Comments | rinifer: Respect and sports

rinifer

Respect and sports

Aug 19, 2004 08:17

After watching an amazing comeback by U.S. gymnast Paul Hamm last night, I couldn't help but wish that the thrill of victory did not have to be tied to the agony of defeat. I've heard the claim that reality shows are all about exploiting people's pain, but I would argue that sports do this to an even greater degree.

Why do we interview the ( Read more... )

Comments 4

libraterra August 19 2004, 08:03:47 UTC

Yeah... I was watching the shot put event yesterday and this guy fouled 5 out of 6 times - his last shot put had gone far enough to win the gold. when they interviewed him they were like "how disappointing to make it back to the olympics with what it takes to win only to jack it up because you were nervous" (obviously that's me paraphrasing lol) announcers are mean! and he still got SILVER!!

helpful_ninja August 19 2004, 10:43:14 UTC

I gotta say I really don't like the attitude some commentators have that anything less than someone's media-hyped goal "He's expected to win 8 gold medals *repeat twenty times*" is a huge disappointment.

Being second best in the world should still be fucking awesome, and it is so lame that the american media has their expectation-hype cranked to 11.

spirit_of_zen August 19 2004, 14:10:47 UTC

Ive said it before and Ill say it again, athletes crack me up.

When they win it goes like this. "I would like to thank God, for giving me the ability to best my opponents and my coach, and my country for backing me."

When they lose however, the same doesn't apply now does it. It always ends like this "It was totally my fault. I let you all down, I suck."

JUST ONCE, Id like to see this: "Yeah, I was right there in the race until God gave me a Charley Horse." or "Well i could have won gold, but my country just wasn't behind me 100%", or "yeah, next year Ill do better when I get a better coach."

thats what I'm waiting for.

rinifer August 19 2004, 14:59:02 UTC

There's some fun implied blame in the comments from competitors:

"I thought maybe I could get first," Kim said. "I'm rather disappointed and angry, in a way."

Ioan Suciu of Romania wasn't happy, either, after finishing 0.126 points behind bronze medalist Yang Tae-young of South Korea.

"The only thing I can say is that the USA got something more than it deserved," Suciu said.

It's not quite the Charley Horse from God, but it comes close. :p

Taken from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/olympics/2004/gymnastics/08/18/hamm.gold.ap/index.html