So, Shawn White's teammates don't seem to like him...

• Heretic

  

  http://sports.yahoo.com/news/shaun-white-leaves-olympics-without-a-medal--or-many-snowboarding-friends--as-new-era-in-sport-begins-214448669.html
  
  Semi-interesting column where the main thing I took from it was that Davis doesn't seem to like White and, after he finished 10th, referred to White's fourth-place halfpipe finish as a gift. I mean, it was one thing when the rival Canadians ripped into him for pulling out of the slopestyle or whatever it's called, but this seemed a bit weird.
  
  Is there a reason for any bad blood? Him qualifying in one event and then deciding not to compete, essentially taking a place away from another potential Olympian? Him being the main face of the sport for pretty much the entire time it's been considered a legit competition, meaning everyone else winds up going below the radar in comparison? Or one other American who doesn't like him and a writer making it sound like he's a hated figure (since Davis was the only one providing comments that could be read as taking jabs at him)?
  
  I don't really follow snowboarding, but do find it fun to watch when it's on TV and I'm home and always thought he was awesome to watch because of some of the stuff he could pull off and make look routine, so I was wondering if anyone here follows it more and has any clue.
• gut

  Yeah, pulling out of a competition would really irritate someone who didn't get to go to the Olympics because of him.
  
  He mad a comment on an interview with Costas - last night before today's competition - along the lines of Costas saying "you finally have peers who are in your class" and White said something like "who are they?". He laughed and seemed like he was making a joke, but based on what I've been reading and hearing it sounds like he's just extraordinarily arrogant. Just because you've been the best doesn't mean you have to disrespect the competition.
• dlazz

  Man, it's too bad we don't have a thread for Random Olympic Chatter
• Heretic

  

  gut;1579395 wrote:Yeah, pulling out of a competition would really irritate someone who didn't get to go to the Olympics because of him.
  
  He mad a comment on an interview with Costas - last night before today's competition - along the lines of Costas saying "you finally have peers who are in your class" and White said something like "who are they?". He laughed and seemed like he was making a joke, but based on what I've been reading and hearing it sounds like he's just extraordinarily arrogant. Just because you've been the best doesn't mean you have to disrespect the competition.

  Didn't know about that comment in the interview. Yeah, saying that sort of thing would make it easy for any other competitor, teammate or not, to want to see him fail.
  

  dlazz;1579397 wrote:Man, it's too bad we don't have a thread for Random Olympic Chatter

  This is Specific Olympic Chatter, not Random.
  
  Hope this helps.
• Fly4Fun

  

  I think he's always come off as arrogant. But also, in an individual sport like snowboarding there aren't really true teammates, they just happen to be from the same country.
• LJ

  

  Fly4Fun;1579400 wrote:I think he's always come off as arrogant. But also, in an individual sport like snowboarding there aren't really true teammates, they just happen to be from the same country.

  Was just going to post this. And don't forget the fact that they have absolutely no connection the 3.8 years between Olympics
• vball10set

  Fly4Fun;1579400 wrote:I think he's always come off as arrogant. But also, in an individual sport like snowboarding there aren't really true teammates, they just happen to be from the same country.

  I think most elite athletes are arrogant to a certain degree-they're better than everyone else at what they do, therefore feeding the arrogance.
• wildcats20

  

  vball10set;1579420 wrote:I think most elite athletes are arrogant to a certain degree-they're better than everyone else at what they do, therefore feeding the arrogance.

  Especially in individual sports.
• Midstate01

  

  He has a reason to be pretty arrogant. He had nobody even close to his talent for years.
• Pick6

  

  Shawn White is a carrot top looking ging douche bag. Not surprised other Olympians aren't a fan.
• Tiernan

  Didn't I call this on the Random thread just like I call everything else Heretic?
• Automatik

  

  Everyone hates the best, no surprise here.
• Fly4Fun

  

  ccrunner609;1579452 wrote:I have met numerous Olympians and am friends with a gold medalist. This character trait is obvious with all of them and probably necessary to achieve massive success in these individual events.

  I've known a few Olympians myself (Swimmers, American backstroker one female and a male with a gold and silver medal, a Czech IMer, Swede freestyler and a Russian silver medalist in back). All of them were pretty humble, the russian was a little more arrogant. The Czech was probably one of the greatest guys I knew. He trained with the club team I was on in high school and he was always cheering all of us high school kids on and trying to keep everyone in good spirits during grueling practices.
  
  I don't think it's fair to say that all Olympians are arrogant. But at the same time, I'm sure any world class athlete might appear arrogant from time to time but that's really just being realistic as they are one of the best in the world at what they do.
• gut

  Difference between being arrogant and being a dick, especially to your fellow competitors.
• gut

  LMAO...announcer was commenting on the condition of the pipe on EVERY run in qualifying, and then Sean White comes off and says "it's great, I hope it stays that way".
• Fab4Runner

  

  I love the numerous misspellings of his name. It's Shaun.
• Fab4Runner

  

  Anyway, he doesn't bother me, but I also don't know a whole lot about him. Still, he's a USA American and I wanted him to do well.
• sportchampps

  The reason his teammates hate him go back to the last Winter Olympics. Snowboarders feel like practice should be them all going out together and practicing the same moves as each other. They got mad when Redbull built White his own secret half pipe that only he used and kept some of his new tricks secrets for the games. That is when the other Americans formed a clique (without White of course) called frends (because there's no I in friends).
  
  Really they are just mad that he has everything they want. I've read he is more wealthy then the next top 50 snowboarders combined. He get all their endorsements and doesn't help them get better.
• gut

  Well, he looked pretty gracious losing...very congratulatory, passing of the torch maybe?
• DeyDurkie5

  

  ccrunner609;1579452 wrote:I have met numerous Olympians and am friends with a gold medalist. This character trait is obvious with all of them and probably necessary to achieve massive success in these individual events.

  Mother fucker, you can't even own up to a 20$ pickem. You don't have any friends, let alone gold medal winners. Clown.
• Tiernan

  The reign of Shon White is over. I guess Schawn White should have competed in the Slope Style. Shean White should retire and become the Scott Hamilton of skate boarding, show up every 4 years and annoy the fuck out of us as an announcer.
• OSH

  

  It was a BIG prick move pulling out of the slopestyle. He pulled out of it too late and the US couldn't even name a replacement. Stupid.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  Fly4Fun;1579471 wrote:I've known a few Olympians myself (Swimmers, American backstroker one female and a male with a gold and silver medal, a Czech IMer, Swede freestyler and a Russian silver medalist in back). All of them were pretty humble, the russian was a little more arrogant. The Czech was probably one of the greatest guys I knew. He trained with the club team I was on in high school and he was always cheering all of us high school kids on and trying to keep everyone in good spirits during grueling practices.
  
  I don't think it's fair to say that all Olympians are arrogant. But at the same time, I'm sure any world class athlete might appear arrogant from time to time but that's really just being realistic as they are one of the best in the world at what they do.

  I think we should also consider that this guy is friends with a deadbeat. Probably more to do with his demeanor than being an Olympian.
• hang_loose

  Its not bragging if you can do it, but "watch out" if you can't!!!
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  dlazz;1579397 wrote:Man, it's too bad we don't have a thread for Random Olympic Chatter

  i hope you choke on a chicken nugget.