usa olympics

[twocoach]

Again, I just think that is all apples to oranges.

For some reason, this one just feels really weird to be sitting on an internet message board telling it like it is to an Olympic athlete and one that has already proven to be a medalist and all-time great.

I'm not sure what to make of the whole thing. I'm glad people are generally more willing to talk about mental health, and that the slow work of undoing stigma is being done.

But, there's a part of me that feels also like what happened is that she choked. That she succumbed to the pressure of the moment.

Which is something that happens! It's just not supposed to happen to her; indeed, one of the many things that makes her arguably the greatest Olympian of all time is that she does not choke.

So I guess, I'm good with not calling her a quitter, etc. - she knew she was going to hurt her team, so she pulled the ripcord. There's something noble in that. But I'm a bit uncomfortable with the lionizing that's going on.

Simone Biles has not had much experience handling a really bad meet as she has not had one in ages. I can't imagine the stress she is under, let alone to have this be the event where she just doesn't have it together. She looked completely shocked by her poor performance in the qualifying and looked even more stunned that she just couldn't pull it together today. Quite honestly, she did her team a favor by withdrawing as she looked to be well on her way to posting some terrible scores. At least they had a chance to go out there and do better than what Biles feared she would give them.

A bad day to have a bad day.

[twocoach]

One question I've seen a few times on twitter when it comes to showing support for Biles and her "mental health"...

Would you show the same support if Kevin Durant announced he wasn't going to play anymore after the loss to France? Or if the USWNT decided to pack it up after being shut out by Sweden?

It'd have been more like if he pulled himself from the game after Fournier hit the 3 to take the lead.

AKA a Scottie Pippen.

[Deleted User 887]

I just can't compare physical issues with mental.
There are physical issues to where it is literally impossible to compete. And then physical issues where it makes it very difficult to compete.
Severe stress and anxiety is very different than that for me.

I have mixed feelings on that.
I spent many a Mondays in a "dual disorder" group. People in there ranging from a Lawyer and a former Psychiatrist who were both living in a YMCA to a guy who's father beat the living shit out of him and burned him with cigarettes multiple times a day, to a rape victim, and on and on.
These people shared stories of how they were rolled up in the fetal position and not able to leave their bed for multiple days, how they attempted suicide, how they took out their issues on those they love, how the only people they speak to/with are the people in our group, etc, etc, etc, a hundred etc.
HUGE wake up call for me in regards to how "mental illness" can be completely devastating and debilitating.
I learned it's best not to try and minimize and/or maximize anyone else's mental issues because things affect us all differently and we all handle things differently.

[twocoach]

I am just glad that she was honest with herself and recognized that she likely wasn't going to be able to provide what the team needed and withdrew so the other athletes had a chance to win a medal in their Olympic moment.

If I was one of those athletes and she had decided to go ahead and try and then bombed, costing them a medal, I would have been super pissed that she though her diminished capacity was better than my non diminished capacity.

[pdub]

If she had that bad of a mental disorder ( re:gutter ) she should not have gone to the Olympics.

[TDub]

Again, I just think that is all apples to oranges.

For some reason, this one just feels really weird to be sitting on an internet message board telling it like it is to an Olympic athlete and one that has already proven to be a medalist and all-time great.

I'm not sure what to make of the whole thing. I'm glad people are generally more willing to talk about mental health, and that the slow work of undoing stigma is being done.

But, there's a part of me that feels also like what happened is that she choked. That she succumbed to the pressure of the moment.

Which is something that happens! It's just not supposed to happen to her; indeed, one of the many things that makes her arguably the greatest Olympian of all time is that she does not choke.

So I guess, I'm good with not calling her a quitter, etc. - she knew she was going to hurt her team, so she pulled the ripcord. There's something noble in that. But I'm a bit uncomfortable with the lionizing that's going on.

Oh I did not know that was occurring--I would agree with that.

I personally don't think ridicule or praise is particularly appropriate here.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/27/opinions ... index.html

Its occuring.

[sdoyel]

Ledecky 5th in the 200?!

What is going on?

[twocoach]

If she had that bad of a mental disorder ( re:gutter ) she should not have gone to the Olympics.

It's not a mental disorder. She was not mentally in a place where she could deliver what was needed so she gave her teammates the chance to do it and they delivered.

Jordan Chiles never gets the chance to do that amazing balance beam routine, an amazing Olympic experience she never has if Biles chooses the easier path and competes. Biles and Chiles are as close as sisters. Chiles trains at Biles' gym.

I personally think Biles realized that she wasn't able to perform well enough for her team to medal and she chose to do what she has to know is going to have severe negative backlash to give her teammates the better chance to medal.

[sdoyel]

Mens swimming has been disappointing!

Ledecky dominates the 1500 and has a couple events left to salvage the miss on the 200.

[TDub]

I love the whitewater kayak competitions

[sdoyel]

Kind of BS to have to get premium access to the NBC streaming service just to see some of these events.

[Deleted User 887]

Biles now "quit" on herself and won't participate in the individual all-around.
Probably the best P.R. move she could do.
Now we are getting this..... USA Gymnastics said, "Biles will be evaluated before deciding if she will participate in next week's individual events".
Even if she doesn't participate I think she will probably stay to cheer for her teammates - which is admirable, but it MIGHT not be a bad idea for her to remove herself from the Olympics to avoid the distraction/s.

[Deleted User 887]

If she had that bad of a mental disorder ( re:gutter ) she should not have gone to the Olympics.

I agree. If she was having the "disorder" pre Olympics.
As I said before,
"My worthless 2 cents but I truly believe this.
She shouldn't have gone to Tokyo.
She did to appease her teammates, her fans, and her country, more than herself. Very admirable. Until she quit on them".

[twocoach]

Biles now "quit" on herself and won't participate in the individual all-around.
Probably the best P.R. move she could do.
Now we are getting this..... USA Gymnastics said, "Biles will be evaluated before deciding if she will participate in next week's individual events".
Even if she doesn't participate I think she will probably stay to cheer for her teammates - which is admirable, but it MIGHT not be a bad idea for her to remove herself from the Olympics to avoid the distraction/s.

Now teammate Jade Carey, whom I felt was more deserving of the spot based on her qualifying round performance, gets to take her place in the individual all around competition. I think Biles made it out of qualifying based on reputation, not performance.

[twocoach]

Biles now "quit" on herself and won't participate in the individual all-around.
Probably the best P.R. move she could do.
Now we are getting this..... USA Gymnastics said, "Biles will be evaluated before deciding if she will participate in next week's individual events".
Even if she doesn't participate I think she will probably stay to cheer for her teammates - which is admirable, but it MIGHT not be a bad idea for her to remove herself from the Olympics to avoid the distraction/s.

My guess is that she stays to cheer on her teammates and support them through the rest of their events and so that she can field the question about her instead of them.

[twocoach]

Ledecky 5th in the 200?!

What is going on?

The one year delay is helping some athletes and hurting others. Last year, Lily King was dominant in her event. This year, she got beat for the gold by a 17 year who wouldn't have qualified for the Olympics last year. That's part of what makes multi-Olympic success so rare and incredible.

[Deleted User 863]

Biles now "quit" on herself and won't participate in the individual all-around.
Probably the best P.R. move she could do.
Now we are getting this..... USA Gymnastics said, "Biles will be evaluated before deciding if she will participate in next week's individual events".
Even if she doesn't participate I think she will probably stay to cheer for her teammates - which is admirable, but it MIGHT not be a bad idea for her to remove herself from the Olympics to avoid the distraction/s.

Now teammate Jade Carey, whom I felt was more deserving of the spot based on her qualifying round performance, gets to take her place in the individual all around competition. I think Biles made it out of qualifying based on reputation, not performance.

Yes. Jade Carey did awesome in her final qualifying event and the announcers were stunned at her score. It was bizarre how much lower her score was than what they thought it would be with a seemingly perfect routine.

Happy for her.

[NDballer13]

You want a good story? Olympic Golf may have the story of the Olympics outside of the Biles drama. South Koreans are literally playing for their life. If they don't medal, goodbye golf and hello military.

[twocoach]

You want a good story? Olympic Golf may have the story of the Olympics outside of the Biles drama. South Koreans are literally playing for their life. If they don't medal, goodbye golf and hello military.

"Their lives" is overly dramatic as the South Korean military isn't exactly in harm's way anywhere. "For their livelihood" would be more accurate. They are playing to avoid doing the mandatory 18 months of military service that would otherwise interrupt their desired professional golf careers.

[Deleted User 863]

You want a good story? Olympic Golf may have the story of the Olympics outside of the Biles drama. South Koreans are literally playing for their life. If they don't medal, goodbye golf and hello military.

Lots of added pressure for Si Woo Kim and Sunjae Im.

I have taken shots on both in my DK lineups.

Hell, Sunjae Im didn't even play in the Open Championship (british open for the non golfers) so that he could prepare for the Olympics. That's cool and telling just how important these next few days are for him.

Good luck to the South Koreans!