Olympics: Lindsey Jacobellis.......

[Kama89]

Can you name one person on the girls hockey team?

What? My point was from a personal point of view, in that more so this year, when I turn on the tv it seems I see one more athlete saying or doing something that completely surprises me. Believe me, no one knows more than I do, that the list of amazing athletes is far and away much longer than the list of athletes that have had what is questionable behavior in the eyes of some people.

 

[Kaycee]

Shaun White was an incredible and gracious winner, his parents must be so proud of him. He seems like a really great kid!

I agree.

 

[Kama89]

Can you name one person on the girls hockey team? or how about Shawn White-people had no idea who he was-he received his 15 minutes and he was did everything right-there is very little press about him and he won a gold. I guess hugging and kissing your mom and dad-and thanking them for missing work and taking him sno-boarding don't qualify as worthy news.

Oh Mari, I did not mean to imply that EVERY athlete there was doing these things!!! I was making a rather dark joke, and I apologize if it offended you. The list of athletes that take my breath away with their love and respect for their sport, countrymen and family is far far greater and brings me to tears every time. I am a true Olympic sap. What I was saying was, more this year, than any other... I've seen more attitude and it saddens me, that's all. MORE...meaning three, which really is nothing compared to the hundreds of US athletes that are there. Nevertheless, those three saddened me. That's all. Sorry for offending you.

 

[3princesses4us]

Who should she apologize to? YOU who are sitting on your butt in your warm living room watching TV?

Yes, actually. I sure would be apologizing to all my countrymen for doing something unnecessary that could have cost OUR country the medal. She's representing all of us. And what on earth does my butt being in a warm living room have to do with anything?! Are we now supposed to feel sorry for her that she was cold? She's a snowboarder for God's sake- she knew it wouldn't be warm when she got there.

Give me a break. These kids train hard and she didn't do anything outrageous. I watched it and it looked like on the jump she landed bad. Could have happened to anyone. In fact it did happen to the three people behind her.

That's our point. These kids do train hard and she did enough of something unncessary to cost her the gold medal. Everyone's said it. She knows it. Perhaps someone sitting at home that didn't make the team trained just as hard and wouldn't have showboated her way out of the gold medal.

As far as people being embarassments for the USA. Look at some of our representatives in Washington. Now that's an embarassment.

Don't go there! There are plenty of political threads for you to go to if you want to discuss that.

 

[CEDmom]

Who should she apologize to? YOU who are sitting on your butt in your warm living room watching TV?

Give me a break. These kids train hard and she didn't do anything outrageous. I watched it and it looked like on the jump she landed bad. Could have happened to anyone. In fact it did happen to the three people behind her.

As far as people being embarassments for the USA. Look at some of our representatives in Washington. Now that's an embarassment.

Now this is the most reasonable thing I've read on this entire thread. I just don't understand people getting so worked up over this .

 

[luvmydogs]

Be it in the Olympics, or in our everyday ordinary lives, being accountable and owning up to one's actions is something that will serve you well in life. I have a great deal of respect when someone says, "Yes, I screwed up." Making excuses and rationalizing away mistakes (ugh--Johnny Weir!) cheapens one's performance, as good or as bad as it was in the first place.

I appreciate gracious winners and losers, those who exhibit good sportsmanship in the face of adversity and show respect for teammates and fellow athletes. It's not all about the color of the medal.

 

[damo]

How much money did she lose out on between winning silver instead of gold? I know that the US pays $25,000 to the athletes that win a gold medal but how much do they pay for a silver?

 

[roseprincess]

Yeah, she made a mistake-got too excited I guess. She is young and cocky. She'll probably be back in 4 yrs to go for the gold, if she wants to, and wants to seriously go for the gold.
It was a little odd and strange when she finished, everyone was flocking to the one that won the gold(the Swiss boarder) and no one came to Lindsay for it seemed about 5 min. before her coach, friends came by her.

I missed the John Weir skating fiasco from Thurs night. Guess I'll check the olympics website on what happened. I'm guessing he fell a few times.

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

I think maybe she was enjoying every minute of her Olympic experience.

I was a gymnast, not at the Olympic level, but I've seen enough sour faced kids competing at high levels to wonder why they do it.

She was probably really having a blast out there, excited that she was winning, and in her jubilation made a bad call.

There was a consequence for that call.

As for all of her interviews, she possibly looks at it as a "There's nothing that I can do about this now. I refuse to not be proud of my silver medal or let anyone take that accomplishment away."

I applaud her for that.

ITA. Very well said. I applaud her too.

Some people are acting like she hasn't been punished enough.

Instead of a people celebrating with her, she's gotten no cheers and a lot of questions. So sad.

 

[Jennasis]

I watched the whole thing and was absolutely going nuts watching Lindsey fight for the lead (hole spot)...the the other two girls fell (Maelle Ricker fell BADLY and had to be skiied off the hill, the other was the French girl who's coach had protested about the weather after her dismal performance in an early qualifier and finished 3rd eventually) leaving only Jacobellis after the Swiss girl fell too. Then it happened...just a few hundredd feet from the finish after that last jump. My heart sank....it happened so fast I didn't even know what had happened and neither did the commentators. Was there a bad spot in the snow??

It was on the replay that we all saw the Method-air grab. Foolish. She was so in the moment, and not thinking clearly. She was showing off, just like the final run Shaun White got to have in the half-pipe...only in that case there was no-chance of him losing the gold. he could have slid down on his butt and still won the gold. Lindsey got cockey and paid the price. She also made the mistake of initailly trying to cover it up during the interview on the hill. LAter in the studio with Bob Costas she admitted to getting caught in the moment.

A shame really. I would love to hear from her coach. The saddest thing they showed was her parents reaction as she was flying down the hill with victory clearly hers, they were cheering her on, screaming for her "Come on baby!!! Come on!! COME ON!!! " Then she fell and it was devastation to them. How do you explain to them why you did something so foolish? Jacobellis doesn't owe you or me an apology pr an explanation, but her coach and her teammates and her parents who have sacrificed for her and supported her certainly are owed.

 

[damo]

, the other was the French girl who's coach had protested about the weather after her dismal performance in an early qualifier and finished 3rd eventually)

When was this? Here is the links to all the qualifiers and Maltais
never had a dismal performance.
http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/results/snowboard/snowboard_cross_women.shtml

 

[nwdisgal]

ITA. Very well said. I applaud her too.

Some people are acting like she hasn't been punished enough.

Instead of a people celebrating with her, she's gotten no cheers and a lot of questions. So sad.

JoeEpcot, I actually agree with you on something This gal is still a kid and has lots of time to grow as an individual. The fact that she made it to the Olympics is something to be said in itself. - I'm sure also that she'll benefit from the lesson that she just learned. As an avid and long time winter sports fanatic myself, I'll I can say is to anyone that has made it to the Olympics on the winter sports circuit.

 

[RadioNate]

Lindsay looked horrified and embarrased after the run. You could see her holding back tears. What do you want her to say? She DID said that tried the method air, screwed up and lost. Do you want her to break down and cry and whine on in every interview about she messed up and should have had the gold. Then we'd all be saying she isn't grateful for her silver and is a sore looser. It is all defensive. Great athlets shrug off losses and come back out fighting.

Shaun White pulled method the day before and was branded a hero. I'm sure Lindsay has successfully landed that trick a million times. Yes she bit it when it counted but SHE has to live with that. Seth Wescott who won the men's snowboard cross did it during his qualifing runs. That's what snowboards do. They add style.

 

[OhMari]

Oh Mari, I did not mean to imply that EVERY athlete there was doing these things!!! I was making a rather dark joke, and I apologize if it offended you. The list of athletes that take my breath away with their love and respect for their sport, countrymen and family is far far greater and brings me to tears every time. I am a true Olympic sap. What I was saying was, more this year, than any other... I've seen more attitude and it saddens me, that's all. MORE...meaning three, which really is nothing compared to the hundreds of US athletes that are there. Nevertheless, those three saddened me. That's all. Sorry for offending you.

I apologize, I didn't mean to offend you. I just don't understand why the athletes that play by the rules, don't make any controversy hardly get any air time. The media tends to focus on the people that have an attitude that they want to be different and try to establish a bad girl, bad boy image. Can you imagine if every girl hockey player decided she needed her own RV out in the parking lot. Most couldn't afford one because they are college students.

They compared this racing like "Nascar" I guess she just did her stunt or her "burn out" before she won the race.

 

[TDC Nala]

I'm just laughing about the fact that somebody brought up Leon Lett. I remember that game.

 

[pozey]

WOW, I really think people put WAY too much pressure on a young girl. She messed up...big deal! It's not like she's a heart surgeon....she's a snow boarder!! I can't think of anything more inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Everyone should be PROUD of her for getting the silver medal, not making fun of her for not getting the gold. America's priorities are extremely skewed.

But there's a HUGE difference in someone going out and giving it your all and coming in 2nd and what she did.

She had the race completely in hand. She was so far ahead, she decided to "showboat". She didn't crash because she was going all out for the finish line. She didn't come in 2nd because someone out-raced her. She came in 2nd because she decided she needed to show up the competition and show off.

I agree with the above poster who said her sponsers should ask for a refund. Sponsers give tons of money to help Olympic athletes to reach their goal. And she decided to pull a stunt like that.

I don't mind celebrations........just win before you celebrate....

 

[gradtchr]

I am in shock that I am reading that people are upset with her. She got SILVER! WOW that is an accomplishment that MILLIONS of Americans will NEVER have. She MADE it to the olympics, she is and would be a SUCCESS even if she did NOT medal. She tried something, it didn't work, but that does NOT make her any less of a person or athlete.

One thing I love hearing from the athletes is how much they love their sport, and she clearly does. She will still have endorsers knocking on her door and she will have a generation looking up to her wishing they could be in her shoes and have the ability that she does.

Those who are watching need to know that she has probably beat herself up for her choice more than anyone would ever be able to but she SHOULD be proud that she achieved what she did and I sincerely hope that she does not get the cold shoulder. She represents our nation but as a nation we need to support her as well and we should be screaming and applauding that she received a medal that the majority of this nation will never have.

 

[Mercy]

Lindsay looked horrified and embarrased after the run. You could see her holding back tears. What do you want her to say? She DID said that tried the method air, screwed up and lost. Do you want her to break down and cry and whine on in every interview about she messed up and should have had the gold. Then we'd all be saying she isn't grateful for her silver and is a sore looser. It is all defensive. Great athlets shrug off losses and come back out fighting.

Shaun White pulled method the day before and was branded a hero. I'm sure Lindsay has successfully landed that trick a million times. Yes she bit it when it counted but SHE has to live with that. Seth Wescott who won the men's snowboard cross did it during his qualifing runs. That's what snowboards do. They add style.

ITA... I really felt sorry for her after the race, everyone ran up to hug and congratulate the winner and she was just standing there all alone. I'm sure she felt horrible, not only for losing for her own sake but for the country's as well. But again, what is she suppose to say, she admitted she messed up. Man give her a break. Or no... maybe we should take her out into the middle of the Olympic village and stone her!

It's pretty easy for us to judge her from our Lazy-boy recliners.

 

[lulugirl]

WOW, I really think people put WAY too much pressure on a young girl. She messed up...big deal! It's not like she's a heart surgeon....she's a snow boarder!! I can't think of anything more inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Everyone should be PROUD of her for getting the silver medal, not making fun of her for not getting the gold. America's priorities are extremely skewed.

I agree.

 

[lulugirl]

I am in shock that I am reading that people are upset with her. She got SILVER! WOW that is an accomplishment that MILLIONS of Americans will NEVER have. She MADE it to the olympics, she is and would be a SUCCESS even if she did NOT medal. She tried something, it didn't work, but that does NOT make her any less of a person or athlete.

One thing I love hearing from the athletes is how much they love their sport, and she clearly does. She will still have endorsers knocking on her door and she will have a generation looking up to her wishing they could be in her shoes and have the ability that she does.

Those who are watching need to know that she has probably beat herself up for her choice more than anyone would ever be able to but she SHOULD be proud that she achieved what she did and I sincerely hope that she does not get the cold shoulder. She represents our nation but as a nation we need to support her as well and we should be screaming and applauding that she received a medal that the majority of this nation will never have.

Well stated.