Winter Olympics 2010

[blueerica]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

In 1968 at Mexico City, Bob Beamon destroyed the long jump record by over 21 inches. The previous holder of the world record, a Soviet names Igor Ter-Ovanesyan said "Compared to this jump, we are as children".

That was how I think Shaun White's opponents must have felt last night. No one is anywhere near this guy. He was simply amazing.

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

What I find interesting about him is that he's the kind of perfectionist and loner that is usually A) arrogant and B) disliked by his competition. But he seems to be neither.

He doesn't hang or train with any of the other boarders. He retreats to his private half pipe in the mountains, helicopter access only. He comes up with stuff in secret, doesn't share it with anyone (as if anyone could keep up with him anyway), and comes out of hiding to destroy them...and yet everyone seems to like him, and he's totally humble (as humble as one can be when they're inhumanly talented) and doesn't come across as the least bit arrogant.

I was noticing how much everyone seems to really love Shaun White. I think it probably has to do with the idealism of progression. Maybe snowboarders are just more into that than anything else. During some of the filler programming, they were commenting on how far snowboarding had come. During an interview, White said something to the effect that what he did in 2006 might get him to the finals, but nowhere else. Everyone is just that much better.

You know, I am just really digging this Winter Olympics - despite some of the crappiness.