Here's a link to a good writeup on the issue, by John Paulsen (whoever he is):
http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/08/19/us-pole-vaulting-coach-rick-suhr-is-kind-of-a-dick/Here's Paulsen's quote of Rick Suhr:
It’s the same old same old, you’re losing takeoff at the big heights. (shrug) Whaddaya gonna do? (shrug, looks away) Gotta learn to keep takeoff. You got caught at that meat grinder. I did not - and I told 10 people - I didn’t wanna be caught in a meat grinder between 65 and 80. You had to, though. You weren’t on, your warmup didn’t go well. You were at 55. You got caught up in that meat grinder. Whaddaya gonna do? (shrugs, looks away) Whaddaya gonna do? (shrugs, looks away) Didn’t have the legs. Her legs are fresh. Hey, it’s a silver medal. Not bad for someone that’s been pole vaulting for four years. (looks down at his blackberry)
Those are the words I heard too. I was very surprised and apalled at Rick Suhr's treatment of Jenn immediately after she won the Silver.
My first reaction while listening to him talk (TALK DOWN) to Jenn IN A VERY DEROGATORY TONE was "Holy cow, is this guy for real? He's talking down to his star athlete like she's dirt. Is this all about HIM?"
The words were similar to the above. But it's not the words, as much as the derogatory tone that surprised me. And the lack of eye contact. And the lack of a friendly smile on his face. I know that Suhr was a star vaulter and wrestler in high school. Maybe you talk to your WRESTLER that way if you're trying to fire HIM up BEFORE a big match. But you certainly don't talk to your POLE VAULTER that way AFTER she's just won the SILVER!!!
What was the point? Was it to fire her up for 2012? Or was it to vent HIS personal disappointment that HE had to settle for Silver? Was he playing to the camera? The competition was OVER! Did he really have to ADD to Jenn's disappointment in herself? Would she not remember her "failure" 4 years from now WITHOUT this tirade? Of course she would! Jenn will set the WR some day. And it won't be BECAUSE OF Suhr's tirade - it will be IN SPITE OF it.
When he said the last sentence, I almost didn't notice it as a compliment - because he said it in such a negative mono-tone. I guess he really meant to close off the conversation with a positive, but he didn't even smile when he said it.
I disagree with the posters that defend Suhr's actions.
The camera was right there, almost in his face. The cameraman must have been standing right in the middle of the track. But even if he didn't see the camera, there was a dozen people within earshot. If Suhr thought that Jenn deserved a tongue-lashing (for her own good), then that was not the time nor the place. As others have said, that was the time to "savour the moment - rejoice in the glory of a Silver Medal!".
The only conclusion that I can draw from that episode is that Suhr used the situation to try to pump up his own ego. After all, if Jenn had only done everything that he told her to do, she would have won the Gold Medal. That seemed to be his inference, anyway.
I wouldn't want my daughter to be coached by anyone like him - even if he could help her win an Olympic Silver ... or Gold!
While I was writing this, vaultwest posted his reply, and I agree with him. Many of us are all saying the same thing - just in different words.
Kirk