Olympics, better late than never

[Telegraph_it 3,357]

Need to check for Havana syndrome symptoms. 

[tokamak 6,393]

Every company that signed her to a huge endorsement deal right now:

[Jhawk 1,075]

She quit on her team. Plain and simple. I know mental illness and stress are real, but the ability to overcome that is paramount to being a top athlete. Look at a million NFL wide receivers. All have great talent and some can’t mentally handle the spotlight and money. Many are no longer wanted even though they can physically produce results better than the next man up. Point is, if she can’t support her team then she should have never been on the plane to Japan. Let someone who is mentally prepared to go. Flip the script, I’m strong as fuck mentally, but I don’t play professional sports because I’m an out of shape fuck. If mental game is 1/2 the battle then she only has half the qualifications to be on the team.  If I’m the coach she isn’t competing in the individual events. 

[Surly Bevo 24,908]

Right wrong or otherwise she's about to get a whole load of Kerri Strug in her face....

[dcar00 14,154]

5 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

Unless she had some tragedy we don’t know about like a close relative dying, or a flare up of an actual medical condition we don’t know about, it’s not a touchy subject.  If she just quit on her team in the Olympics because she screwed something up and can’t deal with the stress, then that is pathetic.  Just selfish weak bullshit unless something else much more tangible than “anxiety” is going on.

Is that the first time she hadn’t swept a competition?  The greatest gymnast ever throwing a tantrum at the Olympics because she can’t handle not winning something, if that’s what this is, would be a pretty giant setback for both sportsmanship and taking mental health seriously.

if she wasn't up for it she took someone's spot.  of course she's the best in the world so they know before the olympics that they can't win gold without her.  thats the problem I have with Osaka at French Open and this.  if you aren't mentally ready don't go and then quit, especially in a team event.

[Stringer 1,438]

I could be wrong, but I don't think people say to themselves, "you know, I think I may have a mental breakdown in 7 days, I shouldn't go."  Not really how that works.

[G650 14,243]

19 minutes ago, Jhawk said:

I’m strong as fuck mentally

lol.

[G650 14,243]

4 minutes ago, dcar00 said:

if she wasn't up for it she took someone's spot.  of course she's the best in the world so they know before the olympics that they can't win gold without her.  thats the problem I have with Osaka at French Open and this.  if you aren't mentally ready don't go and then quit, especially in a team event.

 She stepped away specifically to ensure the US medalled because she thought she wasn't up for it. There's only three scoring athletes, and the three best US gymnasts not named Biles were the ones who competed.

 

Nobody "lost " a spot.

[Napoleon 8,661]

19 minutes ago, G650 said:

 She stepped away specifically to ensure the US medalled because she thought she wasn't up for it. There's only three scoring athletes, and the three best US gymnasts not named Biles were the ones who competed.

Nobody "lost " a spot.

There is absolutely ZERO room for logic on this thread!

Not when us overweight couch potatoes are mansplaining our mental toughness!!

Go watch rhythmic gymnastics if you don’t understand!!!! 🥷🏻

[perfectchaos007 6,626]

Russia might have won gold regardless. Biles last few meets have not been great going back to US trials, and although it’s possible Biles could have made up those 3 points that Russia won by it’s no guarantee. Biles competed in all events in the qualifying and Russia still won by just over a point 

[dcar00 14,154]

34 minutes ago, G650 said:

 She stepped away specifically to ensure the US medalled because she thought she wasn't up for it. There's only three scoring athletes, and the three best US gymnasts not named Biles were the ones who competed.

 

Nobody "lost " a spot.

she was on the team.

[APMP 688]

Throughout her career Biles has represented the US, Texas, and hell the Houston area with excellence. She is the unquestionable GOAT. This would be a crappy way to end her career, but she doesn't owe me anything and I give Biles credit for realizing she wasn't in the right headspace. You can suffer life changing injuries in gymnastics if your head isn't right. It's the same reason football coaches don't want players to be timid on the field. It wasn't that long ago that an American gymnast became a quadriplegic and eventually died from injuries suffered in the vault. In Tokyo. I think at least one college gymnast has died from a fall as well.

Biles and her coaches made the right call in that moment. I'm sure there will be questions about how long this has been brewing in her mind, whether she should have gone to Tokyo, etc. But she absolutely did the right thing in stepping aside so her inevitable low scores (more execution penalty due to not living up to high starting score) didn't hurt the team anymore than the mid air vault abort already had. There were three other world class gymnasts on the team that would be able to step up. And to their credit, those other girls stepped up in a huge way and fucking WON the silver. I hope their triumph isn't overshadowed tonight.

[hpslugga 4,058]

3 minutes ago, APMP said:

Throughout her career Biles has represented the US, Texas, and hell the Houston area with excellence. She is the unquestionable GOAT. This would be a crappy way to end her career, but she doesn't owe me anything and I give Biles credit for realizing she wasn't in the right headspace. You can suffer life changing injuries in gymnastics if your head isn't right. It's the same reason football coaches don't want players to be timid on the field. It wasn't that long ago that an American gymnast became a quadriplegic and eventually died from injuries suffered in the vault. In Tokyo. I think at least one college gymnast has died from a fall as well.

Biles and her coaches made the right call in that moment. I'm sure there will be questions about how long this has been brewing in her mind, whether she should have gone to Tokyo, etc. But she absolutely did the right thing in stepping aside so her inevitable low scores (more execution penalty due to not living up to high starting score) didn't hurt the team anymore than the mid air vault abort already had. There were three other world class gymnasts on the team that would be able to step up. And to their credit, those other girls stepped up in a huge way and fucking WON the silver. I hope their triumph isn't overshadowed tonight.

My dear sir, you are obviously mistaken. We as fans are entitled to gold medal performances and only gold medal performances regardless of circumstance, and if you cannot keep up with the mental toughness that empowers me to type this sternly worded post on an internet forum, then I'm afraid that you just have no idea what it takes to be a gold medal winner. 

[Huckleberry 32,848]

Well the issue is that both sides might be right. She may have done the best thing for the team (or not hurt the team) in that instance, but she also bailed on her team the first time things didn't go right for her at a world competition and that deserves scrutiny. It's certainly not a heroic story.

[Bateshorn 9,927]

I mean, it’s not an ideal outcome for anyone.  But did you see the vault she quit after?  She quit after she lost her bearings and failed to do another twist in this absurdity: 

If her mind is not in the right head space to compete, she’s a literal danger to herself and her team by competing in even one more event. 
 

But it’s undoubtedly a bad look. Gymnastics is a uniquely bad sport to suddenly get the yips.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Bateshorn

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,509]

From her press conference, sounds like Biles is saying she wasn't 100% mentally on her game today and that is the only way she believes she can compete safely. Doesn't sound like any level of poor mental health going on. Not that I can tell that she is saying that it is. She's not repeating Naomi Osaka.

I take her at her word that if she can't compete at her best, she's not going to compete. However maybe she's right in that at 99%, she could break her neck. I can't perform some quadruple flip so what do I know.

You won't see too many national sports commentator openly question the situation. It's not worth the risk. From a search on Twitter, the main reaction are people attacking those attacking Biles even though I don't really see any attacks against her.  It's more of a pre-emptive defensive of her.

[smuggs 9,353]

1 minute ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

From a search on Twitter, the main reaction are people attacking those attacking Biles even though I don't really see any attacks against her.  It's more of a pre-emptive defensive of her.

Oh the Bile is definitely around the corner.

[Hawndoh 2,386]

It's the Olympics. Nobody will care a month from now.

[clapclapclap 9,000]

16 minutes ago, Bateshorn said:

I don't blame her one bit.  Such a terribly run Olympics.  How can she perform her best when the vault is that crowded?

[naija 2,854]

"I'm strong as fuck mentally, but also an out of shape fuck" has to be some sort of peak Shaggy/Surly personal declaration. 

[Texas St. Armadillos 1,381]

I wonder with these elite Olympians (Osaka and Biles) if the build-up to the Olympics, the 1-year wait, the build-up again, and then getting there and there are no fans or "experience" is a factor here.  Not being a world-class athlete I wouldn't know, but when I have a big event or presentation, I try to visualize the situation.  When my visualization is not what I expected, it can be mentally jarring.  Add the enormity of the Olympics and the pressure on these favorites, it seems like it wouldn't take much for them (or an other athlete) to have their heads spinning.  Just a thought.

[The Dog 44,019]

1 hour ago, Bateshorn said:

I mean, it’s not an ideal outcome for anyone.  But did you see the vault she quit after?  She quit after she lost her bearings and failed to do another twist in this absurdity: 

If her mind is not in the right head space to compete, she’s a literal danger to herself and her team by competing in even one more event. 
 

But it’s undoubtedly a bad look. Gymnastics is a uniquely bad sport to suddenly get the yips.

 

Good breakdown of what happened. 

"The yips" can happen in all kinds of sports and manifest itself whenever. We normally see it in golf or baseball (Knoblach, Sax, Ankiel, to name a few). Can't imagine having that in gymnastics.

[tokamak 6,393]

Yeah that seems fair. Chuck Knoblach gets the yips and throws it over the first baseman’s head. Simone Biles gets them and potentially breaks her fucking neck. 

[pops 6,980]

So when does the entire USWNT withdraw for not being in it mentally?  At least Biles tried.  

[Bateshorn 9,927]

13 minutes ago, The Dog said:

 

Good breakdown of what happened. 

"The yips" can happen in all kinds of sports and manifest itself whenever. We normally see it in golf or baseball (Knoblach, Sax, Ankiel, to name a few). Can't imagine having that in gymnastics.

I thought of Rick Ankiel. Jordan Speith is trying to fight through them now.

[naija 2,854]

13 minutes ago, The Dog said:

 

Good breakdown of what happened. 

"The yips" can happen in all kinds of sports and manifest itself whenever. We normally see it in golf or baseball (Knoblach, Sax, Ankiel, to name a few). Can't imagine having that in gymnastics.

should be obvious to most who think about it. not all sports have the same risk. when life and limb come into play, the situation is different. anyone think Niki Lauda lacked mental fortitude? 

[Zeus 6,014]

 

[Bateshorn 9,927]

11 minutes ago, Zeus said:

 

This is such a bullshit comparison.  Strug had just sprained an ankle, was full of pain blocking body endorphins, and immediately did her next run.  If she had been forced to do any other routines, like the floor or beam, she would have been fucked.

I suspect Biles hasn’t been landing shit for weeks and was hoping it would happen and after she lost complete track of herself during the vault, she realized she was going to hurt her teams chances and herself by continuing. 
 

If she had been some borderline member who got the yips, Team USA would have replaced her immediately. But she’s Simone Biles, so she’s going to get an enormous amount of leeway.

[ztejas 43,411]

6 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

If Durant decided to go home or hand out towels because the Olympics are causing him some mental strain, would we congratulate him on taking care of his health? 

He'd get fucking crucified. But unfortunately there are still double standards when it comes to that stuff. 

[Stringer 1,438]

The Strug moment was undoubtedly cool.  Also, maybe it was fucking stupid?  Her reaction after it was over was not one of joy.  

"Athlete A" on Netflix is more about Nassar, but it also has a section where it reframes the Strug moment.  

[Bateshorn 9,927]

16 minutes ago, Stringer said:

The Strug moment was undoubtedly cool.  Also, maybe it was fucking stupid?  Her reaction after it was over was not one of joy.  

"Athlete A" on Netflix is more about Nassar, but it also has a section where it reframes the Strug moment.  

Also, anything associated with the Karolis is on extremely shaky moral ground. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,509]

If her mental health is in a precarious state, she should let someone have a shot at the individual events/all around. I don't mean that as a punishment but the athletes, who have a better chance to finish, should get the chance.

My guess is that she competes and wins the all-around easily.

 

[Vic Mackey 47,012]

5 hours ago, Jhawk said:

She quit on her team. Plain and simple. I know mental illness and stress are real, but the ability to overcome that is paramount to being a top athlete. Look at a million NFL wide receivers. All have great talent and some can’t mentally handle the spotlight and money. Many are no longer wanted even though they can physically produce results better than the next man up. Point is, if she can’t support her team then she should have never been on the plane to Japan. Let someone who is mentally prepared to go. Flip the script, I’m strong as fuck mentally, but I don’t play professional sports because I’m an out of shape fuck. If mental game is 1/2 the battle then she only has half the qualifications to be on the team.  If I’m the coach she isn’t competing in the individual events. 

Imagine someone like Lebron or KD just quitting on their team in the middle of the Finals and saying they needed time off because they could not handle it. They would be trashed beyond belief and probably for good reason. Sports is physical and mental. What she did was not some heroic act. She checked out because she wanted no part of it. Why is this being considered some great act of heroism? 

The double standard her is real. And no, they are different circumstances. Just different components in place. The comparison of Lebron or KD quitting on their team is 100% legit. 

She's actually getting praised for this. I guess...

[WBT 20,561]

18 hours ago, WBT said:

SA wins it 17-12 but the US will play Great Britain in the quarters later tonight.

I caught a replay of this today.  The US jumped out to a 21-0 lead and then lost 26-21.  Maybe it's coming home.

[Vic Mackey 47,012]

3 hours ago, APMP said:

Throughout her career Biles has represented the US, Texas, and hell the Houston area with excellence. She is the unquestionable GOAT. This would be a crappy way to end her career, but she doesn't owe me anything and I give Biles credit for realizing she wasn't in the right headspace. You can suffer life changing injuries in gymnastics if your head isn't right. It's the same reason football coaches don't want players to be timid on the field. It wasn't that long ago that an American gymnast became a quadriplegic and eventually died from injuries suffered in the vault. In Tokyo. I think at least one college gymnast has died from a fall as well.

Biles and her coaches made the right call in that moment. I'm sure there will be questions about how long this has been brewing in her mind, whether she should have gone to Tokyo, etc. But she absolutely did the right thing in stepping aside so her inevitable low scores (more execution penalty due to not living up to high starting score) didn't hurt the team anymore than the mid air vault abort already had. There were three other world class gymnasts on the team that would be able to step up. And to their credit, those other girls stepped up in a huge way and fucking WON the silver. I hope their triumph isn't overshadowed tonight.

And that is all fine and dandy. But what she did was not heroic and does not deserve praise, That is the most confusing part of this story. Not sure which part of that is heroic.

Imagine if this becomes a norm in sports. Do you really think that is going to be accepted for teammates just to withdraw in the middle of competition? Not at all. But the narrative for this instance is she is some heralded hero. 

[Michael Knight 12,977]

5 hours ago, Surly Bevo said:

Right wrong or otherwise she's about to get a whole load of Kerri Strug in her face....

might wanna revisit that whole kerri strug thing again. she was literally carried off the mat and handed over to larry nassar

[Napoleon 8,661]

6 minutes ago, WBT said:

I caught a replay of this today.  The US jumped out to a 21-0 lead and then lost 26-21.  Maybe it's coming home.

Argentina would love a shot at playing England for a medal.

They're on opposite sides of the bracket so they'll both have to win or both have to lose. 
 

VAMOS LOS PUMAS !!!

 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Napoleon

[The Dog 44,019]

24 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

If her mental health is in a precarious state, she should let someone have a shot at the individual events/all around. I don't mean that as a punishment but the athletes, who have a better chance to finish, should get the chance.

My guess is that she competes and wins the all-around easily.

 

she's talking about doing exactly that.

if it's the yips then her career is over.

[Chuckie Finster 22,694]

12 minutes ago, Vic Mackey said:

And that is all fine and dandy. But what she did was not heroic and does not deserve praise, That is the most confusing part of this story. Not sure which part of that is heroic.

Imagine if this becomes a norm in sports. Do you really think that is going to be accepted for teammates just to withdraw in the middle of competition? Not at all. But the narrative for this instance is she is some heralded hero. 

I think most of the "heroism" talk is a response to the insane, over-the-top criticism.

The exact same people who are criticizing Simone and comparing this to basketball would be the loudest critics if Lebron kept shooting even if he knew his game was off.  

Every fucking day, pitchers go into the dugout and tell their manager that they don't think they can go another inning.  Every fucking week, a RB taps his helmet after a few runs and tells the coach to take him out.  They do these things because they realize, at that moment, that staying in the game will be a detriment to the team.  

We've all lost our damned minds.

[tx ind 7,007]

5 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

 

Every fucking day, pitchers go into the dugout and tell their manager that they don't think they can go another inning.  Every fucking week, a RB taps his helmet after a few runs and tells the coach to take him out.  They do these things because they realize, at that moment, that staying in the game will be a detriment to the team.  

 

Except there's 162 games a year in baseball and 16 games a year in the NFL, this is once every 4 years.

[Chuckie Finster 22,694]

Just now, tx ind said:

Except there's 162 games a year in baseball and 16 games a year in the NFL, this is once every 4 years.

So it's okay to knowingly hurt your team when the stakes are much higher?

[Chuckie Finster 22,694]

I don't know that it's really a productive or relevant exercise, but I think you could just as easily argue that Simone Biles hurting her team has a much bigger effect on her teammates than Lebron or KD hurting their team.  If Lebron or KD say peace out and their teams lose, their teammates are still millionaires either way.  The difference between being on a gold medal winning Olympic team vs. a team that doesn't win gold is a lot more life changing for female gymnasts.  They're probably not going to make huge, set-for-life money either way unless they're someone like Biles, but I'm sure they get a hell of lot more endorsements and media coverage as gold medalists than not.  Especially since now it's pretty much viewed as a failure for Team USA not to win gymnastics competitions.
Again, it's the same principles either way, but if we're going down that rabbit hole I'd say you could argue Biles, as a much older and much richer and much more famous person than her teammates, in a sport where this is their one shot to make it and capitalize for the rest of their lives, probably owes her teammates more than KD and Lebron owe their teammates.

I agree with most of what you’re saying, but given the tone I think we disagree with what she owes them. What do you think she owes them?

Let’s also be clear, if Simone had sucked it up and competed and hurt the team even more, most of these professional hot take artists would be saying she was selfish for putting herself before other teammates who may have been able to perform better.

[Blotto 23,490]

4 hours ago, APMP said:

Throughout her career Biles has represented the US, Texas, and hell the Houston area with excellence. She is the unquestionable GOAT. This would be a crappy way to end her career, but she doesn't owe me anything and I give Biles credit for realizing she wasn't in the right headspace. You can suffer life changing injuries in gymnastics if your head isn't right. It's the same reason football coaches don't want players to be timid on the field. It wasn't that long ago that an American gymnast became a quadriplegic and eventually died from injuries suffered in the vault. In Tokyo. I think at least one college gymnast has died from a fall as well.

Biles and her coaches made the right call in that moment. I'm sure there will be questions about how long this has been brewing in her mind, whether she should have gone to Tokyo, etc. But she absolutely did the right thing in stepping aside so her inevitable low scores (more execution penalty due to not living up to high starting score) didn't hurt the team anymore than the mid air vault abort already had. There were three other world class gymnasts on the team that would be able to step up. And to their credit, those other girls stepped up in a huge way and fucking WON the silver. I hope their triumph isn't overshadowed tonight.

She's a hell of a gymnast, but there can only be one goat. This is a sport that is immensely popular every 4 years, and then everyone forgets about it until the next olympics. Your legacy in the sport is determined by how you perform on the Olympic stage. She killed it in Rio, but the results in Tokyo kind of kill goat status for me (not that she would give a shit, nor should she). The mental aspect is an enormous part of what it takes to be considered the greatest that ever competed. If this is the end of the road for her career, its gonna damage her legacy. 

[dcar00 14,154]

18 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

If it was the yips, then fine.  If she and the coaches really thought she was suddenly a disaster waiting to happen - whether a danger to her own health or even just the team's chances - then sure, pull her for someone else.  No harm, no foul.   But her own quotes and even the favorable media articles (like the one from the New York Times below) sure make it seem like there was an element similar to Naomi Osaka just getting fed up.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/07/27/sports/gymnastics-olympics-results

She also told the Today Show:

 

I sympathize if the pressure is getting to her, but missing one incredibly difficult vault (where she still manages to land on her feet) doesn't seem like cause to equate this to Rick Ankiel or Chuck Knoblauch getting mindfucked and losing their ability.  And it doesn't even seem like doubting her ability to safely compete and/or trying to do what is best for the team was necessarily the only, or even the primary, motivation here.   If the explanation is, "I want to do this for me, not for other people" - while dropping out of a team competition - that's not exactly admirable.

And, frankly, not ruling out competing for the individual medals makes the fear for her safety explanation seem even more sketchy.

this. if she wants to jet from the all around or event finals cool.  her teammates were depending on her for the team competition.  I feel sorry for them and no one else.  she doesn't deserve any scorn but you knew what you were getting into when you signed up for the gig to be on the team.

edit: at least she didn't try to make up some BS injury excuse. she owned cracking under the pressure.

Edited July 27, 2021 by dcar00

[naija 2,854]

well, you are cherry picking quotes. physically, she is fine, in the sense that she did not have an injury. but she has clearly said, that the mental aspect tied into feeling like she could not physically execute the moves safely.

[quote]"You have to be there 100%," Biles told reporters after the meet. "If not, you get hurt. Today has been really stressful. I was shaking. I couldn't nap. I have never felt like this going into a competition, and I tried to go out and have fun. But once I came out, I was like, 'No. My mental is not there.'"[/quote]

she has also said that staying for the individuals is not a sure thing.

[quote]Biles said she will take Wednesday as "a mental rest day" and then make a decision on the rest of the Games. "We're going to see about Thursday," she said in reference to the individual all-around final. Biles qualified first into the all-around, and if she decides to defend her gold medal, she will be joined by Suni Lee. If she withdraws, individual athlete Jade Carey will take her place. "We're going to take it one day at a time," Biles said.[/quote]

rule it out now, and I'm sure there will be others saying why do it that early. why not take a break and recompose.

Niki Lauda famously retired during the Japanese Grand Prix despite being ahead in points and as a result lost the Championship simply because he didn't feel safe.

go watch Free Solo again. Alex Honnold just flat out bailed the first time it was all set-up for him to go. He walks to Peter Croft, tells him that he bailed, who tells him, "yeah, good for you."

it happens.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8,817]

Let’s not forget she also bejeweled the GOAT on her leotard.


https://images.app.goo.gl/K95mDcwx254udLAz9


In a meme era where one GOATS themselves, they better try to follow through with it and not bow out because of mental issues.

Like one said a month from now, we’re not going to care. But this is a what she’ll probably be remembered for. Especially if she can’t compete in individuals


Individual Olympic GOATS like Phelps and Ussain Bolt always came through when the bright lights were on and the world watching.

[BurntOrange&White 39,930]

If you’re struggling mentally then quit prior to the competition and give that spot up for someone that isn’t. Don’t fucking quit in the middle of said competition because you’re doing bad. Don’t self appoint yourself goat then quit. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by BurntOrange&White

[APMP 688]

And that is all fine and dandy. But what she did was not heroic and does not deserve praise, That is the most confusing part of this story. Not sure which part of that is heroic.
Imagine if this becomes a norm in sports. Do you really think that is going to be accepted for teammates just to withdraw in the middle of competition? Not at all. But the narrative for this instance is she is some heralded hero. 

I think it's fair to be asking questions about the circumstances, how long she had been feeling this way, did she screw the team by not admitting this yesterday, etc. But I also think it is fair to praise the decision to step away for mental health reasons in the face of all of the expectation and knowledge that you might face a lifetime of scrutiny. I don't think this is an either/or scenario. I don't her caught up on labels like "heroic." Here's what I know-- she went undefeated for something like 19 straight meets. She is the GOAT. She quit in the middle of her meet and put her team in a tough situation. All of those things are true and will define her legacy.

[dcar00 14,154]

6 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

If you’re struggling mentally then quit prior to the competition and give that spot up for someone that isn’t. Don’t fucking quit in the middle of said competition because you’re doing bad. Don’t self appoint yourself goat then quit. 

you uncaring mansplainer...

[ztejas 43,411]

26 minutes ago, naija said:

Niki Lauda famously retired during the Japanese Grand Prix despite being ahead in points and as a result lost the Championship simply because he didn't feel safe.

go watch Free Solo again. Alex Honnold just flat out bailed the first time it was all set-up for him to go. He walks to Peter Croft, tells him that he bailed, who tells him, "yeah, good for you."

C'mon man. Gymnastics might be dangerous but it isn't 80s F1 or what Honnold does. 

I'm not going to bag on Biles too hard because I feel like she probably felt like she could compete and then she got in her own head. 

Like someone pointed out, we may have gotten silver either way. It is what it is. Kind of lame for her to bow out but if she wasn't right mentally then she wasn't right mentally.  If she had've gone out and stunk it up she would have been criticized to a bigger degree I think.