WAG Gabby Douglas and Chow split again

[kecks]

i still think it is *not* right to talk about a kid like this in public.
this is a young girl. these posts sound like a bunch of mean girls dissing one of their peers, not like adults talking about a young woman from a probably difficult background. high road anyone?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

she'll be 19 in December. and her mom is 44. ya think she is old enough to talk about and doing the right thing by everyone?

 

[kecks]

as a teacher working witn people up to age 25 or so in vocational training - no, i do not think she necessarily is old enough to be judged in public like this. her mama - that is a different story. but people keep dissing a very young and obviously very immature girl (many gymnasts are very mature in their work ethic, discipline and time management in my experience, but not so much in making their own decisions instead of just being obedient and listening to their figure of authority, they act and look a little like young kid soldiers to coaches from other sports even at age 16 or over sometimes...). i just think the high road is usually the better choice, especially with public comments.

 

[Terry]

she'll be 19 in December. and her mom is 44. ya think she is old enough to talk about and doing the right thing by everyone?

It is also a fact that Gabby is a public figure. She has certainly taken full advantage of the benefits that fame brought her -- she has to learn to deal with the downside as well. In fact, the kind of criticism that people are levelling is constructive. People -- yes, even or especially, young people, can learn from their mistakes.
I do not see anyone here not taking "the high road." We are discussing her behavior with regards to gymnastics and her gymnastics career. No one has gone beyond that. Nothing wrong with that.
The bottom line is that athletes become public figures. And their behavior will be discussed publicly. It is especially appropriate when someone goes pro and deliberately seeks out the limelight.

 

[mpkbt]

i still think it is *not* right to talk about a kid like this in public.
this is a young girl. these posts sound like a bunch of mean girls dissing one of their peers, not like adults talking about a young woman from a probably difficult background. high road anyone?

It takes a village. She went on TV and started the topic. If she were to come on here and read what was said about her, she might see that her behavior was not acceptable. She then would change said behavior and be a better person for it. No one on here is making fun or being mean we are all calling her on her choices. If my daughter were in her position and had made the choices she had made I would hope that "the village" would help me show her the error of her ways and help me help her be a better person. I would never participate in a discussion of her hair, or her nose because THAT would be uncalled for and just mean and I honestly couldn't care less about that. She needs a better mentor and she needs it quick...

 

[3rd_time_around]

First, I think Chow is taking the highroad. Gabby is morally and legally in the wrong, and there is no disputing that. Why would Chow want to invest the effort and money needed to collect? It's just not worth it. And then the PR issues....Chow sues the poor, minority young girl and her single mother....it's just a no-win for him.

As to your other comment about athletes seeking to cash in, I have no problem with a few endorsements, and if she were my daughter, I would probably encourage her to do some as well. What gets most people irritated is the bad-mouthing and the unpaid bills.

I LOVE that gymnastics is a sport that is relatively unadulterated by the "show me the money" attitude that many sports have. I can't think I've ever heard a little gymnast talk about how her goal was to get rich and drive an Escalade, and have a mansion. Even 7 and 8 year-olds on the basketball court and football field carry on about how rich they're going to be when they play for the Lakers or the Vikings. I love that gymnastics is NOT about the money. Gymnasts, coaches, and parents are all involved because of a love for the sport, not a desire to get rich. There is sense that Olympians should give back to the sport, and be good examples, good leaders, and good ambassadors. Gabby has shown no desire to do any of those things.

I'm sure someone's pointed this out, but she doesn't owe Chow, she owes Excaliber. And actually, Chow's could have checked to make sure there were no unpaid bills and made her pay them first, or Excalibur could have stopped her from training elsewhere until the bills were paid. There's a lot going on with this issue.

 

[3rd_time_around]

i still think it is *not* right to talk about a kid like this in public.
this is a young girl. these posts sound like a bunch of mean girls dissing one of their peers, not like adults talking about a young woman from a probably difficult background. high road anyone?

Difficult background? Please, that is overused. What makes a difficult background? Not having enough money to train? Mom has to work 2 jobs to pay for training? Not enough money to buy plane tickets to send your daughter to away meets with the rest of her team? No money to spend if you get to go to away meets, so you have to bring your own bread and peanut butter and jelly, and drink hotel water instead of joining your teammates when they go out to eat at restaurants and go sight-seeing? Can't afford to make unofficial visits to colleges like all your teammates so you are getting passed up in the recruiting process? Well, HELLO! That's my gymnast's life; she's just happy to still be in the gym. So why does Gabby get a pass due to a "difficult background"? There are more girls like her than not. So let's move on from that excuse.

 

[kecks]

"difficult background" refers for people working with young adults (at least in germany) to a family structure that is severly dysfunctional and damaging for the kids and later on young adults involved. usually the adults in these families are in way over their head and do not lead by good, but by bad examples. their kids mirror their parent's behavior. this is not an excuse for these kids behaviour, but an explanation and can be used to work with them on making better choices in the future. this has to be done by people having a meaningful personal relationship with the young adult. the village is not the place that makes them change.

 

[mpkbt]

ah...beg to differ the people you refer to having a personal relationship are in fact the village. That is exactly my point. Thank you.

 

[kecks]

personal relationship in the semantics i used mean a relationship to another person which (relationship) the young adult in questions values. he or she has to care, to actually care about what you are thinking about him or her and their behavior. judgement from people he or she knows but does not have a relationship with like this is usually having the opposite effect on troubled teens; they just continue to be akward and very angry and spiteful which does *not* lead them to making better choices in the future. they have to feel that someone cares about them as a person but is really not satisfied with their specific (not general) behavior. then and in my experience only then there is a small chance of actual lasting change in the young adult's behavior. and this is why i think one should not talk like this about gabby douglas' behavior in public.

 

[flippin out]

i still think it is *not* right to talk about a kid like this in public.
this is a young girl. these posts sound like a bunch of mean girls dissing one of their peers, not like adults talking about a young woman from a probably difficult background. high road anyone?

No one here is being mean or spiteful. She lost the right to play the innocent kid card when she turned Pro Athlete and sought the public attention - movies, interviews (where she slang a lot of mud and ruined others reputations on a national platform), monetary deals for sponsors, book deals......if this were an 18 yr old in the NBA would you still be saying poor kid, they don't know any better, bad situation?

No one ever talks about Simone being poor kid and makes excuses for her....quite possibly because she doesn't need it. Yes, she's had a tough family situation in the past (her mom and dad may not be birth parents, but they are true parents who raise her, and might I say they do a phenomenal job!).

My comment had nothing to do with her financial situation (owing money or not, whether she is training or is all washed up, whether she is a publicity seeking leech or a young lady serious about a comeback or not.....quite possibly because I really don't care. My comment was that I found her manners quite lacking!! And that is a personal observation, and one that I would hope my kids would be called on should they be as rude as she was.

 

[mpkbt]

So you are labeling Gabby a "troubled teen". I think she would find that much more hurtful to read then anything anyone else has said. I don't believe she is a trouble teen and I don't think anyone else does either. If we did then this discussion would be inappropriate because she would be in a much more vulnerable state. I believe she needs to hear other voices to become a better person. Reread your own definition of relationship...it is STILL someone in the village. The village is everyone that she comes in contact with other than her immediate family (mother, father, grandparents and Aunts and Uncles) It most likely will not be someone from here but the discussion that we have here about poor choice and societies views on them may encourage someone else to be that person in another child's life...hence the village. Without discussion in a positive constructive manner, NO positive change can ever happen. I understand your point of view and can appreciate it, that is why the conversation here is not about personnel attacks on Gabby but of behavior that needs to be addressed. This encourages society as a whole to step up when needed so that all kids have a mentor to keep them from continuing to do stupid things. It is discussions like this about people in public life that define societies views on acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

 

[Gymkateer]

Yeah, but the difficulty keeps rising and the US talent pool is so deep. The last time it happened was with Memmel in 2008. She was an alternate in 2004 though.

I don't think it matters that the difficulty keeps rising. It's been shown many times that it's possible for a gymnast to pass from one quad to at least the next one and still be very good. Some had a break, some didn't. In 2012 we learned that if they're Ponor, they skip a quad, and still be fine.

 

[Terry]

So you are labeling Gabby a "troubled teen". I think she would find that much more hurtful to read then anything anyone else has said. I don't believe she is a trouble teen and I don't think anyone else does either. If we did then this discussion would be inappropriate because she would be in a much more vulnerable state. I believe she needs to hear other voices to become a better person. Reread your own definition of relationship...it is STILL someone in the village. The village is everyone that she comes in contact with other than her immediate family (mother, father, grandparents and Aunts and Uncles) It most likely will not be someone from here but the discussion that we have here about poor choice and societies views on them may encourage someone else to be that person in another child's life...hence the village. Without discussion in a positive constructive manner, NO positive change can ever happen. I understand your point of view and can appreciate it, that is why the conversation here is not about personnel attacks on Gabby but of behavior that needs to be addressed. This encourages society as a whole to step up when needed so that all kids have a mentor to keep them from continuing to do stupid things. It is discussions like this about people in public life that define societies views on acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

I don't know what all this talk about a "village" is -- yes I get the "it takes a village to raise a child" thing. But its not our obligation to "raise" Gabby or any other elite gymnast unless we are their coaches or parents or friends or relatives.
But behavior has consequences. That's the issue. Gabby has used her elevated status in the gymnastics world, not in a particularly positive way. And she has to deal with the consequences. I do not have to justify my criticism of her. It's deserved. That it is possible that she will take the tons of criticism she is getting and evaluate her behavior and change for the better is a good and hopeful thing. But my criticism is valid whether or not she does.
Many people learn the hard way from their mistakes. However one learns a sense of morality is fine.

 

[vagymmomma]

I hope there's another made-for-TV movie in the making here. No ill will or sarcasm intended here. I hope that Miles is able to provide her some great training and that she has learned some hard life lessons over the last couple years that makes her a great competitor.

She was a wonderful talent, but she did not handle things as well as she could have. Blame can be laid elsewhere (she was young and her mother has been driving the bus), but I don't think she was completely innocent in the process.

It would fantastic if she gets back in the gym, trains like mad, competes in a national competition, wins such national competition, and wins another medal or two at the next Olympics. I wish her the best and would love to watch that movie.

But it all starts with a lot of hard work in the gym.

 

[iluvgym]

wouldn't...had plenty of money after the Olympics to do so. still hasn't been paid.

Yes, that was my point exactly

 

[Gymnastisism]

Apparently Chow was trying to make everyone sign 2 year contracts so no one could leave from now until Rio (since so many of his top gymnasts were leaving), Gabby's mum kicked up a stink and they left and she's training at Buckeyes Gymnastics.

 

[bogwoppit]

Chow is not the only coach with those clauses.

 

[gymdog]

Apparently Chow was trying to make everyone sign 2 year contracts so no one could leave from now until Rio (since so many of his top gymnasts were leaving), Gabby's mum kicked up a stink and they left and she's training at Buckeyes Gymnastics.

Seems questionable.

 

[bogwoppit]

Geddert put similar clauses in place.