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The Beijing Olympics have been marked by disappointment for USA Boxing; Dan Campbell is the cause.
Looking back on the turmoil that surrounded the USA boxing squad preceding the Olympics, it is little surprise that we have experienced failure on a scale that can only be described as epic. There are several things you do not do to a boxer; you don't change his routine, you don't change his environment, and you don't change his style. Dan Campbell did.
I believe that Dan Campbell is single handedly responsible for destroying the Olympic aspirations of an entire crop of talented young fighters.
Despite the misnomer, The USA Boxing TEAM is anything but that. Boxing is an individual sport. Bouts are contested by individual fighters for individual success. There is no TEAM competition, and no medal given out for TEAM success. It makes sense then that fighters should be trained as individual fighters, right? Well at least according to Dan Campbell, that is wrong.
Dan Campbell felt strongly enough that the USA Boxing TEAM should be trained as a TEAM that he FORCED the fighters to spend a year with him in Colorado Springs. A year filled with turmoil, conflict, clashing personalities, and incompetence.
Not only did he force the fighters to live with him at the Olympic training center, he implemented a cookie cutter training regiment. Dan Campbell not only stripped the fighters of their coaches, their homes, and their families, he stripped them of their freedom.
In its place, he attempted to implement a rigid system of communistic training. No longer were the fighters free to follow the training routines that had earned them a spot on the Olympic team. No, they were now at the mercy of Dan Campbell. They had to train how he wanted, when he wanted, or else.
Or else? Yes, not doing things HIS way could get you kicked off of the team, and slapped with a nice big fine. No, I am not talking about Fidel Castro, I am talking about Dan Campbell. What better way to represent the USA than abandoning everything the USA stands for eh Dan?
Exactly how many fighters did Dan Campbell bully and threaten? Most likely all of them, but more specifically, seven of the nine fighters were publicly demeaned or threatened by "coach" Dan Campbell. GO coach DAN! Way to earn the fighters respect!
There is something very important that both Dan Campbell, and apparently USA Boxing failed to realize; coaches work FOR the fighters, fighters don't work for the coaches.
When seven on the nine fighters had publicly voiced their discontent with the situation in Colorado Springs, the situation should have been changed. The training camp was suppose to be for the benefit of the fighters. If the training camp was hurting the fighters, as it obviously was, it should have been changed, canceled, or a new coach brought in.
As the saying goes, fighting is 90% mental. Dan Campbell systematically demolished the mental strength of the United States Olympic Boxing Team, and with it... any chance at gold they might have had.
Good job Dan Campbell, you have done your country proud! JUST KIDDING!
Here is a good article on the situation
Looking back on the turmoil that surrounded the USA boxing squad preceding the Olympics, it is little surprise that we have experienced failure on a scale that can only be described as epic. There are several things you do not do to a boxer; you don't change his routine, you don't change his environment, and you don't change his style. Dan Campbell did.
I believe that Dan Campbell is single handedly responsible for destroying the Olympic aspirations of an entire crop of talented young fighters.
Despite the misnomer, The USA Boxing TEAM is anything but that. Boxing is an individual sport. Bouts are contested by individual fighters for individual success. There is no TEAM competition, and no medal given out for TEAM success. It makes sense then that fighters should be trained as individual fighters, right? Well at least according to Dan Campbell, that is wrong.
Dan Campbell felt strongly enough that the USA Boxing TEAM should be trained as a TEAM that he FORCED the fighters to spend a year with him in Colorado Springs. A year filled with turmoil, conflict, clashing personalities, and incompetence.
Not only did he force the fighters to live with him at the Olympic training center, he implemented a cookie cutter training regiment. Dan Campbell not only stripped the fighters of their coaches, their homes, and their families, he stripped them of their freedom.
In its place, he attempted to implement a rigid system of communistic training. No longer were the fighters free to follow the training routines that had earned them a spot on the Olympic team. No, they were now at the mercy of Dan Campbell. They had to train how he wanted, when he wanted, or else.
Or else? Yes, not doing things HIS way could get you kicked off of the team, and slapped with a nice big fine. No, I am not talking about Fidel Castro, I am talking about Dan Campbell. What better way to represent the USA than abandoning everything the USA stands for eh Dan?
Exactly how many fighters did Dan Campbell bully and threaten? Most likely all of them, but more specifically, seven of the nine fighters were publicly demeaned or threatened by "coach" Dan Campbell. GO coach DAN! Way to earn the fighters respect!
There is something very important that both Dan Campbell, and apparently USA Boxing failed to realize; coaches work FOR the fighters, fighters don't work for the coaches.
When seven on the nine fighters had publicly voiced their discontent with the situation in Colorado Springs, the situation should have been changed. The training camp was suppose to be for the benefit of the fighters. If the training camp was hurting the fighters, as it obviously was, it should have been changed, canceled, or a new coach brought in.
As the saying goes, fighting is 90% mental. Dan Campbell systematically demolished the mental strength of the United States Olympic Boxing Team, and with it... any chance at gold they might have had.
Good job Dan Campbell, you have done your country proud! JUST KIDDING!
Here is a good article on the situation
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