Go for gold.....and don't let them take it away
Last night I was really tired and out late hanging out with Meg and Mikey [I got my hug I really wanted :)] and it was also cool because I got to see Talia and her mom again as they moved more stuff in, but I wanted to sleep in this morning and it just wasn't happening. I woke up not feeling too well, and then my allergies hit, and then by the time Carline IMed me, I figured I might as well get up and have a day.
I was just talking to her about something I heard on TV last night that I feel I must make a comment on (anyone, feel free to add your input in, I'd love to hear your opinion too). So I'm watching the news right after the Olympics and I'm hearing that the IOC has asked, in a sense, Paul Hamm to give back his gold medal he won in the all around. That is complete CRAP! Bob Costas had an interview with the president of the IOC and after hearing what he had to say, I'm surprised they even had the audacity to pose such an option to Paul Hamm. The president basically said that a double gold (an option I had thrown my support to earlier) wasn't going to happen, and I understand why now. In Salt Lake, with Jamie Sale and Dave Pelletier, that difference of scoring was a scandal, in which there was blatant prejudice. With Paul Hamm and Yang Tae Young, it was human error, which the president commented that [human error] is just something you have to deal with in sport. It's not anything done out of spite, just a mistake; it happens. He used a very good example: if you're a referee of a soccer match and you make a call and later look at the tape of the game and realize that the call was totally wrong, the outcome of the match doesn't change. I relate such a comment to the all around controversy and agree that the judges made a mistake, not Paul Hamm, and therefore you should not take his medal away.
Now, maybe Talia can correct me if I am wrong, the rules of gymnastics state that such an error by the judges has to be brought to attention on the floor. However, it took them, at least, a day and half to realize. The gold, silver, and bronze had already been given, presented, and celebrated. To come back days later (and now we're hitting a good week) and say that it would be very noble and extremely respected if Paul Hamm gave back the gold so that it can be given to Young is completely ridiculous. YOU CAN'T DO THAT! That's going against the rules of gymnastics in such matters, and kinda contradicts what the president of the IOC said earlier to Bob Costas. Dad had me read some comments of people in the newspaper the other day and one of them was really good. I can't directly quote it word for word, but it basically said that if you can be 100% sure and positive that, had Paul Hamm known ahead of time of the mistake, that the results still wouldn't have changed, then you can take it away. Basically, it's possible that Paul Hamm might have performed differently throughout the competition, knowing how far behind he actually was and what had just happened. But he didn't know, and you can't be sure that things wouldn't have changed had he known. Another good comment said that to take away the gold from Paul Hamm is saying that he didn't deserve it, which is just wrong. I agree with that too.
I think you need to take this and just chalk it up as a huge mistake on the judges part, that yes, may have screwed Young out of gold, but what can you do. You can't do anything about it. Human error. Congratulations Paul Hamm on your gold.....don't let them bully you into giving it up. You definitely deserve it! :)
I was just talking to her about something I heard on TV last night that I feel I must make a comment on (anyone, feel free to add your input in, I'd love to hear your opinion too). So I'm watching the news right after the Olympics and I'm hearing that the IOC has asked, in a sense, Paul Hamm to give back his gold medal he won in the all around. That is complete CRAP! Bob Costas had an interview with the president of the IOC and after hearing what he had to say, I'm surprised they even had the audacity to pose such an option to Paul Hamm. The president basically said that a double gold (an option I had thrown my support to earlier) wasn't going to happen, and I understand why now. In Salt Lake, with Jamie Sale and Dave Pelletier, that difference of scoring was a scandal, in which there was blatant prejudice. With Paul Hamm and Yang Tae Young, it was human error, which the president commented that [human error] is just something you have to deal with in sport. It's not anything done out of spite, just a mistake; it happens. He used a very good example: if you're a referee of a soccer match and you make a call and later look at the tape of the game and realize that the call was totally wrong, the outcome of the match doesn't change. I relate such a comment to the all around controversy and agree that the judges made a mistake, not Paul Hamm, and therefore you should not take his medal away.
Now, maybe Talia can correct me if I am wrong, the rules of gymnastics state that such an error by the judges has to be brought to attention on the floor. However, it took them, at least, a day and half to realize. The gold, silver, and bronze had already been given, presented, and celebrated. To come back days later (and now we're hitting a good week) and say that it would be very noble and extremely respected if Paul Hamm gave back the gold so that it can be given to Young is completely ridiculous. YOU CAN'T DO THAT! That's going against the rules of gymnastics in such matters, and kinda contradicts what the president of the IOC said earlier to Bob Costas. Dad had me read some comments of people in the newspaper the other day and one of them was really good. I can't directly quote it word for word, but it basically said that if you can be 100% sure and positive that, had Paul Hamm known ahead of time of the mistake, that the results still wouldn't have changed, then you can take it away. Basically, it's possible that Paul Hamm might have performed differently throughout the competition, knowing how far behind he actually was and what had just happened. But he didn't know, and you can't be sure that things wouldn't have changed had he known. Another good comment said that to take away the gold from Paul Hamm is saying that he didn't deserve it, which is just wrong. I agree with that too.
I think you need to take this and just chalk it up as a huge mistake on the judges part, that yes, may have screwed Young out of gold, but what can you do. You can't do anything about it. Human error. Congratulations Paul Hamm on your gold.....don't let them bully you into giving it up. You definitely deserve it! :)