Chapman_is_Gone said:

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This probably isn't going to be a popular opinion, and I'm operating on limited information. But here goes.

Part of the joy of being a sports fan is admiring incredible athletes who both PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY dominate their peers, especially in the clutch. Those who can focus and excel when the pressure is at its highest. Excelling in those situations is not for everybody. But excelling in those situations is how legends are made: Michael Jordan. Tom Brady. And so on.

Has our society become so woke and neutered that we can no longer worship those with nerves of steel, and we now have to empathize with and embrace the tender, therapist-seeking side of our favorite athletes? Do we truly have to respect it when some athlete chooses to sit out a game 7, because maybe their golden retriever died the day before? Or because their mom failed to send a birthday card? And now we have to hear nonstop in the media about how "powerful their message" was?

Look, Simone, whatever you're going through, I'm not trying to minimize it...I realize it could be as serious as depression or a mental breakdown. I just don't want to hear about it in my favorite athletes. Life is too short. IDGAF. I'm not going to make fun of your mental troubles, or speculate on talk radio about what's going on in your personal life. But for God's sake, I don't want to hear about it. If you're not mentally cut out for competing in the Olympics, bow out before the Games begin, and don't take the spot of someone else who is itching to compete. Frankly, you're a ***** for bowing out and not even trying. Keep your mental issues on the sidelines...none of us wants to hear about them. Give up your spot to someone who can handle the heat of the spotlight, or bravely fail trying, for we as a society tend to admire that in our athletes.

And, yeah, I know, I'm a *****, too, for living in my parents' basement and never doing a backwards flip in my entire life. But at least when I start a game of Fortnite, I finish it.

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