I adore Usain Bolt. Not so much for his athletic feats, which are worthy of much too much admiration. After all, he is the first man to take consecutive Olympic gold medals in both the 100m and 200m races. He holds the Olympic record for the 100m, which he bettered this time around. He also holds the world records for both the 100m and 200m dashes. So yes, his track achievements are supreme, and worthy of adulation. But that is not so much why I adore the man.
I like him for his seeming insolence that infuriated many a television commentators. I love him for how he runs, wins and breaks records with such irreverence. He has been called disrespectful for thumping his chest before crossing the finish line. He has accused of not being serious enough for slowing down before the finish line when he saw victory was assured. But that is what I love about him. He does things his own way, without giving a shit for what the world may want. He wins races, takes gold and glory, breaks records if he feels like, and if he doesn't, he just saunters across the finish line. It is an individual achievement, and the individual should be left free to achieve it any which way he likes.
His persona dripping with nonchalant confidence before races and flashy celebrations after winning them also raises a frequent eyebrow. The man knows he is good and has no reason to be worried. Is it so bad to not be like one of those nerdy book-worms who know the entire syllabus better than their own faces but are pathetically nervous before even a useless class-test? And if he has won a race where he chose to slow down and yet beat everyone else by a few metres to spare, he can pretty much celebrate any which way he likes.
Of course, Carl Lewis had to say something stupid about Jamaicans and the drug-testing standards being lax in the country. Here is my theory, Mr Lewis. All the theories about Jamaican dominance of sprinting are talking about tapioca and yam. I think it may have something to do with ganja. Ganja is legal in Jamaica and maybe ganja smoke in the air is good for sprinters. Maybe you should have moved there when you still had the feet to run, you sore loser. Of course, now they won't take you in.
I like him for his seeming insolence that infuriated many a television commentators. I love him for how he runs, wins and breaks records with such irreverence. He has been called disrespectful for thumping his chest before crossing the finish line. He has accused of not being serious enough for slowing down before the finish line when he saw victory was assured. But that is what I love about him. He does things his own way, without giving a shit for what the world may want. He wins races, takes gold and glory, breaks records if he feels like, and if he doesn't, he just saunters across the finish line. It is an individual achievement, and the individual should be left free to achieve it any which way he likes.
His persona dripping with nonchalant confidence before races and flashy celebrations after winning them also raises a frequent eyebrow. The man knows he is good and has no reason to be worried. Is it so bad to not be like one of those nerdy book-worms who know the entire syllabus better than their own faces but are pathetically nervous before even a useless class-test? And if he has won a race where he chose to slow down and yet beat everyone else by a few metres to spare, he can pretty much celebrate any which way he likes.
Of course, Carl Lewis had to say something stupid about Jamaicans and the drug-testing standards being lax in the country. Here is my theory, Mr Lewis. All the theories about Jamaican dominance of sprinting are talking about tapioca and yam. I think it may have something to do with ganja. Ganja is legal in Jamaica and maybe ganja smoke in the air is good for sprinters. Maybe you should have moved there when you still had the feet to run, you sore loser. Of course, now they won't take you in.
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4 comments:
A recent documentary studying the reasons behind black dominance in athletics, presented by Michael Johnson, purported that slave ships going to Jamaica carried the most hardened criminals that were physically much tougher and more robust than those slaves that survived harsh conditions enroute to USA.Combine that with better living environment -- cleaner air etc. -- in Jamaica and you've got the answer I guess. Jamaicans interviewed in the documentary also put it down to zealousness of the runners who want to do the country proud.
Wouldn't ganja in the air make Olympian layabouts? Isn't the very spirit of ganja smoking about co-existence than competition?
I don't agree with this hardened criminals theory. Going by that, Australia should have ruled the roost in all sports. Plus, criminals by whose definition and guilty of what crimes? Making eyes at a white women? And I don't think Jamaicans are an exception when it comes to wanting to do their country proud at international sports contests. I honestly do not believe there is an actual reason why Jamaica has produced the fastest runners recently. It is not like that has always been the case.
Is there such a thing as "the very spirit of ganja smoking"? If there be some such, I have yet to encounter it.
Blog comments aren't places where one likes to type and type and give a summary of an entire documentary. Before you decry the criminal theory by jumping to comparisons with OZ read up on the genetic theory of black athletes why don;t you? The usage of the word 'criminal'for one will become clearer and for two, the means of transportation of blacks etc etc....
Read up before you quickly whip out a reply. Or smoke some ganja and then don't bother.
The spirit world is choosy about the company it keeps
-- Jakarta
Why assume that I am talking out of my arse? You know, in the slim chance that I may just be a bit more erudite than I let on? I said I don't agree with the theory, and after all, it is only that: a theory. Maybe you should read other theories too, instead of sticking with the one you read first or the one that fit best with your preconceived notions.
Smoking ganja... maybe I will do that. Charas, actually. And my, aren't you the lucky one, being chosen by the spirit world and all that. Do they keep munchies too?
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