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American performace not up to expectations Oh, America, what has happened to our athletes? Welcome to the new-age athlete, a product of "I am the team" attitude that has transgressed from pro sports to our Olympic athletes. Our beloved Olympians have gone beyond the call of duty in showcasing the fine American spirit in which our pro sports castrate its dearest fans.  Yes, we know Allen Iverson does not believe in "practice" and we know Laterall Sprewell has to feed his family, and doing the Lambou leap in basketball gives an NBA player street cred. Who can ever forget Eugene Robinson wanting to relax before the big game and Rafael Palmerio adamantly denying the use of steroids (yes, he is Cuban but for argumentfs sake we will conspire that America created Cuba hence Palmerio has legitimacy to this argument). The list goes on from DUIfs to puff, puff, pass, unless youfre in the circle with Ricky Williams or playing next to Stephan Marberry.
The American mystique started with beloved skier Samuel Bode Miller and 60 Minutes. Miller, whose reckless style on the mountain has already added to his James Dean persona, improved his chances to join the elite group of the new-aged American athletes with his lackluster performance in Turino.
Miller drew the "hey look at me" spotlight on 60 Minutes, commenting on enjoying the aspect of skiing drunk and compared it to driving while intoxicated or in laymens terms, drunk driving. It is one thing to make politically inncorect comments and bring your country a gold, hell even some silver or bronze would do at this point, but it is another to make such off-thewall comments while favored to win five medals (the most by any U.S Olympian) and as of this moment be zero for four. Maybe Miller needs to throw a couple back or face the fact that the American bad boy who made history winning a race in each of the four standard diciplines in sking in 2004-2005 has completely choked. Choking is essential to the success of the "I am the team" athlete, as winning solves all issues, but losing, oh losing is intertwined to the new aged athlete. The American Olympic Federation should be thankful for the ratings and NBC. NBC's horrific job of covering the Olympics and milking any small story into General Hospital has helped bring down the ratings to an all-time low. The most excitement for America thus far in the Olympics has been the heartbreaking losses on a last second heaves by Finland, beating the men 4-3 and the Switzerland women scoring 3 points in the last round to beat the U.S. by 1 in the last inning in curling. That is right, curling! Although U.S.A. is in second in the medal count, it has been nothing but disappointments for the Americans. The Americans are falling far short from the projected medal count at this point and the blame rests solely in the "me-first" attitude of our treasured Olympians. Sure, the whole U.S. team is not filled with a bunch of Carl Lewises, but who'fs counting? U.S. Speed Skating odd couple Chad Hedrick and Shani Davis have been in the front lines and their feud is symbolic of what is wrong with U.S. athletes. Davis' accomplishments have been overshadowed by the feud and his comments have taken away from the importance of his gold medal. Davis chose not to skate in the team pursuit and Hedrick called him out. Davis' comments showed the ideals of our new-aged athletes. Comments like “I didn’t come here to skate the team pursuit’’ are mild compared to other statements literally stating that team pursuit is for chumps and Davis got himself to where he is and not his teammates so he does not owe anyone anything. Hedrick fired back “I’m not going to beg Shani, if he feels it’s not right for him to do it because of other goals, that’s his prerogative.’’ Maybe Davis is a big Bobby Brown fan but had a hard time showing it as Davis fired back through the media; Hedrick rebutted and the mind games continued. In the men's 1500m, which was considered both Hedrick and Davis's strength and the primal scene of their quarrel, was nothing short of disappointment as it was Italy’s Enrico Fabris that won the gold, followed by Davis, and Hedrick took the bronze. The gods of Olympia continued to get laughs from the Jerry Springer guests that made the U.S. speed skating team as after the race Davis and Hedrick were put in the same room, next to each other as the media asked questions. Davis and Hedrick did not speak but at the end of the press conference it was reported that the real cat fight was because Davis was upset with Hedrick for not congratulating him on his gold medal and Hedrick was upset with Davis for not congratulating him on his gold. Oh, those self-conscious American athletes. Disappointment does not end there. Sex symbol and bad boy Apollo Anton Ohno, who won the gold and silver in Salt Lake in the short track, has an asterisk around his gold medal in the eyes of the Koreans. The Koreans legitimized their case when Ohno finished behind Ahn Hyun-Soo and Lee Ho-Suk taking the bronze. The Koreans believed in a conspiracy four years ago as Hyun-Soo who had won the gold was disqualified, giving the medal to Ohno. The Koreans took their revenge and all Ohno could say was "Oh well, they beat me." Getting beat is one thing but performing the way both men's and women's hockey teams have is plain ridiculous. Sure, the men’s hockey team is known for failing and taking it out on the rooms, but wordscan not describe this years team. Thank god for Latvia, as the U.S. would not even make it to the quarterfinals if it were not for countries like Kaskhaniztan. Then there is Lindsey Jacobellis. Jacobellis had the gold medal wrapped up and all she had to do was just cross the finish line. Yet if there is one thing we have learned from NFL wide receivers, it is that a touchdown is not a touchdown unless there is an outrageous celebration. Jacobellis took a page out of T.O., trying to grab her board on her second-to-last jump. Jacobellis did not need any trickery; she just needed to land her jump, but you know nothing is that simple for these crazy Americans. Jacobellis fell and the gold slipped through her hands. “I was caught up in the moment,” Jacobellis said. Apparently so is most of the U.S. Olympic team. Hey look at the bright side; at least we are notAustrian.
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