There has been a lot of debate here about the reality of " clutch" . In my view , it is just too hard to define what is truly clutch. Every post season at bat or every late in close game at bat is not necessarily clutch. For most players , there are probably only a few truly clutch moments. Too small a sample size to form a definitive conclusion. On the other hand , choke can be pretty obvious. You can often see it in the eyes and body language of an athlete who just cannot deal with the high pressure situations. This is more often seen in sports which require precision of execution. In sports where adrenaline is more important , it is not always the case. So , maybe " clutch " is just the absence of " choke " . Especially when one is composed while the opponent is rattled by the situation and the consequences. While a certain amount of chance , luck or " randomness " will always occur ; it is pretty easy to spot a choker. Bottom line : Some guys get the apple , and some don't.