You've got to want it

It is funny when coaches yell at their players during a close game, "You got to want it more than them!" I'm not sure exactly what this means. Maybe nobody does.

The statement questions the player's desire. It is true that some players, regardless of their talent, don't care if the team wins or not. But if a player doesn't care, a speech is not going to make him care. But it doesn't matter, because careless players can sometime be more successful in a pressure situation precisely because they do not care.

But lets say a good speech by the coach does make everyone care. The same speech can be given by the opposing coach at the same time. Every player on the team "wants" the win as much as the other guy but someone still has to lose. In this case the player had desire and still lost.

So it is just as likely for the team that doesn't want it as much to win.

But...the losing coach will still yell at his team that they didn't "want" it as much as the winning team. Maybe if the team yelled a cheer as loud as they could - then they would have the "want" that it takes to win the game.