There’s a little joke we used to tell at the Olympics: Nobody is more of an expert on anything than a sportswriter watching an Olympic sport for the second time.
Injecting "Conservatives" into this discussion seems gratuitous and a distraction, as if using Biles' situation to further <I>your</I> political agenda. Injecting Politics into sports is equally irksome from Liberals and Conservatives.
Just one clarification of several of the "generally male, generally older, generally outspokenly conservative" voices. The primary concern I've seen has to do with the media's fawning over Simone's decision, not the decision itself. To quit for a legitimate health concern is one thing. To have said quitting be turned into a "heroic" moment, is quite another.
Thanks Joe. You've eloquently described both the mental and physical struggles of elite athletes and the mendacity of self-absorbed negative assholes who are always looking for an opportunity to feel superior by belittling others. The song that runs through my mind as I type this is The Band's "Stage Fright". I wish the awe-inspiring Simone Biles continued success in her life whatever may come.
Simone has had far more defenders than detractors. That's because the vast majority of the people watching the Olympics are women, not traditional male sports fans.
Watching her in the trials a few weeks (months? I have no idea anymore), something seemed…off then. She was really rattled by every tiny mistake, and I thought she might have a tweaked ankle or something- I’m far from an expert (or even somewhat knowledgeable) about gymnastics, but I feel like an elite athlete with an injury translates. It seems that festered and got worse leading up to Tokyo.
It goes to show that mental health can manifest the same as physical health. If all she did was bring some additional attention to that idea, she will have had a successful Olympics.
This... is the correct take, and beautifully (as usual) expressed. Thank you, Joe, for everything you do and write. Anyone who disagrees with this piece is an irredeemable troll and worthy of no consideration whatever.
Excellent article as always Joe, thanks so much for writing this. I put the responsibility of this squarely on the shoulders of NBC. They put their hype machine in full gear a year ago, to the point where I was actually getting a little tired of Simone Biles a month before the Olympics even started, which is awful. It’s no wonder that her and Ledecky are overwhelmed. You could see Phelps struggling to come up with the right words in his interview with Tirico, trying to figure out what to say without throwing his employer under the bus. Shame on NBC for creating the situation, but I can guarantee it will be the same exact thing with new faces three years from now
If your chosen sport is running or swimming or putting the shot or something like that you can compete even if your mind is not all there. You may not, in fact you probably won't, win. But sports like gymnastics and skate boarding where you are doing crazy difficult things- you lose focus for a fraction and you could do yourself irreparable harm. As you mentioned "got lost in the air"- just imagine that, you run at full speed bounce off a spring board Lord knows how many feet up there and all of a sudden you are lost- you don't know up from down, can't even begin to imagine that. How would anyone be willing to take a risk under those circumstances.
Excellent post Joe! I have had to respond to a family member who was critical of Simone-the . Play through the pain kind of thing. Your response was far more eloquent than mine.
As an older white conservative who felt Simone's pain as I watched her struggle, I want this blog post injected into the veins of every negative asshole mouthpiece out there. Maybe they find compassion for a moment in their pitiful lives.
Biles is a champion in every way. She didn't walk away from the team. She came back and cheered them on although it had to hurt after all of that training not to participate. But the backed off because she was afraid her scores would hurt their chance to get a medal. That's the sign of a true champion. I hope she can shut out the naysayers and only hear the applause!!
Dammit Joe...you made me cry again! Sports are much, much, much bigger than wins and losses. We need to be reminded that the gifted athletes we love to watch are actually PEOPLE. You write with elegance and great humor.
Injecting "Conservatives" into this discussion seems gratuitous and a distraction, as if using Biles' situation to further <I>your</I> political agenda. Injecting Politics into sports is equally irksome from Liberals and Conservatives.
Just one clarification of several of the "generally male, generally older, generally outspokenly conservative" voices. The primary concern I've seen has to do with the media's fawning over Simone's decision, not the decision itself. To quit for a legitimate health concern is one thing. To have said quitting be turned into a "heroic" moment, is quite another.
Thanks Joe. You've eloquently described both the mental and physical struggles of elite athletes and the mendacity of self-absorbed negative assholes who are always looking for an opportunity to feel superior by belittling others. The song that runs through my mind as I type this is The Band's "Stage Fright". I wish the awe-inspiring Simone Biles continued success in her life whatever may come.
Simone has had far more defenders than detractors. That's because the vast majority of the people watching the Olympics are women, not traditional male sports fans.
Watching her in the trials a few weeks (months? I have no idea anymore), something seemed…off then. She was really rattled by every tiny mistake, and I thought she might have a tweaked ankle or something- I’m far from an expert (or even somewhat knowledgeable) about gymnastics, but I feel like an elite athlete with an injury translates. It seems that festered and got worse leading up to Tokyo.
It goes to show that mental health can manifest the same as physical health. If all she did was bring some additional attention to that idea, she will have had a successful Olympics.
This... is the correct take, and beautifully (as usual) expressed. Thank you, Joe, for everything you do and write. Anyone who disagrees with this piece is an irredeemable troll and worthy of no consideration whatever.
Joe, you nailed it. Simone did the smart thing for herself and her team. I feel sorry for the small, mean people who claim she “let her country down.”
Excellent article as always Joe, thanks so much for writing this. I put the responsibility of this squarely on the shoulders of NBC. They put their hype machine in full gear a year ago, to the point where I was actually getting a little tired of Simone Biles a month before the Olympics even started, which is awful. It’s no wonder that her and Ledecky are overwhelmed. You could see Phelps struggling to come up with the right words in his interview with Tirico, trying to figure out what to say without throwing his employer under the bus. Shame on NBC for creating the situation, but I can guarantee it will be the same exact thing with new faces three years from now
If your chosen sport is running or swimming or putting the shot or something like that you can compete even if your mind is not all there. You may not, in fact you probably won't, win. But sports like gymnastics and skate boarding where you are doing crazy difficult things- you lose focus for a fraction and you could do yourself irreparable harm. As you mentioned "got lost in the air"- just imagine that, you run at full speed bounce off a spring board Lord knows how many feet up there and all of a sudden you are lost- you don't know up from down, can't even begin to imagine that. How would anyone be willing to take a risk under those circumstances.
Excellent post Joe! I have had to respond to a family member who was critical of Simone-the . Play through the pain kind of thing. Your response was far more eloquent than mine.
Thank you, Joe. Simone Biles owes nothing to anyone, except perhaps to herself, to her own health and well-being.
Thanks for standing up for Simone, and for going after the hate machine, Joe Pos!
Thank you for saying this Joe.
As an older white conservative who felt Simone's pain as I watched her struggle, I want this blog post injected into the veins of every negative asshole mouthpiece out there. Maybe they find compassion for a moment in their pitiful lives.
Biles is a champion in every way. She didn't walk away from the team. She came back and cheered them on although it had to hurt after all of that training not to participate. But the backed off because she was afraid her scores would hurt their chance to get a medal. That's the sign of a true champion. I hope she can shut out the naysayers and only hear the applause!!
Dammit Joe...you made me cry again! Sports are much, much, much bigger than wins and losses. We need to be reminded that the gifted athletes we love to watch are actually PEOPLE. You write with elegance and great humor.