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2021 Tokyo Olympics

Dude

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No Olympic thread? Here we go. Maybe @Regs will have to change title to stay out of Olympic lawyer warpath.

I've been glued to the TV in the evenings, loving it, and mostly, my 6 YO daughter is loving it, too. When she watched Jennifer Abel & Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu win silver in diving, she said, "That Girl looks like me", then went on to ask about how she can also win a medal. :D

Honestly, it's the best, and I love watching all of our team do well, even when they are just missing out. The best quote I heard yesterday was our Gold Medalist swimmer, Maggie MacNeil, say that she doesn't wear contacts, and "Hasn't invested into prescription goggles yet." LOL. It's cause you are fcuking poor! Won't be long before Tyr or Speedo, or maybe one of the bigger wetsuit manufacturers offer her a lucrative sponsorship, and she'll be able to afford those goggles.

Today's gold medalist for us- weightlifter Maude Charron- only started crossfit a few years ago to get fit. Great story.

So, truth be known came here to write about women's soccer. I only woke up early enough to watch the second half of Canada Vs. GBR, round robin, and Canada's terrible effort to kill the match when up 1-0. Sophie Schmidt made more backwards passes than Russel Tiebert, and the ball didn't seem to come out of our own half. She looked tired, and was consistently being beaten to 50/50 balls. Definitely outplayed, from what I saw. Apparently Ashley Lawrence is our best player, and whoever our manager is had her playing left fullback? Seriously? The squad is that bad that you pull out your best piece in the middle of the park, and sacrifice that for her to play in a role that limits her ability to effect the outcome of a match? You could see the GBR press coming, and it was only a matter of time before they would be able to gain enough possession to let a shot loose....and in women's soccer, sorry, but the keepers are pretty much all midgets and diabolical. Anyways, I guess I'm saying I expected better. The team didn't look like a world beater to me.

@Ballbaby - you've disappeared except for your well spoken Twatter posts where we all know your wife or daughters are doing the writing for you. What was your take on the match and players?
 
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Regs

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dezza

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You could see the GBR press coming, and it was only a matter of time before they would be able to gain enough possession to let a shot loose....and in women's soccer, sorry, but the keepers are pretty much all midgets and diabolical.

No joke, that keeper claimed she was good enough to play PDL a few years go. Had a trial with Calgary Foothills and then made a big fuss when the league said she wouldn't be eligible to register and play league games. The cynic in me thinks Calgary never would have actually played her and it was all a publicity stunt, but who knows... Does she look like a 4th tier North American Men's league keeper to you @Dude?
 

Dude

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No joke, that keeper claimed she was good enough to play PDL a few years go. Had a trial with Calgary Foothills and then made a big fuss when the league said she wouldn't be eligible to register and play league games. The cynic in me thinks Calgary never would have actually played her and it was all a publicity stunt, but who knows... Does she look like a 4th tier North American Men's league keeper to you @Dude?
I don't think she'd make any FVSL or VMSL div 3 squad. Maybe as a back-up. The Hope Solos of the world are few and far in between.
 

Regs

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Simone Biles

So what side of the fence do fall on here?

Hero or something less than a hero?
 

mtkb

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Simone Biles

So what side of the fence do fall on here?

Hero or something less than a hero?
I'll bite. I don't believe her, which is very different than not having any empathy for her.

She put GOAT on her shoes and clothing, and smugly answered "I don't know" when asked in an interview if anyone could beat her. I noticed the pressure of it all conveniently didn't get to her until after she had a poor performance.

This reeks of her trying to deflect from the reality that she's not quite so invincible after all. Moreover, she's put her team in a real bad spot, and I guarantee there's a gymnast sitting at home in the US that wouldn't have closed up shop had they made the team and made one mistake.

You never know what other people are actually going through. Don't know her, don't really follow gymnastics (except in the courtroom). So, I could be completely wrong. But, on balance... not remotely buying it.
 

Dude

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Simone Biles

So what side of the fence do fall on here?

Hero or something less than a hero?
Definitely not less than what she already was, for me, anyways. My son and I were having a conversation the other day about the greatest athletes to ever live. Amongst Jordan, Brady, Gretz, Ali, Bolt, Phelps, etc., he brings up Biles. She's just absolutely incredible, must watch TV when she's out there.

The pressure is definitely heaped on, but in gymnastics, even more so. It's a hugely popular and contested event, and there is just nowhere to hide in these judged sports. At least with a race, when the gun goes off, all the pressure is released in a measured performance. There is no judgement, it's just the clock. Team sports, mostly the same situation, except with on-field-officials I suppose it's another element to manage. For that reason, I find he judged sports to be the highest pressure.

If she had a mental breakdown, so be it. If she tweaked her knee and is protecting it for her individual events, also fine w/ me. What bugs me is her coach leaked the story (apparently???) about this being a mental breakdown. Could have easily said it's injury related.
 

Regs

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You can't be the GOAT after pulling out during your sports highest "final"

Sure, can bring more of a voice to mental health awareness now but from a purely sporting aspect, she quit in the middle of a competition which shows a lack of mental toughness.
 

Dude

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…..also, I have a hard time putting sports figures into the "Hero" category. I admire the accomplishments, yes. I love it when they win for Canada, totally guilty. I do get inspired by performances. But a Hero to me are people like Rick and Dick Hoyt. People that affect real, positive change.
 

Dude

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You can't be the GOAT after pulling out during your sports highest "final"

Sure, can bring more of a voice to mental health awareness now but from a purely sporting aspect, she quit in the middle of a competition which shows a lack of mental toughness.
….she already was the GOAT. She will be until someone eclipses her accomplishments. Besides, she may yet add to that tally, further adding to GOAT-ness.
 

Dude

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You can't be the GOAT after pulling out during your sports highest "final"

Sure, can bring more of a voice to mental health awareness now but from a purely sporting aspect, she quit in the middle of a competition which shows a lack of mental toughness.
Also, maybe. We know nothing. You've watched her floor routines, think anyone can do that on a tweaked knee? She may be legitimately too injured to risk it for both events, so what do you risk? An individual medal, or one where the alternate will step in, and the US will still likely win anyways? Logically, it makes sense to rest her for the team comp, and have a go at the individual comp.
 

Regs

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Before today, I've never heard of her. And as of today, I have never seen her compete.

As for making a choice between a team event or individual events... choosing the later IN THE MIDDLE of the former is offside.
 

Dude

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Another note....love watching this girl surf. There is a great bio on Carissa Moor on Red Bull TV, she's had a come-back journey from injury just to make the US squad, and now win. Granted, it's the Yanks, Aussies, and everyone else in surfing, but still, pretty freaking cool....

 

Dude

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Before today, I've never heard of her. And as of today, I have never seen her compete.

As for making a choice between a team event or individual events... choosing the later IN THE MIDDLE of the former is offside.
Let me get this straight....you'd rather risk losing two gold medals (one for sure) instead of hedging your bets to give you the best chance to win two?

These are all assumptions, but try and follow me...

The US is trying to win the Olympics, and Gymnastics is a big part of their push.

The Team event is one where they are particularly strong. An alternate is probably a world champ herself in one event. Doc says the kid should pull out entirely, but the athlete overrides, and chooses to try and compete anyhow. If you are the head of that association, what direction are you going to approve? The one where there is an alternate to step in and still give you a medal, or the one that risks both?

Anyways....you and I can speak to mental toughness all we want, neither of us have had to deal with pressure on that level, so you talk, and my talk, is cheap as borsht.
 

Regs

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Anyways....you and I can speak to mental toughness all we want, neither of us have had to deal with pressure on that level, so you talk, and my talk, is cheap as borsht.
Sounds like you are quitting on the discussion.

angry homer simpson GIF
 

mtkb

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You can't be the GOAT after pulling out during your sports highest "final"

Sure, can bring more of a voice to mental health awareness now but from a purely sporting aspect, she quit in the middle of a competition which shows a lack of mental toughness.
Exactly. Jordan, Brady, Orr, Pele, they all failed at times. Ty Cobb and Pete Rose failed most of the time.

What makes this more egregious for me is that none of them anointed themselves as the GOAT (well, maybe Jordan did). Biles is brash and arrogant about it all day long. Fine. But when you have an off day, don't go scurrying off and try to make excuses like a petulant child. Go have a cry, pound a wall, and then re-calibrate - if not for yourself, then for the teammates that are depending on you...
 

bulljive

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…..also, I have a hard time putting sports figures into the "Hero" category. I admire the accomplishments, yes. I love it when they win for Canada, totally guilty. I do get inspired by performances. But a Hero to me are people like Rick and Dick Hoyt. People that affect real, positive change.
Are you calling Bonnie Henry a hero? I knew you’d come around.
 

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