WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.559 He's night side with Dan Ray. I'm WBS. He cast 2 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:06.879 in his new radio. 3 00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:10.240 Now ready to go, Simon Bios. 4 00:00:10.839 --> 00:00:18.039 Your Chinko double bike, biggest step back at the end, 5 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:20.519 But she just needed to put it on her feet 6 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:25.160 because that bolt has such a high difficulty value she 7 00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:26.679 can afford a big step. 8 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:30.600 Doctor Curry dancing up until all to the double Team. 9 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:35.920 Oh it's a golden. 10 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:39.320 Dog, all right, night night Curry. 11 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:41.840 Uncutches of the floor. 12 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:48.439 They're not catching Kayla Brutchell or not catching Kayla Brutcher. 13 00:00:49.079 --> 00:00:51.880 Pretty amazing when you look back and after. 14 00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:54.840 Nine to one here Carola Dresser is gonna have eight 15 00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:56.840 Olympic medals and all. 16 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:58.359 Of them are gonna be gold. 17 00:00:58.640 --> 00:00:59.840 The Americans get. 18 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:03.159 A Die comes down to a twenty five year old 19 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:08.519 from Worcester, mass star at Penn State, now at the 20 00:01:08.599 --> 00:01:09.359 highest level. 21 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:13.480 This is what he does. One thing pommel horse. 22 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:28.319 I get chills. I get chills. I could listen to 23 00:01:28.359 --> 00:01:30.280 that over and over again. Joining us right now on 24 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:34.000 WBC's night Side is John Powers at the Boston Globe. Now, 25 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:37.400 John who still looks very youthful. He's one of my 26 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:39.560 favorite writers. And I'm not saying he's been doing this 27 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:42.120 a long time, but he had the exclusive with Zeus 28 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:42.799 at Olympus. 29 00:01:43.400 --> 00:01:47.400 So but John, I and you don't you're not the. 30 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:50.920 You're not like my buddy shot U see, and Ryan, 31 00:01:51.079 --> 00:01:53.680 you know, you're not like on every screen. So I 32 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:55.719 do want to talk about you a little bit because 33 00:01:55.719 --> 00:01:57.640 I find what you do fascinating. And we are going 34 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:00.719 to talk about the Olympics. But your first Olympic game 35 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:03.799 that was in nineteen seventy six in Montreal. If what's 36 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:06.879 on the Weber's true, why do you why do you 37 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:07.719 still do it? 38 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:12.159 Well, what's interesting is that every four it's actually now 39 00:02:12.759 --> 00:02:15.120 back then it was every four years winter and summer 40 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:18.360 with the same year, right, imagine that. But the thing 41 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:21.400 is that it's always new, it's always fresh. You're going 42 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:24.439 a place that you haven't been before. New faces or 43 00:02:24.439 --> 00:02:26.599 in this case old face. I mean to see Simone 44 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:29.280 Biles back and to be as good, if not better 45 00:02:29.319 --> 00:02:31.879 than ever. So that's the thing is that you know, 46 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:33.759 you have the Super Bowl every year. You don't have 47 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:36.719 this every year. And I think every time I say, 48 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:38.960 oh man, I'll never do this again. This is exhausting. 49 00:02:39.319 --> 00:02:40.599 Well it was the next Oh there's one going to 50 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.879 be Paris. But that's what's going to be Brisbane. Okay, 51 00:02:42.919 --> 00:02:45.840 come on, I get that. I totally get that. 52 00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:46.360 Right now. 53 00:02:46.520 --> 00:02:48.919 When you did start though, you covered the Bruins, right, 54 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:50.360 were you on the Bruins beat? 55 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:53.120 Well, you know what, I was hired to do the Bruins, 56 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:56.800 and I never did them as a full time beat. 57 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.240 I did cover them, actually, believe it or not, I 58 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:03.199 covered the Celtic before before that, because Bob Ryan took 59 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:04.199 kind of a break. 60 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:07.680 That when he went to TV Hollywood went to TV. Yeah, okay, yeah. 61 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:14.039 The next thing knew, I was shaking hands Chris red Hardback. 62 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:17.360 I remember going to see him. He said, did you 63 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:20.360 go to Boston College? Which is where Bob Bryan went? 64 00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:20.719 Right? 65 00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:23.800 Oh, yeah, No, I went to Harvard, he said, that's where. 66 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:28.520 Of course, of course he did. Well, there's a bust 67 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:30.639 of Bob at BC. I mean, we all know that. 68 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:31.199 I mean. 69 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:36.680 So, But the thing of it is is do you 70 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:40.560 enjoy You must enjoy the I was going to say 71 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:44.199 the amateurism, but that's really out the window. Does it 72 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:46.919 still feel the same though to you? 73 00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:51.560 It does? I mean, obviously it is clearly different. I mean, 74 00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:55.000 to have one third of the basketball team from the Celtics, 75 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:58.080 right right, that's new, right, But there's still enough of 76 00:03:58.120 --> 00:04:01.120 the amateurism. I mean, most of these sports we're talking, 77 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:04.639 you know, several dozen, they don't make much money. I mean, 78 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:08.000 certainly the breakers don't make much money. The fencers don't 79 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:11.479 make much money. So there is that. Also, you've got 80 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:14.240 every every game a couple of hundred people that haven't 81 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:17.240 been there before, so it is such a novelty to them, 82 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:19.759 and I think that's what makes it interesting. I remember 83 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:23.160 when they first had pros in the games, you know, 84 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:26.720 in the various sports, tennis, basketball, The thing was, is 85 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:28.959 this going to be the biggest thing in their lives 86 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:31.560 to be in the Olympic Games? Because for other people 87 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:34.079 it is. For example, if you are on the US 88 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:36.959 men's basketball team, you don't have to try out. They 89 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:38.240 just call it you if you want to be young, yeah, 90 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:41.480 absolutely lie to. You don't have to go through through 91 00:04:41.639 --> 00:04:43.879 trials or any of that stuff. But that is new 92 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:44.279 about them. 93 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:47.800 Well, whenever the movie Miracle is on, I watched the 94 00:04:47.800 --> 00:04:50.480 whole thing. I mean I've seen I've seen it a 95 00:04:50.519 --> 00:04:54.000 million times. It will never happen again, we understand why. 96 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:56.920 But that was the joy of it. What I will 97 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:00.839 say as an observer this year with the bat basketball team, 98 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:05.959 Lebron seemed like a kid again. It still meant something 99 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:13.680 to Steph. It still means something for these professionals, it is. 100 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:16.040 And I think that's one thing that people were surprised 101 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:19.839 about was once they got there, representing your country, which 102 00:05:19.959 --> 00:05:23.319 many athletes never get a chance to do, it changed things. 103 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:26.319 And I think that was the thing. Is Yeah, I 104 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:30.399 mean looking, I mean, the the the exuberance and the 105 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:33.560 Americans men's basketball team, and you know they were expected 106 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:38.720 to win. That was a close game, folks, My goodness. 107 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:41.439 I mean, if it weren't for Curry kneeling it, you know, 108 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:43.519 by a couple of minutes, and they could have least 109 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:43.800 that game. 110 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:45.759 Well, what is great about basketball? 111 00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:49.800 I feel, well, my my my friends like like Bob, 112 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:51.720 they don't like the three and some elements of the 113 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:56.000 European game. Basketball is a true international game right now. 114 00:05:56.199 --> 00:05:59.360 The international players have saved the NBA in my opinion. 115 00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:02.319 So yeah, I just know, I mean, so when you 116 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:07.480 go into international competition, you're gonna it's it's different. It's 117 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:09.879 not ninety ninety, you know, nineteen ninety two, which you 118 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:12.839 know you were there. It's not nineteen ninety two where 119 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:15.000 I mean so many great stories like I'm sure you 120 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:17.959 could tell we're with you guys were playing against you know, 121 00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:21.199 Larry or Michael, and at halftime, can you sign my shoe? 122 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:21.600 You know? 123 00:06:22.360 --> 00:06:25.800 You know that's not happening anymore. I don't think. Maybe 124 00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:28.120 it isn't some instances, but but not like that. The 125 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:30.560 great story I have, which is a little inside baseball, 126 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:33.120 was Ron Borger said to me because he was rooming 127 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:36.519 with Ryan I think in ninety two, and Ron said, 128 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:38.639 I don't see what the big deal is about the 129 00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:40.959 pros playing here, you know, with Larry and everybody being 130 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:45.879 over and he said, Ryan went on for two weeks. 131 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:49.319 He said, I never should have asked that question. I go, yes, 132 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:52.079 I understand. I do a podcast with Bob, I get it. 133 00:06:52.600 --> 00:06:55.920 But that's that is the great thing about about the Olympics. 134 00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:58.600 And I think with the hockey team too. I think 135 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:00.639 once you put on the stars and stripes, so you 136 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:03.600 put on the maple leaf for Canada or what have you, 137 00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:05.480 it changes things. 138 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:09.560 Yeah, I mean it certainly did. If you look at 139 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:12.959 the NHL players, they love being in the Olympics. They do, 140 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:15.639 and it is exhausting. It is the middle of the year. 141 00:07:15.879 --> 00:07:16.160 Yep. 142 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:18.160 They are tired when they go there, They are tired 143 00:07:18.199 --> 00:07:20.879 when they come back. They may be injured. But when 144 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:23.759 the NHL decided that they didn't want to go here 145 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:25.560 or there, they don't want to go to Beijing, the 146 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.639 players are disappointed. So the NHL will be back in 147 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:31.800 Milan in twenty twenty six. They love that. 148 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:33.600 All right, we got a whole lot more to talk about. 149 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:36.759 I want to unpack, Get into Paris, get into Los Angeles, 150 00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:39.079 get into also some of the great names that we've seen. 151 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:42.199 The Simone Biles story too. We're gonna we're gonna talk 152 00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:43.959 about that next. That's all coming up with John Powers 153 00:07:43.959 --> 00:07:46.480 of the Boston Globe covering the Olympics right here on 154 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:48.279 wbz's Nightside. 155 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:51.839 Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World 156 00:07:51.959 --> 00:07:56.000 night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio. 157 00:07:56.360 --> 00:08:07.680 Well, now it is Simone Blacks. 158 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:13.079 I can't even imagine the marriage. She may be feelings, 159 00:08:13.160 --> 00:08:15.560 she says. Every time she does this fault, she's terrified. 160 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:17.639 Don't blink. 161 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:33.879 There, you got your own. Even she knows, she's like 162 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:40.879 mm hmmm, you know that was one of the best 163 00:08:41.320 --> 00:08:42.559 Your Jenko double pipes. 164 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:43.960 Mind blowing. 165 00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:47.720 Still, I can fall in love with some old Biles, 166 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:50.399 which just amazing. John Powers our guests here. The Boston 167 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:53.759 Globe has been covering the Olympic Games since nineteen seventy six, 168 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:57.919 and he is the expert. He's the premier journalist when 169 00:08:57.960 --> 00:09:00.240 it comes to your the Olympic Games. I want to 170 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:02.720 talk about Simone here. You can correctly if I'm wrong. 171 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:07.720 Has anybody ever done what she's done in that she 172 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:11.320 was a favorite? We all know she had an injury, 173 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:16.519 she left the Olympics, she couldn't compete, there was a 174 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:22.320 physical situation, and then she came back and just a force. 175 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:25.759 Because John usually like you're kind of one and done 176 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:28.120 right pretty much. 177 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:31.399 I mean, what's interesting People may remember in Beijing in 178 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:34.960 two thousand and eight, where Nasio Luken and Sean Johnson 179 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:38.440 were won two at the Olympic Games. Didn't make the 180 00:09:38.519 --> 00:09:42.440 team for twenty twelve. Ali Raisman was on the twenty 181 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:45.080 twelve team. She takes a year off. He told me 182 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:47.080 it took her three years to get back to where 183 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:50.679 she was before. Here you go, Simone Biles at twenty seven. 184 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:54.720 I mean she was calling Ali granny when Ali was 185 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:57.279 twenty two right to come back in a sport that, 186 00:09:57.399 --> 00:10:01.120 by definition is made more difficult. The tricks are more difficult, 187 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:05.120 they they're more dangerous. To literally come out after two 188 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:09.080 years off, after Tokyo and be better than ever. It's astounding. 189 00:10:10.120 --> 00:10:12.159 What exactly was the issue? Was it? Vertigo? 190 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:16.679 I see what it was. It's called in gymnastics terms, 191 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:21.159 the twisties where you lose yourself in the air, because 192 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:24.120 if you even add an extra half twist it makes 193 00:10:24.120 --> 00:10:27.279 it more difficult. You see this a lot with figure skaters, 194 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:30.519 with girls who suddenly have a growth spurs and everything 195 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:32.799 looks different when they jump, and I think that's what 196 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:36.000 happened to her. And the thing is in gymnastics, if 197 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:37.679 you mess up, you can break your neck. 198 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:40.519 Oh there's no joke. It's no joke. I mean absolutely, 199 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:41.480 it's no joke. 200 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:45.320 Oh yeah. I remember talking Debella Coroli, who was the 201 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:48.960 coach of Nadi Kamanyach at Mary Leu Redden. He said, 202 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:51.080 you know, is not golf. 203 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:56.120 And that's a quote not golf. 204 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:59.879 Yeah, absolutely, John Powers, our guess from the Boston. 205 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:01.879 Do you think. 206 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:07.840 Because of technology, because of athletes, the way they take 207 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:11.120 care of themselves, the way they train the knowledge of 208 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:15.360 the body. Will we see Olympic athletes last longer if 209 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:17.799 you will, so you won't be done at sixteen, seventeen 210 00:11:17.879 --> 00:11:18.360 or eighteen. 211 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:21.799 I think that's true. Also, one thing that's happening. You 212 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:25.320 look at this team. This women's team was the oldest 213 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:27.759 US women's team since nineteen fifty two. 214 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:28.399 Wow. 215 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:32.960 And that is when basically these were grown women doing 216 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:35.480 that sport and they weren't doing what the women now 217 00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:39.679 are doing. It was basically almost a balatic type sport. 218 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:41.799 But also what you're seeing now is these are more 219 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:45.799 mature women. Their bodies are more mature. Now. You know, 220 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:50.000 you're not fifteen sixteen getting injuries because your bones haven't 221 00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:51.600 you know, quite fused yet. 222 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:52.080 Right. 223 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:55.080 Also you're seeing a number of these women have been 224 00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:58.519 or going to college, so it is an older group 225 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:02.320 much more and you can stay. Also, there's money in 226 00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:05.559 the sport now, you know, even if you're in college. 227 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:08.279 You can get name, image, likeness money, right, you get 228 00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:11.360 sponsorship money, you know. So I think what used to 229 00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:14.720 be you know, for example, in an a merrily read situation, 230 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:16.320 that was one I'm done because you couldn't stay in 231 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:19.279 the sport right right, defensive right. 232 00:12:19.720 --> 00:12:23.519 And I had my daughter was doing gymnastics. I was 233 00:12:23.559 --> 00:12:26.759 going to the tournaments. Uh you know with the medals 234 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:29.440 everybody gets a metal leaving like eighth place, you know, 235 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:31.080 And we were doing the thing. 236 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:33.759 And now. 237 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:36.519 When I say this, I don't want people to take 238 00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:39.000 this the wrong way. Gymnastics is good business. I was 239 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:40.919 going to say it's a big business, but I mean 240 00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:44.440 it's good business in other words, especially on the female 241 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:46.919 side of things, because as a gymnastics dat I've seen it. 242 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:49.799 There's a lot of young women who are interested in gymnastics, 243 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:53.159 so there are marketing opportunities. I'm not going to say 244 00:12:53.159 --> 00:12:55.320 it's to the degree of a Michael Jordan in the NBA, 245 00:12:55.879 --> 00:12:58.120 but for some of the women, like some own bis. 246 00:12:58.440 --> 00:12:59.879 Yes, she can't make millions of. 247 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:03.720 Dolls because she can be used as spokesperson because guys 248 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:04.840 like me will spend the money. 249 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:05.919 Yep. 250 00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:07.279 Yeah, and good for her. 251 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:11.000 Thing about simone, she changed the sport in two ways. 252 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:14.559 She made it a power in speed sport, partly because 253 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:17.480 of who she was, you know she was she was strong. 254 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:20.720 But also she opened that sport up. This used to 255 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:23.399 be a sport for white females. There was an occasional 256 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:28.720 black woman, you know, like like Dominique Dawes. But you 257 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:31.559 look at this this year's five women of that team, 258 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:36.960 only one was wife, right right, yep. So so it's 259 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:40.000 also opened up because one thing the reason why people 260 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:43.480 got into gymnastics. For example, nearly Retten saw Nadia as 261 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:45.159 she said, that's who I want to be. Other people 262 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.600 saw Mary Alu, That's who I want to be. Women, 263 00:13:47.720 --> 00:13:50.639 especially black women. Look at sim own boss says that's me. 264 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.960 Needs someone you can identify with. And I think that 265 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:56.480 is what Simone has done. This sport is never going 266 00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:58.440 back to where it is. It is a lily white 267 00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:59.960 sports not going to happen. 268 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:01.879 And it's you know, we applaud that. 269 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:07.279 I think also the Olympics seemed to be friendlier and happier. 270 00:14:07.799 --> 00:14:10.000 You know, for example, you know when she I believe 271 00:14:10.039 --> 00:14:12.320 she got the silver or the bronze and she bowed, 272 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:15.200 you know, there was yeah, there was there was a 273 00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:19.240 camaraderie here. Well, look, I mean the world is small 274 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:22.240 now you know, the Iron curtain's gone. There are no 275 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:25.720 more bad guys if you will, and I did am 276 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:26.639 I wrong in getting that? 277 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:31.759 I think what was interesting about this when you looked 278 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:34.879 at the all around and Rebecca Andrade, who was the 279 00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:39.519 woman from Brazil, right, she sees Simone nail that final 280 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:42.639 pass and she was clapping for her, even though she 281 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:44.120 knew it meant that she wasn't going to win a 282 00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:47.279 go medal, because there was an appreciation for what Simone 283 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:51.799 had done. And I think, you know, conversely, when Rebecca wins, 284 00:14:52.039 --> 00:14:54.919 you know, on the event she got a bow. You know, 285 00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:57.559 you are basically saluting, and that's what the Olympics are 286 00:14:57.559 --> 00:14:59.799 supposed to be. Everything was a story back in the 287 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:04.080 nightineteen thirty six when Berlin Jesse Owens is in the 288 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:06.440 long trip. He's clearly going to win this thing, and 289 00:15:06.519 --> 00:15:10.320 he files on the first two and looks long, who 290 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:12.360 is the German favorite? And this is in front of 291 00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:16.679 Hitler tesman and he said, you know what, you know, 292 00:15:16.840 --> 00:15:19.600 don't file, take off about two feet in front of 293 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:22.879 where you normally step and you'll be fine, which he did. 294 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:26.720 So basically, who does that? Who encourages the competitive to 295 00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:29.960 do something different so he might beat you? But that 296 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:32.480 and I think that was lost for a long time 297 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:34.799 in the Olympics. There was so much of the US 298 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:38.559 Russia thing, which by the way as we know. Didn't 299 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:42.720 happen this time, right, you know. I mean we've had 300 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:45.240 with the Russians before, but that was because they chose 301 00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:47.039 not to be there. It didn't happen this time. They 302 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:47.720 were banned because of. 303 00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:51.440 The war, right right, Simone Biles, is she the greatest 304 00:15:51.480 --> 00:15:52.279 gymnast ever? 305 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:56.360 There's no doubt. I mean not just in terms of 306 00:15:57.000 --> 00:16:00.759 how many moves have been named after her, that's one thing, 307 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:02.960 but to be able to do it at age twenty seven, 308 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:06.039 I mean that is ten years older than people used 309 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:08.519 to be, and to be able to do it without 310 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:11.960 serious injury, to be able to do it with joy, 311 00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:14.039 I mean, she was just delighted to be out there 312 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:17.799 and the inspiration she gave to her teammates because no 313 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:19.759 matter what happened, if you had a problem, if you 314 00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:22.159 fell off, the being smoan was here to you know, 315 00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:27.039 to give you a hug because you know, basically I've 316 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:29.360 done that before I fell it. You know, I've done 317 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.600 this before. I've missed that before. So she was a 318 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:32.279 great teammate. 319 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:36.840 Having kids that have gone through the pandemic and dealing 320 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:42.799 with all the social abnormally normalcies that I've seen, you know, 321 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:45.120 mental health, for me, is big because I've seen it, 322 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:48.960 I mean, and I've seen it in sports, and to me, 323 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:53.000 that was what I found gratifying. You mentioned the smile, 324 00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:57.039 the happiness, because let's face it, with gymnastics, because there's 325 00:16:57.080 --> 00:16:59.840 some very ugly people who have now been sent away 326 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:05.279 for a long time and justifiably so we needed something good. 327 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:08.519 We needed to feel safe with the people running gymnastics, 328 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:10.640 is what I'm trying to say. 329 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:12.759 Yeah, yeah, yeah, And I think part of the thing 330 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:16.359 is any sport where you have young women competing at 331 00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:23.640 at an elevated level, figure skating, swimming, gymnastics, you have predators. Yeah, 332 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:26.759 and so I think it's been up to the federation 333 00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:29.799 to make sure these people are weeded out. It's hard 334 00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:32.400 to do, you know, and Simone had been through that 335 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:34.839 has had many women on you know, I'm not just 336 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:38.480 on earlier teams too. But I think what was what 337 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:42.960 was great about Simone was that she showed people, you know, 338 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:46.880 I think so much pressure on women, especially when you 339 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:48.640 are the face of the US team. I mean, that 340 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:53.039 was the biggest issue for her in Tokyo was remember 341 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:57.079 there was a documentary called Simone Versus Simone before those games, right, 342 00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:00.680 and the subtext was, well, only got to lose, right, 343 00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:03.400 give us the moon versus the moon. So in a way, 344 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:06.160 she was competing with the simone from Rio de Janeiro 345 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:09.240 in twenty sixteen. It's almost got to lose that thing. 346 00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:12.119 And I think what she said was I was doing 347 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.119 it for everybody except myself. 348 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:14.480 Right right. 349 00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:17.279 You said, even before the Paris game, you says success 350 00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:20.839 is how I define it. And you will have a 351 00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:22.559 lot of athletes who will, in fact tell you that 352 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:24.640 Michael Phelps said that. 353 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:25.960 Well, I was going to say Phelps. 354 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:30.079 I mean, you know, I when Phelps came out and said, look, 355 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:34.880 I'm toast. I mean, I'm mentally exhausted. I've suffered depression. 356 00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:39.319 The poor guy. I mean, I'm not Look, folks, I'm 357 00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:41.240 not condoning the use of drugs. 358 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:43.000 But we know marijuana is legal now. 359 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:45.279 But you know, the guys twenty two or twenty three 360 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:47.200 years old, whatever it is, I mean, you know the details, 361 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:49.559 and somebody takes a picture of them, you know, getting high, 362 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:53.119 and it's like that stuff takes. 363 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:53.799 A toll on you. 364 00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:54.000 You know. 365 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:56.680 Even Ali Raisman, when I was working a Comcast Toys 366 00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:58.720 champaignon did this great thing with Ali. They did the 367 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:02.759 old documentary and you saw what she gave up to 368 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:04.599 do this. I mean she gave up her childhood. 369 00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:09.279 She do. And plus everybody now, especially with social media, 370 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:13.559 everybody has an opinion on you, and usually as a negative. 371 00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:17.079 For example, it was a great book like Gracie Golds 372 00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:18.799 who was the US SIGUS getting champion whip. It was 373 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:24.000 an Olympian and she was eviscerated on social media. And 374 00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:25.960 you know, you tell them don't read it or read it, 375 00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:30.079 but everyone does. So the whole world has an opinion 376 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:33.160 on you. And that's what happened to Simone at the Tokyo. 377 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:37.000 Yeah, I mean you're a quitter and blah blah blah. 378 00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:41.720 Yeah you know your you know, and you go way back. 379 00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:45.119 You know. Naddy never had to deal with that, right. 380 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:49.839 So I think the athletes need a lot more awareness 381 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:53.039 that there's an enormous amount of pressure plus money. There's 382 00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:55.079 all sorts of people want you to do it. Stay 383 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:58.160 in it, even if you're hurt, because other people are 384 00:19:58.200 --> 00:19:59.319 invested in you doing well. 385 00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:00.480 Well. 386 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:03.119 When I saw that the Celtics are worth five billion dollars, 387 00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:05.640 I stopped paying attention to money because it's completely off 388 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:06.359 the map for me. 389 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:09.559 I just like it. It's insane. 390 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:13.279 I have to talk about one of my Simone was phenomenal. 391 00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:15.720 Simone's one of my favorite favorite athletes. And I'm one 392 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:18.240 of those guys that all the Olympics are coming up, 393 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:20.480 but I go, yeah, you know, it's the Olympics, and 394 00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:23.440 then you know, I tune in once and then I'm 395 00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:26.440 a sucker. It's like I'm watching a Hallmark movie for 396 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:27.480 the next three weeks. 397 00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:28.799 You know, I'm totally into it. 398 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:33.559 Katie Ledecci, Oh my god, we're going to talk about her. 399 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:35.359 Coming up next with John Powers. I'm busy. 400 00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:41.440 You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on w b Z, Boston's. 401 00:20:40.920 --> 00:20:43.960