JDay, DJ, Others Pull out of Olympics, Rickie, Others Still Going

[newtogolf]

36 minutes ago, rkim291968 said:

Zika is no way life threatening.   Below is right out of an health site.   It's a flu, basically.  I think Dustin and others are using Zika as an excuse.   It's a bad excuse at that.   I would have respected their choice if they came out and said honestly "I don't want to go b/c I am self-centered, and there isn't big enough incentive to go to Rio."      Pardon me but the Olympic is far bigger than Ryder's cup and it only happens one every 4 years.   For the top players to ignore it at its return after about a century is being irresponsible, and ungrateful to golf which has made them wealthy beyond their imagination.   They owe it to golf, to their nation, and fans.   

• Many people infected with Zika virus won’t have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week.

If you must respond to this thread, please read about Zika before you say something about it.    

I disagree, no athlete is obligated to participate in the Olympics, they don't owe it to their country or their fans.  

For many athletes it's the biggest stage they can compete on and therefore a very important event for them, but for professional golfers, especially the men, it's not a big deal.  

While many are citing the Zika virus as their main concern everything about Rio is a reason to not go, crime, pollution, inadequate infrastructure and Zika.  

While you may not die, the risks continue after you return even if you don't develop symptoms.  Take your own advice and read this; http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/health/what-is-zika-virus.html

Quote

I’m a man and have returned from a place where the Zika virus is spreading. How long until I can be sure that I won’t infect a sexual partner?

Err on the side of caution.

Whether or not you have had symptoms, you should do everything you can to avoid infecting a woman who may be pregnant or is trying to become pregnant, because the consequences for the baby may be disastrous.

To do that, you must avoid vaginal, anal and oral sex for the length of the pregnancy — or use condoms every time.

It is not known how long the Zika virus remains infectious in semen, but viral RNA has been found in semen more than two months after symptoms subsided. The testes are somewhat shielded from the immune system, so it may take longer for the body to eliminate an infection there.

The C.D.C. recommends that men who have traveled to Zika-infected areas, but had no symptoms, wait eight weeks before having unprotected sex.

Men who have had a positive Zika test or any symptoms of infection, on the other hand, should wait six months.

At least one gay man has infected his male partner through anal sex. Another man is believed to have infected his female partner through oral sex.

And in one case in France, a man who never reported symptoms is believed to have infected his wife through sex.

How do I know if I’ve been infected? Is there a test?

It’s often a silent infection and hard to diagnose.

Only one of five infected people develop symptoms. There is currently no rapid test that can be done in a doctor’s office; tests must be sent to sophisticated laboratories, which delays diagnosis.

The surest way to detect the virus itself is with a blood or urine sample gathered in the first two weeks or less after symptoms appear. Antibody tests can be done later but, because the disease is closely related to dengue and yellow fever, false positives and false negatives may occur, especially in areas where those diseases circulate. More complex “neutralization assay testing” can lower the false-positive rate, but not eliminate it.

Is there a treatment?

No.

The C.D.C. does not recommend a particular antiviral medication for people infected with the Zika virus. The symptoms are mild – when they appear at all – and usually require only rest, nourishment and other supportive care. 

 

[rkim291968]

12 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

I disagree. Golf has been here before Olympics and will go on. What is this going to do for our Nation? I'm still a fan of all the guys that bailed and the excuse is a cop out but I get it. Let's make you do something you don't really want to do. I bet if something is a hassle in your life with no personal reward AND costs you money, you would get out of it too.

We agree to disagree.  I used to be a fan of Jason Day but no more.   I was already watching less and less PGA post Tiger and I think this nailed it shut.   I don't think I will be watching PGA much.

[Jeremie Boop]

 

53 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

I disagree, no athlete is obligated to participate in the Olympics, they don't owe it to their country or their fans.  

For many athletes it's the biggest stage they can compete on and therefore a very important event for them, but for professional golfers, especially the men, it's not a big deal.  

While many are citing the Zika virus as their main concern everything about Rio is a reason to not go, crime, pollution, inadequate infrastructure and Zika.  

While you may not die, the risks continue after you return even if you don't develop symptoms.  Take your own advice and read this; http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/health/what-is-zika-virus.html

 

Thank you for posting the actual worry related to Zika, as nobody has ever mentioned that it is life threatening to the person who contracts it. The focus has always been about the dangers related to pregnancy. 

[Braivo]

So Spieth and DJ are now officially out. Not sure I feel any disappointment really, but this is odd that golfers are really the only athletes not going due to Zika, etc. 

[krupa]

3 minutes ago, Braivo said:

So Spieth and DJ are now officially out. Not sure I feel any disappointment really, but this is odd that golfers are really the only athletes not going due to Zika, etc. 

I think it just demonstrates where the Olympics are status-wise in the mind of the professional golfer.  As kids, none of these guys said, "when I grow up I want to play golf in the Olympics" because there was no golf in the Olympics.  Golf medals aren't used to rate a golf career... maybe in a couple decades if the Olympics are still around and golf is still in it, that will be different but to see reluctance right now shouldn't be too surprising to anyone.

[ZappyAd]

9 minutes ago, Braivo said:

Not sure I feel any disappointment really, but this is odd that golfers are really the only athletes not going due to Zika, etc. 

I could believe that your chances of getting bitten by a mosquito out on a golf course are higher than in a stadium or indoor venue so it could be that there is more risk.  But mostly I just don't think the players are feeling it.  And as much as some might say they have a responsibility to help grow the game by participating I feel that whoever had the idea to get it added into the Olympic roster has done a very bad job of selling the reasons why.  

[cutchemist42]

So baseball got booted out for not having the best show up, could see golf getting the same treatment in a few cycles. Its just not important.

[ChrisP]

39 minutes ago, Braivo said:

So Spieth and DJ are now officially out. Not sure I feel any disappointment really, but this is odd that golfers are really the only athletes not going due to Zika, etc. 

1) The whole "I'm not going because of Zika" is a bit overblown. There are other factors. Security and terrorism being one or two.

2) For most athletes of other sports, this is their major championship. For a lot of golfers, they already have their majors, a Fed Ex Cup and a Ryder Cup that means a whole lot more to them than the Olympics. And the scheduling of all those things I just mentioned above are all around the Olympics.

3) Like mentioned in 2, the timing of the Olympics is playing a big part. If the Olympics were in January, I think you'd see less drop outs.

4) Not surprised by Fowler going. He has not accomplished a lot this year, particularly in majors, so this is his chance at making something out of his season.

Edited July 11, 2016 by ChrisP

[Jeremie Boop]

3 minutes ago, cutchemist42 said:

So baseball got booted out for not having the best show up, could see golf getting the same treatment in a few cycles. Its just not important.

I know someone else mentioned that not all amateur athletes were truly amateur in the past, but to me, the real draw of watching the Olympics was that it was a contest between "amateurs". I didn't care if I knew the name of the people representing our country or not. It was more exciting to learn about the people as they were talked about during the event. We'd get their backstories and learn about them as we watched them compete. THAT to me, was the spirit of the Olympics. Not a bunch of professional athletes who we already see compete all the time being front and center yet again.

[Gunther]

Glad to hear Jordan bailed, although I don't know if that's official, only saw it here.  Maybe he'll defend at the John Deere now.

[Braivo]

3 minutes ago, Gunther said:

Glad to hear Jordan bailed, although I don't know if that's official, only saw it here.  Maybe he'll defend at the John Deere now.

It's official. 

 

[ChrisP]

24 minutes ago, Braivo said:

It's official. 

 

And now Matt Kuchar is going, "Crap, you mean I have to decide now whether to go or not? What excuse can I use?"

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, cutchemist42 said:

So baseball got booted out for not having the best show up, could see golf getting the same treatment in a few cycles. Its just not important.

Baseball and softball got booted because only a few countries could win and they weren't Russia and China. The best in men's soccer don't show up either, but they still have it.

[Valleygolfer]

This is a case where the initial reaction is "awesome and excited to be a part of it." Then they start hearing about the unrest and how much of a $4!thole Rio is and get cold feet. If this was in Hawaii or Australia, less would have bailed.

[cutchemist42]

2 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Baseball and softball got booted because only a few countries could win and they weren't Russia and China. The best in men's soccer don't show up either, but they still have it.

Thats not at all the reason. A lot of countries are capable of winning that tourney. Look back at any article regarding the issue and its either because of drugs and the best athletes not going.

FIFA is really the ONLY sport that gets away with a makeshift rules tourney because they are more influential than the IOC.

[krupa]

22 minutes ago, cutchemist42 said:

Thats not at all the reason. A lot of countries are capable of winning that tourney. Look back at any article regarding the issue and its either because of drugs and the best athletes not going.

FIFA is really the ONLY sport that gets away with a makeshift rules tourney because they are more influential than the IOC.

It's probably a little true for women's softball:

In 2004, the US woman's team scored a total of 41 runs while allowing exactly zero runs against.

In 2008, they faltered a little.  53 runs scored and allowed one! run against.  They lost 3-1 to Japan in the Gold Medal Match .  Which means that for the entire Olympic games they gave up 5 runs while scoring a total of 58 runs.

[70sSanO]

I actually agree that the influx of professional athletes competing in the Olympics has already tainted the event.  Why would I even care who wins Olympic gold in tennis or golf after all the emphasis the sports place on the majors.  Throw basketball in there as well.  It is a joke.

The IOC needs the pros because the Olympics is a losing proposition.  No one really believes golf, or even tennis, are Olympic sports.  The IOC sees how the majors draw fans and want a piece of that.  It'll never happen.

John

[natureboy]

7 hours ago, Jeremie Boop said:

I know someone else mentioned that not all amateur athletes were truly amateur in the past, but to me, the real draw of watching the Olympics was that it was a contest between "amateurs". I didn't care if I knew the name of the people representing our country or not. It was more exciting to learn about the people as they were talked about during the event. We'd get their backstories and learn about them as we watched them compete. THAT to me, was the spirit of the Olympics. Not a bunch of professional athletes who we already see compete all the time being front and center yet again.

I agree with that. A little like the old 'Wide World of Sports' programming.

But for you and @70sSanO long before the tennis, basketball, and hockey pros started showing up, the Communist Bloc nations had already spoiled the spirit of that by professionalizing their teams (non-overtly of course), national training programs, and of course horse steroid pushing.

Edited July 12, 2016 by natureboy