Do You Care That Thorpey Has Retired
November 21st 2006 23:50
Just in case you've been living under a rock for the past 24 hours and haven't heard the news, Ian Thorpe has decided to retire from competitive swimming.
My question is, Does Anyone Care?
Now, I'm not having a go at Thorpey (because apparently to do so is roughly tantamount to treason). The Thorpedo is one of the greatest swimmers ever to come out of Australia. The man is a superfreak when it comes to swimming. Even if you don't like Thorpey you have to admire his ability and what he has achieved.
But, why is everyone carrying on as though the man has died?? Tributes are pouring in from everywhere.......and it's confusing me. Thorpey is 24 years old, he's alive and well and going to be gracing our screens with a new stint as a presenter on Foxtel. Honestly, reading some of the tributes you would think that he was dead and we were never going to see him again.
By all means, congratulate him on the stellar career he has had, and hold him up as an example of what you can achieve when you have the right combination of freakish talent and dedication. But really, from what I've been reading, people are getting a little carried away.
Get a hold of yourselves people!!!!! Thorpey hasn't swum competitively in almost 2 years. Surely the writing was on the wall when he pulled out of the Commonwealth Games due to illness? So, it's not like Thorpey won yesterday and now he's retiring. We've had time to adjust to not seeing him in the pool.
What is it about sportstars that make Australians lose their minds?? I've never understood it. But then I've never held a lot of our sportstars as the idols that many seem to. I can admire their ability, passion and commitment to the game. But at the end of the day, if they are professional sports people, that is their job, and most of us want to do our job to the best of our ability (and as in real life, some of us are more successful in that than others).
Why do we feel that the achievements of our sportstars are somehow a reflection on ourselves? After our competitors won gold medals at the Olympics, we were "Proud to be Australian". When the Australian Cricket Team lost The Ashes to England last year it was a "Dark Day for Australia".
Why????
I'm proud to be Australian (well, most days). Winning or losing at a sport does not make me more or less proud.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a sport hater at all. I watch quite a lot of AFL, Rugby Union, NRL, motor sport racing, swimming, gymnastics etc. And believe me, I get carried away. I yell, I scream, I'm in a foul mood when my beloved West Coast Eagles lose. It's not pretty. So I can appreciate sporting achievement. And in that vein, I have to say to Thorpey, a hearty 'Good on you mate'. The Australian swim team will sorely miss you, but hell you've worked your ass off, have achieved more than most of us can even dream of, and you're entitled to take it easy now.
However, am I a sobbing mess and ready to declare a national holiday because I won't see him swim anymore.........uh, probably not.
My question is, Does Anyone Care?
Now, I'm not having a go at Thorpey (because apparently to do so is roughly tantamount to treason). The Thorpedo is one of the greatest swimmers ever to come out of Australia. The man is a superfreak when it comes to swimming. Even if you don't like Thorpey you have to admire his ability and what he has achieved.
But, why is everyone carrying on as though the man has died?? Tributes are pouring in from everywhere.......and it's confusing me. Thorpey is 24 years old, he's alive and well and going to be gracing our screens with a new stint as a presenter on Foxtel. Honestly, reading some of the tributes you would think that he was dead and we were never going to see him again.
By all means, congratulate him on the stellar career he has had, and hold him up as an example of what you can achieve when you have the right combination of freakish talent and dedication. But really, from what I've been reading, people are getting a little carried away.
Get a hold of yourselves people!!!!! Thorpey hasn't swum competitively in almost 2 years. Surely the writing was on the wall when he pulled out of the Commonwealth Games due to illness? So, it's not like Thorpey won yesterday and now he's retiring. We've had time to adjust to not seeing him in the pool.
What is it about sportstars that make Australians lose their minds?? I've never understood it. But then I've never held a lot of our sportstars as the idols that many seem to. I can admire their ability, passion and commitment to the game. But at the end of the day, if they are professional sports people, that is their job, and most of us want to do our job to the best of our ability (and as in real life, some of us are more successful in that than others).
Why do we feel that the achievements of our sportstars are somehow a reflection on ourselves? After our competitors won gold medals at the Olympics, we were "Proud to be Australian". When the Australian Cricket Team lost The Ashes to England last year it was a "Dark Day for Australia".
Why????
I'm proud to be Australian (well, most days). Winning or losing at a sport does not make me more or less proud.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a sport hater at all. I watch quite a lot of AFL, Rugby Union, NRL, motor sport racing, swimming, gymnastics etc. And believe me, I get carried away. I yell, I scream, I'm in a foul mood when my beloved West Coast Eagles lose. It's not pretty. So I can appreciate sporting achievement. And in that vein, I have to say to Thorpey, a hearty 'Good on you mate'. The Australian swim team will sorely miss you, but hell you've worked your ass off, have achieved more than most of us can even dream of, and you're entitled to take it easy now.
However, am I a sobbing mess and ready to declare a national holiday because I won't see him swim anymore.........uh, probably not.
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Comment by Anonymous
I never understood this sports-mania myself. Having said that, I have to say that I'm not the real sporty type. Still, I believe - as the ancient Greeks might have mused - that there's something deep within our pysche that idolises and to a great extent, 'deifies', physical prowess, youth and beauty. He seems, by most accounts, to embody all these things. In an idolatrous society, this goes some way to explaining the frenzy. For my part, I'm going on record and say the whole schamoozle is a whole lot of ridiculous.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Agree completely with you. And I think those Ancient Greeks might have been on to something.
I can understand admiration for such physical prowess, but lets be realistic!
Thanks for the comment.
KylieW
Comment by ChrisB
Formula 1
The Social Centre
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Hey, each to their own (I've always known I wasn't socially acceptable..haha). Everyone has their own interests. Being obsessed with either is a little crazy..... I am realistic enough to believe that I'd actually rather see something newsworthy on the front page of a newspaper.....and lets face it, neither of them really deserve the front page : )
KylieW
Comment by ChrisB
Formula 1
The Social Centre
True - obsession is unhealthy no matter what the subject. A sporting journalist once told me that sport is the only subject that has the capactity to dominate both the front and back page of a newspaper. And I agree, I would rather see sport stay on the back, proper news on the front and celebrity info somewhere in the middle.
Besides, Thorpy is a celebrity first and sportsman second, and has been his whole career.
Comment by Nina
Seriously, I have never bought into this god-like worship of sports people. As you said, KylieW, they should be admired for their ability, but the mentality of many people in this country goes far beyond that.
As for Thorpie, I really don't care much about this news. I'm just not looking forward to being subjected to his questionable dress sense and manner on Foxtel every five minutes. The man can swim, but I personally don't think he can present well.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
I agree totally. I remember seeing a comedian once who was talking about reading a Melbourne newspaper. He made that observation that both front and back page of the newspaper was footy.
KylieW
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Yeah, I'm not looking forward to seeing Thorpey on tele. Remember that god awful Thorpey's Angels?? ***shuddder****.
I think