Tuesday, February 28, 2006
'Well, it's over now':
Post Olympic Depression isn’t just for athletes. This link, The Carnival is Over, is about us laypeople that suffer from POD.
On TV last week, a former Olympian was being interviewed and was asked, ‘what’s next for these Olympians?’
The former Olympian answered, and I’m paraquoting, ‘A couple weeks of press, interviews, viewings, appearances, and general madness; a couple months of a lot of attention; then, hopefully the athletes have something previously lined up for themselves. Most Olympic athletes have lived their sport. It’s all they’ve known and will often times not have anything else. Where next? School? Family? -Hopefully.’
I found this great example on the net:
‘ "I call them the post-Olympic blahs." Pat McCormick explains. "There's no depression just like them. I mean, they're bottomless if you let them.
"Consider that some athletes have never had a conversation in their lives that didn't have to do with swimming or diving, or running or jumping. They're interested only in their muscles, their times, their scores. They were conditioned from earliest childhood to point to a pinnacle of their lives occurring at age 20.
"It's scary. It's like you were suddenly dropped in a desert. At night, with no directions, and the stars aren't out. I mean, you've got coaches for everything else. Lots of people can tell you how high to jump, how fast to run, how deep to dive. But nobody tells you that you have to fit into that larger world. A world you pretty much ignored. Or took to be unimportant.
"You lose your identity. You have no tools. Education was something you fit around your life in the water. It was, as they say so glibly nowadays, irrelevant.” ‘
From somewhere else:
‘Something went out of their lives when the Olympic flame went out.’
On TV last week, a former Olympian was being interviewed and was asked, ‘what’s next for these Olympians?’
The former Olympian answered, and I’m paraquoting, ‘A couple weeks of press, interviews, viewings, appearances, and general madness; a couple months of a lot of attention; then, hopefully the athletes have something previously lined up for themselves. Most Olympic athletes have lived their sport. It’s all they’ve known and will often times not have anything else. Where next? School? Family? -Hopefully.’
I found this great example on the net:
‘ "I call them the post-Olympic blahs." Pat McCormick explains. "There's no depression just like them. I mean, they're bottomless if you let them.
"Consider that some athletes have never had a conversation in their lives that didn't have to do with swimming or diving, or running or jumping. They're interested only in their muscles, their times, their scores. They were conditioned from earliest childhood to point to a pinnacle of their lives occurring at age 20.
"It's scary. It's like you were suddenly dropped in a desert. At night, with no directions, and the stars aren't out. I mean, you've got coaches for everything else. Lots of people can tell you how high to jump, how fast to run, how deep to dive. But nobody tells you that you have to fit into that larger world. A world you pretty much ignored. Or took to be unimportant.
"You lose your identity. You have no tools. Education was something you fit around your life in the water. It was, as they say so glibly nowadays, irrelevant.” ‘
From somewhere else:
‘Something went out of their lives when the Olympic flame went out.’
Monday, February 27, 2006
Impressive Women:
Saturday's Olympic events were excellent to watch.
Cindy Klassen, Canada, won bronze in the Women's 5000m. She tied the record for most medals in any one Olympics; five! She was the most decorated athlete to leave Torino. She didn't even speed skate until her crushing defeat of not making the '98 Olympic hockey team. Her gracias interviews reveal that she didn't care about these records, she was barely aware of them. She 'just wanted to have a good time.' Impressive.
Claudia Pechstein, Germany, got silver. Fifth Olympics. 8 medals in 9 Olympic races, 5 of which were gold!...now 9 Olympic medals. 34 years old. 5,000m world record holder. Going into the 5,000m, she was hoping to become the 1st athlete to ever win 4 golds, 4 Olympics in a row, in the same event. She has aesthma! Impressive.
Clara Hughes, Canada, won the race. Her last lap was unbelievable. It seemed as though she got her 1 second lead in the last straightaway! Clara is a 2-time bronze medalist, one in speed skating and one received in Atlanta for cycling. Yes, as in The Summer Olympic Games. Canada does not offer money bonus for medals, but Clara was so moved by Joey Cheeks's donation of his Olympic gold money prize, that she donated $10,000 of her own money to the same cause. Impressive.
Cindy Klassen, Canada, won bronze in the Women's 5000m. She tied the record for most medals in any one Olympics; five! She was the most decorated athlete to leave Torino. She didn't even speed skate until her crushing defeat of not making the '98 Olympic hockey team. Her gracias interviews reveal that she didn't care about these records, she was barely aware of them. She 'just wanted to have a good time.' Impressive.
Claudia Pechstein, Germany, got silver. Fifth Olympics. 8 medals in 9 Olympic races, 5 of which were gold!...now 9 Olympic medals. 34 years old. 5,000m world record holder. Going into the 5,000m, she was hoping to become the 1st athlete to ever win 4 golds, 4 Olympics in a row, in the same event. She has aesthma! Impressive.
Clara Hughes, Canada, won the race. Her last lap was unbelievable. It seemed as though she got her 1 second lead in the last straightaway! Clara is a 2-time bronze medalist, one in speed skating and one received in Atlanta for cycling. Yes, as in The Summer Olympic Games. Canada does not offer money bonus for medals, but Clara was so moved by Joey Cheeks's donation of his Olympic gold money prize, that she donated $10,000 of her own money to the same cause. Impressive.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
My Kind of Plug:
I just saw on 'Good Morning America' an emailed question asking what band was on Hannah Teter's ipod when she won the halfpipe?
She said, (I paraphrase) 'A new band, ______(don't remember), a great group.'
Upon further research, NBC found out that it was Hannah's boyfriend's band. The band's website got an average of 1,000 hits per month and on that one morning after her plug, the band's site got 37,000 hits...in one morning. Awesome.
Funny thing is, who knows what band she was actually listening to?!
She said, (I paraphrase) 'A new band, ______(don't remember), a great group.'
Upon further research, NBC found out that it was Hannah's boyfriend's band. The band's website got an average of 1,000 hits per month and on that one morning after her plug, the band's site got 37,000 hits...in one morning. Awesome.
Funny thing is, who knows what band she was actually listening to?!
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Because I can't get over my retirement...
And also, I have the Olympic Fever bad! U.S. short track trials Lake Placid - 1998
Scroll down to Pursuit, Failed to Qualify.
Scroll down to Pursuit, Failed to Qualify.
Getting Out of Hand:
Head to Head
Not to mention!: 2002 Gold Medalist/World Record Holder, Derek Parra and 500m gold, 1,000m silver Torino medalist, Joey Cheek.
4 Olympic gold medalists all Americans. Shall...be...entertaining!
Oh, and I enjoy Dan Jansen's commentary a lot too. Instead of, 'I got a chance to speak with ______ this morning...' DJ mentions, 'I got a chance to skate with _______ this morning and he seemed really strong...'
Not to mention!: 2002 Gold Medalist/World Record Holder, Derek Parra and 500m gold, 1,000m silver Torino medalist, Joey Cheek.
4 Olympic gold medalists all Americans. Shall...be...entertaining!
Oh, and I enjoy Dan Jansen's commentary a lot too. Instead of, 'I got a chance to speak with ______ this morning...' DJ mentions, 'I got a chance to skate with _______ this morning and he seemed really strong...'
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Great Guy
NBCOlympics.com - Speed Skating - Cheek will donate his gold-medal bonus
...great donation...emulates another great guy, Johann Olav Koss. All good things.
...great donation...emulates another great guy, Johann Olav Koss. All good things.
Speed Skating - Cheek sprints to 500m gold
NBCOlympics.com - Speed Skating - Cheek sprints to 500m gold
Dan Jansen's insight into the men sweeping the stands is realistic. My money's on that happening.
Skeleton tomorrow and Friday. I can't wait to watch those crazy bastards!
Dan Jansen's insight into the men sweeping the stands is realistic. My money's on that happening.
Skeleton tomorrow and Friday. I can't wait to watch those crazy bastards!
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