You can totally believe it. Haven’t you seen the gymnastics pieces? Read Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, which IINM came out sometime in the nineties?

I agree and I’m a little alarmed that I scrolled down this far and saw only a couple comments focused on his abusive behavior. This guy’s behavior and their history is full of glaring red flags that are typical with abuse. I’m very concerned for her safety and well being. The comments that seem to give him credit…

I can’t believe he told her she should have drowned in the pool and no one is really talking about that. It’s abuse.

The comment last night about Kerri Walsh Jennings not having “an ounce of fat” on her body was so gross and irritating. Can we focus on how she and April Ross are obliterating the Australians, please?!

Yeah, that was weird. And Courtney Kupets is married which made it more awkward.

And got kicked off of his college swim team, too! Not for being an asshole, something about him trying to be a sports agent while still competing in college, I think. Great ethics there, y’all.

Alternating terrible behavior with “loving and considerate” behavior is a classic hallmark of abusive relationships. Lifetime movies and other media addressing domestic abuse often unrealistically portray abusers as cartoon-villain monsters. Of course nobody would stay with someone who was nasty 100% of the time; the…

I’ve heard at least two “Hurr, hurr, beach volleyball” comments so far, and that’s from just watching basketball and handball.

Plus the ability to rein in the anger when they realize they are starting to look bad in public- that ability to put on another face in front of other people so you don’t have the credibility when you finally do break your silence.

This makes me really hate NBC.

Maybe I just wasn’t paying as much attention in previous years, but I feel the commentary has been particularly bad this go around.

You name is everything to me right now.

Do you remember American pole vaulter Jenn Suhr? Her husband was berating her on and on for not beating Yelena Isinbayeva at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It turned my stomach.

Yes. I did a very competitive solo sport as a kid and saw many, many parent-child relationships ruined when the parent was a coach as well. I cannot imagine what it would do to a marriage, which is supposed to be between two equals, but I really cannot see that being healthy.

NBC needs to give Olympics coverage to someone competent.

The incident described: him berating her viciously then turning tender to bring her back, is the exact dynamic that makes abuse so dangerous and SO hard to leave. They go hand in hand.

NBC needs to Sheket bevaka sha

I definitely don't think it'd be my preference but it's not altogether unheard of in individual sports for people to coach their spouses.

I overheard a male commentator during the men’s gymnastics podium training ask a female commentator if she “liked what she saw” in the most obvious, creepy way possible. She did a good job of pivoting it to a critique of his performance after a startled pause, but damn. Get it together Olympics commentators.

Everything else aside, doesn’t it seem like a terrible idea to be married to your coach at an Olympic level? How can a relationship handle that kind of external strain?