From: ashwin@osc.osc.com (Ashwin Honkan)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro
Subject: Re: American athletes and the Olympics
Date: 11 Aug 92 03:04:12 GMT
Organization: Versant Object Technology, Menlo Park, CA


In article <1992Aug7.153205.3231@HQ.Ileaf.COM>  raczka@HQ.Ileaf.COM 
(Christopher Raczka) writes:  
> I am suprised that some folks appear rather naive has to how
> the rest of the Worlds athletes view American athletes

I am afraid the naivete is on your part. The world loves great athletes no
matter their country of origin. The Edwin Moseses and Sergei Bubkas of this
world are revered everywhere.

> For many years the Olympics have always had low-lights of
> American athletes being interferred with by foreign athletes;
> and no one can deny this unless they live in a cave;
> The past incident that stands out most is Zola Budd
> spiking and tripping Mary Decker

The worst example you could have chosen. After Mary Decker Slaney tripped
and stumbled and blamed it on Zola Budd, several replays clearly showed that 
it wasn't Zola's fault. Even the overly patriotic commentators agreed with
that opinion. I attended that event at the '84 Olympics and it confirmed
my opinion of Mary Decker as a poor sport and a whiner. It may surprise you
to know that Mary Decker was banned from international competition for 2-4
years for throwing a baton at a USSR runner in a relay race. It may also
interest you to know that Pattisue Plumer, the US entry in 1500m and 3000m
at Barcelona, was considering giving her spot in the 1500m to Mary when Mary
failed to qualify at the Olympic trials, but changed her mind when, for no
apparent reason, Mary told reporters that 'I bet Pattisue hates me'. Plumer
went on to say that Mary is perhaps the most disliked (American) athlete, 
even in her own country.

The Zola-Mary duel was hyped up, as usual, by the press when neither of them
should have been considered a favourite. Mary, while being an undisputed
US champion for all intermediate distances, holds NO world records and
Marcicia Puica, the Romanian who ended winning both the 1500m and 3000m at
LA in '84, should have been the favourite. But I suppose being an American
makes one an automatic medal contender, right ?

> This year we have seen American Boxers, Eric Griffin most notably,
> declared a loser EVEN though all the judges had him ahead on their
> scoring cards! 

Sorry to disappoint you, but that travesty of justice was a result of an
idiotic computerized scoring system and not an anti-American bias. In 
case you followed non-American athletes, a South Korean also 'lost' his
fight in a later round the same way as Eric 'lost' his.

> The American Volleyball team was given a loss to 
> Japan after a referree made a badcall and a 23 man committee 
> was needed to give Japan the "15th" point and the match!

Bad example again. The 'bad call' you refer to was the non-ejection of 
American 'whiner' Bob Samuelson. If he had been ejected as per the rules,
there wouldn't have been a 5th set ! If you believe that rules should take
precedence over American victories, Japan won the game fair and square.
But I am sure you want to impose trade sanctions against Japan for winning
in this 'cheap' fashion :-)

Do you want to talk about the unsubstantiated drug use allegations made by
Americans against the Chinese women's swim team because they upset the
media darlings Janet Evans and Summer Sanders and others ? Or about Gwen
Torrence's allegations about Gail Devers' and Irina Privalova's drug use ?

Or the USA Women's Gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi's complaint that Kim
Zmeskal didn't win anything because the East European judges don't like
'her body type' ? I am sure you don't find it surprising that the only time
USA women have won titles in gymnastics have been at events held inside the
USA ? Or that Mary Lou Retton failed to win any individual golds at LA '84
after winning the all-round gold, while Ecaterina Szabo, the silver medallist
went on to win 4 golds ? But NO, how dare I accuse the Americans of being
partisan ? 

> Now for the first time ONE American athlete, Charles Barkely,
> is intimidating his opponents and people act shocked!

Intimidation is different from cheap-shotting. What Barkley did to the
Angolans was unpardonable. (BTW, I happen to be a Barkley fan.)

> Even NBC resident idiot, Bob Costa, told Charles he should be
> more sportsman-like ... NBC should have fired Costas for his
> self-righteous comments during that interview!

Yes ! And Chuck Daly should have sent back 'Nike' Jordan and Karl Malone too
for criticizing Charles !

> Most of the worlds athletes despise the USA and American athletes
> and to read the riot act to Charles Barkley for giving it back is wrong!

Congratulations on your new theory, which, incidentally, is totally wrong.
But you do get a Gold for Patriotism (Super-heavyweight division). 
I suppose boorish behaviour is okay if the perpetrator is an American.

> This olympics has nothing to do with how people feel about Charles
> Barkley, it has everything to do with taking a stand for America
> and if it takes Barkley to do it and people have a problem with that
> it is their own problem

Way To Go, Christopher ! Make it 10 Golds for Patriotism, for all the
divisions from light-flyweight to Super-heavyweight !

> chris
> christopher raczka	raczka@ileaf.com	
> Interleaf Inc.		

I must say that much of the 'Ugly American' image the world seems to have
comes from the Mary Deckers and Bob Samuelsons and Gwen Torrences. However, 
I am happy that for each one of these poor sports, there are ten Evelyn 
Ashfords, Jackie-Joyners and Matt Biondis from the same country who are as 
graceful in victory as they are in defeat.

Ashwin Honkan
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro