(ThyBlackMan.com) The world’s greatest gymnast, Simone Biles, unexpectedly dropped out of this year’s Olympics in Japan and set off a global firestorm about mental health.
She withdrew from the women’s gymnastics team final and the all-around competition. She later decided to compete in the women’s final for the balance beam for which she won a bronze medal.
The Olympics Committee originally lied and said she withdrew for medical reasons, but Biles later corrected them by admitting that it was to “prioritize” her mental health.
Notice what she did not say. She did not say she had mental health issues, she simply said to prioritize her mental health.
There’s a big difference!
Because she did not go into any detail as to what she was dealing with, Biles became an empty vessel for everyone to put their own spin on what she said.
There is absolutely nothing mentally wrong with Biles, she simply hit a mental wall and had to work her way through that wall.
She was not depressed, nor had she been diagnosed with a bi-polar disorder.
She hit a mental brick wall. Nothing more. Nothing less.
She describes her condition as a bad case of the twisties.
In one interview she said, “Physically, I feel good. I’m in shape…emotionally, it varies on the time and moment…Coming to the Olympics and being head star isn’t an easy feat…[she explained further] was more mental, and we’re just dealing with a couple of things internally.”
The twisties are a geospatial phenomena where gymnasts lose their orientation in the air during their routines. It is often caused by fear or pressure.
The basketball version of this phenomena is Philadelphia 76ers forward, Ben Simmons. During this year’s playoff games, he became so terrified of shooting layups that he would pass the ball to avoid being fouled so that he would not have to shoot free throws. He is a terrible free throw shooter, but it’s all mental.
The American football version of this is the Dallas Cowboy’s Ezekiel Elliott, a running back. Last season he showed a penchant for fumbling the football. There was nothing wrong with how he carried the football, as far as form goes; it was all mental.
By Biles allowing herself to become an empty vessel, she allowed others to define who she was and what she was going through. In most cases, when you allow others to define you, they almost never get it right.
Biles’ accomplishments in gymnastics are nothing short of amazing and she is very deserving of being called the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.).
There is no need for her to justify or explain her hitting a mental wall during the Olympics. Her body of work speaks for itself both in the gym and in her private life.
She is the true embodiment of the American and Olympic spirit.
Far to often “legitimate” mental health issues are confused with simple mental weakness which is a result of feminism from the 1970s.
Today’s youth or Gen Xers are the grandchildren of the feminist movement of the 1970s. They are very weak mentally and are easily offended at the slightest perceived or real disagreement.
They are addicted to “participation” trophies, being shielded from the realities of real life, like winning and losing; and throwing emotional tantrums when they don’t get what they want.
They think they are entitled to “equity” versus “equality.” They define equity as something they are owed or entitled to, even though they did nothing to deserve it; whereas equality is something they have a constitutional right to, like fairness and equal opportunity.
Juxtapose Biles with tennis player Naomi Osaka. Osaka is exhibit A for this type of weak mental constitution. How can she be so fierce on the tennis court, but be triggered by having to participate in something as simple as a mandatory press conference?
Osaka withdrew from the French Open to “preserve her mental health” because of the requirement to participation in a post-match press conference. I am not making this up!
There is nothing mentally wrong with her, she is simply a weak person. But in our woke culture everything must be treated with some type of therapy or medication.
I was taught to suck it up and work through my issues. Exhibit A for this type of mentality is Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant; and Venus and Serena Williams.
Osaka simply needs to do a Biles and work through her mental walls.
Gymnastics is one of the most grueling sports in the world, physically, emotionally, and mentally. It’s not for the weak or the faint of heart.
Sometimes you must empty yourself, become an empty vessel, in order to be replenished. Hopefully, Biles will take the necessary time to do this so that in the next phase of her life she can become just as dominant as she was in her athletic career.
Staff Writer; Raynard Jackson
This talented brother is a Pulitzer Award nominated columnist and founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur. For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf.org. You can follow Raynard on Twitter; Raynard1223.