From time to time I'll post the thoughts from a friend. Today we hear from Dustin about his thougts on an overhyped olympic "athlete."
I haven't watched much of the winter olympics, but I have seen enough media coverage to be absolutely disgusted by one of our athletes, skiier Bode Miller. You have probably heard by now Miller, the highly touted U.S. skiier and likely medal winner, flopped in the Olympics. In four events his results were 5th, 6th, DQ, and DNF, in which he simply quit.
But, it wasn't his performance that I am that at arms about. It is his attitude toward his performance that disgusts me. Most athletes, especially Olympic athletes, base their success on medals. Apparently, Miller does not. Paraphrasing his words, Miller basically said that he thought he performed well and his goal was to prepare to perform in each race and that Olympic success is not contingent upon winning medals. To me, that is unacceptable coming from an athlete who I think won a world championship, and pretty much spits in the faces of all the people who made sacrifices to help him get to where he is today.
The kicker of this whole situation happened Sunday morning, when a commercial of Miller came on in which he was stating this philosophy. At the end of the commerical a Nike Swoosh appeared in the lower right hand corner. Yes, you read correctly, a Nike Swoosh!
Apparently, this is the same company that created a statue for it's first athlete, Steve Prefontaine. Lest we remember, what Pre said? To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. I am sure that Pre, and Bill Bowerman, for that matter, probably rolled over in there graves.
It's this type of attitude by Miller that only encourages growth of a culture of apathy and non-accountability in this country. Thankfully, not all of our athletes are that way.
But, it wasn't his performance that I am that at arms about. It is his attitude toward his performance that disgusts me. Most athletes, especially Olympic athletes, base their success on medals. Apparently, Miller does not. Paraphrasing his words, Miller basically said that he thought he performed well and his goal was to prepare to perform in each race and that Olympic success is not contingent upon winning medals. To me, that is unacceptable coming from an athlete who I think won a world championship, and pretty much spits in the faces of all the people who made sacrifices to help him get to where he is today.
The kicker of this whole situation happened Sunday morning, when a commercial of Miller came on in which he was stating this philosophy. At the end of the commerical a Nike Swoosh appeared in the lower right hand corner. Yes, you read correctly, a Nike Swoosh!
Apparently, this is the same company that created a statue for it's first athlete, Steve Prefontaine. Lest we remember, what Pre said? To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. I am sure that Pre, and Bill Bowerman, for that matter, probably rolled over in there graves.
It's this type of attitude by Miller that only encourages growth of a culture of apathy and non-accountability in this country. Thankfully, not all of our athletes are that way.
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