Posted on 02/15/2014 5:23:28 PM PST by cunning_fish
SOCHI, Russia. Shani Davis was bristling with frustration and trying to keep it in check, talking about how this Winter Olympics will haunt him for the rest of his life. Brian Hansen's coach was starting to weep as she spoke of the catastrophic turmoil that turned a bunch of predicted gold medals into a collective and embarrassing failure.
Joey Mantia tried to find a polite way of saying that his colleagues have yet to grasp that there is no "I" in the word "team," and coach Ryan Shimabukuro was dismissing the avalanche of criticism as nothing but the talk of a "pothead."
Welcome to the United States speedskating squad, perhaps the most dysfunctional team of the Sochi Games, in which chaos reigns and the high hopes that preceded the Olympics has turned into blame, anger and frustration.
Davis ― the two-time Olympic silver medalist, current world-record holder and owner of the season's best time in the 1500 meters ― could only place in 11th here on Saturday, three days after he failed to defend his gold medals in the 1000 meters from the two previous Games.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
It’s the fault of their speed suits, right?
Are we now seeing the result of schools having to give everyone in any kind of competition an award so their self esteem isn’t harmed ?
Every reason described in the article is congruent with the gay subculture in America. It’s all about me, no sense of team and larger sacrifice. It’s all about me. When they decided to make the Olympics about showing the world how awesome gayness is, they were hosted on their own petard.
Uh, no.
Gee, what other leader does this sound like?
Uh, no.
Exactly my reaction and not just speed skating.
Whining doesn’t get a medal, does it?
Winning makes a lot of problems go away. Losing, it seems, brings them out. No real surprise there.
You’re quite persuasive. I think I’m coming around to your point of view.
And they say values don’t matter......
Thanks. Can’t blame homos for everything. /s
“There’s no ‘I’ in team! But there is a ‘T’ and that’s a drink with jam and bread.”
Coach Von Trapp.
Too much media hype? These athletes are mostly professionals, competing against mostly professionals, but distractions and overconfidence can creep in despite thoroughly professional preparation.
zing! :)
My stepson has been connected with the Pettit Ice center on the hockey side for years. He has no love for the speed skaters who he generally refers to as pricks.
That was a pretty brutal article.
I don’t understand what they mean by having the training camp “at altitude”. At what altitude? Too high up? Sochi’s at sea level, isn’t it?
Thanks if anyone can fill me in.
Normally I’d be inclined to say “suck it up” but it does seem like something went sideways for these folks, since they were so favored and have done so poorly.
You know what the difference is between a porcupine and a BMW?
A BMW has its pricks on the inside.
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