Analysis of the U.S.O.C: Goals, decisions, funding, programs, and athlete support
The U.S.O.C.'s stated goals are to get American athletes to win Olympic medals and to promote the sports they oversee.
What does the U.S.O.C. sell to sponsors? They sell the right for a sponsoring company to associate itself with the Olympic movement, and access to the 5-ring logo. How expensive is this? For example: when General Mills wanted Joey Cheek to appear on the Wheaties box, they opted not to use the word "Olympic" or the Olympic rings anywhere on the box, because that would have cost them some exorbitant sum of money. If you ever get a chance, take a look at the Joey Cheek Wheaties box and try to find the words, "Olympic champion." They aren't there. It says something like, he "won the biggest event of them all."
What do sponsoring companies and the U.S.O.C. count on? They are counting on the warm and fuzzy public perception that American Olympic hopefuls are supported. This public perception includes the idea that the U.S.O.C. provides housing and/or sufficient funding, as well as cutting-edge sports science and coaching for National Team-level athletes in all Olympic sports, and oversees fair selection of Olympic teams, leading to the best possible medal chances.
Who provides the results (Olympic medals)? History has shown again and again that most American Olympic champions are those talented athletes who have the means of support necessary to get the training they need FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, and usually by AVOIDING the American sports system as much as possible, because it is riddled with nepotism and dwindling sports science knowledge among National Team coaches. For example: Look at all the speedskating champions who have chosen to train in Europe, or in Canada, or with the FAST Program, even if it costs them more money.
What is the REALITY of athlete support? For a thorough answer on this, you'll have to search through this blog! In short: U.S.O.C. support is both SCARCE and UNFAIRLY DISTRIBUTED.
Where does U.S.O.C. sponsor money really go? It would take an investigation to find out for sure, but I can tell you from experience that not much trickles down to the athletes.
Why does it matter? It matters because the perception of support makes it harder for athletes with potential to find the help they need from outside sources, while the reason why they need outside help is because of the lack of support from the U.S.O.C.
What does the U.S.O.C. want from programs like Wheels on Ice? The U.S.O.C. does not know what to do with a corrupt sports federation like USSPEEDSKATING, especially now that this federation has fallen to such a sorry state. Rather than go in and try to fix what's wrong with USSPEEDSKATING or force USS to clean up its act, the U.S.O.C. wants a "quick and dirty fix," hoping that the inliners will cross over to ice, start winning right away, and that "MEDALS WILL SHUT EVERYONE UP."
In evaluating the U.S.O.C., I'm trying to look at the options available to an ice speedskater who would want to consider training and competing seriously at this time. I want to figure out the attitudes of the leadership, and how these people handle problems. I'm pretty discouraged with what I've learned so far.
Looking back on my competitive career, I know I failed to achieve my goals in speedskating, but one of the things that keeps me sane is seeing it all as an adventure instead of a fairy tale. The dream of standing on the podium and winning an Olympic gold medal was always something I needed to keep in mind, otherwise I would not have been able to take the risks I did, or to push myself as hard as I did in training. If I did not have that dream to follow, then I would have missed out on a great adventure. In the end, I'm not sorry I chose to pursue speedskating.
Now, it seems, the dream is gone. If I were to look at the possibility of coming back to try again, I see that there is not much to look forward to, even if I would somehow be able to win an Olympic gold medal. When I think of standing on that podium, I realize that the only feeling I have left towards the U.S.O.C. is defiance and a sense of betrayal. I wouldn't want to devote all my energy towards standing on that podium, representing them.
Anger has been a powerful motivator for me, but I have found that it is not enough. If you are angry and alone, then you try to fight as best you can, but it is an ugly fight. How can I describe it? I think one person who might be able to relate is a senator I saw speaking on TV after President Bush's State of the Union address. He said he disagreed with the Bush administration on the war in Iraq, but was sending his son there, anyway. He said that as a soldier, you want to serve your country, but you would prefer to believe that your leaders have made wise decisions and have your welfare in mind. The U.S.O.C.'s decisions have proven to me that they do not have their athletes' best interests in mind.
The U.S.O.C.'s stated goals are to get American athletes to win Olympic medals and to promote the sports they oversee.
What does the U.S.O.C. sell to sponsors? They sell the right for a sponsoring company to associate itself with the Olympic movement, and access to the 5-ring logo. How expensive is this? For example: when General Mills wanted Joey Cheek to appear on the Wheaties box, they opted not to use the word "Olympic" or the Olympic rings anywhere on the box, because that would have cost them some exorbitant sum of money. If you ever get a chance, take a look at the Joey Cheek Wheaties box and try to find the words, "Olympic champion." They aren't there. It says something like, he "won the biggest event of them all."
What do sponsoring companies and the U.S.O.C. count on? They are counting on the warm and fuzzy public perception that American Olympic hopefuls are supported. This public perception includes the idea that the U.S.O.C. provides housing and/or sufficient funding, as well as cutting-edge sports science and coaching for National Team-level athletes in all Olympic sports, and oversees fair selection of Olympic teams, leading to the best possible medal chances.
Who provides the results (Olympic medals)? History has shown again and again that most American Olympic champions are those talented athletes who have the means of support necessary to get the training they need FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, and usually by AVOIDING the American sports system as much as possible, because it is riddled with nepotism and dwindling sports science knowledge among National Team coaches. For example: Look at all the speedskating champions who have chosen to train in Europe, or in Canada, or with the FAST Program, even if it costs them more money.
What is the REALITY of athlete support? For a thorough answer on this, you'll have to search through this blog! In short: U.S.O.C. support is both SCARCE and UNFAIRLY DISTRIBUTED.
Where does U.S.O.C. sponsor money really go? It would take an investigation to find out for sure, but I can tell you from experience that not much trickles down to the athletes.
Why does it matter? It matters because the perception of support makes it harder for athletes with potential to find the help they need from outside sources, while the reason why they need outside help is because of the lack of support from the U.S.O.C.
What does the U.S.O.C. want from programs like Wheels on Ice? The U.S.O.C. does not know what to do with a corrupt sports federation like USSPEEDSKATING, especially now that this federation has fallen to such a sorry state. Rather than go in and try to fix what's wrong with USSPEEDSKATING or force USS to clean up its act, the U.S.O.C. wants a "quick and dirty fix," hoping that the inliners will cross over to ice, start winning right away, and that "MEDALS WILL SHUT EVERYONE UP."
In evaluating the U.S.O.C., I'm trying to look at the options available to an ice speedskater who would want to consider training and competing seriously at this time. I want to figure out the attitudes of the leadership, and how these people handle problems. I'm pretty discouraged with what I've learned so far.
Looking back on my competitive career, I know I failed to achieve my goals in speedskating, but one of the things that keeps me sane is seeing it all as an adventure instead of a fairy tale. The dream of standing on the podium and winning an Olympic gold medal was always something I needed to keep in mind, otherwise I would not have been able to take the risks I did, or to push myself as hard as I did in training. If I did not have that dream to follow, then I would have missed out on a great adventure. In the end, I'm not sorry I chose to pursue speedskating.
Now, it seems, the dream is gone. If I were to look at the possibility of coming back to try again, I see that there is not much to look forward to, even if I would somehow be able to win an Olympic gold medal. When I think of standing on that podium, I realize that the only feeling I have left towards the U.S.O.C. is defiance and a sense of betrayal. I wouldn't want to devote all my energy towards standing on that podium, representing them.
Anger has been a powerful motivator for me, but I have found that it is not enough. If you are angry and alone, then you try to fight as best you can, but it is an ugly fight. How can I describe it? I think one person who might be able to relate is a senator I saw speaking on TV after President Bush's State of the Union address. He said he disagreed with the Bush administration on the war in Iraq, but was sending his son there, anyway. He said that as a soldier, you want to serve your country, but you would prefer to believe that your leaders have made wise decisions and have your welfare in mind. The U.S.O.C.'s decisions have proven to me that they do not have their athletes' best interests in mind.
posted by Eva at 1:16 PM
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