Olympics (COOL)... Pistorius (AWESOME)

[neo_pop_71]

Hey all-

I've got to take a moment to point out something really cool that happened recently, it involves Oscar Pistorius. If you don't know who Oscar is or what he does, he is an incredible athlete that has overcome so much to become an olympian and a shining representative for South Africa. Oscar is a double amputee sprinter that runs on Cheetah Blades, this guy is so legit that he is fast enough to go up against the world's best.

To my point, the South African relay team was set to race in the 4x400 relay, Pistorius' teammate was to run the opening leg of the race and Oscar was set to run the second. Disaster struck when his teammate got tangled up with a Kenyan runner and slammed to the track , dislocating his shoulder. Seeing this happen, Pistorius turned and ran to his teammate in an effort to secure the baton but he was stopped by an official. His dreams of representing his country died on the track. Now the good bit! Track and Field's International ruling body has just made the decision that the South African team was obstructed by the Kenyan runner, this means that Pistorius and his team will race in the 4x400 relay final Friday night.

Now, I'm biased since I've spent half my life working with special needs and at-risk kids but even if you don't give a damn about the Olympics, I highly recommend watching Oscar race in the Final. This is a once in a lifetime athlete doing something that has never been done! Yes, the ol'Cudahead jerkface does have a redeeming side... I know I can be obnoxious but take my recommendation anyway! If you don't think what I'm saying is inspirational and down right awesome, then you're an idiot (just kidding ) but check out the picture I've attached... Pistorius is KING!!!

Peace,

-D-

p.s I should mention, just to prove what kind of a badass superstar Oscar is, he started sprinting as rehabilitation after getting his knee crushed playing rugby in high school... picture it... double amputee playing rugby! Like I said BADASS!!!

[vpc66]

STRONG INNER STRENGTH and the will to move forward no matter what....having push myself with Martial arts,Bikes and Cavediving I am not sure I could handle the lost of even one leg...I feel that I would curl into a fetal position and die. So I tip my hat to all the folks that push beyond and admire their grace even in the clumsiness of a disability.

[neo_pop_71]

As a team South Africa came in last place in the 4x400 relay final... Oscar Pistorius ran the anchor leg in 45.09... a 100 meters in 45 seconds... that is the mark of a champion!!! To further my point, between the four runners on the South African relay team, Oscar ran the quickest lap... that inspires me to try harder, period!

[willywill]

That is an incredible photo with the little girl. I needed to see that today, thanks Don for posting, and thanks for the work you do. I spent some time preparing high school dropouts for the GED, challenging, always rewarding, and often times very surprising how they see the world with such clarity. I cant help but feel that our consumer capitalist culture is blinding us to the "essence" of life.

I don't have a problem with consuming or capitalism, in moderation, like everything else in life, but man does anyone else feel like we are spiralling out of control on both fronts here in the ol USA??

I would love to hear from our compadres north of the border, and from anywhere else for that matter, but the geographic location of Canada makes for a more interesting comparison.

[mixalive]

Awesome..

[neo_pop_71]

Oscar Pistorius aka Blade Runner just ran his first race in the 2012 London Paralympics in front of 80,000 spectators... he killed it massively! Oscar smashed the standing World Record in the 200m with a time of 21.30! That is on pace to be faster than his Olympic anchor leg that he ran in the men's 4x100 relay, he ran that 400m anchor leg in 45.09 seconds. Oscar is my f*ckin' hero!!! That dude is a champion, period!!!

[vpc66]

That is very Cool!!!

[neo_pop_71]

That is very Cool!!!

Get this, this was on NPR the other morning...

The Paralympics started in 1948 in London as a way to give injured WWII vets a purpose and turn their thankless service into competition that renewed pride and self worth. The 2012 Paralympics takes pride in the fact that 10% of the athletes competing in this year's games are Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

I tell 'ya what, I had no interest in flying to London to see the games other than to see Oscar Pistorius run. Had I gone I certainly would have hung around for 2 weeks to see the Paralympics... to see some of our war veterans earn some well deserved medals would have been all too worth it in my book!!!

[vpc66]

They should use the Paralympics folks for ads and such...They truly give everything they can and a lot more to make the big show..That is something for kids to look up to

[neo_pop_71]

They should use the Paralympics folks for ads and such...They truly give everything they can and a lot more to make the big show..That is something for kids to look up to

Funny you should say that...

I work at a "Blue Ribbon" public high school, high academic, comprehensive, nationally honored and ranked... my special needs kids struggle because they are 100% on their own. This was our first week back and I asked about their summers, the usual stories of family travel, but one kid surprised me. He was going to be absent from school Friday because he was flying to London to see some of the Paralympic Games over the long holiday weekend. He was specifically excited about seeing Oscar run. He gave me a "high five" because on our last day of school in June I highlighted what to watch at the Olympics, Oscar specifically. My student was a "gamer" that lived for video games, no exercise, and badly overweight. I almost didn't recognize him because Oscar inspired him to get off his butt and start living (his words, not mine). Oscar inspired this kid to start an active lifestyle, he said he ran, swam, or road everyday this summer. Here's the good bit, the kid dropped 40 pounds!!! As a reward for taking it upon himself to make these lifestyle changes, his parents surprised him with the trip to London. Instead of being a PE kid that refused to dress out all last year, he is now in weight training and is signed up to be on the wrestling team.

F*CK YEAH... Oscar is inspirational... he turned this kids life around!!!

Crappiest first week back in 20 years and this kid's story made it all go away!!! I'm not the only one that thinks Oscar Pistorius is a hero... pretty cool!