Nice Guys Don't Finish Last

One of the things that fascinated me most about our behind-the-scenes view of the Olympics was the opportunity to observe the personalities. 

Four man bobsleigh would, at first glance, appear to be all about testosterone and adrenaline - lots of manly shouting and hype at the start, enormous bulging muscles (I might have an eye candy Friday devoted to that) propelling the sled down that first sprint - one could easily assume the sport is driven by aggression and glory.

And yet, the three teams who stood on the podium were piloted by three remarkably similar men: Steve Holcomb (far right) of the US,

the legendary Andre Lange of Germany,

and Canada's own Lyndon Rush. 

 
  
All three are extremely low key, affable, baby-faced teddy-bear types; beloved by their team-mates for their selflessness and leadership qualities. Like many competitors, all three had disappointing runs at various points in the two and four man competitions, but what set them apart was their reaction. Although disappointed, they didn't get angry, throw equipment or yell at the track crew; didn't blame the weather, the track, the circumstances, or anything else external. What they did do was to carefully analyze what went wrong, make a plan, stay focused, and carry it out.

It paid off:

Comments

[Katinka]

My friend and I watched the bobsledding while at Stitches West, and Steve Holcomb had totally won us over by the time it was finished. What a class act.

[Tobey]

This past Olympics was simply wonderful, and I was glued to the tv for much of it. Thank you for bringing us a personal and behind the scenes view. You are doing an excellent job of sharing with us.

The network did show us a little about Steve Holcomb and I was very impressed. Why can't we see more of these amazing sports instead of unending American football and basketball???

[Rebecca]

An excellent way to illustrate the importance of developing character over popularity!

[Brenda]

More great photos. Thanks again for those.

[ceels]

Thanks so much for this post. I had a crappy day today and you have motivated me to 'analyze what went wrong, make a plan, stay focused, and carry it out'. I feel better, thank you. (Plus, those boys are really pretty, and who doesn't feel better after that?)