By Debbie Schlussel

Longtime and recent readers know my feelings about the Olympics.  Not only don’t I care, but I despise the Olympics for what it’s turned into and who it won’t memorialize.  I wrote about it on Friday and also many times over the years.

But that doesn’t stop the aggressive PR flacks from Team USA and the US Olympic Committee from constantly beseeching me to gush over them on this site.  You’d think that my first lack of response to their e-mails would be a hint.  But it isn’t.  So, I had to respond forcefully and bluntly.  Below is my e-mail response to the Team USA people, followed by a couple of their publicist’s e-mails:

From: Debbie Schlussel writedebbie@gmail.com
Date: Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Subject: Re: Follow up on my Olympic email
To: Liza Peiffer lizap@teamusanews.org

Liza:
I am not interested in the slightest in promoting the spoiled prima donnas of Team USA.  Clearly, you are not familiar with my work.  If you were, you would know that I’m sickened that the IOC still has refused to memorialize the Israeli athletes.  And Team USA is a huge part of that b/c the USOC–on which the athletes in Team USA have a voting rep–refuses to push the issue and simply doesn’t care.  I’m also disgusted that there isn’t a single true amateur on Team USA.  Here’s just a tiny sample of what I think about the Olympics in specific and Team USA in general:
https://www.debbieschlussel.com/17306/olympics-shmolympics-it-aint-1980-wheres-the-israeli-memorial/

[BTW, readers, I urge you to join our Facebook group, “The IOC Should Memorialize the Israeli Athletes Murdered in Munich in 1972,” founded by reader and FB friend, Ken Goffstein.]

And where was Team USA in 2002, when Mitt Romney, who headed the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee, attacked Americans for cheering Team USA on American soil, just months after 3,000 Americans were murdered in cold blood by Islamic terrorists?  No peep from Team USA–wouldn’t wanna upset the big guns and those countries around the world who hate us, right?

It ain’t 1980, where you had solid, working-class, amateur Americans representing the best of our country against our enemies and beating them.  Instead, today, you have multi-millionaire pro hockey players.  Yawn.  Who cares?  It’s only exciting, when it’s embarrassing, like when Chris Chelios and Brett Hull destroyed furniture in a temper tantrum.  So sad, too bad.  But, again, it isn’t 1980, we aren’t beating–or even competing against Hezbollah or Al-Qaeda on the ice or on the slopes.  And I simply don’t care.

BTW, how much U.S. tax money goes to subsidize these prima donna spoiled brats?  A lot–as you know–because USOC is a tax-deductible and tax-subsidized (American taxpayers pay a ton for these rich athletes’ security from government agents) organization.  Snowboarder Shaun White recently told “60 Minutes” that he makes $10 million per year and took the reporter for a ride in his second $300,000-plus Lamborghini (he crashed the first one), which was parked in the garage of his multi-million dollar Malibu mansion decorated in tacky Sopranos “chic.”  That’s “amateur”?  PUH-LEEZE.  Why should US taxpayers pay for his security?  The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith pay for their own.  And really–women’s hockey?  Get real.  No-one cares.  If I want to watch women pretending to be men playing hockey, I’ll watch a Florida Panthers game.  If you want my attention, put the Hanson brothers on the team.

Tanith Belbin, a Canadian, was allowed to get her US citizenship sped up on the fast track (so she could compete in the last Winter Olympics), while many other more worthy candidates (who fought Islamic terrorists and helped us with intelligence) still wait.  That’s “Team USA”?  Not in my book.  Ditto for her ice dancing.  Isn’t that for the Lawrence Welk crowd?

Go Team USA?  Not really.  I couldn’t care less.  And I don’t want my readers to support Team USA.  I want them to support the actual USA and the far more important issues that face it.

There’s a lot to wave the flag for.  This ain’t it.
Regards,
Debbie Schlussel

***

From: Liza Peiffer lizap@teamusanews.org
Date: Thu, Feb 11, 2010 at 1:48 PM
Subject: Winter Olympics
To: writedebbie@gmail.com

Hi Debbie

Tomorrow, February 12, the world will gather to watch top athletes from around the globe compete in the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Athletes from Team USA, who have been training their entire lives will take the stage to represent our country. I’m writing with the hope that you could share the news about Team USA with the readers of Debbie Schlussel.

Anyone who registers on Teamusa.org will have access to the latest info and will receive exclusive updates throughout the games. I’ve put all that information including some very cool Team USA widgets and banners into this social media news release here:

http://teamusanews.org

Please let me know if you are able to post or tweet and if you could send me the link that would be fantastic. By spreading the word we can all help support our Team USA athletes bring home the gold.

Thank you so much,

Liza
—
Liza Peiffer,
Team USA News
lizap@teamusanews.org

***

From: Liza Peiffer lizap@teamusanews.org
Date: Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 1:57 PM
Subject: Follow up on my Olympic email
To: writedebbie@gmail.com

Hi again Debbie

I sent you an email last Thursday and I hadn’t heard back so I wanted to try to reach you again. As you know, the Winter Olympic Games are in full swing right now in Vancouver. Athletes from Team USA, who have been training their entire lives have been taking the stage to represent our country. I’m writing with the hope that you could share the news to help support Team USA with the readers of Debbie Schlussel.

Anyone who registers on Teamusa.org will have access to the latest info and will receive exclusive updates throughout the games. I’ve put all that information including some very cool Team USA widgets and banners into this social media news release here:

http://teamusanews.org

Please let me know if you are able to post or tweet and if you could send me the link that would be fantastic. By spreading the word we can all help support our Team USA athletes bring home the gold.

Thank you so much,

Liza
—
Liza Peiffer,
Team USA News
lizap@teamusanews.org