We have seen so much sports greatness in this town.
Bill Mazeroski’s home run to beat the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series. Roberto Clemente’s ownership of the 1971 World Series. Steve Blass’ two complete-game wins in that 1971 Series. Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swann and John Stallworth for the Super 70s Steelers. Marc-Andre Fleury’s save against Nicklas Lidstrom in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup final. Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes in Super Bowl XLIII.
Just a few examples of athletes rising to the occasion on the biggest stages in the biggest moments with everything on the line.
We take that greatness for granted.
Sadly, we were reminded Tuesday that nothing is guaranteed.
Simone Biles is better in her sport than any of the men I listed were or are in theirs. She is the greatest woman gymnast of all time and the face of the U.S. Olympic team in Tokyo. She was expected to lead the women’s gymnastics team to a gold medal and then win the individual all-around gold medal. Anything less would be regarded as a complete and utter failure.
Biles collapsed under that suffocating pressure.
“The weight of the world,” she texted earlier in the week.
Biles withdrew from the team competition Tuesday after taking just one turn on the vault. A day later, she withdrew from Thursday’s individual all-around competition.
At an emotional news conference after the U.S. team finished second behind the gold medalists from Russia in the team competition, Biles talked about the strain she has been under. You don’t have to be a world-class athlete to appreciate it, to imagine what it must feel like to have the eyes of your country — the world, actually — on you.
“You have to be there 100%,” Biles said Tuesday. “If not, you get hurt. Today has been really stressful. I was shaking. I couldn’t nap. I have never felt like this going into a competition. I tried to go out and have fun. But once I came out, I was like, ‘No, my mental is not there.’
“I say put mental health first before your sport. I had to do what’s right for me and not jeopardize my health and well-being. That’s why I decided to take a step back and let [my teammates] do their work.
“It just sucks when you’re fighting with your own head.”
Earlier this year, Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open, saying she was struggling with bouts of depression. Coincidentally, she was upset earlier Tuesday by the Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova in the third round of the Olympics. Osaka called it her most difficult defeat, coming just days after she lit the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremonies.
Like Osaka, Biles is being criticized by many — for bailing out on her teammates and for quitting on her sport. That is so sad.
If Biles had sprained an ankle or torn up a knee and had to withdraw, no one would have said a word. But because she is concerned about her mental health, she is somehow weak and deserving of ridicule.
What a crock that is.
Biles is so much stronger than her critics.
It couldn’t have been an easy decision for Biles to step aside. She had trained for five years for this meet, for the chance to add to her legacy and her four Olympic gold medals.
Biles’ message by her withdrawal wasn’t just clear, it is important for everyone, particularly for young athletes:
Mental illness is real and dangerous. Even if it doesn’t show up on an X-ray or MRI, it needs to be treated like any other illness.
Biles still might compete in next week’s individual events. No matter what she decides, she will be supported by her teammates and coaches.
“This medal is definitely for her, because if it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be here,” teammate Jordan Chiles said after the team competition. “We wouldn’t be silver Olympic medalists [if not for] who she is as a person.”
“We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery for prioritizing her well-being,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement Wednesday. “Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”
That support is wonderful.
It should be universal for Biles.
Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com and Twitter @RonCookPG. Ron Cook can be heard on the “Cook and Joe” show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.
First Published: July 28, 2021, 8:57 a.m.