......really the Olympics, anymore? The best of the best non-professional competitors, men against men, women against women, commies against the good guys, etc.etc.... ...all out the window. Lemme understand this, and just an example, so don't get all indignant, you BB defenders: All Pro Team BB Players (excuse me-amateurs) fielded as the Olympics Team? Remind me again about that Jim Thorpe Medal stripping, and what for...... Remind me again about Ali turning Pro only AFTER competing as a legitimate amatuer unpaid contender...what the hell was wrong with him, anyway, waiting to turn paid Pro? Stupid.....
Love the post, @charley. I was an aspiring distance runner when that whole amateur / professional olympic participant nonsense first came up, circa 1979. My Dad wanted me to run a summer road race (prize money to top finishers was a very new thing at that time) in front of my visiting grandparents. I was good enough to win but, on principle, I declined to run fearing I would compromise my elegibility. Riiight . . . as if I could ever be good enough to run in the Olympics (we all have our dreams at 20 or so). Anyway, we both dug our heels in, and I ended up stubbornly not running. I think I did the right thing for me, but not for my Dad. My grandparents never did see me run competitively, and I still feel some regret over that, even though they are long gone. We're in a different time now, where no one balks at taking money for the privilege of participating in a sport or playing a game one loves anyway . . . let alone holding out for obscene amounts. Worse yet, visibility of the talents of those up-and-coming are obstructed by those professionals the IOC indulges.
I enjoyed your Post immensely. My thoughts and sentiments parallel yours. I would have made the choice you did, BTW.
I think its long past time for cheetahs who identify as human long distance runners to compete in the Olympics. Does Title IX cover cheetahs? If not, it certainly should as long as the cheetahs identify as human.
Yeah…. I rather believe all this thinking came from back in the days when the Soviets fielded their best ice hockey players and made the rest of the worlds ice hockey teams look like amateurs…. And as I recall the USA’s response was to field NBA players for the Olympic basketball team. And frankly yes, I lost interest in the Olympics as a result. I’ll tune in to the winter games because I enjoy the ski jumpers and bobsledders. But yes I do agree that the Olympics went the wrong way when professional athletes began replacing the amateurs.
I have never watched even one of the games played by the US Olympic basketball team since it was composed of professionals . . . and I'm not talking about the 2024 Games . . . I'm talking about all of them. It's always the same old, media-worn personalities, instead of the fresh new talent I want to see. However, I still enjoy the Summer Olympics immensely, watching everything from sculling, wrestling, volleyball, water polo, gymnastics, sailing, rugby, and cycling to swimming and track & field. Some of the experimental flash-in-the-pan stuff doesn't do much for me (Synchronized swimming, Artistic gymnastics, breakdancing, etc) but most of The Games really excite me.
Oh well... The People, for a brief few hours, had a respite from the Ideology of Division, via the magnificent performances by the U.S. Team...Ledecky, Biles, to name a few. It was wonderful. Then what happens....a brilliant act of courage and grit, and fighting back from a years long depressive psychological barrier....turns into a Kaepernick Schtick. Really? I could understand Kaepernick, a QB knowing he was going to be on his way out due to his ho-hum performance in the Pros, turns to the Politics Race Card for attention, and the Wampum was disappearing, and he had to do something to keep the Benjamins coming. I get it. BUT, BILES? What is her excuse? It was unnecessary, and more than that, was a deliberate Race Card and political attention getting act, and she had to know this. An Olympic Champion represents ALL The People her Colors represent...not half The People. Why do so? More attention? It does not add to her performance and glory. It demeans her. I am disappointed. No, I am not advocating a ban on her Right to Free Speech. It is the circumstances, the moment, and the irresponsibility, via deliberately playing the media game of misinterpreting a statement for the purpose of keeping the Ideology Of Division money Train running. I find it despicable. More so, because it also robbed the moment of Glory from her U.S. Olympic Team fellow contestants and their performances, that due to Biles's actions were ignored by the Media. That is not the self dignity, or self respect, or respect for The People she represents and expect from a Champion representing ALL OF US. What a bucket of ice to throw on the enjoyment of the Olympics. That is all I have to say about that. Truth in editing: added a "k" where appropriate
What’d I miss @charley? Edit: Never mind, @charley . . . I found it. Stupid thing for her to say, and, as you indicated . . . intentionally divisive. Neither Biden, Harris, nor The Democrat Party had anything at all to do with the job she enj0ys so much, yet she chose to publicly take political sides. What enables her to enjoy where she's at? Her work ethic, her willingness to endure fatigue, discomfort and pain. To persist through the physical and mental barriers she encounters. Sounds more like conservative personal values than liberal party platform. She better than anyone else knows this, and she better than anyone else should know not to imply that party principles had anything at all to do with her success and enjoyment of the sport. I've long enjoyed her path, and have tremendous respect for her accomplishments, but if she doesn't apologize publicly for this remark, shame on Simone Biles. Instead of saying, "I love my black job", in the same number of words, she could have said something far less divisive and far more constructive . . . "Working passionately rewarded me well"..
Yes, and total agreement to your commentary. Of course an Apology is due, and the very first apology needs to be..... and should be demanded by her coaches.....to all the members of the U.S. Team. Then she can move on to apologizing to The People she is supposed to represent: US.
