety in the process. Humor aside, I’ve had the fortune of many early career memories, including conducting my dissertation on the Univoersity of Florida football team that won the national title in 1997, helping NFL quarterbacks, tennis players, golfers, Olympians, and many athletes and teams.

First Job in Life: Informal: Cleaning up dog poop in the back yard in Boca Raton in the late 1960s. Formal: Bag boy at Albertson’s grocery store in Coral Springs, Florida.

First Car: A tan Chevy Camaro with sun roof and Pioneer stereo system. I thought I was hot. It took me to high school, weekend concerts at the Hollywood Sportatorium - main excitement in South Florida in the late 1970s. And the beach … eating 4 extra large Big Macs along the way without gaining a pound.

Pre-Work Feeling (describe mindset before you begin work): Upbeat, eager, curious, and caffeine intoxicated.

Favorite Meal: My wife makes an incredible meal called Chicken Divan (should be “divine”). I also love shredded pot roast with noodles, European pizza, spinach tomato feta omelets, and healthy chicken salads. I’m learning to eat better and my new diet book will include mental strategies for healthy eating.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Vanilla is delicious. Call me boring.

Greatest Career Moment: It’s still in the future, but every moment in which I can help someone build mental skills and reduce distractions is a great one. I’ll always appreciate Vince Spadea’s comments that I helped him come back from the longest losing streak in tennis history, but he did it and deserves all the credit. I’m just honored he thinks I helped.

Most Painful Moment: Brother-in-law’s suicide a few years ago, unrelated to my work, but a terrible loss anyway.

Embarrassing Career Memory: Going on MSNBC national TV last year to talk about the Ron Artest Basket-brawl, and seeing the tape. The camera made me look even fatter than I was. I had no idea who that person was (laughs). It inspired me to lose 60-plus pounds and create a new diet. The power of television! Thanks Allison Stewart!

Favorite Vacation Spot: Any Greek Island. I lived in Europe five years, so this was just a quick one-hour flight. The clean and clear blue water, moonlight, fresh air and food (especially Greek salads) are eternal.

Childhood Dream(s): Bat fourth for the New York Yankees and quarterback the Miami Dolphins in the same year.

Funny Career Memory: Shouting obscenities at the General Secretary of NATO Manfred Woerner while teaching him tennis in Austria in the 1980s. He wasn’t running for the balls and I wanted him to learn to be tougher. I learned after the lesson that he was the general secretary of NATO, and that those five guys watching his lesson were bodyguards with hidden machine guns under those suits. Hmm, that really wasn’t too smart was it?

People Qualities Most Admired: Persistent in adversity, non-judgmental, honest, open, loyal, passionate, and willing to help others.

Favorite Quotation(s): “Until you learn to lose you will never learn to win” - Michael Jordan; “Go Confidently in the direction of your dreams and live the life you imagined” - Henry David Thoreau

Current Heroes: My father, anyone fighting for our country.

Education Background: I learned more traveling around the world than in any structured program. Formal Education includes 4 earned university degrees: Loyola University - (1) BA in psychology, University of Florida - (2) Master’s in Exercise and Sport Sciences, (3) Master of Science in Psychology, (4) PhD in Clinical Psychology with emphasis in health and sport psychology. I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Florida International University.

Copyright 2002 TheBioFILE.com. All Rights Reserved.
Derek Jeter
STATUS: New York Yankees shortstop.
CHILDHOOD HEROES: Dave Winfield, Barry Larkin - went to Michigan.
Annika Sorenstam
STATUS: LPGA Rolex Player of the Year won eight tournaments in 2001.
CHILDHOOD HERO: I grew up playing tennis. I think Bjorn Borg had great sportsmanship, so I picked him.
Pete Sampras
STATUS: Tennis player. Has won more Grand Slam majors (14) than any player in history.
MUSICAL TASTES: Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin, Cat Stevens, REM, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.


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