2008 Olympic Highlights/Lowlights

[zenArcher]

I don't see Bolt's celebration as showboating. I see it as simply celebrating the Jamaican way, the only way Bolt knows how. Folks like Rogge have a cultural issue.

[Sedu]

Originally Posted by zenArcher

I don't see Bolt's celebration as showboating. I see it as simply celebrating the Jamaican way, the only way Bolt knows how. Folks like Rogge have a cultural issue.

I have the same cultural issue. Just because some people eat their deceased ancestors or dig them up and march them around the village doesn't make it a good idea even though it is cultural. Cultural diversity only works when the cultures adopt the best traits from each other, not spread the worst traits of each.

[zenArcher]

Poor analogy.

Better to compare athletes to athletes. For example, compare Bolt's celebration style to American NFL players.

I've yet to see any NFL player congratulate their opponents and politely shake their hands after he's just scored a touchdown against them.

[Room222]

thats cuz the game is still going on...the NFLers all hug, slap hands and plan parties with call girls after the game.

[Sedu]

Originally Posted by zenArcher

Poor analogy.

Better to compare athletes to athletes. For example, compare Bolt's celebration style to American NFL players.

I've yet to see any NFL player congratulate their opponents and politely shake their hands after he's just scored a touchdown against them.

I would be loathe to use NFL players as examples of manners and sportsmanship. Using that analogy is like saying bank robbers should act more like armored car robbers.

[zenArcher]

When Mr Rogge sets about finding out what Jamaicans mean when they say "Tek wey yuself", he will - assuming he's smart enough - realise that the way in which Jamaicans express themselves does not necessarily mirror his own, for anthropological as well as other reasons.

Thus a confident young, gifted, black (yes, we're going there) man from humble beginnings easily understands and responds - as Mr Bolt pointed out to the AFP - to the need for his fellowmen to see him celebrate his victory with flamboyance.

And Mr Rogge will realise that what he sees as unseemly, disrespectful and immature behaviour that will fade over time, is simply our way... who we are.

We see Mr Bolt's displays as a natural extension of his personality, which is representative of the human resource asset on which much of our tourist product is predicated.

It's the face of Jamaica we like to sell our tourists, whom we greet with song, dance and unbridled joy as opposed to a stiff upper lip, meaningless small talk and other diplomatic gestures of insincerity.

As our own reggae icon Mr Bob Marley pointed out so many years ago in song,

"We refuse to be what they wanted us to be.

We are what we are, that's the way it's going to be."

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/edito...ING_TO_BE_.asp

[Room222]

Originally Posted by zenArcher

It's the face of Jamaica we like to sell our tourists, whom we greet with song, dance and unbridled joy as opposed to a stiff upper lip, meaningless small talk and other diplomatic gestures of insincerity.

puh...talk about insincerity...while they 'sell' with their song and joy, their 'stiff' hand is sliding into your backpocket.

Originally Posted by zenArcher

As our own reggae icon Mr Bob Marley pointed out so many years ago in song,

"We refuse to be what they wanted us to be.

We are what we are, that's the way it's going to be."

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/edito...ING_TO_BE_.asp

right on...thats why only fools amongst the 'tourists' go outside the fence (or even visit jamaica in the first place).

[burd55]

Originally Posted by mythoughts

No I don't think I have -well no higher than a High School County Championship.
But I've coached athletes up to a National level.
Not sure why you think that competing at a high level requires one to showboat.

Most top sprinters my age are the confident ones. The ones who know they are going to race. Why go into a race feeling you will lose? That cockyness is almost a must in order to be a top-notched sprinter. Aside from that, you may think his showboating was poor but do the other sprinters? Not at all. They would have done the exact same thing he did. Why isnt anyone pointing out the guy from TaT. He got second place and celebrated longer than Bolt. He actually ran 2 laps and then fell to the ground and shook in happiness.

[moose1010]

I think he should have run hard to the tape, but I see nothing wrong with what he did after the race.

[old school]

Originally Posted by alien bird

Actually, there is great speculation that Carl Lewis planned to grab the flag, it wasn't spontaneous, and it wasn't to honor anyone except his own bank account.

The "tradition", by the way, goes back to 1976 and Bruce Jenner, who after winning the decathlon, did a victory lap with a flag. That resulted in getting a lot of "patriotic" endorsement deals, and athletes have been grabbing flags for photo-ops and potential sponsors/deals ever since.

Go back further and you will find George Foreman waving a smaller flag after he won the Gold in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:ForemanGold.jpg

[Room222]

kudos to the jenner and foreman references...but squarehead was the first 'big flagger'..leading to the current draping and rolling around in it. i guess the youtube footage could be debated regarding his intent, he sez it was spontaneous of course but i wouldn't doubt it either way.

[alien bird]

Originally Posted by old school

Go back further and you will find George Foreman waving a smaller flag after he won the Gold in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

Very true. My point is that Jenner was the first track guy to take a victory lap waving a huge one. Now they all do it.

Originally Posted by Room222

kudos to the jenner and foreman references...but squarehead was the first 'big flagger'..leading to the current draping and rolling around in it.

I think you are mistaken: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2...86-1421769_ITM

[burd55]

why is everyone ignoring my last post?

Ill keep it short and sweet.

In your eyes its fine for the second place finisher to "showboat" more than what Bolt did?

Bolt wins so you have to find a flaw. That flaw doesnt seem to show up on any other runner in your minds though.

[Scaggsville]

I missed the showboating.

Did he pull up before the line and look back with his hands up as if to say, "Where are you slowpokes?"?

[burd55]

Not that. The celebration after the race

[old school]

I see nothing wrong with a victory lap with a flag after winning a gold medal in track or anyone waving a flag at the Olympics after winning a gold medal in anything. They only get to do it every four years so why not. They train hard for the opportunity so be proud. If I were Mellouli Oussama I would have tried to get an aircraft carrier in the pool after I won my country's only Gold Medal of the Olympics. I guess when you expect to win and routinely win, it becomes showing off. When you hope to win and actually win, it is a huge deal for the competitor and the country.

[mythoughts]

Originally Posted by moose1010

I think he should have run hard to the tape, but I see nothing wrong with what he did after the race.

That's the issue with me. Showboating with 10 meters to go. Just like football players who high-step, and showboat before crossing the goal (ie Leon Lett in the Super Bowl). Anyone who wants to celebrate after the race is over is pretty much fine if it is done by themselves or with teammates and not done as a taunt to the opponents. I don't care about wrapping themselves in a flag or them taking a victory lap or two or 12, they can run all the way back to their Country if they're that happy and that would still be fine with me. The athletes aren't the ones controlling the cameras and most aren't doing that for the exposure, they're doing it because they're happy, and proud.

[zenArcher]

Bolt also gave $50K to the Red Cross to help the Sichuan earthquake victims.

What a showoff!