Olympians living in Colorado? Yes or NO

sheepgirl98 · Post by **sheepgirl98** » 29 Aug 2007, 22:37

Should the Olympians be forced by USA boxing to live at the USOTC for one year while preparing for the Olympics when some of the team in high school, and the others are in college,have children,jobs and families. I think this is stupid and very unnecessary to uproot these athletes for that long period of time. Maybe a month or maybe six weeks but not a year. Give me feedback on what you guys think on this subject.

JohnDoe · Post by **JohnDoe** » 30 Aug 2007, 00:34

It's not smart at all. Every single athlete that has made it on the team has made it because of their individual coaches and support system of their families/communities. If they can train them to fight according to the different styles across the US, they can train them to fight according to the different styles across the globe. This is not gymnastics or swimming or pole vault. Boxing is grounded in individual gyms across the country and that is where its strength is. This is not Cuba. This is not Russia. You have to play according to your own strengths and not chase after other people's strengths. So what if some of the Europeans or Cubans are 27 or 28 years old? That just shows they are too fearful to turn pro or that they have been brainwashed by their countries to stay on their national team.

Plus, Dan Campbell just isn't that good, there's no one to spar in Colorado Springs and the whole team bonding argument just isn't worth what you lose in the re-location. They should go where there is good sparring and it ain't Colorado Springs. This is just a power trip on behalf of USAB.

Kolya · Post by **Kolya** » 30 Aug 2007, 12:07

You do know that they bring in the Olympic alternates to do sparring and help prepare a lot; right? So Jacobs would be sparring and working with Estrada; Hylon with Raynell; etc. That and the high altitude is very useful for conditioning purposes.

JohnDoe · Post by **JohnDoe** » 30 Aug 2007, 12:37

Not sure how sparring people they already beat will help them prepare for fighting boxers with totally different styles. Plus, I doubt all of the alternates are going to sign up for this proposition. They're better off going to spar in major cities where there are a number of former Olympic boxers from around the world.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 30 Aug 2007, 18:10

I agree that taking them for a year could be a mistake unless they are given breaks periodically to go home. I agree with JohnDoe that the personal coaches were able to get them this far so why don't we think they can get them to the level to win at the Olympics. I think there should be some camps so that the boxers and Olympic coaches can get to know each other better, but I don't think the personal coaches should be excluded for a year. I won't agree with the statement about Dan though since I like him and he is working hard to improve our athletes.

ringrat4life · Post by **ringrat4life** » 30 Aug 2007, 18:40

sheepgirl98 wrote:Should the Olympians be forced by USA boxing to live at the USOTC for one year while preparing for the Olympics when some of the team in high school, and the others are in college,have children,jobs and families. I think this is stupid and very unnecessary to uproot these athletes for that long period of time. Maybe a month or maybe six weeks but not a year. Give me feedback on what you guys think on this subject.

Well I wasn't going to respond but I could not hold back on this subject only because I feel that USA Boxing and that USA Boxing Team needs this very much... We are not preparing our team for US Nationals, Golden Gloves, Silver Gloves, and or PAL Nationals... We are preparing them for the biggest competiton that only comes every four years The Olympic Games... We the US hasn't done very good in a long time. I feel Coach Dan Campbell is 100% right getting his team in camp, and I know he worked hard to get this residential program back again. It was taken away in 1984 and I feel it was a very good program. Most coach's have no idea of international rules and how much differant international boxing is.

Not taking anything away from any coach, they have done a great job getting there athlete's to the top. Now they need to be sharpened up and tuned up for international rules and competition. Moving to Colorado Springs is a very small sacrifice an athlete will do to be an Olympian... They have schools in Colorado Springs and very good schools. I know I graduated from Palmer High School in 1983. I was the first athlete(boxer) that moved to Colorado Springs in 1982 when the residental program first started. I didn't make the 1984 Olympic Team but I will say it was the best experience I had ever experienced in my life. I would have done just about anything to have had that experience and be an Olympian.

It also seems like we are doing more of spoiling athletes that could be number 1, rather than helping them get to the top. Lets be real the Olympics start 8/8/08 we are already at the end of the 8/07 so it might be 11 months. does anyone remember being drafted, I am too young but my Dad was 18 and fighting a war that everyone was against... We are talking about 11 months to prepare for the biggest competition in there life. Well it will be RaShee's second time.

When I was first asked to leave my home my family thought the same thing why my coach had done a great job getting me to number 1 in the country. It was more about being number 1 in the WORLD and that was really what I wanted... The Olympic Training Center has the best of everything Schools, Doctors, Sports Meds, food and teaching me good eating habits. How could they go wrong and this is what I feel the Olympics are about being the best in the world. We need to get behind Coach Dan Campbell and support our 2008 Olympic Team... As they go for there GOLDS!!!

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 30 Aug 2007, 19:00

ringrat4life - I hope you are right.

ringrat4life · Post by **ringrat4life** » 30 Aug 2007, 19:08

How could I be wrong we won 2 medals in 2004... It can only get better, We need to stop being negitive and start being positive... GO USA!!

JohnDoe · Post by **JohnDoe** » 30 Aug 2007, 19:22

Saying no to a bad thing is not being negative. It's being smart.

USA Boxing has been in a state of disarray for the last couple years and I would not entrust my athletes to them at this point for an entire year and many of the athletes who have trained under the current coaches in the past year have given negative feedback. Some of the Pan Am team didn't even go to the camp before the Pan Ams and ended up with gold. Campbell needs to earn back the athletes' respect and forcing them to his camp is just a sign of a bad leader.

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." -Lao Tzu

Comparing the Olympics to the Vietnam War makes no sense. A better comparison would be to entrusting your son to Bush's war on Iraq. Enough said.

If any of the athletes want to go to the year-long camp, they should go. But forced? Works for Cuba, but not the U.S.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 30 Aug 2007, 19:42

What are they going to do if Javier Molina refuses? Ask Karl Dargan to fill his spot.

ringrat4life · Post by **ringrat4life** » 30 Aug 2007, 21:35

I wasnt comparing the war to the Olympics. I was suggesting that leaving home at 18 or even 17 is not unheard of. Most of our parents did it. Thats where I made reference to the war/draft and my father leaving home when he was 17.

You're right. We're not Cuba. But I guess that's why Cuba continues to beat us, and everyone else, in boxing.

If these kids can't be pushed to the limit, to test their abilities, and make the sacrifices necessary to be that top-notch athlete, they shouldn't be competing at such a high level.

If you have a goal and desire to achieve excellence, you will make the necessary sacrifices. If you can't make the sacrifice, take your gloves and go home.

JohnDoe · Post by **JohnDoe** » 30 Aug 2007, 22:28

You make no sense. Cuba beats everyone because they don't let any of their athletes go pro. Mayweather, De La Hoya and Taylor would Dream Team the Cubans to death if they fought in the Olympics still.

It's not about blind sacrifice. If you believe it is, then go send your kids to Iraq.

ringrat4life · Post by **ringrat4life** » 30 Aug 2007, 23:35

No, I'm afraid you make no sense.

How you can try and compare the sacrifice to live at a facility, which is much like a college dormitory, to going to sacrifice your life in a war is absolutely beyond me.

I SAID KIDS HAVE LEFT HOME AT THE AGE OF 17/18 SINCE WAY BACK WHEN, SUCH AS FOR A WAR. Maybe I should have said, kids have been leaving home to go away to college. I am not comparing the war to the Olympics, nor am I comparing putting your life on the line in a war.

I am simply stating that to sacrifice 11 months of living, room and board paid, meals paid, and top notch training to prepare someone for the opportunity to experience something such as participating in the Olympic games can bring, I personally feel is a sacrifice worth making for personal growth and satisfaction. Ask Delahoya, Mayweather, Taylor, that if they had to live at the Olympic Training Center for 11 months to get to where they are today, OR just to have the experience of Opening Ceremonies, and every other aspect of the Olympics, whether or not they would have done it. I can guarantee you, that while those greats, that you mentioned, did not live at the Training Center, they spent plenty of time there; I am positive they did whatever was required, no matter how great the sacrifice, to achieve their goals.

We'll get nowhere with this because you are truly comparing apples to oranges.

JohnDoe · Post by **JohnDoe** » 30 Aug 2007, 23:56

This is useless trying to reason with you because you are obsessed with this training center as the end-all sacrifice that's going to turn everything to gold so let me keep my sentences short:

All sacrifice is not equal.

All the boxers will sacrifice wherever they are.

Blind sacrifice gets you no where.

Smart sacrifice gets you on the Olympic team and Olympic medals.

ringrat4life · Post by **ringrat4life** » 31 Aug 2007, 00:26

JohnDoe I'm glad you've figured it all out.

Good luck and can't wait to see you and all the gold medalists you bring home.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » 31 Aug 2007, 10:50

Ringrat4life so how is the olympic team getting quality sparring? is USAB inviting other boxers to colorado from time to time o how is going to work?

hbomb2 · Post by **hbomb2** » 31 Aug 2007, 13:00

Ringrat4life makes some very good points. I think that Dan Campbell is on to something good. Time will tell. Sparring is not competing, I have met many boxers that spar well in the gym and get their butts handed to them in competition. Coach Campbell will have the Olympian very active competing in only international bouts throughout the year. They will not compete in domestic events but get accustomed to the international style of boxing so that they will master it come Olympic time. The personal coaches have done a great job to get these athletes where they are but they need a little more concentration and focus on boxing and winning on this international level. The naysayers can at least give it a chance as it is more that has been done for the past three Olympic Games. 1988 was the last successful Olympics that we participated in and during that time the guys were in camps continuously. They were a little older but these young guys today are very talented and seemed to have no fear. I think that Coach Campbell and his team has the right idea and I support them hoping that the US is very successful in 08. If we allow these kids to become positive and believe in what they are doing there is no doubt that we will have winners. The negativity discourages them and is a huge part of the problem. Be a part of the team by supporting with positivity rather than negativity and I am sure that you will be proud in the end. Thanks. Ron Simms

ringrat4life · Post by **ringrat4life** » 31 Aug 2007, 13:17

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 31 Aug 2007, 14:23

Bringing in outside sparring would be a good idea, but it is all about the $$$. They could host a few "camps" where athletes pay their own way and get to train at the Olympic Training Center and spar with the Olympians. I'm sure there are quite a few elite boxers and some up-and-comers that would jump at the chance.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » 31 Aug 2007, 14:52

I agree with you, I'm pretty sure there are quite few boxers and coaches that will take on that opportunity to spar and train with the olympic team. .

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 31 Aug 2007, 14:55

Do I detect bitterness on the part of anonymous John Doe? Wonder if he could contribute anything positive.....or maybe he's been left out because of his negativity.....

I talked to Dan in Houston. School will be available. Personal coaches will be brought to the OTC. Sparring will be provided by the #2's and/or up-and-coming young boxers. I do belive that this type of endeavor is funded by the USOC.

Since this hasn't been done since 1984 (thanks for the background, Mario), let's give it a chance. We won't know if it works until the Olympics. I know there was some grumbling when the "move to the OTC" was communicated. I think our team needs positive support from all of us. As Ron has said - let's give them and the program a chance to succeed.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 31 Aug 2007, 15:46

boxmel wrote:Do I detect bitterness on the part of anonymous John Doe? Wonder if he could contribute anything positive.....or maybe he's been left out because of his negativity.....

I talked to Dan in Houston. School will be available. Personal coaches will be brought to the OTC. Sparring will be provided by the #2's and/or up-and-coming young boxers. I do belive that this type of endeavor is funded by the USOC.

Since this hasn't been done since 1984 (thanks for the background, Mario), let's give it a chance. We won't know if it works until the Olympics. I know there was some grumbling when the "move to the OTC" was communicated. I think our team needs positive support from all of us. As Ron has said - let's give them and the program a chance to succeed.

With the above info, it isn't a bad idea. I just wanted to keep the personal coaches involved. However, some of them won't be able to drop everything and go to Colo Springs, but at least the option is there.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 31 Aug 2007, 18:34

One of the reasons that it appears the same coaches go everywhere is because those who are retired have the time to travel. Others have to work and don't have as much freedom. I hope the personal coaches can take the time to go to The Springs as it will be beneficial for all involved.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 31 Aug 2007, 20:02

Will they ever do another Train the Trainers Clinic? If so, I might be in the Springs.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 31 Aug 2007, 20:51

Probably not until USAB gets some money. And who knows when that will be!!! I'd like to go again - it's been 8 years since I was at TTT.