The human potential (Olympics)

[cgallery]

Some of the color commentary during this 2010 Winter Olympics TV coverage has mentioned the type and # of surgeries the athletes have endured.

Alpine skiers with multiple back surgeries. Mogul athletes where they've had two surgeries ON EACH KNEE. Luge athletes with multiple back surgeries.

Couple of thoughts:

(1) If your can undergo two complicated back surgeries and then ski down a hill at over 80-MPH on two giant popsicle sticks, I wanna know the name of your back surgeon.

(2) What the heck is driving these people? Are they doing this for a shot at the gold medal, or the pot of gold (endorsements, etc.)?

Are they really amateur athletes if their ultimate goal is to medal and then cash in?

Put another way, how many of them would go home if the rules were changed and they weren't allowed to profit in any way from a medal?

Mind you, I'm not advocating that. Just wondering...

[vaking]

Ask yourself the following questions please:
1).How much time do you think those athletes spend on training every week?
2). How many of those atheletes do you think spend more time on any other job than they spend on sport?
3). How many of those athletes do you think make living by having a job outside of sport?

I think that this is all professional sport, there is nothing amateurish about it.
As for surgeries - I believe that there is a handfull of specialists that deal with sports injuries only. I also think that it is a field with different rules where normal people (not athletes) would not want to participate. When athlete choses to become a pro he/she does so with understanding of the price. Being able to ski after heavy surgery requires athlete to go into training despite having severe pains, taking medications in large dosages, etc. He/she might be able to ski down hill but it does not mean that athlete is comfortable doing so. Normal person would be complaining about constant pain and consider that surgery a failure.

[Uncle Cracker]

Most of these "amateurs" are actively supported by their home nations. It's like it is indeed their job. Many of the sports are inherently dangerous, and the amount of time spent doing them only adds to the likelihood that they will encounter some type of injury. The drive to achieve in competitive sport is nothing new, and does not happen exclusively at the Games, but also every day in training, because one slip-up could mean that some other equally-driven athlete gets your spot on the national team. Then there are the "perks", namely endorsements and personal appearance fees that come from having Olympic success.

[crokett]

Ask yourself the following questions please:
1).How much time do you think those athletes spend on training every week?
2). How many of those atheletes do you think spend more time on any other job than they spend on sport?
3). How many of those athletes do you think make living by having a job outside of sport?

It depends on the sport. I doubt anyone could make a living at curling and/or collect much endorsement money for it.

[radhak]

if the rules were changed and they weren't allowed to profit in any way from a medal?

No offense meant, but are you begrudging them whatever they get out of their efforts? Because I would not dare to - you could not pay me to take a flying leap down a mountain of snow, strapped to whatever board that exists; not for any dollar, not for $17 million !

But I'm guessing you are simply trying to put a measure to their motivation. And my answer would be - the money and endorsements (if any) are only a minor salve to their ego. The real thing is the bragging rights, the sense of achievement. If you take away all the money, all the remuneration, you'd still find just as motivated individuals, even to the extreme extent of the cases that involved cheating/doping/whatever. Most - if not all - just want to be the best in the world in what they do, forget the consequences.

That said, I daresay there is a way you'd find a drop in participation : if there was no audience. If there was no media, and nobody to watch it, then you'd find the athletes not interested either. After all, how many of the world's top would be serious about any competition in (say) a remote village in Tibet with just the locals watching?

[crokett]

That said, I daresay there is a way you'd find a drop in participation : if there was no audience. If there was no media, and nobody to watch it, then you'd find the athletes not interested either. After all, how many of the world's top would be serious about any competition in (say) a remote village in Tibet with just the locals watching?

Some would, if only for the thrill of going like a bat out of **** down a mountain strapped to two sticks, or a board, or whatever. This is the same mindset that makes people jump out of perfectly good airplanes. More power to ya if you want to do that, but not me.

[atgcpaul]

I'm not a sports guy but can understand the love of the game from friends
and coworkers who are almost maniacal/obsessed about those things. I
would think that most of these athletes started their sports at a young age
and it is just in them that they could be the best at it even if an
endorsement wasn't hanging in front of their nose.

[cgallery]

Some would, if only for the thrill of going like a bat out of **** down a mountain strapped to two sticks, or a board, or whatever. This is the same mindset that makes people jump out of perfectly good airplanes. More power to ya if you want to do that, but not me.

There is a fine line, I guess, between possible Darwin Award winners and Olympics participants.

[germdoc]

At my age I participate in sports in such a way as to AVOID injuries at all costs, not court them.

[docrowan]

That said, I daresay there is a way you'd find a drop in participation : if there was no audience. If there was no media, and nobody to watch it, then you'd find the athletes not interested either. After all, how many of the world's top would be serious about any competition in (say) a remote village in Tibet with just the locals watching?

I think you would find some not interested, but I'm sure there is a core group that would continue to compete, if only with each other. The only way you could really kill the drive is to find a way to keep athletes from comparing themselves to each other - it's the drive to be the best that pushes them. The "perks", the audience, and the awards are all gravy on the biscuit.

[Black wallnut]

As one that has won a National competition (once, a long, long, long, time ago; actually two different competitions although related) as well as the son of a man who held a national record (CBA 100 yd. small group heavy rifle) and one who still to this day has a School JV mile record..........4:36.........

It is not about the crowd nor the money but all about the personal sense of accomplishment. I once did make the claim that I was the best at something, actually two seperate somethings.

[cabinetman]

. This is the same mindset that makes people jump out of perfectly good airplanes. More power to ya if you want to do that, but not me.

It's a blast...you should try it. In fact try it at night. That's a blast too. In fact try it at night while being shot at. Now there's a mindset.
.

[Black wallnut]

It's a blast...you should try it. In fact try it at night. That's a blast too. In fact try it at night while being shot at. Now there's a mindset.
.

I'm told by my friends that have jumped that the planes are not perfectly good................

[Garasaki]

Sports, at an elite level, are entirely mental.

It has nothing to do with external motivations.

These people wouldn't be able to reach this level if they couldn't pay the rent and put food on the table while training. But they would still be competing in these sports.

I (errr hate to say this, but USED TO) ride motocross. I've jumped a motorcycle fairly far and fairly high.

The pictures I've seen of ski jumps, perched on the top of that ski jump with the 2 ruts going all the way down - are terrifying. There is no bail out for those guys.

To be able to ski down that, is an exercise of controlling fear using your mind.

Its the same skill set that brings them back from multiple surgery's. These people are able to block out/get passed what us mortals would call "common sense".

You do eventually reach a point where your confidence allows you to accurately judge what you can and can't do - whilst understanding the consequences of failing.

Olympic athletes are born with their minds in the right spot - they then spend years getting their bodies to where they need to be. Setbacks (ie surgery) just dosent really affect them - so long as they can get their body back where it needs to be. Only in rare occasions does their mind get away from that "right spot".

Lots of people throw the word talent around, but have you ever really thought about what it means? To me, it means being able to MENTALLY process a sport/activity at a level greater then average. Combine talent (god given mental ability) with hard work shaping the body to excel at a particular sport - and you get elite level athletes.

[cgallery]

No offense meant, but are you begrudging them whatever they get out of their efforts?

No offense taken.

But, I do think you're confusing concern with envy. I have a little of the former and none of the latter.

I do wonder whether there is such a thing as [my term] "superstar personality disorder" in high-achieving athletes. Do some athletes properly take into account the hazards when risking them for fame/fortune?

And are these athletes surrounded by coaches, trainers, and organizers that encourage this behavior?

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Olympics fan. I'll be watching/cheering every night. But I do cringe a little at hearing the medical records of the athletes, and wonder if it isn't a fine line that separates me from perhaps someone that enjoyed watching gladiators battle in the Flavian Amphitheatre.