Only thing I disagree with you on is that the decisions of professional athletes somehow reflect the patriotism levels of our city.

I'm just not a big Spurs fan anyway, so maybe I feel like they represent me less than others do, but if half the Spurs players were on crack I wouldn't say that San Antonio is a crackhead town. They aren't a reflection of the character or loyalty of our city. They play basketball for a team located here.

Sidenote - I'm not trying to slam you or anything, and I never thought you were attacking military or anything like that either - but the City of San Antonio is insanely patriotic so your comment made little sense to me. No offense or anything like that taken. Internet serious business concluded as far as I'm concerned. haha

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How does that water down the sport? It seems to me like it would do the opposite. I am assuming she is replacing someone inferior on the Russia team and the US team didn't want her. So, she makes Russia stronger without making the US weaker? That seems to be increasing the level of competition

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This.

You can call it patriotism, but you'd be a dumbass for not jumping at the opportunity if another country offered to take you on the team

No, you'd be a dumbass to go perform for a country that you have no ties to.
If there no stopping who performs for which country what is to stop any country from purchasjng the services of an entire team? If the athletes country doesn't matter why march in the stadium in groups from different countries.

Perhaps she visited our campus and was inspired by the architecture.

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How does that water down the sport? It seems to me like it would do the opposite. I am assuming she is replacing someone inferior on the Russia team and the US team didn't want her. So, she makes Russia stronger without making the US weaker? That seems to be increasing the level of competition.

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It waters down the sport because other teams are playing another American...not a Russian. If the Russian team sucks, so be it...THAT IS THE OLYMPICS! We suck in badminton...does that mean we're going to recruit Chinese with no ties to the States to play for us?! I can't believe there are "reasonable" people that would disagree with me here.

Thanks DOG...at least somebody gets it.

seriously...would you be proud if you played for some other country and won a medal? You'd be doing it for your own, selfish reasons if you have NO ties. That's not what the Olympics is designed for. It's to measure the most athletic countries, not who can recruit the best. This isn't college football...

Oh yeah....and fugging DUH!

AAM02

Seriously, thanks for the reasonable post - and I don't think athlete's decisions effect a city's level of patriotism - i just think multicultural/international influences create a different "sense of patriotism" (patriotism as defined by the community) that is less likely to judge an athlete for deciding to play against America. Never meant anything to say San Antonio is harmed or less patriotic for Becky's decision.

That said, I don't get the redeeming quality of Becky's interview. Hell, I like her, but she's bitter about not getting selected, wants to make more money so she got a European passport, and wanted to be an Olympian so she signed up for The Fighting Putins. I think that kinda sucks.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my explanation. We don't have to agree on everything - and let's just take it a little light for the rest of the day - what's your stance abortion?

Well if you and I didn't make the Olympic team but was asked to play for Russia you would turn it down? Ha! Have fun sitting at home on your ass while I compete

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You'd be doing it for your own, selfish reasons if you have NO ties

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Yeah, so?

Mr nice guy: wounded warriors everywhere just got more woundeder after reading your post.

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Well if you and I didn't make the Olympic team but was asked to play for Russia you would turn it down? Ha! Have fun sitting at home on your ass while I compete

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Yes, I'd turn it down. I didn't deserve to make the team in MY OWN country. Who else would you agree to play with...North Korea!?

I don't even think I'd have to guess on what your stance on which country illegal aliens should play for would be...

Me thinks you might be a member of the American Communist party...

Good one. You got me all figured out, don't you?


dumbass

You guys realize it's just sports, right? No one is actually taking up arms against anyone else.

^ You do realize the impact the Olympics have on international politics, right? Yes, it's sport, but I think we all know the impact sport can have. Surely you've heard of countries attacking one another after losing a soccer game. Surely, you've heard of the massacre at the Munich games. Surely, you've heard about all the terrorist threats for the 08 and 2012 games... Let's get them as right as they should be.

Hakeem Olajuwon played for the USA in '96. No big deal.

What does the jersey on your body mean if you have no interest other than to play for your own self satisfaction. Please don't demean or dumb down the most significant competition in the history of the world...

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Surely, you've heard of the massacre at the Munich games

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Yeah, the Arabs and Jews started hating eachother at Munich. That had everything to do with sports.

Got it

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Yeah, the Arabs and Jews started hating eachother at Munich. That had everything to do with sports.

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and they use the Olympics as their forum...b/c the world is involved and watching. wish you didn't have that tag next to your name. If this is how you debate, I'd hate to see how you debate against our rivals when football is the topic. Garbage.

[This message has been edited by zmurda (edited 8/13/2012 5:02p).]

Oh look out! Zmurda is the trash talking king to opponents of Internet forums!! Here's a blue star for your accomplishments.

Watching you get your panties in a wad and wishing I wasn't an aggie makes my day. I look forward to more. This is going to be a fun fall season

[This message has been edited by Mr.niceguy (edited 8/13/2012 5:13p).]

You're so full of dewsh. This isn't trash talking. This is educating someone who's clearly ignorant and clearly wants the Olympics to mean nothing. Looking forward to more of your asinine opinions...

Nice Guy...making Ags look bad since....birth?

Oh yeah, and you're clearly a tranny. You and lukin should hang out more...

Burned!!!

School me bro! Nice tranny reference

Again, you're still not getting it. My objective is not to burn...it's to make you realize that you're a fugging idiot. Big difference. Burning you would assume that I care about your life enough to see you hurt in some way.

You may as well realize that the last person to make me feel like an idiot is someone who's vag bleeds any time a Nike vs Adidas thread gets started.

HTH

[This message has been edited by Mr.niceguy (edited 8/13/2012 5:30p).]

^ NIKE or GTMFO!

Hmm...not sure what country I would want to represent if I were good enough to qualify for the Olympics

Zmurda needs to lay off the red bull.

"Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must." -Thucydides

Russia asked Becky to play and they are paying her. This kind of thing is all over the Olympics in many sports. Athletes are getting paid and they'll go to any country that wants them. There was a woman on the German Gymnastics team who originally competed with Russia and she is from some other country.

And its not really the IOC setting these standards. Each country has their own criteria for defining who can represent them. Most countries make exceptions all the time. We had a Kenyan running for the USA in the 10k.

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Becky was on Russia's 2008 Olympic team in Beijing

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+1, OP is a few years late with this story. I remember reading about this during the Beijing Games.