141 replies to this topic

[WhitneyWhit]

I saw this suggested in another thread, so I hope it's ok to start it.

It seems that one of the most popular events at these games is watching the parents. My personal crazy parent is Yin Alzarez, which is why I am dreading the men's AA.

[zenner]

Another version of the dreaded stage parent.

[whee whee piggy]

Thanks, WW! I'm too skeered to start a thread!

I DVRed the eventing final in the middle of the night and had to laugh that Princess Anne didn't even clap after her daughter's show jumping round! The inverse of these over-involved parents? And her father, Mark Philips, is a coach for the American team, but couldn't apparently even wander over to the rail to watch her round? Maybe what they say about the British Royal Family is true...

[SophiaD]

Dear Mr. Alvarez:

I understand that you are very proud of your insanely talented son. I get that. I would be, too, if I were you.

However, is it too much to ask that you remember that you are representing an entire country while you are out there on the floor with him? Loud screaming, yelling, punching the air, and jumping up and down like a giant, middle-aged frog lack... a certain sense of decorum. To put it mildly.

Thank you for your consideration.

Love,

SophiaD

Edited by SophiaD, Aug 1, 2012 @ 2:52 AM.

[FrogsRule]

Maybe they should assign all parents seats on the very top row? ;-)

[Pooki]

I thought this was really sweet - swimmer Chad le Clos' father Bert being interviewed after he won gold by the BBC. He's so happy and excited.

[Crs97]

My new rule is that if you name an athlete and I can immediately picture his/her parents, I am going to assume the worst about their living through their children. Maybe they'd say it was the media's fault, but I don't think so.

[GreekGeek]

My personal "favorite" of these wacky stage parents is Debbie Phelps. You could tell Michael wanted to call it quits after these games, but she kept dropping not so subtle hints she wanted him to compete in Rio. I loved the shot of her last night: "YAY!!!...oh shit."

[MyAimIsTrue]

I thought this was really sweet - swimmer Chad le Clos' father Bert being interviewed after he won gold by the BBC. He's so happy and excited.

Bert was so cute when he wrapped himself in the South African flag and then used it to wipe his tears away.

[selkie]

If the BBC direct version of Chad Le Clos' father is region-locked for anyone, here's another site with it.

[tanyak]

Bert was so cute when he wrapped himself in the South African flag and then used it to wipe his tears away.

So sweet.

And speaking of parents, are Kyla Ross and Makayla Maroney orphans? I mean, seriously. We've seen a million shots of Gabby, Jordyn and Aly's folks, but nary a one of their parents. At least I haven't. Surely they are there. I guess they don't have a story.

And for swimming, I love that the night before last, Missy Franklin's parents were practically in the last row of the venue, but the next night they managed to score better seats. LOL

[ElectricBoogalo]

And speaking of parents, are Kyla Ross and Makayla Maroney orphans? I mean, seriously. We've seen a million shots of Gabby, Jordyn and Aly's folks, but nary a one of their parents. At least I haven't. Surely they are there. I guess they don't have a story.

My guess was that they weren't deemed important enough for P&G to sign them up for their commercials. While it's nice to see the other gymnasts thank their parents in those ads, I'm pretty sure the other three were selected due to P&G taking a calculated gamble on who would be the stars of the team. I don't begrudge any of the others for getting paid since lord knows gymnastics is an expensive sport, but I wonder if P&G are kicking themselves for not realizing how much people would love McKayla after seeing her vault. Maybe now that they've won the team gold, they'll all get endorsements.

My new rule is that if you name an athlete and I can immediately picture his/her parents, I am going to assume the worst about their living through their children. Maybe they'd say it was the media's fault, but I don't think so.

ITA which is why it's nice that I have no idea what Kyla or McKayla's parents look like. I know that after sitting in the arena all night, it's inevitable that if the cameras want to seek out certain parents, it's not like the parents can hide but still. It seems there are some parents who are much more willing to be on camera than others.

My personal "favorite" of these wacky stage parents is Debbie Phelps. You could tell Michael wanted to call it quits after these games, but she kept dropping not so subtle hints she wanted him to compete in Rio.

Yeah, I loved her interview with Ryan Seacrest (WHY, NBC, WHY?) where she mentioned it several times. Let it go, woman! If your son wants to quit training and just get high and get cheeseburgers, don't guilt him into trying to go to Rio!

Loved Bert wrapping himself in the flag and wiping away his tears. So cute!

[Skittl1321]

I loved the shot of her last night: "YAY!!!...oh shit."

You forgot the best part "slow polite clap for the winner"

[selkie]

Old article on the Franklin family. It give a clue on why she comes across as so well-adjusted.

There’s no “stage mother” in either of Missy’s parents – pushing her to succeed because of their dreams or ambitions.

“I saw a lot of that in the tennis world and sneaker world,” says Dick, a former senior executive of Reebok and Head Sport. “It was ugly. I told DA to shoot me if I ever get like that.”

[MyAimIsTrue]

If the BBC direct version of Chad Le Clos' father is region-locked for anyone, here's another site with it.

Thank you as it was region-locked for me and now the company firewall is blocking access to the other site so I'll have to wait until I get home tonight to watch it.

And speaking of Bert le Clos, did I notice him mouthing "fuck yeah!" when Chad won?

Edited by MyAimIsTrue, Aug 1, 2012 @ 9:20 AM.

[alphacat]

I don't mind seeing the parents once in a while in the audience - Missy's and Gabby's families seem to be great - supportive but not over the top. Gabby's family was fairly reserved until she finished floor - I think they were holding their breath through the whole competition.

Aly's and Jordyn's mothers seem like nightmares to me. They probably are nice people, but yikes! Over-invested much?

And how distracting would it be to sit anywhere near them. Actually, one of my favorite things about the parent shots is watching the people sitting around them - trying not to be annoyed, since they know they are on camera!

[ElectricBoogalo]

One of the female gymnast's moms (I think it was Aly's mom) was yelling so much during her kid's routine that I thought she'd been possessed by Bela. I'd be the asshole sitting behind her who would be craning my neck to see if I could find an empty seat somewhere else.

[DonitsYum]

The other night during the women's gymnastics qualifying round they showed a couple (Ally's parents?)...NBC focused on them the entire time during her routine and I was cracking up over the seat-slumps, body contortions, hiding the face in hubby's armpit, Dad's eyerolling, moving in unison from side to side and the final "STICK IT!!!!" primal scream at the end.

I could watch a whole show of this!

[TheBombDotCom]

I was hoping the people behind them would have donkey punched the dad. Sit your pansy ass down, dad. Why did NBC even have them mic'ed to begin with?

[mishy]

Aly's and Jordyn's mothers seem like nightmares to me. They probably are nice people, but yikes! Over-invested much?

Last night during Jordyn's final pass on floor, they panned to her mom and there is a woman sitting next to her who is I assume a family member and this person put her arm around Jordyn's mom and the mom actually shrugged the arm off and mouthed don't touch me. It was probably nervous energy or something but I thought it was rude.

[TraceyBee]

I was hoping the people behind them would have donkey punched the dad.

Towards the end of the video of the parents during the prelim competition, you can see a woman behind them giving them an enormous "WTF" face.

[alphacat]

Maybe they should have a separate parents section, so they can all twitch together and leave the other poor spectators alone.

[3 is enough]

Maybe they should have a separate parents section, so they can all twitch together and leave the other poor spectators alone.

Yes. I assume the athletes get a certain amount of passes for family. In marquee events like gymnastics, the venue is probably sold out long before the athletes even qualify. If I had paid big bucks for a ticket, and someone sitting in front of me blocked my view or made a ton of noise I would be royally pissed off.
.

[Demian]

I was cracking up over the seat-slumps, body contortions, hiding the face in hubby's armpit, Dad's eyerolling, moving in unison from side to side and the final "STICK IT!!!!" primal scream at the end.

Yeah, I'm thinking this thread should be retitled in that nightmare's honor: "Olympic Parents: Stick It! STICK IT!!"

[PartlyCloudy]

I thought Aly's mom had Parkinson's when I first saw her. After watching them, Jordyn's mom, and Yin Alverez all week I know I'd have requested a seat transfer immediately should I be unlucky enough to be within 100 yards of those mouths. Put me with the military folks!

[Liane81]

Debbie Phelps and the other parents look calm compared to Aly's - this is a Saturday Night Light skit just waiting to happen (with Kristin Wigg playing the mother):

Aly's parents react to her routine

I was nervous watching them because they (especially Mom) kept moving back and forth like she had ants down her back. Felt sorry for the folks sitting around them.

[Aurora Borealis]

I've been to Olympic events, and have sat surrounded by parents. The way it works (or at least the way it worked in 1998) in an Olympics outside the USA, is that there is only one travel agency designated by the USOC as the official ticket carrier in the US. This travel agency also set up tours of various lengths that let you get hotel, airfare, etc., etc. but all of the event tickets were in the same section, which is how you see a group of USA supporters, etc. I met quite a few parents who traveled to Nagano this way. Fortunately the group I was with was low-key - one couple there was cheering on their daughter who won several speed skating medals (Jennifer Rodriguez), and I didn't even know who they were until various media outlets were lining up to interview them after one of her wins. Quite a difference from now. I miss those days...

And, I believe in response to his mother's hints about Rio 2016, Michael has straight out said to her, 'Mom, if you really want to go, I'll pay for the trip...' So you know she just wants to be there as 'Michael Phelps' Mom' and not as an ordinary Olymics spectator. Gah.

[threebluestars]

I wish they'd make the parents sit in the USA. And then punish the folks at NBC who thought airing their theatrics was a good idea by making them sit beside the parents.

[The Mee]

Last night during Jordyn's final pass on floor, they panned to her mom and there is a woman sitting next to her who is I assume a family member and this person put her arm around Jordyn's mom and the mom actually shrugged the arm off and mouthed don't touch me. It was probably nervous energy or something but I thought it was rude.

Ha, I totally saw that. I could see her point of view because it's kind of like when you're in labor and you need support but also not to be touched. I imagine the stress levels are similar. Too bad she was caught on camera.

[LeBarron]

I thought this was really sweet - swimmer Chad le Clos' father Bert being interviewed after he won gold by the BBC. He's so happy and excited.

I loved this. Most of the parents NBC focuses on annoy me with their overwrought theatrics in the stands, but he looked so adorable and genuinely touched and proud, I couldn't help but fall in love with him a little. It's great that parents get excited for their kids, but follow Bert le Clos' example and try for a little more subtlety. Remember, it's about your kid, not you!