Iris Martin is a “former psychotherapist” who blogs for the Huffington Post most likely without getting paid in hopes that people will buy her seemingly self-published books. But today Iris is not talking about Mortgage Wars. No. Today she is expounding on what the United States can learn from Shaun White.
White’s recent round of interviews and appearances has provided a portrayal of an old soul in a highly tuned young body–and potentially a global leader in the making, if still in a somewhat unassuming embryonic state. He has not only transcended the myth of the hippie-haired snowboarder on his quest to stick the perfect run, he has laid down a style of being in the world that’s awesome for our times.
Ms. Martin is probably the first (and hopefully last) writer to reference Goldie Hawn, Ghandi, New Age theorist Michael Sharp, the Obama Administration, Bill Clinton, the Dali Lama, Marie Antoinette, Edward Gibbon, and Toynbee and Burke in an essay about snowboarding. After slogging through the entire piece we’re not sure it something anyone else should attempt. But we agree with the premise: we all could learn a lot from Shaman White. . . especially in the revenue department.
Not that we’re not getting enough Shaun White all over the rest of the world, now we get to see his bright, shining, flowing locks along with boardercross gold medalist Seth Wescott on boxes of our favorite breakfast cereal.
“It’s great being on a Wheaties box,” said White. “I remember being a kid and looking up to the guys whose faces were on these boxes and thinking how cool it was. I’m just stoked that Wheaties wanted me on the box and I can represent my sport in such a great way.”. . . “Having your very own Wheaties box is something many athletes strive for; so today it is an incredible feeling to see my box and know it represents determination, hard work and focus in a sport that’s relatively new to the winter games,” said Wescott. “To earn two consecutive gold medals means so much, and the culmination of now having a Wheaties box is the icing on the cake.”
The boxes will be available in stores beginning in April 2010.
Early Olympians reportedly competed nude. In that sense, this Terry RichardsonRolling Stone cover of Shaun White rocking out shirtless over his burning board makes some sort of sense.
Shaun White has revolutionized snowboarding, won the big gold in Vancouver and lit his snowboard aflame, Hendrix-style, on the cover of the new issue of Rolling Stone, joining an elite club of athletes to appear on our cover not once, but twice. . . And as the focused, business savvy White tells it, a lot of his recent success on the half-pipe and off can be attributed to a new addition to his life: “Getting into music has changed my personality and my way of doing things,” he reveals to RS writer Vanessa Grigoriadis. “I”m far more open now.”
Jimi Hendrix would be proud. At least the rest of Shaun is covered up. . . click the link for video.
Talk in the Rally world regarding Ken Block is often harsh, mostly because he was able to come out of nowhere and immediately become one of the most talked about rally driver in America. But all that aside he won the 2010 Rally America 100 Acre Wood Rally for the fifth time in a row this weekend according to a post on RallyBuzz.
“I can’t tell you how difficult and challenging this weekend has been,” said Block. “This is the location of my first national rally win, so I have now won this rally five years in a row and it is a pretty good feeling to get the Fiesta home in first. The Fiesta is a big change from the car I was racing before, but I am finally starting to come to grips with how to drive it and how to go as fast as I can. It is very fun to drive and I am really enjoying the Fiesta.”
Travis Patrana was leading by over a minute when rear suspension damage put him out of the race. In an odd twist BMXer Dave Mirra finished fourth.
Juliette Lewis says she tired of talking about her relationship with actor Brad Pitt and would rather talk about something else, according to a story on CBS42.com.
She says, “It amazes me that people are still fascinated that we went out for years. I was a teenager at the time. It’s a lifetime away. I was in my high school years and it was a wonderful, loving relationship with a fun, smart guy.Then it was over and he went on to become incredibly famous. The far more significant relationship was my marriage to an incredible pro skateboarder (Steve Berra). But no-one wants to know about that.”
Really? Seems like we know some people who would love to know about that. . .
Each year, apparently, BusinessWeek magazine creates a Power 100 list of the most powerful athletes in the world. Being an Olympic year, they’ve also created a sister list of the Most Powerful Olympic Athletes. And Shaun White is featured on both. He’s number four on the Olympic list checked in between a couple hockey players and on the athletes list he is all the way down at 51 between golfer Jim Furyk and New York Mets’ third baseman David Wright.
Why he’s on the list: Having dropped the “Flying Tomato” moniker, White has picked up the ability to carve his place in the national consciousness despite competing in a niche sport.
The only other real notable on the list was Ryan Sheckler who just squeaked in at 100 “now that Tony Hawk is retired.”
Shaun White has more than a few look-a-likes; some funnier than others. Now, he can add a forty-one-year-old Winnipeg, Canada woman to the list. For a while Liz Schaeffer didn’t believe it, now she playing it up.
The massage therapist has been given free drinks, had her face flashed on the big-screen TV at the China vs. Slovakia hockey game and has been asked by visiting Americans whether they can take a photo of her. . . When a friend took her picture in front of the Olympic cauldron, people in the lineup were whispering, “Shaun White! Shaun White!” . . . Her ultimate goal is to meet White and have her picture taken with him. She is thinking of offering him a massage in exchange for a snowboard lesson.
Shaun White’s comfortable, witty appearance actually makes it worth watching Stephen Colbert for more than three minutes. No joke, Shaun is that good. To watch the entire Colbert Report episode, click the link.
Iris Martin is a “former psychotherapist” who blogs for the Huffington Post most likely without getting paid in hopes that people will buy her seemingly self-published books. But today Iris is not talking about Mortgage Wars. No. Today she is expounding on what the United States can learn from Shaun White.
