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 .

[Kirkland Laing]

https://twitter.com/its_whitney/stat...61599007117315



When you're doing shit like this, when you're doing moves only you can do that have been named after you, if you're not a hundred percent you can paralyse yourself. That goes for any gymnast but doubly so for her because she's pushing past physical limits that literally nobody on earth has done before. So let's give the girl a break eh.

[TitoFan]

I would imagine not everyone who has dared to criticize Biles for quitting is doing so out of sheer disregard for her health, or because they're habitual armchair wannabes. I imagine some people out there are just used to seeing athletes push themselves to compete even when they're not 100%, and faced with the certain specter of defeat. The fact that elite level gymnastics is a sport that can render you critically injured with one mishap, is probably unknown to some critics, many of whom again, do not wish ill on Biles or any athlete.

If Biles pulled out of the team competition due to mental issues and basically the fear that she could be seriously injured performing one of her mind-boggling feats... then IMO the right thing would be to withdraw from competition at these Olympics altogether. Which is probably what she has done. Once given the facts about the sport, I seriously doubt there's anyone out there still thinking of her as a quitter or anything of the sort.

There are, however, instances when an athlete just gives up and decides it's just not worth it... inciting the anger and disappointment of the fans. Boxing had its own "no más" with the great Roberto Duran. He was horribly criticized even among Panamanian fans, and with just cause. Fortunately he came back from that. Other athletes have just "quit" in mid-competition, and just "mailed it in." Having been exposed to that, fans tend to be a bit sensitive to the word "quit."

The following article does a pretty job explaining some of the technicalities that go along with being a world-class gymnast, and the jitters they go though.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/28/u...lth/index.html

[SlimTrae]

Initally I was with the Mark TKO, But beanz post kind of nullifies that. Then Memphis' analogy on physical vs mental, wow, guess I am right back where I started; unsure.

[SlimTrae]

There are, however, instances when an athlete just gives up and decides it's just not worth it... inciting the anger and disappointment of the fans. Boxing had its own "no más" with the great Roberto Duran. He was horribly criticized even among Panamanian fans, and with just cause.
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/28/u...lth/index.html

I thought about Erik Morales trilogy with Pac. Sat on his ass looked at his corner- I saw it we all saw it - before he got up he said with his eyes
"Fuck this...this dude bounced me off the ropes on to the canvass & he aint even got warmed up yet."

[SlimTrae]

Biting both ears is the ultimate copout. Today we still love him.

[Mark TKO]

Biting both ears is the ultimate copout. Today we still love him.

should have been paid training expenses and nothing more for that fight. Robbed us all

[Mark TKO]

I was angry at Benn and angry at Haye on their last fights also. Both didn't want to be there

[Master]

When you hear what Simone Biles testified before the Senate about abuse she suffered at the hands of their former team doctor, Larry Nassar, then you can empathise with the mental pressure and trauma she has had to fo through.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58573887

Heard Paul Merson on GMB and he was in tears about his mental ill health and gambling addiction. He had everything but at the same time had nothing. He won the title in 1991 had had no carpet at home.

[Mark TKO]

That's right. Didn't junkies break in and take all his carpets?

[Kirkland Laing]

I would imagine not everyone who has dared to criticize Biles for quitting is doing so out of sheer disregard for her health, or because they're habitual armchair wannabes. I imagine some people out there are just used to seeing athletes push themselves to compete even when they're not 100%, and faced with the certain specter of defeat. The fact that elite level gymnastics is a sport that can render you critically injured with one mishap, is probably unknown to some critics, many of whom again, do not wish ill on Biles or any athlete.

If Biles pulled out of the team competition due to mental issues and basically the fear that she could be seriously injured performing one of her mind-boggling feats... then IMO the right thing would be to withdraw from competition at these Olympics altogether. Which is probably what she has done. Once given the facts about the sport, I seriously doubt there's anyone out there still thinking of her as a quitter or anything of the sort.

There are, however, instances when an athlete just gives up and decides it's just not worth it... inciting the anger and disappointment of the fans. Boxing had its own "no más" with the great Roberto Duran. He was horribly criticized even among Panamanian fans, and with just cause. Fortunately he came back from that. Other athletes have just "quit" in mid-competition, and just "mailed it in." Having been exposed to that, fans tend to be a bit sensitive to the word "quit."

The following article does a pretty job explaining some of the technicalities that go along with being a world-class gymnast, and the jitters they go though.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/28/u...lth/index.html

I was going to post that CNN article. Says it all really.

Here are some more good points:

https://twitter.com/AudreyColnot/sta...48815585697801



https://twitter.com/TheBatMarino/sta...11786024464386



https://twitter.com/WittyNameChoice/...25657938710533



https://twitter.com/AdamSerwer/statu...92047772966920

[Spicoli]

Look I hope Biles gets the help and center she needs. But congratulations Suni Lee. Frankly got tired last night of the 'outrage' all over media..some idiots on the right turned it into an anti-American move etc etc blah blah. And some idiots on the left..looking at you Don Lemon..turned it into a racial affair and somehow lumped Biles move and reactions in with the backlash against the 4 officers on Capital Hill . Woke up to a deluge of "Lee was allowed to shine and thank you Simone" which on it's face is just insulting and dense to the winner imo. So good effort U.S team and congrats to the young woman who herself came in with many many mental hurdles and tragedies to overcome.

[Denilson3.0]

I grew up knowing about female gymnasts like Julissa Gomez and Elena Mukhina. Go and ask them about the pressure of being gymnasts ? Actually you can't because they're dead

Both of them died from broken necks, injuring themselves on events that weren’t nearly as technically complicated as the stuff Simone is doing.

One hand placed in the wrong position and Simone could either die, or be paralyzed. It’s not quite the same as having a bad day and you’re a golfer or bowler.

Black women do not owe any motherfuckers their time. People wanna make fun of both the ladies looks, body type and all, dox points from Simone.

The nerve of these racist whites all coming out bashing Simone. Here we have black people playing your sports, and without them, your teams would be absolute TRASH.

This woman has 27 gold medals, 6 silver and four bronze.

She owes America NOTHING!

Tuhh. Let me stop and walk away from this thread before I get on Time Out again for hate speech.

[Mark TKO]

Not like you to bring racism into a thread.