Lyndsey Vonn third surgery

I know these athletes want to push themselves, but I don't see how her decision doesn't make her life significantly more challenging down the line. To me, the decision wasn't toughness, it was reckless and stupid. Many of us made reckless and stupid decisions when we were young and invincible, but this one seems particularly reckless and stupid.
 
Agree 💯. Skiing with a freshly torn ACL is difficult for anyone on normal slopes. Skiing puts a lot of pressure on knees, constantly flexed, always twisting, turning, leaning multiple directions.

Now figure the physics of Olympic downhill skiing. Going down the most challenging, steepest slopes at speeds up to 80 MPH.

She hit a gate really hard but with a stronger knee she may have been strong enough to make a move and miss that gate.

She took a practice run the day before and looked slow to me. Don’t know if they time those but it looked like she was being cautious and not pushing it.

Wish her well. But hope she never competed again b
 
Last edited:
The Spin Meister said:
Agree 💯. Skiing with a freshly torn ACL is difficult for anyone on normal slopes. Skiing puts a lot of pressure on knees, constantly flexed, always twisting, turning, leaning multiple directions.

Now figure the physics of Olympic downhill skiing. Going down the most challenging, steepest slopes at speeds up to 80 MPH.

She hit a gate really hard but with a stronger knee she may have been strong enough to make a move and miss that gate.

She took a practice run the day before and looked slow to me. Don’t know if they time those but it looked like she was being cautious and not pushing it.

Wish her well. But hope she never competed again b
Click to expand...
Meh.

First, what I heard is that a) she earned the ride to the olympics b) when she blew the knee it was too late to get a replacement.

If true, why not ski? This is the pinnacle. She is in her early 40s so she wasn't going to be back. She took her shot, she knew the risks, and everyone dies some day. I respect her for doing it and giving it all. She didn't hurt anyone else and inspired tons.
 
Sheriff Coffee said:
Meh.

First, what I heard is that a) she earned the ride to the olympics b) when she blew the knee it was too late to get a replacement.

If true, why not ski? This is the pinnacle. She is in her early 40s so she wasn't going to be back. She took her shot, she knew the risks, and everyone dies some day. I respect her for doing it and giving it all. She didn't hurt anyone else and inspired tons.
Click to expand...

I looked it up. In downhill skiing the team can have an alternate skier if the alternate completes at least one practice run and it is announced one hour before the final training practice.

So she could have withdrawn and allowed another skier to have a shot at an Olympic medal. Even if the alternate was not considered a contender Vonn robbed her of an Olympic experience. For most people that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
 
The Spin Meister said:
I looked it up. In downhill skiing the team can have an alternate skier if the alternate completes at least one practice run and it is announced one hour before the final training practice.

So she could have withdrawn and allowed another skier to have a shot at an Olympic medal. Even if the alternate was not considered a contender Vonn robbed her of an Olympic experience. For most people that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Click to expand...
So not just reckless and stupid but also selfish.
 
The Spin Meister said:
I looked it up. In downhill skiing the team can have an alternate skier if the alternate completes at least one practice run and it is announced one hour before the final training practice.

So she could have withdrawn and allowed another skier to have a shot at an Olympic medal. Even if the alternate was not considered a contender Vonn robbed her of an Olympic experience. For most people that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Click to expand...
Do you really think they could have gotten someone off their sofa, flown somebody to Italy, stapped her in, gave her an hour to practice, and that she’d be safe let alone competitive, let alone safe?

The season ended so they all took off on vacation.

And there is an element of donors and revenue elevation. Today, that’s a real part of sports. Racing Sarah Rosemont, or whoever, certainly would have been a total loss for USA sking.
 
Sheriff Coffee said:
Do you really think they could have gotten someone off their sofa, flown somebody to Italy, stapped her in, gave her an hour to practice, and that she’d be safe let alone competitive, let alone safe?

The season ended so they all took off on vacation.

And there is an element of donors and revenue elevation. Today, that’s a real part of sports. Racing Sarah Rosemont, or whoever, certainly would have been a total loss for USA sking.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the alternates were just sitting on the couch in Big Moose, Minnesota.

They wouldn’t be in Italy just in case someone got injured.
 
Sheriff Coffee said:
So you think World Class athletes just get up and walk on without preparation and without risking their own safety.

Ok.
Click to expand...
Duh…..alternates are in Italy. They ski daily to be prepared in case of injury, illness, disqualifications.

Just like a practice squad guy on a NFL team.

You think they spent a decade or more perfecting their craft and just quit everything as soon it was announced they were alternates instead of full participants.
 
The Spin Meister said:
Duh…..alternates are in Italy. They ski daily to be prepared in case of injury, illness, disqualifications.

Just like a practice squad guy on a NFL team.

You think they spent a decade or more perfecting their craft and just quit everything as soon it was announced they were alternates instead of full participants.
Click to expand...
They are in the middle of an arduous schedule. They take time off to rest and rehabilitate.

Regardless, USA Skiing made the call along with Vonn and her doctors. She has said that the crash had nothing to do with her knee. She tried to cut the turn too tightly and her right ski went inside the flag. It isn't like she was the only one that crashed.
 
Sheriff Coffee said:
They are in the middle of an arduous schedule. They take time off to rest and rehabilitate.

Regardless, USA Skiing made the call along with Vonn and her doctors. She has said that the crash had nothing to do with her knee. She tried to cut the turn too tightly and her right ski went inside the flag. It isn't like she was the only one that crashed.
Click to expand...
Actually, her ski didn't hit the flag, it was her pole. She was plenty far away from the flag.
 
When you have an injury that you are protecting, you are much more likely to make mistakes particularly those that arise from loss of focus and detail. It's only natural. You are hyperfocused on the injury. Anyone who has competed at less than 100% health knows this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top