Luger Dies Canadian Winter Olympics: Is There No Limit To The Quest For Greatness By Our Athletes?
Posted: Friday, February 12, 2010
by Michael Gaffley
flatlinetochange
Luger Dies Canadian Winter Olympics: Is There No Limit To The Quest For Greatness By Our Athletes?
Where will it all end and at what price the loss of life and limb? Is it worth it? It is one thing to be an adrenalin junkie. There is nothing wrong with mastering techniques and subjecting the human body in order to accomplish almost impossible feats. Our athletes often take careless risks in order to satisfy their need or to prove a point. They forget that we are fallible human beings. Our bodies are resilient up to a point. I know that the human spirit is indomitable. Is it necessary to engage in a duel with death in the name of sports, Olympics, World Series or world cups and random ultimate championships?
You need only watch our athletes at schools and colleges. It is no longer a rarity to see them cry when they have been defeated. At the last super bowl we saw how emotionally attached to the game our athletes have become. So much so that sportsmanship is no longer a principle and character trait. If you do not win, you are crushed; your ego is dented and your notion of invincibility suffers irreparable damage.
I think that the general public in fact is baying for the blood of our athletes. We are paying for athletes to cheat. We the public are killing our best and sharpest athletes because we want more. We are going to witness more disasters in our sports arenas. We are going to witness more tragedies. Many people have said that the Canadian course is too dangerous. People, there are limitations to our feats and accomplishments. I have played many sports and I knew when to quit. I knew what was humanly possible.
After our athletes have satisfied our hunger for thrills they the athletes often grow old with the scars and the loneliness and the thought that they are no longer good enough. My thoughts and prayers are focused on luger, Nodar Kumaritasvili's grieving family and friends. This should be the start of the Nodar Kumaritasvili Olympic law that outlaws courses and Olympic events that is just too dangerous for human participation. Please join this quest to bring the humanness back into our sporting events. Let sports be sports. Do not let the professional status and money kill sportsmanship.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)Humanity has come very far since we let the lions loose in the coliseums. We still gleefully hunt and kill defenseless amnimals for our entertainment, still indulge in all kinds of harmful activities to oourselves and others, still wage war against each other. Any wonder our country is in trouble when this mentality rules? It's justified karma.Our religions aren't doing the job. America is 3/4 Christian, but the religion is more poilitical now than ever, as if politics wjill change our animalistic nature. It will take more than politcs, but I don't see any kind of practices that Christians do except prosytize, which is just aggresive selling?I appreciate your contribution to the evolution of this thought"but I don't see any kind of practices that Christians do except prosytize" Are you really serious about this statement you make? Check out the very many humanitarian outreaches that are sponsored by the Christian community and then tell me that it's just all about proselytizing.David what statement that I make are you referring to? And what do you mean by prosytize? Did you mean prosyletize? I'd love to respond.Sorry, Michael. This comment was intended for Anonymous, who left the first comment at the top of this page."but I don't see any kind of practices that Christians do except prosytize" Are you really serious about this statement you make? Check out the very many humanitarian outreaches that are sponsored by the Christian community and then tell me that it's just all about proselytizing.
Hi there, Michael. Your article reminds me of the ancient Roman gladiator games, when spectators craved blood and then cheered when human blood gushed out like streams, never mind the deaths of the fatal athletes. Human nature has not changed much since then, though we have more civilized, subtle ways of coveting the blood of our athletes. However, the truth remains that these athletes have chosen such a lot for themselves...no one forced them into extreme sports...with choice comes consequences, including injury, even death for sports' sake. And when that happens, we still grieve with the wounded and bereaved, however ironic such sympathy may seem. Poignant article by you. ~mogama~Mogama thank you for your balanced feedback
Hi Michael a well written article. Its sad to see loss of life, but in some cases I can't help but think for some sportsmen that you can take horse to water but you can't make it drink. Every time I see a formula one driver get behind a wheel or a boxer into the ring worries me greatly, and these people have choice, and yet they put their lives in danger with no one twisting their arm up their back. Thanks for sharing Michael and stay safeKacyKacy I apprciate your sober fedback
Hi Michael,Unfortunately it is not just about the adrenaline rush but also money. I am not one to watch sports very often. However, I do enjoy watching the ice skating and gymnastics. I think there is so much physical grace there that I don't posess. That is okay though I do have other strengths.Blessings,MichelleMichelle thank you for gracing this piece with your response
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