Few hours ago I caught the first half of a soccer game that my team won 3-0. Coincidentally, the first goal of the game, scored off of a penalty kick by the team captain, was a good example of the handicap principle in action. If all you're doing is trying to maximize the probability of scoring, this is a dumb way to take a penalty, because it's needlessly difficult. But if part of your utility function is showing off, this makes sense: by taking an unnecessary risk of looking really stupid if you fail, you're signaling supreme confidence in your skills.
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