Olympics, better late than never

[Valmy77 13455]

Recipe for disaster? What disaster occured? 

Look if Simone can't go that sucks but we have a deep bench. Hope she gets herself right.

But the whole gender nationalist angle is really fucking annoying. Men! They are evil!! Once an athlete won a championship with a gimp leg 25 years ago!! Come on. Being a top athlete is a crazy business for crazy competitive people. I get that completely if doing the insane shit to be an Olympian isn't for you. It sure isn't for me. Go play intramurals, in the words of a Big 12 coach.

But I hope Simone feels better and gets out there and kicks ass. But if not hey next woman up. We will do our best to compete and win anyway. That's how it goes.

Edited July 28, 2021 by Valmy77

[Guest Lobo]

I figured like most Olympics, the conversations would devolve into conversations about playing sports in high school.  Most of reliving our glory days like Uncle Rico, making claims to our families and friends that if we had stuck with Water Polo a little longer, we could have played in college, maybe been an Olympic alternate.  Somebody waxing nostalgic about being good enough to make the U.S. Olympic baseball or basketball team back in the day before they let the pros play.  The usual banter filtered through the lens of decades of aging poorly.  But now, it's grown men bragging about how the mental fortitude forged in the competitive fire of JV football and low-stakes, no-cut baseball tournaments is greater than anything Simone Biles will ever know. 

I think a few of you competed for the Texas Longhorns but the rest of us have never put on anything more than a H.S. varsity jersey or maybe college club sport matching t-shirt.  She wears the uniform of our whole nation.  I'm gonna give her the benefit of the doubt.  But mostly so this fucking story will go away.  It's one thing to chat about it online but it's on every fucking news channel.  I turned on Bloomberg at work today and they were talking about it.  WTF?

To try and tie athletics and NSAA back together again, the real question about this whole ordeal is, is MacKayla Maroney impressed and what is she currently wearing? 

Edited July 28, 2021 by Lobo

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

22 hours ago, Surly Bevo said:

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

We can doog it......we are Surly.....

[Js1 85907]

"She should just rub some dirt on it and (wo)man up and represent her country, it's the fucking Olympics, if she gets injured, so be it.  She's there for MY entertainment"   -Out of shape couch commentators who haven't played sports in 20 years

[Valmy77 13455]

3 minutes ago, Js1 said:

"She should just rub some dirt on it and (wo)man up and represent her country, it's the fucking Olympics, if she gets injured, so be it.  She's there for MY entertainment"   -Out of shape couch commentators who haven't played sports in 20 years

Yeah even those of us who were pretty serious athletes at one point were never world class. Simone has devoted her whole life to this. If she can't go it must be pretty serious. I trust she and her coaches know what is best for her and the team. It is not like we are a one woman show anyway.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

Sounds like a lot of back stage shit was getting to her about the committee saying she was too good, they were going to judge her harder than other competitors, her body type made her unfairly better, her amazing routines, and moves were causing other gymnasts to attempt more, and more dangerous moves. Not sure if that's true, but I've seen that reported on a couple sources.

An alleged host of typical IOC BS issues that if true maybe made her say fuck this, I've been training my entire life, and now you're gonna change the rules just for me ?!  That could have pushed her over the edge.  

Whatever it is, she's been hard as fucking nails her entire career, and this is just horrible for her, and her teammates.

[Cheeseweasel 26438]

37 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

An alleged host of typical IOC BS issues that if true maybe made her say fuck this, I've been training my entire life, and now you're gonna change the rules just for me ?!  That could have pushed her over the edge.  

Yeah, that would make me say "fuck off", but I'm a Surly poster and by default, mentally weak.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

2 minutes ago, Cheeseweasel said:

Yeah, that would make me say "fuck off", but I'm a Surly poster and by default, mentally weak.

A man's got to know his limitations.....

[Cheeseweasel 26438]

3 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

A man's got to know his limitations.....

Are you saying I can't compete in Women's sports? 

 

Because you're right.

[Mole 4338]

I don’t care that much about gymnastics and I suspect that most of us with hot takes don’t either. It might have been a wise decision or the best decision for her and/or her team. If you can’t go, you can’t go. 

Calling this brave or even heroic is a bit much. Honestly, there’s not much that happens in athletic competition that should be called heroic. Jackie Robinson was brave and heroic. All of the gymnasts, including Giles, who spoke out about Nassar were brave and possibly heroic. Kevin McHale playing through the playoffs on a broken foot — persevering through a difficult and painful trial — was “sports brave.”

Backing out may have been wise and she certainly deserves no hate for it, but it’s not even sports brave. All of the brave/hero talk reminded me of this:

 

[DaysOff 8024]

Dad bod surlyites judging the most decorated gymnast.

[DonkeyCigars 143]

I read an interview with Ally Raisman before this happened and she was talking about how weird this Olympics probably is. In a normal year, it's awkward because you could be on the beam and then hear either the crowd gasping (if someone falls) or going wild (as someone lands something awesome) and it jolts you/scares you, but you are used to that. Gymnastics is such a focused/mental sport that being in an empty stadium and hearing the pen clicks of reporters and conversations and everything else has to be another wrinkle for gymnasts. 

That said, try to relate what happened to Simone to your own life. If you are a lawyer, have you ever had to present a case or try a case in front of the Supreme Court? If you are a businessman have you ever had to present to a BoD for 8 or 9 figures as the person who is solely responsible? Anything else similar?

Because I have had a couple of times had to perform solo (professionally) at the highest level and the pressure and stress and anxiety can hit you out of nowhere. It sucks for her, and maybe there is an element of mental strength and dexterity or lack thereof, but she's earned the benefit of the doubt here IMO.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

2 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

I read an interview with Ally Raisman before this happened and she was talking about how weird this Olympics probably is. In a normal year, it's awkward because you could be on the beam and then hear either the crowd gasping (if someone falls) or going wild (as someone lands something awesome) and it jolts you/scares you, but you are used to that. Gymnastics is such a focused/mental sport that being in an empty stadium and hearing the pen clicks of reporters and conversations and everything else has to be another wrinkle for gymnasts. 

That said, try to relate what happened to Simone to your own life. If you are a lawyer, have you ever had to present a case or try a case in front of the Supreme Court? If you are a businessman have you ever had to present to a BoD for 8 or 9 figures as the person who is solely responsible? Anything else similar?

Because I have had a couple of times had to perform solo (professionally) at the highest level and the pressure and stress and anxiety can hit you out of nowhere. It sucks for her, and maybe there is an element of mental strength and dexterity or lack thereof, but she's earned the benefit of the doubt here IMO.

You'd think they'd pump in some white background noise to offset the dead quiet atmosphere.  Nothing harder than shooting a foul shot in a dead quiet gym.

[Royalfan5 2356]

I wonder how much having crowds at the Olympic Trials and then going back fucked with them instead of being empty the whole time. 

[DonkeyCigars 143]

7 minutes ago, Royalfan5 said:

I wonder how much having crowds at the Olympic Trials and then going back fucked with them instead of being empty the whole time. 

Here is the actual question she (Aly Raisman) responded to:

Can you imagine what it would be like to compete in the absence of a crowd?

There have been times when the crowd is really helpful and uplifting. Then there are also times when I’m doing a bar routine and someone on another event falls and you can hear the crowd gasp, or the crowd erupts for someone else, and it startles you. One of the hard things about beam finals, for example, was I felt like I could hear a pin drop. It’s so quiet in there, and sometimes you can hear the clicking of the cameras, you can hear someone talking in the audience, so that might be distracting. Gymnastics is not one of those sports where you want to be pumped up.

 

Edited July 28, 2021 by DonkeyCigars

[Guest Lobo]

Jhawk (watching Simone drop out with intense mental fortitude):  "How much you wanna make a bet I can vault over them mountains?  Yeah, Team USA woulda put me in for Simone, we would've been Gold Champions.  No doubt."  

[ztejas 43777]

6 hours ago, G650 said:

Yeah it really isn't though. She would risk being dead or a paraplegic just as much as those two.

Not true at all but I'm kind of over this debate so cheers. Alincoln gave you the free solo list. You used to have an F1 driver die at an even literally every 2 years. Up until around 1980. Even after that guys still die. Senna died in 1993 or 94.

Either way - has Biles ever smacked her head on the ground and spent months in the hospital? If not then using Lauda as an example is borderline offensive to the size of that guys nuts. Let's stick with Naomi Osaka or Phelps even. 

[DonkeyCigars 143]

22 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Not true at all but I'm kind of over this debate so cheers. Alincoln gave you the free solo list. You used to have an F1 driver die at an even literally every 2 years. Up until around 1980. Even after that guys still die. Senna died in 1993 or 94.

Either way - has Biles ever smacked her head on the ground and spent months in the hospital? If not then using Lauda as an example is borderline offensive to the size of that guys nuts. Let's stick with Naomi Osaka or Phelps even. 

Yea, I am on the side of Simone here as is naija and I think his argument is sound but using the analogies he used was a mental error and he should just admit as much because it doesn't detract one bit from his point.

[dcar00 14630]

5 hours ago, Js1 said:

"She should just rub some dirt on it and (wo)man up and represent her country, it's the fucking Olympics, if she gets injured, so be it.  She's there for MY entertainment"   -Out of shape couch commentators who haven't played sports in 20 years

No one is going to care she quit in 2 weeks.

[hundredTT 578]

At first I was like what a quitter, she is making excuses. Then realized I’ve been hospitalized twice for anxiety attacks, so wtf am I saying. Not sure she had an attack or whatever, but If she had anything close to one, no way she could compete. I was knocked on my ass for weeks after a major anxiety attack, worst feeling in the world. And I saw her laughing on the sideline and all that, but still, she obviously had some kind of breaking point. I grew up in a household where anxiety was a made up thing bla bla bla. I grew up thinking mental health was mainly just people complaining, was mostly BS, over-exaggerated. And boy did karma do one on my ass as I got in my mid 20’s and on. The only thing I hate is her timing, as another gymnast could have had an opportunity in her place. But, guess she thought she could overcome this.  

[clapclapclap 9000]

No Context Olympics Announcing:

female - "All Cummings can do now is focus on his clean and jerks.  Snatches don't matter now."

Edited July 28, 2021 by clapclapclap

[Dr Fear 1269]

FYI, golf starts at 5:30pm central on the Golf Channel. 

[dcar00 14630]

5 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

You'd think they'd pump in some white background noise to offset the dead quiet atmosphere.  Nothing harder than shooting a foul shot in a dead quiet gym.

this would be a good idea but they practice in basically quiet gyms all the time

[SquishMitten 10466]

7 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Yep. The basic analogy of the baseball pitcher pulling himself out of a game is a false comparison. The baseball pitcher knows a reliever can come in, and most likely with better stuff than he can throw. Gymnasts isn't structured like that. Maybe it should be, but its not. 

Not sure we can really say one way or the other. She had issues in warm ups. If she had pulled herself prior to the event, then whoever filled in for her may have done better. She turned in a terrible score because she tried to fight through it. Obviously we have no way of knowing if her replacement would've done better, but considering she got one of the worst scores out of the entire group, it's quite likely that a backup US gymnast is still better than at least 3 or 4 other gymnasts from around the world. Then Lee, filling in for Biles, tied for the highest overall score on the bars. Could Biles have done better than that? Maybe. Maybe not. I don't think the baseball analogy is terrible, it's just that gymnastics is quite a bit different in that there aren't millions of data points to compare them (i.e., lots of pitchers have been pulled and we know that's often the correct decision, not maybe gymnasts have so we don't really know).

[dcar00 14630]

5 hours ago, DonkeyCigars said:

I read an interview with Ally Raisman before this happened and she was talking about how weird this Olympics probably is. In a normal year, it's awkward because you could be on the beam and then hear either the crowd gasping (if someone falls) or going wild (as someone lands something awesome) and it jolts you/scares you, but you are used to that. Gymnastics is such a focused/mental sport that being in an empty stadium and hearing the pen clicks of reporters and conversations and everything else has to be another wrinkle for gymnasts. 

That said, try to relate what happened to Simone to your own life. If you are a lawyer, have you ever had to present a case or try a case in front of the Supreme Court? If you are a businessman have you ever had to present to a BoD for 8 or 9 figures as the person who is solely responsible? Anything else similar?

Because I have had a couple of times had to perform solo (professionally) at the highest level and the pressure and stress and anxiety can hit you out of nowhere. It sucks for her, and maybe there is an element of mental strength and dexterity or lack thereof, but she's earned the benefit of the doubt here IMO.

sure but she's been at the olympics and world championships many times before.  its not like it was her first time and she's 24 not 16.

she got the yips and pulled out.  her team needed her to try to fight through it because her starting scores are really high and of course she's the best in the world.

It might have been good if they would have at least let friends and family come.   seeing familiar faces in the crowd might calm you a bit and push you a bit.

[dcar00 14630]

5 minutes ago, SquishMitten said:

Not sure we can really say one way or the other. She had issues in warm ups. If she had pulled herself prior to the event, then whoever filled in for her may have done better. She turned in a terrible score because she tried to fight through it. Obviously we have no way of knowing if her replacement would've done better, but considering she got one of the worst scores out of the entire group, it's quite likely that a backup US gymnast is still better than at least 3 or 4 other gymnasts from around the world. Then Lee, filling in for Biles, tied for the highest overall score on the bars. Could Biles have done better than that? Maybe. Maybe not. I don't think the baseball analogy is terrible, it's just that gymnastics is quite a bit different in that there aren't millions of data points to compare them (i.e., lots of pitchers have been pulled and we know that's often the correct decision, not maybe gymnasts have so we don't really know).

If Biles goes they likely win. she probably picks up the whole team with her normal performances.  the floor routine from the one girl was a killer. probably a 2.5 to 3 point difference there but I'm not sure if she was a normal US floor participant.

that said the yips could have caused her to completely fall apart.

[Mileslong 4753]

If I was going to compete in an Olympic sport it would definitely be the breaststroke…

[naija 2869]

Not true at all but I'm kind of over this debate so cheers. Alincoln gave you the free solo list. You used to have an F1 driver die at an even literally every 2 years. Up until around 1980. Even after that guys still die. Senna died in 1993 or 94.
Either way - has Biles ever smacked her head on the ground and spent months in the hospital? If not then using Lauda as an example is borderline offensive to the size of that guys nuts. Let's stick with Naomi Osaka or Phelps even. 

You seem to think that I brought up Lauda mainly as an example post his injury. No. The point was to show that even before his injury, he argued against the race going on. He thought the risk was too high and has always maintained that stance. You don’t have to get injured first before coming to that decision. Same as Honnold. You just think there should be a certain amount of bodily risk attached to the decision for it to be acceptable. And the risk that gymnasts face doesn’t meet your criteria/threshold. Even in the face of several gymnasts stating that the fear of ending up paralyzed or badly hurt is real. And given that it has happened, it’s not an irrational fear. I don’t think that their risk of injury needs to approach that of an F1 driver in the 1980s or a climber for that to be the case.

We talk to people about the risk of injury from surgery all the time. What people feel is acceptable is vastly different. What is universally true is that when it happens, it feels 100% to the person. Nobody self-consoles saying “well it was only a 0.5% chance”

[Napoleon 8733]

48 minutes ago, Mileslong said:

If I was going to compete in an Olympic sport it would definitely be the breaststroke…

Men's?

[G650 14303]

3 hours ago, ztejas said:

Not true at all but I'm kind of over this debate so cheers. Alincoln gave you the free solo list. You used to have an F1 driver die at an even literally every 2 years. Up until around 1980. Even after that guys still die. Senna died in 1993 or 94.

Either way - has Biles ever smacked her head on the ground and spent months in the hospital? If not then using Lauda as an example is borderline offensive to the size of that guys nuts. Let's stick with Naomi Osaka or Phelps even. 

I mean agree to disagree, it's all good. The point isn't the rate of incidence though it's what the outcome can be and stepping away from a dangerous situation proactively

I can tell you I've personally broken my back twice, collarbone, nose, myriad other bones wrecking autos and motorcycles at a high rate of speed. I am the last person to undersell what that entails, I tell people pretty regularly there is no way to adequately describe the forces in play in a wreck like that, it has to be experienced. But none of this changes the fact a gymnast could just as easily paralyze or kill themselves taking a header.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

1 hour ago, dcar00 said:

this would be a good idea but they practice in basically quiet gyms all the time

Yeah... but you talkin' bout practice........ you talkin' bout practice..

[Horn80 6241]

Biles knows something is mentally broken and she’s not capable of performing without great risk to herself.   Good for her.

[WBT 20775]

Vamos las pumas!  They take the bronze 17-12 over GB.

[naija 2869]

T&F starts tomorrow?

[WBT 20775]

34 minutes ago, WBT said:

Vamos las pumas!  They take the bronze 17-12 over GB.

And Fiji repeats for the gold.  Those polynesian ties.

[shadow_operative2.0 16070]

Claes/Sponcil beach live on USA. 

[Sawbonz 27795]

9 hours ago, Valmy77 said:

Recipe for disaster? What disaster occured? 

Look if Simone can't go that sucks but we have a deep bench. Hope she gets herself right.

But the whole gender nationalist angle is really fucking annoying. Men! They are evil!! Once an athlete won a championship with a gimp leg 25 years ago!! Come on. Being a top athlete is a crazy business for crazy competitive people. I get that completely if doing the insane shit to be an Olympian isn't for you. It sure isn't for me. Go play intramurals, in the words of a Big 12 coach.

But I hope Simone feels better and gets out there and kicks ass. But if not hey next woman up. We will do our best to compete and win anyway. That's how it goes.

I’ve been taking care of athletes including female gymnasts for 25 years. There is no group that is more mentally and physically tough than they are. At the elite level they are all in pain every day during competition, just like pro football and basketball players. There is a video out there in slow motion narrated by a former gymnast. She was supposed to do a 2 1/2 on that move and you can tell after the half she had no idea where the fuck she was. She completed the full and somehow found the ground with her feet. She could have just as easily landed on her head or shoulders with the full weight of her body axially loading her spine in a flexed position. She would have been a para or a quad and you can tell by the look on her face she knew how close a call it was. 

[cactusflinthead 27615]

[clapclapclap 9000]

At some point every great athlete peaks and starts to lose it.  Not sure what's dumber, the armchair hot takes bashing her or the smothering PC media that burned 'The Emperor's New Clothes' circling the wagons. 

Anyway, she had a fantastic career and made America proud many times.  So thank you, Simone.

[Parliament 14410]

Take your levity elsewhere, Sir.

[AUS-97HORN 11894]

Damn Finke came out of nowhere to win that 800M

[Telegraph_it 3374]

Just now, AUS-97HORN said:

Damn Finke came out of nowhere to win that 800M

Frikin a. That was impressive. 

[AUS-97HORN 11894]

I legit think he was 4th or 5th at the final turn and like 2 body lengths behind. 

[hookem2010 2648]

I’ve been taking care of athletes including female gymnasts for 25 years. There is no group that is more mentally and physically tough than they are. At the elite level they are all in pain every day during competition, just like pro football and basketball players. There is a video out there in slow motion narrated by a former gymnast. She was supposed to do a 2 1/2 on that move and you can tell after the half she had no idea where the fuck she was. She completed the full and somehow found the ground with her feet. She could have just as easily landed on her head or shoulders with the full weight of her body axially loading her spine in a flexed position. She would have been a para or a quad and you can tell by the look on her face she knew how close a call it was. 

Not at your level, but I worked in ortho in Cypress, which is very much gymnast territory. They beat the shit out of their bodies even when they're not getting "injured". The stress lines on their tibias were insane. And we didn't treat any personally, but I heard of some horrific, life-altering injuries.

[ztejas 43777]

1 hour ago, cactusflinthead said:

Someone here beat Pete to that joke.

Also... we did send our best skater. Maybe the lack of weed was his downfall, though. 

[AUS-97HORN 11894]

Dressel with a nice run in that 100 free, but damn he almost stretched a little too soon.   .06 win

[WBT 20775]

Hello Mrs. Dressel

[mchookem 16591]

gosh Dressel got it a little dusty.

 

lolol at Steve Kornecky doing the stats on medal counts, scores, etc. hahahaha numbers are numbers i guess 😄

[Valmy77 13455]

2 hours ago, Sawbonz said:

I’ve been taking care of athletes including female gymnasts for 25 years. There is no group that is more mentally and physically tough than they are. At the elite level they are all in pain every day during competition, just like pro football and basketball players. There is a video out there in slow motion narrated by a former gymnast. She was supposed to do a 2 1/2 on that move and you can tell after the half she had no idea where the fuck she was. She completed the full and somehow found the ground with her feet. She could have just as easily landed on her head or shoulders with the full weight of her body axially loading her spine in a flexed position. She would have been a para or a quad and you can tell by the look on her face she knew how close a call it was. 

Exactly. If she has determined she can't go, it must be pretty legit.

[WBT 20775]

Holy shit, I thought Ledecky was going to pull that off