A new term

BODE got his Nike money and ran !!!!

Now there are reports that he was out partying the nites before his events---

Didn't he go 0 for 5 ? LOL

I heard a quote today that Bode was afraid he'd get too many medals and become so famous he'd have no private life. Looks like he won't have to worry about that.

Bode Miller is the poster child for today's athletes. Of course there are still quality pro athletes that respect how they achieved what they did, but too many are selfish and self-centered. They promote themselves and have no allegiance to the team.

Nike and others have started this by giving money to "potentially" great athletes in hopes of locking down the next Tiger Woods.

Now there is no motivation to achieve and you get the Bode Millers who do nothing in the Olympics, party before their events and in general embarrass themselves and the good ole USA!

Big fat BODEBOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

It's not Bode, it's the Media and the sponser's that are putting on all the hype.
The athletes are there trying to do there best.
How do you think they get the resources to train year round?
Have we become so callous, that we don't have feelings for an athlete that doesn't complete there goals.
if your not #1 your a loser.
Lets just throw all athletes under the bus if they don't meet are expectation's.
I'm frankly tired of the Media hypeing athletes before they even step onto the field.
But sponser's have to sell there products off the back of athletes.
Time will tell if there going to be a great athlete.
Let it happen. Then the Athlete earned his endorsements.
So don't blame the Athlete's just because there's failer.
It just wasn't meant to be. The EH

I just finished watching the men's slalom and seeing Miller DQ for missing a gate. OK, but then I saw the interview with him and heard the "I don't really give a d*mn attitude" that he displayed. What a loser! He talked about how satisfied he is with his olympic experience, partying and having a good time. He sounded proud of the fact that he didn't get drunk the night before any of his races and talked about being in good shape, despite it being pretty apparent that he's in anything but great shape. He talked about NOT wanting to win the world's championship and not caring if he didn't medal at the Olympics.

Bode Miller is an embarrasement to the US Olympic team.

quote:

I'm frankly tired of the Media hypeing athletes before they even step onto the field.

Bode was gifted with the magical mix of fast twitch, power, reflexes, balance and vision that is reserved for the best of the best, and he has been on the field (international slopes) for many years. But no-one is engaged in the promotion of Bode Miller more than Bode himself.

http://www.bodemiller.com/BodeMiller.html
http://www.flyingdownhill.com/
http://www.bodemillerusa.com/BodeMiller.html

This is not "the Media's" fault. No-one forced Miller into shameless self promotion. Miller just under-estimated the price of unfullfilled expectations for the internationally famous who willingly say: "HEY, LOOK AT ME!!!".

I think the saddest aspect of having athletes like Bode Miller on a team representing our country is that he didn't seem to care if he was there and he was filling a spot that another athlete could have filled, another athlete whose dream it is to compete at the Olympics and give 100% preparing for his events. That is an attitude that I had not encountered in the past but actually have witnessed with some of the minor league players who seem not to care and who are filling a spot that someone else could fill. I realize that these types are few and far between, but I think it is sad nonetheless.

This is basically a branding issue. Bode is an international brand tuned specifically for the 18-29 year old consumer market.

During the last 10-12 years the things this group seeks to identify/associate with have shifted from the formerly traditional winners-first focus, to a style over substance mix.

The weirdest part is Bode's "brand" may not even suffer from his dismal performance.

I think many (not all) successful athletes have a little “Bode” in them. Sometime it never shows, or only rears its ugly head in their private life. Great athletes have to know they are good and have to have a level of confidence that draws them to the plate when the team needs a hit or the pitcher that says: “Give me the ball”. Most are taught to do this without offending society. Maybe not so for Bode......Bode Miller is unique. Could his unconventional childhood rearing by those that see things a little differently than you and I had an impact on the way he views things?? Maybe he was taught to represent Bode instead of his team or his country. Maybe someone is smiling and saying...... “That’s my boy!”
Fungo

When winning races all over the world for the last 5 years, Im sure there were smiles all around. I doubt anybody was smiling this week.

Personally I'm not even offended by Bode. He is just a product of his times, but I certainly don't feel sorry for him either.

Bode will be getting a big $$$$$ proposal from the Beer companies to be the new TV commercial representative.
I blame the media for all of the hype. As basically he is a over glorified ski bum, at least the last party guy Toma won some medals for Italy
"Bode" will become a new VERB for all that is failure.

and exactly who is "the media"?

FuturebackMom is right on the money. The most distasteful thing about Miller is that there are athletes who would have felt tremedous pride to compete, and give their best for, the USA. Miller didn't care, and said as much in his after slalom interviews.

Hopefully, it'll stand as a lesson learned, for all.

Compare Bode Miller's story to the story of the autistic HS basketball kid and there's your contrast of 'right' and 'wrong'.

How about we take the Country out of the Olympics,
And celebrate the Athlete as an individual.

Sometimes people use, That I don't care attitude as a defense
against hurt feelings.
I believe all athletes care just don't know how to handle the pressure. The EH

06,
I heard the same.

Yesterday I heard that he publicly said he only entered the Olympics because he had obligations to sponsors. He did not have to prove he was one of the best skiers in the world by getting a gold medal.
In an interview he said he was out partying and playing basketball, but to him THAT was what the Olympics were all about.
I remember the days when amatuer athletes worked hard to get the medal so that they could get endorsements. Now many of them are already set before they compete for medals. Where is the incentive?
One of the reasons I do not watch the Olympics anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by itsinthegame:
"Pulling a Bode"

I like it.

All talk - all hype - no results.

Its a keeper - IMO

Talk about hittin' the nail on the head!

quote:

Originally posted by itsinthegame:
"Pulling a Bode"

I like it.

All talk - all hype - no results.

As we used to say in Texas....
He's all hat, no cattle.

Hope that when all is said and done we acknowledge Bode to be an exception to the Olympian athelete....and probably an exception to most atheletes serious about their sport....

the world has changed.i'm not sure all the athletes today feel the pride of representing our country that athletes once did.struggling with money so they could train for the olympics.they don't appear to sacrifice like athletes used to.i still feel the pride seeing one of ours on the podium,while they play the star spangled banner.
another term or saying i have heard,the anna kournicovo (sp). looks good, never wins.

Not to endorse Miller but there is a fine line between that guy on the top and rest of the field. Downhill skiing is living on the "EDGE" there is no room for error and you have to push the envelope physically and mentally in order to succeed. In Millers case I feel that he lost that edge some time ago and has been just another skier for the last year. I think it's a classic case of non-accepted burn out. When you fall from the top of the hill the last thing that you lose is the mental attitude because any top notch athlete will always believe in himself, regardless of what thier body says, until they come to grips with it. You can look at many athletes who falter in their prime and see the same sequence of events.

Do I endorse Millers attitude, heck no, will we see an interview in 3 years where he steps back and spits out the reality, I think he will. A recent example of this attitude adjustment is from Ryan Leaf the once pompus Wash St QB. A vety humble and apologetic interview wqith Dan Patrick last week. I would put Leaf and Miller in the grouping.

As far as the patriotic side of the games. It's gone. The media is looking at demographic side of the population that does not realize the historical factor of patriotism and the olympics. How many medal ceromonies, hands over hearts, and flag carrying victory laps did you see on tv?

quote:

As far as the patriotic side of the games. It's gone.

It is hard to judge patriotic spirit on tv, although this may very well be missing from most american athletes but, living in Europe, I was able to see many of the events in real time, on multiple channels.......... and witnessed what seemed to be sponteneous, authentic displays of partiotism from other country's athletes.

In particular, the Croatians and the Chinese jump to mind, but this behavior certainly wasn't limited to those two nation's athletes.

HaverDad,

quote:

and witnessed what seemed to be sponteneous, authentic displays of partiotism from other country's athletes

Good point and I think I was looking at this from a USA point of view