Starting Over Talk - Peer Coaching Support Site

When I did a search on Niambi Dennis, I got that she ran track for the Army...but I didn't pick up any info about her ever even training for the Olympics or in contention. I don't think this was a situation even remotely close to Vanessa's of SO2.

I don't remember which episodes, but I do remember the phrases "world class athlete" and "training for the Olympics" being used. Perhaps she was saying she wasn't training for the Olympics -- who knows?

What I was trying to say in my earlier post was that I thought SO believed she'd have the wherewithall to rise to the occasion, ie., to behave like a champion. I don't think they counted on her being so wimpy. Now I feel like I have to clarify that: I mean wimpy in her dealings with a rotten relationship. I know she wants to come off as a strong woman (she didn't like Christie because she saw her as weak - that's what Niambi herself said to Iyanla) - but strength comes from a peaceful place within and doesn't involve being moody, catty, mean, or jealous. Personally, I did not think Niambi was strong at all. I think her body worked in her favor for a while. That's all. And I was saying that perhaps SO thought she would be a great 'finale', what with the 5K and all. But, life is what happens when you are busy making other plans, or so I've heard!

Maybe she said, "I ain't no world class athlete training for the Olympics, you know -- I'm a grown-ass woman!"

And the "ain't" is for emphasis - before anyone gets their panties in a wad. I use it all the time. I am not denegrating anyone due to their race, color, religion, nationality, social background or what they eat for breakfast.

I don't remember which episodes, but I do remember the phrases "world class athlete" and "training for the Olympics" being used. Perhaps she was saying she wasn't training for the Olympics -- who knows?

What I was trying to say in my earlier post was that I thought SO believed she'd have the wherewithall to rise to the occasion, ie., to behave like a champion. I don't think they counted on her being so wimpy. Now I feel like I have to clarify that: I mean wimpy in her dealings with a rotten relationship. I know she wants to come off as a strong woman (she didn't like Christie because she saw her as weak - that's what Niambi herself said to Iyanla) - but strength comes from a peaceful place within and doesn't involve being moody, catty, mean, or jealous. Personally, I did not think Niambi was strong at all. I think her body worked in her favor for a while. That's all. And I was saying that perhaps SO thought she would be a great 'finale', what with the 5K and all. But, life is what happens when you are busy making other plans, or so I've heard!

Maybe she said, "I ain't no world class athlete training for the Olympics, you know -- I'm a grown-ass woman!"

And the "ain't" is for emphasis - before anyone gets their panties in a wad. I use it all the time. I am not denegrating anyone due to their race, color, religion, nationality, social background or what they eat for breakfast.

allthetime wrote:

QUOTE:
I don't remember which episodes, but I do remember the phrases "world class athlete" and "training for the Olympics" being used. Perhaps she was saying she wasn't training for the Olympics -- who knows?

What I was trying to say in my earlier post was that I thought SO believed she'd have the wherewithall to rise to the occasion, ie., to behave like a champion. I don't think they counted on her being so wimpy. Now I feel like I have to clarify that: I mean wimpy in her dealings with a rotten relationship. I know she wants to come off as a strong woman (she didn't like Christie because she saw her as weak - that's what Niambi herself said to Iyanla) - but strength comes from a peaceful place within and doesn't involve being moody, catty, mean, or jealous. Personally, I did not think Niambi was strong at all. I think her body worked in her favor for a while. That's all. And I was saying that perhaps SO thought she would be a great 'finale', what with the 5K and all. But, life is what happens when you are busy making other plans, or so I've heard!:silly:

Maybe she said, "I ain't no world class athlete training for the Olympics, you know -- I'm a grown-ass woman!"

And the "ain't" is for emphasis - before anyone gets their panties in a wad. I use it all the time. I am not denegrating anyone due to their race, color, religion, nationality, social background or what they eat for breakfast. :side:

Well after I had made that post I was looking at her myspace site...and she describes herself as an olympic athlete. I hadn't got much when I did a yahoo search...but got a bit more info when doing a google...

Here is the best info I could find. Apparently she had aspirations to try to make the 2000 Olympic squad... I hadn't seen anything indicating she had made it... Maybe she was injured ... I did find another list showing the top 10 women for the triple jump for several years. In 97 she was ranked 2nd, in 98 ranked, 9th and then ranked 6th in 99.

This article sheds some light..

http://www.army.mil/Soldiers/feb1998/features/athlete1.html

I wasn't trying to detract from what record she might have had earlier.. But just trying to figure out if she might have embellished a bit.

Looks from what I can tell she was a very competitive athlete in specific track events.

That linked article gives a lot of background info on Niambi too. Education, career, military etc.

Too many women want a seat in the SOH, and Niambi was lucky there was a seat for her to fill. I doubt a SO graduation means as much to Niambi or anyone else who has the chance to clean up her life.

piper wrote:

QUOTE:
Funny, (odd, not ha-ha), the very first remark I heard about race was from Niambi to Antonia when she entered the SOH.
She said to Antonia that is was "great to have a 'sister/sistah' in the house after livin with all these white women".
It was from Naimbi that I got any kind of racial remarks, first. Maybe I missed a few others, but there seemed, IMO, to be started by N from the moment A walked in the door. She hadn't even brought her bags in yet, it was when they were introducing themselves to each other.

Not that it matters to me what race anyone is. When I check those boxes, I check, "other" and write in Scottish American. :P
Tho parents moved here from Scotland right after I was born, I was registered as both. Most of the Scottish sides of the family have married into every various race/religion one can think of, so we're ALL mixed now. :)

MaryBeth <who has 45 first cousins, and is close to ALL of them, some more than others but we're one huge family!> :)

[b] Well, piper that's not racist. I think you should check the definition of what racist means. When Niambi made that remark she wasn't being racist. She was half kidding, half truth. She was happy to see someone of her race in the house, that was true. It's hard sometimes being the only black girl. She was kidding when she said I'm tried of living with all these white women. Obviously none of the white houseguests cared, they knew she wasn't being prejudice.