What do you think about WINNING athletes flopping down at the finish?

Pointing Out the Obvious wrote:

NAIA Scrub wrote:

That may be true, but one of my college teammates once gave 110%. I know he did because he collapsed after running only 90% of the race.

I concede.

Nice post.

I'd say he gave about 111%

Nice, you don't want to slam anyone, but on another thread you have no problem telling a high school runner they are screwed because they have no talent. I'm guessing that your kids have inherited your superior genetics. Turd.

Oh please, you and Fagpole are the two biggest phonies to ever post here. The world will be much better off when the likes of you two have entirely evaporated.

1) I've already given an out for people who "collapse" though I maintain that is exceedingly rare.

2) You are incorrect about the athlete and race.

Hey look, another thread where Flagpole proclaims to be the authority on what other people should and should not do.

Disliker of Flagpole wrote:

Hey look, another thread where Flagpole proclaims to be the authority on what other people should and should not do.

You may dislike me, but I do NOT dislike YOU! I will assume you are a man with hopes and dreams, and everyone has their own personal challenges in life which I accept in others. What's not to like about you? I say NOTHING!

Murray Halberg wrote:

I think that I am better than you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf7OW6CaThA

1960 Olympic 5000m winner flopping after his finish.

Is this what Flagpole is talking about?

He still hasn't provided an example.

Flagpole wrote:

What that tells the other runners is:

"I won because I ran harder than you...I put more effort into this race than you did."

When, in reality, most of them probably worked just as hard as he did, and some maybe even harder (as he won comfortably and cruised the last several meters while others were duking it out for place).

Ummm ... no. In all of life's competitions or tests, the way to show off is to make things seem easy. Like when someone says "I 4.0d that class without even trying" (In reality they put in a lot of effort).

jamin wrote:

Ummm ... no. In all of life's competitions or tests, the way to show off is to make things seem easy. Like when someone says "I 4.0d that class without even trying" (In reality they put in a lot of effort).

You are incorrect. What you describe is ONE WAY to show off.

Let's look at the definition of show off:

SHOW OFF: make a deliberate or pretentious display of one's abilities or accomplishments.

Nothing is more deliberate or pretentious than flopping to the ground after winning a race.

Here are some synonyms for you from the same source:

synonyms: behave affectedly, put on airs, put on an act, swagger around, swank, strut, strike an attitude, posture;

draw attention to oneself

Behave affectedly?! Draw attention to oneself?! Precisely what falling to the ground after winning does.

Tells the other competitors, "I am the victor because of something I did that you did not. I was not blessed with great genetics or in a peak part of my training...no...we all have equal talent but I CLEARLY pushed myself to the limit because I am tough and have guts that none of you have. How do you know this? Did you not see me fall to the ground as if I had been shot just a few feet after crossing the finish line?"

Pretending that the race was effortless is even worse. I have seen people hide the effort and then sneak around a corner out of sight and gasp and throw up.

I think Ramzi running a tangent in the straight and keeping right on going was an even more pretentious display.

It doesn't tell the other competitors anything of the sort. I don't know where you come up with this stuff. What collapsing shows people, or intends to show people, is that you tried as hard as you could. Nobody other than a supremely self-centered person would interpret it as a personal insult.

Captain Obliviousness wrote:

Pretending that the race was effortless is even worse. I have seen people hide the effort and then sneak around a corner out of sight and gasp and throw up.

I think Ramzi running a tangent in the straight and keeping right on going was an even more pretentious display.

Your is a common failing debate tactic. That there are OTHER perhaps more pretentious displays that could occur and do occur does NOT mean that flopping to the ground isn't also one.

Flagpole wrote:

Captain Obliviousness wrote:

Pretending that the race was effortless is even worse. I have seen people hide the effort and then sneak around a corner out of sight and gasp and throw up.

I think Ramzi running a tangent in the straight and keeping right on going was an even more pretentious display.

Your is a common failing debate tactic. That there are OTHER perhaps more pretentious displays that could occur and do occur does NOT mean that flopping to the ground isn't also one.

"Yours"

fit and not-so-trim wrote:

What you should be teaching your son is to grit out that last effort and to put every raw bit of passion and emotion in what he does as a testimony to his full and honest endeavor. If that means flopping to the ground, so be it. If that means crying, so be it. If that means kissing the ground, so be it.

Let the winner have his moment--it's not yours.

1) My son already talks about giving it all he has. That just does not need to involve flopping to the ground. If I see him do that, I will know there's a medical emergency. He's no show off.

2) The winner CAN do anything they like, but I can judge whether that was cool or not. And flopping and writhing, sometimes for several minutes, is ridiculous...histrionics.

Flagpole wrote:

Captain Obliviousness wrote:

Pretending that the race was effortless is even worse. I have seen people hide the effort and then sneak around a corner out of sight and gasp and throw up.

I think Ramzi running a tangent in the straight and keeping right on going was an even more pretentious display.

Your is a common failing debate tactic. That there are OTHER perhaps more pretentious displays that could occur and do occur does NOT mean that flopping to the ground isn't also one.

Perhaps you can't read?

"Pretending that the race was effortless is even worse". This implies that flailing on the ground IS pretentious.

What I disagree with is that you, Flagpole are the arbiter of who is being pretentious and who is theatrically flailing.

There seems to be a common theme that people on here think casual statements are heated debate.

Are you going to show us an example of what you are talking about or what?

Interesting...then there is that advent that one day he your son will win and in that effort, will have nothing left. If he collapses, nine times out of ten there will be no medical emergency (or 99 out of 100, more accurately), and he will want that moment AND will not want to be judged by it. Most importantly, he will not be showing off.And maybe he will be out of breath, and maybe he will have to gather his wits, feelings, and physical self so that he can safely walk back to where he needs to go. Or to do a victory lap. Or to receive his medal.And it is at that moment that the last thing he needs is someone evaluating the sum total of his race by his actions after crossing the tape.Otherwise, let's just scrutinize winners to feel good. Let's forever condemn Uta Pippig and Bob Kempainen for what they looked like after finishing (hint: it wasn't pretty). Save pretty for the pageants. Racing is not always beautiful or handsome.Please don't steal the spirit of the human soul because of what you think a race end should look like.-Mike

Flagpole wrote:

1) My son already talks about giving it all he has. That just does not need to involve flopping to the ground. If I see him do that, I will know there's a medical emergency. He's no show off.

2) The winner CAN do anything they like, but I can judge whether that was cool or not. And flopping and writhing, sometimes for several minutes, is ridiculous...histrionics.

Star wrote:

Are you going to show us an example of what you are talking about or what?

Nope. It is not my intention to slam any particular person, so I will not do that.

Captain Obliviousness wrote:

Perhaps you can't read?

"Pretending that the race was effortless is even worse". This implies that flailing on the ground IS pretentious.

Ah. I see now that I misunderstood your meaning and that you are right in your comment. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and I apologize unreservedly.