"You can do all the "right" things, and people will hate you for it"
"You can do all the "right" things, and people will hate you for it"
Awsi Dooger wrote:
dopedgills15 wrote:
i thought the same thing
i bet they hate each other
But you could see the regret and emotion coming forward just a day or two later, when she was interviewed on the NBC daytime Olympic coverage and was losing the smile. Muhammad bemoaned the brief "check step" after clearing the final hurdle. She said that once they reached hurdle 9 she had been thinking, "Okay, maybe I've got this."
Sydney winning was the ideal result, IMO. The sport needed her as the young verified superstar. Sydney herself benefits far more than Muhammad would have. But it also guaranteed that Sydney would start sensing plenty of crap from nearby. My only surprise is that it's built so much momentum already, for her to voice like that.
If we're going off NBC coverage revealing DM's true feelings about the race, then what about the podcast she did with the NBC 'In the Village' pod that came out four days after the final?
She talked about how she used to have superstitions around packing silver things in her bags in case she came 2nd, like at Worlds in 2017 where she packed shoes with a silver Nike swoosh and blamed it on that (lol), and how much pressure she put on herself to win when she was expected to.
In the podcast, she seemed pretty happy with her 51.58 PB and she also had lots of praise for Femke as well.
Obviously this could all be a front for public consumption and DM wants to kill Sydney deep down but I don't see how Muhammad speaking practically about mistakes she made in an Olympic final is any more indicative of her true feelings than days after the race where she was reflecting on how much her feelings on getting Silver has changed from when she was younger to now.
John Scott wrote:
I tried watching, but I honestly can't handle the religious inclination. There's an explanation for your level of fitness, results, and everything else related to your profession, and coming up short two years ago is not "god's plan for you to become more mature".
Two years ago she wasn't good enough, then she worked hard and intelligently and became the best. She did it herself.
Bringing the lord into it allows you to absolve yourself of any responsibility for failure. Basically, the easy way out.
Zak wrote:
John Scott wrote:
I tried watching, but I honestly can't handle the religious inclination. There's an explanation for your level of fitness, results, and everything else related to your profession, and coming up short two years ago is not "god's plan for you to become more mature".
Two years ago she wasn't good enough, then she worked hard and intelligently and became the best. She did it herself.
Bringing the lord into it allows you to absolve yourself of any responsibility for failure. Basically, the easy way out.
Many people read into this a lot. I'm not saying they're wrong, there's some good takes from both sides.
But sometimes things can be as simple as, that's what she was taught to do. Not only does she not mean anything offensive by it, I don't know it has occurred to her it can be taken that way.
Maybe she'll see people posting it's offensive and consider it though. There's a positive way of looking at just about everything.
seems a little upset that she isn't their main focus but idk that's just what I got from it.
gunk wrote:
Felix Coverage wrote:
I feel like she's talking about Felix? Don't think anyone has even suggested it. They are training partners, but multiple athletes came out criticizing the over coverage of Felix at the trials (Jonathas). And I feel like we've seen nothing that shows they're friendly as training partners. No posts. No real happy hugs not even after the relay. Whats up with that? I could be wrong, but that really checks all of the boxes for what clues we have.
I don't think it's DM, they've publicly been very warm and friendly to each other in interviews / finish line videos.
Very good guess. The Queen Bee giving a little sting to her successor on the way out?
On Sydney’s Instagram post about the relay and her birthday, She wrote about Felix and how it was an honour to run and train with her etc. They constantly like and comment under each other’s Instagram posts.
Sydney is showing her true colors that were apparent when she made the team back in high school. Probably a great person, but with some flaws. I don't know her and don't really care past this post I guess.
Hurno wrote:
She's starting to see people will hate you for no other reason than that you are successful.
At one point she says something along the lines of having never done anything to them.
In their minds she did, she's successful and they are miserable...they hate her for it.
+1
Hurno wrote:
barney23 wrote:
I do not think it is the Muslim association. It is a colourism thing. Dalilah has been around all these years and she's been doing her thing, but everyone starts caring only when an athlete of a certain shade, seeming faster than her, comes along.
Given all the [racist] screeds against SCR "justifying" the hatred for her on these boards of such fine people, Dalilah has been a perfect representation of the sport. Uncontroversial, well-spoken, hard-working. But it wasn't until this Mc-whoever came along that you started seeing all this interest and takes.
This is inaccurate. Dalilah did not set herself apart from the pack until Sydney was on the scene. Sydney had the phenom spotlight put on her since high school because of her talent. It is so simple, yet you see things which are not there.
FYI, the overwhelming majority of people critical of SCR do not care what color she is. How old are you 5?
Shoulda been: "How old are you; five?"
In addition to the bad, bad grammar, the rule is that we spell out anything below ten and write the numerical equivalent of anything above, e.g. 11.
You went to bad [primary and secondary] schools and most likely skipped university (college, to you Americans). I feel sad for you.
Its okay if you got to know DM because of the other runner; that is you. Some of us knew her before that.
high school xc coach wrote:
El Keniano wrote:
She really is. But there's a big elephant in the room. You have two extremely attractive black women, one light-skinned, and the other dark-skinned. Both at the top of their game and have broken the world record four times in the last two years. One is considered more marketable in American media, possibly causing bitterness in her teammates causing them to isolate her, as is typical of cliques, leading to her feeling discriminated against because of her complexion.
This just needs to stop. their are plenty of uber popular dark skinned girls out there. there are so many factors out there, but people choose to focus on this. it is a sick world.
Venus and Serena williams. Sha'Carri Richardson. Simone Biles.
I think one of the biggest things that leads to mega popularity is the attribute of being a PHENOM. Those who show huge talent and get recognition at an early age, sometime around or before 18, seem to capture the attention of the public in a bigger way, and that attention just sticks. Of course, having a big personality helps a lot. As does being the best of the best of the best.
All 3 have no competition with light skin women in their events. Delilah has Sydney
Wow, that was tough to watch. Feel bad for her situation and I'm glad her season is over and she can just be a normal person for a little while. Of note: She recorded this two days after breaking the world record at the Trials (June 29) and yet she posted it on August 23. It seems like whatever (whoever) the problem is still remains a problem two months later. The situation has not been resolved. A few very strong statements:
Sydney M said:
Not even three days ago I literally achieved one of my life’s dreams of breaking the world record, and I’m going to be honest, a lot of the people around me did not respond how I thought they would … I felt like the people I thought would be the most excited for me literally almost didn’t even care. And, I have some really great people in my life that love me more than I can say some family loves me … And, I’m just going to be real, it hurts. I’m still hurt … just not understanding when it’s going to be enough for a lot of people.
I’ve worked really hard and been very cautious of how I carry myself, of the things that I post, because I want to glorify God and I want to be a good example to people but our world only accepts ignorance. And it hurts my feelings and I find it really disrespectful that you can do everything right and it will never be enough. There is still always a problem.
Even in a moment where I should have made everything about me I gave it to God but … people reject truth. I know they are not rejecting me they are rejecting Jesus living in me and that’s fine but I’m just being honest.
I genuinely don’t feel like I attack people, I don’t feel like I’m rude or mean to people, I don’t talk trash about people but, it always seems to come to me. I could do nothing to so many people and that offends them. I can post everything right, I can say everything right, I can do everything right, I can mind my business, and it offends people. And, you know what, I’m so grateful I don’t live for the approval of people anymore because moments like this would have me down for about three weeks of not understanding why even some of my family and my closest friends are not more happy for me in this moment, why people that you thought were your supporters are actually finding ways to low key throw shots at you, they’re finding a problem with everything. Can never just have a moment to just celebrate and just breathe.
Humans, we were not made to carry so much weight, we were not made to carry so much attention on us, we were not made to be famous, that was never what God intended for us. I’m grateful for the platform and I’m grateful to be able to reach people, but I don’t want it. When I tell you I don’t want fame, I don’t want any of that, it’s toxic, it genuinely physically makes me sick. When I got back on social media after not being on for three or four weeks before the Trials, I started getting anxiety.
I don’t want the fame, I would just like a little bit of respect. We don’t have to be best friends. You may not agree with my message. But in the sport, at the age of 21, to be a two time Olympian and a world record holder, I would just like a little bit of respect. You guys can have all that other stuff.
People really think that I’m standing here today because of my followers or because of how I look. It blows my mind. People who have been my teammates who have watched me die every day at practice believe I’m standing here today because I have followers, because I’m light skinned. I can’t control what color my skin is, I can’t control who presses the follow button, but I can control what I do on the track, and that’s the thing that doesn’t get the respect and it blows my mind.
It’s a sick world. There is so much good in this world but there is so much sickness. I pray for healing and I really hope that people can, like, say that they don’t have to live in this world of just hate. There is such a better way.
OldOlyRunner wrote:
How can you not love and respect this woman? After watching her post, I refuse to read any other comments because I can only imagine the spectrum of responses on this board. She had my respect before. Now.....whew..
Agreed. I'm not a big one for videos that vent, but this isn't that. This is a sincere and considered statement--a measured statement, in which she struggles for exactly the right words even as she's fully feeling what she's saying. She made me a fan with her stellar performances, but I wondered, after that Oly final, why the feelings on her face seemed so conflicted--so much the opposite of the scream of triumph that we've come to expect. Now I know. I think that's one reason she posted this: so we'd know. And she's made me twice the fan I was.
See, I don't get your reaction to this at all. I've been on this planet many decades and I don't see how that video, with all of its vagueness and lack of precision, would give someone a better respect for Syd
I don’t think she is talking about DM or Felix.
I believe there are family members and also specifically “past training partners” who don’t like her and her success. Also potentially other athletes she thought would reach out didn’t after setting the record. At one point she she “didn’t understand our sport”.
Who are some past training partners?
Syd says she doesn’t care what others think but posting this video shows that she truly does and we all do bc we are human but methinks thou dost protest too much.
Hopefully she will move past this and congrats to her on her engagement!
She is not talking about Felix or DM. Both of them just congratulated her under her engagement post on Instagram. All three have only said good things about each other.
jumbo/ wrote:
The big elephant is Muhammad's name. If she was Dalilah Smith she would be far more marketable. There are plenty of dark skinned sport celebrities in the US who have been highly marketed.
Other than the fact that arguably the most famous athlete of all time was named Muhammad, you have a very good point!
barney23 wrote:
Awsi Dooger wrote:
I definitely think there is tension between Muhammad and McLaughlin, specifically jealousy from Muhammad. It was evident in 2019 during a post race interview by Lewis Johnson at the United States championships at Drake. Muhammad defeated McLaughlin and broke the world record. Johnson was interviewing Sydney immediately after the race when she said she was happy for Muhammad breaking the world record. The camera remained on Sydney but you could hear something from Muhammad standing barely out of camera to Sydney's left. Sydney immediately looked in that direction and sincerely insisted, "I AM happy for you."
Lewis Johnson was either oblivious or had intentionally decided to totally ignore the awkward exchange. Muhammad was still off camera when she obviously made another dismissive remark or gesture. The interview ended at that point but you could hear Sydney say something like," Oh give me a break," again directed toward Muhammad.
I detailed all of that here at the time. IMO, that single exchange is more representative and accurate of the relationship between he two than anything said for public consumption. It has to be. Sydney is genuinely miffed that others on the team have long forged an opinion of her that is not based on anything she has said or done. Very familiar and predictable for anyone who followed Lolo Jones' career. The other American hurdlers spited her for many of the same reasons. It's basically...you don't fit girl. That clique in the sprint hurdles wanted everyone to be street tough not glamorous. Those mean girls are basically gone now. But the lingering degree of bitterness has been transferred to McLaughlin, who didn't anticipate it because it wasn't anything she experienced throughout school.
In 2019 I was very certain that Muhammad would defeat Sydney at world championships, despite 2/1 underdog status. That NBC interview clip revealed Muhammad as full of rage and intensity. Sydney wasn't mean enough yet. The two extra years were just enough. Muhammad comes across as satisfied after the Tokyo final solely because she was thrilled with her personal best time. That aspect enabled smiles and appearance of togetherness. But you could see the regret and emotion coming forward just a day or two later, when she was interviewed on the NBC daytime Olympic coverage and was losing the smile. Muhammad bemoaned the brief "check step" after clearing the final hurdle. She said that once they reached hurdle 9 she had been thinking, "Okay, maybe I've got this."
Sydney winning was the ideal result, IMO. The sport needed her as the young verified superstar. Sydney herself benefits far more than Muhammad would have. But it also guaranteed that Sydney would start sensing plenty of crap from nearby. My only surprise is that it's built so much momentum already, for her to voice like that.
Eh.
You clearly don't like Muhammad. It actually sounds personal even though you don't know her. The intensity is not healthy.
I agree. Awsi is projecting emotions to Muhammad based on her reactions and comments, which to me seem normal for a highly competitive athlete. No similar projection for Sydney, who never seemed happy for Muhammad when Muhammad beat her. My memory is that Muhammad was gracious and seemed sincere in congratulation Sydney after the trials in June '21 and the Olympics in August. What more does she expect?
And NBC gave her a ton of coverage earlier this month. The only complaint she might have about NBC is that in the post 4X4 interview the focus seemed to be more on Felix and, to a lesser extent, Muhammad. The first is somewhat understandable. The second is less so but it isn't Muhammad's fault or a sign of bad blood between Muhammad and Sydney.
After watching that video, I feel like I should ask for $125. That's how much my therapist charges me for a session.
She seems straightforward enough. Definitely lower IQ though.
She figured out that even the WR and Gold don't mean anything unless you get over that you will never get 100% of people to approve of you/your achievements, and even when people express approval -- it will usually not be exactly how you want it.
Be self-content. Give your best. Respect yourself.
that was brutal honesty wrote:
jumbo/ wrote:
The big elephant is Muhammad's name. If she was Dalilah Smith she would be far more marketable. There are plenty of dark skinned sport celebrities in the US who have been highly marketed.
Other than the fact that arguably the most famous athlete of all time was named Muhammad, you have a very good point!
This is gonna be a shock to you but white and corporate America were actually not huge fans of Muhammad Ali in his prime.