04/24/24
August 15, 2005
Home from the War with One Goal in Mind: When Army Cpl. Bobby Rosendahl was hit by an IED in Iraq, the 24-year-old suffered devastating injuries that required the amputation of his left leg. "He's not willing to give up his right leg," said his mother Sema Olson. "He's hoping to save it. All he wants to do is golf again."
Let's hear it for our troops fighting for our freedom who help make it possible for us to enjoy our way of life including participation on this board.
posted by tommysands at 11:06 PM on August 15, 2005
My heart aches when I hear stories like this. I hope that young man pulls a Lance Armstrong and wins the PGA someday. While we must all continue to support our troops in Iraq what makes this story even sadder is the reality he lost his leg for Iraqi freedom, not American freedom. Bring them all home!!!
posted by bigchief at 11:49 PM on August 15, 2005
The prospects for this man's future are endless. Its no longer a life ending curse to to loose one's legs. Yes its a terrible thing to happen, I dont know what I would do, if it would happen to me. There have been numerous stories of double aputess doing all sorts of sporting activites. Golf, actually is a quite commong one. Opportunites get better as artifiical limbs improve. Douglas Bader, British who lost both legs before WWII started, Survied the War flying fighter planes and 3 plus years in as POW on artificial limbs. Bader went on to be an exec for Shell Oil, Flying his private plain all over the world. He was even a scratch golfer. There is still a pub there carries his name. I have read similar stories of people living beyond their handicapps. If one has the right attitude, the sky is the limit. My thoughts and prayers go out to this young man and his family. They have a long road ahead of them. It sounds like they are determined to make it!
posted by daddisamm at 12:18 AM on August 16, 2005
Like I said, There are many options for amputee to function in life and in sport. Here is an ">of what I am talking about. As Bobby V once said, "dont give up, dont ever give up!"
posted by daddisamm at 12:24 AM on August 16, 2005
Let's hear it for our troops fighting for our freedom who help make it possible for us to enjoy our way of life including participation on this board. I am all in favor of giving the troops in Iraq my support. I want to add that we need to put pressure on W to end the nonsense in Iraq. Our freedom is not being threatened by Iraq! If you care to disagree with me, then by all means, give me an example to support your arguement.
posted by panteeze at 06:06 AM on August 16, 2005
Where were you with your cries of "No war in Iraq!" before it happened and turned out not to be the cakewalk Bush promised? Don't use some poor bastard getting himself blown to bits as a soapbox from which to bellow political hot air. My condolences to this guy. Maybe someday he'll win this. Good luck to him.
posted by JJ at 06:38 AM on August 16, 2005
Where were you with your cries of "No war in Iraq!" before it happened and turned out not to be the cakewalk Bush promised? Much as it was ignored at the time and is ignored now, there were people who protested and wrote letters and said "No war in Iraq!" before it happened. They were ridiculed, dismissed, and accused of treason. For all we know, panteeze could have been among them. Don't use some poor bastard getting himself blown to bits as a soapbox from which to bellow political hot air. I don't see bellowing, nor do I see hot air. There wasn't any sports content in panteeze's comments, but there wasn't in your reply, either. To return to the subject somewhat, it will be interesting to see where and how wounded veterans get help in putting their lives together when they come home, including resuming participation in sports. A great deal has been done with prosthetics, I'm sure, but more will have to be done in our mindsets, to create opportunities for people with less than perfect bodies to play. As for who will create those opportunities, I wouldn't assume that that will correlate strongly with support for the war. I'm against the war; I'm also very much in favor of helping someone who's missing a leg (re)learn to ski, as I said before. I wonder who a wounded veteran will get more help from: me, or someone who paid $1.99 for a "Support the Troops" sticker.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:04 AM on August 16, 2005
Let's hear it for our troops fighting for our freedom who help make it possible for us to enjoy our way of life including participation on this board. I should have known that my comment would touch off a debate about the war in Iraq. My bad but that was not my intention. Regardless of one’s opinion about the war, we should all support our troops. This thread started out as a golf story. Let’s get back to discussing sports.
posted by tommysands at 08:03 AM on August 16, 2005
"Supports our troops" thats a great attitude to have. I think that we have to be careful as to what messages our troops are getting. This is especially true if you are against the war. You could come to the point where you are telling a solder "your sacrfice is notheing" Or you tell a parent or spouce "your loved one's life was given in vain." ALL war sucks. Not just this one. I am all for "supporting the troops, let us be careful as to how we do it! I wish this man and all others like him, well.
posted by daddisamm at 08:13 AM on August 16, 2005
I fail to see how fighting in Iraq has anything to do with the internet. Terrorists, much like any other group, are incapable of taking the internet away - (argh, I'm not getting into it, I'm not getting into it...) Good for this guy, however. Murderball is another interesting documentary (my what a good time for documentaries - might be because the fifth estate on the TV side keeps dropping the ball) about how quadrapeligics continue to compete following traumatic injuries. I highly recommend it.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:16 AM on August 16, 2005
Weedy, Was doing some reading and viewed the "trialer" for "Murderball" Looks like that it has a message worth hearing.
posted by daddisamm at 08:41 AM on August 16, 2005
"Do you remember that? World War Two? Absolutely ghastly business. Absolutely ghastly business. I was completely against it." "Yes, well, i think we all were Sir Arthur..." "Yes, but I wrote a letter." Any sentence that begins "Let's hear it for..." sounds like bellowing to me. Sort of loses its impact if it isn't. And if the notion that the troops are fighting in Iraq "for our freedom" isn't hot air, I don't know what is. Bill Hicks said it better than I can (the first time a Bush went blundering into Iraq): "Once again, I was watching the fucking news, and it really threw me off. It depressed everyone, it's so scary watching the news, how they built it all out of proportion, like Iraq was ever, or could ever possibly, under any stretch of the imagination be a threat to us - whatsoever. But-watching the news, you never would have got that idea. Remember how it started, they kept talking about 'the Elite Republican Guard' in these hushed tones like these guys were the bogeymen or something. Yeah, we're doing well now, but we have yet to face-THE ELITE REPUBLICAN GUARD. Like these guys were twelve feet tall, desert warriors. KRRASH. NEVER LOST A BATTLE! KRRASH. WE SHIT BULLETS! Yeah, well, after two months of continuous carpet bombings and not one reaction at all from them, they became simply, 'the Republican Guard.' Not nearly as elite as we may have led you to believe. And after another month of bombing, they went from 'the Elite Republican Guard' to 'the Republican Guard' to 'the Republicans made this shit up about there being guards out there'. We hope you enjoyed your fireworks show. It was so pretty, and it took our mind off of domestic issues! The Persian Gulf Distraction. People say, "Nuh uh, Bill, Iraq had the 4th largest army in the world". Yeah, maybe, but you know something, after the first three largest armies there's a real big fucking dropoff. The Hare Krishnas are the 5th largest army in the world, okay. And they've already got our airports." As for the absence of sporting content of my post - I'm not sure the world's amputee golfers would take too kindly to the denial of their status as sportspeople. If it's a sport when I play it with a full compliment of limbs (and dodgy taste in trousers), it's ten times more a sport when someone's playing it without a major limb. But then, for a country that seemed to ignore the paralympics, maybe it's not *shrug* Sorry, LBB if that sounds like a personal attack, it really isn't meant to be - I'm not going to trawl through the archives, but I'm guessing you were among the voices decrying the lack of paralympic coverage last year too. I'm having a dig at your country - or really at what's been done to your country by the guy in the monkey outfit that someone left in charge. Support the troops by all means - but don't buy into the propoganda bullshit that suggests they are in some way protecting your way of life.
posted by JJ at 08:47 AM on August 16, 2005
A pox on this rolling argument about what it means to support the troops. Let's talk about supporting this particular troop. What would he need to golf as a single or double amputee? Anyone have any expertise on this subject?
posted by rcade at 10:17 AM on August 16, 2005
JJ: Any sentence that begins "Let's hear it for..." sounds like bellowing to me. So how come you didn't refer to a post that began with "Let's hear it for..."? Your post included no quotes and immediately followed panteeze's post (which did not contain the words "Let's hear it for" and did not rah-rah for the war). As for the absence of sporting content of my post - I'm not sure the world's amputee golfers would take too kindly to the denial of their status as sportspeople. Yes, but you didn't say a single solitary word in your post about golfers of any kind. I repeat: no sports content. Who's leaving out the amputee golfers? Sorry, LBB if that sounds like a personal attack, it really isn't meant to be It doesn't sound like a personal attack; it sounds like you're just really confused about who said what.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:20 AM on August 16, 2005
A pox on this rolling argument about what it means to support the troops. Let's talk about supporting this particular troop. What would he need to golf as a single or double amputee? Anyone have any expertise on this subject? I am not">an expert when it come to amputees. There are places like this like that can get people pointed in the right direct. I have worked enough with people with handicapps to know that anything is possible. If a person has the right attitude and a good support system, they can do almost anything they want. The technology is there..
posted by daddisamm at 10:33 AM on August 16, 2005
Here is another expert link , Its'">like I said, golfing for amputees have been around for a long time. Its to the point where its been perfected and recognised by th USGA
posted by daddisamm at 10:39 AM on August 16, 2005
Let's talk about supporting this particular troop. What would he need to golf as a single or double amputee? Of course it's taking place in a more compassionate country, but here's a story on golf for amputees and the association that makes it possible. Here's another from that same country. Anyone see a pattern here? Holy crap! Here's one in America! I knew we weren't all heartless bastards. JJ...any quote from Bill Hicks makes for a good post to me, whether it's sports related or not. His unique insight is sorely missed, especially now.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 10:49 AM on August 16, 2005
Where were you with your cries of "No war in Iraq!" before it happened and turned out not to be the cakewalk Bush promised? JJ, you speak as if my single opinion could have prevented the war in Iraq. I'll tell you were I was........at home watching W blow smoke up our ass on the television. I am not in favor of any war! The idea of letting one man, because he was elected President, place our soldiers in a no win situation in order to seek revenge is ridiculous. And while W is living a lavish retirement years from now, the poor kids who were severly injured will suffer the rest of their lives wondering why in the fuck they were injured. Maybe we should deny W his Presidential salary for the rest of his life and use it to develop positive programs for those that lost a limb for his silly war. That is the least W and the USA can do for Cpl. Rosendahl!
posted by panteeze at 09:20 PM on August 16, 2005
This is a lovely to support the troops--basically tell them that their sacrifice means nothing! JJ, you speak as if my single opinion could have prevented the war in Iraq. I'll tell you were I was........at home watching W blow smoke up our ass on the television. I am not in favor of any war! The idea of letting one man, because he was elected President, place our soldiers in a no win situation in order to seek revenge is ridiculous. And while W is living a lavish retirement years from now, the poor kids who were severly injured will suffer the rest of their lives wondering why in the fuck they were injured. Maybe we should deny W his Presidential salary for the rest of his life and use it to develop positive programs for those that lost a limb for his silly war. That is the least W and the USA can do for Cpl. Rosendahl! Where were you with your cries of "No war in Iraq!" before it happened and turned out not to be the cakewalk Bush promised? JJ, you speak as if my single opinion could have prevented the war in Iraq. I'll tell you were I was........at home watching W blow smoke up our ass on the television. I am not in favor of any war! The idea of letting one man, because he was elected President, place our soldiers in a no win situation in order to seek revenge is ridiculous. And while W is living a lavish retirement years from now, the poor kids who were severly injured will suffer the rest of their lives wondering why in the fuck they were injured. Maybe we should deny W his Presidential salary for the rest of his life and use it to develop positive programs for those that lost a limb for his silly war. That is the least W and the USA can do for Cpl. Rosendahl! again I say: This is a lovely to support the troops--basically tell them that their sacrifice means nothing!
posted by daddisamm at 07:24 AM on August 17, 2005
Sportsfilter - the clue is in the name.
posted by squealy at 08:32 AM on August 17, 2005
what squealy said.
posted by tommysands at 10:06 AM on August 17, 2005
This is a lovely to support the troops--basically tell them that their sacrifice means nothing! Daddisamm, are u clueless? How are you able to derive from my post that I don't support the troops? Not once did I mention that I did not support them! Grow Up!
posted by panteeze at 10:09 AM on August 17, 2005
I am clueless? Thanks for the info. I had no idea! I would rather talk sports but I felt compelled to express my opinion. Your post panteeze, delivers a mixed message. You hate the war, the president, and the job that the solders are doing. and yet you support them???? You seem to detest everything that our solders stand for. I dont think pity is a real form of support. Grow up!!!?? why??? At my age I want to stay young.
posted by daddisamm at 11:28 AM on August 17, 2005
I think, daddisam, that you are assuming that the soldiers who are doing their duty have the same idealogy as the brain trust who started it in the first place. So, if you criticize the leaders about the war and how poorly the war is going, then you are criticizing the soldiers. Soldiers have absolutey no say in any of this. They just follow orders. Most of them want to come home as much, if not more, than we want them home. But, they are serving their country and that is how and where they have been asked to serve. I have complained publicly and loudly against the war (including writing tons of letters). My nephew was sent there four months after graduating from high school and has been there for a year and a half. So, no, I do not support the war, but, I support the soldiers who are fulfilling their duty.
posted by bperk at 11:51 AM on August 17, 2005
A solder has a job to do and they do it. All I am saying that people who dont totally support the president or whatever can come really close to given a mixed message to the troops. Vietnam was a great example of this. The solders were looked upon as the "badguys" That is my humble opinion.
posted by daddisamm at 11:59 AM on August 17, 2005
All I am saying that people who dont totally support the president or whatever can come really close to given a mixed message to the troops. I don't think the troops are that stupid, at least I know I wasn't when I served, even if there was no war at the time. The view of millions of Americans (imho)... Bubbya = idiot. Troops = doing their jobs. No mixed message there. I'm just glad we came across a few links supporting and organizing amputee athletics.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 01:19 PM on August 17, 2005
Yup I know what you mean. There is a lot of support out there. You found some links-I found some links--- I am sure Cpl Rosendahl will find lots of help when it somes to playing golf or just living a normal life.
posted by daddisamm at 01:42 PM on August 17, 2005
Your post panteeze, delivers a mixed message. You hate the war, the president, and the job that the solders are doing. and yet you support them???? You seem to detest everything that our solders stand for. I dont think pity is a real form of support. Once again daddism, you amaze me. Where in my earlier post did I state that I hated the President, the job our soldiers are doing or the war? If you read my post again, I state I am not in favor of any war! I also made no mention of anything about the job our soldiers were or are doing in Iraq. As for President Bush, I think he is a fool. You should be in politics, there is always room for another spin doctor. Although I also never mentioned anything about pity regarding our soldiers, I do pity them. I pity them due to the mere fact they have no choice but to follow W's orders.
posted by panteeze at 03:21 PM on August 17, 2005
Thanks, rcade, for the link to the story.
posted by chicobangs at 05:08 PM on August 17, 2005
I dunno from golf, but this story makes me think that I really ought to get my act together and take an adaptive clinic or two, so that I might be able to teach someone without two legs to ski. Two legs, one leg or none, there are ways that you can ski, so maybe there are other options for golf too.