Simone Biles Quitting

[Spicoli]

Posted something in another thread yesterday as it was unfolding. Won't lie I'm of two minds a bit. First, what happens way too often now is 'we' try to get into someone's head when they make a personal decision and lose sight of the more boring less colorful facts. We go after people with innuendo, conspiracy, generalities and lot's of time just a big pile of uninformed horseshit from the sideline that fits our own biases. It didn't take but 24 hrs for even this to be turned into politics among some Stateside. The whole BML and 'woke generation' bs dragged right into it by a few. Anyone questioning an athletes "toughness" from the comfort of a sofa needs to firstly just stfu. Majority of athletes at the highest level have been there and done just that and sustain many we are never ever aware of. It didn't take long for flashbacks of Kerri Strugg in the 1996 Olympics to be used as a dividing rod vs Simone Biles. That year Gymnast Strugg opted to go for a second vault, one they didn't even need to secure Gold, literally on one foot. She had badly injured her foot and when she landed the vault she was literally hopping around on one foot, stuck the high score and then had top be carried off of the mats. Honestly when it comes to memorable U.S Olympic highlights that made your chest swell..that was one! She became the face of the Nation. But you know what else...she would never compete again. Career over. She has come out in support of Biles and while some use the comparison as a negative to make a case you can also look at it as progress made no? Hindsight is 20-20 and we ALL think we're invincible in youth and are taught to rub some dirt on our wounds, zip your lips and soldier on as it were. But does anyone think or stopped to ask Strugg if she would do it again? Pride and pressure can be a brutal two edged sword.

Now on the flip side ...a leader doesn't abandon their literal team at the first sign of adversity in the middle of a fight. You just don't do that and it's not only a Biles thing. Had this been the individual portion of the competition rather than the TEAM portion I can very well see it differently. She was the face and the very first out of the gate. But she made her first vault, it wasn't great and that was it. She bounced out while the other three members and a now TBA replacement had to come in and try to catch Russia and secure a medal. Now what kind of pressure and strain do you think that puts on those who look to such highly earned leadership and yet still have to preform? And in doing so with the press post conferences etc it became to ultimate irony and caused exactly what she said she intended to avoid. She said she wanted to take a backseat, step back and let her teammates shine as it were. She didn't want to be a distraction so on and so forth. All I know is since then every single article, interview, promo and news bit has led with her move to leave. Literally all. Became the literal lone story while the team that stayed and plugged through..and took the Silver medal win..just as quickly faded to the background without a mention hardly at all. Can anyone name them because I can't. I have not seen a single mention of their names or their stories and new victories. Now instead of waiting for the individual competitions and putting those girls in the spotlight as they vie for Gold, all is center focus of Biles being the bravest and the strongest and the goat. Vicious circle. Being honest and we've all seen it..had a boxer gone out and fought the first round, lost it and then inexplicably quit in the corner we would mercilessly ravage them. It's just all mucked up for the team as a whole. Alright I need to get off my idle arse and make a sammich then go criticize random boxers .