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Norway - Gold for Sportsmanship



 
 
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  #11  
Old February 15th 06, 12:31 PM
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Isn't the donated pole typically the wrong size? Or is that the least
of the racer's problems? (Compared to having only one pole.)

Lew Lasher
Cambridge, Massachusetts and Stowe, Vermont
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  #12  
Old February 15th 06, 06:03 PM
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I didn't think this was a big deal. Don't you guys remember Belmondo at
Salt Lake breaking her pole 3km from the finish. She also got a
Norwegian pole, if I am not mistaken. It doesn't mater who breaks the
pole, if any coach is standing nearby with a spare, the said athlete is
getting that pole. I think this is kinda like the unwritten rule in
road biking. If the leader goes down, don't attack.

It is an unwritten rule of sportsmanship that you want the athletes to
determine the results, so a coach should be willing to assist any competitor
with a broken pole in the interest of fair play. Unfortunately not all
coaches buy into the concept of good sportsmanship. One particularly
obnoxious coach has been widely quoted as saying, "Winning isn't everything,
it is the only thing."

Not all athlete full appreciate this either. At a Canadian National
Championship I gave a pole to a skier from another province. He never even
told his coaches, because they did not have any idea where my pole was. The
only way I got it back was by personally looking through the equipment rack
outside their team waxing tent when I got back in off the course. Good
sportsmanship also includes thanking those who go out of their way to
assist.

Scott


  #13  
Old February 16th 06, 12:31 AM
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"Scott Elliot" wrote:

Unfortunately not all coaches buy into the concept of good
sportsmanship. One particularly obnoxious coach has been widely
quoted as saying, "Winning isn't everything, it is the only thing."


That was a football coach, wasn't it?
  #14  
Old February 16th 06, 08:26 AM
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Gene Goldenfeld wrote:
"Scott Elliot" wrote:

Unfortunately not all coaches buy into the concept of good
sportsmanship. One particularly obnoxious coach has been widely
quoted as saying, "Winning isn't everything, it is the only thing."


That was a football coach, wasn't it?


Remember the Nike ads:

"You don't win silver, you lose gold."

That didn't go over too well either, as I recall.

Joseph

  #15  
Old February 16th 06, 11:41 AM
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I am not an expert on Int'l racing, but when I raced in Western New York
High School leagues (late 70's) and Eastern Division I College Circuit
(mid 80's) it was definitely understood that if someone was in need and
you were there you gave them a pole (you do have TWO!).
I think part of it is the typical Nordic athlete mentality/personality. I
have skied for 30+ years and almost universally xc skiers say "hi!" where
as I have been a runner for 26 years and more often than not my "Hellos"
to other runners go UNanswered.
just observations.

  #16  
Old February 16th 06, 02:28 PM
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The _Edmonton Sun_ has a good article on the incident.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Olympics/2...43901-sun.html

The key section - especially with the news about Olga Pyleva this
morning:

The Albertans won the first surprise medal of the Torino 2006 Olympics
for Canada thanks to Haakensmoen, a Norwegian coach, who watched Renner
bust her left ski pole during the sprint relay finals as she passed his
position on course.

As a result of handing her his pole, combined with a massive move by
Scott to haul in the lead pack again after the tag, produced a pair of
Olympic moments for the ages.

But the gesture likely cost his Norwegian skiers a medal as they
finished in fourth place.

"Some countries don't give poles to their opposition. That is
bull****," he said.

"Our policy in Norway is that we should give poles or skis to everyone.
We talked about it at our team meeting the night before. We are a
country which believes in fair play. I like to be somebody of fair
sportsmanship."



Scott Elliot wrote:
In the final of the women's team sprint, Sarah Renner of Canada broke her
left pole on a climb. Almost immediately she was handed a new pole by what
looked like a Norwegian coach. Canada went on to silver, Norway finished
forth.

There should be a medal awarded for good sportsmanship.

Scott Elliot


  #17  
Old February 17th 06, 12:47 AM
doogiski doogiski is offline
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It certainly was a fine response, yet isn't doing so the standard or
even an established policy of some kind?

Gene

I remember at the World Cup in Bern last year, the Polish skier Janusz Krezelok broke a pole 30 seconds into the semi-final and there was a coach right on the side of the course. Krezelok attempted to grab a pole from the coach but the coach turned away. That is th only time I have seen it happen.
Adam

Last edited by doogiski : February 17th 06 at 12:50 AM.
  #18  
Old February 17th 06, 11:30 AM
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Scott Elliot kirjoitti:



There should be a medal awarded for good sportsmanship.


How about a medal for good sportmanship *and* team solidarity? My
nominees a

1) The Norwegian skijumpers, who volunteered to come to the rescue of
the Nordic combined team which faced a DNS in the team event due to
four of the five athletes falling victim to the virus doing its rounds
in Camp Norway. Since three skijumpers had a background in the combined
at junior level, this idea wasn't quite as preposterous as it might
seem. Alas, a quick look at the IOC rules showed that it would remain a
splendid gesture.

2) The Finnish combined team, who had been accomodated in Sestriere,
took a strong "All or no one"-stance when only two of its members were
offered a stay at a more suitable altitude (at 1500m instead of 2000m)
in Pragelato. Hannu Manninen, the best skier and the biggest guy in the
sport, suffered most for it and it quite probably cost him the medal
that has so far eluded him in individual competition. (When the story
came out afterwards, room for all guys was immediately found - in
quarters booked for the curling team...)


Anders

  #19  
Old February 18th 06, 05:27 AM
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Just an update. According to our local paper Sarah Renner has sent the
Norwegian coach, Haakensmoen, a bottle of wine as a symbol of gratitude.
Unfortunately he won't be able to drink it while staying at the Olympic
Village due to the no drinking policy.

Also, the Canadian Olympic Committee is sending a letter of gratitude to the
Chef de Mission for the Norwegian Olympic team.

Scott


  #20  
Old February 18th 06, 07:22 AM
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Gene Goldenfeld wrote:

"Scott Elliot" wrote:

Unfortunately not all coaches buy into the concept of good
sportsmanship. One particularly obnoxious coach has been widely
quoted as saying, "Winning isn't everything, it is the only thing."


That was a football coach, wasn't it?


It was Vince Lombardi.
 




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