;)
tagged: America, election, Lindsey Vonn, Linsdsay Jacobellis, Olympics, skiing, snow boarding, Sport, Sports Illustrated, The American Dream, Twitter, US, USA, Winter OlympicsRedemption Story: The Olympics in the USA
Posted by Roxanne Bauer in Media, Sport
It’s strange how the Olympics are making me hyper-aware of being American. From the behind-the-scenes stories of athletes in which proclamations of pride in representing the country and their hometown are made, to the sports commentators who constantly make reference to the medal count, I am constantly reminded of what it actually means to be American.
Having spent the last five years outside of the county, it’s been a re-indoctrination of sorts to watch the Olympics unfold in front of me on the television screen. As an event, the Olympics are presented the way Hollywood would produce a blockbuster, and all the tag lines are spectacular. Americans love a good show and honour any athlete who can bring the drama. This may be why the word redemption has been iterated and re-iterated at an obvious and ridiculous rate.
Linsdsay Jacobellis, a professional snowboarder who has competed in the World Cup and X-Games circuits, winning multiple titles, blew a significant lead in the snowboard cross final in the 2006 Torino games and took home a silver medal. In the final jump of her final run of the event in 2006, Jacobellis attempted a showboat “method grab” trick and fell, forfeiting her gold medal. Crying as she passed the finish line, she seemed not like an athlete happy to win silver, but sad that she did not win gold. Four years later, commentators have dubbed her the “Redemption-seeking Die Hard.” While this tag may not be incorrect and her drive to win may be commendable, the commentators are somewhat missing the point. Yes, it is true that snowboarding cross is a sport of creativity, spontaneity, and radical shifts – but her choice to throw down that method grab demonstrates a certain bravado; a certain American sense of audacity that has only been addressed by commentators superficially. Perhaps, it is too confronting to ask Jacobellis if she has learned about humility in the past four years, or perhaps you don’t need to be humble in America if you can redeem yourself.
Another athlete, Lindsey Vonn, was celebrated in the American press after she appeared in the recent Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Vonn was esteemed as a rare cross of grit and beauty, and revered after winning gold in downhill skiing despite injuring her shin before the games opened. Vonn triumphed over adversity and physical pain to redeem all the hours of training she dedicated. Her athleticism is commendable, but her fame has overshadowed teammate Julia Mancuso, who has won two silver medals in downhill events. In my mind, this reveals how Americans just don’t seem to care unless the story behind the triumph is theatrical and remarkable.
As an American I also share a love for a redemption story and admire those who succeed against the obstacles, but having missed the last five years of American redemption programming I am amazed by how thoroughly this story outline is employed. Nationalism is a quality Americans possess wholeheartedly and it’s no wonder why. From the Olympics to Wall Street, the idea of redemption is synonymous with the American Dream: Work Hard, and You Will Succeed.
Follow us on twitter:
www.twitter.com/SocialScapegoat
www.twitter.com/RoxyPismo
;)
;)
;)
