# Call me a skeptical asshole, but... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 9, 2012, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499 "2012-12-09T08:49:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/21 "2012-12-09T23:36:14Z")
I work with somebody who is a professional triathlete, olympian, and such. I think the difference with people who are athletes in those type of sports, even like my coworker who for much of the 2000s was one of the top female competitors, is they still need a day job. It’s not like Peyton Manning works down the hall, and had to take comp time to go play in Oakland on Thursday. I have no opinion on whether nothanks is the real thing or not (though I’ve read some of the ask-a thread). I do think it’s believable that a non-top-tier sport athlete has time to lurk on a message board for a while, and then decide to join and start posting. I think that in many ways people at that level of sports are probably closer to us “normals” in their daily lives than they are to football, baseball, basketball, etc. stars. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/22 "2012-12-09T23:56:31Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > I met Ditta Constantina, the women’s gold medalist in the Marathon in Beijing. She seemed pretty normal and approachable, though she had a distinct bursting-with-internal-energy-glow thing going on that was pretty neat-o. Assuming she’s still in the same place, she lives about a mile from me. A mile in the other direction is a former men’s World Champion in the marathon and two-time Olympian. I’ve played golf with him. Of course, you can’t swing a dead cat around here without hitting an Olympian. At any given time, the Whole Foods has a half-dozen of them shopping. Boulder, CO. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/23 "2012-12-10T00:24:29Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > you can’t swing a dead cat around here without hitting an Olympian I would totally watch that event. IOC? Are you listening? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/24 "2012-12-10T00:40:11Z")
I know several Olympians. I roomed with one in college, and at various times had 4 of the 5 members of the Olympic Ski Jumping delegation in my dorm room. I know several ski racers (downhill and XC), a bunch of biathletes, one medalist in whitewater kayaking, and a few runners. It helps if your college has a long history of winter Olympic sports. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/25 "2012-12-10T00:53:22Z")
I’m guessing our Olympian is the one from Puerto Rico whose name is common to both these pages. He didn’t misrepresent the results. > **[Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2012_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_110_metres_hurdles)** > > The men's 110 metres hurdles competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom was held at the Olympic Stadium on 7–8 August. Fifty-three athletes from 33 nations competed. The event was won by Aries Merritt of the United States, the nation's first championship in the event since 1996 and 19th overall. Hansle Parchment's bronze was Jamaica's first medal in the men's high hurdles. > The qualifying round was notable for who was eliminated. In heat 3, Shamar Sands was in the lead unti... > **[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_110_metres_hurdles)** > > The men's 110 metres hurdles at the 2008 Summer Olympics took place on 18–21 August at the Beijing National Stadium. Forty-two athletes from 32 nations competed. The event was won by Dayron Robles of Cuba, the nation's second gold medal in the high hurdles. > Dayron Robles was the clear favorite, having set the world record just two months earlier. He didn't disappoint leading the semi-final round by almost a tenth of a second, a huge margin on this level. In the final, Robles was out first, clea... More power to him. That takes dedication. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/26 "2012-12-10T00:55:15Z")
There’s so many of them they have this huge get together every four years. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/27 "2012-12-10T00:57:18Z")
He’s not the only one who posts on these boards, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/28 "2012-12-10T01:21:23Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I know several ski racers (downhill and XC), a bunch of biathletes No need for name-calling. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/29 "2012-12-10T01:29:26Z")
So. We’ve successfully established, then, that Olympians exist. There goes Kozmik’s (probable) theory that they’re all just alien automatons put on camera to keep us entertained. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/30 "2012-12-10T01:43:18Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > There’s so many of them they have this huge get together every four years. In fact, there are enough of them that they started having one every two years, one in the winter and the next in the summer. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/31 "2012-12-10T02:04:39Z")
> [@digs](#): > > My sister married a guy whose daughter’s leg was splinted by the dad of an Olympic speed skater. Eric Heiden’s dad? Kewl! ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/32 "2012-12-10T02:15:21Z")
Friend’s daughter was an alternate bobsledder in Olympics past. And she’s a competitive weight lifter. Stone. Fox. Got turned down for _American Gladiators_ because they already had a hot blonde. Has that bursting-with-internal-energy-glow thing going on. Teaches a light fitness class at church. I should go. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/33 "2012-12-10T03:56:33Z")
I prefer to characterize favorable attention seekers such as umkay as **confabulists** rather than trolls. Trolls seek to provoke, usually with disproportionately little effort. Confabulists like to spin yarns, often in great detail. Also: Confabulist isn’t really a word, though confabulator is. So I’m not using it improperly! ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/34 "2012-12-10T08:53:28Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Got turned down for _American Gladiators_ because they already had a hot blonde. Did no one inform them that having 2 hot blondes is, in fact, a good thing? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/35 "2012-12-11T21:26:28Z")
Yeah, I’m not getting any vibes of fakery. It’s no big deal really. One time I saw a Doctor Who episode that had the Olympics stuff going on for the back story. I don’t remember the name of the episode but the little girl with the alien inside her was named Cloi Webber. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/36 "2012-12-11T22:47:04Z")
My dad was an Olympian, I have coached and Olympian (silver basketball), I work with at least 8 that I know of, went to school with 3, have met many through public speaking and I’m just a suburban boy from Melbourne. Sport is pretty big downunder… ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/37 "2012-12-12T00:37:34Z")
I’m Sparticus. (and so’s my wife) ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/38 "2012-12-12T01:39:39Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Did no one inform them that having 2 hot blondes is, in fact, a good thing? Can you let my wife know? She’s under the impression that even one wouldn’t be a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/39 "2012-12-12T03:40:49Z")
I have a pretty good bullshit detector and its not going off. And I pegged umkay right from the beginning. I don’t claim to be infallible so I’m not putting money on it. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499/40 "2012-12-12T04:00:43Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Eric Heiden’s dad? Kewl! Wow, got it in one. My brother-in-law was staying at a B&B in Madison, WI, and late one Saturday night he slipped and, well, kind of dropped my niece (a toddler at the time). They rushed to the ER and Dr, Heiden set her leg. This was back when Eric and Beth were competing (and were often seen skating at the neighborhood ice rink), and they chatted about the Olympics the whole while. Everyone but the niece views the night as a net positive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/call-me-a-skeptical-asshole-but/643499.md?page=3)