The Ben Maller Show

The Ben Maller Show

Storyteller, provocateur, rabble-rouser, raconteur, professional blabbermouth, sarcasm specialist, doctorate in insomnia, distant relative of...Full Bio

 

Why the Media Needs to Stop Praising Simone Biles' Olympics Withdrawal

Ben Maller: "At its core the issue is really bigger than Simone Biles. It gets down to the very bedrock of athletic competition. I was raised to always follow the code of ‘you always finish what you start’, and you always finish your work. Those are important things to me. In a life well-lived you don’t quit, and even if you take it on the chin, you take it with a smile on your face. Sports are designed to test the resolve of those who choose to compete. A lot of things have gone upside down here. The pendulum has swung so far in the wrong direction that it's at the point where you gain more clout by being a quitter than winning a medal. You earn your worth in gold bullion by walking away. This is a 180 degree turn from the history of sport. Think of some of the great quotes, Vince Lombardi – ‘winners never quit, and quitters never win.’ Michael Jordan – ‘if you quit once it becomes a habit.’ Now you’re tagged as a quasi-‘HERO’ for screaming ‘I’M DONE!’ The media is working overdrive like a 1990’s rock band the Spin Doctors to rationalize, make excuses, and say it’s not her fault… Biles has been universally praised for showing ‘bravery.’ Making excuses for failure seems to be the rage of the times. She literally and figuratively stopped competing because they were going to lose, they performed better than she did, and she could not handle the pressure of the moment.” (Full Video Above)

Listen to Ben Maller explain why he believes the sports world has reached a crooked crossroads where an athlete like Simone Biles now receives more profound acclaim for literally quitting a competition than she would have if she had actually won a medal.

Check out the video above as Maller details why it’s a rotten precedent to reward athletes from stepping away from stressful situations that define the bedrock of athletic competition to begin with.

Why 'Selfish' Simone Biles is the Biggest Quitter in Sports

Clay Travis: Simone Biles Should Apologize For Quitting on Her Team

Colin Cowherd Ranks the Top 10 NFL Teams Heading Into Training Camp

Doug Gottlieb Says the Media is Giving Simone Biles a Pass For Dropping Out

Why USA Men's Basketball Has a 'Gregg Popovich Problem'

The Real Reason Why USA Men's Basketball is Tanking at the Tokyo Olympics

Clay Travis: NFL Cares More About Vaccines than Sexual Assault Allegations

Why Critics of USA Men's Basketball Need to 'Shut Up'

The Real Reason Why Tokyo Summer Olympics TV Ratings Have Plummeted

Why Aaron Rodgers' Pettiness is Costing Him Championships

Why the Lakers Will Trade Anthony Davis this Offseason


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