Bode Miller.....thoughts? (olympic skier)some spoilers, read at own risk...

[cardaway]

Sure, but he's still and idiot who should have taken this more seriously than he did, unless he didn't care, but then why was he there?

And where would he have finished had he locked himself in his room and snuggled with nothing but his skis all night?

Maybe he would have done worse...

 

[vivilasvegas]

The guy took 5th place, not 50th. You'd think after reading this thread that he belly flopped down the hill.

right back at ya!

As weird as it seems, I don't really care about the Olympics. But I was under the assumption that it was a huuuuuuge deal to get there. So when I read about a guy who has been doing all this talking, how he's sooo great and gonna win, then hear how he was out late drinking the night before the BIG event, (yes, I know there are others), I just thought that was pretty stupid.

Who knew that I'd be explaining that you shouldn't drink the night before something important so you can be at your best??

I'll have to show this to my dad, he'll be so pleased.

 

[vivilasvegas]

And where would he have finished had he locked himself in his room and snuggled with nothing but his skis all night?

Maybe he would have done worse...

First. Definitely first.

 

[cardaway]

Who knew that I'd be explaining that you shouldn't drink the night before something important so you can be at your best??

Maybe you should have studied up. Many the sports hero had to be carried home the night before the big game.

 

[vivilasvegas]

Maybe you should have studied up. Many the sports hero had to be carried home the night before the big game.

Well, I'll hit those books tonight. You can test me tomorrow...
phew, didn't know I'd hit a nerve here...


let's all go get a drink and work this out!

 

[Ziva]

The guy took 5th place, not 50th. You'd think after reading this thread that he belly flopped down the hill.

I know did people even bother to actually watch the race? It was so close time wise, and he handled the loss with a lot of class too.

1 DENERIAZ Antoine FRA 1:48.80
2 WALCHHOFER Michael AUT 1:49.52 +0.72

3 KERNEN Bruno SUI 1:49.82 +1.02

4 AAMODT Kjetil Andre NOR 1:49.88 +1.08

5 MILLER Bode USA 1:49.93 +1.13

6 MAIER Hermann AUT 1:50.00 +1.20

 

[pixiemomma]

It's one race...not life and death. The guy went out and had a few drinks, (no one has said he was drunk), I've gone out and had a few drinks and gone into work the next day. He used skis that he used once, his team mate had them on, decided at the last minute not to use them and changed skis at the top of the hill...he finished horrible and I thought he was the favored one?

Anyone that would hold up an Olympic or professional athlete or a movie/singing star as a role model needs to rethink their priorities. The only role models for my kids are me and my DH.

Umm, you picked the wrong person to quote. I don't feel he did anything wrong. I was pointing out he skied rather well in the event, one he was not favored to win gold in anyway (not even the top American) and one of several he participates in.

 

[inaminute]

Bode Miller.....thoughts?

My thoughts: He's an embarrassment.

 

[cardaway]

Well, I'll hit those books tonight. You can test me tomorrow...
phew, didn't know I'd hit a nerve here...

Your post read like you were telling us something we didn't know when the reality is that the two schools of thought in big game prep have been going on long before both of us were alive.

Nobody has proven which is the better way to go about it, but it has been proven that many can all but pass out the night before and still come out on top.

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

I love it when people watch 30 minutes of a sport every 4 years and suddenly become experts. Bode Miller likely OVER-ACHIEVED placing 5th. He was not expected to win. He did not predict he would win. He is ranked 7th in the world cup standings. Saying he messed up by placing 5th in the Olympic games against the best skiers in the world, shows your lack of knowledge. Maybe going out drinking allowed him to relax and helped him place better then he should. Daron Rahleves, who by the way is the only one I've heard whining this week, finished 10th. There is a disappointment. Maybe he should have gone out partying with Bode.

 

[vivilasvegas]

I love it when people watch 30 minutes of a sport every 4 years and suddenly become experts. Bode Miller likely OVER-ACHIEVED placing 5th. He was not expected to win. He did not predict he would win. He is ranked 7th in the world cup standings. Saying he messed up by placing 5th in the Olympic games against the best skiers in the world, shows your lack of knowledge. Maybe going out drinking allowed him to relax and helped him place better then he should. Daron Rahleves, who by the way is the only one I've heard whining this week, finished 10th. There is a disappointment. Maybe he should have gone out partying with Bode.

If it makes you feel better, I didn't watch it at all.

I certainly didn't mean to offend everyone so much, just a conversation topic.

It's the only thing that made the Olympics hold any interest for me at all.

And I guess I would be in the school of thought where I wouldn't go out drinking the night before a huge event.
I know myself, and I would be pretty lifeless the next day....

 

[goofy4tink]

This is Bode....He always has behaved this way..nothing new here. As the saying goes..'move along people, nothing to see, move along now'. Bode has always been the renegade skier. He has his own set of rules (if you can call them rules), he doesn't kowtow, or basically listen, to anyone else. Pretty much a 'my way or the highway' kinda guy. So....if his sponsers knew all this going in, if the fans knew this going is..what's the big deal? This is Bode behaviour, through and through. Nothing different. Personally, I think he skied pretty well on that run. After reading here, I thought he had really bombed, but my heavens people...one second off the gold medal time??? We are talking about tenths of seconds, hundreths of seconds here.
Nope, I can't get all worked up over Bode's behaviour...nothing new happening. Just Bode being Bode!!

 

[toto2]

When you make the choice to be in the lime light like that you are automaticly put up as a role model for future skiers. You are put on ever box of cereal. Put on all types of tv show. Sponsers use your image to get others to buy their products. "By this and be like Bobe!"


Yes he is a role model whether he likes it or not. His actions are posted all over paper and screen. Kids see that and think "Hey if he can do it then so can I". If he can go out and party before his big event and people are ok with it. Then why can't I?

First , he is put on the cereal box if he dicides to be put there ( and will be paid accordingly) He wont be put on TV shows , but will be invited , and will decide if he goes or not. And with everything we have read so far , his sponsor are quite aware who they are sponsoring , and I am pretty sure that his "bad boy" image has everything to do with the sponsoring.

 

[toto2]

I think it is extremely disrespectful to his teammates, his country, and even himself to go out drinking the night before an Olympic competition. IMHO, it’s high time he grows up and acts his age.

That being said, I do have to give him some credit for not blaming anybody when he got 5th place in the event. He could’ve tried to blame it on the skis (as the reporters were sort of prompting him to do IMO). But he did take the consequences of his actions. To me it’s just a shame that he lacks the maturity/self discipline to prepare properly for an Olympic event.

I agree with whoever said that the most hyped competitors are often the ones that fall short.

He does not owe anything to teamates , but to be nice with them , not cheat , and play by the rules , and he is competing firts for himself , and not his country and the benefits he can get from his competing. making your country proud is s fring benefit of all this.


And since he manage to be able to performe in 5 olympic event ( no small accomplishment , he doest have the talent and the drive , the maturity and self decipline to get there. It is very difficult to get to the olympics. You are not given a free pass just because you are cute in a snowsuite

 

[In a hurry]

Condemning a guy for being 1 second slower... Give me a break! I had a friend who went to the olympics for swimming, and her biggest regret in life is that she didn't take any time to actually enjoy the olympics. (She won 1 gold.) She is now a coach, and she makes sure the kids who work with her know that while winning is incredible, don't lose sight of all of the rest life has to offer.

 

[vivilasvegas]

I don't think my calling the guy an idiot is condemning him for life!!

And I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm the one getting all worked up here....

 

[toto2]

This is Bode....He always has behaved this way..nothing new here. As the saying goes..'move along people, nothing to see, move along now'. Bode has always been the renegade skier. He has his own set of rules (if you can call them rules), he doesn't kowtow, or basically listen, to anyone else. Pretty much a 'my way or the highway' kinda guy. So....if his sponsers knew all this going in, if the fans knew this going is..what's the big deal? This is Bode behaviour, through and through. Nothing different.
Nope, I can't get all worked up over Bode's behaviour...nothing new happening. Just Bode being Bode!!

He is in fact the quintessential american : the lone ranger of sking ! I mean this in the good way, not in a sarcastic way ...

 

[ead79]

He does not owe anything to teamates , but to be nice with them , not cheat , and play by the rules , and he is competing firts for himself , and not his country and the benefits he can get from his competing. making your country proud is s fring benefit of all this.


And since he manage to be able to performe in 5 olympic event ( no small accomplishment , he doest have the talent and the drive , the maturity and self decipline to get there. It is very difficult to get to the olympics. You are not given a free pass just because you are cute in a snowsuite

You and I will have to agree to disagree on this point. While it is an extremely proud moment for an individual and it is certainly expected that you will be proud as an individual if you win, I think you do compete to help make your country proud. I’m not saying that you must place 1st to do so, just that you are there as a representative of the USA, not just as an individual.

Also, I think he has the talent to get there, as well as the discipline when it comes to skiing. I don’t think he has the self-discipline or maturity in other aspects of his life. Of course, that’s just my opinion, and everyone has a different concept of being mature.

 

[goofy4tink]

He is in fact the quintessential american : the lone ranger of sking ! I mean this in the good way, not in a sarcastic way ...

Yep, totally agree. We Americans seem to always have one of those 'lone ranger' type skiers out there. The ones we love to hate!!!

 

[cardaway]

You and I will have to agree to disagree on this point. While it is an extremely proud moment for an individual and it is certainly expected that you will be proud as an individual if you win, I think you do compete to help make your country proud. I’m not saying that you must place 1st to do so, just that you are there as a representative of the USA, not just as an individual.

Also, I think he has the talent to get there, as well as the discipline when it comes to skiing. I don’t think he has the self-discipline or maturity in other aspects of his life. Of course, that’s just my opinion, and everyone has a different concept of being mature.

You only know about the night before because some reporter ratted him out or he decided to tell you. Given that, the argument rings hollow unless you are going to questin each American athlete does doesn't palce first and hold them accountable for what you think is the right way to act.