Cortina d'Ampezzo-Milan Winter Olympics

[Oldman]

Vonn's participation always sounded like a crazy idea, but this obviously not something anyone wanted to see happen.

She's raced with worse but was anxious in the starting gate. She actually tripped the timing gate early with one shin and started clumsily (for her). It's possible that caused enough distraction she tried to cut line on some early gates. Tough end.
Tougher still for Breezy and Jackie Wiles. I picked Breezy for the win as the less pressured racer. She barely got a breath of coverage and had to sit through Vonn's drama trail all week. Peacock didn't even have Steve Porino or their broadcast crew for the last 10 skiers; shifting to a Euro feed. NBC wasn't even there for the medal ceremony!
Vonn's shunt was unfortunate and made pointlessly debatable by all the hype. Two other women were choppered out and they didn't get a media postcript to speak of.

Congratulations to Breezy, Jackie and Sofia!!!

 

[Sciatic]

So much THIS!

Yup; and some naïve sports commentators in the U.S. will suggest Johnson's win has an asterisk because of Vonn's crashing out.

 

[Oldman]

Yup; and some naïve sports commentators in the U.S. will suggest Johnson's win has an asterisk because of Vonn's crashing out.

Breezy's World Cup title, on this DH course last year is there for the casual fans and uninformed to understand. She, Wiles, Lauren Macuga (from our little valley) were the cream. Lauren, like Lara Gut and others got hurt. No asterisks in the downhill, ever.

 

[Rackham]

Vonn's stunt is one of the embodiments of why I find myself increasingly losing interest in pro-sport.

There's nothing to salvage there. No story, no 'lead by example', no nice flowery message of 'overcoming adversity' or whatnot. No, just an IQ desolation where pursuit of fame and more money leads to imbecility and disaster.

Seeing her faceplant and scream like that pretty much shone a very bright light on the whole dark side of celeb culture. I don't know who to blame. Vonn obviously, her staff, her doctor if she has one (& is he even capable of overruling her?) & more to the point every lunatic with a "you go girl!" refusal to accept medical realities.

Meh. It's this sort of attitude that made climbing Everest the putrid spectacle it became once rich vainglorious thrill seekers took over, i.e. where selfish pursuit of a selfie at the summit is the name of the game over every safety consideration. It's not a champion's spirit. It's just dumb. Being on the edge of performance requires control. In Vonn's case introducing variables like skiing downhill with a busted knee = surrendering that control to variables she couldn't predict. There's no excuse there.

 

[Brullnux]

Antholz has the biggest audience capacity of all the venues at these Games apparently. And the Germans will always pile in to any venue within a few hours of their borders for some ski-shooting, before you get to the number of travellers for the Olympics.

It also has reasonably(ish) priced tickets, at €50 for the meadow standing area. Val di Fiemme has cheaper ones but no trackside tickets for some bizarre reason.

The pricing has been ridiculously high, maybe because of the small stadiums at some races, but every speed skating ticket has been €180 and short track into the €400 range. Biathlon and XC only reasonable ones.

 

[jmdirt]

Breezy Johnson has been reduced to a footnote in her finest hour both before, during and now after the race and that's really not fair.

...and this is terrible! The media should cover Vonn, but after they celebrate Breezy's Gold. Although, I wouldn't go as far as to say that she is a footnote to anyone other than those who just read headlines.

Hey Oldman, Breezy is from near your area too. She grew up in Victor.

EDIT: Breezy was the top story on my Olympic recap this morning! So even headline readers get Breezy!

 

[TheKidsCallMeBoss]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2020414800317358390

View: https://x.com/david_lrl/status/2020414800317358390

 

[Mayomaniac]

Antholz has the biggest audience capacity of all the venues at these Games apparently. And the Germans will always pile in to any venue within a few hours of their borders for some ski-shooting, before you get to the number of travellers for the Olympics.

Yeah, yesterday the whole train was filled with Schunkelpiefke....

 

[Sciatic]

Breezy's World Cup title, on this DH course last year is there for the casual fans and uninformed to understand. She, Wiles, Lauren Macuga (from our little valley) were the cream. Lauren, like Lara Gut and others got hurt. No asterisks in the downhill, ever.

No asterisk from me of course—I knew Breezy would have a better result than an uninjured Vonn. But the headlines in most U.S. newspapers read “Vonn crashed out” rather than “Johnson wins downhill gold with spectacular run.”

For example, the front page of this morning’s LA Times has large color photo (above the fold in old paper newspaper parlance) of Vonn crashing rather than Johnson. In the U.S., an American skier winning downhill gold should be one of biggest highlights of any Winter Olympics.

 

[Rackham]

No asterisk from me of course—I knew Breezy would have a better result than an uninjured Vonn. But the headlines in most U.S. newspapers read “Vonn crashed out” rather than “Johnson wins downhill gold with spectacular run.”

For example, the front page of this morning’s LA Times has large color photo (above the fold in old paper newspaper parlance) of Vonn crashing rather than Johnson. In the U.S., an American skier winning downhill gold should be one of biggest highlights of any Winter Olympics.

Clearly people care about story arcs and narratives more. Sport is secondary. Always was. Vonn had a very potent story crafted around her participation and the spectacular failure is of course a bigger story than "just another gold medal" for someone nameless by comparison.

That's the blunt version. You can spin it however you want but an Olympic gold medal is just a thing. What matters is that Hunger Games loop of "character with compelling story" and Vonn was it. And she was also a total idiot who should serve as a cautionary tale regarding chasing a desired outcome with the force of magical thinking alone when basic realities (medical in this instance) dictate the risk is maximum and the "proceed at your risk and peril, failure is quite probable" alarm bells were all ringing. Which is what downhill skiing with a busted anterior cruciate ligament is really.

And the spin I'm seeing over 24 hours after the fact (people screaming that Vonn is an inspirational warrior or something) is just nutty nuts and quite sad - especially coming from big actors of various sports. It makes a mockery of risk mitigation and control present in the most demanding and dangerous disciplines whilst making sport seem like an exercise in yeehaw, hail mary flying by the seat of your pants "I believe therefor I'll win" sort of jackassery.

 

[Sciatic]

Clearly people care about story arcs and narratives more. Sport is secondary. Always was. Vonn had a very potent story crafted around her participation and the spectacular failure is of course a bigger story than "just another gold medal" for someone nameless by comparison.

That's the blunt version. You can spin it however you want but an Olympic gold medal is just a thing. What matters is that Hunger Games loop of "character with compelling story" and Vonn was it. And she was also a total idiot who should serve as a cautionary tale regarding chasing a desired outcome with the force of magical thinking alone when basic realities (medical in this instance) dictate the risk is maximum and the "proceed at your risk and peril, failure is quite probable" alarm bells were all ringing. Which is what downhill skiing with a busted anterior cruciate ligament is really.

And the spin I'm seeing over 24 hours after the fact (people screaming that Vonn is an inspirational warrior or something) is just nutty nuts and quite sad - especially coming from big actors of various sports. It makes a mockery of risk mitigation and control present in the most demanding and dangerous disciplines whilst making sport seem like an exercise in yeehaw, hail mary flying by the seat of your pants "I believe therefor I'll win" sort of jackassery.

You said it well and I know that well. That’s not go to stop me from lamenting about it here where many members actually care about sports.

NY Times coverage was even worse. Sports page headline is Vonn crashed, and Johnson winning the race isn’t mentioned until the 8th paragraph.

 

[Oldman]

No asterisk from me of course—I knew Breezy would have a better result than an uninjured Vonn. But the headlines in most U.S. newspapers read “Vonn crashed out” rather than “Johnson wins downhill gold with spectacular run.”

For example, the front page of this morning’s LA Times has large color photo (above the fold in old paper newspaper parlance) of Vonn crashing rather than Johnson. In the U.S., an American skier winning downhill gold should be one of biggest highlights of any Winter Olympics.

And that narrative ignores a more compelling story: Breezy won the WC in downhill last year on this course. This, after missing the prior Olympics due to crash injury in '22 on this very same course. Lindsay was retired at that time and Breezy was seriously challenging Gogia, Gut and the others. Much more heroic, IMO than a promotion fueled media darling's "comeback" that left little room for any other athlete's reference; particularly from the carefully crafted narrative by Vonn's promotion drive. Hell, NBC backburnered the GOAT Michaella in this quest for the buffed/polished Vonn. That they had zero announcers for Breezy's slopeside medal ceremony spoke volumes. Probably had every available talking head rushing to Lindsay's bedside for their "real story". I can't find fault with Vonn's decision to race and the crash injury had nothing to do with her ACL from video review. She broke her leg and the ACL wouldn't likely prevent any of that. We'll learn the truth went she tells it to Oprah.

PS: Steve Porino and wife lives here. Gonna find out what happened.

 

[Oldman]

...and this is terrible! The media should cover Vonn, but after they celebrate Breezy's Gold. Although, I wouldn't go as far as to say that she is a footnote to anyone other than those who just read headlines.

Hey Oldman, Breezy is from near your area too. She grew up in Victor.

EDIT: Breezy was the top story on my Olympic recap this morning! So even headline readers get Breezy!

Breezy from Victor, Lauren Macuga (next big thing) from Ketchum, Picabo from Triumph where another Olympian calls home. Street is named after Picabo, Idaho but grew up were there were few conveniences. All tough, serious athletes that earned everything they got without modelling contracts...Matteo's sister was living in Triumph, too.

 

[Sciatic]

I’ll

And that narrative ignores a more compelling story: Breezy won the WC in downhill last year on this course. This, after missing the prior Olympics due to crash injury in '22 on this very same course. Lindsay was retired at that time and Breezy was seriously challenging Gogia, Gut and the others. Much more heroic, IMO than a promotion fueled media darling's "comeback" that left little room for any other athlete's reference; particularly from the carefully crafted narrative by Vonn's promotion drive. Hell, NBC backburnered the GOAT Michaella in this quest for the buffed/polished Vonn. That they had zero announcers for Breezy's slopeside medal ceremony spoke volumes. Probably had every available talking head rushing to Lindsay's bedside for their "real story". I can't find fault with Vonn's decision to race and the crash injury had nothing to do with her ACL from video review. She broke her leg and the ACL wouldn't likely prevent any of that. We'll learn the truth went she tells it to Oprah.

Johnson’s climb to the top of the speed events is indeed a great story to follow. And I was already put off by Vonn’s comeback because she came back wearing even more makeup than before

 

[Sciatic]

And that narrative ignores a more compelling story: Breezy won the WC in downhill last year on this course. This, after missing the prior Olympics due to crash injury in '22 on this very same course. Lindsay was retired at that time and Breezy was seriously challenging Gogia, Gut and the others. Much more heroic, IMO than a promotion fueled media darling's "comeback" that left little room for any other athlete's reference; particularly from the carefully crafted narrative by Vonn's promotion drive. Hell, NBC backburnered the GOAT Michaella in this quest for the buffed/polished Vonn. That they had zero announcers for Breezy's slopeside medal ceremony spoke volumes. Probably had every available talking head rushing to Lindsay's bedside for their "real story". I can't find fault with Vonn's decision to race and the crash injury had nothing to do with her ACL from video review. She broke her leg and the ACL wouldn't likely prevent any of that. We'll learn the truth went she tells it to Oprah.

For reasons like that I stopped watching NBC coverage of Olympics. Swiss and Canadian broadcasts cover everything I want to see.

 

[Oldman]

Vonn's stunt is one of the embodiments of why I find myself increasingly losing interest in pro-sport.

There's nothing to salvage there. No story, no 'lead by example', no nice flowery message of 'overcoming adversity' or whatnot. No, just an IQ desolation where pursuit of fame and more money leads to imbecility and disaster.

Seeing her faceplant and scream like that pretty much shone a very bright light on the whole dark side of celeb culture. I don't know who to blame. Vonn obviously, her staff, her doctor if she has one (& is he even capable of overruling her?) & more to the point every lunatic with a "you go girl!" refusal to accept medical realities.

Meh. It's this sort of attitude that made climbing Everest the putrid spectacle it became once rich vainglorious thrill seekers took over, i.e. where selfish pursuit of a selfie at the summit is the name of the game over every safety consideration. It's not a champion's spirit. It's just dumb. Being on the edge of performance requires control. In Vonn's case introducing variables like skiing downhill with a busted knee = surrendering that control to variables she couldn't predict. There's no excuse there.

It's a rough comparison to Everest but convoluted none the less. Many here can relate to the joy of recovery from injury: few could appreciate the actual return to Vonn's level of form in time for an Olympics staged at her most successful venue. I can't fault her for wanting to do it but the ton of Louis Vuitton baggage she's allowed to overshadow her team is all her. Not sure if she can recover from that.

 

[Rackham]

It's a rough comparison to Everest but convoluted none the less. Many here can relate to the joy of recovery from injury: few could appreciate the actual return to Vonn's level of form in time for an Olympics staged at her most successful venue. I can't fault her for wanting to do it but the ton of Louis Vuitton baggage she's allowed to overshadow her team is all her. Not sure if she can recover from that.

I can think of less charitable comparisons as well. Anything involving self-delusion and pursuit of fame and fortune fits the bill, no matter the venue.

Let's call a spade a spade here: a multimillionaire sports star like Vonn doesn't just decide to make a come back in time for the Olympics without her agent and financial advisors doing some heavy lifting with sponsorship deals and all the tralala that's tucked away out of sight behind the walls of I BELIEVE IN MYSELF motivational spiel and workout montages on her Instagram.

It's big money and guaranteed comeback fame, first and foremost. That's the motivating factor. That's why she risked her neck even with a busted ACL and suffered a really gnarly injury as a result. And no, I don't find that a particularly commendable character trait. If the girl from Minnesota just liked skiing, she'd ski. What she was chasing was something else entirely. And very par for the course for modern sport.

 

[Oldman]

The Olympics is somewhat unique in lead time to develop, write, research and produce sophisticated propaganda. Think of the hours dedicated to the Vonn story , the network executives and producers spared on expense on making sure audience knew she was another against all odds Hollywood comeback story.
Vonn was used as a prominent promotional prop for months leading up to the games and her ultimately crashing out. Twisted mess or respectable runs completed, her goal always looked like trying to increase her market value which she did. Only remaining questions are what products her hero story will sell, if she decides that her brand is strong enough to market products using her stand alone persona..clothing, cosmetics, investments, insurance, snacks, beer, ect..as a total package the sky is the limit.

I have crashed hundreds of times and my market value ( very very high) is comic relief for friends and family who witnessed my tumbling, twirling meat mass smashing the snow, occasional tree or branch. If video of my ski skills were distributed I would likely be banned from most mountains.

Or you would become a cult hero in the PNW where mountains mincemeat all who exceed their skillset. Much company you have, mi' COMPADRE'!

 

[Oldman]

Contrast Sam Darnold's character and lack of public hubris with the Vonn marketing effort.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2020701577708011923

View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/2020701577708011923?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2020701577708011923%7Ctwgr%5Ed74b92dbd3da0dab9034f26582892bb018ea6cbc%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fathlonsports.com%2Fnfl%2Fseattle-seahawks%2Fnfl-sends-sam-darnold-message-after-seahawks-super-bowl-win

 

[theyoungest]

Clearly people care about story arcs and narratives more. Sport is secondary. Always was. Vonn had a very potent story crafted around her participation and the spectacular failure is of course a bigger story than "just another gold medal" for someone nameless by comparison.

That's the blunt version. You can spin it however you want but an Olympic gold medal is just a thing. What matters is that Hunger Games loop of "character with compelling story" and Vonn was it. And she was also a total idiot who should serve as a cautionary tale regarding chasing a desired outcome with the force of magical thinking alone when basic realities (medical in this instance) dictate the risk is maximum and the "proceed at your risk and peril, failure is quite probable" alarm bells were all ringing. Which is what downhill skiing with a busted anterior cruciate ligament is really.

And the spin I'm seeing over 24 hours after the fact (people screaming that Vonn is an inspirational warrior or something) is just nutty nuts and quite sad - especially coming from big actors of various sports. It makes a mockery of risk mitigation and control present in the most demanding and dangerous disciplines whilst making sport seem like an exercise in yeehaw, hail mary flying by the seat of your pants "I believe therefor I'll win" sort of jackassery.

Vonn is not even a very successful Olympian. From all the publicity and hype you'd think she was among the ranks of Ole Einar Bjørndalen or Ireen Wüst, but she's won one gold medal in her whole career. One! Now, that's nothing to be sniffed at, but something tells me that if she were Swiss or Finnish there wouldn't be half the hype. Anglophone media is way too dominant, in cycling, in football, and apparently also in winter sports.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Vonn is not even a very successful Olympian. From all the publicity and hype you'd think she was among the ranks of Ole Einar Bjørndalen or Ireen Wüst, but she's won one gold medal in her whole career. One! Now, that's nothing to be sniffed at, but something tells me that if she were Swiss or Finnish there wouldn't be half the hype. Anglophone media is way too dominant, in cycling, in football, and apparently also in winter sports.

Yes, ok, but winter sports doesn‘t just happen once every four years, Vonn is a legend because of her many, many world cup wins, not because she‘s underperformed at the Olympics.

 

[Tim Cahill]

The Slovenian delegation

 

[Sciatic]

Yes, ok, but winter sports doesn‘t just happen once every four years, Vonn is a legend because of her many, many world cup wins, not because she‘s underperformed at the Olympics.

She ranks as the most dominant female downhiller of all time, no doubting that. She was also considered the best U.S. alpine skier ever but Shiffren has now eclipsed her.

 

[Sciatic]

The Slovenian delegation

Thanks for that—love seeing him there! Only question is whether he rode his bike there since it’s just a short jaunt from Slovenia

 

[Sciatic]

...and this is terrible! The media should cover Vonn, but after they celebrate Breezy's Gold. Although, I wouldn't go as far as to say that she is a footnote to anyone other than those who just read headlines.

Hey Oldman, Breezy is from near your area too. She grew up in Victor.

EDIT: Breezy was the top story on my Olympic recap this morning! So even headline readers get Breezy!

Kind of fun of the 3 Americans who ever won a gold medal in the Alpine speed events, two are named Picabo and Breezy