Olympic Hero: Eric Moussambani

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DarK SagE

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Big frigging woops he swam a 100 free at the olimpics. O my he is a hero!

I'll admit, the man has balls but come on, that does not make him a hero.
He got a free ride to Australia, got to get on TV and a bunch of good press.

You wanna see a hero? Think about all the guys who died in Nam, WWII or any other war.
 

Thunderbooty

Banned
Sep 15, 2000
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Dark Sage you remind me of Walter Sobchak from my favorite movie ;)

There are different kinds of heroes, in all shapes and sizes. Its all relative to there environment.
 

KingHam

Platinum Member
Oct 10, 1999
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<< Tell me Ham you am, why would you consider someone giving it his all a joke? >>



He had no buisness competing at the Olympics and everybody knows it. He was well over a minute slower than everyone else who swam. He even doggy paddled the last 10 meters. Next are we going to say that some 40 year old accountant is heroic because he goes out and gets his ass kicked in an NFL game?

This may be a revolutionary concept to some of you but, giving it your all isn't always enough. Very few people have both the physical talent and work ethic that it requires to participate in the Olympics. If I had just missed the making the Olympics by a tenth of a second and then I saw this guy &quot;swim&quot; on television it would be like someone spitting in my face.

KingHam
 

DonaldDuck82

Banned
Sep 14, 2000
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i agree with cybersax, what is it about stupidity and lack of hardwork that makes someone a hero? I swim and i can tell you that a 20m pool is plenty long to get in shape with, where do yall come of calling a person who put no effort into training but simply went for the final reward, we should look down on that not praise stupidity and someone finishing a 100m swim
 

Thunderbooty

Banned
Sep 15, 2000
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<< He had no buisness competing at the Olympics and everybody knows it >>



Every Country is allowed to send participants to the Olympics, last time I checked.



<< Next are we going to say that some 40 year old accountant is heroic because he goes out and gets his ass kicked in an NFL game? >>



Not a valid comparison, and I don't have to explain why.

 

NFS4

No Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
72,636
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I would express my opinion, but seeing as how folks are &quot;being fried&quot; already I'll keep my mouth shut :Q
 

Thunderbooty

Banned
Sep 15, 2000
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even if you dont think hes a hero though, why bother trying to take something away from him? He may not be &quot;eminem&quot; or whatever other hero you may have, but at least respect him for his effort.
 

CyberSax

Banned
Mar 12, 2000
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I'll admit, the man has balls but come on, that does not make him a hero.
He got a free ride to Australia, got to get on TV and a bunch of good press.

You wanna see a hero? Think about all the guys who died in Nam, WWII or any other war.


This is what I'm talking about.

As for this guy at the Olympics, I dunno even know if what he did took any courage at all. WHO WOULDN'T FSCKING DO IT? I'd put up with a lap in a pool and some silly Australians jeering me just for the free fscking trip to Sydney, lots of publicity, free accomodations, etc.

But then again, even if he did demonstrate courage, how does that make him a hero? Someone could climb a 3000 foot mountain, something that requires both athletic ability and courage. But, that sure as hell wouldn't make them a hero.

I swear, there's some fscked up values in society today :(
 

SUOrangeman

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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Did anyone of the &quot;doubters&quot; actually see Eric swim? If you did, I hope you would have a different tone.

Anyway, I *did* see NBC air this piece. I could swear that the two other participants were Asian or Caucasian, but don't quote me.

The main point here is that Eric, while not the best qualified for this event, went on and COMPLETED the race without QUITTING in spite of his inadequate training and condition. Sure, everyone luaghed initially, but Eric's determination eventually won over all were there to see him. That never-say-die spirit is akin to the Olympic spirit, which is far more heroic that I'm gathering you guys can do.

Anyone recall the original marathoner in ancient times? What would have happened if he had quit?

-SUO
 

DarK SagE

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Yeh and a 20 meter pool is plenty to get in shape with. When i was a swimmer i trained in a 25 meter pool; no biggie i could still swim a hundred. If he started training in January thats more than enough time to at least get a half-way decent looking free stroke.
 

KingHam

Platinum Member
Oct 10, 1999
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<< Every Country is allowed to send participants to the Olympics, last time I checked. >>



Wrong and you would know that if you would of read chees9's article.


<< He was invited to the Olympics through a program that allows a handful of athletes to compete even though they don't meet qualifying standards designed to weed out marginal competitors. >>





<< He may not be &quot;eminem&quot; or whatever other hero you may have >>



Typical BS. Try to defame those who disagree with you.



<< at least respect him for his effort >>



What does he deserve respect for? A persons results, not efforts, are due respect and admiration.

True heroes bust their ass everyday working and not taking shortcuts to their goal.

KingHam
 

snow patrol

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2000
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If nothing else, you need to respect this man for his spirit and the sheer amount of effort he put in to complete the race. I literally thought at one point that someone was going to have to jump in and stop him from drowning ;)
 

snow patrol

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2000
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<< A persons results, not efforts, are due respect and admiration. >>

That is the biggest pile of sh*t I've heard today.
 

DonaldDuck82

Banned
Sep 14, 2000
436
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i still dont see how him getting in the pool and making a fool out of himself and his country is admirable enough for him to be called a hero. I have several friends who worked their butts off to swim, they didn't go to the olympics because they didn't place high enough at the qualifiers, the people who do well and dust our &quot;hero&quot; are the true heros, they are the ones who put in the hard work and effort that they might become better, something severly lacking in our &quot;hero&quot;
 

KingHam

Platinum Member
Oct 10, 1999
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<< Who are you to say who has and who hasn't any business in the Olympics? >>



Not mine but, those who can't acheive the times that the IOC establishes have no buisness participating. Of course, since Juan Antonio Samaranch has broken just about every rule that the IOC has created I guess there is no good reason that he can't break this one either.



<< Maybe that's why the ratings are such a disaster this time around. >>



I'm convinced that the ratings suck because crap like this has diluted the Olympics. It used to be a celebration of sport and competion and all of the good things they stand for. Now they are a celebration of emotion and effort. This change was caused mainly by the networks overproducing the games to improve ratings. Hopefully we haven't gone too far to change that.



<< Who gives a rat's ass about guys like Michael Johnson who make a $1,000,000.00 just to show up for a race? I sure don't. And the Mens Basketball team is even a bigger joke. I watch them play last night and I thought they stunk. >>



[sarcasm]But isn't there &quot;hard&quot; effort deserving of your respect?[/sarcasm]

Of course not, this is no big deal to them it's just a job. I agree that professionals do not belong in the Olympics. This is once again a problem created by TV. Television is driven by stars so it's natural that the networks would buy off the IOC so that they would allow professionals to compete.



<< You are a prime example of a weakling who is emboldened hiding behind the annonymity of his keyboard. >>



And as for this jab at CyberSax; I will respond in kind. You are the prime example of a bully critcizing others just because you are both smarter and more cruel. All he did was express his opinion, in the same way that you always express yours.

KingHam
 

dennilfloss

Past Lifer 1957-2014 In Memoriam
Oct 21, 1999
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dennilfloss.blogspot.com
I think that the sour grapes should read The Olympic Charter one day, particularly verse 12 of Article 2 of the section called The Olympic movement. I have underlined it in bold below for lazy asses.



2 Role of the IOC

The role of the IOC is to lead the promotion of Olympism in accordance with the Olympic Charter. For that purpose the IOC:

1 encourages the coordination, organization and development of sport and sports competitions, and ensures the promotion and application, in liaison with the international and national sports institutions, of measures aimed at strengthening the unity of the Olympic Movement;
2 collaborates with the competent public or private organizations and authorities in the endeavour to place sport at the service of humanity;
3 ensures the regular celebration of the Olympic Games;
4 participates in actions to promote peace, acts to protect the rights of the members of the Olympic Movement and acts against any form of discrimination affecting the Olympic Movement;
5 strongly encourages, by appropriate means, the promotion of women in sport at all levels and in all structures, particularly in the executive bodies of national and international sports organizations with a view to the strict application of the principle of equality of men and women;
6 supports and encourages the promotion of sports ethics;
7 dedicates its efforts to ensuring that in sports the spirit of fair play prevails and violence is banned;
8 leads the fight against doping in sport and participates in the international fight against drugs;
9 takes measures the goal of which is to prevent endangering the health of athletes;
10 opposes any political or commercial abuse of sport and athletes;
11 encourages sports organizations and public authorities to use their best efforts to provide for the social and professional future of athletes;
12 encourages the development of sport for all, which is part of the foundations of high-level sport, which in turn contributes to the development of sport for all;
13 sees to it that the Olympic Games are held in conditions which demonstrate a responsible concern for environmental issues and encourages the Olympic Movement to demonstrate a responsible concern for environmental issues, takes measures to reflect such concern in its activities and educates all those connected with the Olympic Movement as to the importance of sustainable development;
14 supports the International Olympic Academy (IOA);
15 supports other institutions which devote themselves to Olympic education.

If one wants to read more official Olympic documentation, including the rules that Mr. Samaranch is alleged by one of us to have broken, they can start at the IOC site, for example:


Olympic Movement

We Are The Champions (Queen)
 

Thunderbooty

Banned
Sep 15, 2000
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You can argue (aka whine) all you want, the bottom line is, we are responding in a positive way to a country trying to better itself, while you choose to ridicule them. Its such an impressive trait to have. Your my hero Kingham.
 

SUOrangeman

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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I am beginning to wonder if finishing first is far more important than finishing at all. Now that's a society that I am very afraid of. What ever happened to humanity?

Anyway, what is the definition of a hero? A role model? Someone who inspires others to not quit regardless of the outcome?

-SUO
 

chess9

Elite member
Apr 15, 2000
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DarkSage:

I don't know your swimming background, but for the record I have been swimming for over 50 years. I have swum the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Race twice, the race around Manhattan, many many 2+ mile swims, over 50 triathlons, not to mention over 200 running races, and many many bike races, including the Spenco 500 in Waco, Texas. I don't take anyone's accomplishments lightly. I know what it takes to swim the length of the pool and be a world class swimmer.

To learn to swim at a highly competitive level takes at least 5 years, but more like 10. Eric was told by his federation in January of this year he was chosen to do the swim. He had NO coach or instruction. He had no blocks, no lane lines and a 20 meter pool. He is from a poor country where expectations were minimal. The other two participants, who may not have been Africans (I'm sorry for suggesting they were, I actually don't recall), appeared to purposely DQ. This guy had the character to stand up and say to himself: &quot;I can overcome my fear and do this.&quot; When I was in the Marines, I watched grown men break down crying and screaming when facing a similar obstacle without 3 billion people watching. The fear of water can be enormous, particularly for someone with minimal swimming skills.

I do not confuse what he did with what John McCain did (a real hero as well), or what Mother Teresa did. It's different, but still quite grand.

I suspect most of you who are complaining, as SUOrangeman suggests, did not see the swim. I also suspect that DarkSage is not much of a swimmer. If you go over to rec.sport.swimming, you will find almost universal approbation for this fellow's achievements. Most of the guys who post there have swimming accomplishments that make mine look like the guppy I am compared to them. If his swim was inspiring to quite a few Gold Medal winners, including Ian Thorpe, Rowdy Gaines, Josh Davis, Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres, and Vandenhoogenband, who are you to belittle his efforts? Frankly, putting the guy down makes you look like fools.

In addition, I notice that some of the most flagrant jerks don't post their email addys, which says volumes about your integrity.

At any rate, I'll be happy to watch any of you complainers swim two lengths of a 50 meter pool. I'll bring my hourglass and a big hook to pull you out.

Best Regards,
Robert
 

snow patrol

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2000
8,377
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he·ro (h&icirc;r)
n., pl. he·roes.

1.In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods.
2.A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war.
3.A person noted for special achievement in a particular field: the heroes of medicine.
4.The principal male character in a novel, poem, or dramatic presentation.
 

KingHam

Platinum Member
Oct 10, 1999
2,670
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<< Why thank you Ham you am. I think that's the nicest thing that anybody's said to me... Oh, that wasn't a compliment!!! Well thank you anyway. >>



Can't say that I'm surprised although, I wish that you'd respond to some of the more important points.

dennilfloss,

Thanks for that wonderful cut and paste job but, one need look no farther than number 6.

6. Supports and encourages the promotion of sports ethics

Would you not say that it is unethical to circumvent the standards that all athletes compete. There are many more effective ways that the IOC could have helped to spur athletics. Why not build a better pool that the team could use to train in or perhaps pay for a coach for the athletes to train with? The reason that this was done is because:

1) It gets a lot of positive publicity
2) It's fast and easy
3) It requires virtually no monetary investment

The IOC does not live by it's charter it only creates the appearance that it does. It is the ultimate &quot;Good Old Boys&quot; network that narrowly avoided disaster.



<< If one wants to read more official Olympic documentation, including the rules that Mr. Samaranch is alleged by one of us to have broken, they can start at the IOC site >>



If one wants to know of all of the offenses that Juan Antonio and the other members of the IOC comitted they need look no farther than the investigation the Senate conducted into the matter.

KingHam
 

DarK SagE

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,330
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chess9, first of all I did not expect him to be a swimmer comperable to those who he was competing with. What i am saying is that he could have, in the time given to him, at the very least developed a half decent stroke. He was told theat he would compete in January. That means he had about nine months to develope, his stroke. He only had to develope free style, no fly no bress no back, that makes it a hell of allot easier. His stroke was worse than your average 13 yo who's been training on a swim team for a little while.

As for my swimming background, it's may not me be as lenghty as yours. But, i will tell you that i swam competetivly for about three years untill i quit because of an injury (not related to swiming). I decidded to teach myself hopw to swim more or less properly at age 11 and within a year could swim all 4 strokes well enough to be accepted to AGUA (Asphault Green Unified Aquatics; a rather popular swimming center in manhaten.)OH and I was primarally self taught, with the aid of a book, untill i joined the team.

Edit: In my current, out of shape, over weight form i can guarantee you that i can swim to lengths of a 50 meter pool at a comperable speed to Moussambani, or hell, theres a very good chance i would swim faster. You also gata remeber that that guy was pumped as hell, he really should not have that much trouble swimming a 100.
 

Thunderbooty

Banned
Sep 15, 2000
214
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<< What i am saying is that he could have, in the time given to him, at the very least developed a half decent stroke. He was told theat he would compete in January. That means he had about nine months to develope, his stroke. He only had to develope free style, no fly no bress no back, that makes it a hell of allot easier. His stroke was worse than your average 13 yo who's been training on a swim team for a little while. >>



Given the fact that he was given a 20 meter pool and told, not trained, to learn the freestyle stroke, I think he did pretty good for someone who may not have been able to swim at all.