Posted on 08/19/2016 6:46:58 AM PDT by McGarrett
I have to admit Usain Bolt is an amazing athlete. He looked like a man running against boys in 200 meter final yesterday. Still, his constant showboating turns me off. His total lack of respect for his competitors and post-race antics make me want to gag. I suppose I could stomach those a bit better if he was an American, but I can't say it would greatly change my opinion either. What really chaps my a** is the way NBC and the commentators fall all over this guy. We get these extended segments on him crammed down our throats instead of seeing other competitors or competitions. Why would your average American be a big fan of this foreign blowhard?
He seemed full of himself to me. I never heard of him till the night before last, but I could care less about track and field.
That proves my theory that Catholics like speed.
If he were a white Austrian, would he get this level of acclaim?
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Though I certainly understand your larger point, trust me, if a WHITE Austrian were winning the events that Bolt is winning, yes, he definitely WOULD BE GETTING the same level of attention! Albeit for a different reason.
I disagree. He is very repectfully to other athletes. He always stops and honors any medal presentation. He gives interviews to anyone who asks. He is a devout man of faith. He is Jamaican who has a laid back personality, which could be interpreted as cockiness, but I think that is more the media displaying it that way.
Disagree, mostly. NBC’s coverage leaves much to be desired and yes, there was too much Bolt coverage. But I did not see him dis his competitors, he was quite congenial with his peers. He is overtly religious, which is not a bad thing, and his pause for respect to our National Anthem is noteworthy.
Phelps seems to fit the bill for your complaint. Don’t care for him as a person at all. God Blessed him with talent but a lousy personality to balance it out.
correction
Bolt reached the finish line in 19.78 seconds, more than two-tenths of a second faster than anybody else in the field, but still way off his world-record time of 19.19 seconds.
“So, am I just an old curmudgeon?”
No, Olympic coverage has been pathetic for a decade of Olympiads.
They’ll broadcast the fifth rerun of the octo-final heats of the women’s spaz-style skivvy waving, but how many people know an American took the silver in one of the few original modern Olympic sports?
I haven’t seen anything about it.
Curmudgeon is a band. One of their t-shirts.
“Curmudgeon is a band. One of their t-shirts.”
Ah, okay. It’s still a weird t-shirt but I guess it works.
Thanks!
Or perhaps it's because he's a three-time gold medalist in the event considered to be the centrepiece of the Olympics.
Sure, Bolt is cocky. But his sportsmanship comes through in his interactions with other runners. He believes Andre De Grasse will eventually surpass him; that's why he's encouraging him. He'll be running as a guide for a Brazilian sprinter in the Paralympics, as well.
“They are ROCK STARS, not “athletes.”
That’s a good way to put it. I believe that of most of the “strength” sports. I like a sport that requires mind, heart, and body.
Yeah, it’s NBC. They screw up all the coverage. I used to enjoy watching the Olympics in other countries being only focus on their own athletes, though they do, and they show MORE sports on their tv coverage. I know now with the internet you can see any sport you want, but we used to be exposed to all kinds of sports just by normal tv watching. And beach volleyball is not the only sport at the olympics.
That attitude, that the world's fastest human should act like you think he should act instead of acting like who he really is, is an opinion you're entitled to.
Many people also want Donald Trump to act "more presidential" (whatever that means) by being more like what they want him to be rather than who he really is.
I say, let both of them be who they are. It's refreshing to see these two successful individuals stand out from the crowd and be proud of it. With no apologies. While all of their detractors stand around wringing their hands and criticizing them because they don't fit their own vision.
hey dirt,
he stops all interviews and faces the flag during any competitors anthem.
If you were by far the best in the world at something like this you may be a little off beat too.
That's on NBC. They really suck compared to the job ABC used to do.
And oh, by the way, Eaton is black.
Blame the media for that, not Bolt.
Well, one Nazi, Luz Long (who I question if he really was a Nazi).
All these give off an air of confidence that can be confused as cockiness. Jeremy Wariner, 400 meter American white runner that won gold in 2004. Jon Drummond, American sprinter that came after Carl Lewis.
For those thinking Michael Johnson wasn’t cocky, he was too. 1996 he won the 200 and broke the WR. Donovan Bailey from Canada won the 100. Why... we can’t have a non-American being the fastest guy in the world! At that time anyway. So a couple months later Michael raced Donovan in a made-for-tv 150 meter race and ‘pulled’ a muscle when he started getting smoked by Donovan.
The events they are performing are alpha-male events for track and field. Intimidation is a HUGE part of their prep. Just like a boxer, mma, NFL, etc.... Post race, most of these guys are humble and gracious... unlike a lot of fighters. The world class sprint community is a pretty tight nit community. You’ll see these guys often times chilling in the stands together pre and post race, and sitting with fans as well.
I like him. Btw threee women won medals in shooting. Did nbc mention that?
....aaaand suppression of the best ballgame around - handball
Watch chicks and boys games, semifinals today.
Whata a game!
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