Sat around with a couPLa mates last nite and disscussed Craig Stevens. I came to the conclusion he is WEAK. Thats right weak. He'll never be a champion...and here is why..
He's forgotten why he started swimming in the first PLace. He now just wants money and to be a commentator.
PeoPLe say he would have had a lot of pressure on him...
He built the pressure on himself...he shouldnt have even entertained the idea of giving away his slot in the first PLace.

difference between a champion and someone who is just very good...
Thorpe is disqualified..thus handing the event to Stevens on a silver PLatter..he doesnt take it.
Stevens chicken out and opts for ca$h..and offers the event back to Thorpe on the same silver PLatter.
Thorpe takes it...because he understands that you must take every oppurtunity.

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Ciao baby.

Last edited by JulesPLees on Apr-28-2004 at 04:18

JPL coming out with the big guns blazing and doesnt miss a single shot. YOur goal as an elite sportsman is no.1 to be the best no.2 race in any event thinking you can win it.


WHere is the hunger, the passion, the grit the determination in him. He got the oppurtunity to represent AUstralia. Sure lucky, but mate sport is always about a little luck. Why not prove australia wrong with his hunger and his commitment. And say, right i toook thorpies spot, im gonna try get the gold and prove everyone wrong.


Hes a true cop out in every sense of the word. In fact in essence hes what every elite coach tries not to instill in an athelete.

Big ups to JPL for speaking out.

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Oh, life is bigger ,It's bigger than you,And you are not me,The lengths that I will go to, The distance in your eyes ,Oh no, I've said too much, I set it up

That's me in the corner, That's me in the spotlight, I'm Losing my religion, Trying to keep up with you ,And I don't know if I can do it, Oh no, I've said too much,I haven't said enough, I thought that I heard you laughing, I thought that I heard you sing, I think I thought I saw you try.

But that was just a dream, That was just a dream, But that was just a dream, Try, cry, why try? That was just a dream ,Just a dream, just a dream, Dream

i agree. he made a poor decision, however would've been put under alot of pressure, and knows that for the sake of the country winning medals (and of course to make alot of cash) he should sacrifice his place for Thorpe.

its not too good though :/

sorry guys I have to disagree! Stevens realised he had no hope of winning and gave Australia the best possible opportuinity to add gold to its cabinet, by relinquishing his place to the WORLD RECORD holder of the event Ian Thorpe. Well done Stevens, it takes guts to do what you did!

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cbf

I think he did the right thing....because I think ppl who get a place in the Olympics should be there because they beat all their competitors...not because one of their competitors fell off the starting block.....

But, I think he did the wrong thing by accepting money/other non-cash incentives for doing something that was morally right....accepting the money has tainted it, and I've lost respect for him cos of that....

But I think the real issue here is how stupid the rules for election into the Aus Olympic swim team are.....to base it on ONE race, on ONE day, is just insane.....there are a whole bunch of reasons why somebody may not have a brilliant performance on that one day, but overall may be our best swimmer.....it should be based on the average of a number of previous performances etc.....basing it on one single snapshot is INSANE..........the rules def need to be changed

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meh swimming

you have to understand his finacial position aswell. the AIS only provides him with training, board and food. Not everyone has the comfort of having sponsorships deals like Ian thorpe. and training 12 times a week dosent leave much time for a job

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winning by default is the australian way! what craig stevens did, was UNAUSTRALIAN!!!

quote:

Originally posted by jizza winning by default is the australian way! what craig stevens did, was UNAUSTRALIAN!!!

hehe..couldnt agree more!! u bloody fuckin can eaters! hehe

how is accepting money to tell the story tainting his decision exactly? fate put him into a very interesting situation, which other people wanted to know of. Nothing wrong with accepting some payment to tell his story. Was it his moral obligation to give the story for free to some news source, so a big company could make all the profits from it?
Steven's got his place within the rules. So the rules suck, but he earnt his place there as the rules were.
I think he realised it was worth more to himself to still be at the olympics for relays, and to have a clear conscience (not that he had done anything wrong). Otherwise he may be hearing the same thing for the rest of his life, as people talk about the record numbers thorpe may have set if not for thie event. Imagine how much that would piss you off having to hear that all the time. he didn't have a real shot at the gold anyway, so for that extra 1-2 swims it just wouldn't be worth it.

quote:

Originally posted by Paulie WHere is the hunger, the passion, the grit the determination in him. He got the oppurtunity to represent AUstralia. Sure lucky, but mate sport is always about a little luck. Why not prove australia wrong with his hunger and his commitment. And say, right i toook thorpies spot, im gonna try get the gold and prove everyone wrong. Hes a true cop out in every sense of the word. In fact in essence hes what every elite coach tries not to instill in an athelete.

w3rd to that!

Agree with JPL and Paulie to be honest .. I always though the Olympics were about competing and doing your best, not winning

Sort of like Eric the Eel at the Sydney Olympics, his swimming officials lied about his lap times to get him into the Olympics. He was never going to win shit, but just imagine the thrill of competing (especially in an empty pool in front of 10,000 people!).

Ian Thorpe broke the rules (which by the way aren't Australian rules, they're the same the world over), so he shouldn't be there. Putting pressure on someone else to quit so Thorpe can swim is just not on.

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