Biles bails at the Olympics
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I am not rushing to judgement yet.
It’s the hottest news event going and there is a need for media on all sides to feed it.
The Russians won, we came in second. Whether Simone perceived a risk for the team to fall out of medaling and was unselfish is the question.
My personal competitiveness tells me Silver is a hell of a lot better than nothing. The drama around others standing up to extreme pressure and performing without prep was thrilling. Edge of the seat thrilling.
Anyone who thinks they know what was in Simone’s head is way over their skis at the moment.
If some are saying white privilege (think CRT) has created toxic competitiveness is full of shit.
Final thought, watching Simone on the vault and one other routine before she dropped out is quite telling that she was crashing, very predictive.
If you didn’t watch the entire event your are missing too much to speak with any authority.
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@loki said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
I am not rushing to judgement yet.
It’s the hottest news event going and there is a need for media on all sides to feed it.
The Russians won, we came in second. Whether Simone perceived a risk for the team to fall out of medaling and was unselfish is the question.
My personal competitiveness tells me Silver is a hell of a lot better than nothing. The drama around others standing up to extreme pressure and performing without prep was thrilling. Edge of the seat thrilling.
Anyone who thinks they know what was in Simone’s head is way over their skis at the moment.
If some are saying white privilege (think CRT) has created toxic competitiveness is full of shit.
Final thought, watching Simone on the vault and one other routine before she dropped out is quite telling that she was crashing, very predictive.
If you didn’t watch the entire event your are missing too much to speak with any authority.
I saw her events, and agree something was wrong. But, greatness is not only how physically talented you are, but also how mentally tough you can be.
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@jolly said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
But, greatness is not only how physically talented you are, but also how mentally tough you can be.
It's just sports, greatness is overrated. It's not like lives are at stake. Just do your best without hurting yourself, have fun, and call it a day. If you get hurt doing sports or playing games or doing any leisurely activity, just take a break, recover, and have fun another day.
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@axtremus said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
@jolly said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
But, greatness is not only how physically talented you are, but also how mentally tough you can be.
It's just sports, greatness is overrated. It's not like lives are at stake. Just do your best without hurting yourself, have fun, and call it a day. If you get hurt doing sports or playing games or doing any leisurely activity, just take a break, recover, and have fun another day.
Say Ax, is there a way to block moderators on the forum?
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@axtremus said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
@jolly said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
But, greatness is not only how physically talented you are, but also how mentally tough you can be.
It's just sports, greatness is overrated. It's not like lives are at stake. Just do your best without hurting yourself, have fun, and call it a day. If you get hurt doing sports or playing games or doing any leisurely activity, just take a break, recover, and have fun another day.
An acceptance of one's own mediocrity is very zen, but probably not typical of world class athletes.
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My pastor weighed in on this issue...Thought his take was interesting. In his youth, he never made the Olympics, but he did finish in the top five NCAA pole vaulters a couple of times.
He thought she should have competed. The time to step aside was before the Olympics started. Let the alternate gymnast get her mind in the right place for competition. Once you commit, you commit for the team. He referenced Kerri Strug, who couldn't hardly walk, but still completed her vault to help her team.
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I'm waiting to hear what Donald Trump has to say about this whole business before coming to a conclusion.
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@doctor-phibes said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
I'm waiting to hear what Donald Trump has to say about this whole business before coming to a conclusion.
We can only hope
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/07/right-rooting-against-americas-olympic-athletes
THE RIGHT IS NOW ROOTING AGAINST AMERICA’S OLYMPIC ATHLETES
Star Olympian Simone Biles was branded a public enemy by conservative talkers for dropping out of her role in the gymnastics team finals.
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@copper said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
@doctor-phibes said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
I'm waiting to hear what Donald Trump has to say about this whole business before coming to a conclusion.
We can only hope
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/07/right-rooting-against-americas-olympic-athletes
THE RIGHT IS NOW ROOTING AGAINST AMERICA’S OLYMPIC ATHLETES
Star Olympian Simone Biles was branded a public enemy by conservative talkers for dropping out of her role in the gymnastics team finals.
Not by anyone I know.
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Here's a list of those conservative right-wing 'talkers':
Clay Travis
Buck Sexton
Piers Morgan
Amber Athey
John Daniel Davidson
Charlie KirkThese peoples' remarks are truly horrendous. One of them -- don't ask me which one, I can't stand the idea of going back and looking for it -- said Biles brought 'shame to America'. No, you atrocious little insect, it's not Biles bringing shame to America, it's you and your spirit of vileness.
Go here for the deets if you can stand it: https://www.thedailybeast.com/right-wing-media-attacks-weak-simone-biles-selfish-sociopath
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@jolly said in Biles bails at the Olympics:
My pastor weighed in on this issue...Thought his take was interesting. In his youth, he never made the Olympics, but he did finish in the top five NCAA pole vaulters a couple of times.
He thought she should have competed. The time to step aside was before the Olympics started. Let the alternate gymnast get her mind in the right place for competition. Once you commit, you commit for the team. He referenced Kerri Strug, who couldn't hardly walk, but still completed her vault to help her team.
"While the world cheered her on for her perseverance, many fellow gymnasts who endured the rigors of coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi’s ranch believed Strug was conditioned to push through her pain under an abusive environment where girls were afraid to challenge authority."
Gymnastics has changed since '96 in a lot of ways, with some really significant changes still so recent. The confronting of Larry Nassar by over 100 of the girls he sexually abused only just happened in 2018. Many of those girls had reported him and been ignored.
Bela and Marta Karolyi transformed US gymnastics, but are now being called out for their years of verbal and mental abuse. Maggie Haney (coach of Olympic and world champions) was accused of verbal and emotional abuse in 2016, but did not get investigated until a few years later (she's now serving time).
I don't miss the days of delayed-pubescent teenage girls being intimidated by their coaches to compete moves they are not comfortable with, and a lot of those former elite gymnasts don't miss those days, either.
Kind of shocking to see so many people doubt that Biles--a veteran national, world, and Olympic champion, who won some of those with broken toes and kidney stones--would not know her own limits.
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You want winners or just competitors? Karolyi's methods may have been harsh, but for the time and the place, he took a laughing-stock of a program and transformed it into one of the very best in the world. The USMC used some methods that bordered on the sadistic during WW2, as did the German SS, which created two of the finest combat forces ever seen in modern times. I have no doubt in my mind, if WW2 were fought today, we would lose. We simply do not have the fortitude and the ability to suffer, in order to reach a worthwhile goal.
Now...
The sexual abuse of girls was horrible and even whispers of it should not have been down-played, but what does that have to do with Biles decision to withdraw?
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I must confess I have no opinion about Ms Biles.