Because he's lived such a public life since?

:facepalm:

Johnny Mac on the internet? That shit would have been hilarious.

Guess I'm not getting what you're trying to say here.

I just remember his tirades on the court. I would only assume if then was now the tirades would definitely spill all over the interwebs and social media. :shrug:

I'm referring to his every move being scrutinized on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, let alone, all of the media outlets.

Some people can handle that kind of negativity and others can't and lose their ****ing minds. I mean, we see it all the time with famous young kids whether they're athletes like Biles and Osaka or Britney Spears or Demi Lovato or Miley Cyrus and so on.

Some people are built for fame and some people aren't.

Bingo

Team sports stars have no problem dealing with the pressure.

Do you see Mahomes needing to take a "mental health break" and not playing in the playoffs or Super Bowl?

And it is interesting that you say not everyone wants to be famous, when Osaka and Biles haven't exactly shied away from that fame when it comes to endorsements, commercials, paid media appearances, magazine covers, etc.

I hear you. Just seeing my own kids grow up in it tells me that. I don’t blame these little girls. Mac’s meltdowns on social media would have been epic. But I feel sure he wouldn’t have quit.

I think that it's common knowledge that Mahomes is a very special individual, is he not?

And if so, why would you expect him to break down?

That's all part of the job of being on Team USA or being a professional athlete. Again, some people can handle it and some people can't.

It's not a character flaw.

I think it's difficult to predict what McEnroe would have done had hundreds of millions of Social Media posts been about him during the height and inevitable downfall of his career.

But I don't think it would have ended well for him, but that's just one opinion, of course.

You missed the point.

Agree with Dane. Some can deal with it. Others not.

Biles is already a winner, so she’s got nothing to prove to me or anyone.

Yeah, I’m obviously speculating. It’s a whole different dynamic. He just always struck me as a hot headed but tough sob.

Re: Simone Biles - she's already done it, she has nothing to prove, to anyone. Already a champion and one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Also, she's a person who is in the *same environment* in which she was subjected to *years* of repeated sexual assault and abuse by one of her trainers, who she trusted with her body.

Is it that hard to believe that she might have some trauma or chronic PTSD that could impact her mind in high pressure moments, like, say, the Olympics?

She knows herself, and if she knows she's off her game, probably a smart move to pull herself instead of push it and risk, ya know, paralyzing herself if she ****s up.

She gets a pass from me. She's a badass.

Interesting that athletes in other sports don't get that same generous reaction.

When Aaron Rodgers played poorly in the past two NFC Championship Games, the immediate reaction wasn't exactly "he's already a winner, he has nothing to prove to anyone".

When Kawhi Leonard struggled for the Clippers in the past two NBA playoffs, not many people were saying "he's already a winner he has nothing to prove to anyone".

Interestingly, a British girl at Wimbledon a few weeks back had a panic attack on court and had to leave the match and never came back. She was in the 4th round and playing on Centre Court in front of thousands of people which she had never done before and had spent the days in the lead getting excessively promoted in the home British media.

McEnroe was commenting the match and stated the obvious that it was likely due to the immense pressure of the moment. He was actually being nice about it, but he of course got slammed for saying so. He actually drew a parallel between his early run and hers:

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/...ment-wimbledon

McEnroe also tried to compare his early Wimbledon experience, when he made the semifinals at age 18 in 1977, to Raducanu's.

"Maybe it's not a shame that it happened right now, when she's 18," McEnroe said. "I played this event for the first time when I was 18 and I was able to qualify and get to the semifinals, and I felt it was overwhelming to make the change in my life. And I mean of course I would've wanted it, but in a way I was happy I lost. It allowed me to sort of be a kid."

At least Osaka lost her match in these Olympics. In the French Open, she quit mid-tournament. Not mid-match. Quitting when you're about to lose to the Russians anyway makes Simone out to be a sore loser.

Not exactly a rage quitter but still looks bad.

The same people in this thread praising Biles would be no doubt killing Kevin Durant if he suddenly quit Team USA Basketball, citing "mental health" reasons.

Would you give him the same "he's already a winner he has nothing else to prove" benefit of the doubt?

(Interupting the tear fest to say mens diving is gay)

If Bryson Dechambeau quits in the middle of a Ryder Cup round, that would be hilarious.

Exactly.

Was Durant subjected to years of rape*, with potential for mental health issues / anxiety / CPTSD stemming from it? I'd probably give him a pass.

*(insert jokes about his days with the Thunder & UT)

I do get it, from purely a sports angle. Talk some shit if someone isn't clutch. That said, she's already proven she can do it, and it also makes sense that she deals with anxiety issues. I'm not super worried about it.

Well. The main difference is those are team sports not individual like Biles. So many more factors in play.

But yea, when your the star, all the pressure and expectations fall on you.

It could possibly look worse if she participates in individual competitions next week.

She is weak, soft and quit. She isn't a bad person by any means...she just isn't mentally tough. Let's not sugar coat the shit. A great gymnast she is, "bad ass" she is not.

Also, I have no idea the stats…..but don’t women gymnasts typically peak around 15-18?

Biles is 24….…

Totally different than other sports.

She ****ed up today, no doubt. It's a stain on her career.

But she's definitely a badass, already has 5 Golds, and is like the Jordan of her sport.

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She is a great gymnast. Seems odd some want to make excuses here...either due to gender or race I'm guessing. I'm trying to think of something similar to this happening to a star on a big stage but can't. Maybe the "No mas" fight..

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Looks like I nailed it....thanks.

You're playing the "you're playing the race card" card.

I literally never went there, bud.

You can't think of it because it doesn't happen to any true star athlete. I'm not sure what/who you're referring to regarding excuses.

She bitched out. Regardless of what she did in her past, she bitched out.

And if you watched her body language and demeanor at all this Olympics, it's hardly a surprise that she's a selfish athlete.

I mentioned in D.C that my wife and I had this conversation on Sat or Sun regarding her shit demeanor on sideline.

Her demeanor has been very telling

You could see Biles struggling in the Olympic qualification. She may have lost her confidence and part of the reason she didn't want to compete. It's hard to be perfect when the media and everyone else expects perfection.

Can USA Basketball use this excuse as well?

No, but they can point at the rape France gave them.

I know shit all about Biles or gymnastics, but isn't it also possible she just doesn't have that drive any longer to be the best? Most who reach such the summit of their sport keep pushing, but some don't. The fire to be the best in the world may just not be there any longer.

Maybe, my (entirely made up) interpretation of her this weekend is that she had no interest in her teammates, her coaches, or even being there for that matter.

Sitting there alone in a chair looking stoic while her team is all laughing and cheering each other on said a lot to me. You'd never catch Mahomes acting like that.

She couldn't even get up to celebrate her teammates first Olympic performance....something is up with her.

Either she's an entitled **** her she just caught her man shagging the maid.

JFC, I must have missed the memo that stated everyone deals with intense pressure in the same exact way.

Biles had nothing to prove. She was mentally off her game and instead of competing and bringing the entire team down, she sat out.

It's really not that difficult to understand.

She suffers from anxiety and depression, for which she's been taking meds and going to therapy.

If that makes her an "entitled ****" then more than half this country are "entitled ****s".

The country has a long way to go when it comes to treating mental health issues as actual, physical, medical issues instead of calling it the yips or being a pussy. Seems like athletes are starting to become more comfortable discussing it - which, honestly, good because if you're aware of it you can treat it AND/OR gm's and coaches can sit you or cut you if they deem you a risk in clutch moments - just like a sore hamstring.

I remember in college, one of my fraternity brothers had a suicide attempt over the summer, and one of the other guys was going on and on about how depression isn't a real thing and that its just 'weak character' from 'lack of prayer.'

No, idiot, there are actual, real, physical chemicals in the brain that aren't functioning properly, just like how you get pimples or fat when you're stressed.

Anyways, I'm all done discussing women's gymnastics for the day.

Some people have said she’s been struggling for a while and just isn’t at the top of the sport anymore. The attitude you describe might also be one of someone who believed their own press too much. I can see why someone like that who failed at something simple on the big stage might just pack it in.

You can understand why you’d want to quit, what you can’t understand is someone at this level actually doing it.

It still doesn’t explain what’s brave about not being brave, or what the grand display of confidence is in losing all your confidence at a setback.

And no, I don’t believe a male athlete would be cheered for quitting on his team. If KD had walked off in the middle of the second half when the going was tough, nobody would be talking about how brave that was. They’d say he should gut it out for the team and display the indomitable Olympic spirit and all that.

Anyone that wears GOAT apparel and then self implodes is open for mockery.

All fair points. Last point I'll make that I think might be understated here is that in her sport, if you're off by a little, let alone a lot, your body is royally ****ed potentially for life.

In basketball if you play when you're off, you just travel or throw up bricks/airballs.

(also, if you know you're going to likely **** it up, wouldn't you rather have a B-player at least give your team a shot? That's what she did and they got a Silver)

Agreed - bad look. Didn't like that from the start.

she has been there done that. You think all those other Olympic gold medals and being considered the best of all time without being tough? One little slip up and not only the gold is gone but a medal. Years of training wasted because of one slip up. To finish on top multiple times with pressure like that…. No way she’s not tough.

That and factor in that there’s no crowd. Probably amplified Biles feelings of not giving a shit, not wanting to be there etc.

Biles is the face of these Olympics. Nobody gives a shit if Kevin Durrant wins a medal or not. Completely different expectations and pressure.

BS..most people wouldn't recognize her waking next to them down the street. People watch women's gymnastics once every 4 years.

Brass tacks.

I was thinking it was that hot little number Mykayla from the commercial she was in. Don't remember Simone being in any.

I’ve been a fan since the 2012 Olympics. She’s gorgeous with a killer bod.

25 years old in 2021
16 years old in 2012

https://i.imgur.com/OAgzggh.png




No but you're right, she's a total ****ing smokeshow and her IG/FB stories are complete thirst traps. I, too, am in love.

Not into gymnastics but have been doing some digging around. The general consensus is she truly is inarguably the GOAT so much that she has created her own routines that most can’t duplicate. Other gymnasts around the world try to copy her and name certain moves after her. Having said all that, yes she had some sort of breakdown today and shit happens. It will be telling how her teammates react to this and if they support her individual routines.

Wife was watching some bullshit gymnastics something or other and they had a hype video introducing the team. Biles rolled out with a goat on a leash. I was like really? Calling yourself the goat? It’s one thing if other call you that. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that before.

Par for the course for her to pull out.

She walked out with a goat? For real?

You can’t hype yourself like Ric Flair and then wilt under the pressure without taking some heat. Obviously.

Well if that's the case, LeBron clearly needs to bring a goat out in warmups one of these years. I can only imagine the ruins among MJ fans.

So has that hot German chick raced yet?

Gonna’ need a pic here.

It was on a hype video thing. She didn’t bring a goat to Tokyo. Still poor form.

Very. That’s ridiculous.

You need serious mental help.

I'd be her leashed goat.

Yep. For sure.

It's almost a gimmick at this point.

People that aren’t built for the pressure shouldn’t actively refer to themselves as the goat.

If she has a legitimate mental condition that sucks. And she has my sympathy. Fortunately the rocks rattling around my dome work. The again I’m obviously no world class athlete

But that’s all the more reason to not call yourself the goat and shit. Just do your thing. I honestly haven’t thought about her since 2016, so maybe I’m only picking up part of the message she’s sending.

Bottom line if you’re going to try to publicly embrace greatness, which she’s entitled to do, it reflects poorly if you quit.

I didn’t know she was raped. Christ. **** whatever dickface would do that to a kid.

No argument from me. It’s just the whole goat thing just looks really really bad.

It's marketing, Dude. She IS the greatest American gymnast of all time.

How do you think it would have been accepted if she completely bailed before the Olympics?

Considering all of the hate and anger in this thread directed her way, I'd say not well.

Yea, but it still looked stupid.

Larry Nassar. She was sexually abused by him for years.

**** that dude with a D9 Cat.

Child rapists are the worst. Ever.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...0px-CatD9T.jpg

I went to business school. I’m familiar with Marketing. There are also concepts of managing the message that goes out to consumers. And there was a different way to do it. I don’t know what agency she had over her hype video but she’s the one big name on the team.

Frankly it would have missed me if she dropped out before the olympics. They wouldn’t have ran the hype video and I’d never have been the wiser.

I’m not throwing around a bunch of hate, especially in light of the Rape stuff, but it’s a bad look.

Really, 4 gold medals in the Olympics and about a billion in world championships "can't handle the pressure"?

Casey at the Bat should be mandatory reading for anyone interested in sports.

Not my argument. I was just responding to the supposition.

Aryan bloodlines at their finest. We need her in the off/on thread immediately.

It's the new Long John Silvers platter pic.

I think the final number of minor girls that have come forward to say they were molested by Nassar is 200+. Most had it happen for years.

All good points. Agree, the goat thing is/was cheesy, especially more so now. But she legitimately, unquestionably is the greatest, even after today.

As far as the Larry Nassar stuff (Wikipedia Link), yeah, its pretty insane. Not only the fact that he sexually abused and photographed/videotaped 265 girls for decades, but the victims also had to deal with the fallout of their own families and friends not believing them, the other coaches and leadership at USA Gymnastics not believing them and covering it up, and even Michigan State not believing them and covering it up. It was some pretty insane, traumatic stuff.

I think the above is why I was so willing to give her a break on the panic attack or whatever. Not because she's black, like the goober from earlier said.

I get where you're coming from and don't necessarily disagree that it was a bad look, it's just that I don't think that anyone could have predicted that she'd have an anxiety attack at the Olympics.

You're one of my favorite people on here, but I don't think you're qualified to judge her if you don't even know who Larry Nassar is and what he did to **hundreds** of girls. And how USA Gymnastics - which she represents - went to great lengths to ignore it and cover it up which only meant more and more abuse.

So, let's just say you have a job where you need to be flawless in everything you do. If you're a split second slow, it could mean serious injury or paralysis. You've been doing this your entire life. You hoped it would be over in 2020 but it was delayed a year. You pushed through it. But you've also felt conflicted representing an organization which exploited you and others for its own gain. But you pressed on believing you could do it, under the world's most powerful microscope, to live up to what everyone thought you should be. For your country.

The girl was molested by a team doctor. As a ****ing child. You now know you were one of hundreds of gymnasts who suffered the same fate. And the adults who were supposed to protect you and all of your friends hide in the shadows? But enjoy the accolades and benefit from trappings of your success?

And yet you're supposed to represent them proudly? And just brush it off?

Pretty easy to see how she could reach a breaking point easily. And to blame her for it and act like it minimizes her accomplishments? Her going out there again to try to continue to prove herself as the greatest ever in her sport is so many million miles beyond what any of us are able to comprehend.

And for those comparing her to Mahomes? Saying there's no precedent? Completely ridiculous. Mahomes will never, ever need to be as perfect in every motion as Simon Biles is to avoid catastrophic injury. He might get into a terrible mental space and the worst thing that happens to him is a 1 TD/4 INT game. Mike Trout might go 0-20. Jordan once went 2/22. Tiger might, be, well, what he became when he hit his breaking point.

Good for Simon Biles for being honest about it and not half-assing things. Being honest about mental health is probably a lot more inspiring to people who need it than anything else she could've done in these games.