Simon Biles goes home devastated - quits in middle of team competition

Turtleb wrote:

wejo wrote:

They're already at the top of their sport. You'd figure they are used to it. I personally think social media plays a role.

Biles (and probably Osaka) is far enough ahead of her competitors that she doesn't have to be

mentally tough to win.

For her team mates, they've made the team knowing that if they didn't perform their best they wouldn't

make the team. Those that don't have it mentally to do that are already sitting at home and don't have

the chance to choke.

I would speculate that Biles has had some nagging injury, it affected her training and it has become clear

to her that if she doesn't perform at her (current) best she is not going to win. It is a new feeling for her and

she hasn't learned how to cope. So she choked.

She does owe her teammates a d-mn thing. It’s not like she was going to be replaced by somebody who would have carried the team to Gold. Without Biles, the USA team is a silver medal team and with her competing at her best, they are a gold medal team. She owes her teammates carrying them to a gold medal? No, she doesn’t.

above_average_joe wrote:

I noticed one strange thing: it seems many Americans are happy that their star athlete had to pull out? Is it because Boris is posting from St. Petersburg? Or what else could it be that Americans don't like about her? Mmhhh....

She's black. American Gymnasts are supposed to be white. Doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

LOL, wow you folks really are this dumb?

The point I was making was about comparing athletes from the past to athletes today. So because some person in the past has won a single medal on broken ankle that means Simone Biles after winning a whole slew of medals and competitions decides to pull out of this competition she is less mentally strong (after having already achieved more than any gymnast before her) than the person of the past?

Doesn’t owe them a d-mn thing….

letsrun never too stupid to become even more stupid apparently wrote:

Remind me, how many medals those folks of the past had?

They gave out three medals per event back then too, so the amount of the medals they won is the same. The only difference is that they had to beat their opponents to win, now you just have to outlast them before they wilt and quit under pressure.

She did not have the "weight of the world" on her shoulders. The rest of the world wanted their country to win. She only had weight of USA supporting her. Which proved to be too much. I don't blame her though, many athletes fail under Olympic pressure. Even Steve Prefontaine had a terrible Olympic showing. At least he tried though.

I think this "mental health" narrative has just gone completely over board.

We are talking about champion athletes here. There will always be enormous pressure to win.

But, lets not pretend these millionaire athletes are struggling with some of the dark terrible stuff that happens to real people in the world every day. I mean JFC people's families are wiped out in WAR.

We have a person who plays tennis for a living that treats post match press conferences like it s a firing squad.

Worlds going SOFT AF.

Precious Roy wrote:

She was clearly off her game from the beginning and it only seemed to get worse and worse. She seems to have the gymnastics equivalent of the yips, which is pretty dangerous when you are throwing yourself in the air while spinning like a top.

I think her withdrawal was a selfless act. Most superstar athletes are so pumped up with their monster egos that they cannot recognize when it isn't happening and they need to sub out. How many MLB pitchers have thrown one inning too many just based on ego? Biles had the presence and self awareness to recognize that she couldn't get it done and that she needed to hand it off to her teammates so she wouldn't bring the team down.

Yeah, because landing on a bouncy, padded floor is such a risk.

been listeing to the beeb on this back across the pond.

everyone very supportive of her mental health.

well, yes, of course, but we do run the risk of turning everyone into snowflakes. mental health is about environment and expectations, and management of those. part of theat must be teaching mental strength, not mental pansiness.

you must be able to teach competitors to be able to win.

reminds me of Vontae Davis

always lol at this story

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24703207/buffalo-bills-cb-vontae-davis-abruptly-retires-football-half-vs-los-angeles-chargers

Yes, the most decorated gymnast is soft because of pulling out of a single competition. I suppose you think someone just handed her all those medals all these years with no work involved.

duder of la mancha wrote:

letsrun never too stupid to become even more stupid apparently wrote:

What I find interesting is that people such as yourself insert this idea that people are 'not as tough as in the past' yet have won more medals and competitions than those of the past. Pretty interesting how you think its possible to speculate what someone of the past would have done when no others have even come close to her achievements.

Losers such as yourself often conflate credentialist dispensed markers as being substitutes for actual substance/ability. The proliferation of college diplomas is a good litmus test for this concept; despite awarding more degrees than at any point in the past few hundred years of higher education, never has the average college graduate been dumber.

You got me. I'm the loser who uses an analogy of lots of people receiving diplomas for a single athlete accomplishing more than any one that has come before her.

letsrun never too stupid to become even more stupid apparently wrote:

Yes, the most decorated gymnast is soft because of pulling out of a single competition. I suppose you think someone just handed her all those medals all these years with no work involved.

don't even bother

letsrun is full of failed athlete losers who are now conservatives in their 50s whose family hates them

the idea that anyone who has won as many medals and has dedicated her life to a sport while also going through the worst sexual abuse situation in the history of any sport ever as she has could be a disappointment or a letdown in any way is completely ludicrous

OlympicMedalChaser wrote:

The reactions on Twitter.....

This is female privilege. If a male superstar in nfl or nba quit on the team in the super bowl due to mental pressure they would be vilified.

But a cute female: "Praise girl! You are always the GOAT!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Incel outs himself.

Meanwhile, did anyone see the Russian dude in the men's gymnastics competition who was competing on an Achilles tendon that he tore and had surgically repaired three and a half months ago? They said on the broadcast that 3 weeks ago he couldn't even walk properly. That dude has some guts, and you could see in the celebration after they won the gold how much his teammates respected him. Biles could learn a thing or two from him.

Jerry Maguire wrote:

I think this "mental health" narrative has just gone completely over board.

We are talking about champion athletes here. There will always be enormous pressure to win.

But, lets not pretend these millionaire athletes are struggling with some of the dark terrible stuff that happens to real people in the world every day. I mean JFC people's families are wiped out in WAR.

We have a person who plays tennis for a living that treats post match press conferences like it s a firing squad.

Worlds going SOFT AF.

Mental health a new issue. You’ve nailed it.

healterseltzers ex wrote:

OlympicMedalChaser wrote:

The reactions on Twitter.....

This is female privilege. If a male superstar in nfl or nba quit on the team in the super bowl due to mental pressure they would be vilified.

But a cute female: "Praise girl! You are always the GOAT!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Incel outs himself.

Its true, ask Ben Simmons.

LRC boomers on the wrong side of history again.

Keep thinking your fringe opinion is affecting the opinion of the GOAT!

Honestly, I had to laugh at the irony of the commentators discussing the injuries of some of the Russian athletes who are competing as the ROC because of state sponsored doping, talking about how tough these Russian athletes are. LOL. Yes, I am sure when you are doped up recovering and dealing with injuries is really tough to deal with.