- 04:18 AM
- 11/21/09
| Name: | John McClure |
|---|---|
| Homepage URL: | http://www.ultimateolympian.blogspot.com |
| Location: | UK |
| Member since: | October 15, 2003 |
| Last visit: | November 20, 2009 |
JJ has posted 127 links and 1597 comments to SportsFilter and 22 links and 226 comments to the Locker Room and 5 columns.
Rumble in the Circus: Standing snarling over Sonny Liston? Shadow boxing on the bottom of a swimming pool? Leaning into the ropes as George Foreman pummels his kidneys? Stooping, shaking, to light the Olympic flame? How about Ali flapping about on the canvas while an 18 stone wrestler sits on his face? Who wants to remember Ali that way? There are some things a person should never have to see happen to a man like Ali. This is the story of one of them. [from Andy Bull in today's Guardian - a look back at the 1977 contest between Muhammad Ali and the Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki]
posted by JJ to boxing at 12:14 PM on November 11 - 7 comments
One-legged golfer Manuel De Los Santos : Playing in the Dunhill Links in Scotland this week, he managed a remarkable individual score of 76 (+4) round Kingsbarns yesterday (combining with his professional partner Richard Bland for an opening pro-am score of 66). The fact that he plays off a 3 handicap is even more impressive when you realise that he is doesn't use a prosthetic leg when he plays golf. Refusing to take a golf buggy, he also insists on walking the full 18 holes using a set of crutches. [video 1] [video 2]
posted by JJ to golf at 08:46 AM on October 02 - 6 comments
Extra Time: Michael Owen's controversially late winner in the Manchester Derby on Sunday inspired the Guardian to investigate how much extra time referees typically allow at the end of Manchester United's home games. To the surprise of absolutely no one, it would seem that Man Utd do 'benefit from an imbalance in the amount of stoppage time that is added to their matches'.
posted by JJ to soccer at 05:37 AM on September 22 - 22 comments
Gary Nicklaus : 3rd son of Jack, has entered the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. 40 years old and several years after being reinstated as an amateur, he will tee it up in a pre-qualifier Sept. 22-25 at the Golf Club of Dallas. If he makes it through to final qualifying, he'll be playing at a course his dad designed. Also playing will be Arnold Palmer's grandson, Sam Saunders, while one of Jack's grandsons, Nick O'Leary, looks set to become a star football player.
posted by JJ to golf at 09:42 AM on September 17 - 3 comments
Top 100 Golf Courses in the World: according to Golf Magazine. An explanation of how they ranked them, and discussion of the results from Mark Garrod. There are 51 American courses, 11 Scottish, 9 English, 7 Irish and some others from: Australia (6), Japan (4), Canada (2), New Zealand (2), Wales (1), Spain (1), Portugal (1), France (1), South Africa (1), Dominican Republic (1), Mexico (1), South Korea (1).
posted by JJ to golf at 09:19 AM on September 17 - 7 comments
Or get me to spell his name right.
posted by JJ at 10:38 AM on November 17
That's some SportsFilter gold right there. Thanks, yerfatma.
It got me wondering which modern French footballers would collude and which would join the resistance:
Zidane - Maquis
Henry - Vichy
Annelka - Vichy
Barthez - Maquis
Clichy - Vichy
Ribry - Vichy
Evra - Maquis
Vieira - Maquis
Platini - Full-blown Nazi
posted by JJ at 06:43 AM on November 17
I feel a bit sick.
posted by JJ at 05:45 PM on November 16
If I wasn't an economist I'd be annoyed by the all this stats talk, but fortunately I am an economist and it's keeping me interested in a sport than long ago started boring my tits clean off.
posted by JJ at 01:08 PM on November 16
Finally she wins one - a mere four years younger than Annika Sorenstam and Christie Kerr were when they won for the first time. In the longer term, all the beer-less performances will only make her a better golfer.
She's 20 years old. Rory McIlroy is the same age and being spoken of as the next big thing. He's won once too (although if he could putt, he would have won yesterday in Hong Kong - I've never seen so many good iron shots yield so few birdies); mind you, he's also in the box seat to win the European Order of Merit (or the Whacky Races to Dubai or whatever they're calling it now), has had two top tens in majors this year, and was 20th in the Masters.
But leaving that derail to one side; well done to Michelle Wie. At last.
posted by JJ at 11:56 AM on November 16
As a bit of follow up: coincidentally, the BBC have been working on an episode of Inside Sport devoted to depression in sport. The show will air in the UK on 25th November at 22:45. Gaby Logan (the show's host) writes about it, and its added poignancy in light of Enke's suicide, here.
One line that stands out for me in the trailer for the show comes from Neil Lennon: "Being depressed is one thing; having depression is another thing. Depression is an illness."
posted by JJ at 10:16 AM on November 13
jojo: Logically, the statement works with or without the word "untreated". People who get treatment for either condition can and do still die. The suicide of a depressed person is not necessarily caused by a failure in their treatment, just as the death of a cancer patient is not necessarily caused by a failure in theirs.
I saw what his wife said - crushingly sad to hear it and to imagine how she must be feeling at the moment - but again I'd argue that in a deep depression a person isn't capable of making a decision like "I don't want help anymore".
I tried to write a column here a few years ago about mental illness in sport, but I just couldn't get my words around my idea. I might try again.
Weedy: you're not really my type, but luckily for you I also have very low standards; and if there's drinking and smoking involved, almost no standards at all.
I'm not sure I'd agree that you have to have been clinically depressed yourself in order to relate to someone else who is, although unquestionably it makes it easier if you have been. I suppose maybe you can understand it without ever fully relating to it if you've never experienced it.
Depression + "if I killed myself, my loved ones will miss me" = "I deserve to die for even thinking about doing something that would cause my loved ones pain"
The saddest thing for the families and friends afterwards is the blame that flies around - whether it's projected at others or internalised. Everyone is wise after the event, but none of the wisdom is worth a damn by then.
posted by JJ at 05:19 AM on November 13
By all means be pissed if you think that's what Enke was doing. My point (it's so rare that I have one that I'm probably making a mess of expressing it) is simply that it seems very unlikely to me that Enke had such a thought - by the end he probably had no capability for such a thought.
posted by JJ at 11:11 AM on November 12
True, but some people have experience battling the same demons that Enke did, which I presume is where Drood's anger is coming from.
The source of Drood's anger is Bernie Ecclestone - we all know that - and maybe Max Mosely. And Michael Schumacher. And Ferrari in general. And... anyway.
Drood's ability (or mine, or yours, or anyone's) to overcome depression (if that's what drove Drood to attempt suicide) casts no shade on Enke's tragic loss of his own struggle with his own demons. If someone is so depressed that they want to end their own life, I think it's unrealistic to expect them to do it in a considerate way - that far into the darkness you can't see things like that. I don't know Drood's situation, but would suggest that in some way, the continued ability to still be thinking of others could have contributed to pulling him back from the edge.
This statement is missing one word, untreated.
Enke had been getting treatment since 2003. Or are you suggesting that all depression is treatable and curable? If you are, you're one step short of telling us all to just pull our socks up and get on with it, which isn't overly helpful.
posted by JJ at 08:18 AM on November 12
People who are kicking Drood up and down the thread seem to have overlooked his comment "And I say that as someone who has tried."
I saw that comment and chose to ignore it as the red herring it clearly is. By definition, no one posting on the topic of suicide can play the experience trump card. A failed suicide attempt doesn't make it OK for you to talk out of your arse.
And I didn't feel the need to drag someone else into the event like this asshole.
I chose to ignore that remark too. It smacks a little of "your suicide sucks".
rogerd has it spot on - suicide is a potential consequence of depression just as death is a potential consequence of cancer. Drood's argument is akin to Lance Armstrong walking through a palliative care ward calling the dying patients losers.
posted by JJ at 05:05 AM on November 12
Fair point, BoKnows - I'll qualify that as the suicide of someone suffering from depression is not a statement. Robert Enke had been clinically depressed for six years.
posted by JJ at 07:49 PM on November 11
Suicide isn't a statement - "fuck you" or otherwise - it's a tragic symptom of an unravelled mind. If the German goalkeeper had suffered a fatal aneurysm, no one would be decrying his lack of humanity for leaving his family. You wouldn't mock or criticise someone with a mental illness for behaving oddly; you'd accept that they weren't in control of their mental faculties. So why this idea that he "decided" to kill himself? In a deep depression, you don't decide anything.
posted by JJ at 06:52 PM on November 11
And you, irfc, don't understand depression. And, Drood? What StarFucker said. Grow up.
posted by JJ at 05:34 AM on November 11
Of course we should think of the children, and perhaps take it in turns to go round and wipe kerrycindy's house and wipe their arses for them too. Catch a grip of yourself, KC. This is a website. What your son sees here is your responsibility, no one else's. If you're so worried about what he reads here, then it's on you to vet the content and allow him access to what you deem appropriate.
Furthermore, for what it's worth, swearing is not a reliable indicator of a lack of intelligence or a limited vocabulary - often, quite the opposite. As ever, Stephen Fry makes that point far better than I ever could. [warning: clip may not be suitable for son of KC]
posted by JJ at 07:21 AM on November 10
Soccer Striker Will Treat Injury with Horse Placenta
Is the horse placenta used to specifically complement RVP's looks? I imagine Ruud Van Nistelhorse would also be a horse placenta man. Let's hope Craig Bellamy doesn't get injured - think how many pregnant rats you'd have to get hold of to treat him.