Ryan Lochte is NOT a kid

Ryan Lochte has been described by numerous media outlets as "a kid" who made a mistake or a "frat boy" just messing around. Ryan's 32 years old. When I was his age, I had my first mortgage and my first child; hardly a kid.

What he (and his pals) did was ridiculous. The blatant lie about being held at gun point by pretend cops was really damaging to the city of Rio and its people, not to mention the PR nightmare for the Olympics Committee. And then he bailed and left his friends behind.

No one, other than Al Roker, seems to be calling him out about it. Lochte didn't embellish; he didn't jazz up a story; he LIED. He's not a competing Olympic teenager or a child. He's an adult who is grown enough to fly private and snag a Playmate. 

Why is his behavior, by some, considered kid's play? When did 32 magically become 14?

https://youtu.be/dPPSe9xEVZI

He is a White Boy. White Boys can do no wrong. 

When he described his "embellishments" as "antics of a frat boy" in the Matt Lauer interview, I wanted to vomit. He's a vapid, spoiled, selfish jacka$$

Coffeegretchen said:

He is a White Boy. White Boys can do no wrong. 

Lovely.

Tired of seeing "Teen/Youth Commits Some Horrific Crime" as a headline only to find the perp is 19 or in their 20s. There is for some an obsession with staving off responsibly for one's actions permanently if possible.

That said, delighted to know I'm not far from being a "kid".

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/15/gabby-douglas-hounding-american-champion-olympics

As for Ryan - I love this clip. Hang in there for the anchors' reaction at the 1:00 minute mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmBVDruB14k

LOL!!!!

They completely clowned him! Thanks for that memory. He was immature then and immature now.

Also notice that when he got busted, he dyed his hair back to its natural color? 

I'm thinking his 30 Rock exaggeration of himself wasn't much of an exaggeration after all.

Totally didn't understand the ridiculous Gabby thing. Maybe if she was mocking the anthem or goofing off, being rude but she stood there at complete attention with pride. I thought hand over heart was for the Pledge? I'm pretty patriotic and always rise and obey silence at the anthem, maybe sing along but I don't think I've ever put my hand on my heart.

Lochte 's interview with Lauer was quite laughable. First, he tried to play the "we were drunk, I don't know if it was a robbery or what". Then Lauer says "but there's an interpreter who was present saying you were fully aware the security guard was trying to make a deal with you- you pay damages, he won't call the cops". Lochte just looks confused and goes with the "I exaggerated the story". Um, no. You made up a complete lie- one that disparaged a country and left your "friends" stranded in a foreign country in danger of being prosecuted for your crime.

conandrob240 said:

Totally didn't understand the ridiculous Gabby thing. Maybe if she was mocking the anthem or goofing off, being rude but she stood there at complete attention with pride. I thought hand over heart was for the Pledge? I'm pretty patriotic and always rise and obey silence at the anthem, maybe sing along but I don't think I've ever put my hand on my heart.

I remember too that in school we put our hands on our hearts during our daily loyalty oath recitation but not for the national anthem.

But according to the flag code we're also supposed to put our hands over during the national anthem.

It seems they're revived it for our times of trial and tribulation.

BG9 said:

conandrob240 said:

Totally didn't understand the ridiculous Gabby thing. Maybe if she was mocking the anthem or goofing off, being rude but she stood there at complete attention with pride. I thought hand over heart was for the Pledge? I'm pretty patriotic and always rise and obey silence at the anthem, maybe sing along but I don't think I've ever put my hand on my heart.

I remember too that in school we put our hands on our hearts during our daily loyalty oath recitation but not for the national anthem.

But according to the flag code we're also supposed to put our hands over during the national anthem.

It seems they're revived it for our times of trial and tribulation.

I don't believe that it is a universally recognized 'requirement'.  I also thought the hand over the heart was for the flag salute and pledge but not the anthem, although I'm now reading otherwise in many places. In any case, she was not acting in a disrespectful manner and in no way deserved the criticism she received.

ridiculous to criticize the gymnast. She and Biles and the rest of the gymnastics team made me proud. Lochte made me embarrassed. His party should not have ripped the sign  off the door, he shouldn't have slimed the Brazilians with the armed robbery story. Did he file an actual report?

vandalizing a bathroom after a drunken night is stupid but forgiveable. Lying repeatedly even when it was harming the reputation of the country hosting him and putting his teammates in jeopardy is despicable.

The majority of coverage I have seen has been totally destroying Lochte (deservedly).  I think the US official that said they were just "kids" was trying desperately to deflect criticism.

Lauer is a lightweight and not a journalist in my book. 

I'm not a big fan of Roker but I like that he took a stand on this one.  The rest of the NBC folks in Rio were lame.

Douglas says she meant nothing by not putting her hand on her heart. Isn't that the end of it? 

No one is whining about it except invisible nobodies on social media, which means no one is whining about it. Trolls gonna troll.

I thought we weren't allowed to criticize Olympians here.  Or is it just anti-Israel Olympic fencers from Maplewood that are immune from criticism?

Give it a break, for Pete's sake.

michaelgoldberg said:

I thought we weren't allowed to criticize Olympians here.  Or is it just anti-Israel Olympic fencers from Maplewood that are immune from criticism?

michaelgoldberg said:

I thought we weren't allowed to criticize Olympians here.  Or is it just anti-Israel Olympic fencers from Maplewood that are immune from criticism?

What a doofus !

Dennis_Seelbach said:

michaelgoldberg said:

I thought we weren't allowed to criticize Olympians here.  Or is it just anti-Israel Olympic fencers from Maplewood that are immune from criticism?

What a doofus !

my skin started crawling as soon as I read that garbage. 

Whoops here come the mean girls, riding ad hominem horses!

hoops said:

my skin started crawling as soon as I read that garbage.

Really?  The ONLY Country she criticizes is Israel and nobody has an issue with that?

http://www.israellycool.com/2016/08/10/hijab-wearing-us-fencer-ibtihaj-muhammad-is-quite-the-israel-hater/

michaelgoldberg said:

I thought we weren't allowed to criticize Olympians here.  Or is it just anti-Israel Olympic fencers from Maplewood that are immune from criticism?

As I discovered criticism along that line, while certainly justified, is not allowed on MOL. Which is fine since it is a closed system. So I stick to pointing this out on Facebook now.

michaelgoldberg said:

hoops said:

my skin started crawling as soon as I read that garbage.





Really?  The ONLY Country she criticizes is Israel and nobody has an issue with that?

http://www.israellycool.com/2016/08/10/hijab-wearing-us-fencer-ibtihaj-muhammad-is-quite-the-israel-hater/

Many Jews criticize Israel as well -- is your objection that she is critical of Israel or that it is a Muslim making the criticism?  or is Israel above criticism?

mikescott said:

Many Jews criticize Israel as well -- is your objection that she is critical of Israel or that it is a Muslim making the criticism?  or is Israel above criticism?

None of the above.  She positioned herself as a model of "tolerance" and some in Maplewood made her into a superhero.  I found her spreading of anti-Israel propaganda, while not criticizing any other country to be quite ironic, offensive and contrary to what I would expect from someone who was being praised for "tolerance".

michaelgoldberg said:

hoops said:

my skin started crawling as soon as I read that garbage.





Really?  The ONLY Country she criticizes is Israel and nobody has an issue with that?

http://www.israellycool.com/2016/08/10/hijab-wearing-us-fencer-ibtihaj-muhammad-is-quite-the-israel-hater/

Would anybody here be comfortable with a grotesque, naked-except-for-a-hijab statute of Ibtihaj Muhammad (of course the artist would assert that such a work is merely sarcasm whereby the grotesque imagery allows the true person to be seen)?

.

.

.

.

.

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I would NOT be comfortable with such a statue.

so you've set up a grotesque hypothetical straw man and knocked it down.

michaelgoldberg said:

mikescott said:

Many Jews criticize Israel as well -- is your objection that she is critical of Israel or that it is a Muslim making the criticism?  or is Israel above criticism?

None of the above.  She positioned herself as a model of "tolerance" and some in Maplewood made her into a superhero.  I found her spreading of anti-Israel propaganda, while not criticizing any other country to be quite ironic, offensive and contrary to what I would expect from someone who was being praised for "tolerance".

She is an American hero, from Maplewood.  From Columbia high school.  She stood up to this current climate of American, Trumpian bigotry with grace and dignity.  I'm proud of her and her accomplishments and I don't care what her criticism of Israel is. 

You're criticism of her however is sickening. 

It is my understanding from an interview with her mother that she was standing to attention as it is typical in her military family.

From the article:

""We grew up in the military community. My mum spent almost 30 years in the military, my dad's a two-time Vietnam vet. Because of that it was so insulting that they would accuse my daughter of being unpatriotic when we are so tied to the military family.

"When the Star Spangled Banner is played, most military members either salute or stand to attention.""

conandrob240 said:

Totally didn't understand the ridiculous Gabby thing. Maybe if she was mocking the anthem or goofing off, being rude but she stood there at complete attention with pride. I thought hand over heart was for the Pledge? I'm pretty patriotic and always rise and obey silence at the anthem, maybe sing along but I don't think I've ever put my hand on my heart.

How has no one yet mentioned that Hope Solo is a jerk and an embarrassment?

hoops said:

michaelgoldberg said:

mikescott said:

Many Jews criticize Israel as well -- is your objection that she is critical of Israel or that it is a Muslim making the criticism?  or is Israel above criticism?

None of the above.  She positioned herself as a model of "tolerance" and some in Maplewood made her into a superhero.  I found her spreading of anti-Israel propaganda, while not criticizing any other country to be quite ironic, offensive and contrary to what I would expect from someone who was being praised for "tolerance".

She is an American hero, from Maplewood.  From Columbia high school.  She stood up to this current climate of American, Trumpian bigotry with grace and dignity.  I'm proud of her and her accomplishments and I don't care what her criticism of Israel is. 

You're criticism of her however is sickening. 

So you are ok with a hate monger as long as that hate monger is from your home town.

Hoops, I didn't know how to respond to his post.  Thanks for providing me the answer.  Perfect.

hoops said:

michaelgoldberg said:

mikescott said:

Many Jews criticize Israel as well -- is your objection that she is critical of Israel or that it is a Muslim making the criticism?  or is Israel above criticism?

None of the above.  She positioned herself as a model of "tolerance" and some in Maplewood made her into a superhero.  I found her spreading of anti-Israel propaganda, while not criticizing any other country to be quite ironic, offensive and contrary to what I would expect from someone who was being praised for "tolerance".

She is an American hero, from Maplewood.  From Columbia high school.  She stood up to this current climate of American, Trumpian bigotry with grace and dignity.  I'm proud of her and her accomplishments and I don't care what her criticism of Israel is. 

You're criticism of her however is sickening.