Proud of our team; ashamed of the BB

[fordtraktor]

I am thoroughly ashamed of us. We have been doing nothing but griping about our athletes since the start of this Olympics. First we skewer Amy Tryon for an unlucky fall. Then we go after Philip Dutton for not following a rule that no one knew about – and then taking the blame like a man. Then we go after Brentina. Then we bash McLain Ward for the sins of his father and imaginary faux pas, since we can’t pick on his actual riding skills.

The athletes are only human. They are much better at what they do than most of us will ever be, but they still make mistakes. That’s OK. I’m proud of all of our riders, and am most proud that our American system of jumping consistently works at the international level. The eventers and dressage teams had some bad luck, but are strong teams full of great riders. There’s always 2012.

Go Team USA!

[DeLovely]

Amen to that!

Yeah, team USA!!

[copper1]

Well said!

[slc2]

Sorry, but when one of the best judges in the world says, ‘This horse should not have been in this class’, and even a blind gerbil can look at the videos even of the selection trial and see an unven horse, someone is going to have some thoughts to discuss.

[Coreene]

@slc2;3453834

Sorry, but when one of the best judges in the world says, ‘This horse should not have been in this class’, and even a blind gerbil can look at the videos even of the selection trial and see an unven horse, someone is going to have some thoughts to discuss.

Watch closely: Coreene agreeing with slc2. :yes:

Does anyone else think it bizzare that we’re chastised for discussing the Olympics instead of doing The Wave, and at the same time these very events are taking place in a country where the citizens cannot?

[fordtraktor]

I’m not attempting to keep people from discussing the Olympics – it’s a free country – but pointing out that I would appreciate a less contemptuous tone. The vitriolic approach that many people have taken is what turns me off.

People have every right to continue on, and I have every right to be ashamed of them.

[LisaB]

Yeah team USA. I think we did really well too. I’m so proud of Gina and the SJ team. I can’t wait for dr individuals. And what can I say about the Canadians! Yeah for our neighbors!
I think we are all playing armchair international rider.
I don’t agree with the personal bashes, especially if you don’t know the person. I bash one person but only because I actually trained with them and they suck.
I do believe there were a couple of better choices for the team other than Karen’s young one. I do believe Phillip got PO’d at his horse for 2 rails and put weighted boots on for round 2 and got busted. Amy rode terribly and her horse didn’t approve. Thank GOD she didn’t flip.
I think it was a crap shoot for Judgment and Bretina. Sucks for them. And the rider would never ever in a million years put their horses at risk.
I don’t think it’s right to judge a son by his father. BUT he did get banned for spiked boots at Aachen. Probably learned his lesson and really did a wonderful job this week. Bravo!
How about a virtual wave for these riders?
<wave>

[mbarrett]

I posted this on another thread on this BB.

Hey, I watched the jumping live on my computer. I hung around to watch the medal ceremony. All I can say is…

Give them a break! They won the GOLD medal!! If anything, I thought our riders were a little bit in shock and the win had not sunk in yet.

I don’t care if Mclain had his hand over his heart or not during the national anthem. He was respectful during the ceremony. I think they were all a little teary eyed (I was!). It was a pretty emotional moment for our team members.

So let them enjoy the moment. I am basking in their glory!!!

(I can’t believe this is even a topic on the BB! Doesn’t ANYTHING make some of you happy?)

I am very proud of all of our team members, all disciplines. Anything can, and will, happen with horses. They did their best. Of course, everyone wants gold, but it doesn’t happen that way. I wish the armchair quarterbacks would realize this.

[Foxtrot_s]

I agree with Fordtractor - you said what I was thinking but I decided to stay out of the fray. People can hide behind their BB names and never have to put their money where their mouth is. Villifying a person annonymously is a low-blow, someone they do not know and probably were not there for first hand information.

[Sandy_M]

Oh, for Pete’s sake!

Better arrest me. As an agnostic/atheist, when I recite the Pledge of Allegiance, I leave out “under God.” It wasn’t there when I was a kid (AND attending parochial school!). It was added during the McCarthy era when the country was so het up about those “godless Commies.”

Do I care if McLain Ward puts his had over his heart during the National Anthem? No.

Geesh, they won the gold! Stop obsessing. I hardly think the world is gasping in horror because an equestrian didn’t put his hand over his heart. 90% of the TV watching US Public probably doesn’t even know they won the gold (or care).

[Roulett]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;3453756]
I am thoroughly ashamed of us. We have been doing nothing but griping about our athletes since the start of this Olympics. First we skewer Amy Tryon for an unlucky fall. Then we go after Philip Dutton for not following a rule that no one knew about – and then taking the blame like a man. Then we go after Brentina. Then we bash McLain Ward for the sins of his father and imaginary faux pas, since we can’t pick on his actual riding skills.

The athletes are only human. They are much better at what they do than most of us will ever be, but they still make mistakes. That’s OK. I’m proud of all of our riders, and am most proud that our American system of jumping consistently works at the international level. The eventers and dressage teams had some bad luck, but are strong teams full of great riders. There’s always 2012.

Go Team USA![/QUOTE]

Congrat’s to all our riders on team USA and to our friend Will Simpson and El Campeon,
they proudly displayed this banner for Will —

http://members.aol.com/aangelq/will.jpg

I don’t know Mclain Ward but he had his hat in one hand and flowers in the other, perhaps he was just caught up in the moment – a moment he will always remember. As for Debbie McDonald, to me, a non-dressage person, she is American dressage itself — Congrat’s to Gina for her silver in Eventing — go USA for those individual medals!

JMO from outside the box,

AA

[ridgeback]

[QUOTE=LisaB;3453917]
Yeah team USA. I think we did really well too. I’m so proud of Gina and the SJ team. I can’t wait for dr individuals. And what can I say about the Canadians! Yeah for our neighbors!
I think we are all playing armchair international rider.
I don’t agree with the personal bashes, especially if you don’t know the person. I bash one person but only because I actually trained with them and they suck.
I do believe there were a couple of better choices for the team other than Karen’s young one. I do believe Phillip got PO’d at his horse for 2 rails and put weighted boots on for round 2 and got busted. Amy rode terribly and her horse didn’t approve. Thank GOD she didn’t flip.
I think it was a crap shoot for Judgment and Bretina. Sucks for them. And the rider would never ever in a million years put their horses at risk.
I don’t think it’s right to judge a son by his father. BUT he did get banned for spiked boots at Aachen. Probably learned his lesson and really did a wonderful job this week. Bravo!
How about a virtual wave for these riders?
<wave>[/QUOTE]

I don’t agree with the personal bashes, especially if you don’t know the person. I bash one person but only because I actually trained with them and they suck. written by Lisa B…

:lol::lol::lol: then you go on and bash everyone thanks for the laugh…

[MelantheLLC]

[QUOTE=LisaB;3453917]
I think we are all playing armchair international rider.[/QUOTE]

Well of course! My email invitation to a screening was “We’ll be mercilessly critiquing hapless international riders and their horses.” And we did, and it was highly educational, entertaining and, yeah, just plain fun.

Whoever wants to stare at the screen adoringly is free to do so, but there’s not a rider who went to Hong Kong under duress. These are people who have chosen to be the movie stars of their profession, and so they become fair game for public commentary in all its vitriol and contempt from people who couldn’t sit a trot on a quarter horse. That’s just the way it is.

I’m on the “performer” side in a totally different profession, and the snide, the vicious, the stupid and the blind get to say anything they like. We all get upset at first, but the pros learn to get over worrying about “what people think” and perform to their own standards. If they don’t, they might as well pack up and go home, and many do.

[HORSEBACKRIDER]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;3453756]
I am thoroughly ashamed of us. We have been doing nothing but griping about our athletes since the start of this Olympics. First we skewer Amy Tryon for an unlucky fall. Then we go after Philip Dutton for not following a rule that no one knew about – and then taking the blame like a man. Then we go after Brentina. Then we bash McLain Ward for the sins of his father and imaginary faux pas, since we can’t pick on his actual riding skills.

The athletes are only human. They are much better at what they do than most of us will ever be, but they still make mistakes. That’s OK. I’m proud of all of our riders, and am most proud that our American system of jumping consistently works at the international level. The eventers and dressage teams had some bad luck, but are strong teams full of great riders. There’s always 2012.

Go Team USA![/QUOTE]

I’m with you on this one!

The commentary provided by so many was judgmental, small-minded, snarky, and said more about the poster’s lack of grace, kindness, and humanity than it did about the object of their scathing criticism and venom.

I’m glad I do not know who most of these people are, they seem to delight in sucking the joy out of everything in life.

Yeah Team USA – Good efforts from all!

[silver2]

I agree

This has been such a fun Olympics to watch: 33 year old gymnasts! 41 year old swimmers! Tedescue winning the marathon! Mama Phelps’ face when her kid won the 8th gold! Getting to see all the SJing rounds live! Beezie winning a gold medal! Usian Bolt blowing everyone’s minds! Misty May and Kerri Walsh winning 106 games in a row! The 3-day being won by a dentist!

I know it’s fun to criticize but lighten up people. This is an awesome games and if you’re not having fun watching it there is no help for you.

[Wellspotted]

Maybe if all our riders would go dance at discos and put the video on youtube we would like them better! :rolleyes: