posted by geeblock

U literally just made that up 

hence me using the words "my guess"....... I believe that her teammates would want her to compete at it regardless of the outcome.

As for her inability to compete....unreal.  Not sure I have ever seen anything like it.   

I am going out on a limb at calling BS on it.  I just dont think that elite athletes at this level just walk off.  There is something else going on here.  Its being covered up with this excuse.

posted by Fletch

hence me using the words "my guess"....... I believe that her teammates would want her to compete at it regardless of the outcome.

As for her inability to compete....unreal.  Not sure I have ever seen anything like it.   

I am going out on a limb at calling BS on it.  I just dont think that elite athletes at this level just walk off.  There is something else going on here.  Its being covered up with this excuse.

The only elite athlete that I can think of who did something equivalent to this was Roberto Duran with his "no mas" fight.

What color is the ceiling for the other gymnasts?

Grown men getting outraged over gymnastics is hilarious.

That being said, total choke. Some Gen Z bullshit, should not be celebrated.

One does not simply put on GOAT slippers and then walk off....

posted by gut

One does not simply put on GOAT slippers and then walk off....

You mean like Jordan did for almost 2 years?

posted by brutus161

You mean like Jordan did for almost 2 years?

Maybe if Jordan had walked off in the middle of game 2 of the finals....

posted by brutus161

You mean like Jordan did for almost 2 years?

He finished his season

posted by Ironman92

What color is the ceiling for the other gymnasts?

Beat me to it.  She choked, gblock.  

So far, I've hear both Michael Phelps and Katy Ledecki speak in defense of Biles.  I put a lot more credibility into what they say than what I think - being that HS football and wrestling are the highest levels I've competed in.  She's in an individual sport and if she felt like she was going to cost the team in points, maybe she made the right move.  Had she then competed in the individual stuff, I guess I would have questioned this more, but she's not going to do that.  She's won many gold medals and other awards before, so she is well versed on competing and winning a the highest levels, so I can't see how she can be accused of not handling the pressure.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

...so I can't see how she can be accused of not handling the pressure.

Maybe because she literally said she couldn't handle the pressure?

Although Ladecki or Phelps probably aren't going to drown if they have a panic attack during a race.

posted by gut

Maybe because she literally said she couldn't handle the pressure?

Although Ladecki or Phelps probably aren't going to drown if they have a panic attack during a race.

True what you say, but I mean in her history, she's shown she can compete and win at the highest levels.  So it's not like this was the first time she'd ever performed under high expectations.  

I suspect what's bothering her goes beyond the sport. Hope she gets it figured out. Choke notwithstanding, she's still the GOAT by a sizable amount. Assuming she hangs it up, it leaves Joey Chestnut as the only active indisputable "sports" GOAT.

Many going with her being so brave on FB and her mental health and physical health isn’t worth a gold medal…..then saying Kerri Strug shouldn’t have vaulted back in the day when she helped women’s gymnast take gold….went after the harshness of Coach Kiroly. Now for one….Kiroly and basically every coach of those girls can eat a dong but where does this stop? I wonder Strug’s thoughts? Was it worth it to her? Ultimate story of toughness….was it too much, has she been negatively effected?…..really like her thoughts on this.

I don’t like where this might be going.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

So far, I've hear both Michael Phelps and Katy Ledecki speak in defense of Biles.  I put a lot more credibility into what they say than what I think - being that HS football and wrestling are the highest levels I've competed in.  She's in an individual sport and if she felt like she was going to cost the team in points, maybe she made the right move.  Had she then competed in the individual stuff, I guess I would have questioned this more, but she's not going to do that.  She's won many gold medals and other awards before, so she is well versed on competing and winning a the highest levels, so I can't see how she can be accused of not handling the pressure.

Of course Phelps and Ledecki aren't going to criticize their former Olympic teammate in public

posted by Ironman92

I don’t like where this might be going.

In the era of participation medals, it was only a matter of time before an athlete quitting was called "courageous".

posted by Al Bundy

Of course Phelps and Ledecki aren't going to criticize their former Olympic teammate in public

Probably not.  But a bunch of arm chair quarterbacks (like me) don't really have an experience comparable to judge from afar.  If this were her first Olympics and she had been touted based only on her potential, I would probably wonder about her toughness.  But she has already won at the highest levels - repeatedly.  So that tells me she is tough.  What happened here, I don't know.  But gymnastics seems like a huge mental game where you're watched in such detail.  Maybe her age factored in - maybe it's hard to be fearless in the air when you're 24 vs when you're 18.  Maybe this wasn't a problem for her until this week.  I don't know.  But I give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she's got good motives and wanted to do the right thing.  She's got a strong track record that backs that up.

posted by Al Bundy

The only elite athlete that I can think of who did something equivalent to this was Roberto Duran with his "no mas" fight.

And Oliver McCall's breakdown during his second fight w/ LLewis. 

(Not naming McCall as elite)

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Probably not.  But a bunch of arm chair quarterbacks (like me) don't really have an experience comparable to judge from afar.  If this were her first Olympics and she had been touted based only on her potential, I would probably wonder about her toughness.  But she has already won at the highest levels - repeatedly.  So that tells me she is tough.  What happened here, I don't know.  But gymnastics seems like a huge mental game where you're watched in such detail.  Maybe her age factored in - maybe it's hard to be fearless in the air when you're 24 vs when you're 18.  Maybe this wasn't a problem for her until this week.  I don't know.  But I give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she's got good motives and wanted to do the right thing.  She's got a strong track record that backs that up.

Of course we don't know what it is like to be Biles, but on a message board we can give opinions on a topic without having been in that exact situation. We wouldn't have  pro sports or politics threads if that was a requirement.

I don't see why it so bad to say that Biles was elite in 2016 but sucked in 2021. If athletes do a sport long enough, they will reach a point where they decline. Most of them don't willingly quit in the middle of a competition.

posted by Al Bundy

Of course we don't know what it is like to be Biles, but on a message board we can give opinions on a topic without having been in that exact situation. We wouldn't have  pro sports or politics threads if that was a requirement.

I don't see why it so bad to say that Biles was elite in 2016 but sucked in 2021. If athletes do a sport long enough, they will reach a point where they decline. Most of them don't willingly quit in the middle of a competition.

Didnt seem like she was on the decline but she sure did cash in this olympic cycle.  Probably made millions on endorsements.  

posted by Fletch

Didnt seem like she was on the decline but she sure did cash in this olympic cycle.  Probably made millions on endorsements.  

Yeah, she was really leaning into the whole "GOAT" thing, and probably trying desperately to cash-in.  She's obviously a household name by now, but for the most part people only care about gymnastics every 4 years.  So this was probably her last shot to secure some nice endorsement deals.

She was "struggling" in the trials, with a number of mistakes but still over 2+ points ahead of second.  I also think she was leading the all round when she pulled out.

She comes out of this unscathed and probably ahead in regards to optics with the soccer moms and housewives.  Sports junkies and the like will look at it as a quitter.

posted by gut

Yeah, she was really leaning into the whole "GOAT" thing, and probably trying desperately to cash-in.  She's obviously a household name by now, but for the most part people only care about gymnastics every 4 years.  So this was probably her last shot to secure some nice endorsement deals.

She was "struggling" in the trials, with a number of mistakes but still over 2+ points ahead of second.  I also think she was leading the all round when she pulled out.

I saw that her net worth is $6 million, so she has already cashed in.

posted by Al Bundy

I saw that her net worth is $6 million, so she has already cashed in.

Comparatively speaking, no.  Michael Phelps is worth $80M.  Heck, McKayla Maroney is worth $3M.

She's still marketable, obviously, and in some respects maybe even more so.  But I think she choked away some BIG paychecks.

posted by Al Bundy

I saw that her net worth is $6 million, so she has already cashed in.

Not doubting this, but out of curiosity, how'd you find this out?