So you can pay your rent, like me.
So you can pay your rent, like me.
as much as she grates on me, it does highlight a pretty serious point. Namely $700 and change for 7 months of your time is atrocious by anyone's standards. Obviously she's making more than enough elsewhere, but for the other bobsledders (who I assume aren't getting any more than this), that is an absolute pittance
Dumb people see this a Lolo complaining about her paycheck. People with at least a little bit of intelligence see her as making a bigger point about Olympic sports.
I think the problem is, Lolo is not the right person to be conveying this message. She's one of the more highly paid athletes in the world of Olympic sporting, and while she's raising a fundamental truth about bobsledding (and for that matter, many Olympic sports) it comes off from her as tone deaf since she has done so well by it. She just comes off as whiny and entitled, on top of already being perceived as a dilettante who, realizing her years as a track athlete are limited, is now medal chasing, and has picked a sport where her chances are best. She's not so much a bobsledder, but an outsider who's "slumming it."
Aljaba wotsit wrote:
as much as she grates on me, it does highlight a pretty serious point. Namely $700 and change for 7 months of your time is atrocious by anyone's standards. Obviously she's making more than enough elsewhere, but for the other bobsledders (who I assume aren't getting any more than this), that is an absolute pittance
The bobsledders who awere at the top of the pool the previous year get a $2000/month stipend.
why is that a serious issue? Nobody is forced to participate. I agree it is not much money but it doesn't seem like out Bobsled team is hurting for it.
Any other bobsledder doing this would get ZERO attention. Lolo knows she has an audience and a LOT of people will see her tweet and vine. I don't disagree with you though, she was taken wrong by a lot of people inside the sport. But no one in the sport has the visibly she has so that makes her the best person to raise the issue.
And those that got offended or think she is 'medal chasing' must remember that she was 'invited' to try out for the bobsled team. She tried out and 'won' her spot on the team. Does she want a medal? Hell yeah! Don't all Olympic athletes? (hopefully)
Brianruns10 wrote:
I think the problem is, Lolo is not the right person to be conveying this message. She's one of the more highly paid athletes in the world of Olympic sporting, and while she's raising a fundamental truth about bobsledding (and for that matter, many Olympic sports) it comes off from her as tone deaf since she has done so well by it. She just comes off as whiny and entitled, on top of already being perceived as a dilettante who, realizing her years as a track athlete are limited, is now medal chasing, and has picked a sport where her chances are best. She's not so much a bobsledder, but an outsider who's "slumming it."
You are completely wrong -- she's an athlete with a high profile who can get attention, with Humor, and draw attention to the issue.
The issue is, that unlike other countries where these Olympic athletes have national lotteries, and programs to fund the Medal Hunt, USA athletes are not given much support -- and yet the dumb American Public expects to turn on their TV every 4 years and see Red, White and Blue USA medalist to Cheer "USA! USA! USA!" to.
By sending that Vine, she was interviewed and able to elucidate what tough sledding (sic) her fellow bobsled athletes have.
If she did not have an attractive sense of humor, and a pretty face, and thus the sponsorship she has garnered by Red Bull etc., she would not be able to get the message out.
You would have never heard about, or seen, the Vine that one of her teammates with a few hundred followers sent out.
Why does she think bobsledders are entitled to anything more than what they currently command?
No one is making her do this. It was her decision. Stop complaining about the decisions you made. You are not entitled to anything regardless of how much talent you have, your looks, or who your parents are. You are only worth what someone will pay. If you do not like it go do something else.
Gotta agree with the OP. I kind of wish she would shut the f*ck up and pull a Suzy Favor Hamilton.
Say Word wrote:
Gotta agree with the OP. I kind of wish she would shut the f*ck up and pull a Suzy Favor Hamilton.
Gah, could you imagine how much she could charge for that body? The only condition is she can't talk. Once she starts talking her stock plummets.
I'm glad Lolo is bringing this important issue to light. Our nation's bobsledders have long suffered from grossly inadequate pay. I strongly urge President Obama to right this wrong by calling for a nationwide minimum wage for bobsledders of $20 per spent training or bobsledding. Time to end this injustice now!
These Lolo-bashing threads are proof the average LRC user is so stupid they should be confined without internet for the good of society.
Lolo, those of us with IQs over 60 are fully down with your wonderful individuality as well as your athletic talent.
I don't really care if bobsledders are indigent or not. Miss Jones could probably fund a bobsled team or two if she wanted. If she made a sex tape, she could support the bobsledding community for generations. That would be the charitable thing to do.
people get paid to push a sled down an icy shute a little ways, then jump in & coast to the bottom? What??!
Geez - now my kid will wanna get paid to fish & skateboard all day..
Grow up, Lolo, & get a damn job.
Hear, hear!
bigtool05 wrote:
I'm glad Lolo is bringing this important issue to light. Our nation's bobsledders have long suffered from grossly inadequate pay. I strongly urge President Obama to right this wrong by calling for a nationwide minimum wage for bobsledders of $20 per spent training or bobsledding. Time to end this injustice now!
Yes, I posted this on the other Lolo thread, but I think she's getting more flack than the "story" merits.
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People getting offended with Lolo's vid are missing the bigger point, it's about raising public awareness and interest. Yeah, she makes a lot more than most people in T&F AND she doesn't really struggle to make ends meet, but many people both in the winter olympic sports as well as T&F do struggle (to varying degrees of course).
Sponsors and athletes tend to -in large part by shame or contractual agreements- keep their meager earnings to themselves. In return the general population has no idea how much they make or how their income is achieved. Lolo merely (poor taste perhaps?) wanted to shed light.
Just this morning I came across this blog:
which, while not going into terrible detail, at least outlined how many athletes make the $.
I say, keep on the good fight Lolo and other fringe sport athletes. The more disclosure and transparency the better.
Brianruns10 wrote:
I think the problem is, Lolo is not the right person to be conveying this message. She's one of the more highly paid athletes in the world of Olympic sporting, and while she's raising a fundamental truth about bobsledding (and for that matter, many Olympic sports) it comes off from her as tone deaf since she has done so well by it. She just comes off as whiny and entitled, on top of already being perceived as a dilettante who, realizing her years as a track athlete are limited, is now medal chasing, and has picked a sport where her chances are best. She's not so much a bobsledder, but an outsider who's "slumming it."
POD
Brianruns10 wrote:
I think the problem is, Lolo is not the right person to be conveying this message.
Bobsled gold medallist Steven Holcomb (the guy who called Lolo's vine a "slap in the face") has 12,000 twitter followers. Lolo has almost 30 times as many (350,000+). Seems like being the "right" person to call attention to the issue won't do much good unless he or she is also a famous person.
Another attention hooker who majored in a low level subject at a clown college. Since she decided at a very young age to be stupid, she should now become a prostitute, make some cake and shut her ignorant yaphole.