Bye Bye Biles

 

Simone Biles is being lionized for her withdrawal from the Olympics, citing “mental health issues” and that her “mind and body weren’t in synch.”  In her press conference, she bemoaned that she “wasn’t having fun.” Biles is to Olympic gymnastics what Tiger Woods is to golf and Tom Brady is to football.  She is the face of the sport and was expected to wow us all with a gold medal performance.   Her performance was much needed after the belly flops of the women’s soccer teams and the men’s basketball teams.

I have decidedly mixed views of her withdrawal, particularly since the MSM is gushing over her courage and “taking ownership of her mental health.”

Yes, there is a certain amount of bodily risk involved in gymnastics.  Slip ups have caused devastating, paralyzing injuries.   While some sports present more risks than others, gymnastics is not alone in presenting risks to athletes.  Hockey, downhill skiing, luge, ski jumping, among others present dangers to athletes. 

And Biles is not the first top level performer to take a pass.  Temperamental Bobby Fischer, it will be recalled, showed up late to the first game and lost and, after making ridiculous demands on the match organizers forfeited the second game with Boris Spassky before turning the match around and finally defeating Spassky.

Sure, it’s her body, her choice.  And, of course, I have a great deal of empathy toward her after she was victimized by the dastardly Dr. Nasser.  She made the best decision for her.

The media is all ablaze with support for her and her decision to withdraw.  “Thank you for finding your voice and staying true to yourself,” proclaimed one.  WaPo, of course, was compelled to racialize and genderize the whole affair, “Black women are apparently still expected to sacrifice themselves for a country that refuses to see them as fully human.”  Another opinion piece read, “Men could learn a thing or two about what it means to be truly strong.” 

But there’s another perspective.  Competitors compete.  Real competitors can’t be held back.  The sports world is replete with stories of athletes refusing to be held back by physical or emotional issues.  Many athletes have competed immediately following the death of a parent.  Michael Jordan famously turned in a stellar performance in the NBA finals despite having the flu.  Duncan Keith was smashed in the mouth with a puck, and despite losing several teeth, returned to play the same night.  Nolan Ryan continued to pitch even after being hit in the face with a line drive, blood splattered all over his jersey.  Ronnie Lott of the San Francisco 49ers had a part of his little finger amputated after it was severely dislocated so he could continue to play.  Of course, there were the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys who played in the famous Ice Bowl on the frozen tundra in Green Bay with a wind chill of minus 36 degrees.  Many players suffered frostbite.  Tiger Woods overcame age and personal issues to win the Masters two years ago.  Plenty of other athletes have competed when battling internal demons.  That’s what it’s all about.

It is in the overcoming and prevailing that makes the best sports stories.

Perhaps the greatest display of grit and will was by Babe Dietrich Zaharias.   Incredibly Babe won the 1954 U.S. Women’s Open Championship in golf a month after colon cancer surgery and while wearing a colostomy bag. 

Biles is a superb athlete and it’s a shame that she chose to duck out.   But the media shouldn’t be fawning over her decision.   If she didn’t wish to compete, she should have pulled out a long time ago and let someone else take her spot.   

Biles was the face of our team at the Olympics.  She let her team down and her country down.  When it was time to step up, she stepped aside.