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Simone Biles and the New Black Power of ‘No’
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/07/29/simone-biles-and-the-new-black-activist-athlete-the-one-who-says-no-501675 ^

Posted on 07/31/2021 6:58:46 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET

When superstar gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from team competition this past week at the Tokyo Olympics, citing emotional exhaustion that was hampering her ability to perform, the world gasped. It seemed not to know what to make of a top athlete — and, in Biles’ case, a cultural phenomenon and a singular force in gymnastics — choosing to step away from a game while it was still in play, especially the Olympics, the most venerated of sporting events.


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To: Kazan

And yet, Elena Mukhina, Julissa Gomez. Melanie Coleman, Jacoby Miles.

Sure they have added padding, modified the vault, banned a few moves.

The event will never be safe. If an athlete thinks her risk of injury is too high, her decision. It’s a sport, a game, an event given a socially accepted, artificial value.


101 posted on 07/31/2021 11:21:25 AM PDT by heartwood (Someone has to play devil's advocate other.)
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To: heartwood
Biles made up the excuse having mental issues because she wasn't performing well.

There is probably less of a risk of injury in gymnastics than in basketball. The floor isn't padded in basketball.

102 posted on 07/31/2021 12:49:39 PM PDT by Kazan
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To: Kazan

Basketball players get paralyzed from the neck down?


103 posted on 07/31/2021 1:15:20 PM PDT by heartwood (Someone has to play devil's advocate other.)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

People need to read up on “The Twisties.”

Apparently it is a real thing. If you are flipping yourself 8-10 feet in the air and coming down on your neck...that is a problem.

Consider it like the yips in golf, except it can paralyze you.

I honestly don’t care about Biles. But, doing just a little bit of background reading can bring some perspective to this.


104 posted on 07/31/2021 1:28:36 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: srmanuel

You need to do some reading on the sport and the situation.

This has nothing to do with “will.” Christ, she has been in a couple of Olympics already.

I once photographed a women’s national basketball championship for Division 3. As the game was coming down to the last few minutes, one of the fans yelled, “You gotta want it!”

I looked at the other shooter on the floor and said, “The girls are in the final minutes of the national championship. Clearly....they lack ‘drive’.”

Your comments purport the same type of ignorance about the sport and exactly what high level competition is like for these people.

Would you put someone with vertigo behind the wheel of an Indy 500 race car? Yeah...you probably would.


105 posted on 07/31/2021 1:34:20 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: Kazan

Really? Have you ever been to a gymnastics meet? With high level atheletes?

Coming down on a 2 inch pad on your neck will snap it just as if it were a solid wood floor.


106 posted on 07/31/2021 1:36:01 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: Vermont Lt

She quit, she’s 24 years old, she’s grown woman, not a child...

I can give you any number of examples of someone going beyond the expected and doing whatever is necessary to help the team..

Jack Youngblood played the Super Bowl with a Broken leg.

Keri Strug completed her final vault with a several sprained ankle.

Michael Jordan played a clinching game in the NBA finals with a severe illness..

Philip Rivers played nearly an entire game with a torn ACL....

I can keep going, she quit on herself and her teammates...


107 posted on 07/31/2021 1:47:32 PM PDT by srmanuel (`)
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To: srmanuel

Stop embarrassing yourself. Read something beside your own posts.


108 posted on 07/31/2021 1:57:28 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: Vermont Lt

If I’m embarrassing myself, why do you keep responding...look in the mirror dude...


109 posted on 07/31/2021 2:00:53 PM PDT by srmanuel (`)
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To: RetiredArmy
To answer by own question above, here are some numbers on EX-sport players:

According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, 35% of National Football League (NFL) players are either bankrupt or are under financial stress within two years of retirement and an estimated 60% of National Basketball Association (NBA) players, 78% NFL players, and a large percentage of Major League Baseball (MLB) players (4x that of the average U.S. citizen) go bankrupt within five years after leaving their sport.

When asked by one of his players "What's the most dangerous thing that could happen to us financially?", Carolina Panthers majority owner Jerry Richardson replied immediately, "Divorce." The money stops flowing in. Without a prenuptial agreement, Michael Jordan's $168 million divorce settlement was at the time the largest ever. On the other hand, Dikembe Mutombo canceled his wedding, when his fiancee refused to sign one the day before the ceremony.

Another factor is the sexual opportunities available to athletes during their careers. Players end up being responsible for child support. Shawn Kemp had at least seven children with six women, Derrick Thomas seven with five, Jon Kilgore fifteen with four, and Travis Henry nine with nine. Henry was imprisoned for non-payment of an estimated $170,000 annually.

From a couple of different sources online. RA

110 posted on 07/31/2021 2:09:09 PM PDT by RetiredArmy (Free Will. GOD gives you the choice I accept or reject Him! Choose Him. It depends on you.)
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To: heartwood

I wonder how people would have reacted if a top male athlete had done what she did?


111 posted on 07/31/2021 2:15:38 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

“All blacks today are doing is digging their graves.”

Don’t know about that but yesterday ran into an article about a singer named Yola. She’s English and black and the article referred to her as among other things a country singer.

Powerful voice. Listen to this interview in which she talks about her music and life. Articulate and level headed totally non-victim women. It’s 45 minutes. Don’t mean to waste your time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kl4jnetkIA

Skip past the 1st minute which is supposed to be an attention grabber I suppose.


112 posted on 07/31/2021 2:51:08 PM PDT by cymbeline
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To: Kazan; heartwood
There is no chance of her breaking her neck.

You, K, have just established your credibility as an armchair athlete.

113 posted on 07/31/2021 3:53:07 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (In my defense, I was left unsupervised.)
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To: Kazan
There is no chance of her breaking her neck. There are pads everywhere.

Tell you what...jump off a platform eight feet in the air headfirst and get back to us.

114 posted on 07/31/2021 4:01:04 PM PDT by ealgeone
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To: Silentgypsy

The poster has established him/herself as an idiot.


115 posted on 07/31/2021 4:01:45 PM PDT by ealgeone
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To: ealgeone

That, too.


116 posted on 07/31/2021 4:31:54 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (In my defense, I was left unsupervised.)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

She quit because she needs to generate buzz for her upcoming tour. Maybe ticket sales are down.

https://www.goldoveramericatour.com/goat#


117 posted on 07/31/2021 4:38:13 PM PDT by moviefan8 (#restorethesnyderverse)
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To: ealgeone
Tell you what...jump off a platform eight feet in the air headfirst and get back to us.

I was sports reporter and watch sports all my life. And, there are sports FAR more dangerous.

Injury is an absolute BS excuse by Biles. She had a bad performance and knew she wasn't going to do well so she quit.

118 posted on 07/31/2021 4:55:14 PM PDT by Kazan
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To: Silentgypsy
You, K, have just established your credibility as an armchair athlete.

No, I'm great at detecting bullshit excuses by pampered athletes.

If Biles really has mental issues and is afraid of injury, why she leaving the door open to compete in more events?

And, yes, skateboarders, skiers, football, basketball players and pro wrestlers are all injured at far greater rates than gymnasts.

119 posted on 07/31/2021 5:00:08 PM PDT by Kazan
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To: Kazan

Oooohhhh….big sports reporter. As I thought. Big talk. You’re a complete idiot.


120 posted on 07/31/2021 5:31:14 PM PDT by ealgeone
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