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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
The chief executive of the United States ski team said Monday that Bode Miller's comments about alcohol use in conjunction with competition were unacceptable, and that he would discuss the issue with Miller this week. Toward the end of a profile on the CBS program "60 Minutes" on Sunday night, Miller, the reigning World Cup champion, said he had been in "tough shape" at the start of a race. "Talk about a hard challenge right there," Miller said. "If you ever tried to ski when you're wasted, it's not easy."
Should he be able to speak his mind or should he be forced to put a cork in it? I have mixed feelings. I certainly don't want a sloshed skier on the slopes. But, then again, sometimes we go to far policing language.
3 Comments:
This is a case where saying "break a leg" takes on a whole new meaning! I dont like language policing either, but at least this guy is letting people know he's a menace on the slopes. I believe Sonny Bono was bombed when he skied into that tree and killed himself. Gary (NJ)
posted by Anonymous, at
1/10/2006 11:34 AM
Wayne, with all do respet (and I respect you a lot) I think that you, and whosoever follow this specific part of the interview as an indicator for judging this guy, is totally missing the point.
It was expressed in the interview that, while he NEVER failed a single drug test, he opposes to -what he considers- a humiliiating practice.
The Olimpic comitte is known for been extremely right wing and conscious about keepen "moral and good manners in place... Remember that they were the people in charge of prohibiting the use of the word "olimpic" to what is now the "Gay games" but yet, doesn't object to the "Canine Olimpics"? Well, I think this case of critisism is not about the guy "been out partying with his friends a night before the competition" (which is actually what I remember him saying) but the fact that he dared to question the manner in which the drug tests are conducted.
I thank God for the present generation, which is much more opinionated and free thinking. I grew up in the 70's and 80's and all our elder told us was that "we were not good enough". That contributed a great deal to make us one of the most horrible generations, generation of republican, neo-conservatives and pro-life supporters. I personally hang out with guys well into their 40's and 50's, since they are more open minded.
But, back to the Olimpic committe, they consider athlets a bunch of kids with no right to opinion (remember, a huge part of the membership of the Internatonal Olimpic Committer are members of the European Royalty, and a bunch of Roman Catholic conservatives with big fat wallets), so when the procedures -and not the actual tests- are questioned in public, they have a fit.
I think we should leave the kid alone, since is Proven that he is a champion and the drug test are there as a proof of that (unlike Lance Amstrong, who by the way is pro-Bush)
posted by Anonymous, at
1/10/2006 1:18 PM
Drug testing is fine. If you're not on drugs nothing to worry about. It's being drunk while skiing down those slopes for medals, he says he doesn't give a hoot about, and all the time being there for the USofA. I'm sorry I don't buy this. He trains like a tojan, he should take better care of his body on the inside as well as the outside, then to get sloshed everytime he can and especially when he's in competition. So if he fails, it's the drinks fault, not his? NOT good..
