Simone Biles

[ProudUte]

I have mixed feelings about this Simone Biles/Olympics issue.

On the one hand, I completely understand that she is suffering something very difficult.  She is hurting and needs support and love.  I will not throw her under the bus.

On the other side, you could equate this to Lebron James calling it quits after the first quarter of Game 7 in the NBA championship.  Or Tom Brady saying in mid-game of the Super Bowl, “I am not feeling it tonight and the stress of this game is too much, I am stepping aside.”  These players knew what they were getting into and I am sure there are times when they have to dig-deep to continue on.  Look at Brady a few years ago when they were down three TDs to Atlanta.  Brady stayed cool and fought back and won the game.  I am sure Mahomes was very frustrated last February when his line gave him no chance.

I will not make light of emotional issues.  I have seen this first hand with family and friends.  A very bright, talented work associate of mine took his life 15 years ago.  None of us saw it coming.

I wish Simone the best going forward.  I hope she can deal with all of this and enjoy a happy and productive life going forward.  She will not be able to hide from it.  She will get a lot of positive and some negative attention for many years.

 

 

[UteFanatic]

I can’t blame her one bit for backing out if she isn’t mentally right. She could be seriously hurt or killed if she failed to land a stunt correctly.  After watching how bad her vaults were, it is VERY apparent that something is not right with her.  I’m sure pulling out of the olympics was the hardest thing she’s ever done, and she is probably downright miserable right now.  I feel terrible for her and it pains me to see people blasting her for “lack of competitiveness” and “mental weakness”.  I’m not saying you are doing that, but there are many people who are.

[dystopiamembrane]

America is an insensitive cesspool.

[chinngiskhaan]

How anyone could have mixed feelings about this… I just don’t get it. It’s the olympics! It’s not war, it’s not life or death… it’s entertainment and you are not a paying customer. Is the health and well-being of one of the most important people in America more important than a gold medal (which would belong to her and nobody else btw)? Yes, unquestionably YES. 

why on earth did society let it become ok for the well-being of the entertainer to be less important than the entertainment?

the days of “the customer is always right” (or the boss is always right) are over.

to be honest, if you put your desire for someone from your country to win a gold medal above your desire for that person to be happy and free to make their own choices in regards to what is best for them, you should probably re-prioritize.

[UteThunder]

How is she “one of the most important people in America” . . . ?

[chinngiskhaan]

She is an incredibly influential person of color. When she speaks, people take notice. Millions of little girls around the world are seeing what she has done, and what she is doing now. They see her and are being shown by her that it’s okay to struggle sometimes. It’s okay to do what is best for you despite ridiculous expectations.

Name 10 more important American women. I’d argue that not only is she absolutely one of the 10, but maybe even the most important woman in America right now. She is a poster child for several of the country’s hot button topics.

[UteThunder]

Using that reasoning, Nicki Manaj is one of the most important people in America.

You want 10 more important American women? 

How about the thousands of female members of our armed forces or police or doctors or good teachers?

Simone Biles may be influential, even inspirational, but she is far from important, let alone one of the most important people in this country. She is an athlete. An entertainer. That’s it. Is LeBron James one of the most important men in America? I mean, he “is a person of color. When [he] speaks, people take notice. Millions of little [boys] around the world are seeing what [he] has done.”

 

[chinngiskhaan]

Lol… Minaj and Simone are the same because they are both black famous women? Are you honestly serious?

those two people could not be more different. They are completely different personalities with completely different public personas.

there is a very specific and comparatively small subset of the nation’s populace that cares about Nicki Minaj. She appeals to a very specific demographic, and even there she has lost appeal recently. She has NEVER come close to being considered the GOAT of her field. She doesn’t even pretend to be a role model.

simone is revered many people from many different walks of life, she is relatable, and she wants to be a positive role model. She is widely considered the GOAT of her sport, and is in the discussion for women’s athletic GOAT. She regularly advocates for causes she believes in, and does so in a way that allows most people to be on her side in one way or another. 

[UteThunder]

 I know, right? Imagine basing a person’s importance in society on their skin color! Lol, indeed.

[dystopiamembrane]

Sometimes I wonder about you.

[voxnihili]

I’ve heard a lot of people say things like, “what if Tom Brady quit?”. Well, there are two points I would like to make:

1 – You’re right. Brady was probably frustrated as hell when they were down to Atlanta. Was it great that he fought back? Sure. But people need to understand that Biles wasn’t just feeling frustrated or disappointed it’s a different situation.

2 – Here’s the more important thing. Biles did what was best for her team. In the team gymnastics event of the Olympics, only three of the four members on the team go in each rotation. Biles realized that she couldn’t do it and got out of the way. If she’d have stayed in, the USA would have likely missed the podium completely. By stepping back, she allowed the other three to fight their way back into it and take silver. So perhaps, a better example would have been “what if Tom Brady was playing in a super bowl and was somehow injured/unable to perform well and realized that the backup could do better than him in that situation?” Should he stay in the game, costing them victory out of ego or should he do what is best for the team (and himself)?

[Gugstanley]

You don’t want to see anyone get hurt. I suspect she is done competing which is to bad because she does some amazing performances.

If this had happened during the trials another gymnast could have taken her place. I don’t know who was next up…maybe Skinner.

[ProudUte]

All of the points made above are spot on.  I support Simone and her decision.  I have no clue as to what she was experiencing at the time and if she was not capable of performing.  If she felt it was best for her and her team – great.  That all being said, I do not claim to understand everything that has gone on.  You will not hear me bad-mouth her.

[Utebeam]

I like this take. It makes more sense to explain it that way.

[SkinyUte]

Missy Marlowe (former Ute gymnast) provided some helpful context on Twitter.

It’s hard to explain the twisties to someone who doesn’t do gymnastics, but it’s a mental block and it’s real. I had it happen twice, when I was 12 and 20. You cannot fix it quickly – can take months, if at all. It’s like a non-serious stroke, you’re brain and body disconnect

Gymnasts don’t have to worry about just broken ankles, arms, or torn ACL’s. They have to worry about leaving on a stretcher or learning to live in a wheelchair. That’s what people are missing here.

I’ll take her word on that, and can only imagine how difficult that would be.  Doubly so for someone carrying the pressure of expectations that Biles was.

I’ve got no issues with her choosing to bow out, and find the parade of howling from old couch potatoes criticising her for “betraying America” or other such nonsese to just be…gross.