Tokyo Olympics - It's On

[KevinR]

The miscues that occurred on Sunday, not just by her but by the rest of the team, making her (more than anyone else since she is the most-decorated) even more afraid of failing. You need only to watch again how Donovan Brazier cracked and crashed at the 550 to 650 mark. Simone did not want to have such a moment that would have cost the whole team a medal, and she thought she was headed in that direction given her mental state on Sunday and/or Monday.

I was reading some of what she had to say in her press conference. She spoke of the demons in her head just taking over. She could not make the doubts go away. As you said, she felt the team had a better chance without her on the floor. I admire her for being so open and honest. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for her teammates to compete after seeing that.

[Conor Dary]

Television and Money have sort of ruined it all. The hype by NBC is absolutely exhausting on so many levels. I'll take Track as an example, but the below statement could apply to any and all of the sports in the Olympics:

It's a TRACK MEET ! That's all it is !

That and the Schrödinger's cat aspect to it all..

Was it really going to happen...

[NotDutra5]

Indeed....Already won once....should have quit when she was on top.

Amazing.

[NotDutra5]

Now, I didn't know that. Did this occur during or before the race/meet? Was it serious enough that no one would have begrudged him if he had withdrawn?

It apparently was something he was dealing with for a while likely costing him training time. I don't think it was a cracking under the pressure situation for him.

[CookyMonzta]

Donovan crashed and cracked a bone in his foot IIRC.

Now, I didn't know that. Did this occur during or before the race/meet? Was it serious enough that no one would have begrudged him if he had withdrawn?

[NotDutra5]

The miscues that occurred on Sunday, not just by her but by the rest of the team, making her (more than anyone else since she is the most-decorated) even more afraid of failing. You need only to watch again how Donovan Brazier cracked and crashed at the 550 to 650 mark. Simone did not want to have such a moment that would have cost the whole team a medal, and she thought she was headed in that direction given her mental state on Sunday and/or Monday.

Donovan crashed and cracked a bone in his foot IIRC.

[CookyMonzta]

Well, until yesterday, she had made a strong argument for being on top. Number one ranked gymnast, and performing a number of feats no one had ever tried in competition. It is impossible for us to know what was going on inside her head. The tragedy of it is that it all transpired on the largest stage imaginable.

The miscues that occurred on Sunday, not just by her but by the rest of the team, making her (more than anyone else since she is the most-decorated) even more afraid of failing. You need only to watch again how Donovan Brazier cracked and crashed at the 550 to 650 mark. Simone did not want to have such a moment that would have cost the whole team a medal, and she thought she was headed in that direction given her mental state on Sunday and/or Monday.

[CookyMonzta]

But THIS was to be her Olga, Nadia, and Mary Lou party!

No. She already had that, after winning gold in 2016 and never losing a World Championship she entered. At the moment, she is where Nadia was in 1980. And by the way, Mary Lou retired after Los Angeles 1984 (or was it 1985 or '86?).

[booond]

I wonder how many death threats she gets in a day?

[dukehjsteve]

Television and Money have sort of ruined it all. The hype by NBC is absolutely exhausting on so many levels. I'll take Track as an example, but the below statement could apply to any and all of the sports in the Olympics:

It's a TRACK MEET ! That's all it is !

[Trickstat]

I guess for folks who have bought into the NBC narrative, the Olympics are a catastrophe but most of the world don't see it that way.

Good point. The UK has already had its first ever repeat swimming champ and its first swimming 1-2 since 1908 plus diver Tom Daley finally getting gold at his 4th Games.

[gm]

I guess for folks who have bought into the NBC narrative, the Olympics are a catastrophe but most of the world don't see it that way.

Yep, none of those things listed bother me in the least. I love upsets.

[KevinR]

Well, until yesterday, she had made a strong argument for being on top. Number one ranked gymnast, and performing a number of feats no one had ever tried in competition. It is impossible for us to know what was going on inside her head. The tragedy of it is that it all transpired on the largest stage imaginable.

[einnod23]

Indeed....Already won once....should have quit when she was on top.

But THIS was to be her Olga, Nadia, and Mary Lou party!

[Conor Dary]

I don't see Biles as a victim. It seems to me that she embraced the fame and celebrity, she was no shrinking violet.

Indeed....Already won once....should have quit when she was on top.