Why do American Olypic Atheletes Cry when they Win a Medal?

reply to post by getreadyalready


I guess that all depends on how many of the younger ones were raised IMO to be honest. If they worked their hearts out to simply be in the Olympics and appreciate that just being there is a major accomplishment then they'd feel proud winning a Bronze or a Silver but to be fair whenever I played sports either in a team based event or competed in an individual type activity coming in second can be hard sometimes if you feel that a certain call wasn't right or there was a possible factor most were not aware of etc etc etc

On the other hand..
Older, seasoned people, like Phelps IMO it's all about ego at that point after being a winner for so long over so many events ETC.

reply to post by SLAYER69


I suppose you're right, and I would never want my kids to accept that second-best is just as good as winning. It really isn't. There is only one winner.

BUT, my heart goes out to those kids that did just awesome, didn't make any mistakes, got wonderful scores, and then lost by such a small margin in such a subjective scoring system.

When we look at baseball or football we can often zero in on one marginal call that changed the outcome of the game, and that's just part of it. If you want to win, you have to leave no doubt. Losing a decision in boxing is the same way. If you let it go to decision, then you have to accept the outcome even if you disagree. If you don't want it to come to that, then knock them out and don't let the judges decide.

reply to post by getreadyalready


I heard you need a box of kleenex for the Tale of Hachi.

reply to post by Suspiria


The scene at the funeral on Steel Magnolias gets me like that every time.

And not many movies get me.

reply to post by SLAYER69


I don't think it is fair to compare little league to Olypmics.

I consider anyone in the Olympics a winner by that point. Just being good enough to even try out is a milestone in my book, and not one many reach.

I don't watch the Olympics, I could care less and can't wait till they are over. BUT, I acknowledge what incredible athletes they are, especially after I saw one, and I will tell you why.

On our anniversary, my husband and I were going down the Bright Angel trail at the GC. Coming back up a trail at the GC is some of the hardest hiking in the world. It is only 4 miles, and they don't recommend going down and coming back in a day. They have to rescue hundreds of peopel a year.

Now, as we are going down, this guy, in nothing but running shorts and shoes, no water, nothing, blows by us like the 6 million dollar man. He almost didn't look human.

We stopped at a shelter to get water. Volunteers hike up and down the trails to help and keep an eye on things. They were sitting in the shelter too. As there were bodies passed out all around the shelter, people were asking the volunteers about this guy. Apparently we were not the only ones to notice.

The volunteers said that he is an olympic trainee for long distance. And he can get down, across the bottom of the canyon, and up the other side in 3.5 hours.

I don't care if he never won a medal. If that isn't impressive, I don't know what is.

reply to post by wheels


Sounds like another American / or foreigner who spends to much time on ATS and other sites that spew American hate because America is better at world domination than the other countries.

It's people like you who get so caught up in the American hate crowd that sicken REAL AMERICANS like myself.

People that think like you think that America is the only country that attempts to dominate a region or an world, but really, you're just too ignorant to realize that every country plays this game and America is and has been just better at it.

Sorry you think so little about this country, sorry you're naive and ignorant to the way the world think, but you should go find another country if you hate this one so bad. Personally, this country is better without people like you that think America is the only one in the world that does the bad stuff it does. They all do, but America just happens to be on top right now. I forgive you for your ignorance of the way the world works.

reply to post by nixie_nox


I wasn't comparing little league to the Olympics I was giving an example from personal experience with regards to why for some athletes themselves sometimes second place can be difficult to receive.

I personally feel that all Olympic hopefuls or whenever my children competed in sports [Win, Lose or Draw] were all winners in my mind for simply getting out there and trying.

reply to post by wheels

Crying has purposes. Its not specific to Americans Its part of the human physiology. For a better understanding, please read the below link from WEBMD.

LINK

These athletes train everyday and have worked for the best part of their lives to get where they have. To win an olympic medal is the pinnacle for most athletes, One of the Polish rowers today was crying and she won a bronze medal. I think the national anthem just provides the athlete some time to reflect on what they have achieved and there is nothing wrong with feeling pride in ones nation.

I nearly cry when I see some of the athletes winning their medals, not really through nationalism, but just because you can see how much it means. The little Polish rower nearly set me off this morning. You'd have to have a heart of stone, to not let that effect you.

Originally posted by SadButTrue
reply to post by wheels

 

Sounds like another American / or foreigner who spends to much time on ATS and other sites that spew American hate because America is better at world domination than the other countries.

It's people like you who get so caught up in the American hate crowd that sicken REAL AMERICANS like myself.

People that think like you think that America is the only country that attempts to dominate a region or an world, but really, you're just too ignorant to realize that every country plays this game and America is and has been just better at it.

Sorry you think so little about this country, sorry you're naive and ignorant to the way the world think, but you should go find another country if you hate this one so bad. Personally, this country is better without people like you that think America is the only one in the world that does the bad stuff it does. They all do, but America just happens to be on top right now. I forgive you for your ignorance of the way the world works.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Ok, I understand where you are comign from.

Originally posted by SLAYER69
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

Ok, time to man up.

Looks around, sees nobody is paying attention, Marley and me didn't either but......

the Notebook got me

I cry when I see other people achieving their dreams so put me in the whimp category I guess...

By the way...did you cry when old yeller got shot???

Originally posted by howmuch4another

By the way...did you cry when old yeller got shot???

Nope.

I didn't cry then nor during the Titanic. There was room enough on that raft for the two them. She just needed to move her butt over oh, and then she promised to never let go

She let's go

reply to post by SLAYER69


I laughed during titanic so I don't know what that makes me now....

maybe a sappy sadistic?