We need a modern-day Spider Sabich

[HB Shakespeare]

I am thinking of writing a book titled Spider Sabich: The King Of Cool. Text on cover of book .75 inches beneath title:
"From the slopes of Edelweiss to the slopes of Aspen:
An intimate portrait of an American Legend"

 

[Uncle-A]

I agree with your post word-for-word minus "really, really." "Vonn/Shiffrin are pretty much sponsor billboards who can ski well."

I wonder how many people in America know what slalom skiing is? How many high school seniors in Trenton New Jersey class of 2019 have heard of Spider Sabich, Claudine Longet, Edelweiss ski area, the Red Onion?

First you should not pick on Trenton NJ. Second, High School Seniors have their own idea of who to pick as a hero and for the most part it is a rap artist. I think you are talking more about the charismatic athletic male and it does not matter what sport it is, it is the glamor not the accomplishment. Yes, Spider was cool but we have had skiers with better results. But many today are only interested in "cool" and not substance. You talk about Vonn and Shiffrin being sponsor billboards would you not let them make a buck off their hard work and talent? They are also very marketable because they meet the image of what is looked at as "attractive" to the media.

Maybe this thread belongs with What would do to improve the sport of skiing.

 

[Viking9]

Johnston , a Joe Kapp reference in a ski forum,,,, I love it , can you guess one of my favorite Vikings ???

 

[noncrazycanuck]

not sure which number our #22 wore when he left the BC Lions for the Vikings but he is well remembered in Vancouver.
still the only Quarterback who played in the Rose Bowl, the Grey Cup and the Super Bowl.
great leader- got a raw deal from the NFL that ended his career too soon. .

 

[SecretAgentMan]

not sure which number our #22 wore when he left the BC Lions for the Vikings but he is well remembered in Vancouver.
still the only Quarterback who played in the Rose Bowl, the Grey Cup and the Super Bowl.
great leader- got a raw deal from the NFL that ended his career too soon. .

I remember watching this game on TV. Joe Kapp, Dave Osborn. Them were the days.

 

[Chris Walker]

What's wrong with Marcel Hirscher?

Cool as a damn ice cube.

 

[Jacob]

The thing is, sports these days are far too competitive for wild characters to be successful.

In the past, a talented athlete could skip training, ignore his coaches, and go out partying and still have a good shot at winning. Nowadays, while the wild character is out being "cool," his competitors are doing what it takes to be the best. And when they compete, the "cool" guy's talent alone isn't enough to win.

The perfect example of this is Nick Kyrgios in tennis. He's got the talent to be the best, but he's got the mentality of a teenager whose primary focus is trying to look cool. As a result, he loses a lot and is being overtaken by younger Aussies who are more focused on winning.

The US will have another male racer at the top in the future, but he won't be a "cool" guy like a '70s rock star. Those guys will be the ones regularly finishing in the places no one cares about until their teams cut them.

 

[Viking9]

Hall of fame safety Paul Krause wore 22.

 

[dbostedo]

Why does the role model have to be a ski racer? What about folks like Candide Thovex? Or maybe... hmm... actually, he's probably the only freeskier famous enough, in a "YouTube famous" kind of way, to qualify.

 

[Started at 53]

Parents should be role models, not someone who excels at a sport

 

[James]

What we need is those padded arm sweaters from the seventies. Not another Claudine Longet. (Now 76)

 

[Tricia]

Why the man crush on Spider Sabich?

 

[newfydog]

Spider Sabich sucked on the World Cup. He made it big on the pro circuit, sort of like arena football vs NFL.

Not such a great guy either. There was a custom of wishing good luck to your competitor in the parallel starting gate. Sabich refused to do so, said the only thing he wished for the other guy was a DNF.

I'll take Bode for a role model over that.

 

[Jed Peters]

Spider Sabich sucked on the World Cup. He made it big on the pro circuit, sort of like arena football vs NFL.

Not such a great guy either. There was a custom of wishing good luck to your competitor in the parallel starting gate. Sabich refused to do so, said the only thing he wished for the other guy was a DNF.

I'll take Bode for a role model over that.

Ouch.

And Spider Sabich? Dude. Come on.

I smell a troll. Just sayin.

 

[aveski]

 

[Ulmerhutte]

Does the role model have to be American? Each era has produced some major, standout talent, but we forget most of them as the next generation takes over. Perhaps a look at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_FIS_Alpine_Ski_World_Cup_men's_champions might produce a “”gosh, yeah, I forgot about him”.

That said, MH seems to be in a category of his own.

 

[newfydog]

Ouch.

I smell a troll. Just sayin.

Nah, just from the era. Bill Kidd was one of my heroes, then one of my coaches.....Now there’s a role model.

 

[James]

Ha! Never heard that Stones song. Unreleased from Some Girls?

 

[Tricia]

Ouch.

And Spider Sabich? Dude. Come on.

I smell a troll. Just sayin.

Nah, just from the era. Bill Kidd was one of my heroes, then one of my coaches.....Now there’s a role model.

I think Jed was implying that the OP is trolling.

 

[SecretAgentMan]

Ouch.

And Spider Sabich? Dude. Come on.

I thought Clint Eastwood was the coolest dude in America after watching Dirty Harry until I saw Spider slalom race. He bumped Clint to #2. A modern-day male-skier role model in the mold of SPIDER SABICH is what America urgently needs. Discussion closed.

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