Not All Olympians Get the Red Carpet Treatment

[lady_mercury]

So, we're all familiar with our Olympian boys partying out like rock stars and almost living like them. They get to travel the world, compete, have interviews, magazine spreads, free food, get a stipend just to train for the Olympics and various other big time competitions from the USOC and US Speedskating, and if they win medals -- very nice

Comments

[skyllo01]

"THE WINTER OLYMPICS: LETTING WHITE PEOPLE WIN AT SPORTS NO ONE ELSE CAN AFFORD TO LEARN."

[guingel]

Ahahaha oh man ::awkward post-laugh sigh::

Definitely my least favorite thing about the winter olympics. I love the sports but I hate how inaccessible they are and how much more privilege (even than usual) generally goes into becoming a competitor.

OTOH you can be a curler and hold down a regular job! I think some of the sliding sports people do as well.

[lady_mercury]

lmao pretty much this. I'm already 600 in the hole with this speedskating stuff.

[triedthistwice]

I FEEL YOU GF. In the past two months, I've spent about $2k on fencing :(

[reineditalie]

:[ That's awful to here. Not every athlete's life is that glamorous, but people rarely get to see that.

[reineditalie]

hear* omg kill me now, can not speak english

[lady_mercury]

The ugly side to the Olympic struggle always gets side swiped for the more "appealing" side. I wish stories like this got told more.

[guingel]

Well, people like the "overcoming struggle" stories, but you get ignored if you don't bring home medals. And for sure no one likes to talk about sponsors. . .

[buhdderkupp]

I've been to that Incredi-Roll!

[fuyufirefly]

ME TOOOO! :D I love that milwaukee gives birth to so many speed skaters.

[gryffindorgeek]

I imagine wanting to be a professional athlete is like wanting to be a successful artist/filmmaker/actor/writer/etc. It's something you love and have a passion for, but there are a lot of sacrifices that need to be made if you truly want to succeed in it because it's sort of a hit-or-miss career path. I'm not an aspiring athlete, but I definitely know the feeling of wanting to succeed at something you're passionate about. Athletes are cool in my book, in that respect.

[lady_mercury]

Totally. I was a band geek so I never really understood athletes, always thought they had things handed to them as long as they could catch a ball. Now taking time out and looking beyond the cover, athletes are seriously no different than any of us.

There's always that goal they want to achieve. There's no difference in any of it.

[lostlegendz]

I was/still am a very passionate gamer, and I too never understood athletes until these past Olympics. I think it was because I would only see the stupid jocks and never the great athletes who weren't douchebags.

[lady_mercury]

High school seriously distorts that image of athletes. Stupid football jocks and their stupid sports and egos :(

[triedthistwice]

I'm glad this was posted.

I recently began fencing again after being forced to take a 3 year break to pay for medical bills and my car. I know if I even want to get by, I'm going to have to give it my all. And I mean that. I've lost friends over fencing, I quit school, and I'm working at a job I absolutely loathe because fencing is SO expensive. And, to be honest, fencing is expensive because it's a sport for the wealthy. Even though I love fencing, I do sometimes feel ostracized from my fellow athletes.

Fencing has virtually no sponsorship opportunities and even Olympic fencers are left begging for money when the Summer games come around.

But, when you truly love something, as athletes often do, it's always so worth it. It's worth it to know you're doing something you absolutely love every day. Anytime I have my epee in my hands, I am the most happy.

cool story, me.

[gryffindorgeek]

Good luck with your fencing! It sucks that it's really expensive, but I'm glad you know doing what you love makes it all worth it. :)

[ecarnation]

♥
good luck!

[lady_mercury]

I felt that this needed to get posted, especially because I noticed a lot of people were like " Olympians got it easy " ... Not really, lol.

I am fortunate that I have friends willing to support me through this and my family is being more of a moral support since they can't financially back me through this. But, I can understand where you're coming from... And, I think that's just a wealthy thing. People from money never look at the person, always at the bank account. Augh.

No sponsorship in Fencing? Jesus, girl, I commend you for committing yourself to this sport. Seriously.

I totally agree though. Even though I'm stumbling on the ice when I try to get into proper position, or the fact that I can't do a crossover yet... The fact that I can feel the cold air against my face and glide across the ice... I am the happiest.