But one would be wrong.
Let's review for a second: Jacobellis arrives at the Turin Olympics in 2006 as a favorite to win the exciting new sport of snowboardcross. She proceeds to dominate the competition and grabs a hefty lead in the final when self-imposed disaster strikes.
With the finish line in view -- the gold medal in her hand -- she elects to do a little showboating off the final jump by trying a method grab and takes a tumble. As she's climbing to her feet she's passed, yet she salvages a shiny silver medal to show her grandkids.
OK. Enough history. Now the pop quiz. Had Jacobellis not fallen so foolishly in 2006 do you think we'd even know who she is today? Wait. Let me answer that question with a question. Do you remember who passed her and won the gold? Me neither. But I get paid to cover this stuff. At least you have an excuse.
Mine is this: Let's face facts. We love our losers in the Olympics. The agony of defeat is much more agonizing when one has to wait four more years just to have a shot at correcting the error. Waiting sucks. Time is worse than gravity. We don't have the technology to beat it yet. The Olympics are one of our greatest reminders of this...and that's why we watch.
Of course wins are great. But life's most powerful lessons involve pain. And we prefer other people endure that pain for us. Another reason to love the Games.
But lose just the right way in the Olympics and it can be pretty profitable. Visa, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Dunkin Donuts have been lining up to throw money at Jacobellis in the buildup to the Vancouver Games.
Compare that to, say, I don't know, Seth Wescott, who made the very unprofitable decision to cross the finish line first during his 2006 run in Turin. Man, how dumb is that guy? He just won again the other day. He even became the first snowboarder to win back-to-back gold medals. Which means give it another day or two and he'll disappear.
But Jacobellis? Nah, we're stuck with her for at least four more years. Because like I said, in the Olympics, the biggest losers win.
Photo: Squire via Getty Images
21 Comments
1-20 of 21
Posted by alittleperspective February 17, 2010 05:53am PSTReply | Report Abuse
Have to agree. She's a dominant athlete in her sport. She's spirited. Vibrant. Charismatic. And it all comes across when she competes. She's as much a winner as the Olympics can produce, regardless of metals won or lost.
Reply by cocomitch February 18, 2010 09:54am PSTReport Abuse
I agree with you whole heartedly!
Posted by BIO productions February 17, 2010 11:43am PSTReply | Report Abuse
This is a great article. I totally have to agree.
Posted by devilsdue February 17, 2010 12:25pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
Much better than Passan's piece. Sure she shouldn't have done the method grab in 06, but I think its cool that knowing she was out of it, she did a grab on the way down after losing. Shows strength of character combined with her finish in the small final.
I think a good article by Mr. Mauro, just one other thing to point out:
What we do in defeat tells more about us that what we do in victory.
Jacobellis showed she loves what she does and isn't ashamed by her history with doing another grab as she finished last in the semi, but also has pride in dominating the small final.
Good insight Mr. Mauro. And good showing by Jacobellis.
Posted by intheeye February 17, 2010 01:56pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
Her 2006 shenanigans reminds me of the movie "Tin Cup" where Kevin Costner's character tied at the approach of the 18th hole of the U.S. Open, tries to make it on the green the most difficult/challenging way...with 12 strokes used with the last stroke and subsequent ball ending up in the hole as the climatic scene. As was said in the movie and true in real life, in 5 years time, people will not remember who won that U.S. Open but will remember the losing golfer who took 12 shots to finish out the 18th hole. Again, quite similar to Julie's notoriety through today.
Posted by poweron February 17, 2010 02:18pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
Bravo to Mauro. Passan's piece was self serving and mean spirited. Jacobellis is comfortable with her achievements and her faults.
Sounds like someone I'm happy represents my country!
Posted by jgrattaf February 17, 2010 02:46pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
Regarding Jeff Passan's article for Yahoo Sports, let's not forget who these world class athletes really are.
Jeff,
I no more know Lindsey Jacobellis than I know you but I found your comments rather sophomoric and sad. I felt as though I was caught between two school kids fighting, or at least one of them picking a fight, trying to insult someone using simple names from their limited vocabulary. If your point was to humiliate Lindsey beyond the disapointment she surely has expressed, I am hoping it backfires. It is you who is coming across as a "goat," showing a lack of maturity in your profession, but even more so, the lack of understanding of the true commitment of an Olympian. Tonight when you will surely be having a beer with a fellow journalist, think about what each Olympian goes through daily to become world class. Put the chip and salsa down, and just think about it. If you had spent as much time preparing to write this story as Lindsey did preparing for her event... it certainly would have had a different tone. It is you who crashed and burned before you ever left the gate. As a journalist, before you so easily pick apart what you see as somone else's failures, take a close look at yourself. Maybe you write from your own personal lack of professional standards, a lack of talent, or from a lack of experience, writing for a paper in a smaller market, still trying to find that story that takes you to the Chicago Sun... or possibly the National Enquirer... but from what I have read, this story describes you at this point in your career, not Lindsey. If you want to make it big, think big. The story you wrote shows a little man with little thought and no imagination... small market material.
Best of luck in your career.. you have a tall mountain to climb.
J
Reply by robertjones February 17, 2010 04:03pm PSTReport Abuse
I agree, Jeff Passan's article was so bad, the editor that allowed it to slip past and get published should be fired.
I bet that his entire article was because she wouldn't go out with his Wannabe self.
Posted by kimmel February 17, 2010 02:56pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
Exceptional article, Chris... spot on!
Posted by cmleclair1988 February 17, 2010 03:14pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
The only reason she is well known is not because she's a lovable loser, it's because she's lovable. Regardless of whether or not she won, she is going to be famous because she is considered "hot". I did an image search for Seth Wescott and nobody wants that face selling frosted flakes. But who wouldn't love to see a curly-haired beautiful blonde...
Posted by brooktrout9 February 17, 2010 04:33pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
By the way Passan was spot on. This is an athlete who wins for herself but consistently fails when she stands for her country
Posted by brooktrout9 February 17, 2010 05:05pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
I think you are wrong. Had she won gold, yes, she would written her own check. However, I dont think the companies you named are going drool at the opportunity to have Jacobellis be the face of their products now unless it is some sort of ironic joke, Advertising embraces redemption not repeated failure. Especially, when she says "Oh this is just another race." I am also not sure companies are eager to embrace an athlete who can't seem to discriminate between personal accomplishments and competing for America
Posted by brooktrout9 February 17, 2010 05:07pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
She is hot though. Playboy I am sure would be easger to have her but then they were eager to have the skank who wrote The Washingtonienne
Posted by utmrjonesut February 17, 2010 05:33pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
she sucks she ruineds the usa image trying to show off and then cried about it
now she loses again and everyone puts her in the news above all the winners who got medals wtf
Posted by kat February 17, 2010 06:39pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
The Passan article was mean spirited and vindictive....imagine quoting a source that identified a person's name with failure...to get to the Olympics, you have to be in an unimaginable percentile of athletes in your sport...I am a Canadian and I can't believe what I saw in this article or that it was published. The ADH b*tch mode of news...
Posted by scott_d_meredith February 17, 2010 07:48pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
she's a shining example of why so many countries hate us. she is a complete fool and deserves no celebrating whatsoever. i wish she would just disappear.
Reply by cocomitch February 18, 2010 09:53am PSTReport Abuse
I do not think that you can blame a single person for why countries hate the usa, note i said usa, not you, if you look over the years, the usa has done it to itself! cannot judge this girl, you are not in her shoes!
Posted by nitram February 17, 2010 08:21pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
Really!! Who cares about snowboarding. Its only an event so the USA can boost its gold medal count. Soon the World will pass us and and will have to invent a new event.
Posted by voprchl February 18, 2010 05:25am PSTReply | Report Abuse
Regarding Jeff Passan's article for Yahoo Sports, let's not forget who these world class athletes really are.... I am in total agreement with J below. Your article sounds like a jealous schoolmate. I think if you could be a professional athlete then you wouldn't write these insulting articles. Athletes make mistakes. Baseball players get three strikes, football teams get four downs, soccer players have 11 team mates to help them score a goal. This young woman was on the hill as a solo unit and made a mistake. The big difference here is that she can not use a computer to go back and correct her typos like you can. She went fot the gusto and it backfired, she woudln't have been a contendor for the medal if she didn't go for the gusto on a regular basis. Your article was shameful and a pathetic excuse for journalism or blogging. You should go bury you head in the sand because there won't be any sponsors looking for you!
R
Posted by gaijin07024 February 18, 2010 07:21am PSTReply | Report Abuse
Who cares if she lost-^-she's SMOKIN' HOT, you go girl, collect those endorsements ya little hottie you!!!!!!!!! Keep smiling all the way to the bank baby, yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by karaoketime February 18, 2010 01:16pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
There are bullies like Jeff Passan all over the world, and the one thing they have in common is that they are self centered. bullies are like a bad smell that just won't go away. it doesn't take much of a brain to shovel manure. apparentley that is more suitable for you. Bashing Linsey Jacobellis was a big turn on for you. Bullies like to beat up on people because it turns them on. Lay off Linsey. A bully's mouth always does more damage than good.
K
Posted by annerose2297 February 18, 2010 03:19pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
I cannot disagree more. People watch the olympics not to see athletes fail, but to share in the glory of their success. The only thing I feel for lindsey is pity. I mean, come on. We all know she deserved a medal this time around. Don't keep reminding her of her past failure, because the last four years surely were punishment enough. Put yourself in her shoes. Four years, she's waited for a chance of redemption. Four years of work and pain, gone in an instant. So just as we share in the glory of the winners, we share in the pain of those who fail. And as for shaming the USA, well, the only person she has hurt is herself. And she has suffered plenty for that already. Remember, despite her shortcomings, she is still a world class athlete. Silver medal at the olympics is still an achievement!!
Lay off the poor girl: heaven knows none of you could do any better.
Posted by Teddy Parker February 18, 2010 04:40pm PSTReply | Report Abuse
Like that TV show? Right?
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