Camille L.

[Rebecca Roth]

Originally Posted by Mark E. Wallace

She recovered incredibly well (4 reps behind #1 Cheryl Brost in that heat, if I recall), but she probably could have done better had she not cried.

She "recovered very well" because they let her off the rower with only half the distance completed, at the same time as all the other ladies were off.

[Mark E. Wallace]

Originally Posted by Rebecca Roth

She "recovered very well" because they let her off the rower with only half the distance completed, at the same time as all the other ladies were off.

Ah, okay. I had been wondering how she did so well. I stopped watching briefly and was stunned that she had hung with the rest of them.

- Mark

[Zane Jones]

I've seen people have an emotional overload and perform better.... you never know. But, i'd be hesitant to say any athlete lacks athletic discipline without knowing them.

[Kyle Redinger]

The rower wasn't counting any distance or calories even though it was on. It wasn't the judges fault; it was a faulty computer.

[Christian Groenveld]

The announcer said that the screen went blank in the middle of her rowing (although I think it's more likely that it just was never turned back on like you all have said) and that Castro let her off the rower when half the girls were done with their row in the heat.

[Mark E. Wallace]

Originally Posted by Zane Jones

I've seen people have an emotional overload and perform better.... you never know. But, i'd be hesitant to say any athlete lacks athletic discipline without knowing them.

I don't generally believe that she is undisciplined. There's no way you accomplish what she has by being generally undisciplined.

I do believe that her immediate reaction to the specific situation was a momentary lack of discipline and focus.

If this were a thread about Joe Montana crying after a ref made a bad call, would everyone be talking about how they can totally see why Montana would cry? Doubt it.

- Mark

[Katherine Derbyshire]

Originally Posted by Mark E. Wallace

I don't generally believe that she is undisciplined. There's no way you accomplish what she has by being generally undisciplined.

I do believe that her immediate reaction to the specific situation was a momentary lack of discipline and focus.

If this were a thread about Joe Montana crying after a ref made a bad call, would everyone be talking about how they can totally see why Montana would cry? Doubt it.

But I don't think anyone would be the least bit surprised if Montana kicked over the Gatorade bucket. Baseball players cuss out the umpire (thereby getting ejected) or smash things in the dugout (sometimes injuring themselves) all the time. Men and women express emotions differently, that's all. Don't judge unless you've been there.

Katherine

[Ben Norris]

Originally Posted by Mark E. Wallace

I don't generally believe that she is undisciplined. There's no way you accomplish what she has by being generally undisciplined.

I do believe that her immediate reaction to the specific situation was a momentary lack of discipline and focus.

If this were a thread about Joe Montana crying after a ref made a bad call, would everyone be talking about how they can totally see why Montana would cry? Doubt it.

- Mark

What about old mates wheelbarrow that broke last year during that Sandbag move WOD? If he had kicked some sandbags or smashed something would you say he was undisciplined?

[Mark E. Wallace]

Originally Posted by Katherine Derbyshire

But I don't think anyone would be the least bit surprised if Montana kicked over the Gatorade bucket. Baseball players cuss out the umpire (thereby getting ejected) or smash things in the dugout (sometimes injuring themselves) all the time.

Yep, but that's when they're off the field of play and not on the clock. What we're talking about with Camille is that she cried on the field of play, while the clock was running. The athlete should be engaged in one thing only when the clock is running -- doing his/her best to win. I fail to see how crying accomplishes that objective.

I would absolutely understand it if Camille cried, kicked the Gatorade bucket, or smashed things in the tunnel afterwards, but not while she's supposed to be working.

Men and women express emotions differently, that's all.

Hmmm...so is it a girl thing then? It's okay for a girl to cry in this situation? If it had been Josh Bridges crying in the same situation, what would the popular opinion be here? I'd almost bet that most (if not all) of y'all would be looking down on a guy for crying about a malfunctioning rower.

Don't judge unless you've been there.

Too late. The horse is out of the barn already, I guess.

While I certainly can't say that I have competed at this level of athletics and on that stage, I did compete at very high levels in various sports as a young man, and I have learned this lesson the hard way. I once lost a perfect game in a big playoff game due to an umpire's bad call at first base. I was so upset about it that I lost focus, walked the next batter on four pitches, and ultimately lost the game. Up until that point, I was literally unhittable, but my lack of focus and discipline weakened me, and we lost. Had I had the mental fortitude to focus only on my job instead of on the problems that others had caused for me, we probably would have won.

I submit that the same is true for Camille. Had she just gritted her teeth and pushed forward, she probably would have won that heat. Crying certainly wasn't going to win it for her.

Don't get me wrong. It's not a Camille thing. I have great admiration for her. I would have the same thoughts on any other athlete who cried in that situation.

- Mark

[Mark E. Wallace]

Originally Posted by Ben Norris

What about old mates wheelbarrow that broke last year during that Sandbag move WOD? If he had kicked some sandbags or smashed something would you say he was undisciplined?

Yep.

The singular task at hand was to move the sandbags from Point A to Point B. Even if your wheelbarrow breaks, you have a way to move the sandbags. Get busy doing that, and let the officials deal with how to make up for the fact that their lousy equipment screwed up your performance. Your performance as an athlete stands to gain nothing whatsoever by you kicking and smashing stuff while you're on the clock.

If afterwards you wanna burn the town down, go for it, but not while the clock is running. The only thing to do while the clock is running is compete as best you can.

- Mark