Shaun White - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Temporary_User · 03-02-2010, 03:43 AM

This guy is essentially miles(kilometers) ahead of his competition. IMO probably the best athlete that was at the games this year. The guy came in all but guaranteed gold, and with the way the games went he could have won gold and silver with his runs.

There were many great athletes at these games, who do you guys think is the greatest to compete at the games? What you all think of Shaun White?

stang · 03-02-2010, 04:28 AM

I like Shaun White.

3 Justin 3 · 03-02-2010, 06:21 AM

This is going to be a good ######ing thread.

IceMan · 03-02-2010, 06:58 AM

Ya Shaun White is by far the best at what he does. It's fun to watch him.

Displaced Flames fan · 03-02-2010, 07:17 AM

His maturity has always impressed me. Even when he was 13 and already a superstar he was grounded and gracious.

Good kid.

Poor Justin, someone complimented an American.

socalwingfan · 03-02-2010, 08:36 AM

I echo DFF - Shaun White is a great kid in addition to being an amazing athlete. One of the rare guys that feeds off of pressure and always puts on a show for the fans.
His first run at the X-Games this year - he smacked his head on the lip of the half pipe, sending his helmet flying - and he still made his next run.
No one would have blamed him if he packed it in, being that close to the Olympics but he went out and killed on his next run. Huge fan of the kid

Table 5 · 03-02-2010, 08:39 AM

Shaun White's great at what he does and is clearly one talented dude, but when it comes to pure athleticism, it's hard to be more more impressed then by those guys who cross-country ski 50 freakin kilometers, and still have the juice to sprint it at the end. Unreal stuff.

I realize the kids like the snowboarding/half-pipe, but to me it's still too much about the lifestyle of it all to be a great Olympic sport. Half the competitors couldnt even complete their runs without falling. Seems to me that sport needs to pay less attention on posing and looking like they dont care, and more attention on training. No wonder the Chinese are starting to take over, they are the only ones who seem take their training like it's a real sport.

You can see with Shaun White what happens when you get a guy with talent AND drive...he makes the rest of them look like unprepared amateurs. As an outsider who wanted to see what the fuss was about, a lot of the competitors looked very sloppy in comparison to other athletes.

GreenLantern · 03-02-2010, 08:42 AM

It must be hard growing up in the shadow of a Dad as famous as Carrot Top...

ricoFlame · 03-02-2010, 09:41 AM

Guy is an awesome at what he does, absolutely amazing...but the best athlete at the games...there were so many.

Flashpoint · 03-02-2010, 09:51 AM

He's great, no doubt. And seems to be a good person too.

But... watching NBC, it looks like Red Bull built him his own halfpipe up in the mountains, and provided him a helicopter to get there. It's got a huge pit of foam so he can practice new moves without risk of injury. Called "The Bullrun" I think.

That's a pretty hefty advantage over the competition, and it raises questions in my mind as to if it's fair. Is he really the Gretzky of snowboarding? Or is he the product private financial support?

Then again - we have NHL players at the Olympics. That's pretty unfair too I guess.

pylon · 03-02-2010, 10:00 AM

I think inclusion of snow boarding at the Olympics is great. It has broken a ton of barriers for equality and sport. After hearing a couple of them interviewed, it was obvious to me that they are letting Special Olympians compete in the regular games. Very progreesive thinking on the IOC's part.

valo403 · 03-02-2010, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Table 5

Shaun White's great at what he does and is clearly one talented dude, but when it comes to pure athleticism, it's hard to be more more impressed then by those guys who cross-country ski 50 freakin kilometers, and still have the juice to sprint it at the end. Unreal stuff.

I realize the kids like the snowboarding/half-pipe, but to me it's still too much about the lifestyle of it all to be a great Olympic sport. Half the competitors couldnt even complete their runs without falling. Seems to me that sport needs to pay less attention on posing and looking like they dont care, and more attention on training. No wonder the Chinese are starting to take over, they are the only ones who seem take their training like it's a real sport.

You can see with Shaun White what happens when you get a guy with talent AND drive...he makes the rest of them look like unprepared amateurs. As an outsider who wanted to see what the fuss was about, a lot of the competitors looked very sloppy in comparison to other athletes.

That's largely due to the fact that to have a chance to compete with White guys had to amp up their runs beyond tricks they could stick 99% of the time. White was doing stuff that nobody else could come close to on a consistent basis, the only way to compete was to do big and hope you could put together the run of a lifetime.

Olympic snowboarders may act the part that matches up with the image, but they bust their asses training just as much as any other athlete.

Peanut · 03-02-2010, 10:15 AM

He was pretty awesome, but in general I have a hard time respecting the atheleticism of a sport where they can compete wearing baggy jeans halfway down their asses.

valo403 · 03-02-2010, 10:58 AM

Those weren't jeans, they were snow pants designed to look like jeans. That makes it better doesn't it?

Clever_Iggy · 03-02-2010, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

Guy is an awesome at what he does, absolutely amazing...but the best athlete at the games...there were so many.

It's too hard to decide on one athlete.

I will say, however, Shaun White may be the furthest ahead of his competitors of any other sport at the Olympics.

mykalberta · 03-02-2010, 11:15 AM

I like the fact that everyone else hates him because he has sponsors. And yet they cant come close to beating him.

Best athlete at the games is a stretch - best athlete by far in his sport - probably.

troutman · 03-02-2010, 11:27 AM

His apperance on Colbert was great - seek it out. In fact, Colbert should release a DVD of his Vancouver shows - great stuff.

JayP · 03-02-2010, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Table 5

Shaun White's great at what he does and is clearly one talented dude, but when it comes to pure athleticism, it's hard to be more more impressed then by those guys who cross-country ski 50 freakin kilometers, and still have the juice to sprint it at the end. Unreal stuff.

I realize the kids like the snowboarding/half-pipe, but to me it's still too much about the lifestyle of it all to be a great Olympic sport. Half the competitors couldnt even complete their runs without falling. Seems to me that sport needs to pay less attention on posing and looking like they dont care, and more attention on training. No wonder the Chinese are starting to take over, they are the only ones who seem take their training like it's a real sport.

You can see with Shaun White what happens when you get a guy with talent AND drive...he makes the rest of them look like unprepared amateurs. As an outsider who wanted to see what the fuss was about, a lot of the competitors looked very sloppy in comparison to other athletes.

If that's the case then alpine skiing isn't much of an Olympic sport either.

burning_acid1 · 03-02-2010, 12:12 PM

This ginger has some mad skills and can impress the crowd.

Russic · 03-02-2010, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valo403

Those weren't jeans, they were snow pants designed to look like jeans. That makes it better doesn't it?

I loved those pants. Loved them. If we're going to rip olympic attire I'd like to point out the amount of camel toe I saw in other events. Men. Women. Didn't matter. Camel toe everywhere.