They are supposed to be representing US. We didn't send them to the Olympics for therapy or to feel better about themselves. They are supposed to be the best in our country at what they do....
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....also a bit perturbed at the the skater who dropped out of the 1500 to concentrate on his individual event.....WITHOUT telling the captain of the team. I guess it is all about individual glory.
Actually, this is what is wrong about the Olympics...moreso now than ever.
The Olympics is NOT a nation-vs.-nation "competition"...it's a celebration of athletes...and it is meant to reward the best of the best...not for "national medal counts" but for the athletes who win them.
The U.S. fielded a team....we should be proud of them for their accomplishments and grateful for those who tried and failed.
Shizuka Arakawa will be honored for decades to come for her gold medal (Japan's ONLY medal of the games, thus far).
Our gold medalists will be on Wheaties boxes for a few months and then forgotten...their names will be trotted out in four years IF they return to compete...otherwise, they're yesterday's news.
Our media places unrealistic expectations on our athletes...none of whom is unbeatable or inhuman...all have weaknesses.
Someone posted here the other day that he is sick and tired of Bode Miller.
Well...don't blame Bode Miller. He didn't do the commentary or write the words...in fact, he'd rather folks left him alone. Blame the media and only the media for that...and also for the conceit that our national pride is somehow wounded if Sasha Cohen has to "settle for Silver" or that Johnny Weir's "wierdness" somehow kept him for winning a medal and, therefore, dishonored the USA.
It is NOT ABOUT US...it's about THEM...they are the ones who have trained all their lives -- at their own expense, not from government endowments in government facilities -- and we have no right to demand anything from them.
I have the utmost respect for the athletes...from all the nations...and I'm truly tired of the media trying to make us believe it's a country vs. country affair.
DOWN WITH MEDAL COUNTS -- the Cold War is OVER!