Friday, August 22, 2008

Aint' Too Proud to Beg. Or Steal

During my well-documented lunchtime trip to Chick-Fil-A, I caught a few minutes of Dan Patrick's radio program. His poll question today intrigued me so much - mostly because of my immediate answer, one that surprised me - that I want to share it with you: if you could win a gold medal by cheating, but there was no chance you could get caught, would you do it?

For me, the answer is simple. It depends.

More to the point, in the words of the great American P.Diddy, nee Puff Daddy, nee Sean Combs, it's all about the Benjamins. If I could win a gold medal in an event that ensured a built-in marketing-driven lifetime annuity, like the 100m dash, or the decathalon, or a swimming sprint, count me in. I've got a family to feed, clothe, educate, and marry off. I could live with the resultant guilt because I'd know I did it for my kids. If I was competing in Finn-class sailing, well, I guess I'd take my chances with my God-given abilities.

Which, at least in Finn-class sailing, are fairly limited.

32 comments:

rob said...

food porn, today's theme on gtb.

Mark said...

Mmm...food porn.

And yeah, I've got to agree with you completely on the question. Though I dont really have a family to take care of. I'd just really enjoy the life that kind of gold medal win would afford me.

rob said...

yeah, that's about right. i just used the family thing because it doesn't make me seem like a selfish dick. which is probably more accurate.

Shlara said...

Rob, you're just spitting on the old W&M honor code, aren't you?

:-)

rob said...

is it a violation if i'm admitting it before the fact?

zman said...

If I had the money I would bribe my way onto the basketball team and win a gold from the bench.

Greg said...

This might be a question for Usain Bolt.

rob said...

i believe it's been answered, in that case.

and drew, no offense, but that's really fucking stupid.

rob said...

i kid, i kid.

Greg said...

Also, what's up with McD's blatantly copying the Chik-Fil-A sandwich and nobody calling them out on it? I tried it once when they were giving them away for free and it was nowhere near as good as the Chik-Fil-A kind.

However, KFC is coming out with something similar. It's the Colonel's original recipe on a chicken sandwich. I haven't had it yet but I will soon.

T.J. said...

Greetings from the land of Inspector Harry Callahan...and tons of homeless

Greg said...

Globetrottin' Teej.

Whitney said...

Teej, O'Reilly's Irish Pub is worth your time, if you have the time. They pour a nice pint and the fish & chips is worthy.

Also, I saw on D's, D-I's, and D's a segment on the hamburgers served at Joe's Cable Car in the Mission. Holy cow, that seems like a must the next time I'm out there.

rob said...

whitney diggin' the food network. niiiiice.

more food porn!

rob said...

who's fired up about the vp announcements?

just me? yeah, that's what i figured.

T.J. said...

Whit, we just wandered into Lefty O'Douls on Geary...we're the only people under 60 in here.

T.J. said...

I must admit, that Guy Fieri knows what he's doing.

Mark said...

Greg hate Usain Bolt...plain and simple. And though I'm a little late to the sandwich discussion the Steakhouse burger from BK is effin amazing. I had to take a nap after I ate it but it was amazing just the same.

Shlara said...

Rob--I'm totally into the VP announcement too.

I'm hoping for a West-Wing-TV-show-like ticket of Obama-Colin Powell.

Unfortunately, I think the real ticket won't be that cool.

rob said...

man, there's no chance of that happening, but the thought of it just made me all tingly.

i just bet whitney that it'll be hillary. it's about winning, and there's nobody that gives him a better chance of closing it out.

rob said...

and i know this russia/us volleyball game is tape delayed, but it's still phenomenal.

rob said...

there's a pretty nifty ballgame going on between south korea and cuba in the gold medal matchup.

rob said...

home plate ump just ejected the korean catcher with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 9th. i blame the chinese.

rob said...

justice is done - next batter rolls into a game-ending 6-4-3.

mayhugh said...

Some of these Aussy women B-ballers are mighty comely.

T.J. said...

Fantastic performance by Tim Lincecum at AT&T Park last night. That is one might nice ballpark.

Also of note, Vida Blue 8 rows in front of us and human eating machine Joey Chestnut about 15 feet to my right.

Shlara said...

I just watched the replay of the mens basketball finals/gold game. Not gonna lie, I got a little emotional at the end; tears were shed. I'll probably cry at the medal ceremony too. But, then again, I'm a girl, and this is what we do...

Mark said...

I didnt cry but I did get a little emotional as well. Goosebumps and such...

It was a fantastic game by both teams and it was cool to see Tea, USA pushed for once. Its not often you get to see that kind of talent playing so hard. Also, I think I liked and cheered more for Kobe during that game than I have for the entire length of his career.

T.J. said...

Greetings from Shaun Mondavi's Vineyard...

"Four years ago, when I told my Dad I wanted to own my own vineyard, he said, "First of all, don't call me Dad. You're 27 and this is the second time I've ever met you. Second, no you can't own a vineyard. You're a convicted felon and your Mother told me you have a learning disability."

Mark said...

Jim Lampley just came back from a promo for the 2010 Winter Olympics like this:

"Word. Book your reservations now, Vancouver is the bomb..."

What the fuck is going on in Beijing?

T.J. said...

Larry Merchant is very confused.

Dave said...

i would cheat in ANY event for the gold (as long as the side effect wasn't shrinking testicles) because there's no way i'm winning a gold medal in anything, and i could sell the gold medal and my story of how growing up in the suburbs groomed me to be a cheater and i pretty much cheat at all games anyway, from trivial pursuit to pictionary, so why not cheat in the olympic games?