Tokyo COVympics: July 23 to August 8

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

That's an impressive amount of assuming while also being so certain, I'll admit.

While I am sure there are lots of bad takes on this from women, I’m seeing an awful lot from dudes. Weird.

woman was assaulted by nassar and plenty of people didn’t GAF and let him continue to assault over the years. I don’t think her struggles mean she’s a selfish twat who purposely took a spot from someone else

[MichVandal]

While I am sure there are lots of bad takes on this from women, I’m seeing an awful lot from dudes. Weird.

woman was assaulted by nassar and plenty of people didn’t GAF and let him continue to assault over the years. I don’t think her struggles mean she’s a selfish twat who purposely took a spot from someone else

The idea that she "took the spot from someone else" suggests that she knew going in that this was going to happen. And since she competed in the prelims pretty much shows that as a bad assumption. Even with some indicators of having the yips, she still had the highest score in the prelims. So up until he dropping out, she was still the best in the world- not even operating at 100%.

Let alone that is also ignores that an alternative did step into her spot, and did an amazing job.

[bronconick]

Suni Lee decided to just go ahead and win the individual All-Around gold. 5 straight Americans since 2004

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

So happy for suni!

[Scarlet]

Yay! That's exciting!

[bronconick]

She should win an additional gold for doing anything with fake nails on.

[Spartanforlife4]

So you don't know what happened and how it went down, then.

That's not the first time I've seen this thought- but what actually happened is that Biles figured out on her first jump that she got in to a mental position to doubt her ability to hit anything. So by dropping out, she gave her team a chance of winning.

Seeing her score in that one jump, had she stayed in and competed, the US would have probably finished in last place. Instead, since she recognized that she would not be hitting her performance, dropping out put an alternate in place.

Because of Simone Biles dropping out of the competition, the US *almost* won the gold.

this very much wasn't her "not feeling like it anymore" this was "why did I just get lost on that jump? OMG, if I continue, we lose".

Also, had she continued, the risk of getting injured really badly went up quite a bit- try one of her massive attempts, and get lost in the middle- the landing could have been a disaster for her.

One other thing- she didn't just go an close herself into the locker room- she went back out on the floor to support her team. Again, because she dropped out, they still almost won.

The injury aspect is the one that I can’t believe is being overlooked. There are certainly people making bad faith arguments, but for those who genuinely believe she should’ve powered through it, I’m trying to think of another sport where a case of the yips could be so catastrophic. I’ve seen more MJ comparisons than I’d like to count, but if Jordan got a hitch in his jump shot in the middle of the Finals, that’s not going to lead to a broken neck.

[bronconick]

The injury aspect is the one that I can’t believe is being overlooked. There are certainly people making bad faith arguments, but for those who genuinely believe she should’ve powered through it, I’m trying to think of another sport where a case of the yips could be so catastrophic. I’ve seen more MJ comparisons than I’d like to count, but if Jordan got a hitch in his jump shot in the middle of the Finals, that’s not going to lead to a broken neck.

The Jordan comparisons also don't include what sport Simone is going to play for a mid-life crisis/family loss before returning. I say NASCAR.

[Kepler]

40% of the country has been uncomfortable that our greatest athlete is (1) black and (2) not a docile step and fetch it like Tiger, are now taking their revenge.

Quelle surprise.

[Scarlet]

I saw a story yesterday about a Russian gymnast who broke her leg leading up to the 1980 Olympics and she didn't think it healed properly in time to compete but the Russian officials made her compete. She fell off something (beam I think?) hit her head and became paralyzed. That's what could happen. As for Keri Strug, I honestly did not know that she didn't need to do that second vault. She deserves her own super gold for doing that vault on a broken foot/ankle whatever. USA Gymnastics needs to be disbanded and rebuilt.

Part of me kinda hopes this was part of Simone's evil plan for...something.

[Scarlet]

40% of the country has been uncomfortable that our greatest athlete is (1) black and (2) not a docile step and fetch it like Tiger, are now taking their revenge.

Quelle surprise.

Also...a woman.

[Kepler]

Also...a woman.

That would have been forgivable if she had been more... more... what's the word I'm looking for?



"Mentally tough." That's it.

[Kepler]

Oh god please I know we haven't been close but for me please do not let Dump tweet about this.

[Russell Jaslow]

The injury aspect is the one that I can’t believe is being overlooked. There are certainly people making bad faith arguments, but for those who genuinely believe she should’ve powered through it, I’m trying to think of another sport where a case of the yips could be so catastrophic. I’ve seen more MJ comparisons than I’d like to count, but if Jordan got a hitch in his jump shot in the middle of the Finals, that’s not going to lead to a broken neck.

Auto racing. That is a sport you absolutely have to have your head 100% into it, or you are in trouble. Rick Mears, who still had it, and could have gone for a record fifth Indy 500 win, retired at the Penske Christmas party, saying, "I was never in it for the records. When I no longer wanted to race, I wasn't going to race."

Nico Rosberg quit one month after winning the F1 World Driving Championship. Obviously still in his prime. He said, "I could no longer get myself into that frame of mind which is needed to win a world championship again. I couldn't put myself through that again." And this after he signed an extremely lucrative contract extension over the summer.

[jerphisch]

So you don't know what happened and how it went down, then.

That's not the first time I've seen this thought- but what actually happened is that Biles figured out on her first jump that she got in to a mental position to doubt her ability to hit anything. So by dropping out, she gave her team a chance of winning.

Then that's what she should say, not that it's a mental health issue, not that it isn't fun anymore and not that she doesn't want to get hurt.

This is the major stumbling block when it comes to ALL mental health problems in this country.

I think part of the problem is from what I've read, it doesn't sound like it's a mental health in the sense we typically use that phrase right now. She has mental issues that are affecting her performance, but not mental health issues. I mean if mental health relates to anything you think about, then yeah, but it has a more specific meaning then that. From what I've read, she's more Rick Ankiel than Naomi Osaka. If that's the case, I think she's doing a disservice to actual mental health issues.