Every sport has a villain. The guy who is known for bad behavior both in and out or on and off of the arena/the field/the court/the rink/the cage, etc. As a sports hungry society, we either love or loathe the villain, or we just love to loathe him/her. The villain is cocky and in your face. There are villains who have made Hall of Fame status besides their bad behavior, and villains who missed out on riches and glory because their villainous behavior overshadowed their actual sports accomplishments.
I've never met Ronnie Teasdale. As an athlete/coach/gym owner, he has a pretty impressive resume. He owns CrossFit Mean Streets in downtown Los Angeles. He has a very "in your face" attitude. Someone told me one of CrossFit Mean Streets t-shirts says something similar to "I'll shoot you in the face!" I guess when you post pictures of drunk bums passed out in a gutter in front of your gym, you might as well play up the rough part of town aspect......
This video has been floating around on Facebook lately. This incident took place at the Orange County Throwdown, one of the biggest CrossFit competitions in the country outside the CrossFit Games. In the video, Teasdale gets pissed at a judge because she is telling him that he can't start his next clean on a bounce. At one point Teasdale pushes her out of the way and throws his bar toward her. You can watch for yourself (fast forward to 4:00):
Bad behavior? Yes. (Minimally, the jorts should be a crime.) Any worse than a villain in any other sport? No. The question is how far do you let bad behavior go? In any sport, you lay your hands on a judge/referee, you are pretty much gonna get booted. In most sports there are fines, disqualifications, and suspensions. I think Teasdale got DQ'd from the event, but I am not sure. There is no sanctioning body in CrossFit when it comes to competitions, which is something that may have to change if these competitions are going to be allowed to use the name CrossFit in the title or description. For now, it is up to the event coordinator to monitor the behavior of the athletes at their events.
Nothing wrong with getting pissed at your judge or even another competitor. When you put money and prizes into the mix, things don't always stay goodie two shoes. Don't get holier than thou. CrossFitters are fond of talking about how great the community is and how everyone is so friendly and good, but don't forget that many CrossFit gyms and athletes also play off the hardcore/bad boy/underground image. It seems that now, an athlete has showed some of that attitude at a competition and those same people wearing those "your gym sucks" t-shirts are freaking out.
A little attitude in a competition is great showmanship and in the long run, it's good fun for any sport. BUT..... as a whole, we have to limit what is acceptable and what isn't. The problem is how do you determine what is what and how do you enforce it?
Post thoughts to comments.
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MAKE-UP DAY 2/1/2012
Make-up a workout you missed in the last cycle....OR....do the Power Hour....OR....work on a skill....OR....rest!!!
POWER HOUR 2/1/2012
- 6x3 front squat as heavy as possible
- 400m sled drag for time (M:135#/W:95#)
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From all i hear, all these backyard comps are supposed to be fun, so why act like a douche.... HQ is quick to banish people, they might take note of someone throwing a heavy bar a light girl as a pretty good reason to alienate themselves from that person and pushing a head judge, all bad!
Posted by: alex | January 31, 2012 at 16:17
Freddy,
I think what is really interesting about this situation is that the general response is that Teasdale's actions somehow bring CF into disrepute or are affecting the sport, ie "something needs to be done because he is affecting our reputation'. The reality is that Teasdale's actions affect his reputation alone, not CF or CF competition. Everyone that I showed that to (CF'ers and non-CF'ers) very quickly and correctly identified that it was a case of a guy being a dick, and that he should be DQ'd. Not a single person said anything about CF or competition in general. Every sport on the planet has dicks and regularly has DQs. I am constantly bemused that people use isolated incidents of bad behaviour to generalise the demise of the sport or standards. Every comp I have been to I have been blown away by the great sportsmanship that I have witnessed by the majority of people. Every comp that I have run, there has always been one or two dicks that I have to DQ. I think the amazing thing in the video is that everyone around Teasdale was so tolerant of his bad behaviour. Where was the reaction when the judge was pushed?? That is more worrying than the behaviour itself. Hope you and the OW crew are doing great. Regards from down under,
Cheers,
Matt Swift
CrossFit Brisbane
Posted by: Matt Swift | January 31, 2012 at 16:32
Perhaps He was concerned with her safety... the judge did get in front of him as he was throwing weight around.
Posted by: Lancaster | January 31, 2012 at 17:09
PUNK
Posted by: G | January 31, 2012 at 17:10
Merriam Webster:
Assault: 2 a : a threat or attempt to inflict offensive physical contact or bodily harm
Battery: 1 a : the act of battering or beating b : an offensive touching or use of force on a person without the person's consent
Posted by: Haya | January 31, 2012 at 17:28
I agree with the good sir from down under. I also agree with Freddy concerning the jorts nonsense. I think in a case like that, though, if he was indeed disqualified from that event that he should be restricted from competing in the next OC Throwdown or perhaps from competing to go to the games this year. Hissy fits are for children, not musclebound men wielding a 100+ pound barbell.
Posted by: Ben B. | January 31, 2012 at 18:06
LMFAO, he nearly dropped 225 lbs on that girl's head. Then he shoved her.
Any worse than a villain in any other sport? FUCK YES!
What sport tolerates assaulting women? Only crossfit (if you can even call crossfit a sport)
You got some serious issues Freddy. Get some counseling.
Posted by: jokefit | January 31, 2012 at 20:32
Because working out is so serious! you MUST be from the mean streets to do crossfit! Honestly, I would have just stripped his bar of all weight and left just the fucking bar for him. So now, LETS CUE UP SOME VAN HALEN "MEAN STREET"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2R2KXNQR1M
Enjoy folks!
Posted by: Eric | January 31, 2012 at 20:50
His shorts fuckin' rock!!!
Posted by: Atsushi | January 31, 2012 at 21:55
Blair Morrison provided a first hand account of the incident that includes the fact that Teasdale yelled at the judge calling her a f***ng b****. That is part of what made Teasdale's behavior so egregious.
Posted by: Dave | January 31, 2012 at 22:02
I expected worse after reading the post and the comments. That bitch was annoying - I'd be pissed too. You're trying to lift and this chick is standing right in front of you yelling and sticking her pen at you. He didn't come that close to hitting here. It was more like, "bitch, back the fuck up because you're in the way."
You guys/girls are just being over-dramatic about the whole thing.
Posted by: paulie | January 31, 2012 at 22:12
Agree with Paulie. Also as with everything else in life there is a whole back story to this whole incident . With the movement in question there is a history with Ronnie and the OC Throwdown, AND with the woman judge. She has a competing gym near Ronnie and they have history. I have a question, is she really his judge? Who is the guy counting reps? How would you react being that deep in a WOD and she is jumping in your face when its for time. Lets be real that was not a push, that was a get out of the damn way. I know Ronnie, I like Ronnie. My opinion.
Posted by: Jack Cambra | January 31, 2012 at 22:51
It's ok to like men jack but to defend that action c'mon...
Posted by: Alex Cardenas | January 31, 2012 at 23:11
Bottom line...he was cheating during the 4minute mark with the bouncing catch. His male judge didn't catch it. The female judge did.
Come on guys. That was a good spot for any judge no matter what box they are associated with. Wod drunk or not, an athlete of that caliber should know better than that.
I have no idea who the athlete or the judges were. I just think it was proper judging. My humble opinion. Don't bash me!
Posted by: Maria | January 31, 2012 at 23:13
paulie - it's clear you're some kind of misogynist whose hate for women is blinds him to what was an overtly violent action that was clearly over the top. Just count how many times "bitch" and "chick" appear in your post. I rest my care.
Jack - remove "I know Ronnie, I like Ronnie" from your post, pretend that's some asshole you've never met, watch the video again. Is what he did ok? If you think it is, somewhere along the line you fucked up when putting together your system of ethics/morals. Try again.
Lifetime ban for Ronnie in my opinion, what he did should be unacceptable.
Posted by: Jahed | February 01, 2012 at 00:43
*care = case
I blame racer 5 for those typos.
Posted by: Jahed | February 01, 2012 at 00:45
Hmmm... First, Atsushi, those shorts are suspiciously like the ones you "rock", but I think your shorts are waaaay shorter!
Secondly, whether you're "deep in a wod" or not, as an athlete, you should always be aware of your surroundings since it will affect your performance; especially in a "crossfit" type of workout forum where the space is more often than not very limited and constrained.
As a "coach", I am always reminding our clients/athletes to be careful where they are dumping their weighted barbells and/or walking around on the floor. With limited floor space, it can definitely be a hazard when there are a lot of people moving around. Irregardless, whether you're in a competition or working out at your box, if a judge or a coach is talking to you about your form, or missed rep, etc., I don't care how "deep in the wod" you are, there is no excuse for rude behavior and especially a push, however minor it might seem to some.
Lastly, when a person communicates, whether it's in a written and/or verbal format, it can be very telling as to that person's character. Sometimes you have to read between the lines. But other times it is glaringly obvious. I agree with Jahed, whether you think the call by the "woman judge" was wrong or right, there is absolutely no need to refer to her in such derogatory terms, as used by "Paulie". If there was a point being made, the message was definitely lost in the delivery.
In closing, whether you're an athlete competing in a crossfit competition or training in your box, let's put aside all the background drama and get the most out of each experience. At One World, we have a saying, "check your ego at the door". To me, it's not just about understanding your limits so you don't wreck yourself. But also to treat each other respectfully. Otherwise, my own personal caveat, don't let the door slam you in the a@* on the way out.
Posted by: cheryl | February 01, 2012 at 02:40
I bet his gym will be well known now amongst the fattening herd of other gyms. Everyone will know his name among the vast number of athletes.
Perception is everything in this video, did he push her as he was mad, or did he push her to make sure she didn't get hit by the bar. Did he throw the bar at her or did the bar just bounch as he was turning.
As this "sport" grows you will only see more of this, like any other.
Should this hurt CF rep? No. You can only try to define CF by your own actions and not others. If someone wants to group everyone in the same category because of one persons actions thats on them.
Posted by: JamesC | February 01, 2012 at 05:16
Just dont be a dick. That someone's girlfriend, wife, mom or daughter. Being a dumbass could put a lot of people at risk. People get crazy during competition and loose it. He earned a dq, but that's it. I've earned a few ejection during bball games for saying less than that. Ejection or two will clean it up.
Posted by: Large Goose | February 01, 2012 at 05:54
These are competitions, but that does not necessarily make this a "sport" nor does it make Ronnie Teasdale an athlete (maybe he is an athlete...but simply competing in Crossfit competitions does not make him one)
Posted by: Drew | February 01, 2012 at 06:14
Continuing on what Large Goose wrote...from the way this guy handled the situation you have to wonder a couple of disturbing things. If that was his girlfriend, wife, sister, or daughter, would he find those actions acceptable? Secondly, as a coach and box owner, is that the kind of athlete and client he is creating as he models this kind of behavior? If he reflects on his actions, apologizes and then campaigns to demonstrate his actions were wrong, then he is truly a coach to follow. This is a community..what kind of members of it are you creating and affecting? Not to toot OW so much, but I could never imagine any of the coaches allowing this to happen nor acting like that and expecting to be defended and understood.
Posted by: Jor | February 01, 2012 at 06:52
The infraction was clear. He was told to not grab the bar off the bounce. He pushed the judge and dropped the bar closer to her as a warning to get away. He then tossed the bar in her direction on the final rep of that set.
We can forget about whatever "history" the judge and athlete might have; we don't need to argue over whether he hates women or not or whether he is an ass or a nice guy who just lost his temper in the heat of competition. None of that really matters if we are confining the debate to the competition.
The competitor verbally abused, then shoved the judge. That lack of sportsmanship and disregard for the rules needs to be addressed. The athlete was DQ'd, justifiably so, and now the folks who organized that event and others must decide whether more punishment is merited.
The competitor acted like a fool and should be treated accordingly.
Posted by: Marty | February 01, 2012 at 08:30
Dam Cheryl! do you always have to turn thing's into "life lessons" ? ;)
Posted by: Eric | February 01, 2012 at 08:41
i like video
Posted by: Cody | February 01, 2012 at 08:58
I met him several times. Great athlete, but a huge brick.
Posted by: jack | February 01, 2012 at 09:25
I saw the video. From a legal perspective, that was clearly an assault. Period. That guy should be in jail. The guy is a loser. From an Olympic lifting perspective, he would have been DQ'd IMMEDIATELY. But we all know this is not an Oly-lifting contest.
Finally, he did lift the clean on the bounce.
He's a loser. We would NEVER do something like that at One World, nor would we tolertate anything of that nature.
Posted by: angela | February 01, 2012 at 09:40
We can discuss philosophy and human moral code till we go blue in the face. The point is, did he violate any written/established rules? If yes what are the consequences? And if not, should rules be setup, specially when it comes to interaction between the judge and the participant. This situation could have been handled diplomatically from both perspectives/parties. To judge all participants equally and fairly the human bias needs to be removed or at least minimized. We are emotional and imperfect creatures when it comes to making a logical decision, specially when you are doing a WOD or you are responsible for judging a major competition.
Posted by: Sina | February 01, 2012 at 09:46
BTW, we are O-lifting on Thursday night at 7 p.m. So far, I have the following peeps attending: Chris R., Jess and Joe, and Lyn. Atsushi will be lifting a little earlier.
Posted by: angela | February 01, 2012 at 09:59
ALL I KNOW IS THOSE SHORTS SUCK AND HE DID START THAT CLEAN ON A BOUNCE, GOOD CALL WOMAN!!!!! On a lighter note did anyone see Bob Harper put the biggest loser group through FRAN last night? They made it sound like it was "his" workout. LOL!!! I'm gonna go push him and throw a bar at him now!
Posted by: Annie | February 01, 2012 at 10:36
Ronnie has a "reputation" that precedes him. This is exactly why.
I've judged him at regionals and he is no slouch. He's been around, he knows the rules, anyone who opines that an accomplished athlete of his caliber didn't know the bounce was illegal, or didn't intentionally throw the bar in the direction of the judge, is fooling themselves.
That judge is an experienced CF judge. I've judged with her, and she is on the money with her rep calls. He bounced, she called him on it... and called him on it again. He got mad and showed his colors.
Another pock mark on CF only in the sense that this shows we can't corral our own DBs.
Posted by: Bob | February 01, 2012 at 10:53
Not a CF issue at all. I agree with Matt Swift entirely. No place for that in any type of competition. Officials are inviolate during the contest. The venue/competition/sport is irrelevant.
bingo
Posted by: bingo | February 01, 2012 at 11:02
The judging was spot on. he bounced, he's guilty. I also feel he had a right to be pissed off about how the judging was handled, particularly with the judge impeding his movement. BUT what bothers me most is the fact that so many people felt his actions were wrong yet nobody bothered doing anything about it. I don't mean to say that my associates and I are modern-day chivalrous knights or anything but if we truly felt a woman had been "assaulted" (a word many people are throwing around simply based on definition) by a man in our presence I can assure you there would be more than just words exchanged with said individual.
Posted by: Mark D | February 01, 2012 at 12:43
Freddy, completely agree with your comments. Some attitude is fine, but clearly the line was crossed and no one is above the sport. I would wonder how he would feel about having a daughter treated in such a manner.
I think that whenever a movement such as Crossfit enjoys such growth and acceptance there will be those who view themselves as greater than the game and seek to take more from it than they will ever return to it. At this stage Ronnie appears to be that person. Hopefully, in time he will grow to see the childishness of his actions and become a better man.
Posted by: Jay Thomas | February 01, 2012 at 12:54
the first rep he bounced he caught at mid shin, no rep. the second one she no reped him on he caught off the bounce then while controlling it he tapped the ground and completed a good rep. id be pissed if my judge couldnt tell the difference too. having said that there is no justification for his actions. death penalty!
Posted by: Matt | February 01, 2012 at 13:51
^^^^??????
Posted by: @sushi | February 01, 2012 at 16:56
Wow greeg. Was that really necessary?
Posted by: Anna | February 01, 2012 at 17:48
Anna, please dont feed they trolls.
Posted by: freddy | February 01, 2012 at 17:49
What's up with the resurrection of the "C"(unt) word? It's being thrown about all willy-nilly lately.... I'm not complaining, just puzzled by its resurgence.
Posted by: Ben B. | February 01, 2012 at 18:39
Ronnie was wrong. But judge lady, please step away from the field of play. She got too close. Btw, Ben Smith abused the bounce, catch, clean move at the 2010 Games and it was never called.
Posted by: BT | February 01, 2012 at 18:43