Watching U.S. athlete Shani Davis speed skate to his second “black gold” in Vancouver and the accompanying news coverage reminded me why the winter games are often referred to as the ‘White Olympics.’ Unlike Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White who also nabbed gold, there was no sappy, crème puff news footage to spotlight who this Olympian is. Vonn’s support circle pops up constantly and White’s dog even made the trip.
Maybe the absence is strategically packaged as part of the Davis mystique but one can’t help but wonder where the skater’s peeps were. Whether they were bursting with pride TV-side or in person, why did the cameras not find them?
Though Davis’ triumph as the first African-American to win individual gold in the 2006 Olympic Games garnered some press, his appearances in print have since been sparse. If slicing his way into the Olympic record book as the only American to win repeat gold doesn’t upgrade his opportunity card, I don’t know what will.
So true a view: Today's issue of the Wall Street Journal was filled with articles and even videos of Shaun and Lindsay... and even former Olympians, but no mention of Shani. I looked in vain for a place to provide that feedback.
ReplyDeleteThe NBC coverage after Shani's second Gold swtiched off to a shot of an underprivileged Kids' club (mostly Black) rooting for Shani (presumably a group he works with to introduce skating to kids in poor neighborhoods in Chicago), but the coverage was quick and fleeting.
Ironically, Shani's largest following is from Denmark and other foreign countries where he is greeted like a rock star: foreign reporters lined the airport in Vancouver to catch a glimpse of him. No secret that Shani has had a difficult relationship with the US press (especially regarding his conflicts with US teammate Chad Hendrick). Still... the invisible accolades from the US white-controlled media were glaring: apparently, Black Gold is devalued currency here in the United States.
Thanks for enriching my post with your facts. Luckily, Shani enjoys RockStar status in Denmark because love for the brother in the U.S. seems limited.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is sad that all the attention is going to shun redhead...fuckem!
ReplyDeleteGood blog!
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